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Kang Seung-woo

Korea Times Business Reporter

Kang Seung-woo is the Business Desk editor at The Korea Times. Prior to this position, he covered politics, national affairs, finance and sports.

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South Korea

President faces tough 3rd year

By Kang Seung-woo Can President Park Geun-hye muster her political capital and push her presidential agenda in the New Year?On Feb. 25, Park will mark her second anniversary as head of state but her third year in office could be her only chance to produce achievements that could become her legacy, being relatively devoid of other political events such as elections.Park has shown something close to an animalistic instinct as a politician lately, but it remains to be seen whether that is good enough.As her popularity waned, she called on her supporters in the ruling Saenuri Party to close ranks to take control. And she kept a straight face in public after prosecutors summoned her younger brother over the “memogate” scandal resulting from a struggle among her current and former aides for her favor.Party Chairman Kim Moo-sung looked stranded, although he did not show any remorse for keeping his distance from Park.“President Park now needs supporters in order to tide over the current unfavorable conditions because the ruling party can speak out against the President

Dec 31, 2014By Kang Seung-woo
President faces tough 3rd year
South Korea

Park supporters move to take back control of ruling party

By Kang Seung-woo President Park Geun-hye appears to be strengthening her hold on the ruling Saenuri Party.The Park faction’s big guns opened fire on Saenuri Party Chairman Kim Moo-sung, who, once loyal to the President, has tried to cut his own political path, sometimes by challenging his old boss.“Chairman Kim was elected by winning some 29 percent of the votes, but he acts as if he won 92 percent,” said Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun.Yoon said Kim had his own agenda at the expense of that of the party.Rep. Suh Chung-won also criticized the party chairman, but in a restrained manner.About 40 members of the party’s faction gathered for a year-end lunch, which followed the dinner Park hosted for a cadre at Cheong Wa Dae on Dec. 19.The President had reportedly invited them to discuss issues ranging from the government’s personnel renewal to reforming the debt-ridden pension system for civil servants. Kim was not included.They discussed the ongoing hot-button issue of paroling jailed businessmen to help revive the sluggish national economy. Cheong Wa Dae did not

Dec 30, 2014By Kang Seung-woo
Park supporters move to take back control of ruling party
South Korea

Defense ministry under fire over military pact

Defense minister Han Min-kooBy Kang Seung-woo The defense ministry’s belated notification of the signing of a trilateral intelligence-sharing pact is drawing flak.Korea, Japan and the United States completed the agreement to share military intelligence about North Korean nuclear and missile programs Friday, but the ministry kept it secret until Monday’s report to the National Assembly.The ministry is also under siege for lying to reporters at a briefing on Friday, saying the countries would sign the pact on Monday and it would then take effect immediately.However, Defense Minister Han Min-koo admitted that the U.S. signed the pact on Dec. 23 while Japan and Korea signed on Dec. 26.“The countries set the date of the deal taking effect Monday due to the time needed for procedures,“ Han said.National Defense Committee lawmakers described the ministry’s move as “ridiculous.“Rep. Yoon Hu-duk of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) said, “The belated notification infringed on the people’s right to kno

Dec 30, 2014By Kang Seung-woo
Defense ministry under fire over military pact
South Korea

AP, NK News in credibility fight over Pyongyang

By Kang Seung-woo Two news organizations are now engaged in a fight over the credibility of news reports about the world’s most repressive regime.NK News, a website that focuses on issues related to North Korea, reported on Dec. 24 that the Associated Press (AP) bureau in Pyongyang is censored by the North Korean government, raising questions of whether the news agency actually delivers new information from the reclusive state to the world. AP opened the bureau in the North’s capital in January 2012.According to a full draft agreement between the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and AP, obtained by NK News, the bureau “shall serve the purpose of the coverage and worldwide distribution of policies of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the DPRK government.“ DPRK stands for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.It added that AP agreed to receive monthly transmission of about 10 Korean articles that would be translated into English, but “any correction to the contents and expression in the articles shall be made with full consultation betw

Dec 29, 2014By Kang Seung-woo
South Korea

Cheong Wa Dae appeases Saenuri chief

By Kang Seung-wooRep. Kim Moo-sungCheong Wa Dae said Friday that it would invite the ruling party’s secretary-general to its New Year’s greetings meeting.The announcement came a day after Saenuri Party Chairman Kim Moo-sung complained that Secretary-General Lee Koon-hyon had been dropped from the presidential office’s guest list.The post is one of the top ones in a political party along with the floor leader and the policy committee chief, but instead, Rep. Kim Jae-won, the party’s deputy floor leader and a pro-Park lawmaker, made the list. Lee is a close aide to the chairman."The office of the senior presidential secretary for political affairs did not know the maximum number of people it could invite to the event. The list was mistakenly drawn up," presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook said in a briefing.After finding out that the secretary-general had been dropped from the list, the Saenuri chairman ordered the party to contact the presidential office."Cheong Wa Dae is incompetent," said a ruling party official.The invitation brouhaha comes as there are gro

Dec 26, 2014By Kang Seung-woo
Cheong Wa Dae appeases Saenuri chief
South Korea

Seoul to propose talks with NK over Gaeseong wages

By Kang Seung-wooSouth Korea plans to propose talks with North Korea to discuss wages and labor issues at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex (GIC) that the North recently unilaterally revised without the consent of employers here, the Ministry of Unification said Friday.“The government plans to offer consultations with the North in order to resolve this," ministry deputy spokeswoman Park Soo-jin said in a briefing.“The timing has not yet been decided yet."The move comes after the totalitarian state apprised the South last week of its intention to revise 13 out of 49 articles in an agreement on working conditions at the joint industrial park in the North.This includes the scrapping of a 5-percent cap on annual rises in minimum wages and hikes in overtime payment for more than 50,000 North Korean workers in 123 small- and medium-sized companies.Seoul has refused to accept the decision because the two Koreas are supposed to discuss all issues related to GIC operations through a joint management committee.North Korean workers’ wages at the factory park have gained 5 p

Dec 26, 2014By Kang Seung-woo
South Korea

President set to hold New Year news conference

By Kang Seung-woo President Park Geun-hyePresident Park Geun-hye will either hold a news conference or deliver a televised address for the New Year, Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday.“The presidential office is fine-tuning the timing and format,” spokesman Min Kyung-wook told reporters in a briefing.Another Cheong Wa Dae official confirmed that Park would do either early next year; but said details had yet to be worked out.The plan comes as Park’s approval rating remains below 40 percent, hit hard by a high-profile influence-peddling scandal involving some key former and incumbent presidential officials.Given this, Park is expected to use the address to improve her standing, political pundits say.A Realmeter poll put Park’s approval rating at 39.9 percent, Monday. This follows a Gallop Korea poll last week, in which only 37 percent of respondents approved of the way Park was handling her job.In her 2014 New Year speech, delivered on Jan. 6, Park made headlines with her “unification bonanza” initiative along with a three-year plan for economic innov

Dec 24, 2014By Kang Seung-woo
President set to hold New Year news conference
South Korea

Araw Unit completes rescue mission in Philippines

By Kang Seung-wooThe military held a ceremony Tuesday to commemorate the completion of a relief and restoration mission in the typhoon-ravaged Philippines.The Araw Unit, comprised of more than 500 troops from the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines, was launched in Dec. 9 of last year following the Southeast Asian country's request for the dispatch of engineers and medical units. They returned to Korea Monday.“On behalf of the nation’s armed forces, the Araw Unit did its duty to console and help despairing Filipinos,” Army Chief of Staff Gen. Kim Yo-han said in a welcoming speech during the ceremony at the Special Warfare Command in Seoul.“I believe that the troops’ full commitment and invincible military spirit will become the cornerstone of an advanced and strong military.”According to the ROK Army, the unit reconstructed or repaired 66 facilities, including 37 schools, eight hospitals and 17 government offices.In addition, the troops provided medical treatment to more than 41,000 residents, while fumigating some 250 areas.They also offered Ko

Dec 23, 2014By Kang Seung-woo
South Korea

NPAD lawmaker banned from visiting North Korea

By Kang Seung-wooRep. Park Jie-wonA request from Rep. Park Jie-won of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) to visit North Korea again was rejected by the government Tuesday, the Ministry of Unification said.“As Rep. Park made a trip to the North last week, we made the decision after considering various situations that a South Korean politician’s revisit in a short span of time is not appropriate,” a ministry official said.All cross-border exchanges are subject to prior approval by the government because the two Koreas are still technically at war because the hostilities of the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.Park expressed his regret over the rejection."I am sorry about the government's decision preventing dialogue between the two Koreas," the lawmaker said on his Facebook account."Under any circumstances, inter-Korean talks and exchanges should continue to keep peace on the Korean Peninsula." Park, a former chief of staff for late President Kim Dae-jung, and Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun traveled

Dec 23, 2014By Kang Seung-woo
NPAD lawmaker banned from visiting North Korea
South Korea

'NK may be linked to weapons spread in Middle East'

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se delivers a keynote speech at the 11th Korea-Middle East Cooperation Forum in Amman, Jordan, Sunday. / YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooSouth Korea’s foreign minister indicated Sunday that North Korea might be linked to the proliferation of conventional weapons or weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the Middle East.“On the nuclear issue, the ongoing Iranian nuclear negotiations have implications for North Korea,“ Minister of Foreign Affairs Yun Byung-se said in a keynote speech at the 11th Korea-Middle East Cooperation Forum in Amman, Jordan.“North Korea is suspected of dabbling in the spread of conventional weapons or WMDs in this region. In this regard, we are closely following the ongoing negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue between Iran and the E3+3.“The E3+3 refers to a group that includes France, Germany and the U.K. or E3, and China, Russia, and the U.S. that are making diplomatic efforts with Iran to limit its nuclear program.Yun’s remarks were made because Pyongyang is said to have a long history of exporting arms

Dec 22, 2014By Kang Seung-woo
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