The Korea Times

North Korea set for another plenary meeting on economy

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits a rice farm damaged by heavy rain, in this Aug. 6, 2020, photo. North Korea is preparing to convene another plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party in a week or two to discuss economic issues. Analysts said Sunday that the unusual frequency of such gatherings ― the third one in just six months ― suggests an unusually bad food situation. YonhapThird gathering in six months is sign of food shortages, loosening of control: expertsBy Jung Min-hoNorth Korea is preparing to convene another plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party in a week or two to discuss economic matters. Analysts believe the unusual frequency of such gatherings ― the third one in just six months ― suggests an unusually bad food situation.The party will hold the eighth plenary meeting of its eighth central committee sometime this month to review the implementation of national economic plans in the first half of 2023 and discuss policy issues, four months after the previous one held on the same agenda. Usually, the party convenes a plenary meeting once or twice a year.Speak

Jun 11, 2023By Jung Min-ho

North Korea set for another plenary meeting on economy

Politics

Yoon calls for all-out efforts to win chip war

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a semiconductor industry strategy meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Thursday. YonhapBy Jung Min-hoPresident Yoon Suk Yeol has called for all-out efforts to stay competitive in the chip industry, which he called a pillar of the Korean economy and a source of quality jobs.During Thursday's meeting on a national strategy for the semiconductor sector at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Yoon said public-private cooperation is essential in winning the chip war as Cold War-like geopolitics emerge as the biggest business risk to the nation's chipmakers.“Semiconductor exports account for 20 percent of Korea's total exports and 55 percent of its manufacturing facility investment; it represents Korean industries,” he said. “To win the chip war, we need both innovations by private companies and leading strategies by the state.”Speaking to his top officials, scholars and business leaders, including SK hynix co-CEO Kwak Noh-jung and Kyung Kye-hyun, who leads Samsung Electronics' chip business, Yoon said the importance of advanced chips will con

Jun 8, 2023By Jung Min-ho

Yoon calls for all-out efforts to win chip war

Foreign Affairs

Experts skeptical about effectiveness of S. Korea's UNSC seat to rein in NK

The U.N. General Assembly opens at the U.N. headquarters in New York, June 6 (local time). In a vote at the meeting, South Korea was elected as a non-permanent member of the 15-member United Nations Security Council for a two-year term starting on Jan. 1, 2024. YonhapYoon urged to take advantage of status to advance national interestsBy Jung Min-hoSoon after South Korea was elected to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as one of the five new non-permanent members, Wednesday (KST), President Yoon Suk Yeol described the achievement as a “victory of global diplomacy.”South Korea, which secured the Asia-Pacific seat after winning 180 votes from 192 member states, hopes to expand its influence in the key principal organ of the U.N. to better address issues related to North Korea at a time when Pyongyang is perfecting its nuclear weapons program.Experts contacted by The Korea Times said, however, that South Korea's ability to change North Korea's trajectory will be limited, during its two-year membership, amid a new Cold War climate in which China and Russia ― permanent

Jun 7, 2023By Jung Min-ho

Experts skeptical about effectiveness of S. Korea's UNSC seat to rein in NK

Defense

Public support for domestic nuclear weapons wanes despite growing threats

President Yoon Suk Yeol and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden shake hands during a joint press conference at the White House in Washington, in this April 26 photo. Despite intensifying North Korean security threats, public support for the idea of arming South Korea with its own nuclear weapons has been waning, a new study showed Monday. EPA-YonhapMore South Koreans trust in US nuclear umbrella after Washington Declaration: pollBy Jung Min-hoDespite intensifying security threats from North Korea, public support for the idea of developing the nation's own nuclear weapons program has been waning, a new study showed Monday.According to a survey conducted by the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), a think tank, 60.2 percent of respondents said that they would support arming their country with its own nuclear weapons. This figure was a significant drop from 69 percent last year and the lowest since 2014, when the organization conducted its first study on the issue.The rate of support for the deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons in South Korea also fell to 53.6 percent from 60.4 per

Jun 5, 2023By Jung Min-ho

Public support for domestic nuclear weapons wanes despite growing threats

Law & Crime

Korea vows to fight spread of fentanyl

gettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoThe government has vowed to stop the spread of hallucinogenic drugs, particularly fentanyl, amid a surge in drug crimes in recent years.At a meeting, Friday, attended by all related government ministries, Bang Moon-kyu, minister for government policy coordination, said the country is now “at a crossroads” between two starkly different paths.“Korea now stands at a crossroads of becoming either a drug-contaminated country or reverting to a drug-free country,” he said. “The government will try its best to help the country regain its drug-free status with strong measures against illegal drugs.”Developing a policy strategy against fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid drug that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year, was one of the main focuses of the meeting. Deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) continued to rise in the U.S. with 70,601 overdose deaths reported in 2021, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.High-ranking officials reviewed the risks of fentanyl spr

Jun 2, 2023By Jung Min-ho

North Korea

Seoul imposes sanctions on North Korean hacking group for role in space launch

A TV screen shows an image of North Korea's rocket launch during a news program at Seoul Station, Thursday. Seoul on Friday announced fresh sanctions against Kimsuky, a North Korean hacking group, for its role in developing technology used by the regime in the satellite test. AP-YonhapKimsuky uses 'tailored' methods to target gov't officials, scholars, journalists: policeBy Jung Min-hoSeoul announced fresh sanctions against Kimsuky, a North Korean hacking group, Friday, for its role in developing technology the regime used in its latest satellite launch.South Korea also issued a joint security advisory with the U.S. to warn other countries of the serious dangers North Korean hackers pose. It was the second joint action of that type taken by the two allies since their first one in February.The group under the North Korean military intelligence agency has provided the regime with the latest space technology and information illegally collected from around the world used in an attempted satellite launch into space, which ended in failure on Wednesday. Given that the test involved ballist

Jun 2, 2023By Jung Min-ho

North Korea

Pyongyang seeks to portray rocket as science effort by admitting failure: experts

This photo released Thursday by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows its Chollima-1 rocket, carrying a spy satellite, takes off from an undisclosed location in North Korea the previous day. YonhapYet regime keeps information about botched project from its own peopleBy Jung Min-hoNorth Korea's unusually prompt admission of the failure of its purported reconnaissance satellite launch shows the regime's effort to characterize the project as a scientific endeavor and not part of its missile program as suspected by Seoul, Washington, Japan and many other governments, according to experts, Thursday.Less than three hours after Wednesday's failed rocket launch, North Korea admitted the failure and vowed in a message to the world to step up efforts to place a new one in orbit soon, although it did not disclose the botched attempt to its own people.“The regime appeared to highlight that it has the technology required for a satellite launch and it is sincere about that effort, providing a counterargument against claims that it was just part of its weapons program,&rdquo

Jun 1, 2023By Jung Min-ho

Pyongyang seeks to portray rocket as science effort by admitting failure: experts

N. Korea bristles at UN, NATO criticism of its spy satellite launch

Society

Committee calls for lowering requirements for foreigners to teach English online

gettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoA regulation reform committee under the Prime Minister's Office has called for the lowering of education requirements for non-Koreans when teaching English online.According to the five-member body, Wednesday, it recommended that the Ministry of Education revise its enforcement ordinance, which requires private academies ― also known as “hagwons” ― to hire foreigners with a bachelor's degree or higher education levels as English teachers.That qualification has been criticized as being discriminatory, given that it does not apply to Koreans who can teach English at hagwons with an associate degree. A four-year degree had been required for both groups until the ministry eased the rule only for Koreans in 2004.The committee's decision comes as online education companies are demanding a rule change. They have complained that the requirement hinders them from expanding their business overseas.One of the popular business models adopted by their competitors based outside of Korea is to connect students with university-attending juniors or seniors ― re

May 31, 2023By Jung Min-ho

Committee calls for lowering requirements for foreigners to teach English online

Sports

Taekwondo star dreams of becoming IOC member

Taekwondo coach Lee Dae-hoon poses in this photo provided by World Taekwondo. Lee, now 31, was one of Korea's most decorated taekwondo stars before his retirement following the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Courtesy of World TaekwondoBy Jung Min-hoAt a glance, Lee Dae-hoon might seem like a sports star who has everything. Before hanging up his uniform after the 2020 Tokyo Games, the 31-year-old was one of Korea's most decorated taekwondo athletes, having won more than 20 gold medals at international events.Yet there is one blemish on his near-perfect career. He could not accomplish his long-sought dream of capturing an Olympic crown. Lee, who is now competing in the World Taekwondo (WT) Championships as a coach in Baku, Azerbaijan, believes that the experience of failure could help his new dream of representing all athletes ― not just the very best of them ― as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).“Most members of the IOC Athletes' Commission were popular and have the experience of winning an Olympic gold medal. Considering their roles, however, I think those who are ab

May 31, 2023By Jung Min-ho

Taekwondo star dreams of becoming IOC member

North Korea

Pyongyang may have delayed spy satellite launch due to technical issues

A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's rocket launch during a news program at Seoul Station in Seoul, Monday. AP-YonhapExperts believe regime still far from developing functional spy satelliteBy Jung Min-hoPyongyang said on Tuesday that it will launch its first military reconnaissance satellite in two weeks to keep track of the U.S.' “reckless” military activities.The announcement means the ambitious plan of North Korea, which was preparing to finish all the necessary preparation by the end of April, has officially been postponed. Speaking to The Korea Times, experts said technical problems might have been the cause of the delay. Given the small size of the satellite, shown in photos released by the regime, and the level of complexity of the project, they also said North Korea still seems far from developing a functional, useful satellite for military purposes.“Given that, unlike April, there are no major political events scheduled for June, it is possible that North Korea delayed the launch due to technical issues,” Shin Jong-woo, a researcher at the

May 30, 2023By Jung Min-ho

Jung Min-ho

Read more

North Korea set for another plenary meeting on economy

Yoon calls for all-out efforts to win chip war

Experts skeptical about effectiveness of S. Korea's UNSC seat to rein in NK

Public support for domestic nuclear weapons wanes despite growing threats

Korea vows to fight spread of fentanyl

Seoul imposes sanctions on North Korean hacking group for role in space launch

Pyongyang seeks to portray rocket as science effort by admitting failure: experts

Committee calls for lowering requirements for foreigners to teach English online

Taekwondo star dreams of becoming IOC member

Pyongyang may have delayed spy satellite launch due to technical issues

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