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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

Museum accused of exploiting African artists

By Jun Ji-hyeA museum in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, has been accused of exploiting a group of African artists and a lawmaker who heads the museum has pledged to launch an investigation into the allegations.Rep. Hong Moon-jong of the ruling Saenuri Party, chairman of the board of the  Africa Museum of Original Art, said the accusations made by the artists and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions are not entirely true, but pledged to carry out an internal probe to establish the veracity of the allegations.“Actually, I have not been directly involved in the management of the museum as I left all the matters to the president of the museum,” he said in a press release. “If any illegalities are found, I will strictly punish those responsible. If any of those have been damaged, I will make compensation for them.” The issue came to light following a protest by 12 of the aggrieved artists at the main office of the ruling Saenuri Party in Yeouido, Monday. The artists are from countries including Burkina Faso and Zimbabwe. Among other complaints, the

Feb 11, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
Museum accused of exploiting African artists
South Korea

DP leader in pinch over NIS probe

By Jun Ji-hyeDP Chairman Kim Han-gilRep. Kim Han-gil, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), is under attack from his own party members for what they say is his failure to push for the appoint of a special prosecutor to investigate the spy agency’s election-meddling scandal.The complaints within the party intensified following the acquittal of former Seoul Police Chief Kim Yong-pan, one of the key figures allegedly implicated in the alleged intervention in the 2012 presidential election campaign by the National Intelligence Service (NIS).The opposition believes the Park Geun-hye government, together with the justice ministry, colluded to obstruct the prosecution’s investigation.Senior lawmaker Park Jie-won argued that it seems Chairman Kim did not do his utmost to push for the special probe into the NIS scandal, which resulted in the failure to establish a bipartisan discussion of the scandal.“By nature, opposition parties are underdogs. They can hardly win over the majority ruling party on their own,” Park said Monday when he appeared on a cab

Feb 11, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
DP leader in pinch over NIS probe
South Korea

Factional strife looming in Saenuri over mayoral election

By Jun Ji-hyeThe primary race of the ruling Saenuri Party for the Seoul mayoral election is showing signs of becoming a battle between supporters of President Park Geun-hye and those of her predecessor Lee Myung-bak.Former Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik and seven-term lawmaker Chung Mong-joon are believed to be running in the primary, along with the governing party’s Supreme Council member Lee Hye-hoon.Chung and Kim have yet to officially announce their bids, but have shown every indication they plan to run.It appears in the National Assembly that supporters of President Park are rooting for Kim, while supporters of former President Lee and those who do not follow Park are behind Chung.Rep. Lee Jae-oh, seen as the leader of the Lee Myung-bak faction, admitted to the possibility of a factional conflict.“If both Chung and Kim throw their hats into the ring, a factional dispute will likely emerge,” Lee told reporters. He added, however, “If Chung decides to stand for the mayoral race, I intend to work as a head of his election campaign.”Speculation that the P

Feb 10, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
Factional strife looming in Saenuri over mayoral election
South Korea

Rep. Moon Dae-sung's reinstatement hits snag

Members of the ruling Saenuri Party’s Busan Saha-A district hold a rally in Yeouido, Monday to protest Rep. Moon Dae-sung rejoining the ruling party./ YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeRep. Moon Dae-sungAbout 130 Busan residents protested at the main office of the ruling Saenuri Party in Yeouido, Monday, after the party moved to allow Rep. Moon Dae-sung to rejoin it. Moon was elected in April 2012 to represent Busan’s Saha-A district, but kicked out of the ruling party after he was alleged to have plagiarized his doctorate thesis at Kookmin University. The protestors, ruling party members of the Saha district, delivered a written protest to Rep. Hong Moon-jong, the party’s secretary general, who said he intended to press ahead with Moon’s request to have his party membership reinstated. Moon was also the subject of an internal investigation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of which he is an athlete member until 2016. He won a gold medal in taekwondo at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. “The controversy surrounding Moon’s thesis has yet to be resolved,&rd

Feb 10, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
South Korea

Opposition demands Cabinet reshuffle

By Jun Ji-hye The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) demanded Friday that President Park Geun-hye carry out a Cabinet reshuffle, following the dismissal of Oceans and Fisheries Minister Yoon Jin-sook the previous day.The opposition said Yoon’s dismissal represented an appointment fiasco for Park.Yoon was criticized after making a series of gaffes over a recent oil spill in the waters off Yeosu.The DP’s move is seen as an apparent attempt to put pressure on the ruling Saenuri Party ahead of the June 4 local elections, stressing the need for people to deliver a judgement of the Park administration at the polls.The party submitted bills to dismiss Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and Education Minister Seo Nam-soo.“Seo defended unfair history books that justified pro-Japanese collaborators during the colonial period as well as former authoritarian leaders, while Hwang refused to protect justice,” said Rep. Jun Byung-hun, floor leader of the DP.He criticized Hwang for the acquittal verdict of former Seoul police chief Kim Yong-pan, who allegedly or

Feb 7, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
Opposition demands Cabinet reshuffle
People & Events

American calls for France to return 'Jikji'

Richard Pennington, left, together with his colleagues in the Committee to Bring “Jikji” Back to Korea, an NGO he formed last year, poses for a photo holding the committee’s symbol banner at Heungdeok Temple in Cheongju on Sept. 12. / Courtesy of PenningtonBy Jun Ji-hye Richard Pennington, an American living in Seoul, is leading a campaign calling for France to return “Jikji,” the oldest existing metal-plate-printed book, to Korea.A native of Texas in the U.S., who is currently working at a law firm as an editor, said he first learned about “Jikji” when reading books on Korean history and culture after coming to Seoul in 2007.Printed by the movable metal type in 1377 at Heungdeok Temple in Cheongju, the full title of “Jikji” is “Baegun Hwasang Chorok Bulji Jikji Simche Yojeol” (Mater Baegun’s Excerpts from the Buddha and Patriarchs’ Direction Pointing to the Essence of Mind).The National Library of France currently holds the original copy of the book.“My interest became much stronger in 2013

Feb 7, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
American calls for France to return 'Jikji'
South Korea

Acquittal of ex-Seoul police chief backfires

Kwon Eun-hee, in the left photo, a police officer who led an investigation into allegations that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) interfered in the 2012 presidential election, speaks at a press conference at Songpa Police Station, Friday. She criticized the court’s acquittal of former Seoul Police Chief Kim Yong-pan, seen in the photo on the right. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hye The opposition is fiercely protesting the acquittal of former Seoul police chief Kim Yong-pan, one of the key figures involved in the alleged meddling in the 2012 presidential election by the nation’s spy agency.The Seoul Central District Court found Kim innocent, Thursday, citing a lack of evidence to prove that he downsized a police investigation into allegations that agents of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) engaged in an online smear campaign against opposition presidential candidates.On Dec. 16, just three days ahead of the election, police announced that they had found no online posts against the candidates by NIS operatives. Kim had been accused of having orchestra

Feb 7, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
Acquittal of ex-Seoul police chief backfires
South Korea

3-way battle at Saenuri for Seoul mayoral race

By Jun Ji-hyeSeven term lawmaker Chung Mong-joon and former Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik are expected to compete in the ruling Saenuri Party’s primary race to select a candidate to stand for Seoul mayor in the June 4 local elections.Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, vice floor leader of the ruling party, said Thursday, “The three big names are expected to run in the primary for Seoul mayor.”The three referred to are Chung, Kim and Lee Hye-hoon, a member of the governing party’s six-member Supreme Council who earlier announced her official bid.Chung and Kim have signaled that they are seriously considering running for the Seoul mayoral race, but have yet to make official announcements.  Speaking at a council meeting, Yoon said, “The governing party expects the primary to be an incredible match as the three are all respectable and influential figures.”Yoon added, “The ruling party will be able to secure victory in the elections only when great figures do not avoid challenges.”The party leaders including Chairman Rep. Hwang Woo-yea have made effor

Feb 6, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
3-way battle at Saenuri for Seoul mayoral race
South Korea

Policy promises recycled in bid to win over voters

By Jun Ji-hyeWith the June 4 local elections on the horizon, both the ruling Saenuri Party and main opposition Democratic Party (DP) are earnestly issuing policy proposals to win over voters.However, when scrutinized, most of the pledges being made are nothing more than old promises in sweeter language, bringing to mind the old saying: “Money moves from pocket to pocket” paraphrased as, “Pledges move from party to party.”DP Chairman Rep. Kim Han-gil recently proposed instituting a lawmaker recall system to enable voters to oust corrupt lawmakers and strip them of their seats.Kim told a press conference that voters should be able to directly judge lawmakers on involvement in corruption and other failures to fulfill their constitutional duties.While writing about Kim’s announcement, this reporter recalled writing an almost identical story in April last year.At that time, the proposal came from the ruling party ahead of the April 24 by-elections.The governing party, whose candidate was competing against then independent candidate Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo in Nowon

Feb 5, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
Policy promises recycled in bid to win over voters
South Korea

DP opposes 'absorption unification'

Rep. Kim proposes pan-national body for preparatory stepsBy Jun Ji-hyeRep. Kim Han-gil, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), said Wednesday that his party opposes unification where the South absorbs the North resulting from the scenario of an abrupt collapse of the Stalinist regime.The DP thinks unification should be achieved in a “gradual and peaceful” manner. To that extent, he called for setting up a body composed of representatives of political parties, the government and civic groups to lead national discussion about preparing for unification.“I propose establishing a pan-national preparatory committee to set up non-partisan, effective measures for peaceful unification, so that they can remain unaltered regardless of the change of government,” said Kim during a speech at a plenary session of the National Assembly.There are those within the opposition speculating that the conservative government is bracing for unification by absorption, citing President Park Geun-hye’s recent repeated unification rhetoric amid recent uncertainties i

Feb 5, 2014By Jun Ji-hye
DP opposes 'absorption unification'
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