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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

Korea faces tougher dilemma over Olympics, peace initiative

gettyimagesbank Seoul advised to build 'sustainable foreign policy platform' By Kang Seung-wooSouth Korea, long sandwiched between the United States and China amid their flaring tensions, finds itself newly cornered into a choice between the two powerhouses, with the fate of the outgoing Moon Jae-in administration's last-ditch peace initiative lying in their hands. South Korea has been continuing a difficult balancing act, trying to juggle economic ties with China and its much-needed security alliance with the U.S. In addition, given Seoul needs help from both Washington and Beijing to formally declare an end to the Korean War, the intensifying strategic competition between them is further thrusting the South Korean government into a dilemma. Only three weeks after U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a virtual summit, Nov. 15, Washington has beaten Beijing to the punch. On Monday (local time), the U.S. announced that it will not send any diplomatic or official representation to the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022 due to China's ongoing genocide and crimes

Dec 7, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Korea faces tougher dilemma over Olympics, peace initiative
  • Cheong Wa Dae says Beijing Olympic boycott not under consideration for now
Politics

Main opposition presidential candidate stresses fairness, common sense

Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party, speaks during the launching ceremony of the party's election committee in Seoul, Monday. Joint Press Corps PPP launches election committee after internal disputesBy Kang Seung-wooYoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), said, Monday, he will establish a nation where fairness becomes common sense, while stressing that fairness and freedom will be keywords for the government's economic policy if he is elected president. Additionally, the former prosecutor general emphasized solidarity within the party in the race for Cheong Wa Dae, apparently mindful of a recent internal feud between him and the party leader.The PPP finally launched its long-delayed election committee on the day and the launching ceremony was held one month after Yoon was elected, Nov. 5, to represent the conservative party in the presidential election, scheduled for M

Dec 6, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Main opposition presidential candidate stresses fairness, common sense
Defense

Revisit Korea Program held for US veterans

U.S. veterans who served in Korea since the armistice was signed in 1953, and their family members, pose during the ROK-U.S. Alliance Night in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of the Korea Defense Veterans AssociationBy Kang Seung-wooNine U.S. veterans, who served in Korea following the 1953 armistice ending the Korean War, revisited the country last month along with their family members.The revisit program, the first of its kind by the Korea Defense Veterans Association (KDVA) and the Korea-U.S. Alliance Foundation, was sponsored by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (MPVA). A total of 16 people made the five-day trip to Korea starting Nov. 29, visiting the Joint Security Area, Camp Casey, Camp Humphreys and Osan Air Base, where they served, according to the KDVA. Additionally, they participated in the ROK-U.S. Alliance Night in Seoul, co-hosted by Defense Minister Suh Wook and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Wednesday. ROK is an acronym for the Republic of Korea.“I am honored to revisit Korea 30 years later since I served in Korea in 1991. I miss my old base, Camp G

Dec 5, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Revisit Korea Program held for US veterans
Politics

Presidential candidates show sharp contrast in foreign policy direction

By Kang Seung-wooIn every presidential election, the candidates' vision for North Korea and their views on foreign policy have been among the most important issues. In particular, with North Korea continuing to modernizing its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles arsenal, and U.S.-Sino rivalry intensifying, their foreign policy principles are carrying additional significance. With less than 100 days left until the presidential election, scheduled for March 9, 2022, ruling Democratic Party of Korea candidate Lee Jae-myung and main opposition People Power Party candidate Yoon Suk-yeol seem to be heading in different foreign policy directions.Lee plans to take the initiative in the nation's diplomacy with the United States, China and Japan, based on the national interest, while continuing the Moon Jae-in administration's policy of playing an active role in Korean Peninsula issues. To the contrary, Yoon's vision for foreign affairs and diplomacy is focused on enhancing the South Korea-U.S. alliance, while reinforcing expanded deterrence and international cooperation on the denucleariza

Dec 5, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Presidential candidates show sharp contrast in foreign policy direction
Defense

South Korea, US agree to update war plan

Defense Minister Suh Wook and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hold a press conference at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul, Thursday, after the 53rd Security Consultative Meeting. Joint Press Corps OPCON transition not to come during Moon's presidency By Kang Seung-wooSouth Korea and the United States agreed Thursday to update their military operation plans in response to North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile weapons programs. In addition, the allies also concurred that they will carry out the second part of the three-phase assessment to verify Seoul's readiness to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) of its troops from Washington, in the second half of next year.The agreements were made at the annual Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in Seoul, where Defense Minister Suh Wook sat down with his U.S. counterpart, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.“The United States and the ROK remain committed to a diplomatic approach to the DPRK. And we continu

Dec 2, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
South Korea, US agree to update war plan
Defense

Military veterans' groups join hands to help bolster Korea-US relations

Korea Defense Veterans Association President Vincent Brooks, center, and KATUSA Veterans Association Chairman Kim Hae-sung, fourth from left, pose at the Millennium Hilton Hotel in Seoul, Wednesday, after signing a memorandum of understanding to work together to enhance the bilateral alliance between Korea and the United States. Third from right is Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin. Courtesy of KATUSA Veterans AssociationBy Kang Seung-wooThe Korea Defense Veterans Association (KDVA) and the KATUSA Veterans Association (KVA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to work together to enhance the bilateral alliance between Korea and the United States. KATUSA stands for Korean Augmentation to the United States Army. Under the program, Korean soldiers are given posts in U.S. military bases in the country.The agreement was signed between KDVA President Vincent Brooks, former U.S. Forces Korea commander, and KVA Chairman Kim Hae-sung at the Millennium Hilton Hotel in Seoul, Wednesday. According to the MOU, the two organizations will bolster cooperation in areas promoting

Dec 1, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Military veterans' groups join hands to help bolster Korea-US relations
Defense

SCM will not work in Korea's favor: experts

Defense Minister Suh Wook, right, poses with his U.S. counterpart, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, during their meeting at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul, March 17. Joint Press CorpsMention of US troop levels to be included in joint communique By Kang Seung-wooIn the lead-up to its annual defense ministerial talks with the United States, Korea is resolute to raise the issue of fixing a clear timeline for regaining wartime operational control (OPCON) of its troops from Washington. But diplomatic observers expect that the U.S. side will not be happy about this initiative and will subsequently stick to its existing position of Korea needing to meet prerequisites for a successful OPCON transition.Defense Minister Suh Wook is scheduled to sit down with his U.S. counterpart, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, at the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in Seoul, Dec. 2, and the OPCON issue is highly anticipated to remain one of the most important issues ― if not the most important ― on the agenda, according to experts. President Moon Jae-in has sought to take over OPCON befor

Nov 29, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
SCM will not work in Korea's favor: experts
Politics

Korea-Pacific SDG Forum to take place next month

By Kang Seung-wooThe inaugural Korea-Pacific SDG Forum, a framework of discussing various issues ranging from trade, culture, tourism and human resource development between Korea and Pacific islands, will be held next month in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province. The forum, sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is scheduled for Dec. 8, to be held in an online-offline hybrid format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It comes after Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and his 14 counterparts from island nations in the Pacific Ocean held a videoconference, Nov. 16, where they agreed to elevate the dialogue mechanism between the two sides to summit level and to shorten the host cycle of the ministerial meetings from three to two years as part of efforts to enhance their collaboration.The forum will feature various lectures, attractions and creative attempts to be presented under the three themes of trade economy, cultural tourism and capacity-building between Korea and Pacific nations. In addition, the Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO) and Yeosu plan to sign an agreement to cooperate for the su

Nov 27, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Korea-Pacific SDG Forum to take place next month
Foreign Affairs

Korea faces growing pressure to join stand against China

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield / AP-YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooPressure appears to be mounting on Korea coalescing around the so-called democracies' movement to isolate China. The U.S.'s Biden administration has sent and will send its senior officials to Seoul, while Britain has also invited Korea to next month's G7 foreign ministers' meeting, in which China is expected to top the agenda in the face of Beijing's increasing assertiveness.At first glance, the longtime allies are seemingly engaged in boosting bilateral cooperation across the board, but many believe that the United States is once again urging Korea to choose Washington in its unfolding superpower rivalry with Beijing. Korea is one of the two key Asian allies of the U.S., but it is also regarded as the weakest link among the Washington-Seoul-Tokyo security structure to contain China because Beijing is Korea's largest trading partner. According to diplomatic sources, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield will visit here next month to participate in the so-called U.N. Peac

Nov 24, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Korea faces growing pressure to join stand against China
  • US drive for security group expansion poses policy dilemma for Korea
Politics

Former strongman Chun Doo-hwan dies at 90

Former President Chun Doo-hwan leaves his house in Seoul to head for Gwangju to attend an appellate court hearing on his conviction for libel, in this Aug. 9 photo. Chun died at his residence, Tuesday. He was 90. YonhapEx-dictator will not be buried in national cemetery; no state funeral to be heldBy Kang Seung-wooFormer President Chun Doo-hwan, who seized power in a coup and governed the nation with a firm hand from 1980 to 1988, died, Tuesday. He was 90. According to Min Jeong-ki, a former presidential secretary, Chun, who had multiple myeloma ― a cancer formed in white blood cells ― died at his home in western Seoul at 8:45 a.m. After he collapsed in a bathroom, emergency services were called at 8:55 a.m. and paramedics who arrived at 9:12 a.m. then confirmed his death. His body was transferred to the Severance Hospital where a memorial altar was set up. Until recently, Chun had been receiving treatment at the medical center due to his worsening health.“Chun's last wish was for his remains be buried on high ground at the border overlooking North Korean territory,” Min

Nov 23, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Former strongman Chun Doo-hwan dies at 90
  • Chun's death draws cold reactions
  • Chun dies without apologies for scars left in Gwangju
  • PHOTOS Key moments from the life of Chun Doo-hwan
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