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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.

Yoon's office says Japan needs to seek S. Korea's approval on Korean Peninsula matters

Presidential office in Seoul / Korea Times file photoThe office of President Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday that Japan needs to consult closely with South Korea or win its approval on matters directly connected to security on the Korean Peninsula.The comment came amid concern in South Korea that by including "counterstrike capability" in its recently revised security documents, Japan could launch a counterattack in the event it comes under attack from North Korea."If it is a grave matter directly connected to security on the Korean Peninsula or our national interest, it is obvious that there need to be close consultations with us or our agreement in advance," a presidential official told reporters. (Yonhap)

Dec 19, 2022
Yoon's office says Japan needs to seek S. Korea's approval on Korean Peninsula matters

Yoon contemplates pardoning former governor

Former South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyoung-soo closes his eyes while answering questions from reporters at the provincial government office in Changwon, July 21, 2021. YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooPresident Yoon Suk-yeol has been mulling whether to include former South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyoung-soo in a list of people to be pardoned. The name of the jailed politician has emerged as a candidate for Yoon's year-end clemency list following media reports about the pardoning of another jailed politician, former President Lee Myung-bak. It has been a political custom that a sitting president seeks a balance in clemency, meaning if a conservative politician is to be pardoned, another politician from the liberal side should also be included on the list. This time, the president's choice is not as simple as it may look, because the former Gyeongsang Province governor, if pardoned, can play a role to unite the opposition. According to government officials, the Ministry of Justice will hold a committee meeting on Friday to screen those who will be subject to a special pardon tha

Dec 19, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Yoon contemplates pardoning former governor

State auditor investigates Moon gov't's alleged involvement in data rigging

Then senior presidential secretary for economic affairs Hong Jang-pyo speaks during a press conference about household income trends at Cheong Wa Dae in this 2018 file photo. Korea Times fileBy Lee Hae-rinThe Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) plans to investigate two more high-ranking officials of the previous Moon Jae-in administration to find out if they were involved in the rigging of major data.The two officials, former senior secretary on economic affairs Hong Jang-pyo and former secretary for job creation Hwang Deok-soon, were the key figures behind the Moon government's signature economic policy, the so-called income-led economic growth.Earlier, the state auditor investigated Moon administration officials ― former Statistics Korea heads Kang Shin-wook and Hwang Soo-kyung as well as some other officials ― on allegations that they were involved in the fabrication of data on income, employment and housing prices. In May 2018, Statistics Korea announced that the Moon government's income-led growth policy led to a decline in low-earning groups' income and widened the income gap b

Dec 19, 2022By Lee Hae-rin
State auditor investigates Moon gov't's alleged involvement in data rigging

Presidential gifts cause stir due to countries of origin

Select blue-collar workers in the country received year-end gifts from President Yoon Suk-yeol consisting of six different kinds of nuts. The products were all imported nuts instead of locally-grown ones. Screen captured from FacebookBy Ko Dong-hwanRep. Yoon Joon-byeong of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea revealed President Yoon Suk-yeol's gifts of imported nuts for Korean farmers and other members of the public. NewsisSome 2,200 blue-collar workers in Korea recently received special gifts from President Yoon Suk-yeol which, on the president's part, was meant as a gesture of encouragement for the end of the year. But instead of sharing that message, some of the recipients were left wondering why the gifts were imports instead of local products.The gifts consisted of six kinds of nuts in glass jars and packed inside a blue box with the logo of the presidential office on top. Enclosed in the box was a printed note by the president that said the country “will always be with you” and wished a Happy New Year to the recipients. The note had the president's hand-wri

Dec 19, 2022By Ko Dong-hwan
Presidential gifts cause stir due to countries of origin

Opposition parties push ahead with parliamentary probe into Itaewon tragedy

Rep. Woo Sang-ho, head of a special committee on the Itaewon crowd crush, bangs the gavel to start the committee's probe into the tragedy at the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 19, with seats for members from the ruling People Power Party vacant as the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 19, with seats for members from the ruling People Power Party vacant as they boycotted it. YonhapOpposition parties approved the schedule and list of witnesses for a parliamentary probe into the Itaewon crowd surge Monday as the ruling People Power Party boycotted the investigation in protest of what it claims is foul play.The main opposition Democratic Party and two minor parties ― the Justice Party and the Basic Income Party ― approved the investigation plan that includes two on-site probes, two rounds of reporting sessions by related institutions and three days of hearing.The ruling PPP stayed away from the special committee in charge of the probe, claiming that the opposition violated an agreement to deal first with the national budget before launching the parliamentary investigation in earnest

Dec 19, 2022
Opposition parties push ahead with parliamentary probe into Itaewon tragedy

State auditor to inspect presidential office relocation process

This file photo shows the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul. Korea Times fileThe state audit agency has decided to look into whether there were illegal acts, such as abuse of power, in the process of the government's decision to relocate the presidential office and residence, a civic group said Monday.The People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) said the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) has accepted parts of its requests for inspection into the presidential compound relocation process.President Yoon Suk-yeol has relocated both the presidential office and the presidential residence from the Cheong Wa Dae compound to the central Seoul district of Yongsan to fulfill his campaign pledge to connect better with the public.The PSPD asked the state auditor in October to investigate five suspicions related to the relocation process.At a deliberation meeting on the civic group's requests on Dec. 14, the BAI decided to look into two of the five suspicions ― alleged corruption and abuse of power in the decision-making process and alleged violation of the state contra

Dec 19, 2022
State auditor to inspect presidential office relocation process

Ruling party to elect new leader only by vote of party members

Ruling People Power Party leader Chung Jin-suk speaks at a press conference at the National Assembly on Dec. 19. YonhapThe ruling People Power Party (PPP) decided Monday to elect its new leader only by a vote of party members without including public opinion polls.The party decided to revise the current party rules that call for selecting the party's chairman based on a weight of 30 percent of public opinion poll results and 70 percent of ballots cast by party members.It also decided to hold a run-off vote if the winner fails to win a majority."The emergency committee reached a consensus that it would be in accordance with party democracy to allow party members, who share political views with the party leadership, to directly vote," PPP leader Chung Jin-suk said in a briefing.The revision is expected to go into effect in the party's national convention slated for early March when the incumbent interim leadership led by Chung expires.Chung said the change will prevent unnecessary confusion coming from public opinion polls and encourage candidates to do their best to win support from p

Dec 19, 2022
Ruling party to elect new leader only by vote of party members

ANALYSIS Has Yoon's approval rating bottomed out?

President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks at an interview with Reuters in Seoul, South Korea, November 28, 2022. Reuters-YonhapSouth Korean leader's approval rating seems to have stabilized, raising hopes for improved Seoul-Tokyo, Seoul-Beijing ties By Kim Yoo-chulIt's too early to determine if President Yoon Suk-yeol will benefit from a short-term boost in his job approval rating due to his dogged adherence to principles and the rule of law that has been credited to ending a crippling strike by unionized truck drivers.But for the first time since Yoon took office in May this year, it seems like his low approval ratings have stabilized, and probably even recovered. Yoon's approval rating stood at 36 percent as of last week, according to a Gallup Korea poll.From early August to late September, only 24 percent of respondents had approved of Yoon's leadership, and his approval rating did not rise above 29 percent until November. In contrast, Moon Jae-in, Yoon's predecessor, had a 45 percent approval rating when he left office.The latest numbers clearly represent a meaningful rebound for Yoon.Here'

Dec 19, 2022By Kim Yoo-chul
[ANALYSIS] Has Yoon's approval rating bottomed out?

Ukraine's Zelenskiy says peace message heard despite FIFA broadcast refusal

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks with U.S. President Joe Biden via phone, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine Dec. 11. Reuters-YonhapUkraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday the world still had heard his call for peace despite soccer governing body FIFA's decision to decline to allow a video message to be broadcast ahead of the soccer World Cup final in Qatar.Zelenskiy had asked for the video to be broadcast, including his call to hold a global peace conference to help resolve the war triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian soccer players and other officials had publicized the message, he said."Even though FIFA blocked this message from being aired at the stadium before the final game in Qatar, the world still heard our appeal," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address to Ukrainians.The World Cup, he said, was the essence of striving to win."But the competition is on the playing field and not on the battlefield. The worst that can happen is a red card ― and not the red button," he said, alluding to the possibility of a

Dec 19, 2022
Ukraine's Zelenskiy says peace message heard despite FIFA broadcast refusal

PM urges parties to promptly pass budget bill

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks during a press conference held at the government complex in Sejong city on Dec. 6. YonhapPrime Minister Han Duck-soo called Sunday for a prompt passing of the 2023 budget plan, saying the parliamentary standoff between the rival parties will only exacerbate a "grave" economic situation."It's extremely unfortunate that the first budget plan by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration hasn't passed long after the legal deadline," Han said at the start of a policy consultation meeting with representatives from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and government officials. The deadline for the bill had been set for Dec. 2."Major institutions are lowering growth forecast for next year," Han added. "Considering this grave situation, I expect ruling and opposition parties to work together to quickly pass the budget bill and help revitalize our economy and stabilize people's livelihood." (Yonhap)

Dec 18, 2022
PM urges parties to promptly pass budget bill
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