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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.

Opposition leader struggles as party turmoil hampers revamp

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung, left, shakes hands with President Yoon Suk Yeol during a commemoration ceremony of the 68th anniversary of the Memorial Day at Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District, Tuesday. YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooThe leadership of Rep. Lee Jae-myung, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), is once again facing doubts, as his strategy to refresh the party has failed to find a breakthrough against the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.According to the DPK, Lee Rae-kyung, a career civil activist who was appointed to the party's special innovation committee, resigned on Monday following controversies over his past remarks. His resignation came just nine hours after the DPK chairman appointed him to lead the committee, which he said would have "the full authority” to revamp the party, putting the party's plans into disarray.Lee Rae-kyung, the honorary chair of The Tomorrow, a left-leaning civic group, is seen in this undated handout photo. Courtesy of Democratic Party of KoreaThe resignation followed rep

Jun 6, 2023By Nam Hyun-woo
Opposition leader struggles as party turmoil hampers revamp

ROK-US alliance is now nuclear-based: President Yoon

President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers a speech during a ceremony commemorating Memorial Day at Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District, Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapMemorial Day celebrated together with upgraded veterans' ministryBy Nam Hyun-wooPresident Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday that the alliance between South Korea and the United States has been elevated to a nuclear-based one and that the South will establish an ironclad security posture to deter North Korea's threats.Yoon made the remarks in a speech at a ceremony marking the 68th Memorial Day, which commemorates Koreans who contributed to or died while serving the country.“North Korea is escalating its nuclear and missile capacity and has enacted its right to use nuclear weapons,” Yoon said during the ceremony at Seoul National Cemetery.“In April, I and U.S. President Joe Biden jointly announced the Washington Declaration, which significantly enhances the extended deterrence of U.S. nuclear assets. The South Korea-U.S. alliance is now upgraded to a nuclear-based one.”In the Washington Declaration, the allies agr

Jun 6, 2023By Nam Hyun-woo
ROK-US alliance is now nuclear-based: President Yoon

Presidential office's plan to revamp TV viewing fees causes stir

KBS' headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul / NewsisOpposition party, KBS slam gov't for 'attempting to tame media'By Lee Hyo-jin A recommendation by the presidential office to revamp a fee the public pays every month to watch state-run broadcaster Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) is causing a stir.Although the proposal is backed by overwhelming public support according to President Yoon Suk Yeol's office, it is drawing criticism from the media and opposition lawmakers who perceive the move to be yet another attempt by the Yoon administration to suppress press freedom.Since 1994, KBS has been charging a monthly fee of 2,500 won ($1.91) on each household to watch its programs. The payment, incorporated into monthly electricity bills, is collected by the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp.The quasi-tax system, requiring virtually every household to pay the fee whether they watch KBS or not, has been a source of debate for over a decade, especially in recent years because a growing number of people do not have a TV at home and just use computers or smartphones to watch programs on streaming se

Jun 6, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin
Presidential office's plan to revamp TV viewing fees causes stir

Yoon says alliance with US upgraded to 'nuclear-based alliance'

President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers a Memorial Day speech at Seoul National Cemetery in Seoul on June 6. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday the alliance with the United States has been upgraded to a "nuclear-based alliance" under his agreement with U.S. President Joe Biden to strengthen Washington's nuclear commitment to South Korea.Yoon made the remark during a Memorial Day speech at Seoul National Cemetery, referring to the Washington Declaration adopted at his summit with Biden in Washington in April, which included measures to strengthen the U.S. "extended deterrence" commitment to defending South Korea with all of its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons."President Biden and I jointly announced the Washington Declaration in April, which dramatically strengthens the extended deterrence execution of U.S. nuclear assets," Yoon said. "The South Korea-U.S. alliance has now been upgraded to a nuclear-based alliance."Yoon noted that North Korea is advancing its nuclear and missile capabilities and has legalized the use of nuclear weapons."Our government and military wi

Jun 6, 2023
Yoon says alliance with US upgraded to 'nuclear-based alliance'

Presidential office recommends collecting KBS license fee separately from electricity bill

Kang Seung-kyoo, senior presidential secretary for civil society, speaks to reporters at the presidential office in Seoul, Monday. YonhapThe presidential office said Monday it has recommended collecting the license fee for state broadcaster KBS separately from the electricity bill amid overwhelming public support.The recommendation was sent to the Korea Communications Commission, the state broadcasting watchdog, and the industry ministry, calling for an amendment to relevant laws and the implementation of follow-up measures.KBS has charged a monthly fee of 2,500 won ($1.91) to households on top of their electricity bills since 1994. The fee has been collected by state-run utility Korea Electric Power Corp.The presidential office said it held a public debate on the license fee collection method for one month starting March 9. Participants could take part in the debate through a vote or by leaving comments on a discussion board.In the vote, 97 percent of the 58,251 participants called for improving the current method. In the comments, about 38,000 of the 64,000 opinions called for abol

Jun 5, 2023
Presidential office recommends collecting KBS license fee separately from electricity bill

Yoon vows to take care of overseas Koreans in ceremony launching new agency

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, poses for a photo with Lee Key-cheol, the inaugural head of the newly launched Overseas Koreans Agency, after presenting him with the agency's signboard during its opening ceremony in Incheon, 27 kilometers west of Seoul, June 5. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol vowed Monday to thoroughly take care of Koreans living overseas, including those who left their home country when it was impoverished and remitted their earnings to help lay the foundation of the country's economic modernization.Yoon made the remark during the launching ceremony of the Overseas Koreans Agency, a new government agency headquartered in the western port city of Incheon, tasked with supporting overseas Koreans."When the 7.5 million-Korean network shares necessary information and experiences by closely connecting with each other, both overseas Koreans and the Republic of Korea will grow and develop together," Yoon said, referring to Korea by its formal name.Yoon highlighted the contribution made by thousands of Koreans who left their home when Korea was poor and remitted their earnings

Jun 5, 2023
Yoon vows to take care of overseas Koreans in ceremony launching new agency

Opposition lawmaker searched over suspected leak of justice minister's personal info

Rep. Choe Kang-wook of the Democratic Party of Korea speaks to reporters while a police search was under way at his office at the National Assembly, June 5. YonhapPolice seized the mobile phone of Rep. Choe Kang-wook of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Monday in a raid conducted as part of an investigation into the alleged leak of personal information of Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon.Investigators from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency confiscated Choe's phone in front of his home in the city of Yongin, south of Seoul, and searched his office at the National Assembly to seize other evidence, officials said.They are looking into the alleged leak of Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon and his family's personal information, such as copies of the residence registration document and real estate contracts,The investigation began after a member of Seoul's Gangseo Ward Council filed a complaint accusing a person, surnamed Seo, of violating the Personal Information Protection Act after that person handed him information on Han and his family.The information was allegedly leaked

Jun 5, 2023
Opposition lawmaker searched over suspected leak of justice minister's personal info

DPK appoints left-leaning civil activist to head party innovation committee

Lee Rae-kyung, the honorary chair of The Tommorrow, a left leaning civic group, is seen in this undated photo provided by the Democratic Party of Korea, June 5. YonhapThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Monday appointed a left-leaning civic group leader to head a special innovation committee aimed to turn around the party's image worsened by a slew of scandals.DPK leader Lee Jae-myung announced the decision during a party leadership meeting and nominated Lee Rae-kyung, the honorary chair of The Tomorrow, a progressive civic group, as the head of the newly formed committee."We decided to bring Lee Rae-kyung as the person responsible of leading the DPK's innovation committee," he said, adding he plans to entrust all of the decision making related to the new organization onto Lee.Lee is a career civil activist who served leadership positions in various left-leaning civic groups.He was also involved in the establishment of a new party with Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo in 2014.The innovation committee comes amid mounting calls for party reform, following a series of scandals, inc

Jun 5, 2023
DPK appoints left-leaning civil activist to head party innovation committee

Yoon's labor reform faces trouble as FKTU mulls exit from negotiating body

Leaders of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) stage a protest in front of the National Police Agency headquarters in western Seoul's Seodaemun District, Friday, against what they call excessive force last month on a union member, which led to his injury. YonhapTension escalates amid Yoon's hardline stance against strikes, recent crackdown By Nam Hyun-wooPresident Yoon Suk Yeol's bid to reform Korea's labor-management culture is in trouble, as one of the largest umbrella unions in the country is considering exiting the council for the trilateral dialogue of labor, management and the government.Yoon has been seeking to bring changes to the country's labor market and militant union culture as part of his three-pronged reform agenda. In doing so, however, the president's hardline stance on union strikes appears to be backfiring, triggering unions to become more combative against the government.According to the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), it will hold an emergency executive committee meeting in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, Wednesday, to discuss whether it will

Jun 5, 2023By Nam Hyun-woo
Yoon's labor reform faces trouble as FKTU mulls exit from negotiating body

Yoon orders stern crackdown on civil organizations misusing government subsidies

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, May 23. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol ordered a stern crackdown on corruption involving government subsidies to civil organizations and a full recovery of misused funds, his spokesperson said Monday.Yoon issued the instruction after an audit of government subsidies given to about 12,000 civil organizations over the past three years found a total of 1,865 cases of irregularities involving about 31.4 billion won ($24 million), presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon said.The ruling People Power Party (PPP) heaped criticism on such civic groups."They are criminal organizations, not civic groups," the PPP's top spokesperson Yoo Sang-bum said in a radio interview, adding that the audit results showed they were "organizations of criminals trying to steal government funds."Rep. Park Dae-chul, the PPP's floor leader, also accused the previous Moon Jae-in administration of squandering government money on civic groups sympathetic to the administration, noting that subsidies to civil organizations rose ab

Jun 5, 2023
Yoon orders stern crackdown on civil organizations misusing government subsidies
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