Podcast: Park calls on Japan, the new chief of staff, and schools reduce meal programs

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Thu, April 19, 2018 | 22:52

PodCast

Podcast: Park calls on Japan, the new chief of staff, and schools reduce meal programs

Posted : 2015-03-02 09:26

Updated : 2015-03-02 09:26

Today on The Korea Times Podcast: President Park calls on Japan to genuinely reflect on its past during her March 1st address as her new Chief of Staff settles in. Plus schools reduce the number of free lunches and ATMs will no longer take older cards.

Park renews call for Japan's apology
President Park Geun-hye renewed a call for Japan to own up to its wartime atrocities, including the sexual enslavement of Asian women, before jointly ushering in a new era of partnership.

"It is time for Korea and Japan to write a new history together for another 50 years, just as Germany and France became new leaders in the building of a new Europe after overcoming conflict and hostilities between each other," President Park said in her March First speech, commemorating Korea's 1919 nationwide uprising movement against Japan's 1910-45 colonial occupation of the peninsula.

Park names spymaster as chief of staff
Friday, President Park Geun-hye named National Intelligence Service Director Lee Byung-kee as her new chief of staff. Lee's deputy Lee Byung-ho was nominated as National Intelligence Service chief, while Kim Sung-woo, Park's special advisor on social and cultural affairs, replaced Yoon Doo-hyun as senior presidential press secretary.

Schools reduce free meal programs for first time
The number of schools offering free lunches was reduced for the first time, and is expected to decrease further, according to the Ministry of Education. 67.4% of elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide currently offer free lunches to their students. Last year, that number was 72.7%.

Magnetic cardholders to be denied cash advances
People using credit cards with the conventional magnetic stripes without integrated circuit chips will be denied cash advance services or card loans at the ATMs beginning Thursday, the Financial Supervisory Service said. It aims to prevent credit card frauds using counterfeit cards.

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jlee@ktimes.co.kr