The Korea Times

UN's draft proposal on NK human rights released

By Jun Ji-hyeThe Third Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations on Wednesday published a draft proposal online concerning human rights in North Korea, including calls for referring the communist state to the International Criminal Court (ICC).However, the proposal did not include specific names for referral to the ICC.The eight-page draft, led by the European Union and Japan, expresses serious concerns over systematic and extensive violations of human rights perpetrated inside political prison camps located inside the isolated state, which reportedly includes forced abortions, torture of inmates and starvation. The North denies all such allegations.The proposal also urged the U.N. Security Council to take appropriate steps to address the matter.The Third Committee deals with a range of social, humanitarian affairs and human rights issues.The committee is expected to pass the draft by Nov. 27 when its session ends. Once passed, it will be followed by a vote in the U.N. General Assembly.However, adoption of the proposal by the General Assembly would not be legally bindin

Oct 29, 2014By Jun Ji-hye

South Korea

'OPCON transfer delay hurts sovereignty'

Rep. Moon Hee-sang, interim leader of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), gesticulates during an inverview with The Korea Times. / Korea TimesOpposition leader calls for gradual peaceful unificationBy Jun Ji-hye Seoul and Washington’s agreement to delay South Korea’s takeover of wartime operational control (OPCON) of its troops from the United States severely damaged the nation’s sovereignty and national interest, according to Rep. Moon Hee-sang, interim leader of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD).In a recent interview to commemorate the 64th anniversary of The Korea Times that falls on Nov. 1, the lawmaker also said the delay of the transition broke a campaign pledge made in the lead-up to the 2012 presidential election by President Park Geun-hye as she promised to the public to retrieve wartime OPCON by the end of 2015.“The two allies even failed to determine the exact timing of the transfer, only stating an appropriate date. The decision just appears to be an indefinite delay of the transition,&r

Oct 29, 2014By Jun Ji-hye

'OPCON transfer delay hurts sovereignty'

South Korea

Northeast Asia Foundation to hold meeting with foreign students

Participants in the Northeast Asian History Academy for Foreigners pose during their field trip to South Korea’s easternmost islet of Dokdo on Oct. 18./ Courtesy of Northeast Asian History FoundationBy Jun Ji-hyeThe Northeast Asian History Foundation (NAHF) has invited attendees of its special program, the Northeast Asian History Academy for Foreigners, to a dinner Wednesday to provide them with an opportunity to discuss issues with foundation staffers.Twenty foreigners who study or work here have been invited to the event. A similar event for another 20 was held on Oct. 8.Before the dinner, there will be a lecture by Jung Ho-sub, history professor of Hansung University, about the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Northeast Project.The project is supported financially by the Chinese government and argues that a historical Korean kingdom existed near the border of present-day North Korea and Northeast China. This differs from the opinions of some progressive scholars here who say that Korea’s first kingdom, Gojoseon, controlled much of present day northeast China,

Oct 28, 2014By Jun Ji-hye

South Korea

Assembly's ratification on US bases becomes issue

By Jun Ji-hyeRival lawmakers are at odds over whether ratification from the National Assembly is necessary to maintain some of the U.S. military bases in Seoul and north of Seoul as agreed by the defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States.The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) claims that the plan to keep some U.S. bases in their present locations requires ratification from the Assembly because it means a change to an existing plan to move them to Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province.The party argues that the change to the plan will hurt people living in the vicinity of those existing bases. Some also claim that this will cause financial hardships to the government.     Contrastingly, the ruling Saenuri Party and the Ministry of National Defense have said that discussions can resolve the disagreement.The agreement on the location of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) and the 210th Armored Brigade of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) was the part of allies’ agreement to delay the transfer of wartime operational control (

Oct 27, 2014By Jun Ji-hye

South Korea

Dongducheon opposes US troop plan

By Jun Ji-hye Residents of Dongducheon are opposed to the decision to keep some U.S. troops at Camp Casey, which is based in the northern city.The decision was part of an agreement with the United States to delay the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean troops to Seoul.Speaking to reporters Friday, Dongducheon Mayor Oh Se-chang voiced his opposition. “The unilateral announcement to leave the unit in the city is killing local residents,” he told them. “We will fight to block the decision by every means possible.”Defense Minister Han Min-koo and U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel agreed to keep the 210th Armored Brigade in Dongducheon instead of moving the entire 2nd U.S. Infantry Division (2nd ID) to Pyeongtaek during their meeting in Washington, Thursday.The joint communique issued after the annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) stipulates that the unit will stay put for at least six years “until the ROK forces’ counter-fire reinforcement plan is completed and certified.”The two allies had originally pl

Oct 24, 2014By Jun Ji-hye

South Korea

'NK could allow inspections of human rights conditions'

By Jun Ji-hyeA senior North Korean official has indicated that the Stalinist state could allow a visit by an outside investigator to inspect human rights conditions there.Voice of America (VOA) reported on Tuesday that Jang Il-hun, North Korea’s deputy U.N. ambassador in New York, said regarding the issue that “it is a subject for discussion as long as the matter is handled in a positive manner.”Jang made the comment during an exclusive interview with VOA during which he spoke about continuing concerns about Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program, human rights, and American citizens that are detained in the North.During a rare interview, Jang made an accusation that Washington is attempting to mastermind international criticism of the military regime’s human rights record in order to launch a smear campaign against its political system.Jang, who serves as Pyongyang’s point man for talks with Washington, warned that the North could review its policy toward the United States completely and will continue with its nuclear program, if the U.S. continues to

Oct 22, 2014By Jun Ji-hye

Defense

Dispute flares up over US base relocation plan

Residents of Okinawa Prefecture protest against the Yukio Hatoyama administration in Nago City in this May 4, 2010, file photo, calling for the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps’ Futenma Air Station to outside of the prefecture. / Yonhap Function adjustment could help resolve Futenma controversyBy Jun Ji-hyeOKINAWA — Since the end of World War II, the presence of the U.S. military on this exotic island has long been a controversial issue.Thousands of local residents protest against the presence of a total of 32 U.S. military facilities on the island, citing noise, pollution, dangerous exercises conducted by U.S. troops, along with a number of crimes committed by soldiers based here.In particular, the Marine Corps Futenma Air Station, currently located near the densely populated Naha, is a focus of controversy due to the bungled actions of the administration of former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.In 2010, he abandoned a pledge made while campaigning for office in which he promised to get the base moved off the island. The decision not to implement the pledge

Oct 20, 2014By Jun Ji-hye

Dispute flares up over US base relocation plan

South Korea

'S. Korea signed F-X deal despite engine fault'

F-35 stealth fighterBy Jun Ji-hyeThe military procurement agency signed a 7.3 trillion won ($7 billion) deal to purchase 40 Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighters for the Air Force’s next-generation fighter (F-X), although it was previously informed of engine faults by the U.S., claimed an opposition lawmaker, Monday.Rep. Ahn Gyu-baek of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy argued that the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) tried to cover up the problem involving the project.He presented information from DAPA to back up his assertion during a National Assembly audit.Last November, South Korea decided to import the radar-evading combat planes under the foreign military sales (FMS) format covered by guarantees from the U.S. government. The plan is to gradually buy the aircraft, 10 at a time, from 2018 to 2021.According to the data, the U.S. government informed Seoul on Sept. 13 of the result of its inspection of an accident that occurred on June 23, when one of the warplane’s engine caught fire before takeoff at a Florida air base. The engin

Oct 20, 2014By Jun Ji-hye

South Korea

KOICA signs MOU with Int'l Paralympic Committee

Kim Young-mok, left, president of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), holds a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Philip Craven, chairman of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), after a signing ceremony held at KOICA headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. KOICA said it will cooperate with the IPC in supporting the disabled in developing countries. / Courtesy of KOICABy Jun Ji-hyeThe Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Monday with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in an effort to nurture talented young people with disabilities and raise public awareness.KOICA President Kim Young-mok and IPC Chairman Philip Craven, along with other officials, attended a signing ceremony held at KOICA headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.KOICA said that it will utilize knowhow accumulated from previous projects and cooperate with the IPC to dispatch personnel that specialize in disability issues to underdeveloped countries.“We will support the development of various sports programs for

Oct 20, 2014By Jun Ji-hye

South Korea

'Lotte Mart has sold customers' private data'

By Jun Ji-hyeRep. Chun Soon-okSupermarket chain Lotte Mart sold the private data of its customers to insurance companies and received 2.3 billion won ($2.6 million) in return, claimed Rep. Chun Soon-ok of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), Friday.According to details submitted by Lotte Mart to the National Assembly audit, the discount chain collected personal data for about 2.5 million customers who signed up for free giveaway events at its stores and corporate website from June 2009 to February this year. It then sold this information to insurance companies including LINA Korea and Shinhan Life Insurance.Mirae Asset Life Insurance also admitted it has utilized personal data from an average 1.5 million people annually, provided to them by Lotte Mart over the past five years, Chun said.In return for provision of the information, the insurance companies paid money to the chain under the guise of supporting its advertisement.These accusations come at a time when supermarket chains Homeplus and E-Mart have been embroiled in similar controversy.These chains at

Oct 17, 2014By Jun Ji-hye

Jun Ji-hye

Read more

UN's draft proposal on NK human rights released

'OPCON transfer delay hurts sovereignty'

Northeast Asia Foundation to hold meeting with foreign students

Assembly's ratification on US bases becomes issue

Dongducheon opposes US troop plan

'NK could allow inspections of human rights conditions'

Dispute flares up over US base relocation plan

'S. Korea signed F-X deal despite engine fault'

KOICA signs MOU with Int'l Paralympic Committee

'Lotte Mart has sold customers' private data'

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