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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

South Korea stays on toes about US election

EPA-YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooThe U.S. presidential election remained still too early to call as of 5 p.m., Wednesday, keeping South Korea on its toes due to the rival candidates' sharply different views on foreign policy linked to its Asian ally.Diplomatic experts believe that President Donald Trump spending four more years in office may seek to further force South Korea into following his “America First” policy, while a Joe Biden administration would mean returning to traditional alliance management.The Trump administration has been under fire for straining Washington's relationship with its allies, including South Korea, over the past four years, as evidenced by his demand for a hefty hike in Seoul's contribution to the stationing of the U.S. Forces Korea, and pressure on the country to jump on the anti-China bandwagon despite Seoul's economic ties with Beijing.“A Trump Administration would once again continue its demands for a big raise in Seoul's contribution to the U.S.-ROK alliance joint military costs,” Harry Kazianis, the senior director of Korean studie

Nov 4, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
South Korea stays on toes about US election
Foreign Affairs

Korean gov't gearing up for diplomatic push with new US president

U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden participate in the second presidential debate in Nashville, Tenn., Oct. 22. / AFP-YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooThe government is bracing up for a post- presidential election scenario to seek to deepen its ties with the United States, given that depending on who wins, foreign policy toward the Korean Peninsula is likely to take a hugely different path.The race for the White House began, Tuesday (local time), pitting President Donald Trump against former Vice President Joe Biden. Considering the U.S. influence on Korea's diplomatic and security issues, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formed a massive taskforce led by First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun, to gauge American public opinion toward each candidate and formulate Seoul's response to the election outcome. The Korean Embassy in the U.S. also has an official in charge of overseeing a team monitoring the election. One of the primary issues that heads of states around the world could face would be when to have phone talks with the p

Nov 3, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Korean gov't gearing up for diplomatic push with new US president
North Korea

Nongovernmental inter-Korean exchanges frozen

The South Korea-built support center at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex remains severely damaged after North Korea demolished the inter-Korean liaison office adjacent to it, June 16, as seen in this September photo. / YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooInter-Korean exchanges at the nongovernment level have come to a halt largely due to the COVID-19 crisis which led North Korea to close its borders in January. Worse, South Korean private organization-led humanitarian aid to the North and government-level inter-Korean economic cooperation are also losing steam amid ongoing frayed ties between the two Koreas, dented by Pyongyang's destruction of an inter-Korean liaison office and the killing of a South Korean fisheries official ― both of which have raised resentment and antipathy in the South.Despite repeated offers from the government and the international community to provide coronavirus assistance, Pyongyang has refused the aid proposals to prevent outside help from bringing in the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Also despite serious damage from floods in August, North Korean leader Kim Jong-u

Nov 1, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Nongovernmental inter-Korean exchanges frozen
Politics

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL Dignitaries recognize Korea Times' role in linking Korea, world

National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug gives a congratulatory speech during The Korea Times' 70th anniversary ceremony at the Lotte Hotel Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Kang Seung-wooDistinguished guests at the reception held to celebrate The Korea Times' 70th anniversary complimented the nation's oldest English language newspaper, Thursday, recognizing its role in delivering information on Korea to the world.“For the past 70 years, The Korea Times has played a key role in linking Korea to the world,” National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug said in a congratulatory speech during the celebration at the Lotte Hotel Seoul, Thursday. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun delivers a message celebrating The Korea Times' 70th anniversary during its reception at the Lotte Hotel Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul“When the Korean Peninsula was in the thick of the Korean War in 1950, The Korea Times provided updates on the conflict and other news to the United Nations forces and to the rest of the world. In addition, it was also The Kor

Oct 29, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
[ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL] Dignitaries recognize Korea Times' role in linking Korea, world
  • ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL President lauds Korea Times' 70 years of exceptional journalism
  • ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL Korea Times celebrates 70th anniversary with much fanfare
  • US-China row extended to top envoys in Seoul
Defense

Possibility of USFK reduction growing

Defense Minister Suh Wook, right, holds hands with U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper during the Security Consultative Meeting in Washington, D.C., Oct. 14. / Korea Times fileBy Kang Seung-wooWith the annual South Korean-U.S. ministerial defense talks ending without mentioning Washington's commitment to maintaining the current level of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), speculation is sharply escalating that the U.S. government may withdraw some American troops from the Korean Peninsula, in much the same manner as it did from Germany.Experts say a USFK troop reduction will be a possible scenario as part of the U.S. strategic flexibility policy, aimed at optimizing its forces to successfully respond to challenges around the globe, but it will not be because of either a stalled defense cost-sharing deal or a discord in the decades-long alliance between the two sides.Earlier this month, Defense Minister Suh Wook and his U.S. counterpart Mark Esper held the 52nd Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in Washington, D.C., but a joint communique released after the event failed to refer to the U.S.'

Oct 29, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Possibility of USFK reduction growing
Politics

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL Complex geopolitical situation preventing inter-Korean relations from moving forward

The Korea Times conducted interviews with four Korean and foreign experts to ask for their opinions on what Korea needs to do to go beyond the 70 years of conflict caused by the Korean War and usher in a next 70 years of unity. They are Park Won-gon, professor of international politics at Handong Global University; Kim Jung, professor at the University of North Korean Studies; Emanuel Pastreich, president of the Asia Institute; and Leif-Eric Easley, associate professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University. ― ED. Q: Please evaluate the past 70 years of North-South Korea division. Do you think inter-Korean relations have improved since the first inter-Korean summit in 2000? Park: There have been ups and downs in inter-Korean relations since 2000. But overall, there has been no remarkable progress. Recent inter-Korean reconciliation in 2018 was short-lived as tensions on the Korean Peninsula are re-escalating now.Kim: Prior to the 1980s, South Korea and North Korea had hostile relations that sought to change the status quo by unifying each other by force, but since the end

Oct 28, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
[ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL] Complex geopolitical situation preventing inter-Korean relations from moving forward
  • ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL 'Looking beyond 70 years of conflict to 70 years of unity'
North Korea

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL 'Looking beyond 70 years of conflict to 70 years of unity'

The Korean Peninsula has been suffering from division for the last 70 years since the Korean War broke out in 1950, the year The Korea Times published its first issue on Nov. 1. The division of North and South Korea has been the main factor behind ideological conflict domestically, and complications in the dynamics of diplomacy. On the occasion of the newspaper's 70th anniversary, The Korea Times conducted interviews with four international experts on how to seek a breakthrough on issues in and surrounding the peninsula, and find the last piece of the puzzle to usher in the next 70 years of unity. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk2 Koreas, allies urged to embrace differences for harmony on Korean PeninsulaBy Kang Seung-wooSeven decades ago, war broke out on the Korean Peninsula, leaving scars that linger to this day. The continued division of the two Koreas is one of the longest unresolved separations of a people in modern history.For most of the division, the two Koreas have been enemies, but in the last two to three decades the two nations have made some progress in bettering relat

Oct 28, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
[ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL] 'Looking beyond 70 years of conflict to 70 years of unity'
  • ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL Complex geopolitical situation preventing inter-Korean relations from moving forward
Foreign Affairs

Korea seeks to ease concerns over US bypassing Korea

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha poses with her U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo during a bilateral meeting in California, in this January photo. She plans to visit the U.S. to meet him in the near future. / Korea Times file By Kang Seung-wooKorea is stepping up efforts to ease growing concerns over its diplomatic isolation by the United States, with its top diplomat planning to fly to Washington, D.C., soon. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced, Thursday, that Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha has accepted U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo's invitation to the U.S. for ministerial talks in the near future. Although the two sides are still in negotiations over the schedule, it is widely expected that they will meet after the Nov. 3 U.S. presidential election. The announcement came hours after the U.S. State Department said Pompeo will travel to India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Indonesia later this month, instead of visiting Korea. When he canceled his trip to Korea earlier this month due to U.S. President Donald Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis, his office said it would reschedule the visit

Oct 23, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Korea seeks to ease concerns over US bypassing Korea
Defense

Protest against THAAD

Police officers disperse residents of Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and activists who are trying to prevent the defense ministry from transporting construction material and equipment onto the base of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, Thursday. While the protesters believe the material will be used to upgrade the anti-missile defense system, the ministry said they were for improving living facilities there. The residents have opposed the installation of the system out of concerns over the potential harmful impact of its powerful radar on their health and agricultural products. / Yonhap

Oct 22, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Protest against THAAD
Politics

Moon inspects 'smart city'

President Moon Jae-in talks with an official of the Smart City Integrated Operation Center in Songdo, Incheon, Thursday. The center operates an integrated data platform to resolve the city's traffic, security problems and fires. His visit to Songdo, the nation's model smart city, was part of his regionally balanced Korean New Deal initiative, aimed at boosting economic growth in the post-coronavirus era. / Yonhap

Oct 22, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Moon inspects 'smart city'
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