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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.

Prime minister supports Busan's EXPO bid

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo signs a message wishing for the southeastern port city of Busan to win its bid to host the World Expo 2030 at a promotional booth run by Starbucks Korea in Gwanghwamun Square, central Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Starbucks Korea

Mar 31, 2023By Lee Hae-rin
Prime minister supports Busan's EXPO bid

Ruling party, gov't agree to tentatively postpone electricity, gas rate hikes

Rep. Park Dae-chul, center, chief policymaker of the ruling People Power Party, and other officials attend a policy consultation meeting with the government at the National Assembly on March 31. YonhapThe ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the government agreed to temporarily hold off raising electricity and gas bills but reaffirmed that rate hikes are "inevitable," a ruling party lawmaker said Friday.The decision was made in a policy consultation meeting amid concerns that a hike in utility fees may add onto economic burdens on the people amid high inflation and an economic slowdown.Rep. Park Dae-chul, the PPP's chief policymaker, said the government will decide on the rate hike after making additional assessments of international energy prices and discussions with experts.Park still said that the ruling party and government reached a consensus that the rate hike cannot be further looked upon."We again reaffirmed that a hike in electricity and gas bills is inevitable," Park said. "But more discussion is needed on the timing and scope of the hike among multiple options suggested by

Mar 31, 2023
Ruling party, gov't agree to tentatively postpone electricity, gas rate hikes

INTERVIEW North Korean defectors bear brunt of remittance scams

Seo Jae-pyeong, head of the Association for North Korean Defectors, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times on Monday at a library in Songpa District, Seoul. Korea Times photo by Kang Hyun-kyungThis is the third in a series of interviews with North Korean defectors and their assimilation into South Korea―ED. Older North Korean defectors are predominantly conservative, yet some young people lean toward liberals, says activist By Kang Hyun-kyung“Finally, we are here.”That is what many North Korean defectors say when they arrive in Incheon International Airport after hiding in China for several years. Tasting freedom, they heave a sigh of relief because they no longer have to live in fear of getting caught by the Chinese security authorities and being sent back to the North. But that sense of relief is short-lived as their days in the South unfold.Most of them left behind impoverished family members back home. The defectors say they feel an overwhelming sense of sadness and guilt whenever they think of their parents, siblings and other loved ones who are struggling t

Mar 31, 2023By Kang Hyun-kyung
[INTERVIEW] North Korean defectors bear brunt of remittance scams

Yoon appoints new chief of diplomatic academy

Park Cheol-hee, dean and professor at the Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) at Seoul National University, speaks in an interview with The Korea Times at GSIS headquarters in Seoul, Aug. 12, 2019. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukPresident Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday appointed a Seoul National University (SNU) professor as chancellor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, his spokesperson said.Park Cheol-hee, current director of the SNU Institute of International Affairs, will head the academy affiliated with the foreign ministry, according to Lee Do-woon.His predecessor, Hong Hyun-ik, was recently dismissed with five months left in his term. Hong had been appointed by former President Moon Jae-in. (Yonhap)

Mar 30, 2023
Yoon appoints new chief of diplomatic academy

Yoon meets with Indonesian foreign minister

President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi during their meeting at the presidential office in Seoul on March 30, 2023, in this photo provided by the presidential office. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol met with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Thursday and discussed potential areas of cooperation between the two economies, his office said.Yoon held the talks with the minister, who is on an official visit to Korea, at the presidential office in Seoul, presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon said in a written briefing.During the talks, Yoon expressed gratitude for expanded ties following Indonesian President Joko Widodo's visit to Korea and Yoon's visit to Indonesia last year.Yoon also said his government will actively support strengthening strategic ties, as the two countries have been proceeding actively in many different fields, including in high-tech industries, like electric vehicles and batteries, and steel.In response, the minister delivered a handwritten letter from President Widodo, who expressed the hope to strengthen f

Mar 30, 2023
Yoon meets with Indonesian foreign minister

Nat'l Assembly passes bill on expanding tax incentives for chipmakers

A vote to pass the revision to the Act on Restriction of Special Taxation takes place at the National Assembly in Seoul, March 30. YonhapThe National Assembly on Thursday passed a bill aimed at supporting the semiconductor industry by giving bigger tax incentives to chipmakers and other strategic industries. The proposed revision to the Act on Restriction of Special Taxation, nicknamed the K-Chips Act, centers on expanding the tax credit rate for companies that make facility investments in national strategic industries, including semiconductors, secondary batteries and future cars.Under the bill, the tax credit rate for conglomerates will rise to 15 percent from the current 8 percent, while the rate for small and medium-sized businesses will increase to 25 percent from 16 percent.An additional 10 percent cut will also be applied to the increased amount of investments compared with the previous three-year average.Asia's No. 4 economy depends heavily on chips for its exports, but outbound shipments have been significantly losing ground recently in the face of the industry's global down

Mar 30, 2023
Nat'l Assembly passes bill on expanding tax incentives for chipmakers

Canadians sample SPC's bagels

SPC Group CEO Hur Jin-soo, left, poses for a photo with Chargee d'Affaires of Canada to Korea Tamara Mawhinney, center, and Cereals Canada CEO Dean Dias, during Paris Baguette's invitational event offering bagels made with Canadian wheat in Seoul, Thursday. Paris Baguette invited the ambassador and officials from the Canadian Embassy in Korea to try its new “double chewy bagels” launched in February. Montreal in Canada is considered one of the two most popular cities for bagels, along with New York. Courtesy of SPC

Mar 30, 2023By Kim Jae-heun
Canadians sample SPC's bagels

Main opposition calls for explanation on replacement of nat'l security adviser

Former National Security Adviser Kim Sung-han sits in the presidential office in central Seoul, March 29. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoonThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Thursday called on President Yoon Suk Yeol to explain why former National Security Adviser Kim Sung-han resigned ahead of Yoon's state visit to the United States next month. On Wednesday, Yoon accepted Kim's resignation offer and tapped Cho Tae-yong, Seoul's ambassador to the U.S., as the new national security adviser.The resignation came amid reports of trouble over a planning issue related to Yoon's upcoming trip to Washington, including a state dinner with President Joe Biden. Rep. Park Hong-keun, the DPK's floor leader, raised suspicions of problems within the presidential National Security Office, citing reports that there was a power struggle and a conflict between an official close to first lady Kim Keon Hee and another official formerly from the foreign ministry.Park said the people are concerned Yoon's trip to Washington will end up like his trip to Japan earlier this month, calling o

Mar 30, 2023
Main opposition calls for explanation on replacement of nat'l security adviser

National Assembly consents to arrest of PPP lawmaker Ha

Rep. Ha Young-je of the ruling People Power Party gives a speech at the National Assembly ahead of a vote on giving parliamentary consent to the prosecution's request to arrest him, March 30. YonhapThe National Assembly on Thursday voted to give parliamentary consent to the prosecution's request to arrest ruling People Power Party lawmaker Ha Young-je on charges of receiving illicit political funds.The motion was approved in a 160-99 vote in the National Assembly.Ha has been under prosecution investigation on suspicion of receiving 70 million won ($53,602) from a South Gyeongsang provincial council candidate ahead of last June's local elections.According to law, sitting lawmakers are immune from arrest while the parliament is in session. The prosecution must obtain parliament's consent to detain lawmakers. (Yonhap)

Mar 30, 2023
National Assembly consents to arrest of PPP lawmaker Ha

New nat'l security adviser says he feels tremendous responsibility

New National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong speaks to reporters at the presidential office in Seoul, March 30. YonhapNew National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong said Thursday he feels a "tremendous responsibility" taking on the job at a critical time.Cho made the remark to reporters at the presidential office, a day after he was picked by President Yoon Suk Yeol to replace Kim Sung-han as the national security adviser."It's a critical time, and I feel a tremendous responsibility assuming the position of national security adviser," he said.Cho has been serving as Korea's ambassador to the United States and was in Seoul this week to attend an annual meeting of chiefs of overseas diplomatic missions when he was abruptly given the new assignment with less than a month to go until Yoon's April 26 state visit to Washington."I believe a cornerstone has been properly placed over the past 11 months for the construction of a global pivotal state," he said, referring to an administrative goal of the Yoon government."It is my duty to return the favor by building a house upon that cornerstone with

Mar 30, 2023
New nat'l security adviser says he feels tremendous responsibility
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