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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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Foreign Affairs

Yoon's US delegation discusses with Pfizer early supply of Paxlovid

By Kang Seung-wooPresident-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's U.S. delegation recently discussed with Pfizer ways to cooperate to receive an early supply of the American drug giant's COVID-19 antiviral pill in Korea, according to his spokesperson, Thursday. Bae Hyun-jin, the spokesperson for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, holds a press conference at the office of the presidential transition committee in Seoul, Thursday. YonhapThe ROK-U.S. Policy Consultation Delegation, led by foreign minister nominee Rep. Park Jin, made an eight-day trip to Washington, D.C. on April 3, where it met with senior U.S. government officials as part of Yoon's efforts to build up the bilateral alliance. “While the delegates were in the United States, President-elect Yoon gave them the special instruction to visit Pfizer's headquarters in New York,” Yoon's spokesperson, Bae Hyun-jin, said during a press briefing.“There, the delegation had discussions with Pfizer to work closely with the Korean government for an early supply of Paxlovid,” she said.In response, Pfizer said it will do its utmost in

Apr 14, 2022By Kang Seung-woo
Yoon's US delegation discusses with Pfizer early supply of Paxlovid
Foreign Affairs

What Cabinet nominations say about Yoon's foreign policy, security posture

Foreign Minister nominee Park Jin, left, and Unification Minister nominee Kwon Young-se / YonhapYoon gov't to prioritize Korea-US ties, but leaves door open for inter-Korean talksBy Kang Seung-wooPresident-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's nominations of key members of his national security team suggest that the new South Korean administration plans to engage in diplomacy that places alignment with the United States at the center of its foreign policy priorities, according diplomatic observers. In addition, Yoon, who pledged to take a hardline stance against North Korea on the campaign trail, has left room for inter-Korean dialogue following the designation of a close aide and centrist politician to the unification minister post. On Wednesday, Yoon nominated Rep. Park Jin of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) as foreign minister, while tapping Rep. Kwon Young-se, another PPP lawmaker, to head the unification ministry. Along with them, the incoming president also appointed six other Cabinet members and his first chief of staff. “Although it remains to be seen how Yoon will flesh o

Apr 13, 2022By Kang Seung-woo
What Cabinet nominations say about Yoon's foreign policy, security posture
Politics

Yoon invites former President Park to inauguration ceremony

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol shakes hands with former President Park Geun-hye during their meeting in Daegu, Tuesday. Yonhap By Kang Seung-wooPresident-elect Yoon Suk-yeol invited former President Park Geun-hye to his inauguration ceremony, May 10, as the incoming president tries to rebuild relations with his predecessor.Park said she will attend the inauguration if conditions permit. Yoon's much-heralded meeting with Park took place for 50 minutes, Tuesday, while he was on a national tour, which started, Monday. “The president-elect said he was sorry for his bad relationship with Park, which started when Yoon was a member of the special prosecution team investigating Park's corruption scandal,” Rep. Kwon Young-se, the vice chairman of Yoon's transition committee who accompanied the president-elect, said following the meeting between Yoon and Park in Daegu. Yoon has repeatedly stated his wish to visit Park, saying he feels "great sorrow" for the investigation on a political and emotional level, although he was doing his job.“The two talked about their links to ele

Apr 12, 2022By Kang Seung-woo
Yoon invites former President Park to inauguration ceremony
  • Conservatives eye impact of Yoon-Park meeting on Daegu mayoral race
Politics

BTS will not perform at Yoon's inauguration

Park Joo-sun, center, chief of the preparatory committee for the inaugural ceremony of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, gives a briefing on his panel's preparations for the event at the office of the presidential transition committee in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap By Kang Seung-wooPresident-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration ceremony will not feature a performance by K-pop sensation BTS, his transition team said Monday, citing budget constraints and an intention to promote national unity instead of glitz during the event.The prospect of the K-pop sensation performing at the May 10 ceremony faced a backlash from fans critical of the incoming president attempting to use the boy band for political purposes.In addition, it remains to be seen if former President Park Geun-hye will attend the event, although Yoon is trying to rebuild relations with her. In 2016, Yoon was the lead prosecutor of an investigation into Park's corruption allegations that eventually led to her impeachm

Apr 11, 2022By Kang Seung-woo
BTS will not perform at Yoon's inauguration
Defense

Yoon to start term in new, temporary presidential office in Yongsan

Defense ministry officials get ready to move out to a new office, Thursday. YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooAs he wished, President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol will begin his term in Yongsan next month, but he will have to work out of a temporary office, according to his transition team, Thursday. Yoon had wanted to move the presidential office to the defense ministry building in Yongsan District in time for his May 10 inauguration, but due to concerns over a possible national security vacuum created by conducting such a major move in a hasty manner, the current Moon Jae-in administration approved only part of the funds for the plan, in an extraordinary Cabinet meeting Wednesday, meaning that the complete relocation will be delayed until at least the end of June. “On May 10, when the new administration will launch and begin work, President Yoon Suk-yeol will begin performing his presidential duties without leaving a security vacuum," a transition team official told reporters.According to the official, there are two main factors to consider in the relocation, with one being the completion of a

Apr 7, 2022By Kang Seung-woo
Yoon to start term in new, temporary presidential office in Yongsan
Foreign Affairs

Yoon's delegation discusses extended deterrence, summit with US

Rep. Park Jin, right, of the main opposition People Power Party, who heads the ROK-U.S. Policy Consultation Delegation sent by President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, poses with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan during their meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., Tuesday (local time). Courtesy of ROK-U.S. Policy Consultation Delegation Deployment of strategic assets unlikely: expertsBy Kang Seung-wooPresident-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's U.S. delegation held discussions with the U.S. side, Tuesday (local time), about the permanent presence of U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula amid mounting threats from North Korea. In addition, the two sides also talked about holding a summit between Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden at an early date. The ROK-U.S. Policy Consultation Delegation, led by Rep. Park Jin of the main opposition People Power Party, visited the White House and met with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan for some 40 minutes. The ROK refers to the Republic of Korea, South Korea's official name.“The deployment of strategic assets is an important

Apr 6, 2022By Kang Seung-woo
Yoon's delegation discusses extended deterrence, summit with US
  • North Korea poses 'real' threats to U.S. and allies: Gen. Milley
North Korea

North Korea's harsh rhetoric seen as attempt to tame South Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol / Korea Times photoKim Yo-jong warns of nuclear response in case of Seoul's preemptive strikesBy Kang Seung-wooScathing remarks made by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister in response to South Korea's defense minister touting the South's “pre-emptive strike” ability were aimed at taming Seoul's new administration, which is widely expected to take a tougher stance against Pyongyang, including the use of military options, according to experts.They also noted that North Korea's warning, the second of its kind in just three days, was largely propaganda aimed at bolstering internal solidarity amid economic woes triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement carried by state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Tuesday, Kim Yo-jong denounced Defense Minister Suk Wook's reference to possible pre-emptive strikes as a “fantastic daydream” and the “hysteria of a lunatic,” adding that it was a big mistake for the South Korean military to highlight its pre-emptive strike capabilities

Apr 5, 2022By Kang Seung-woo
North Korea's harsh rhetoric seen as attempt to tame South Korea
Politics

Yoon to complete Cabinet nominations by next week

From left are Choo Kyung-ho, Choi Sang-mok, Park Jin, Shin Won-sik and Kwon Young-se. Korea Times photoChoo Kyung-ho, leading candidate for deputy prime minister for economic affairsBy Kang Seung-wooPresident-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is set to follow up his nomination for prime minister with the designation of ministers by the end of next week, according to his spokesperson, Monday.Yoon, scheduled to take office, May 10, tapped former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Sunday, to serve as the first premier in his administration, kicking off the process of nominating Cabinet members.“Given that about three weeks are required for the National Assembly confirmation process, we need to announce the full list of Cabinet nominees by the end of next week,” Kim Eun-hye said during a press briefing.“This week, the president-elect will be committed to making selections for his incoming Cabinet.”With the appointment of the prime minister in the rearview mirror, attention is now on who will be named deputy prime minister for economic affairs and chairman of the Financial Services Co

Apr 4, 2022By Kang Seung-woo
Yoon to complete Cabinet nominations by next week
  • Yoon's wife considers commencing public activity ahead of his inauguration
Foreign Affairs

'Dramatic change in Korea-Japan ties unlikely under Yoon'

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida / Korea Times phtoIncoming president needs to make 'political' decision, convince publicBy Kang Seung-wooEven though President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, who wants to mend frayed ties with Japan, takes office in May, strained bilateral relations will not return to normal overnight due to longstanding historical issues, according to diplomatic observers.Currently, ties between Korea and Japan have slumped to their worst level in years due to Tokyo's imposition of export controls on three key materials critical for the semiconductor and display industries here, in apparent retaliation against a ruling by Korea's Supreme Court ordering Japanese companies to compensate surviving Koreans victims of wartime forced labor.On Monday, Yoon held a meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Seoul Koichi Aiboshi, where he called for a future-oriented approach to worsening bilateral ties. But it came to light the following day that Japan will remove expressions and descriptions of forced labor and sex slavery in some of its history textboo

Apr 1, 2022By Kang Seung-woo
'Dramatic change in Korea-Japan ties unlikely under Yoon'
Politics

Ahn calls it quits in prime minister nomination race

Ahn Cheol-soo, the chairman of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's presidential transition committee, speaks during a press conference at the committee's office in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap Ahn keeps options open for PPP leader position, won't run in June local electionsBy Kang Seung-wooAhn Cheol-soo, the chairman of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's transition team, has taken himself out of consideration for the prime minister position in order to “ease the burden” on the incoming president.Ahn, who also dropped out of the presidential election to endorse Yoon, said that he is committed to finding qualified candidates for the Cabinet, while doing things that will help cement the support base of the party and stabilize the new administration.The 60-year-old physician and software mogul had been one of the most likely candidates for prime minister, as Ahn and Yoon had earlier promised to launch a coalition government through their agreement to field a unified candidate. That decision raised speculation that he would use the chairmanship of the transition team as a stepping stone

Mar 30, 2022By Kang Seung-woo
Ahn calls it quits in prime minister nomination race
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