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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.

'Ghosts of previous administrations' rumored to return

Former senior presidential secretary for civil affairs of the Park Geun-hye administration Woo Byung-woo, left, and former senior presidential secretary for civil affairs of the Moon Jae-in administration Cho Kuk / Korea Times fileKey aides of ex-presidents Park, Moon eye 2024 general electionBy Nam Hyun-wooKey yet controversial officials of the previous Park Geun-hye and Moon Jae-in administrations are showing glimpses of intention to run in next year's general election, casting an outlook that the upcoming election could become a proxy battle between the former presidents.Woo Byung-woo, Park's senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, and Cho Kuk, Moon's senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, are both remembered as iconic figures of the past decade due to their involvement in scandals that resulted in massive public distrust of their respective administrations. Since their candidacy will likely be the hottest issue in the general election, both the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) are voicing concerns that the

Jun 15, 2023By Nam Hyun-woo
'Ghosts of previous administrations' rumored to return

Veterans ministry vows to play bigger role in Korea-US alliance

Veterans Minister Park Min-shik speaks during a press conference held in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Ministry of Patriots and Veterans AffairsBy Lee Hyo-jin Patriots and Veterans Affairs Minister Park Min-shik vowed, Thursday, that his ministry will play a bigger role in bolstering the Korea-U.S. alliance, with a slew of events slated for the latter half of this year to mark the 70th anniversary of the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement.“The bilateral relationship with the United States, which is bound in blood, is the most important front in Korea's diplomacy. And our ministry has a lot of work to do regarding relations with the U.S.,” he said during a press conference held in Seoul, Thursday. According to the ministry, a large-scale ceremony will be held on June 25 marking the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 and the U.N. Forces Participation Day on July 27, as well as the Turn Toward Busan ceremony on Nov. 11 commemorating the fallen United Nations soldiers who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War.The ministry will also hold various receptions and events with 22 countries

Jun 15, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin
Veterans ministry vows to play bigger role in Korea-US alliance

Another group of opposition lawmakers travels to China amid tensions

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Park Jeung answers questions from reporters after landing at Beijing Capital International Airport in China on June 15. YonhapAn additional seven lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) began a visit to China on Thursday as tensions are running high between the two countries after Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming made remarks denounced as disrespectful to Korea.The lawmakers ― Reps. Park Jeung, Do Jong-hwan, Kim Cheol-min, Yoo Dong-soo, Shin Hyun-young, Kim Byung-joo and Min Byoung-dug ― arrived in Beijing on a trip that also includes a stop in Tibet. They are the second group of DPK lawmakers to visit China after the first group began a trip earlier this week.These visits came despite heightened tensions between the two countries after Ambassador Xing warned Korea not to bet against China in its rivalry with the United States, saying those betting on China's defeat will certainly regret it later.Korea has denounced the remark as serious diplomatic discourtesy, with the office of President Yoon Suk Yeol demand

Jun 15, 2023
Another group of opposition lawmakers travels to China amid tensions

Seoul's foreign ministry condemns NK's missile provocations ahead of ARF

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, front, and North Korean Ambassador to Indonesia An Kwang-il, seated third from left in the background, attend the 2022 ASEAN Regional Forum in Phnom Penh, Aug. 5, 2022. YonhapThe foreign ministry denounced Wednesday North Korea's recent series of missile provocations at a virtual senior officials' meeting ahead of an annual multilateral forum involving Pyongyang slated for next month.The ministry said it stated its position during the online preparatory meeting of senior government officials for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF), due to take place in Indonesia in July.Deputy Foreign Minister Choi Young-sam and Lee Jang-keun, the ambassador to ASEAN, attended the virtual conference, the ministry said.An Kwang-il, the North's ambassador to Indonesia, was present at the conference.The ARF is a rare multilateral forum involving Pyongyang, and it brings together top diplomats of 27 countries, including the United States, China, Japan and the European Union.During the virtual meeting, Seoul stressed the importanc

Jun 14, 2023
Seoul's foreign ministry condemns NK's missile provocations ahead of ARF

1,600th rally against Japan's wartime sex slavery

Lee Yong-soo, a victim of Japan's wartime sex slavery who has been demanding Tokyo to take full responsibility and apologize for the atrocity, participates in a sit-in protest in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, Wednesday. Nearly 20 civic groups here have been staging the protest every Wednesday, and the latest one was the 1,600th rally. Newsis

Jun 14, 2023By Nam Hyun-woo
1,600th rally against Japan's wartime sex slavery

NEC refuses to comply with anti-corruption agency's probe into hiring corruption allegations

Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Deputy Chairman Jeong Seung-yoon talks at a press briefing at the government complex building in Seoul, June 14. Yonhap The state anti-corruption agency said Wednesday the National Election Commission (NEC) is refusing to comply with an investigation into a hiring corruption scandal, urging full cooperation.The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission earlier announced it will look into all employment and promotion cases within the election watchdog over the past seven years following allegations of nepotism. Several children of former and current senior officials at the NEC allegedly secured agency jobs through their fathers' influence."The NEC is not responding to the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission's investigation, citing the reason of its acceptance of an audit by the Board of Audit and Inspection," Deputy Chairman Jeong Seung-yoon told a press briefing.Initially, the NEC refused to comply with the BAI a

Jun 14, 2023
NEC refuses to comply with anti-corruption agency's probe into hiring corruption allegations

S. Korea, China to toughen crackdown on illegal fishing in East Sea

The Korea Coast Guard conducts a drill on the seas off northwestern Daecheong Island in Incheon to crack down on illegal fishing by foreigners in South Korean territorial waters in this May 9 photo. YonhapSouth Korea and China have agreed to boost cooperation in curbing illegal fishing by Chinese boats in the East Sea, the oceans ministry said Wednesday.Under an agreement reached during a three-day working-level meeting last week, South Korea will swiftly inform China of suspected illegal fishing in the North Korean waters in the East Sea, and China must let South Korea know of the results of its investigation and follow-up measures, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.China has banned its fishing boats from operating in North Korean waters after the enforcement of U.N. sanctions against the North. South Korea also called on China to make it mandatory for Chinese fish carriers to install an automatic identification system, called AIS, and the two sides agreed to discuss the matter in the second half of this year, the ministry said.They also decided to expand the areas s

Jun 14, 2023
S. Korea, China to toughen crackdown on illegal fishing in East Sea

Opposition leader slams PM for saying water from Fukushima plant is drinkable

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, left, speaks during a party meeting at the National Assembly, June 14. YonhapOpposition leader Lee Jae-myung criticized Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Wednesday for acting like a spokesperson for Japan, after Han said he can drink the water set to be released from Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant if it is treated scientifically.During a parliamentary interpellation session on diplomacy on Monday, Han expressed his belief that he could consume the discharged water from the tsunami-affected plant, given that it undergoes a scientific process to meet international standards for drinking water."Why would Japan dump the water into the ocean if it is drinkable?" asked Lee, the chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), during a party meeting. "The prime minister of the Republic of Korea is playing the role of a spokesperson for Japan. Is this right?" Lee also said that several Pacific border countries are considering petitioning an international court regarding Japan's decision and urged the Korean government to voice its

Jun 14, 2023
Opposition leader slams PM for saying water from Fukushima plant is drinkable

5 DPK lawmakers on visit to China amid tensions over envoy's remarks

Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon, second from right, the chairperson of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea's committee aimed at tackling the public economic crisis speaks at a meeting held at the National Assembly, March 22. Yonhap Five lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) are on a visit to China, the party said Wednesday, amid heightened tensions between the two countries over Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming's remarks, which were strongly denounced as disrespectful to Korea. The lawmakers ― Reps. Kim Tae-nyeon, Hong Ihk-pyo, Koh Yong-jin, Hong Kee-won and Hong Sung-kook ― arrived in Beijing on Monday for a five-day visit for meetings with people from Chinese political and business circles, the DPK said in a press release.They have met with officials from China's National People's Congress and the foreign ministry.During those meetings, Chinese officials requested that Korea reaffirm its position on Beijing's "One China" policy, as written i

Jun 14, 2023
5 DPK lawmakers on visit to China amid tensions over envoy's remarks
  • Chinese ambassador's conduct irks Koreans: Yoon
  • Nat'l security adviser says there should not be any actions that go against development of S. Korea-China ties

Yoon orders thorough investigation into decision-makers behind allegedly corrupt solar energy projects

President Yoon Suk Yeol convenes the cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul in this photo provided by the presidential office, June 13. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday ordered the office of the presidential secretary for civil service discipline to carry out a thorough investigation into the decision-makers behind allegedly corrupt solar energy projects pursued under the previous Moon Jae-in administration, his office said.The order came a day after the state Board of Audit and Inspection said it referred 13 people, including Gunsan Mayor Kang Im-joon and two former industry ministry officials, to the prosecution after finding irregularities in a number of energy projects launched over the past four to five years."President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered the office of the secretary for civil service discipline today to carry out a thorough investigation into the entire decision-making line involved in the solar projects at the time," presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon said during a press briefing.The BAI said it identified alleged collusion between a private firm an

Jun 14, 2023
Yoon orders thorough investigation into decision-makers behind allegedly corrupt solar energy projects
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