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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

New hiring law angers 30-somethings

By Jun Ji-hyeParliament’s passage of a revision bill to expand the employment of young jobseekers has provoked a backlash from those in their 30s because the beneficiaries are limited to people between 15 and 29 years old.The National Assembly approved the proposed revision to the Youth Employment Promotion Law on April 30.Under the revised law, the number of newly-hired young jobseekers at public companies should be at least 3 percent of their total employees from 2014 for three years.People in their 30s are reacting fiercely against the new revision because the Presidential decree defines youth as those aged from 15 to 29 years old.“It feels like the new revision is killing the unemployed in their 30s,” said a Twitter user with the ID “ppot****.”Another Twitter ID “Ahaxm******” said, “This is clear discrimination against the generation. It is as if the government forces people in their 30s to give up hopes, dreams and challenging spirits.”Jobseekers aged over 30 said the revision clearly discriminates against them.For example, 4

May 6, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
South Korea

Rep. Kang bolts from progressive party

By Jun Ji-hye Rep. Kang Dong-wonRep. Kang Dong-won broke away from the minor Progressive Justice Party (PJP), Thursday, heightening expectations that independent Ahn Cheol-soo’s new political party is becoming a more feasible move.It has been widely speculated that Ahn will create a new party, since March, when he returned to Korea after his three-month residence in the United States.Kang’s refusal to join the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) after his defection from the PJP has implications as well, given that his constituency is in the Honam region, which refers to Gwangju and both South and North Jeolla provinces, the home turf of the DUP.“I decided to leave the PJP to realize new politics. Many local residents have asked me to defect from the party as well,” said Kang at the press conference in the National Assembly.He said he will work as an independent lawmaker for a while to focus his thoughts, but opened up possibility that he could enter Ahn’s party.“I will listen to many opinions and try to objectively make a decision on

May 2, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
Rep. Kang bolts from progressive party
South Korea

DUP leadership hopefuls lock horns

Rep. Kim Han-gilRep. Lee Yong-supBy Jun Ji-hyeTwo leadership hopefuls of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) are going head-to-head in their campaigns with just a day to go before party’s national convention slated for Saturday.Rep. Lee Yong-sup attacked his opponent Rep. Kim Han-gil saying he had committed illegal campaigning. Kim rebutted this, saying it was “groundless maligning.”On Wednesday when the party conducted an automated phone vote among its members nationwide, Lee claimed Kim sent text messages promoting himself, which he called illegal campaigning.“Such an act exercises a profound influence on voting. It is undeniable illegal campaigning that affects a ballot,” Lee said in a press release.He demanded the party’s election committee immediately put a stop to the ballot and invalidate it.“I urge Kim to make a public apology. The committee will have to thoroughly investigate this and carry out a new ballot as well,” he said.In response, Kim held a press conference Thursday and argued: “The election committe

May 2, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
DUP leadership hopefuls lock horns
South Korea

Lawmakers' attitude blocks passage of bills

By Jun Ji-hye Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo sits alone at the empty main conference hall in the National Assembly waiting for a plenary session to begin, Tuesday. He was the first to arrive at the hall before other lawmakers. / YonhapThe National Assembly’s failure to pass a resolution calling for the normalization of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex, Monday, raised questions over lawmakers’ attitude toward their duties.The Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee adopted the resolution and submitted it to a plenary session last Wednesday.But it was not put to a vote in two plenary sessions afterwards _ on Thursday and Friday, there were insufficient ruling and opposition party lawmakers in attendance.The number of those who entered the main conference hall for the session by the scheduled time on Friday, which was 2 p.m., was only 30.The session barely managed to form a quorum with 70 lawmakers 10 minutes later. Thursday’s session was even worse with only 59 lawmakers in attendance.The quorum for a plenary session is 60, one fifth of the total of 300 legislators

Apr 30, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
Lawmakers' attitude blocks passage of bills
South Korea

Assembly passes bill on retirement age of 60

By Jun Ji-hyeThe National Assembly passed a revision bill guaranteeing workers the right to retire at the age of 60 in a plenary session Tuesday, despite opposition from the business sector.Among 197 lawmakers in attendance, 158 voted for the bill, while six were against it and 33 abstained.The final passage came hours after the Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee unanimously agreed to revise the Employment Law in order to extend the retirement age to 60.Under the revision, companies take legal responsibility to guarantee their workers’ retirement age at 60.Enterprises and public institutes with more than 300 employees will be influenced by the new revision from January 2016, while the rest will be applied from January 2017.Under the standing law, the age limit was stated as a recommendation.Regarding the salary arrangement to be applied to expanding the age of retirement, members of the committee agreed on allowing the labor-management council of each company to autonomously adjust this. In the event of disputes, a labor relations board can intervene to resolve it, ac

Apr 30, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
South Korea

Ahn's selection of 4 aides shows priorities

By Jun Ji-hyeIndependent lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo has selected four aides to assist him in the National Assembly, giving hints that his main focus will be on labor and economic policies during his first term as a lawmaker.His choice of aides and the process of selection have attracted keen attention as the line-up is regarded as an indicator of where his priorities lie.The software mogul-turned-politician selected people who mostly worked for his presidential election camp and are specialized in labor and economic policies.“Lee Soo-bong, a former chief of the Policy Institute at the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, was selected as one of his aides,” said Yoon Tae-gon, the former chief of Ahn’s communication team.Yoon said, “Along with Lee, Shin Hyun-ho, a former chief of Ahn’s policy team, and Joo Joon-hyung, who has been in charge of writing Ahn’s speeches, will assist the first-term lawmaker at the Assembly.” Yoon himself was also named in the aide line-up.Lee was formerly in charge of Ahn’s labor policies when the latter was biddi

Apr 29, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
South Korea

Moon proposes meeting with Park on Gaeseong

By Jun Ji-hye   DUP leader Moon Hee-sangMoon Hee-sang, chairman of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP), has proposed President Park Geun-hye meet with heads of the ruling and opposition parties to discuss ways to solve the Gaeseong Industrial Complex issue, Monday.He asked Park to meet before she leaves for the United States on May 5.“For the DUP, the most significant task is to maintain the operation of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex. We are obliged to prevent it from shutdown, whatever may happen,” Moon said at a press conference in the National Assembly.“A summit between Korea and the U.S. slated for May 7 will become a watershed to improve inter-Korean relations and establish peace on the Korea Peninsula. So, I ask Park to discuss these matters before visiting Washington.”  He said the complex has been a symbol of peace, reconciliation and cooperation between two Koreas for a decade.“The complex is the last path where South and North can talk. If it closes down, it will mean misfortune for people,” he said.The DUP

Apr 29, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
South Korea

Ahn makes debut at Assembly

By Jun Ji-hyeRep. Ahn Cheol-soo at National AssemblyAhn Cheol-soo made his debut at the National Assembly, Friday. The software mogul-turned-politician gave the longest speech among three lawmakers elected in Wednesday’s by-elections.“Elections are a process in which politicians and voters make promises. I will do my best to fulfill those promises and create meaningful results,” Ahn said at the plenary session of the Assembly.The brand-new lawmaker said he will courteously listen to other legislators from both ruling and opposition parties and ask them for help when needed.He appeared to be tense during the session as if assessing tough challenges that lie ahead.Some analysts question Ahn’s ability to make good on his pledge to become a meaningful force to reform politics.Hong Hyung-sik, director of Hangil Research and Consulting, said Ahn’s activities in parliament as an independent lawmaker will inevitably be limited.“An individual can propose bills, but does not have power to pass them because party support is definitely needed in this process,&

Apr 26, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
Ahn makes debut at Assembly
South Korea

PM opposes sending special envoy to NK

By Jun Ji-hye Prime Minister Chung Hong-won, left, answers questions from Rep. Kim Sung-chan of the ruling Saenuri Party at the National Assembly interpellation session, Thursday. He opposes sending a special envoy to North Korea./ YonhapPrime Minister Chung Hong-won said on Thursday that the government has no plan to send a special envoy to North Korea.“It takes two to tango. We already experienced that unilateral aid and favor were not an effective way to resolve inter-Korean relations,” Chung said during an interpellation session at the National Assembly.His comments came after a number of politicians, including Moon Hee-sang, chairman of the Democratic United Party, made demands that Seoul dispatch an envoy to Pyongyang as part of efforts to ease inter-Korean military tension.Moon previously urged President Park Geun-hye to send a special envoy to the North.Regarding Seoul’s offer to hold working-level talks with the North to normalize the Gaeseong Industrial Complex where operations have been suspended for more than two weeks, Chung said: “I expect P

Apr 25, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
PM opposes sending special envoy to NK
South Korea

Ahn set to ignite political realignment

Ahn Cheol-soo, clad in plastic rain coat, delivers a thank-you speech to residents via a loudspeaker in Sanggye-dong, eastern Seoul, Thursday, after winning the Nowon-C District by-election for a seat in the National Assembly. The software-tycoon-turned politician defeated Huh Joon-young, the candidate from the ruling Saenuri Party. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeAhn Cheol-soo’s overwhelming victory in Wednesday’s by-election in Seoul’s Nowon district is expected to be a catalyst for political realignment, especially among the opposition, analysts said Thursday.Ahn won 60 percent of the vote against the ruling Saenuri Party’s Huh Joon-young who received 32 percent.The landslide victory will provide significant leverage for the brand-new politician to help realignment within the stagnant political sector.Ahn’s rise, however, is a significant blow to the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) which suffered humiliating defeats in all districts where they fielded candidates.Most experts say Ahn’s National Assembly entry could bring about a power shift am

Apr 25, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
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