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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

Nuclear revision bill unapproved

Rep. Choi Kyung-hwan, center, floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, and other party members talk over the nuclear security bill pending at the National Assembly, Seoul, Friday. The main opposition Democratic Party opposed the passage of the bill despite President Park Geun-hye’s plea for the passage ahead of the next week’s Nuclear Security Summit. / YonhapPresident Park likely to leave for Hague empty-handedBy Jun Ji-hyeThe National Assembly on Friday failed to approve a nuclear security bill despite President Park Geun-hye’s plea for its passage ahead of her departure for The Hague to attend the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) scheduled for early next week.President Park asked leading political parties Tuesday to pass the amendment to the Law on Protection of Nuclear Facilities and Prevention of Radioactive Disasters, before her departure for Europe Sunday.To meet the President’s request, members from the ruling Saenuri Party pressured the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) to cooperate by unilaterally convening the plenary session, which the latter cho

Mar 21, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
Nuclear revision bill unapproved
South Korea

New party's popularity fizzles off

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, left, tries to shake hands with members of progressive civic groups who protested against his alleged attempt to exclude the spirit of May 18 uprising from platform of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy during his visit to the May 18 National Cemetery in Gwangju, Thursday./ YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeThe New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), coalition between the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, is suffering a steep fall in support, less than three weeks after they agreed to be allies.According to the latest Global Research survey, the NPAD garnered support of 22.5 percent against the ruling Saenuri Party’s 44.1 percent. In another poll by Gallup Korea, the new party, which will be officially launched on March 26, received 30 percent support.This is a steep fall from early this month when the coalition rapidly narrowed the gap with the governing camp, securing 42.1 percent in a poll conducted by Research View.The coalition announced its official English title Thursday.The fall reflects ideological disputes surfacing in the pro

Mar 20, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
South Korea

Chung accuses Mayor Park of early electioneering

Park Won-soonChung Mong-joonBy Jun Ji-hyeSeoul Mayor Park Won-soon and Chung Mong-joon, a Saenuri Party lawmaker, clashed Thursday after the former announced a plan to build 80,000 housing units for people with low incomes.The seven-term lawmaker is a frontrunner among ruling party hopefuls ahead of a primary to select a candidate to confront the sitting mayor, a member of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), in the June 4 local elections.The war of words began after the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a plan the previous day to provide the people with a total of 80,000 long-term lease apartments from 2015 to 2018 in stages. It has previously supplied such housing units at lower-than-market prices to poor households.“We will propose every alternative to resolve concern among the public over housing issues such as high prices,” Park said.Chung said Park’s announcement “in this sensitive period” is obviously aimed at attracting voters, adding it could be a violation of the Election Law.“Park has so far focused on creating various cooper

Mar 20, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
Chung accuses Mayor Park of early electioneering
South Korea

Saenuri candidates fight over 'Park's heart'

By Jun Ji-hyeMembers of the ruling Saenury Party are in conflict over whether President Park Geun-hye is supporting certain candidates in the June 4 local elections.The conflict surfaced Wednesday with ruling party hopefuls for the candidacy in the Seoul mayoral race engaged in psychological warfare.Rep. Chung Moon-joon did not attend a meeting of senior party members in what was seen as a protest against rumors that Cheong Wa Dae was supporting former Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik.The controversy first arose the previous day when Kim said during a radio interview: “I consulted with presidential chief of staff Kim Ki-choon about various matters before announcing my bid.”Seven-term lawmaker Chung’s aides said that this indicated that Kim himself acknowledged that the presidential office intervened in his candidacy.Members of Saenuri’s Seoul branches were also allegedly quarrelling over “Park’s intention” during a dinner meeting.Even before Kim and Chung made their candidacies official, speculation abounded that followers of President Park would

Mar 19, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
Saenuri candidates fight over 'Park's heart'
South Korea

DP, Ahn at odds over NK policy

Rep. Ahn Cheol-sooRep. Moon-Jae-inBy Jun Ji-hyeRep. Ahn Cheol-soo is apparently at odds with members of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) over inter-Korean and national security policies in the process of drawing up a manifesto for their new coalition party.As was widely expected, Ahn has adopted a conservative stance in contrast to the DP’s relatively more progressive approach, according to party insiders.The coalition will be officially launched on March 26.Ahn’s side suggested Tuesday that the main opposition party should agree to ditch the “June 15 South-North Joint Declaration and October 4 Joint Declaration” from the coalition’s platform.The DP members of the committee drawing up a joint platform initially signaled they would accept Ahn’s suggestion. But other party lawmakers soon refuted this.Ahn tried to remove the controversy Wednesday, saying that his camp had never made such a suggestion.“The two declarations are precious, and the nation has to respect and make them succeed,” said Ahn.  But his apparent retractio

Mar 19, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
DP, Ahn at odds over NK policy
South Korea

Ministry urged to revise Aussie working holiday program

By Jun Ji-hyeThe ruling Saenuri Party suggested that the foreign ministry revise the working holiday visa program for Australia, following the recent deaths of two Koreans in that country, a Saenuri official said Monday.According to the official, the governing party’s committee handling matters related to overseas Koreans recently submitted its suggestions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Australian Embassy in Seoul. Rep. Won Yoo-chul chairs the committee.“The proposals were made amid concerns about accidents facing participants, including being murdered as well as their difficulty in job-seeking,” said the official.The committee said 70 percent of participants in the working holiday program were concentrated in Australia in 2012 among other countries the ministry has signed with, but the system is still lacking in many respects.For example, according to the committee, participants can legally work only for six months in one workplace, although they can stay in the country for a year. Because of this, they have had to find another job in a short period of

Mar 18, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
Ministry urged to revise Aussie working holiday program
South Korea

New party to push for chaebol reform

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, left, shakes hands with Rep. Kim Han-gil, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party, at an inauguration ceremony of their new coalition party’s Gyeonggi Province branch at Suwon Main Stadium, Tuesday. Ceremony for coalition’s headquarters is scheduled for March 26./ YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeThe main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and independent lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo’s camp signaled Tuesday that their coalition will push for conglomerate reform.After the first meeting of a joint team tasked with creating the new party’s policies, Yoon Young-kwan, a representative for the Ahn camp, told reporters that the coalition’s platform would contain measures to reform chaebol or conglomerates.“It is not anti-chaebol or pro-labor. More importantly, the administration needs to emphasize fair competition in society,” said Yoon. “Both sides agreed for the need to create a just and fair country. We agreed on pushing for conglomerate reform, if necessary, to create such a country.”Byun Jae-il, the DP’s representative,

Mar 18, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
New party to push for chaebol reform
South Korea

Lawmakers criticized for overseas trips

By Jun Ji-hyeOne-hundred lawmakers are traveling abroad this month on “business trips” financed by taxpayers’ money. It is customary for some legislators to travel overseas once regular or extraordinary National Assembly sessions are finished.They say they are doing so for various business purposes. But, the problem is that in many cases they just visit famous tourist sites instead, critics and civic groups said.According to the Citizens United for Better Society (CUBS), lawmakers traveled abroad 81 times from June 2012 to January this year. They spent a total of 7.2 billion won ($6.7 million) in taxpayers’ money on the trips.The overseas trips rapidly increase when the Assembly is in recess, evidenced by the 100 who are abroad this month.They are stirring public uproar as many bills to improve the livelihood of citizens have been left pending.  Critics say their trips are for business purposes in name only, and the reality is they are mostly on sightseeing tours..“Lawmakers’ mindset is very backward. Plus, relevant regulations are very vague

Mar 17, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
Lawmakers criticized for overseas trips
South Korea

Ex-PM makes bid for Seoul mayor

Former Saenuri lawmaker bids for Jeju governorBy Jun Ji-hyeKim Hwang-sikWon Hee-ryongFormer Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik officially announced his bid Sunday for the Seoul mayoral election as a possible ruling Saenuri Party candidate in the June 4 local elections.Following his official announcement, a primary of the governing camp to select a final candidate for the election will be a three-way race, along with seven-term lawmaker Chung Mong-joon and Supreme Council member Lee Hye-hoon. “I will run in the mayoral election with complete determination,” Kim told a press conference at the headquarters of the ruling party in Yeouido. Kim’s official announcement came two days after he disclosed his plan to run for mayor upon his return from a trip to the United States.He emphasized his experience in high positions such as a judge at the Supreme Court, head of the Board of Audit and Inspection and prime minister as proof of his competence.“While serving various positions, I learned about the problems the nation faces, and how to resolve them,” he said

Mar 16, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
Ex-PM makes bid for Seoul mayor
South Korea

New Politics Coalition will fight Saenuri in June polls

Rep. Kim Han-gil, left, and Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo celebrate during a ceremony to launch a new coalition party at the Sejong Culture Center for Performing Arts in Seoul, Sunday. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeThe New Politics Democratic Coalition will go up against the ruling Saenuri Party in what will be a two-way race in the June 4 local elections.Rep. Kim Han-gil, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), and Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, hosted a meeting of 679 delegates Sunday to make final preparations for the launch of their coalition party on March 26.“Our new party represents a good-bye to old politics that failed to reflect the will of the people,” Kim said during a ceremony at the Sejong Culture Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Seoul.Ahn said “Let’s make big changes. Let’s give hope to people who are tired of the status quo.”The two were named as the joint leaders of the new party.Their party’s new name only takes “democratic” from the DP and, according to insiders, when it is shortened for convenience, both sides agreed

Mar 16, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
New Politics Coalition will fight Saenuri in June polls
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