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Jun Ji-hye

Korea Times Finance Reporter

Jun Ji-hye, a reporter at the finance desk of The Korea Times, focuses primarily on economic policy and government agencies, mainly covering the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Budget and Planning, the National Tax Service and the Korea Customs Service. She previously covered financial authorities, including the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, and earlier worked on the political, city and business desks, reporting on a wide range of issues.

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South Korea

Singer indicted for draft dodging by claiming he saw ghosts

By Jun Ji-hyeKim Woo-jooSinger Kim Woo-joo has been indicted without physical detention on charges of draft-dodging. According to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office Tuesday, the 30-year-old has been pretending to be a mental patient by claiming that he saw ghosts.The Old Time vocalist is suspected of deceiving a psychiatrist and getting a report stating that he needs medicine and mental treatment for more than a year. He told the doctor that he suffers from visual and auditory hallucinations and insomnia.He submitted the report to the Military Manpower Administration (MMA) that transferred him to public duty personnel service in October last year, instead of ordering him to active duty service.Those who are transferred to public duty personnel service serve at state institutions, local governments or other public entities.  Kim was initially ordered to join active service in September 2004.All able-bodied men are required to serve in the military for about two years under the nation’s mandatory conscription system because the nation is technically still a

Jan 20, 2015By Jun Ji-hye
Singer indicted for draft dodging by claiming he saw ghosts
South Korea

Ministry to unearth remains of independence fighter

By Jun Ji-hyePark Sung-choonThe Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs will launch a project to unearth the remains of South Korean independence fighter Ahn Joong-keun who is believed to be buried on Chinese soil.The project is part of efforts to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule, the ministry said in a statement, Monday.Ahn, who fought for the nation’s independence, assassinated Korea’s first Japanese governor-general Hirobumi Ito in the Chinese city of Harbin in October 1909, and was executed at a Japanese prison in China the following year.“There has been a possibility that Ahn might have been buried in the cemetery of a prison in Lushun, China, where he was executed,” said a ministry official. “The ministry has asked China to allow us to conduct ground penetrating radar (GPR) exploration.”He noted that the ministry was not able to carry out proper exploration as Lushun Prison and the surrounding area has been designated as a military district or cultural heritage protec

Jan 20, 2015By Jun Ji-hye
Ministry to unearth remains of independence fighter
South Korea

Defense ministry to develop next generation weapons

By Jun Ji-hyeThe Ministry of National Defense is set to develop next generation weapons through convergence with ICT (information communication technology) as a response to North Korea’s development of asymmetric military capabilities.The envisioned weapons evolved as part of a project, dubbed “Creative National Defense,” include using lasers, and EMP (electromagnetic pulses) and HPM (high-power microwave) bombs, according to the ministry, Monday. It is believed that such devices could incapacitate Pyongyang’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD).Defense Minister Han Min-koo explained that the military will apply the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data to shift the war paradigm to “softkill” from “hardkill.” Using high-tech solutions, the military will also develop “smart soldiers” who will wear sensor-based combat uniforms and wearable computers to effectively carry out network centric warfare. Softkill measures are based on a sensor-based weapons system that can successfully paralyze the enemy’s military forces and th

Jan 19, 2015By Jun Ji-hye
South Korea

Moon, Park battle heats up

Rep. Moon Jae-in, left, shakes hands with Rep. Park Jie-won during a joint speech session for the opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy chairmanship in Hwasun, South Jeolla Province, Sunday. The party will elect a new leader on Feb. 8. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hye Reps. Moon Jae-in and Park Jie-won stepped up their electioneering in South Jeolla Province, Sunday, in their battle to become chairman of the opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD).The region will be vital in electing a new leader at the party’s national convention slated for Feb. 8.They frontrunners attended joint speech sessions at Hwasun and Gwangju, Sunday, along with the third candidate, Rep. Lee In-young. The two will clash again on Tuesday in North Jeolla Province. Honam, which encompasses Gwangju and South and North Jeolla Provinces, is the liberal party’s traditional home turf. The area has the most NPAD members ― about half its members are estimated to live in the region. Moon said in his speech, “I am the only person who can make the party a winner.” H

Jan 18, 2015By Jun Ji-hye
Moon, Park battle heats up
South Korea

Ex-lawmaker's comeback as news anchor provokes ire

By Jun Ji-hyeYoo Jung-hyunFormer ruling party first-term lawmaker Yoo Jung-hyun’s comeback as the host of a cable news program has aroused questions over the fairness and neutrality of news reports.Yoo, who failed to get reelected in the 2012 general elections, began hosting “MBN News 8,” Saturday.“I returned to the news program after a 10-year hiatus,” Yoo was quoted as saying by cable news network MBN. “I have mixed feelings as it is my first time as the main anchor. I will do my best to deliver news to the middle-aged, the main viewers of the program.”Yoo worked as an announcer at SBS for five years from 1993 and then as a freelance announcer until he started his political career in 2007. He began as a member of the election campaigning camp for former President Lee Myung-bak of the Grand National Party (GNP), now the ruling Saenuri Party.He was soon elected lawmaker of Seoul’s Jungnang district under the banner of the GNP in the 2008 general election.Critics are calling into question whether a former governing party member is able t

Jan 18, 2015By Jun Ji-hye
Ex-lawmaker's comeback as news anchor provokes ire
South Korea

Minor party split over NK rights bills

Sim Sang-jeungChun Ho-sunBy Jun Ji-hyeMembers of the minor opposition Justice Party have been split over whether to draw up North Korean human rights-related bills.The progressive party has been conducting in-house discussions over possible preparations for its own bill aimed at improving the living conditions of people in the repressive state. Floor leader Rep. Sim Sang-jeung was among those who were proactive in the move.During his New Year press conference Thursday, Chairman Chun Ho-sun confirmed the discussions, saying, “Party members exchanged various opinions about measures to improve Pyongyang’s human rights conditions, including tabling a relevant bill.”Sim reportedly called on members of the minor party to submit the bill together to generate results by the April by-elections. The move was seen as an apparent effort to draw a clear line between her party and the Unified Progressive Party that was dissolved last month for being overtly pro-North Korea. Vernacular media reported that Sim has already prepared a draft of the bill. However, officials from her of

Jan 15, 2015By Jun Ji-hye
Minor party split over NK rights bills
South Korea

Three soldiers caught smoking marijuana

By Jun Ji-hyeThree soldiers serving with the Army, Navy and Air Force, respectively, have been caught smoking marijuana in their barracks, according to the Ministry of National Defense, Thursday.The military court last month sentenced them fines ranging from 2 million won ($1,800) to 3 million won.For their part, each military unit imposed separate punishments, ordering them to be confined for 10 to 15 days, the ministry said.The soldiers are a 24-year-old private first-class from the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, a 22-year-old sergeant of the Navy’s training and education command and a 22-year-old corporal of the Air Force’s 8th Fighter Wing.The drug supplier was a 23-year-old civilian, identified only by his surname Jin. On Nov. 6, Seoul Central District Court sentenced him to one year and six months in prison, with three years of probation.Jin and the soldiers were friends from their school years in the United States.In May, each soldier transferred 100,000 won to Jin’s bank account. In return, Jin sent marihuana to their barracks by mail by hiding it in a

Jan 15, 2015By Jun Ji-hye
South Korea

Saenuri chairman calls for focusing on economic revival

Ruling Saenuri Party Chairman Kim Moo-sung speaks during a news conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeRuling Saenuri Party Chairman Rep. Kim Moo-sung pledged Wednesday that the party would exert maximum effort toward economic recovery this year.During his New Year news conference, Kim said, “I totally agree with President Park Geun-hye’s remarks that this year is the golden time for revitalizing the economy. If we miss this opportunity, another chance will never come.”Toward that end, the five-term lawmaker called for the need to learn from Japan’s painful experience of 20 years ago.“Japan’s property bubble burst in 1991 and the economy began to see a long period of stagnation that is known as the country’s ‘lost 20 years.’ This resulted in the collapse of the manufacturing business,” he said. He noted that Korea is on a similar path.He argued that if the nation makes slow progress in reforming various fields like labor, finance and education, its economy will sink into the mi

Jan 14, 2015By Jun Ji-hye
Saenuri chairman calls for focusing on economic revival
South Korea

General-level officers received about W100 mil. last year: ministry

By Jun Ji-hyeThe annual salary of a four-star general last year was 128.4 million won ($118,800) on average, while a lieutenant general made 121.7 million won, according to a report from the Ministry of National Defense.The ministry’s 2014 compilation of defense statistics, released Tuesday, also showed that a major general and brigadier general received 107.7 million won and 98 million won last year, respectively. The average annual salary included basic pay, bonuses, transportation expenses and other extra pay. These officers have served in military for about 30 years or more on average. It was the first time that the ministry disclosed officers’ salaries in detail.With regard to field-grade officers, annual salary of a colonel was 97 million won, while those for a lieutenant colonel and major were 86 million won and 66 million won, respectively.Salaries for enlisted soldiers have gradually increased, but still remain low. The annual salaries for a sergeant, corporal, private first class and private were 1.79 million won, 1.62 million won, 1.46 million won and 1.35 mill

Jan 14, 2015By Jun Ji-hye
South Korea

City protests US troop presence

By Jun Ji-hyeDongducheon is stepping up its protests of the decision to keep some U.S. troops from the 2nd U.S. Infantry Division (2ID) stationed in the city in Gyeonggi Province, north of Seoul.In a first step, the city government will withdraw staff who are dispatched to Camp Casey to provide U.S. soldiers and civilian employees with services to register their vehicles here.“We gave the 2ID advance notice Friday,” a city official said. “Staff will withdraw from the camp next Monday.”The decision is meant to cause inconvenience to U.S. soldiers and civilians as from now on they will have to visit City Hall to register their vehicles.  Under the Korea-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which governs the legal status of U.S. military personnel here, owners of the vehicles covered by SOFA are exempt from tax payments required by Korean laws.The city signed a memorandum of understanding with 2ID in November 2013 to offer administrative support to soldiers and civilians living there to register their vehicles at Camp Casey.“For now, we will stop su

Jan 13, 2015By Jun Ji-hye
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