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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.

Prosecution arrests key suspect in DPK election bribery scandal

Kang Rae-gu, a Democratic Party of Korea official, appears at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul for a hearing, April 21. YonhapThe prosecution on Monday arrested a key suspect in an election bribery scandal engulfing the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).The Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for Kang Rae-gu on charges of directing the distribution of cash envelopes and providing illegal funds to DP members ahead of the party's leadership election in 2021.The prosecution sought an arrest warrant for him again last week after the previous request was rejected last month. The court accepted the request citing concerns that he may destroy evidence.The scandal centers on allegations that campaign officials of Song Young-gil, a former party leader, distributed cash totaling 94 million won ($71,228) to party members, including some 10-20 lawmakers, ahead of the party's national convention in May 2021, where Song was elected chair. Kang was accused of collecting about 80 million won of the total and distributing the money in collusion with o

May 9, 2023
Prosecution arrests key suspect in DPK election bribery scandal

Chinese officials object to award for Hong Kong activist

Hong Kong human rights lawyer Chow Hang-tung is seen inside a vehicle after being detained in Hong Kong, in this Sept. 8, 2021, photo. Reuters-YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeThe Chinese government expressed its opposition to the selection of Chow Hang-tung, a prominent pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong, as the winner of this year's Gwangju Prize for Human Rights.According to the May 18 Memorial Foundation that presents the award, Monday, three officials from the Chinese consulate in Gwangju, including the consul general, visited the office of the foundation to have a talk with Chairman Won Sun-seok.During their talk, the trio urged the foundation to reconsider its plan to present the human rights award to the 38-year-old activist, claiming that she is a “criminal who took part in a violent protest that inflicted damage on China.”The foundation rejected the request, saying a country should not intervene in a decision made by a private institute. On May 2, the foundation announced its decision to present this year's prize to Chow, a human rights lawyer who continued the struggle for

May 8, 2023By Jun Ji-hye
Chinese officials object to award for Hong Kong activist

Protest against Fukushima water release

Monks of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism perform an “ochetuji,” which refers to full prostration in Buddhism having five parts of the body touch the ground, near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, Monday, urging the Japanese government to stop its plans to release radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant. The protest came one day after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a summit with President Yoon Suk Yeol, Sunday, during which they agreed to allow a group of Korean experts to visit Japan later this month to inspect the planned release of the radioactive water into the ocean. Yonhap

May 8, 2023
Protest against Fukushima water release

Yoon's approval rating inches up for 2 weeks: poll

President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers remarks at the opening ceremony of the 56th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank in Incheon, May 3. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating inched up for the second consecutive week thanks in part to positive feedback on his recent state visit to the United States, a poll showed Monday.In the poll of 1,504 adults aged 18 or older conducted by Realmeter from Tuesday to Thursday of last week, the positive assessment of Yoon's performance rose 0.1 percentage point from the previous week to 34.6 percent.Yoon's disapproval rating was 62.5 percent, down 0.1 percentage point from the previous week.According to Bae Cheol-ho, a senior analyst at Realmeter, last week's approval rating can be attributed to Yoon's six-day state visit to the U.S. designed to mark the 70th anniversary of the bilateral alliance this year. The momentum, however, was limited due to controversies over the issue of party nominations for next year's general elections following allegations surrounding a phone conversation between Rep. Tae Yong-ho of the ruling People Power

May 8, 2023
Yoon's approval rating inches up for 2 weeks: poll

PPP to hold ethics committee on 2 Supreme Council members over controversial remarks

This combined file photo shows Reps. Kim Jae-won, left, and Tae Yong-ho of the ruling People Power Party. YonhapThe ruling People Power Party (PPP) was set to hold an ethics committee meeting on Monday on two Supreme Council members accused of making a series of controversial remarks, with heavy disciplinary actions expected for both of them.Kim Jae-won and Rep. Tae Yong-ho could be barred from running in next year's parliamentary elections if they are given one-year party membership suspension or heavier disciplinary measures in Monday's ethics committee meeting.Kim was referred to the committee for remarks seen as slighting victims of two historical events ― the bloody 1948-1954 suppression of a civil revolt on Jeju Island and the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in the southwestern city of Gwangju. Kim was also accused of lauding Jun Kwang-hoon, an ultra right-wing pastor.Tae, a North Korean defector-turned-lawmaker, was referred to the committee in part for displaying what critics say was a distorted history perception by insisting that the civil uprising on Jeju was obviously trigger

May 8, 2023
PPP to hold ethics committee on 2 Supreme Council members over controversial remarks

Yoon's approval rating rises to 33%: poll

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, May 2. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating rose this week to 33 percent, a poll showed Friday, with his approval edging higher for the third consecutive week. In the poll of 1,000 adults aged 18 and over conducted by Gallup Korea from Tuesday to Thursday, the positive assessment of Yoon's performance went up 3 percentage points from the previous week to 33 percent.Yoon's disapproval rating was 57 percent, down 6 percentage points from the previous week.Regarding Yoon's state visit to the United States last week, 42 percent of respondents felt it was good for national interests, while another 42 percent gave a negative assessment.The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. (Yonhap)

May 5, 2023
Yoon's approval rating rises to 33%: poll

Yoon invites kids to state guesthouse at Children's Day event

President Yoon Suk Yeol attends a ceremony at the Yongsan Children's Garden in front of the presidential office in Seoul, May 4, 2023, to open the newly constructed park on the eve of the Children's Day holiday. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol met with hundreds of children and parents from socially vulnerable groups Friday to commemorate this year's Children's Day, his office said.The gathering, held at the state guesthouse of Cheong Wa Dae, the former presidential office, welcomed a total of 320 children and their parents, including those from rural areas and in foster care, as well as children from single-parent and multicultural families, the presidential office said in a press release.The guests also included students from the Seoul National School for the Blind, a school visited by first lady Kim Keon Hee in March on their first day of school."I would like to express my gratitude to the children, teachers and staff of facilities who are taking care of children with love and dedication," Yoon was quoted by the office as saying. Earlier in the day, Yoon also delivered a message, say

May 5, 2023
Yoon invites kids to state guesthouse at Children's Day event

Yoon attends opening ceremony of Yongsan Children's Garden

President Yoon Suk Yeol waves during a ceremony at Yongsan Children's Garden in front of the presidential office in Seoul, May 4. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol attended the opening ceremony of Yongsan Children's Garden on Thursday, pledging to create a space where children can be healthy and happy.The Garden is a park located in front of the presidential office building in Yongsan and occupies around 300,000 square meters of land previously used as a base by U.S. forces stationed in Korea.The park opened to the public on the eve of the Children's Day holiday after having undergone reconstruction for a year in line with Yoon's campaign pledge to draw closer to the public.The opening also comes days ahead of the first anniversary of Yoon's inauguration on May 10."I'm reminded of how I felt at the time of my inauguration when I returned Cheong Wa Dae to the people and relocated the presidential office here," Yoon said in congratulatory remarks, referring to the former presidential compound."We will continue to make improvements so that it becomes a space where children can be healthy, j

May 4, 2023
Yoon attends opening ceremony of Yongsan Children's Garden

PM Han departs for Britain for King Charles III's coronation on 4-nation European trip

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo / Yonhap Prime Minister Han Duck-soo left for Britain on Thursday for King Charles III's coronation as part of a weeklong trip to Europe that also includes stops in Sweden, Austria and Romania.Han will first stop in London, where he will attend the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey on Saturday (local time), and meet with leaders from various countries to ask for their support for Seoul's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in the southeastern port city of Busan, Han's office saidHan will attend a reception at Buckingham Palace, hosted by King Charles, on Friday, the office said.Meetings with several leaders of African nations and the British Commonwealth attending the coronation ceremony are also scheduled on the sidelines.The trip will then take Han to Stockholm for two days, where he will hold talks with his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, and discuss regional security issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula and bilateral coope

May 4, 2023
PM Han departs for Britain for King Charles III's coronation on 4-nation European trip

ANALYSIS Why Yoon is final piece in Washington-Seoul-Tokyo jigsaw

File images of, from left, U.S. President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are displayed during a news program on a screen at Seoul Station, April 27. AP-YonhapYoon needs to raise approval rating to sustain coordination on N. Korea, China and Indo-Pacific initiatives By Kim Yoo-chulSouth Korea has clearly shifted the political focus of its regional strategy to supporting “strategic clarity” from “strategic ambiguity.” The key question now is what the deliverables will be from the policy transition and how the incumbent Yoon Suk Yeol administration will solidify its alignment with the rules-based international order.Given Washington's focus on prioritizing President Joe Biden's Indo-Pacific strategy, the U.S. has been playing the role of facilitator in terms of improving Seoul-Tokyo relations to the greatest extent possible, as its alliances with South Korea and Japan are surely two of the most critical relationships in the world.Within that context, from the U.S. standpoint, Seoul-Tokyo relations should

May 4, 2023By Kim Yoo-chul
[ANALYSIS] Why Yoon is final piece in Washington-Seoul-Tokyo jigsaw
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