my timesThe Korea Times
South Korea

Politics

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
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.

Prosecutors seek arrest warrant for opposition leader

Lee Jae-myung, chair of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, enters the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office for questioning, Feb. 10. YonhapProsecutors sought an arrest warrant for opposition leader Lee Jae-myung on Thursday over development corruption and bribery allegations arising from his time as mayor of Seongnam, south of Seoul.It marked the first time ever in Korea that the prosecution has sought an arrest warrant for the head of the country's largest opposition party. Lee's main opposition Democratic Party of Korea has denounced the investigation as political oppression.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office filed for the warrant to arrest Lee on breach of duty, conflict of interest, third-party bribery and other charges surrounding development projects in Seongnam's Daejang-dong and Wirye districts and the city's 's municipal football club.Lee, mayor of Seongnam from 2010-2018, was charged with breach of trust for allegedly causing 489.5 billion won ($381.6 million) of financial damage to the city government by approving the removal of a profit-sharing

Feb 16, 2023
Prosecutors seek arrest warrant for opposition leader
  • DPK expresses outrage over arrest warrant request for party leader

Yoon says will freeze public utility fees in first half of year

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during the 13th emergency economic and public livelihood meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, Feb. 15. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol said Wednesday the government plans to freeze railroad, postal and other public utility fees in the first half of the year to help ease people's economic burdens.Yoon announced the plan during an emergency economic and public livelihood meeting held amid a public outcry over soaring heating bills, high interest rates and rising inflation.Yoon also called on the communications and financial industries to take part in sharing the people's economic burden by actively taking steps to contain prices."We will handle public utility fees managed by the central government, such as road, railroad and postal fees, under the principle of a freeze during the first half of the year as much as possible," Yoon said, asking regional governments to also work to stabilize local public utility fees."We will control the scope and speed of increases in electricity, gas and other energy fees to minimize people's burdens, and provide more

Feb 15, 2023
Yoon says will freeze public utility fees in first half of year
  • Seoul postpones subway, bus fare hikes to second half of year

Ruling party divided over naming President Yoon 'honorary party chairman'

The National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul / Korea Times photo by Hong In-keeBy Nam Hyun-wooMixed opinions have been raised within the ruling People Power Party (PPP) over a scenario of appointing President Yoon Suk Yeol as “honorary party chairman” for unity between the government and the party. The PPP's pro-Yoon faction showed positive responses to the scenario, saying the president's pledges are the same as the party's official promises to the public. But those outside of the faction are criticizing it for making the party “a liaison office of the presidential office.”During a PPP forum at the Assembly, Wednesday, Rep. Lee Chul-gyu, who is described as one of the three closest lawmakers to Yoon, told reporters that appointing Yoon as honorary chairman is “possible.”“I don't know who floated this idea first, but it is a possible scenario,” Lee said. “During the presidential election, Yoon made election pledges, which are the same as the party's official promises.”The scenario came up after TV Chosun reported that debates are

Feb 15, 2023By Nam Hyun-woo
Ruling party divided over naming President Yoon 'honorary party chairman'

First lady's fan club to file complaint against 'shooting at Yoon' event organizer

First lady Kim Keon Hee / YonhapA fan club for first lady Kim Keon Hee and a conservative civic group said Wednesday they plan to file a complaint against a liberal civic group accused of organizing a game, in which contestants shot toy arrows at photos of President Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim and Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, during a recent anti-Yoon rally in Seoul.The two organs said the complaint will be submitted to the Seoul Seocho Police Station against the liberal civic group on charges of defamation and violation of a child abuse prevention law.They argued that the arrow shooting event severely damaged the honor of the president and the first lady, and emotionally abused elementary school students by leading them to participate in the game.Photos captured from Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun's Facebook page show a game, in which contestants shot toy arrows at photos of President Yoon Suk Yeol, first lady Kim Keon Hee and Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, during an anti-Yoon rally in Seoul, Feb. 11. YonhapThe liberal civic group, whose Korean name is translated as the national committee for indep

Feb 15, 2023
First lady's fan club to file complaint against 'shooting at Yoon' event organizer

Jeju governor demands ruling party expel Rep. Tae over uprising remarks

Rep. Tae Yong-ho of the ruling People Power Party rests his chin in his hand during a meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. NewsisDefector-turned-lawmaker claims North Korea's founder was behind April 3 incidentBy Jung Min-hoJeju Governor Oh Young-hun demanded, Wednesday, that the ruling party expel a North Korean defector-turned-lawmaker over remarks that the April 3 uprising on the southern island was triggered by the instructions of North Korea's late founder, Kim Il-sung.Tae Yong-ho, a candidate member of the People Power Party's (PPP) next Supreme Council and former North Korean deputy ambassador to Britain before his defection to South Korea in 2016, has caused a stir by apologizing to the victims during his visit to the island, Sunday, as he used to work for the regime.The governor accused Tae of exploiting the tragedy to shore up the conservative base ahead of the March 8 party conference and demanded that he retract his statement and issue an apology.“We Jeju residents have spent the last 70 years in misery due to the allegations that the Jeju uprising

Feb 15, 2023By Jung Min-ho
Jeju governor demands ruling party expel Rep. Tae over uprising remarks

Defector-turned-lawmaker referred to ethics committee over remarks on Jeju uprising

Rep. Tae Yong-ho kneels in front of a memorial stone dedicated to the victims of the Jeju April 3 incident, Feb. 2. Screencapture from Tae's FacebookThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Wednesday referred North Korean defector-turned-lawmaker Tae Yong-ho of the ruling party to the parliamentary ethics committee for making distorting remarks about a civilian uprising on Jeju Island in the late 1940s. Tae has come under criticism after he said earlier this week that the Jeju uprising was obviously triggered by the instruction of North Korea's late founder Kim Il-sung during his visit to the southern resort island as part of his ongoing campaign to become a member of the People Power Party's (PPP) Supreme Council.The uprising, widely known as the Jeju April 3 incident, took place on April 3, 1948, when Jeju islanders began protesting against U.S. military-led rule following Korea's liberation from Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule. The then government distorted the uprising as a communist riot and massacred up to an estimated 30,000 civilians in armed crackdowns over the

Feb 15, 2023
Defector-turned-lawmaker referred to ethics committee over remarks on Jeju uprising

Yoon says will freeze public utility fees in first half of year

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during the 13th emergency economic and public livelihood meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, Feb. 15. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk Yeol said Wednesday the government plans to freeze railroad, postal and other public utility fees in the first half of the year to help ease people's economic burdens.Yoon announced the plan during an emergency economic and public livelihood meeting held amid a public outcry over soaring heating bills, high interest rates and rising inflation.Yoon also called on the communications and financial industries to take part in sharing the people's economic burden by actively taking steps to contain prices."We will handle public utility fees managed by the central government, such as road, railroad and postal fees, under the principle of a freeze during the first half of the year as much as possible," Yoon said, asking regional governments to also work to stabilize local public utility fees."We will control the scope and speed of increases in electricity, gas and other energy fees to minimize people's burdens, and provide more

Feb 15, 2023
Yoon says will freeze public utility fees in first half of year
  • Seoul postpones subway, bus fare hikes to second half of year

INTERVIEW Seoul's integration into Quad will benefit all parties: Center for a New American Security

Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, center, talks during a press conference with Japanese Vice Minister Mori Takeo, left, and South Korea's First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyundong, right, at the State Department in Washington, D.C., on February 13, 2023. AFP-YonhapThis is the last in a series of interviews with security experts at leading think tanks in Washington and former U.S. officials on the implications of the escalating arms race in Northeast Asia and South Korea's growing nuclear ambitions. ― ED.Speculation of NK's 7th nuclear test seems to be based on circumstantial evidence By Kim Yoo-chulA few months after U.S. President Joe Biden outlined the specifics of his signature U.S.-Indo Pacific strategy, South Korea also released its own version of an Indo Pacific-focused regional strategy late last year.Such policy initiatives illustrate the fact that South Korea has greatly shifted its political intent on the country's regional strategy to favoring “strategic clarity” from “strategic ambiguity,” which had been sought by former Presi

Feb 15, 2023By Kim Yoo-chul
[INTERVIEW] Seoul's integration into Quad will benefit all parties: Center for a New American Security

Rival parties agree to endorse gov't plan to launch veterans affairs ministry, body for consular services

Officials of the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea pose for a photo ahead of a joint meeting held at the National Assembly in western Seoul, Feb. 14. YonhapThe rival parties agreed Tuesday to endorse a government reorganization plan under which the veterans affairs agency will be elevated to the ministry level and a separate body for consular services will be newly established.Officials of the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea made the joint announcement after reaching an agreement to pass the plan through the National Assembly later this month. The plan calls for upgrading the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, which currently holds administrative status as a sub-ministry-level government body, into an independent ministry. The promotion will empower the veterans affairs minister, who can now only sit in when the Cabinet convenes, to fully join the Cabinet's decision-making process. The plan also aims to set up a new sub-ministry-level agency handling consular affairs and services under the f

Feb 14, 2023
Rival parties agree to endorse gov't plan to launch veterans affairs ministry, body for consular services

Prosecution soon to decide on arrest warrant for opposition leader

Lee Jae-myung, center, head of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), leaves the National Assembly after a plenary session in Seoul, Feb. 13. YonhapProsecutors said Tuesday they will soon decide whether to seek a warrant to detain opposition leader Lee Jae-myung as part of their investigation into a high-profile development corruption scandal.Lee, the chair of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), has been probed for his alleged involvement in the case that centers on allegations that a small private asset management company and its affiliates were able to secure a lucrative development project in Daejang-dong in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, in 2015, and reap hefty profits.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office probing the case said there is no need to resummon Lee, who was already brought in for questioning twice.Prosecutors allege Lee directly or indirectly approved dubious arrangements between the private partners and his close aides when he served as the mayor of Seongnam. Lee is also suspected of having a hidden financial stake in the projec

Feb 14, 2023
Prosecution soon to decide on arrest warrant for opposition leader
previous page
444445446447448
next page

Most Read in South Korea