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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 lawmakers visit Japan to assess Fukushima water release plan

A group of lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea holds a press conference at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, April 6. Courtesy of Democratic Party of KoreaA group of lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) left for Japan on Thursday for a three-day trip to assess the circumstances surrounding Tokyo's plan to release radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea.The lawmakers, including Reps. Wi Seong-gon and Yang Yi-wonyoung, plan to hold a meeting with civic groups and safety experts in Tokyo and visit the headquarters of the Fukushima plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power, to deliver a request for information related to the matter on Thursday. On Friday, they plan to visit the Fukushima region to assess the contamination level and meet with municipal lawmakers and power plant workers in the area. The DPK has raised suspicions President Yoon Suk Yeol could have talked about resuming seafood imports from the region when he held a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo last month, after Ja

Apr 6, 2023
Opposition lawmakers visit Japan to assess Fukushima water release plan

Yoon stresses 'one-team' support for Busan's Expo bid

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a meeting with mayors and governors at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center, Thursday. YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooPresident Yoon Suk Yeol stressed a “one-team spirit” between the central and local governments, Thursday, in supporting Busan's bid to host World Expo 2030, saying that hosting the event is one of the key objectives of his vision to make Korea a “global pivotal state.”Yoon made those remarks while presiding over a meeting in Busan with local government heads across the country. This appears to be a gesture to appeal to Korea's interests and enthusiasm in hosting the event to a delegation from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) which has been inspecting Busan throughout this week. “The World Expo 2030 will be a platform for Korea to suggest its development experience with the international community and to present our vision for global agendas, such as climate change and digital transformation,” Yoon said during the meeting. “At the same time, hosting the Expo in Busan is a critical

Apr 6, 2023By Nam Hyun-woo
Yoon stresses 'one-team' support for Busan's Expo bid
  • SK ups promotion campaign for Busan's Expo bid

Minor progressive Jinbo Party wins parliamentary seat for 1st time

Kang Sung-hee, center, the minor progressive Jinbo Party's candidate for a parliamentary by-election in Jeonju, 190 kilometers south of Seoul, celebrates his victory after the election result was announced April 6. YonhapA candidate of the minor progressive Jinbo Party has won a parliamentary by-election, giving the party its first-ever seat in the National Assembly. Candidate Kang Sung-hee won 39.07 percent of votes against independent candidate Rym Chung-yeap, who won 32.11 percent, in the by-election held in the southwestern city of Jeonju, about 190 kilometers south of Seoul, on Wednesday. Kang, 50, graduated from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul and was an executive member of a labor union of nonregular workers of Hyundai Motor, Korea's leading carmaker."I believe Jeonju citizens demonstrated through Jinbo Party's Kang Sung-hee a desire to pass judgment on the prosecution dictatorship of Yoon Suk Yeol and a yearning for new politics," Kang said, expressing gratitude to his supporters. Jeonju was the only city where a parliamentary by-election was held Wednesday as f

Apr 6, 2023
Minor progressive Jinbo Party wins parliamentary seat for 1st time

Korea to replace Air Force Two presidential jet via aircraft lease

This file photo shows the Air Force Two taking off from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just south of the capital, Sept. 5, 2018, YonhapKorea has decided to replace an aging presidential plane used for domestic and short-distance trips by leasing a new aircraft for five years, officials said Thursday.The Air Force recently unveiled details of its plan to lease the new Air Force Two, to be used by the president and top government officials, through the Defense Acquisition Program Administration's online procurement system to gather opinions before officially placing an order.The armed service seeks a five-year aircraft lease under a budget of 279.5 billion won ($212 million) to replace the current Air Force Two, a Boeing 737-300 that went into service in 1985.The government recently decided to lease the new Air Force Two after considering buying a new plane, according to sources.The president usually travels on the larger Air Force One, a Boeing 747-8i. (Yonhap)

Apr 6, 2023
Korea to replace Air Force Two presidential jet via aircraft lease

PPP leader proposes cutting at least 30 National Assembly seats

Ruling People Power Party leader Kim Gi-hyeon speaks in a party meeting at the National Assembly, April 6. YonhapRuling People Power Party (PPP) leader Kim Gi-hyeon on Thursday proposed that the number of lawmakers be reduced by at least 30 starting in next year's general elections.Kim made the remarks as the National Assembly is set to launch a Whole House Committee meeting for the first time in 20 years next week to discuss possible reform measures for the country's election policy.The Assembly currently consists of 300 seats, with the main opposition Democratic Party and the PPP holding 169 and 115 seats, respectively."We shall not forget that the authority of lawmakers has been entrusted by the people," Kim said. "The people are demanding that the number of lawmakers should be reduced."Noting that the Constitution stipulates the number of lawmakers as 200 people or more, Kim said that a discussion is needed on whether the current 300-seat system is necessary.A survey of 1,001 adults conducted by Gallup Korea from March 21-23 showed that 57 percent called for reducing the number o

Apr 6, 2023
PPP leader proposes cutting at least 30 National Assembly seats

Court sides with medical school in revoking admission of ex-justice minister's daughter

This photo captured from Kim Ou-joon's YouTube channel shows Cho Min, daughter of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, speaking during a YouTube interview, Feb. 23. YonhapA regional court rejected a lawsuit that the daughter of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk filed to seek the cancellation of Pusan National University's decision to nullify her admission to its medical school over academic fraud.Last April, the state-run university in the southeastern port city retroactively canceled Cho Min's admission in 2015, after the Supreme Court convicted her mother of forging some of the academic credentials used in the daughter's application.The younger Cho then filed lawsuits seeking to suspend and ultimately cancel the decision, claiming the school's internal probe found the forged documents had no influence on her admission.On Thursday, the Busan District Court denied the request, which will effectively cancel her admission and strip her status as a medical school graduate 30 days after she receives the sentencing in papers.The academic fraud involving the family of Cho Kuk in 2019 ended up sh

Apr 6, 2023
Court sides with medical school in revoking admission of ex-justice minister's daughter

How Daegu's largest market became 'go-to spot' for conservative politicians

President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee are surrounded by people during their visit to Seomun Market in Daegu, April 1, to attend the ceremony commemorating the centennial of the open-air market. Courtesy of presidential officeTactical voters give rock star treatment or cold shoulder to politicians as political circumstances change By Kang Hyun-kyungIt all started in October 1997 when then ruling party's presidential candidate Lee Hoi-chang visited Seomun Market, the largest open-air market located in the southeastern city of Daegu, for a campaign rally. Back then, his political career was at risk, triggered first by his nose-diving support ratings following accusations that his two sons were draft dodgers and then by looming division within the ruling party. Reading a strongly worded statement during a news conference, the judge-turned-politician accused then President Kim Young-sam of smear politics, manipulating behind the scenes and attempting to switch Lee with a new standard-bearer of the conservative camp. Lee urged President Kim to stop trying to influence the rulin

Apr 6, 2023By Kang Hyun-kyung
How Daegu's largest market became 'go-to spot' for conservative politicians

INTERVIEW China-Russia-NK military alliance turns S. Korea into hostage: expert

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shake hands during their meeting in Vladivostok, April 25, 2019. AP-YonhapThis is the last in a series of interviews with senior politicians in Korea and executives at leading think tanks in Washington over the issue of the country's provision of direct military support to Kyiv as the Ukraine war passes the one-year mark since Russia launched its attack, ending decades of relative stability in Europe. ― ED. US security expert says Seoul hasn't completely ruled out sending other types of weapons to UkraineBy Kim Yoo-chulDespite growing calls for South Korea to provide lethal aid to Ukraine since the embattled country was invaded by Russian forces last year, the South Korean government has only agreed to provide non-lethal aid and some weapons components, such as parts for AHS Krab howitzers made in Poland in 2022.South Korea's total amount of financial assistance to Ukraine by the end of this year will reach some $230 million, although Seoul's policy not to provide lethal aid to Kyiv hasn't changed as the cou

Apr 6, 2023By Kim Yoo-chul
[INTERVIEW] China-Russia-NK military alliance turns S. Korea into hostage: expert

Lawmaker suggests 'let's empty an entire bowl of rice' campaign

A man stands in a rice storage facility in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. YonhapA ruling People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker proposed a "let's empty an entire bowl of rice" campaign Wednesday as part of efforts to increase rice consumption and help struggling farmers.Rep. Cho Su-jin made the suggestion during a radio interview while discussing how to support farmers amid dwindling rice consumption, a day after President Yoon Suk Yeol vetoed a bill requiring the government purchase of surplus rice. "The problem of leftover rice is a very heartbreaking reality," Cho, who leads the PPP's task force on dealing with livelihood matters, said on KBS radio. "We discussed things like a 'let's empty an entire bowl of rice'" campaign.Cho noted that many women in particular shun rice in order to lose weight."But compared with other foods, it has lower calories, doesn't it?" she said of rice. "While we actively publicize things like this, there should be a switchover in people's perceptions."Cho's remarks drew criticism from the main opposition party as well as fellow PPP lawmakers.Democratic

Apr 5, 2023
Lawmaker suggests 'let's empty an entire bowl of rice' campaign

Forced labor victims seize four patent rights of Mitsubishi

The main gate of Seoul Central District Court in Seocho, Seoul. Korea Times fileA group of victims of Japan's wartime forced labor has seized additional patent rights of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, a Japanese firm that used forced laborers during World War II, a civic group said Wednesday.The Daejeon District Court recently decided to seize four patent rights of Mitsubishi at the request of two surviving victims and the families of two other late forced labor victims, according to the civic group.In February 2014, the victims won a compensation suit against Mitsubishi and the ruling was upheld by an appeals court later that year. The case is currently pending at the Supreme Court. The court put the compensation Mitsubishi owes to the victims at 680 million won (US$518,490) at the time of the first ruling. The court also granted the victims the right to collect the compensation from Mitsubishi at that time, but they had been putting off collecting the money.The victims decided there is no reason to delay exercising their rights anymore at a time when the government has announced a pl

Apr 5, 2023
Forced labor victims seize four patent rights of Mitsubishi
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