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.

Forced cancellation of satirical works exhibition sparks debate on freedom of expression

Seen is a satirical artwork featuring President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee, which was removed by a National Assembly secretariat from the Members' Office Building lobby, Monday. Courtesy of the exhibition's organizing committeeBy Lee Hae-rinThe National Assembly secretariat's disapproval of an exhibition featuring satirical works about President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee at the National Assembly Members' Office Building has ignited a debate about freedom of expression.The planned exhibition, hosted jointly by the Seoul branch of the Federation of Artistic & Cultural Organization of Korea (FAC), a progressive artist group, as well as 10 main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmakers and two independent lawmakers, was scheduled to be held from Monday to Friday. Some 80 pieces by 30 artists were scheduled to be showcased. Among the featured art pieces was one where a shirtless Yoon brandishes a sword in front of his wife, towering over a cityscape. Another one was a parody of the 2022 Korean film “Decision to Leave,” dubbed as &ldq

Jan 10, 2023By Lee Hae-rin
Forced cancellation of satirical works exhibition sparks debate on freedom of expression

Police reinvestigate prostitution allegations against opposition leader's son

This December 2021 file photo shows then Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung bowing deeply in an apology over allegations involving his son. (Yonhap)Police have reopened an investigation into sex trafficking allegations against the eldest son of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung at the request of the prosecution, following their earlier decision to clear him of the charges, police officials said Tuesday.The reinvestigation into Lee's 31-year-old son, Dong-ho, has been under way at the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency in Suwon, 50 kilometers south of Seoul, though the same police agency acquitted him of the prostitution charges three months ago, the officials said.Last year, police conducted a 10-month-long investigation into suspicions that the younger Lee illegally gambled and bought sex services between early 2019 and late 2021. In October, police sent his alleged illegal gambling case to the prosecution but dropped the sex trafficking charges against him, citing lack of evidence.According to the officials, the prosecution has asked the Gyeonggi police agency

Jan 10, 2023
Police reinvestigate prostitution allegations against opposition leader's son
  • Opposition leader appears for questioning, brands investigation as fabrication

Opposition leader appears for questioning, brands investigation as fabrication

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung arrives at the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors Office located just south of Seoul, Jan. 10. YonhapOpposition leader Lee Jae-myung appeared at a prosecutors office for questioning over bribery allegations Tuesday, accusing the prosecution of fabricating charges against him.Lee, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), arrived at the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors Office located just south of Seoul at 10:20 a.m., surrounded by a large crowd of supporters, including DPK lawmakers.Police personnel were deployed to prevent a possible clash between supporters and detractors."There is no point in explaining the truth to the prosecution," Lee told reporters, claiming the prosecution has already decided to indict him. "There is no way to explain the prosecution's strange logic other than this is a fabricated and targeted investigation aimed at removing the political enemy.""After all, the truth will have to be determined in court," he said. "I will take this on with my head high, as I have never asked

Jan 10, 2023
Opposition leader appears for questioning, brands investigation as fabrication
  • Police reinvestigate prostitution allegations against opposition leader's son

Hankyoreh reporter fired for borrowing money from key figure in development scandal

Kim Man-bae, the owner of the asset management company Hwacheon Daeyu, is released from Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, 25 kilometers south of Seoul, in this Nov. 24, 2022 file photo. NewsisThe Hankyoreh newspaper has decided to dismiss a senior reporter for borrowing money from a key culprit in a high-profile development scandal.The newspaper said Tuesday it decided to fire the reporter during a personnel committee meeting the previous day for violating a duty of integrity and fairness required for journalists, as well as the company's ethics code and work rules to avoid conflicts of interests with news sources.The reporter, whose identity was withheld, had borrowed a total of 900 million won ($722,311) from Kim Man-bae, who is standing trial in connection with the apartment development project in the city of Seongnam, since 2019, according to the newspaper.The amount is 300 million won more than the 600 million won that the reporter earlier claimed to have borrowed.The company said it will expand its fact-finding mission on the case to include outside figures.Kim, the key culprit

Jan 10, 2023
Hankyoreh reporter fired for borrowing money from key figure in development scandal

Chief editor of Hankyoreh newspaper steps down as reporter borrowed money from key figure in development scandal

Kim Man-bae arrives at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office in Seoul on Jan. 9, 2023, for questioning over a corruption scandal in connection to a highly lucrative land development project. YonhapThe editor-in-chief of the Hankyoreh newspaper stepped down on Monday as one of its senior reporters was found to have borrowed money from a key culprit in a high-profile development scandal. The resignation of Ryu Yi-geun, the Hankyoreh's chief editor, came three days after the newspaper apologized for the money transaction between its journalist and Kim Man-bae, who is standing trial in connection with the apartment development project in the city of Seongnam. The Hankyoreh's chief executive, Kim Hyun-dae, said he will step down in early February, when the newspaper picks a successor, to take responsibility for the transaction. "The trust that Hankyoreh has most cherished is collapsing in an instant," the chief executive said in a statement sent to the newspaper's employees. The Hankyoreh said its senior reporter borrowed 600 million won from the key culprit in 2019 and has repaid

Jan 9, 2023
Chief editor of Hankyoreh newspaper steps down as reporter borrowed money from key figure in development scandal

3 officials given suspended prison terms on charges connected to Wolsong-1

Former Industry Minister Paik Un-gyu / NewsisThree industry ministry officials were given suspended prison terms Monday for deleting documents related to the Wolsong-1 nuclear reactor in order to obstruct a state audit into the ministry's undervaluing of the reactor's viability under the preceding administration's nuclear phase-out policy.The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy came under investigation after the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) concluded in 2020 that the ministry and state firms unreasonably undervalued the economic viability of the country's second-oldest nuclear reactor. Following the economic assessment, state-run nuclear energy agency Korea Hydro Nuclear Power (KHNP) decided to shut down Wolsong-1 in 2018, years earlier than scheduled, a result seen in line with the then Moon Jae-in government's broader energy policy to phase out the use of nuclear energy. The three ministry officials ― a 56-year-old bureau chief and two lower-level officials ― were accused of ordering the deletion of industry documents connected to the reactor or removing a pile of relevan

Jan 9, 2023
3 officials given suspended prison terms on charges connected to Wolsong-1

Opposition lawmakers slam National Assembly secretariat for removing artworks satirizing Yoon gov't

Main opposition and independent lawmakers, and officials from two art-related organizations that had prepared an exhibition showcasing political satirical artworks hold a press conference at the National Assembly, protesting against the Assembly secretariat's decision to remove the art, Jan. 9. YonhapA dozen opposition and independent lawmakers denounced the National Assembly secretariat Monday for removing artworks satirizing the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol from a planned exhibition at the Assembly.About 80 pieces of art, including one showing a naked President Yoon brandishing a sword with the first lady, Kim Keon Hee, had been scheduled to be unveiled in an exhibition set to open at the Members' Office Building at the National Assembly on Monday.But the secretariat removed the artworks from the exhibition place, citing regulations that the secretary-general can ban events that infringe upon the rights of other people, and violate public etiquette and social ethics.The 12 lawmakers who sponsored the exhibition ― 10 from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea and tw

Jan 9, 2023
Opposition lawmakers slam National Assembly secretariat for removing artworks satirizing Yoon gov't

Key figure in development scandal attempted to buy media companies: sources

Kim Man-bae arrives at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office in Seoul for questioning over a corruption scandal in connection to a highly lucrative land development project, Jan. 9. YonhapA key culprit in a high-profile development scandal attempted to acquire two media companies a few years ago, sources said Monday. Kim Man-bae, who is standing trial in connection with an apartment development project in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, tried to buy a private news agency in 2017 and 2018, when he was a reporter for Money Today, an online financial news service, they said.He proposed about 13 billion won ($10.46 million) for the acquisition, but the company demanded about 30 billion won, according to the sources.After failing to buy the news agency, he attempted to take over a newspaper specializing in legal issues in 2019 but also gave up due to differences on price, they said.The newspaper confirmed Kim's bid but said it occurred in mid-2021, not 2019. The news agency refused to comment. The sources said Kim also suggested the position of a senior executive in charge of legal

Jan 9, 2023
Key figure in development scandal attempted to buy media companies: sources

DPK submits penalty motion for PPP lawmaker over accusations related to NK drone infiltration

Rep. Oh Yeong-hwan, left, and Rep. Lee Soo-jin of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea submit a penalty motion against Rep. Shin Won-sik of the ruling People Power Party to the National Assembly in Seoul, Jan. 9. YonhapThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Monday submitted a motion calling for disciplinary action against a ruling party lawmaker for accusing a DPK lawmaker of connection to North Korea following the North's recent drone infiltration.Rep. Shin Won-sik of the PPP raised the allegations targeting Rep. Kim Byung-joo of the DPK, questioning how the DPK learned before the military that one of the five North Korean drones penetrated the no-fly zone around the presidential office in Seoul on Dec. 26.Kim, a former Army general, said he found out about the penetration by checking Google Maps, and any Seoul citizen can do that."Rep. Shin damaged the reputation of not only Rep. Kim but of the DPK," DPK spokesperson Lee Soo-jin told reporters after submitting the motion to the National Assembly.The DPK floor leader said the party will also consider taking

Jan 9, 2023
DPK submits penalty motion for PPP lawmaker over accusations related to NK drone infiltration

Yoon wavers on pledges for small government

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a New Year briefing by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism at Yeongbingwan guesthouse in Seoul's Jongno District, Jan. 5. Joint Press CorpsBy Nam Hyun-wooEven before he took office, President Yoon Suk Yeol had been pitching the idea of small government and underscoring that the role of government will be limited so as to empower the private sector to do its part. Tax cuts and deregulation have been proposed to meet Yoon's goal of small government. But it seems he has been doing the opposite since his inauguration last May. Yonhap News Agency reported on Monday that his office is mulling over the creation of a senior presidential secretary for education and culture, citing an official of the ruling bloc. The move came amid Yoon's drive to facilitate reforms in the fields of education, labor and pensions, which are all tasks of the office of the senior secretary for social policy, creating concerns over the office's workload. If established, the new senior secretary for education and culture will likely handle

Jan 9, 2023By Nam Hyun-woo
Yoon wavers on pledges for small government
previous page
459460461462463
next page

Most Read in South Korea