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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.

President's approval rating rises as he toughens stance on labor unions

President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a ceremony to mark the 59th Day of Trade at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul, Dec. 5. YonhapYoon to set 'laws and rules' as identity of presidencyBy Nam Hyun-wooPresident Yoon Suk-yeol's his job approval rating surpassed the 40 percent mark, in what appears to be a positive public sentiment on the government's “laws- and rules-based” hardline response against unionized truckers' strikes. Buoyed by the result, Yoon is anticipated to set “laws and rules” as one of the core philosophies of his presidential identity during a press conference which is expected to take place in the wake of the New Year, sources at the presidential office said.According to polling agency Opinion Research Justice, Thursday, the president's job approval rating stood at 41.5 percent in the poll surveyed 1,000 adults from Dec. 5 to 6. It is up 9.1 percentage points from the previous Nov. 21-22 survey by the pollster. The survey was requested by news outlet Dailian, and further details are available on the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission'

Dec 8, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
President's approval rating rises as he toughens stance on labor unions

DPK reports dismissal motion for interior minister over Itaewon tragedy

Interior Minister Lee Sang-min attends a plenary session at the National Assembly, Dec. 8. YonhapAn opposition-led motion calling for the dismissal of Interior Minister Lee Sang-min over the bungled government response to the Itaewon crowd crush was reported to the National Assembly on Thursday, paving the way for its passage this week."A dismissal motion for Cabinet member Lee Sang-min has been submitted," Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo said during the National Assembly's plenary session, requesting floor leaders of the ruling and main opposition parties to deliberate on the schedule for the remaining process.The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) introduced the dismissal motion last week but failed to take the next step of reporting it to a plenary session as Speaker Kim refused to call the National Assembly into a meeting while urging the rival parties to seek a compromise on the issue.On Wednesday, the DPK held a general meeting of lawmakers to determine the next course of action and decided to continue to push ahead with the dismissal motion first before pursuing the

Dec 8, 2022
DPK reports dismissal motion for interior minister over Itaewon tragedy

INTERVIEW Seoul still holds hope for NK denuclearization

Rep. Ko Min-jung, lawmaker with the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, answers questions in a recent interview with The Korea Times at her office in National Assembly, Yeouido, Seoul. Courtesy of Ko's officeBy Kim Yoo-chulNear the border between the two Koreas, North Korea has ramped up launches of its advanced missiles, including the extensive testing of intercontinental ballistic missile systems (ICBM) with the potential to carry nuclear warheads targeting the U.S. mainland.But on the opposite front, South Korea's government still isn't ruling out the possibility of providing substantial economic support to persuade its northern neighbor to drop these nuclear programs. Talks aimed at denuclearizing the North have stalled because negotiations collapsed at a summit in 2019, leading North Korea to focus more on advancing its nuclear development programs. Intelligence officials in Seoul and Washington expect North Korea will imminently conduct its seventh nuclear test which will be its first since 2017.Despite the North's unwillingness to accept President Yoon Suk-yeol's &ldquo

Dec 8, 2022By Kim Yoo-chul
[INTERVIEW] Seoul still holds hope for NK denuclearization

Police raid YouTube channel over attempt to enter justice minister's home

Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon / YonhapPolice investigating an alleged instance of attempted trespassing at the home of Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon by a group of YouTubers last month raided the channel's office on Wednesday.The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency sent investigators to the office of Citizen Press The Tamsa TV, a YouTube channel, in Namyangju, just east of Seoul, to secure documents and other materials in connection with its officials' attempt to enter Han's apartment in southern Seoul on Nov. 27 without an appointment or permission from the minister.But the YouTube channel initially refused to comply with the police raid, saying it cannot cooperate with any attempt to harm the freedom of the press.The actual raid came to pass following four hours of standoff after police opened the office door with force.Five officials of the channel are accused of unsuccessfully trying to open the door to Han's home while the minister's wife and child were in the apartment. Han has filed a complaint against the YouTubers on charges of trespassing and retaliatory crimes.Police are sai

Dec 7, 2022
Police raid YouTube channel over attempt to enter justice minister's home

Ahn Cheol-soo struggles to resuscitate weakening presence

Ruling People Power Party Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo sits in a hall at the National Assembly in Seoul, during the party's lawmakers' congress on Nov. 24. NewsisBy Nam Hyun-wooRep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) is struggling to resuscitate his political influence, as his presence in the party's chairmanship race remains at a disappointing level despite his reputation as a former presidential candidate who then merged his campaign with President Yoon Suk-yeol's.During a PPP forum in the National Assembly, Wednesday, Ahn told reporters that “it is time to worry about the (2024) general election.” When asked about his thoughts on opinions that a presidential hopeful should not run for the party's chairmanship, he said, “That is a very idle idea. It is an illogical claim aimed at eliminating rivals.”Ahn's comments came amid his faltering presence in the race for the PPP's chairmanship, which is anticipated to take place as early as late February next year.In a joint survey by Kookmin Research Group and Ace Research released on Wednesday, Ahn remains

Dec 7, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Ahn Cheol-soo struggles to resuscitate weakening presence

Presidential office sues former lawmaker for spreading rumors about fortune teller

The presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul / Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoonBy Nam Hyun-wooThe presidential office said Tuesday that it sued a former lawmaker from the minor opposition Justice Party on charges of spreading false claims that a fortune teller was involved in the relocation of the presidential residence.The presidential office filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against former Rep. Kim Jong-dae for his claims that the fortune teller, who calls himself Cheongong, accompanied Presidential Security Service (PSS) Chief Kim Yong-hyeon to explore the location of the presidential residence.“We could not let fake news undermine democracy through groundless allegations of shamanism,” a senior presidential official said. “The PSS chief has never met Cheongong, thus there is no reason for Kim to accompany Cheongong to visit the residence of the army chief of staff.”During an interview with broadcaster TBS on Monday, the former lawmaker claimed that he heard from a military official that the PSS chief and Che

Dec 6, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Presidential office sues former lawmaker for spreading rumors about fortune teller

Parliamentary subcommittee passes bills on scrapping 'Korean age'

A parliamentary subcommittee on Tuesday passed a set of bills requiring the use of the international age counting system in all judicial and administrative areas, rather than the unique "Korean age" counting system. YonhapA parliamentary subcommittee on Tuesday passed a set of bills requiring the use of the international age counting system in all judicial and administrative areas, rather than the unique "Korean age" counting system.The legislative subcommittee of the National Assembly's legislation and judiciary committee passed revisions to the Civil Act and the General Act on Public Administration, which would unify the country's multiple age systems to the internationally recognized system in which age is based on birth date.In Korea, three age systems are currently in use. The most commonly used system is the so-called Korean age, under which a person turns 1 on the day they are born and adds a year on the first day of the new year.The second system is the internationally recognized system, whereby a person's age is determined according to their birth date, while the third syste

Dec 6, 2022
Parliamentary subcommittee passes bills on scrapping 'Korean age'

Justice minister called upon to run in ruling party leadership contest

Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, right, makes a gesture of respect before the national flag during a Cabinet meeting at the Government Complex in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooJustice Minister Han Dong-hoon has been called upon to run in the competition to select the ruling People Power Party's (PPP) new leader, as he is described as President Yoon Suk-yeol's favorite Cabinet minister.PPP floor leader Joo Ho-young said in a forum on Monday, “Party members are concerned that there are no candidates who can lead the party's victory in the (2024) general election.” After mentioning current PPP chairman hopefuls ― Reps. Kim Gi-yeon, Yoon Sang-hyun and Cho Kyoung-tae, Joo went on to say that party members “are not satisfied with the current selection.”Joo also proposed three conditions required for the party chairman: someone who can bring the PPP's election victory in Seoul and surrounding Gyeonggi Province in the 2024 election, someone who is influential to the Millennial-Generation Z demographics and someone who can manage the transparent reco

Dec 6, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Justice minister called upon to run in ruling party leadership contest

Minister seeks 1 billion-won in damages against lawmaker over luxury party allegations

Rep. Kim Eui-kyeom of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea/ Korea Times fileJustice Minister Han Dong-hoon has launched a compensation suit against Rep. Kim Eui-kyeom of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, seeking 1 billion won ($763,000) for spreading groundless allegations about a late-night drinking party, legal sources said Tuesday.The suit was filed against Kim, reporters of YouTube channel Citizen Press The Tamsa TV, and an informant, whose identity has been withheld, with the Seoul Central District Court on Friday, the sources said.Rep. Kim alleged in a parliamentary inspection of the justice ministry in October that Han had the drinking party at a luxury bar in the posh district of Cheongdam-dong in southern Seoul on July 19 and 20 with President Yoon Suk-yeol and 30 lawyers from Kim ＆ Chang, the country's top law firm.Citizen Press The Tamsa TV, which is now under police investigation for tailing Han for nearly a month as the minister returned home from work, also raised the allegations.The allegations later proved groundless.The unidentified informant cl

Dec 6, 2022
Minister seeks 1 billion-won in damages against lawmaker over luxury party allegations

Ruling party lawmaker suggests lifting indoor mask mandate

Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the ruling People Power Party attends a parliamentary hearing for the parliamentary science, ICT, broadcasting and communications committee at the National Assembly, Oct. 17. YonhapA ranking lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) called Monday for the immediate launch of preparations to lift the indoor mask mandate, raising questions over its efficacy and saying most advanced nations have already done away with it.The remark by Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, a former PPP floor leader considered one of the PPP lawmakers closest to President Yoon Suk-yeol, marks the first time that a senior PPP member has called for lifting the requirement.His remark also came after the central city of Daejeon sent an official document to health authorities notifying them of its plan to take autonomous steps to lift the mask requirement for indoor places if the rule is not removed on nationwide."The Republic of Korea should immediately prepare for the lifting of the indoor mask mandate," Kweon said, noting how countries like the U.S., Britain and France have scrapped all mask

Dec 5, 2022
Ruling party lawmaker suggests lifting indoor mask mandate
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