South Korea - The Korea Times

Ex-lawmaker quizzed over fortune teller's alleged involvement in presidential residence

Kim Jong-dae, the former lawmaker of the progressive Justice Party / Korea Times filePolice said Monday they have questioned a former opposition lawmaker as part of an investigation into claims of a fortune teller's alleged involvement in the relocation of the presidential residence.The office of President Yoon Suk Yeol had earlier filed a complaint for libel charges against several people, including Kim Jong-dae, the former lawmaker of the minor progressive Justice Party.Kim alleged during radio and YouTube interviews that the fortune teller, known as Cheongong, made visits to candidate sites in March, including the residence of the Army chief of staff.He also claimed Cheongong was accompanied by Kim Yong-hyun, head of the presidential security service.Police also said they are trying to obtain CCTV footage of the day Cheongong allegedly made the visit.Yoon's office has flatly denied the allegations of Cheongong's involvement.After winning the March 9 presidential election, Yoon carried out his campaign promise and relocated the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae to the former d

Feb 20, 2023

Ex-lawmaker quizzed over fortune teller's alleged involvement in presidential residence

Yoon's approval rating rises to 40%: poll

President Yoon Suk Yeol shakes hands with a shopkeeper during a visit to a traditional market in Cheongju, the capital of North Chungcheong Province, central Korea, Feb. 14. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating has risen to over 40 percent for the first time in six weeks on the back of a strengthened policy focus on economic and livelihood matters, a poll showed Monday.In the poll of 2,504 adults conducted by Realmeter from Monday to Friday last week, the positive assessment of Yoon's performance rose 3.5 percentage points from a week earlier to 40.4 percent, the biggest weekly gain in the poll conducted by Realmeter since Yoon came to power last year. Yoon's disapproval rating fell 2.8 percentage points to 57.5 percent in the same period.Realmeter said the gain could be attributable to the government putting more emphasis on tackling economic and livelihood issues. In the wake of a public outcry over soaring heating bills, high interest rates and rising inflation, the government announced a plan to freeze railroad, postal and other public utility fees in the first half of

Feb 20, 2023

Yoon's approval rating rises to 40%: poll

Rival parties to vote on arrest motion of opposition leader Lee on Feb. 27

Rival parties have agreed to hold a plenary session of the National Assembly on Feb. 27 to vote on the arrest motion of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, officials said Saturday. YonhapThe rival parties have agreed to hold a plenary session of the National Assembly, Feb. 27, to vote on a motion regarding the arrest of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, officials said Saturday.Earlier this week, prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for Lee, the head of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), over corruption and bribery allegations in a development project.Sitting lawmakers, however, are immune from the Assembly is in session ― the prosecution must obtain its consent to detain a representative.Rep. Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, and his DPK counterpart, Rep. Park Hong-keun, agreed on the schedule for the full-floor session Friday, according to officials from both parties. The motion is expected to be reported to the Assembly next Friday.The process for the consent vote began the previous day after the Seoul Central District Court sent a request for consent to th

Feb 18, 2023

Rival parties to vote on arrest motion of opposition leader Lee on Feb. 27

DP leader slams Yoon gov't as 'prosecution dictatorship' over arrest warrant

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung, center, leaves a facility for senior citizens in Gwanak District, Seoul, Thursday. Joint Press CorpsOpposition leader Lee Jae-myung on Friday lashed out at President Yoon Suk Yeol a day after the prosecution sought an arrest warrant for him, saying the administration should use its power to rein in price hikes hurting ordinary people rather than focusing on arresting him.Lee, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party, also claimed during a party meeting that South Korea's "democracy and the rule of law is being ruthlessly trampled on by the sword blades of the Yoon Suk Yeol prosecutor dictatorship regime.""Mr. President Yoon Suk Yeol, can't you hear the sound of pain and sighs of the people?" Lee said. "The power you are using to fabricate cases to try to arrest Lee Jae-myung and destroy the opposition party should be used to prevent bombs of interests and heating bills."Prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for Lee over development corruption and bribery allegations Wednesday, marking the first time in South Korea

Feb 17, 2023

DP leader slams Yoon gov't as 'prosecution dictatorship' over arrest warrant

Opposition tests President Yoon with labor, rice control law revisions

Lawmakers pass a resolution during a plenary session at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap By Nam Hyun-wooThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has thrown a challenge to President Yoon Suk Yeol following the former's attempt to pass revisions to labor and rice control acts, which contradict presidential policy direction.It is anticipated that the revisions will be voted on as early as next week's National Assembly plenary session. The presidential office appears to be weighing options including a veto.The National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee held its coordination subcommittee on Friday and passed a revision to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act. The Assembly establishes a coordination subcommittee when parties exhibit stark differences on a certain bill. The revision will likely pass the environment and labor committee next week, and a plenary session vote, because the DPK holds a majority in the com

Feb 17, 2023By Nam Hyun-woo

Opposition tests President Yoon with labor, rice control law revisions

Foreign minister stresses need for responsible use of AI in military domain

Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra, left, and Foreign Minister Park Jin at the Summit on Responsible AI in the Military Domain in The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday (local time). Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign AffairsKorea to host second REAIM meeting next yearBy Kang Seung-wooForeign Minister Park Jin has called for the international community to be responsible in the military use of artificial intelligence (AI). His comment was made at the Summit on Responsible AI in the Military Domain (REAIM 2023) in The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday (local time). “Over the past two days, we had productive discussions with experts from diverse backgrounds on the opportunities and challenges presented by AI. With the wisdom gained from the conference, we should proceed and act to prevent wrong uses of AI in the military domain,” Park said during the summit's closing ceremony. Korea and the Netherlands were the co-hosts of the meeting regarding the responsible use of AI in defense contexts. The two-day event brought together 80 government delegations and hundreds of researchers and de

Feb 17, 2023By Kang Seung-woo

Foreign minister stresses need for responsible use of AI in military domain

Yoon orders thorough crackdown on rental scams

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a ceremony in the southwestern city of Gunsan, Feb. 10. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol has called for thoroughly cracking down on home rental scams amid a surge in their numbers, his office said Friday.Yoon was briefed Thursday on the government's efforts to clamp down on scams involving the "jeonse" rental system, according to presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon.He called for "improving systems and a thorough crackdown as jeonse scams are vicious crimes targeting ordinary citizens and young people," Lee said.The briefing was given by Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, Land Minister Won Hee-ryong and National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun.Yoon also instructed them to carry out strict crackdowns on scams involving fake advertisements for the sale of homes and used cars, Lee said.Under Korea's jeonse system, tenants pay a large lump-sum deposit, known as key money, to the landlord, which is then returned at the end of the rental agreement, usually lasting two years. During the lease period, the tenants do not pay monthly rent.Tenan

Feb 17, 2023

Yoon orders thorough crackdown on rental scams

Arrest warrant sought for main opposition party chief

Ruling Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Jae-myung, center, leaves a facility for senior citizens in Gwanak District, Seoul, Thursday, as prosecutors seek an arrest warrant for him. Joint Press CorpsBy Nam Hyun-wooProsecutors on Thursday sought an arrest warrant for main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Jae-myung on charges of corruption and bribery during his tenure as the mayor of Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province from 2010 to 2018.This is the first time in Korea that an arrest warrant has been sought for the leader of the main opposition party.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office filed the arrest warrant with the Seoul Central District Court, accusing Lee of breaching his duties, violating laws related to conflicts of interest, receiving bribes and concealing profits generated from crimes. The accusations are related to a land development scandal in Seongnam's Daejang-dong and Wirye areas and a separate bribery allegation involving the city's football club.Specifically, prosecutors accused Lee of breach of duty by causing 489.5 billion won ($381.6 m

Feb 16, 2023By Nam Hyun-woo

Arrest warrant sought for main opposition party chief

Yoon confers awards on 19 meritorious people

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, confers the Peony Medal of the Order of Civil Merit on Yoo Eui-bae, a Spanish priest known for his dedication to helping lepers, at the presidential office in Seoul, Feb. 16. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol conferred state awards on 19 meritorious people Thursday, including a Spanish priest known for his dedication to helping lepers.The 19 people, including two married couples, were chosen from among 620 recommendations made by the public between July 2021 and June 2022, the presidential office said.It is the 12th year the government has conferred state awards based on recommendations from the public.Yoon conferred the awards during a ceremony at the presidential office, including four orders of civil merit and six presidential citations.The recipients included a Spanish Catholic priest, known by his Korean name Yoo Eui-bae, in recognition of his dedication to helping lepers and seriously disabled people in the southeastern county of Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province, over 42 years.Yoo received the Peony Medal of the Order of Civil Merit.Son Jae-han, a

Feb 16, 2023

Yoon confers awards on 19 meritorious people

DPK expresses outrage over arrest warrant request for party leader

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung visits a facility for the elderly to look into heating bill issues, Feb. 16. YonhapThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Thursday expressed outrage at the prosecution's request for an arrest warrant for party leader Lee Jae-myung, denouncing it as "unheard-of violence" aimed at removing a political enemy of President Yoon Suk Yeol.Prosecutors sought the warrant to arrest Lee over development corruption and bribery allegations arising from his time as mayor of Seongnam, south of Seoul. It marked the first time in Korea that the prosecution has sought an arrest warrant for the head of the country's largest opposition party."This is unheard-of violence aimed at incapacitating the opposition party and removing a political enemy of the president," DPK spokesperson An Ho-young told reporters. "We are enraged at the brutality of the Yoon Suk Yeol prosecution that dares to do without hesitation what even the military regimes did not dare to do."Lee, who served as mayor of Seongnam, south of Seoul, from 2010-2018,