The Korea Times

Korea urged to prepare post-pandemic paradigm

The Korea Times and Hankook Ilbo Chairman Seung Myung-ho delivers welcoming remarks during the Korea Forum 2020 co-hosted by the two dailies at the Shilla Hotel, Seoul, Tuesday. The chairman noted the importance of active discussions among various sectors to come up with effective responses to challenges posed in the post-COVID-19 pandemic world. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoonBy Do Je-hae Escalating clashes between the United States and China will require Korea to prepare new diplomatic and economic strategies, a former foreign minister said during the Korea Forum co-hosted by The Korea Times and its sister paper, the Hankook Ilbo, Tuesday.The annual forum was held at The Shilla Seoul hotel under the theme of “Post-pandemic: crisis or opportunity?” with a smaller number of dignitaries present to prevent the spread of COVID-19.Yoon Young-kwan, who served as foreign affairs and trade minister during the Roh Moo-hyun administration from February 2003 until January 2004, highlighted the need for Korea to shift its economic paradigm to respond to a possible “new Cold

May 26, 2020By Do Je-hae

Korea urged to prepare post-pandemic paradigm

Politics

Moon to seek Assembly's help with crucial tasks

President Moon Jae-in, right, shares a warm moment with outgoing National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang ahead of a dinner at the latter's residence, May 21. President Moon is eager to seek cooperation from the incoming Assembly with a range of urgent tasks ahead, and has invited the floor leaders of two major parties to a lunch at Cheong Wa Dae this week. YonhapBy Do Je-hae President Moon Jae-in will step up cooperation with the new National Assembly to pursue some of the crucial tasks in tackling socioeconomic challenges for the post-COVID-19 period.In this regard, the President has invited the new floor leaders of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) ― the DPK's Kim Tae-nyeon and UFP's Joo Ho-young ― to a luncheon at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday, the presidential office said Sunday. “We hope the meeting will enable frank discussions between the President and the floor leaders of the two largest parties on a range of state affairs, including responses to the unemployment and industrial crises,” Kang Ki-jung, senior pr

May 25, 2020By Do Je-hae

Moon to seek Assembly's help with crucial tasks

Politics

Korea pressured by rising U.S.-China tension

Kim Hyon-chong, second deputy director of the presidential National Security Office (NSO), salutes the national flag ahead of a lecture at the National Assembly, May 22. YonhapBy Do Je-hae The escalating U.S.-China tension is emerging as a key diplomatic challenge for Korea.During a recent lecture, Kim Hyon-chong, second deputy director of the presidential National Security Office (NSO), reportedly broached the concerns faced by Korea in the post-COVID-19 period due to Korea’s geopolitical situation, including the U.S.-China conflict.The lecture, which was organized by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) for its lawmakers-elect on May 22, was not disclosed to the public. But according to participants from the DPK, the deputy NSO chief talked about concerns rising from the U.S.-China competition.It was considered rare for a Cheong Wa Dae official to mention the U.S-China conflict and its implications for Korean diplomacy, given Cheong Wa Dae officials and President Moon Jae-in have avoided publicly mentioning the issue.President Moon has placed utmost priority on realizin

May 24, 2020By Do Je-hae

Korea pressured by rising U.S.-China tension

Politics

Turning crisis into opportunity: paragon response to pandemic boosts Korea's global leadership, innovative economy

A medical team wearing protective clothing heads to the ward at the Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital, Daegu, March 23. The devoted medical community and healthcare infrastructure have been credited as some of the main reasons behind Korea's effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic. YonhapBy Do Je-hae Korea's management of the COVID-19 pandemic has been attracting global attention. Leaders around the world, including U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, among 30 others, have called President Moon Jae-in since the outbreak of the COVID-19, seeking to learn from Korea's fast and preemptive responses.One of the things that the world have been marveling at is how Korea has been able to bring down the number of infections without imposing extreme measures such as lockdowns, as in the case of Wuhan, China, the original COVID-19 hotspot. In April, Korea even managed to proceed with a general election as planned, becoming the first country to hold a nationwide election at the height of the COVID-19 spread. Civic co

May 21, 2020By Do Je-hae

Turning crisis into opportunity: paragon response to pandemic boosts Korea's global leadership, innovative economy

Politics

Embattled lawmaker-elect losing party protection

Conservative civic group members hold a press conference in central Seoul to denounced Yoon Mi-hyang, a lawmaker-elect of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. Wednesday. YonhapBy Do Je-hae The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is taking seriously the alleged misuse of funds intended for former sex slaves by one of its lawmakers-elect. Although for now it says fact-finding should come first, some party members are urging the DPK to investigate her immediately and take necessary actions if the allegations are proven true, as public sentiment against the ruling party grows.Yoon Mi-hyang, former leader of the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, has emerged at the center of a controversy for allegedly misusing the civic group's funds for personal gain, and not properly supporting the elderly victims of wartime sex slavery. Yoon won a National Assembly seat as a proportional representative of the DPK's satellite party, Civil Together, in the general election last month.The DPK initially brushed off the allegations, but has sta

May 20, 2020By Do Je-hae

Embattled lawmaker-elect losing party protection

Second 'comfort women' shelter accused of embezzling donations

Politics

Moon pledges support for fact-finding activities on May 18 movement

President Moon Jae-in visits a cemetery, Monday, for citizens who died during a pro-democracy uprising that began in Gwangju on May 18, 1980. YonhapBy Do Je-hae President Moon Jae-in has pledged full government support to uncover the final truth about the bloody crackdown on a pro-democracy movement in Gwangju, adding this will make distortions and disparagements against the uprising disappear.Moon attended a ceremony in the southwestern city, Monday, to mark the 40th anniversary of the May 18 pro-democracy movement against the military junta led by former General-turned-President Chun Doo-hwan.This is the third time for him to take part in the ceremony since he took office in May 2017. About 400 people, including families of the victims of the May 18 Democratic Uprising as well as politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties, attended the event, with the number of participants being minimized to avoid any possible spread of COVID-19. During a speech at the May 18 Democracy Square, which formerly housed the South Jeolla provincial government, Moon underscored the need for

May 18, 2020By Do Je-hae

Moon pledges support for fact-finding activities on May 18 movement

Foreign Affairs

INTERVIEW Korea urged to design new foreign policy, security strategies

Moon Chung-in, special adviser to President Moon Jae-in for  foreign affairs and national security, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at his office in central Seoul, May 14. Korea Times photos by Shim Hyun-chul'Global village security,' US-China antagonism, nuclear arms race emerge as key factors By Do Je-haeThe COVID-19 pandemic is expected to bring huge changes to the way Korea approaches foreign policy and security, according to a noted specialist on international relations. During a recent interview with The Korea Times, Moon Chung-in, special adviser to President Moon Jae-in for foreign  affairs and national security, underlined the emergence of "global village security" as one of the biggest side effects of the pandemic, as opposed to narrowly defined national security. In the post-pandemic period, policymakers around the world are becoming acutely aware that no individual country can ensure security on its own. As a result, the distinguished professor at Yonsei University emphasized that a multilateral approach could become the "mainstay of new manageme

May 17, 2020By Do Je-hae

[INTERVIEW] Korea urged to design new foreign policy, security strategies

Politics

Pandemic highlights new diplomatic challenges for Korea

President Moon Jae-in speaks on the phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping at his residence at Cheong Wa Dae, May 13. YonhapHuman security, managing US-China antagonism to be key focus in Moon's diplomacy By Do Je-hae One of the huge differences in President Moon Jae-in's recent speech from previous occasions was the rare mention of diplomacy. Rather than bilateral relations, Moon highlighted the concept of “human security,” as one of the keywords in his address.“Building upon successful epidemic prevention efforts, we will lead international cooperation in the post-COVID-19 era while placing human security at the center,” Moon said in the special speech to mark his third year in office, May 10. The remarks were seen to underline the need for Korea to adapt to the new concept of security in dealing with all factors threatening safety such as disasters, diseases and environmental issues, not just conventional military threats. Experts who spoke to The Korea Times following the anniversary speech said some noticeable changes are expected in Korea's diplomacy in

May 15, 2020By Do Je-hae

Pandemic highlights new diplomatic challenges for Korea

Politics

Moon, Xi seeking to hold summit in Korea this year

President Moon Jae-in looks at a gift from Chinese President Xi Jinping during his state visit to China Dec. 16, 2017. The two leaders talked on the phone Wednesday to discuss active bilateral cooperation underway to combat COVID-19. Courtesy of Cheong Wa DaeTwo leaders highlight 'fast-track entry system' as outcome of effective COVID-19 cooperationBy Do Je-haeChinese President Xi Jinping reconfirmed his willingness to visit Korea this year once the handling of the COVID-19 crisis improves, during a phone conversation with President Moon Jae-in, according to Cheong Wa Dae, Wednesday.The two leaders also discussed strong bilateral cooperation on minimizing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.This is the first time for Moon and Xi to talk on the phone since the two countries' agreement earlier this month to allow a simplified entry system for Koreans traveling to China on business. The phone call lasted 34 minutes from 9 p.m.“Chinese President Xi said his willingness to visit Korea this year has not changed, and Moon responded that his visit was most important for relati

May 13, 2020By Do Je-hae

Moon, Xi seeking to hold summit in Korea this year

Politics

Moon stresses speedy preparation for possible 2nd wave of pandemic

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a Cabinet meeting, Tuesday. YonhapBy Do Je-hae President Moon Jae-in has stressed the need to speed up measures to strengthen the country's infectious disease management capacity ahead of a possible second wave of infections later in the year. In this regard, he instructed his Cabinet, Tuesday, to make the necessary preparations for elevating the status of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Separating the KCDC from the health ministry and establishing the Disease Control and Prevention Administration was one of the changes announced in Moon's special address to mark the third year of his administration, Sunday. Empowering the KCDC with the authority to take charge of its own budget and personnel affairs has been underlined in the wake of the pandemic for a swifter and more effective response.“We have no time to waste in the face of the crisis right before our eyes. We need to urgently improve our quarantine and health management system. This is crucial in dealing with concerns from experts about a possible second wav

May 12, 2020By Do Je-hae

Do Je-hae

Read more

Korea urged to prepare post-pandemic paradigm

Moon to seek Assembly's help with crucial tasks

Korea pressured by rising U.S.-China tension

Turning crisis into opportunity: paragon response to pandemic boosts Korea's global leadership, innovative economy

Embattled lawmaker-elect losing party protection

Moon pledges support for fact-finding activities on May 18 movement

INTERVIEW Korea urged to design new foreign policy, security strategies

Pandemic highlights new diplomatic challenges for Korea

Moon, Xi seeking to hold summit in Korea this year

Moon stresses speedy preparation for possible 2nd wave of pandemic

Top 5 stories