The Korea Times

Another civil affairs aide to Moon resigns over controversy

Senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Kim Jin-kook bows during a press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in this March 4 photo. / YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooKim Jin-kook, the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, resigned Tuesday after his son was found to have attempted to use his father's influence for employment purposes. Kim is the fifth civil affairs senior secretary of the Moon Jae-in administration, and the fourth to step down due to a controversy.Cheong Wa Dae said that Kim quit a day after the allegation was reported by local broadcaster MBC.“Kim tendered his resignation immediately after arriving at work today, and President Moon Jae-in accepted it,” a senior presidential official told reporters on condition of anonymity. Kim's resignation comes about nine months after his appointment in March. On Monday, MBC reported that Kim's son wrote on multiple job applications that his father was the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs and would help the companies if he were to get hired.On one application, which was for a financial sales position, th

Dec 21, 2021By Kang Seung-woo

Another civil affairs aide to Moon resigns over controversy

North Korea

Biden administration puts North Korean nuclear issue on backburner

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, and U.S. President Joe Biden / Korea Times photoBy Kang Seung-wooThe North Korean nuclear issue appears to have lost priority with the U.S. government, which is focusing heavily on ending China's control of global supply chains, cross-strait relations and other issues.As Washington shows signs of preserving the status quo with the Kim Jong-un regime, which has in recent years refrained from testing nuclear and long-range missiles, the issue, described as “unproductive,” is feared by some to remain shelved.In April, after its months-long policy review of the totalitarian state, the Joe Biden administration came up with a “calibrated practical approach” to North Korea's decades-long nuclear problem. However, combined with Pyongyang's nonresponse to U.S. overtures and U.S. refusals to offer enticements to engage the reclusive state, negotiations on denuclearizing the North have made little progress. U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan admitted, Friday (local time), that the U.S. “had not gotten traction in dip

Dec 20, 2021By Kang Seung-woo

Biden administration puts North Korean nuclear issue on backburner

Foreign Affairs

KOICA to provide healthcare, IT support for Uzbekistan

Deputy President of KOICA Im Jeong-hee, left, poses with Sherzod Shermatov, center, Uzbekistan's Minister for the Development of Information Technologies and Communications and IT Park CEO Farkhod Ibragimov in Seoul, Thursday, after signing a record of discussion on the ICT project. Courtesy of KOICABy Kang Seung-wooStarting next year, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) will help Uzbekistan in several areas, including digitalization, education and infectious disease control.KOICA President Sohn Hyuk-sang and Uzbekistan's Deputy Prime Minister Sardor Umurzakov signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the 2022-24 cooperation program, Friday, on the sidelines of a summit between President Moon Jae-in and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Seoul.Uzbekistan is one of Korea's key partners in Central Asia, as evidenced by the promotion of bilateral relations to a Special Strategic Partnership in April 2019. The MOU stipulates that Korea will provide the Central Asian country with $88 million (99.2 billion won) to implement 14 projects. For the next three years, the

Dec 19, 2021By Kang Seung-woo

KOICA to provide healthcare, IT support for Uzbekistan

Korea, Uzbekistan promise stronger ties for raw material trade, energy infrastructure

North Korea

'South Korea needs to focus on details of end-of-war declaration'

Kyungnam University President Park Jae Kyu speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at his office in Seoul, Wednesday. / Korea Times photo by Kang Seung-wooKorea-Japan relations unlikely to improve overnight By Kang Seung-wooAt the United Nations General Assembly last September, President Moon Jae-in repeated his proposal to declare an end to the Korean War as part of efforts to normalize inter-Korean ties and jump-start stalled nuclear talks, and since then his administration has strongly pushed to bring about a peace settlement before his term ends in May 2022. South Korean and U.S. diplomats have frequently met with each other to discuss the proposal and Director of National Security Suh Hoon also drew support from China following a meeting with top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi earlier this month, prompting Moon to say, Dec. 13, that the U.S., North Korea and China have agreed “in principle” to an end-of-war declaration.However, Kyungnam University President Park Jae Kyu, a former South Korean unification minister, advises the Moon government not to race against

Dec 19, 2021By Kang Seung-woo

'South Korea needs to focus on details of end-of-war declaration'

Foreign Affairs

South Korea's boycott rejection unlikely to damage alliance with US: experts

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a press conference following a summit with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Canberra, Dec. 13. YonhapOlympic decision may not affect China's role in Korean PeninsulaBy Kang Seung-wooIn the wake of President Moon Jae-in's decision not to join the U.S.-led diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, concerns have been rapidly mounting that the decision may harm the nation's strategic partnership with the United States. But diplomatic observers said the rejection of the boycott will not have a negative impact on the longstanding alliance and ongoing negotiations to declare an end to the Korean War ― although the U.S. government may not be pleased about it.However, they also believe that China will not live up to South Korea's expectations of playing a role in improving inter-Korean relations and supporting Moon's proposal to end the war as a reward for refusing to participate in the boycott. During a press conference following a summit with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Canberra, Dec. 13, President Moon said South Korea

Dec 19, 2021By Kang Seung-woo

South Korea's boycott rejection unlikely to damage alliance with US: experts

Politics

Investigative body accused of searching through phone records of journalists

Kim Jin-wook, the chief of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, enters the office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Nov. 16. YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooThe state-run anti-corruption office is under fire over allegations that it searched through the phone records of reporters and citizens critical of the organization and the government. The agency claims that this was a due, legal process and that it only checked the information of those who had phone calls with some of the people it is investigating. However, there is speculation that this may expand into an illegal surveillance scandal.When checking phone records, the investigation agency receives personal information including subscriber name, resident registration number and address from the relevant telecommunications company. If the person whose phone records were checked asks the telecommunications company, it has to inform them of the details of when and which investigative agencies have requested data within the past year.According to local telecommunications companies, the Corruption Investigation Office

Dec 15, 2021By Kang Seung-woo

Investigative body accused of searching through phone records of journalists

Politics

Ruling party's presidential candidate faces mounting criticism for inconsistent comments

Lee Jae-myung, third from left, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, holds a meeting with residents in Seongju County, North Gyeongsang Province, Monday. Yonhap By Kang Seung-wooThe ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung is facing mounting criticism for frequent inconsistency in his words and policy pledges.Although such divergent comments are seen as an attempt to drop his hardline image and woo centrists and even conservatives, some of the shifts in stance counter the political views of the DPK and the even the liberal candidate himself, with some party members worrying that ideological inconsistency may disillusion even diehard supporters.The latest example of this inconsistency can be seen in Lee's comments acknowledging the economic achievements of former dictator Chun Doo-hwan.The former Gyeonggi Province governor had been sharply critical of Chun, who seized power in a 1979 coup and ruled the country with an iron fist from 1980 to 1988. His dictatorship was highlighted by the bloody suppression of the 1980 p

Dec 13, 2021By Kang Seung-woo

Ruling party's presidential candidate faces mounting criticism for inconsistent comments

Support for eccentric presidential hopeful nearing 5%

Politics

Candidates embrace figures formerly from rival parties

By Kang Seung-wooYesterday's enemies have become allies, with candidates recruiting politicians from rival parties as part of efforts to appeal to centrist voters in the lead-up to next year's presidential election, which is anticipated to be closely contested. Former Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Keum Tae-sup / Korea Times photoThe main opposition People Power Party (PPP) seems to be ahead of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) in the race to expand their support bases.After employing veteran campaigner Kim Chong-in, who helped President Moon Jae-in win Cheong Wa Dae, and Kim Han-gil who had been chief of a predecessor party of the DPK, the PPP has also added Keum Tae-sup, a former DPK lawmaker, to its presidential election committee. Keum quit the DPK in October last year after denouncing the party for its “arrogance, self-righteousness and partisan antagonism.”“Recently, a party (DPK) member was suspended for eight months due to his disapproval of its presidential candidate's pledge,” Keum wrote on Facebook, Friday.Keum cited Jeju National Unive

Dec 9, 2021By Kang Seung-woo

Candidates embrace figures formerly from rival parties

Politics

Attention grows on main opposition candidate's wife

By Kang Seung-wooWith the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) having officially launched its presidential election committee, the party is now focused on when the wife of its presidential candidate, Yoon Suk-yeol, will join her husband's campaign. Kim Kun-hee / Korea Times fileIt has been over a month since Yoon become a candidate, Nov. 5, and less than 100 days are left before the election. But Yoon's wife, Kim Kun-hee, has yet to make a public appearance in sharp contrast to Kim Hye-gyeong, the wife of Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) who has frequently accompanied the former Gyeonggi Province governor, and even personally appealed to voters.Although Yoon said she will make an appearance at the appropriate time, the DPK continues to take aim at Kim due to allegations of illicit behavior surrounding her. Kim has been accused of playing a role in a stock manipulation case involving Deutsch Motors, a BMW car dealer in Korea, and academic plagiarism among others. In addition, she is also haunted by her mother's conviction in a

Dec 8, 2021By Kang Seung-woo

Attention grows on main opposition candidate's wife

Both ruling, opposition presidential candidates face 'wife risks'

Defense

Air Force captain, warrant officer named 'Golden Eye'

Air Force Capt. Park Joon-yong, left, poses after receiving the most outstanding air defense weapon controller award, Dec. 2. Courtesy of ROK Air ForceBy Kang Seung-wooAir Force Capt. Park Joon-yong and Warrant Officer Lee Hyo-bok have been selected as the force's most outstanding air defense weapon controllers. The Air Force held an award ceremony for the Air Combat Intercept Control Competition, Dec. 2, where Park and Lee triumphed in ground and air control and control systems, respectively. Lee serves at the 51st Air Control Flying Group at the Air Mobility and Reconnaissance Command, while Park belongs to the 7328th Unit of the Air Defense Control CommandAn air defense weapon director's mission is to help fighters quickly and accurately respond to enemy aircraft intruding into the country's air defense identification zone or sovereign airspace. The Air Force has held the contest since 1980, with the winners receiving the “Golden Eye” award from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Starting May, 80 air defense weapon controllers participated in the competitio

Dec 8, 2021By Kang Seung-woo

Kang Seung-woo

Read more

Another civil affairs aide to Moon resigns over controversy

Biden administration puts North Korean nuclear issue on backburner

KOICA to provide healthcare, IT support for Uzbekistan

'South Korea needs to focus on details of end-of-war declaration'

South Korea's boycott rejection unlikely to damage alliance with US: experts

Investigative body accused of searching through phone records of journalists

Ruling party's presidential candidate faces mounting criticism for inconsistent comments

Candidates embrace figures formerly from rival parties

Attention grows on main opposition candidate's wife

Air Force captain, warrant officer named 'Golden Eye'

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