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PM defends forced labor solution to mend ties with Japan

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo presides over a coordination meeting with related ministers to discuss key state affairs at the government complex in Seoul, March 9. YonhapPrime Minister Han Duck-soo on Thursday defended the government's solution to resolve a forced labor row with Japan, saying that the decision is aimed at moving relations with Tokyo toward the future. Han's remarks came days after Seoul announced the decision to compensate the Korean victims of Japan's forced labor through a foundation supported by donations from Korean businesses, not the Japanese companies accused of forced labor during World War II.The solution was welcomed by the United States and Japan but has drawn strong criticism from victims of wartime forced labor and opposition parties. "The government's solution is the result of repeated considerations to promote future-oriented Korea-Japan relations while swiftly healing the pain that victims of forced labor have suffered for a long time," Han told a meeting on state affairs. Han said the solution was led by Korea to "move Korea-Japan relations toward the

Mar 9, 2023
PM defends forced labor solution to mend ties with Japan

Rival parties' lawmakers to visit NATO headquarters later this month

Chung Woo-taik, a five-term lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party, speaks to reporters after being chosen as the party's candidate for National Assembly vice speaker during a party meeting at the parliament building in Seoul in this Oct. 25, 2022 file photo. YonhapSix lawmakers of the rival parties will visit the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) headquarters later this month at the invitation of NATO's U.S. delegation, officials said Thursday. Deputy National Assembly Speaker Chung Woo-taik, two lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party and three lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea will visit the NATO headquarters as part of a five-day trip to Belgium from March 27-31, according to Chung's aides. It will mark the first time lawmakers from Asia are visiting the NATO headquarters.The lawmakers are expected to discuss NATO's nuclear sharing policy amid attention to nuclear deterrence in South Korea in the light of North Korea's continuing military provocations. Seoul has been strengthening ties with NATO, newly establishing a mission to the organ

Mar 9, 2023
Rival parties' lawmakers to visit NATO headquarters later this month

INTERVIEW 'Poland could re-export South Korean weapons to Ukraine with both gov'ts' permissions'

Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, right, and his South Korean counterpart Lee Jong-sup, observe a military training drill firing the Korean K9 Thunder howitzer at a training range in Torun, Poland, Feb. 23. AFP-YonhapThis is the second 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.Seoul's reticence to offer military aid to Ukraine seen as balancing act with China, Russia By Kim Yoo-chulA year ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his unjustified and brutal invasion of Ukraine. The United States and its top European allies including Germany, the U.K. and Poland reacted quickly by providing a high level of security assistance to Kyiv.South Korean defense companies have so far benefited from an explosive demand for military equipment and arms. In 2022, South Korea's arms exports reached $17.3 billion,

Mar 9, 2023By Kim Yoo-chul
[INTERVIEW] 'Poland could re-export South Korean weapons to Ukraine with both gov'ts' permissions'

Ruling party elects Yoon's ally Kim Gi-hyeon as new leader

New People Power Party Chairman Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon clinches his fist during his acceptance speech after being elected as the new leader of the ruling party during its national convention at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. Joint Press CorpsKim's win to help strengthen president's grip on PPPBy Nam Hyun-wooThe ruling People Power Party (PPP) elected Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon as its new chairman, Wednesday, as the four-term lawmaker won more than 50 percent of the total votes during the party's national convention.Kim, who has been described as the most favored candidate by President Yoon Suk Yeol, won 52.93 percent of the votes to cruise past his rival, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, who secured 23.37 percent of the ballots, making a runoff between the top candidates unnecessary. Ahn has been facing doubts about his support for the president's political views. And the outcome of the vote allowed Yoon to strengthen his grip over the party ahead of next year's general election, because Kim will yield his right to nominate the party's candidates. Chun Ha-ram, who became popular for his commen

Mar 8, 2023By Nam Hyun-woo
Ruling party elects Yoon's ally Kim Gi-hyeon as new leader

Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon elected new leader of ruling party

Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, center, raises his arms in celebration after being elected the new chair of the ruling People Power Party at the party's national convention at KINTEX exhibition center in Goyang, northwest of Seoul, March 8. Yonhap Four-term lawmaker Kim Gi-hyeon was elected new leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Wednesday in a boon for President Yoon Suk Yeol seeking to strengthen his grip on the party ahead of next year's general elections.Kim won 53 percent of the vote against his biggest rival, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo's 23 percent, making a runoff unnecessary. Former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and attorney Chun Ha-ram won 15 percent and 9 percent, respectively.The result is considered a victory for Yoon, because Kim has widely been known to be Yoon's favorite. From the start of the race, Kim formed an alliance with Rep. Chang Je-won, a key political brain for Yoon. Some staffers of the presidential office have even been accused of campaigning for K

Mar 8, 2023
Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon elected new leader of ruling party

Former activist returns to sexual slavery protest following court ruling on corruption scandal

Rep. Youn Mee-hyang, right, speaks during a rally against Japan's wartime sexual slavery in Seoul, March 8. YonhapYoun Mee-hyang, a lawmaker who previously led a civic group supporting victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery, returned to the group's street rally Wednesday after a three-year absence, during which she struggled with allegations of corruption.Youn was indicted in September 2020 on eight counts, including the misappropriation of donations and state subsidies intended for the elderly victims. On Feb. 10, a lower court acquitted her of all but one charge of embezzlement, which amounted to about 17 million won ($12,875), a significantly smaller amount than originally indicted. She was fined 15 million won."It's been so painful and difficult for the past three years," Youn said at the 1,586th weekly protest rally in Seoul by the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan."I could not but keep my mouth shut while seeing myself unable to do anything even watching my colleagues passing away. I had to remain silent to protect

Mar 8, 2023
Former activist returns to sexual slavery protest following court ruling on corruption scandal

Yoon calls for bold measures to address low birth rate

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, March 7. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol called Wednesday for bold measures to address the country's record-low birth rate, his office said.Yoon issued the order while receiving a briefing on the operation plans of the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy."Please come up with bold and sure measures for the low birth rate so that they can be felt by the people," he said, according to presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon.The briefing was given by committee vice chair Kim Young-mi and Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong, among others.Korea's fertility rate, or the average number of children a woman bears in her lifetime, fell to an all-time low of 0.78 last year, according to Statistics Korea.The committee plans to hold a meeting presided over by the president in the near future to discuss its response, Lee said. (Yonhap)

Mar 8, 2023
Yoon calls for bold measures to address low birth rate

Ruling party holds national convention to pick new leader

This photo shows the final candidates for the new ruling People Power Party leader attending a joint campaign speech at a stadium in Gyeonggi Province. They are, from left to right, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon and Chun Ha-ram, an attorney affiliated with ousted chair Lee Jun-seok, March 2. YonhapThe ruling People Power Party (PPP) held a national convention Wednesday to pick a new leader to head the party through next year's general elections and help move President Yoon Suk Yeol's agenda forward.Yoon planned to attend the convention expected to draw as many as 10,000 party members, an indication of his keen interest in the race. It will mark the first time for the president to attend a national convention of the ruling party since former President Park Geun-hye did so in 2016.Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, widely considered Yoon's favorite, is leading the race by a relatively large margin, according to opinion polls. A focus of attention is on whether Kim has secured a majority in the first vote to head off a runoff.The PPP held a four-day vote thr

Mar 8, 2023
Ruling party holds national convention to pick new leader

Ruling party proposes discussion on special bill to compensate forced labor victims

Social activists supporting the victims of Japan's wartime forced labor condemn the compensation plan announced by the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol, holding signs that read "Yoon Suk Yeol humiliating diplomacy out!" in central Seoul, March 6. YonhapThe ruling People Power Party (PPP) proposed Wednesday that the rival parties begin discussions to enact a special law on compensating victims of Japan's wartime forced labor, a move aimed at backing up the government's decision to compensate victims on its own.Rep. Chung Jin-suk made the remark in a TV interview, proposing talks on a proposal that former National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang put forward in 2019 in an effort to help resolve the forced labor row with Japan.The proposal calls for collecting funds from companies, the governments and public donations from the two countries and compensating forced labor victims through a foundation. That proposal was also dubbed in the media as the "2 plus 2 plus alpha" idea."Former Speaker Moon initiated a special bill, but then Cheong Wa Dae of President Moon Jae-in didn't even tak

Mar 8, 2023
Ruling party proposes discussion on special bill to compensate forced labor victims

Yoon's approval rating rises to 44.1%: poll

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, March 7. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating rose to 44.1 percent, the highest since July last year, a poll showed Wednesday.In the poll of 1,000 adults conducted by Hangil Research from Saturday to Monday, the positive assessment of Yoon's performance gained 2.7 percentage points from the previous month to 44.1 percent.It marked the highest rating since July last year when the figure tumbled to 37.8 percent from over 50 percent in the wake of negative issues like an unpopular education policy proposal and turmoil in the ruling party.Yoon's disapproval rating fell 2.2 percentage points to 53.8 percent in the same period, the lowest level since 59.2 percent in July.The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. (Yonhap)

Mar 8, 2023
Yoon's approval rating rises to 44.1%: poll
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