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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

President absent from Jeju memorial service

Prime Minister Chung Hong-won speaks during a ceremony to commemorate those killed during the 1948 Jeju Uprising at the Jeju April 3 Peace Park, Wednesday. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyePresident Park Geun-hye did not attend a memorial ceremony Wednesday for those killed during the April 3 Jeju Uprising in 1948, drawing criticism from opposition parties.A service was held to mark the 65th anniversary of the so-called “4.3 Uprising,” in which police and soldiers killed tens of thousands of people who opposed establishing a separate government and holding separate elections from North Korea after the country regained independence in 1945.Park previously pledged to pay more attention to healing the bitter memories of Jeju residents when she visited South Korea's largest island during last year’s presidential election. Her promise included designating April 3 a national memorial day.“I really regret Park’s absence as she made a promise regarding the April 3 massacre during the presidential campaign,” said Moon Hee-sang, chairman of the main opposition Democrati

Apr 3, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
President absent from Jeju memorial service
South Korea

Top prosecutor nominee undergoes hearing

By Jun Ji-hye Chae Dong-wook, prosecutor chief nomineeYoon Jin-sook, minister of Oceans and Fisheries nomineeTwo candidates for senior government positions nominated by President Park Geun-hye’s administration ― Chae Dong-wook for prosecutor general and Yoon Jin-sook for the oceans and fisheries ministry ― underwent parliament confirmation hearings, Tuesday.During the proceedings, Chae pledged to reform the prosecution, while Yoon promised to strengthen sovereignty of the Dokdo islets and jurisdiction of Ieodo, amid a rise in territorial claims from neighboring countries.Chae expressed his support for most of Park’s planned reforms of the prosecution made during her presidential election campaign, including abolishing the Central Investigation Department (CID) within the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.The CID has been criticized for conducting politically motivated investigations by serving the wishes of the previous president and the governing party.“All members of the prosecution including me will ensure it remains politically neutral. I will become a

Apr 2, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
Top prosecutor nominee undergoes hearing
South Korea

Parties agree to boost overseas Koreans' rights

By Jun Ji-hyeThe ruling and main opposition parties Tuesday agreed to carry forward policies to boost the rights of Koreans overseas, including allowing more dual citizenships.“We share the view that the two parties should combine forces to promote the rights of Koreans overseas. Together, we will draw up efforts to materialize various policies regarding this at the earliest possible date,” the two parties said in a joint statement.Rep. Won Yoo-chul of the Saenuri Party and Rep. Kim Sung-gon of the Democratic United Party (DUP) disclosed the plan at a joint press conference at the National Assembly.“More than 7.2 million overseas Koreans have contributed to developing the nation’s economy and spreading our culture. That’s why we are moving to take steps to promote their rights,” the statement said.Their envisioned plans include increasing the number of ethnic Koreans who can with dual nationality, strengthening Hangeul (Korean alphabet) education in foreign countries and issuing residential identification cards to Koreans overseas.The parties plan

Apr 2, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
South Korea

Choi quizzed over creative economy

By Jun Ji-hye Choi Mun-kee, minister nominee for Science, ICT and Future PlanningLawmakers questioned Choi Mun-kee, President Park Geun-hye’s nominee for the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP), about how he intends to realize the goal of a “creative economy” at his National Assembly confirmation hearing, Monday.Nurturing a creative economy is the central piece of President Park’s economic policy aimed at producing jobs through the development of science and communication technologies.At the hearing, however, lawmakers were concerned that the concept and the phrase itself were too vague.Rep. Kim Han-gil of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) asked if it was feasible to achieve this kind of economy, given the level of ambiguity that is in the plan.“Even the ruling Saenuri Party does not seem to fully understand the meaning of the phrase. You should provide easy explanations from now on so that the public can understand it,” Kim said.Cho Hae-jin of the ruling party also expressed concern, saying, “The initial

Apr 1, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
Choi quizzed over creative economy
South Korea

Ex-science minister nominee raises ire

By Jun Ji-hye Kim Jeong-hoonKim Jeong-hoon, the former nominee to head Seoul’s science ministry, has sparked controversy here because of comments he made in a contribution to the Washington Post, alleging that his planned return to South Korea was thwarted by nationalism.President Park Geun-hye nominated Kim as the minister of what is now the Ministry of Science ICT and Future Planning on Feb. 12, but he withdrew on March 4 as a result of mounting criticism about his dual citizenship and connections to the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).Born in 1960 in Seoul, Kim moved to the U.S. in 1975 and eventually acquired American citizenship. He became a dual citizen after regaining his Korean citizenship three days before his nomination. Critics said it was inappropriate for him to lead a ministry dealing with the national interest because he had held American citizenship for almost 30 years.Kim, the president of Alcatel-Lucent’s Bell Labs and Corporate Strategy, said in his contribution, “I withdrew my candidacy when it became abundantly clear that th

Apr 1, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
Ex-science minister nominee raises ire
South Korea

Future creative ministry awkwardly named

By Jun Ji-hyePublic reactions to the tentatively named Ministry of Future Creative Science include “strange,” “awkward” and “too vague.”Many say that the word future in the name of a ministry is just too abstract. The incoming administration has yet to fix the official title but it is unlikely to be much too different as the Korean name will be translated literally.A foreign correspondent based in Seoul said, “Strictly speaking, I feel strange with some words in the name of the ministry. It is vague and also trying to be trendy in some way.”He said it feels to him like a marketing language as well.“The name sounds like something an expensive PR company would come up with.”All things considered, he said, “It sounds like a department that can do everything or do nothing.”He added the Ministry of Knowledge Economy sounds strange as well.A British English teacher working in Korea, identified only as Phil agreed in part with the reporter.“Those names can sound odd. I am not really able to know what the ministry

Feb 21, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
South Korea

Cho adds 'elegance' as Park's spokeswoman

By Jun Ji-hyeCho Yoon-sun, spokeswoman for President-elect Park Geun-hyeShe is almost always there with President-elect Park Geun-hye like a shadow from the time when Park was a candidate.Now, Cho Yoon-sun, Park’s spokeswoman, is hoping to help Park become one of the best presidents in the nation’s history. Toward that end, she seems more determined in her mission after serving the same post during the election.“During the election, I decided to do everything I could to help Park win. I worked hard, even at odd jobs,” she told The Korea Times. “And, I still think the same. I am willing to do what nobody wants to do to assist Park to be a great president.”Cho said she decided to support Park to help create a social atmosphere where women can more actively display their abilities.She also hopes to make a great contribution as a female spokesperson for the nation’s first female president.“I have worked in a male-dominated working environment. While working as a minority, I came to know how hard and unnatural it is to work among men. I

Jan 13, 2013By Jun Ji-hye
Cho adds 'elegance' as Park's spokeswoman
South Korea

'Park should care for laborers'

By Jun Ji-hye Moon Jae-inFormer presidential candidateMoon Jae-in, former presidential candidate for the Democratic United Party (DUP), Thursday asked President-elect Park Geun-hye to tackle the hardships facing manual laborers when she takes power.Moon, who disappeared from public view after attending a ceremony to disband his election team last week, showed up at the funeral of the late Choi Kang-seo, a former Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction worker who committed suicide on Dec. 21.While in Busan, Moon conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family.After the visit, Moon posted on his Twitter page, “We shouldn’t let these sad things happen again. Regardless of which party you come from, it is all politicians’ obligation to look after working people when they are facing difficulties.”Especially, he appealed to the 60-year-old president-elect by saying, “I want to ask Park to pay special attention to such people. Please give hope to them.”Moon quoted the widow of Choi as saying, “Police and the media didn’t properly in

Dec 28, 2012By Jun Ji-hye
'Park should care for laborers'
South Korea

Kolleen Park joins team

By Jun Ji-hye Kolleen ParkRenowned musical director Kolleen Park was tapped as a member of the Special Committee for Youth of President-elect Park Geun-hye’s transition team, Thursday.According to Park's chief spokesman Yoon Chang-jung, Park will join the committee set up to tackle youth unemployment and other policy headaches.The 45-year-old artist is a renowned figure after her appearance on broadcaster KBS’s popular program, “Happy Sunday: What it Takes to be a Man,” in 2010.While leading an amateur choir on the show, she displayed charismatic leadership.Born in Los Angeles to a Korean father and Lithuanian-American mother, she spent most of her childhood in the southeastern port city of Busan and graduated from Gyeongnam Girls High School.Then, she majored in cello at the California Institute of the Arts in the United States. She has American nationality, and speaks English and Korean fluently.The veteran musician made her debut in Korea as a music director for the popular musical “Empress Myeongseong” in 1995. After this, she directed sev

Dec 27, 2012By Jun Ji-hye
Kolleen Park joins team
South Korea

DUP calls on Ahn to join forces

By Jun Ji-hyeAhn Cheol-sooWhile the Democratic United Party (DUP) is mulling over how to realign the party after its election defeat, a key member called for combining forces with former presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo, Wednesday.Rep. Park Jie-won, the former floor leader who stepped down last week, taking responsibility for the party’s defeat, claimed the DUP needs to push for a merger with people from all regions including Ahn.“The DUP will be rejected (by the people) unless it opens up toward realignment. Then, it will be able to grow to become a bigger DUP with Ahn and other outsiders,” he said appearing on CBS radio.When asked if the party will maintain its current form or become a new party, the lawmaker admitted that outsiders including Ahn will probably not want to join the DUP if it remains as it is.Regarding the new party, some DUP members have already been voicing the need for the party to become a “pan-national party,” oriented toward extending its appeal after the election defeat. Currently, as evidenced by the election results, the DUP

Dec 26, 2012By Jun Ji-hye
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