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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Gov't to first assign certain aircraft exit-row seats to uniformed personnel

Rep. Park Dae-chul, second from left, the chief policymaker of the ruling People Power Party, speaks after a meeting with government officials at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. YonhapThe government will initially assign certain emergency exit-row seats of aircraft to uniformed personnel, such as firefighters or police officers, as a follow-up measure to a recent incident where a passenger opened a door mid-flight, a ruling party lawmaker said Thursday.In May, the passenger sitting in a seat close to an emergency door of a jetliner operated by Asiana Airlines heading to the southeastern city of Daegu from the southern island of Jeju opened a door just before landing, causing panic among the passengers.Rep. Park Dae-chul, the chief policymaker of the People Power Party, told reporters after a meeting with government officials that firefighters, police officers, soldiers and airline employees will be given priority in seating arrangements close to emergency exits.The measure will apply to a total of 94 seats across 38 aircrafts of three models operated by four local airliners

Jul 13, 2023
Gov't to first assign certain aircraft exit-row seats to uniformed personnel

Medical services disrupted as healthcare workers stage walkout

A medical staffer pushes a patient's bed, while signboards showing demands by the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union stand at a university hospital in Seoul, Thursday, as the union launched a nationwide strike. YonhapSurgeries canceled, patients advised to be discharged By Jun Ji-hyeSome 45,000 nurses, caregivers and other members of the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union (KHMU) across the country launched a general strike, Thursday, criticizing the government for failing to fulfill a 2021 agreement to hire more medical personnel and improve their working conditions. The union vowed to exclude essential workers at emergency and operating rooms, intensive care units, delivery rooms and newborn units from its sit-in protest, in order to minimize confusion. But disruptions to medical services, including cancelations of surgeries, have already occurred at several hospitals, including the National Cancer Center.Striking medical workers justified their action by claiming that the number of healthcare personnel should be expanded to guarantee the safety of patients. The last tim

Jul 13, 2023By Jun Ji-hye
Medical services disrupted as healthcare workers stage walkout

Gov't, PPP urge unionized medical workers to call off strike

Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong, second from right, gives a briefing at the National Assembly in Seoul on the government's plan for the medical workers' strike, July 13. YonhapThe government and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) urged unionized medical workers to call off their strike Thursday, warning of firm measures if the walkout exceeds the limits of their legal rights and causes harm to people's lives.The announcement comes after the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union launched a two-day strike at 7 a.m., marking the first such action in 19 years. The union has demanded better working conditions and increased support for public medical institutions."We hope the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions will withdraw its strike plan, and join and stand by the patients," said Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong after a meeting with PPP lawmakers to discuss measures to minimize the disruption of medical services.Days before the strike, patients were sent home and surgeries were canceled as an estimated 45,000 medical workers, including nurses, pharmacists and caregivers, prepared to wal

Jul 13, 2023
Gov't, PPP urge unionized medical workers to call off strike

Top generals of S. Korea, U.S., Japan condemn N. Korean ICBM launch

South Korean chief nuclear negotiator Kim Gunn, center, poses for a photo with his U.S. counterpart, Sung Kim, right, and Japanese counterpart, Takehiro Funakoshi, prior to talks on North Korea's denuclearization at the foreign ministry in Seoul on April 7. YonhapThe top generals of South Korea, the United States and Japan have condemned North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch and stressed the importance of three-way cooperation during their talks in Hawaii, Seoul's military said Wednesday.Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum and his U.S. and Japanese counterparts, Gen. Mark Milley and Gen. Yoshihide Yoshida, respectively, held the talks Tuesday (local time) as Pyongyang conducted its first ICBM launch in about three months."The three chiefs of defense condemn the DPRK's provocative actions, which highlight the importance of the trilateral commitment in the face of a blatant DPRK threat," the JCS said in a press release. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.Their talks coincided with the

Jul 12, 2023
Top generals of S. Korea, U.S., Japan condemn N. Korean ICBM launch

Career fair

Visitors take a look around various booths at a career experience fair hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in eastern Seoul, Wednesday. The education office expects some 40,000 visitors, including students, parents and teachers, to attend the first face-to-face fair in four years due to the coronavirus pandemic, which runs until Saturday. Yonhap

Jul 12, 2023
Career fair

DPK leader proposes parliamentary investigation into expressway project

Lee Jae-myung, the chair of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, speaks during a meeting of Supreme Council members at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. YonhapOpposition leader Lee Jae-myung proposed a parliamentary investigation Wednesday into a now-scrapped expressway project over allegations that the government changed its route to help the family of first lady Kim Keon Hee gain financial benefits from it.The Seoul-Yangpyeong expressway project has emerged as one of the biggest political issues after the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) alleged the highway's endpoint was changed to where Kim's family owns land in Yangpyeong, east of Seoul, as prices of the land would rise if the road is built.Land Minister Won Hee-ryong categorically rejected the allegations and scrapped the project altogether last week. Since then, the ruling People Power Party and the DPK have traded accusations and counter-accusations blaming each other.On Wednesday, DPK leader Lee Jae-myung called for a parliamentary investigation."The expressway gate involving the family of t

Jul 12, 2023
DPK leader proposes parliamentary investigation into expressway project

DPK urges Yoon to demand Japan withhold Fukushima water release plan during NATO summit

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea's floor leader, Rep. Park Kwang-on, center, is seen speaking during a party meeting held at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) urged President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday to use a planned summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to demand Tokyo withhold its plan to release radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean.Yoon is expected to meet bilaterally with Kishida this week on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Lithuania. The meeting comes days after the International Atomic Energy Agency gave a go-ahead to the Fukushima water discharge plan last week."Ahead of a Korea-Japan summit, I suggest three measures," DPK floor leader Park Kwang-on said during a party meeting. "The first is for the president to demand Japan withhold the dumping of Fukushima nuclear material into the ocean.""The presidential office has stated it puts the highest priority on people's health and safety," he said. "If so, the answe

Jul 11, 2023
DPK urges Yoon to demand Japan withhold Fukushima water release plan during NATO summit

Cabinet approves revision separating collection of public broadcaster's license fee

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks during a Cabinet meeting, Tuesday. YonhapThe Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to collect license fees for KBS separately from electricity bills, a move that could potentially impact the fiscal resources of the state broadcaster.The approval of the revised Enforcement Decree of the Broadcasting Act was made in a Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. It is expected to take effect as early as Wednesday, following presidential approval.Since 1994, KBS has charged a monthly fee of 2,500 won ($1.93) to all households with a TV receiver, and the fee has been embedded in the monthly electricity invoice, a measure aimed at ensuring all households pay the fee.Under the revision, however, the collection of license fees bundled with utility bills will be banned. KBS and critics argue that it could result in many households refusing to pay the fees, as there would be no disadvantage to doing, such as cutting off electricity for an overdue bill."We expect people will be clearly aware of the fee payment (through the bill separation),"

Jul 11, 2023
Cabinet approves revision separating collection of public broadcaster's license fee

Ex-justice minister's son to relinquish degree over admission fraud allegations

This photo shows former Justice Minister Cho Kuk during an event to promote his new book in the southeastern port city of Busan, April 11. YonhapThe son of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk has decided to relinquish his master's degree following years of controversy over admission irregularities, his lawyer said Monday.Cho Won, 26, was admitted to Yonsei University Graduate School in 2018 and received a master's degree in political science in 2021. But a court found the internship certificate he submitted during the admission screening had been falsified."After long contemplation, Mr. Cho has decided to return his master's degree from Yonsei University Graduate School due to the controversy surrounding the document submitted during his admission process," his lawyer said in a press release. Cho has already notified the school of that intention, he added.In 2021, Rep. Choe Kang-wook of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea received an eight-month suspended prison term for issuing the false certificate while he was working at a law firm.On Friday, Cho Kuk's daughter, Min, also an

Jul 10, 2023
Ex-justice minister's son to relinquish degree over admission fraud allegations

PPP strikes back at DPK over expressway project

Rep. Yun Jae-ok, right, the floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, speaks during a party meeting in Seoul, Monday. YonhapThe ruling People Power Party (PPP) struck back at the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Monday over a now-scrapped expressway construction project by raising fresh allegations that a DPK member would benefit if the project goes ahead as originally planned.The Seoul-Yangpyeong expressway project has emerged one of the biggest political issues after the DPK alleged that its route was changed to give financial benefits to the family of first lady Kim Keon Hee because the new endpoint of the highway is near where Kim's family owns land.Land Minister Won Hee-ryong rejected the allegations and scrapped the project altogether.On Monday, the PPP cited a news report that Jeong Dong-gyun, a former governor of Yangpyeong and a DPK member, and his family own land close to the endpoint of the expressway under the original construction plan."rather than raising allegations of favors involving first lady Kim Keon Hee's family, the DPK should first invest

Jul 10, 2023
PPP strikes back at DPK over expressway project
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