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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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Politics

COVID-19 paralyzes political circles

The entrance of the main building of the National Assembly in Seoul is locked, Thursday, after a reporter covering the ruling party tested positive for COVID-19 the previous day. / Yonhap By Kang Seung-wooA photo journalist covering the ruling party has tested positive for COVI-19, disrupting operations at the National Assembly and among political parties. The Assembly was closed Thursday for disinfection of the affected buildings, while parties scrambled to cancel all their meetings scheduled for the day.Given that the leaderships of the ruling and opposition parties and even the Assembly speaker were found to have had direct or indirect contact with the journalist, concerns are lingering that the coronavirus pandemic may affect the Assembly's regular sessions slated for next month. Right after the reporter tested positive Wednesday, the Assembly announced its closure and the postponement of nine committee meetings scheduled for Thursday. This is the second time th

Aug 27, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
COVID-19 paralyzes political circles
Politics

Online voting for party leader

Members of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea cast ballots to elect its new chairman and five Supreme Council members through an online voting system at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. Due to a resurgence of COVID-19, the party will hold its convention online, Saturday, where the result of the poll will be announced. / Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geun

Aug 26, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Online voting for party leader
Politics

Moon's new security team off to awkward start

President Moon Jae-in walks with new National Intelligence Service chief Park Jie-won, right, new Unification Minister Lee In-young, second from left, and new National Police Agency head Kim Chang-ryong, left, after giving them letters of appointment at Cheong Wa Dae, July 29. / Korea Times fileBy Kang Seung-wooThe much-heralded new national security team is off to a rough start as the spy agency head is in the hot seat over political intervention allegations and the unification minister faces heat over a botched plan for inter-Korean exchanges. President Moon Jae-in shook up his national security lineup last month in a bid to double down on his inter-Korean peace initiative, with veteran politicians Park Jie-won and Lee In-young appointed to lead the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Ministry of Unification respectively.However, they have not lived up to their boss' expectations to date. The NIS director, a former four-term lawmaker, garnered headlines last week after saying in his first briefing to the National Assembly Intelligence Committee that North Korean leader Kim

Aug 26, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Moon's new security team off to awkward start
Foreign Affairs

Diplomatic row over GSOMIA dissipates

Korea and Japan have been at odds over whether to terminate the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA). Korea made it known that it was considered terminating it in retaliation to Japan's trade controls, but ultimately did not give notice of a cancellation to Japan, in effect renewing the agreement for the coming year. / gettyimagesbankBy Kang Seung-wooKorea and Japan appear to have calmed tensions over whether to keep their intelligence-sharing pact intact as the date for its cancellation passed without any action from either country. This is a complete about-face from last year when the neighboring countries engaged in a harsh diplomatic spat over the issue, initiated by Tokyo's tightened controls on exports to Seoul. At that time Korea suspended its withdrawal following a U.S. request to maintain the pact, or the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).Opinions are rampant that this time it would not have been easy for the government to have again raised the issue of canceling the GSOMIA as it is facing tough internal and external political

Aug 24, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Diplomatic row over GSOMIA dissipates
North Korea

Virus-hit economy poses threat to North Korean leader

By Kang Seung-wooNorth Korea's recent announcement that it would unveil a new five-year economic development plan early next year means its economy is facing a serious crisis due to the sustained international sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic, which are emerging as a “big challenge” to leader Kim Jong-un, Pyongyang watchers said Sunday.North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over a plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party in Pyongyang, Wednesday. / YonhapOn Thursday, the totalitarian state announced it would map out a new plan to boost its sagging economy in a ruling Workers' Party Congress in January 2021, admitting its current strategy introduced in 2016 has failed, citing “internal and external situations and unexpected manifold challenges.” These comments point to U.S.-led economic sanctions on the North, the coronavirus pandemic and a series of devastating floods, according to the experts.“The North Korean economy is facing a serious and deep structural crisis, compounded by the COVID-19 problem,” said Daniel Sneider,

Aug 23, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Virus-hit economy poses threat to North Korean leader
Politics

Online convention

Yeo Young-kug, a member of the minor opposition Justice Party, speaks at the party headquarters in Seoul, Sunday, during its national convention that was held online amid a recent resurgence of COVID-19 here. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea will also hold an online convention Aug. 29, during which it will select a new party chairman. / Yonhap

Aug 23, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Online convention
North Korea

'North Korean leader partially delegates power to sister' says spy agency

By Kang Seung-wooNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has delegated some of his authority to his younger sister Kim Yo-jong and his close aides, according to the South Korean spy agency, Thursday. Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister / YonhapHowever, the move is believed to have nothing to do with the leader's health, it added.“Kim Yo-jong, the first vice department director of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party, is currently administering overall state affairs on behalf of her brother,” National Intelligence Service (NIS) officials were quoted as saying in a closed-door briefing to the National Assembly by Rep. Kim Byung-kee of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Rep. Ha Tae-keung of the main opposition United Future Party. “But Kim Jong-un is not in poor health and he has not picked an heir to succeed him.”The lawmakers added the power-sharing arrangement is aimed at relieving Kim of some of the stress coming from leading the totalitarian state for nine years, and averting accountability in the event of policy failure. Kim to

Aug 20, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Defense

Mine sweeping

Marines from the 2nd Division of the Marine Corps, along the Han River in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday, search for mines that may have been swept away from North Korea by recent heavy rains. / Yonhap

Aug 20, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Mine sweeping
Politics

Anti-Japan nationalism taking hold in Korea

By Kang Seung-wooThe specter of nationalism is rapidly surfacing in Korea, raised by Heritage of Korean Independence (HKI) President Kim Won-woong, who denounced alleged “pro-Japanese traitors,” including the nation's first head of state. Heritage of Korean Independence President Kim Won-woong / YonhapSome high-profile politicians in the ruling bloc have pumped up the issue after backing Kim's stance. Diplomatic watchers are concerned that such an anti-Japan movement is likely to worsen already-frayed ties with Tokyo, with no breakthrough in sight.The HKI is an organization that gives awards to families and descendants of independence fighters and Kim was appointed by President Moon Jae-in.Continuing his criticism of people who allegedly collaborated in the Japanese colonial rule, Kim has targeted Ahn Eak-tai, who composed the Korean national anthem.In a Liberation Day address, Saturday, Kim condemned Ahn for his alleged pro-Japan and pro-Nazi activities, calling him a “traitor to the Korean people.” Kim lamented that Korea is the only country using a “t

Aug 20, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Anti-Japan nationalism taking hold in Korea
Defense

Vacations suspended

Only a couple of people visit a transportation movement office (TMO) at Seoul Station, Wednesday, as the defense ministry started banning all service members from vacationing and traveling outside their bases until the end of this month as part of anti-virus measures. The ministry previously imposed a ban in February that lasted until May. / Yonhap

Aug 19, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Vacations suspended
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