South Korea - The Korea Times

Veterans minister stresses gov't focus on rewarding patriotism as 'core values'

Veterans Minister Park Min-shik speaks during an interview with Yonhap News Agency at his office in Seoul, June 13. YonhapBacked by its recent status upgrade, the veterans ministry will forge ahead with a range of high-profile tasks from recovering the remains of a legendary independence fighter to building stronger ties with the countries that backed Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War, its minister has said.In an interview with Yonhap News Agency Tuesday, Minister Park Min-shik laid out his policy priorities that fall in line with the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's commitment to recognizing and rewarding patriotic services as among the "core values" for the nation's march toward a prosperous future.He was sworn in as the administration's first veterans minister on June 5, following an upgrade from sub-ministry unit to full-fledged ministry status ― a change bound to bolster the ministry's authority in its role to honor national heroes and patriots."(Rewarding patriotism) is a core value and asset for Korea to develop into the future," he said. "I believe its value is an indispensab

Jun 14, 2023

Veterans minister stresses gov't focus on rewarding patriotism as 'core values'

Filmmaker looks to Taiwan's manual ballot counting as solution to end stolen vote controversy

gettyimagesbank Documentary 'Your Vote Is In Danger' revisits stolen vote controversy, addresses risks of foreign governments' meddling in local electionsBy Kang Hyun-kyung Taiwan has become a source of inspiration for filmmaker Kim Deog-young for his documentary titled, “Your Vote Is In Danger,” released on April 15.Also known by the stage name Young Kim, the filmmaker visited Taipei last year for the local elections held on Nov. 26 to learn about the island country's voting system.Kim said the field trip was mind-boggling.“It was very educational,” he said during a recent interview with The Korea Times. “I learned a lot, particularly about the risks of high-tech elections.”No electronic device is used to cast and count ballots in Taiwan, he said.Like South Korea, Taiwanese voters cast their votes by marking their favorite candidates on a paper ballot.However, the two countries adopted different counting methods. In South Korea, electronic vote-counting machines ar

Jun 14, 2023By Kang Hyun-kyung

Filmmaker looks to Taiwan's manual ballot counting as solution to end stolen vote controversy

People rush to purchase sea salt ahead of Fukushima wastewater discharge

Workers produce sea salt at a salt farm in Sinan County, South Jeolla Province, in October 2021. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoonBy Jun Ji-hyeSome Korean shoppers are moving to hoard sea salt amid growing concerns over potential health hazards stemming from Japan's planned discharge of radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant as early as this month, according to industry officials Tuesday. On Monday, Japan began to carry out a two-week test run on the process for discharging water containing tritium, an isotope of hydrogen, from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which was devastated by a tsunami triggered by an earthquake in March 2011.An increasing number of consumers here have been apparently rushing to buy salt in bulk to store at home before the wastewater discharge begins. A store of Suhyup, or the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives, in Sinan County, South Jeolla Province, increased the price of 20 kilograms of the salt produced in 2021 from 25,000 won ($20) to 30,000 won, beginning last Thursday. Sinan County accounts f

Jun 13, 2023By Jun Ji-hye

People rush to purchase sea salt ahead of Fukushima wastewater discharge

Debate on foreigners' voting rights rekindled following Chinese envoy's remarks

gettyimagesbankRuling party lawmaker seeks to take away Chinese residents' suffrageBy Lee Hyo-jin Lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party are calling to strip permanent foreign residents of voting rights for local elections, citing concerns of possible interference in domestic politics by the immigrant electorate. The move, which would target Chinese residents, who make up the majority of eligible immigrant voters in Korea, comes after Chinese Ambassador to Seoul Xing Haiming's controversial remarks on Korea's foreign policy. During a dinner with main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Jae-myung last Thursday, Xing outwardly criticized the Korean government for pivoting excessively toward the United States, warning that it would come at the cost of damaging relations with China. His remarks provoked strong criticisms from the ruling party and the government. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the envoy's remarks as “irrational and provocative” rhetoric, which may be perceived as an attempt to interfere in Korea's internal affairs.Rep. Kweon

Jun 13, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Debate on foreigners' voting rights rekindled following Chinese envoy's remarks

Chinese ambassador's conduct irks Koreans: Yoon

Yoon to visit France to promote Expo bid, Vietnam for state visit

President Yoon Suk Yeol, second from right, speaks during a cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, June 13. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol will visit France next week to promote Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo and then travel to Vietnam for a state visit, his office said Tuesday.Yoon will visit Paris from Monday to Wednesday to attend a general assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the international body in charge of overseeing the World Expo, according to Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo.On Tuesday, Yoon will attend presentations given by the four countries competing to host the Expo and on Wednesday attend an official World Expo reception hosted by Korea to rally support from foreign delegations, Kim told a press briefing.Yoon will also hold a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron the same day.From Paris, Yoon will travel to Vietnam for a three-day state visit from Thursday. He will hold a summit with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong on Friday and discuss ways to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Jun 13, 2023

Yoon to visit France to promote Expo bid, Vietnam for state visit

Rapper Psy to give speech at BIE meeting in Paris to promote Expo bid

Prosecutors raid consulting firm in probe into campaign funding for ex-DPK leader

Former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil speaks to reporters outside the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, June 7. YonhapProsecutors raided a consulting company in Seoul on Monday as part of an investigation into alleged illegal election funding involving Song Young-gil, a former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).The prosecution suspects that a think tank paid consulting fees to the company on behalf of Song's campaign during the party's leadership election in 2021. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office sent investigators in the morning to several locations, including the consulting company and a former CEO's residence.An employee of the think tank, which is known to be Song's support organization outside the party, was also targeted in the search and seizure operation.The raids came hours before the National Assembly is scheduled to vote on whether to give consent to the potential arrests of two DP lawmakers involved in a cash-for-vote scandal linked to the May 2021 party election. Prosecutors had sought arrest warrants for Reps. You

Jun 12, 2023

Prosecutors raid consulting firm in probe into campaign funding for ex-DPK leader

National Assembly rejects arrest consent motions of 2 lawmakers over election bribery scandal

Lawmakers attend the parliamentary plenary session at the National Assembly in Seoul, May 30. Newsis The National Assembly voted Monday to reject a request for parliamentary consent to the potential arrests of two lawmakers accused of involvement in a cash-for-votes campaign ahead of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea's 2021 leadership election.Prosecutors had sought arrest warrants for the two ― Reps. Youn Kwan-suk and Lee Sung-man ― for their alleged involvement in a campaign to distribute "cash envelopes" to Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) members to help then candidate Song Young-gil win the party chairmanship ahead of the party's national convention in May 2021.Song was ultimately elected the party chairman.Specifically, Youn was accused of handing over 60 million won ($46,595) to DPK lawmakers, while Lee allegedly gave campaign officials 10 million won so that the money could be provided to regional party officialsThe two left the party last month a

Jun 12, 2023

National Assembly rejects arrest consent motions of 2 lawmakers over election bribery scandal

Broadcasting watchdog to amend ordinance on KBS fee collection: sources

Kim Eui-cheol, CEO of Korean public broadcaster KBS, speaks during a press conference at KBS Hall in Seoul, June 8. YonhapThe Korea Communications Commission (KCC) is reportedly planning to amend a relevant enforcement ordinance in the latter half of the year that calls for collecting license fees for the state broadcaster KBS separately from electricity bills, according to sources on Sunday.The presidential office has previously sent a recommendation to the broadcasting watchdog after conducting a public debate on the collection method for television license fees. The results of the debate showed support for separating the collection of the fees.The proposed revision could potentially deal a blow to KBS' revenue structure, especially if many households refuse to pay the fees.Since 1994, KBS has charged a monthly fee of 2,500 won ($1.93) to every household with a television receiver on top of their electricity bills. The fee has been collected by state-run utility Korea Electric Power.Typically, it takes around five to seven months for the revision of the enforcement ordinance, but t

Jun 11, 2023

Broadcasting watchdog to amend ordinance on KBS fee collection: sources

Daegu mayor urges gov't to protest Fukushima wastewater discharge plan

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo / Korea Times fileBy Jun Ji-hyeDaegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, who is a member of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), has urged the government to protest Japan's plan to discharge radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant. “Korea will not agree with Japan's plan. Korea shouldn't do that,” Hong wrote on Facebook, Sunday. “The plan is a separate issue from the economic and security alliance between Korea, the United States and Japan. The issue is related to the health of people around the globe.”Beginning later this month, the Japanese government is expected to start releasing into the Pacific Ocean water containing tritium, an isotope of hydrogen, from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which was devastated by a tsunami triggered by an earthquake in March 2011. Hong, who ran in the presidential election in 2017 under the flag of the conservative Liberty Korea Party, the predecessor of the PPP, claimed Japan's export of marine products will become impossible if the country pushes ahead with its d

Jun 11, 2023By Jun Ji-hye

Daegu mayor urges gov't to protest Fukushima wastewater discharge plan

Alleged victim of presidential adviser's son's school bullying denies allegations

This March 25, 2008 file photo shows Lee Dong-kwan, former chief spokesman for President Lee Myung-bak. Korea Times fileA person who has been pointed out as the victim of school bullying allegations involving the son of a special presidential adviser has come forward on Sunday to deny claims and pleaded not to be labeled as a victim.Lee Dong-kwan, special adviser for international relations who is reportedly being considered by Yoon to head the Korea Communications Commission, has been accused by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea of being unfit for the job due to various reasons, including allegations that his son bullied a fellow student in high school in 2011."I am under immense stress being categorized as a victim of school violence and being subjected to scrutiny," the person said in a statement sent to Yonhap News Agency, urging the press to refrain from further reporting the incident that occurred 10 years ago.Earlier, Lee refuted the allegations, saying the two apologized and reconciled at the time, with the alleged victim telling his friends and the press that the