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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.

PM arrives in Ghana to discuss bilateral ties, World Expo bid

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, left, and Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi shake hands during their meeting at the presidential office in Maputo, Mozambique in this photo provided by Han's office, Nov. 30. YonhapPrime Minister Han Duck-soo has arrived in Ghana to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations and promote Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in the southeastern port city of Busan, Han's office said Friday.Han's three-day visit marks the first high-level trip by a Korean official to Ghana. It is the final leg of his three-nation swing that has also taken him to France and Mozambique.The prime minister is expected to meet with Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo and examine ways to expand bilateral relations between the two countries in line with the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic ties, according to his office.Han will request Ghana's support for Seoul's World Expo bid, and discuss international and regional issues with the president. Ghana is a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in 2022-2023.The prime minister is also scheduled to meet wit

Dec 2, 2022
PM arrives in Ghana to discuss bilateral ties, World Expo bid

Special parliamentary committee meets with families of Itaewon tragedy victims

Bereaved family members of Itaewon victims participte at a parliamentary meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. YonhapA special committee on parliamentary investigation into the Itaewon crowd crush met with some of the families of the victims Thursday and vowed to uncover the truth of the disaster and seek accountability of those responsible.The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) members of the committee held their first meeting with the bereaved families of Itaewon victims at the National Assembly in western Seoul at their request.The members of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) did not attend the meeting amid their strife with the opposition party over the submission of a dismissal motion against Interior Minister Lee Sang-min.Lee has faced criticism that his ministry bungled emergency response to the tragedy that killed at least 158 Halloween party goers in Seoul's Itaewon district on the night of Oct. 29.DP Rep. Woo Sang-ho, who heads the committee, slammed the PPP members for their absence, saying they should meet the families of the victims regardless of thei

Dec 1, 2022
Special parliamentary committee meets with families of Itaewon tragedy victims

Ex-President Moon voices deep concern over probe into slain fisheries official

A photo of former President Moon Jae-in / Korea Times fileFormer President Moon Jae-in on Thursday expressed deep concern over the prosecution's ongoing investigation into the 2020 death of a South Korean fisheries official at the hands of North Korea, saying that a "matter of national security" should not be a "subject of political strife." "I express deep concern over making a matter of national security a subject of political strife and these senseless acts that incapacitate the national security system and stomp on the pride of public servants who have devoted themselves to protecting national security for a long time," Moon said in a statement read by Rep. Youn Kun-young of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Moon said his administration reached a conclusion that the official was killed while attempting to defect to the North, based on all the intelligence and circumstantial evidence it could get at the time.It is the first time that Moon has publicly expressed his official stance on the probe since the incumbent government overturned in June the preceding Moon govern

Dec 1, 2022
Ex-President Moon voices deep concern over probe into slain fisheries official

Fears grow over Korean government shutdown

Ruling People Power Party floor leader Joo Ho-young, left, and main opposition Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Park Hong-keun each enter the office of National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo in Seoul, Thursday. YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooFears are growing over a shutdown of the Korean government's key functions next year, as the national budget bill for 2023 was still adrift, Thursday, a day before its deadline amid continued partisan gridlock. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which holds the majority in the National Assembly, is flexing its muscles to pass its own budget plan containing the key pledges of DPK Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) is desperately resisting this move, saying that it is prepared to embrace a provisional budget limiting the government's spending to the minimum level, which would curtail government functions as in a U.S. federal government shutdown.The floor leaders of the PPP and the DPK had a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo on the day to discuss the national budget, but failed to iron out

Dec 1, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Fears grow over Korean government shutdown

Top court overturns compensation suit over 2009 strike by SsangYong Motor unionists

This Aug. 2009 file photo shows unionized SsangYong workers going on strike. Korea Times fileThe Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that excessive use of force by police to break up a strike could be illegal, ending a decadelong compensation suit over a violent strike by SsangYong Motor workers more than a decade ago.Unionized SsangYong workers went on strike in May 2009 in protest of the management's restructuring plan and seized the assembly plant in the city of Pyeongtaek for 2 1/2 months. The 77-day strike ended when police commandos stormed in and broke it up.The state then filed the suit, demanding unionists to provide compensation for the damage they allegedly inflicted on a police helicopter and other assets during the clash.Lower courts partially sided with the state, with an appellate court ordering the union to pay 1.1 billion won ($834,000) in compensation. The court said the leadership of the union actually planned and executed the violence. On Wednesday, however, the nation's top court struck down the ruling and sent the case back to the Seoul High Court for a review.The cou

Nov 30, 2022
Top court overturns compensation suit over 2009 strike by SsangYong Motor unionists

Main opposition party seeks safety minister's dismissal over Itaewon tragedy

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Park Hong-keun announces the party's plan to table a motion demanding President Yoon Suk-yeol to dismiss Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min over the Itaewon crowd crush, during a press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday. YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) tabled a motion, Wednesday, demanding President Yoon Suk-yeol to dismiss Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, holding him accountable for the Itaewon crowd crush on Oct. 29, which killed 158 people enjoying Halloween festivities in the bustling entertainment district of Seoul.However, the presidential office has already signaled its intention to reject the opposition party's demand, saying that tabling such a motion means that the DPK is not following an agreement with rival parties to a National Assembly investigation into the government over the tragedy, and called on the DPK to pursue the probe alone.“The DPK will table a motion requesting President Yoon to dismiss Safety Mini

Nov 30, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Main opposition party seeks safety minister's dismissal over Itaewon tragedy

Main opposition set to table dismissal motion for interior minister over Itaewon tragedy

Interior Minister Lee Sang-min speaks at an emergency response meeting held at a government complex in central Seoul, Nov. 30. YonhapThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is set to table a motion Wednesday calling for the dismissal of Interior Minister Lee Sang-min to hold him accountable for the bungled emergency response to the deadly crowd crush in Seoul last month. The DPK will submit the motion to the National Assembly later in the day to pass it through the plenary session Friday, the party floor leader Park Hong-geun told reporters. The DPK has the power to pass the motion, as it holds 169 out of 299 parliamentary seats. If President Yoon Suk-yeol rejects the demand, the DPK will table a stronger impeachment motion against the interior minister next week, according to Park. Lee has been facing criticism that his ministry botched the response to the crowd surged that killed at least 158 Halloween partygoers in Seoul's Itaewon district on the night of Oct. 29. Park said the DPK is offering the president and the interior minister a "last chance" to solve the problem

Nov 30, 2022
Main opposition set to table dismissal motion for interior minister over Itaewon tragedy

Ruling party leader causes stir with social media post about Ghana chocolate

Head of the Korean football league of lawmakers Rep. Chung Jin-suk, right in red uniform, enters the Seoul World Cup Stadium with his Japanese counterpart Eto Seishiro before the match between the two countries marking the 20th year anniversary of 2002 FIFA World Cup is held, Saturday. YonhapBy Lee Hae-rinRep. Chung Jin-suk, the interim chief of the ruling conservative People Power Party (PPP), uploaded a photo of a broken Ghana chocolate bar made by Lotte Confectionery on social media on Monday, hours before the Korean national football team's match against the African nation.“Ghana… (We) will crush you like this tonight,” he wrote with a smile emoji.The lawmaker's post is seen as expressing his longing for Team Korea's victory in Monday's match. But his social media post created a stir. Rep. Chung Jin-suk of People Power Party uploaded a photo prior to the Korea national football team's match against Ghana during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Monday. A Ghana chocolate bar is broken into pieces. Screenshot from Rep. Chung Jin-suk's FacebookOnline commenters re

Nov 29, 2022By Lee Hae-rin
Ruling party leader causes stir with social media post about Ghana chocolate

President signs executive order to force striking truckers back to work

President Yoon Suk-yeol bangs the gavel to begin a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Tuesday. Yoon signed an executive order to force unionized truckers, who have been staging strikes since Nov. 24, to return to work. Courtesy of the presidential officeGov't move triggers backlash from labor unions, opposition partiesBy Nam Hyun-wooPresident Yoon Suk-yeol signed an executive order on Tuesday to get unionized truckers to return to work, just days after he voiced concerns that their strike would cause serious damage to the nation's logistics, construction and other industries.The decision, which came into effect immediately, drew a backlash from labor unions and opposition parties which claim that the ongoing negotiations between the government and the labor unions will be negatively affected.“The Cargo Truckers Solidarity (CTS) has staged strikes since Nov. 24,” Yoon said during a Cabinet meeting. “The transport of cement and steel has come to a halt, suspending construction and production across the country, and the country's ind

Nov 29, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
President signs executive order to force striking truckers back to work
  • Labor minister refuses to adopt basic wage system for truckers
  • Biz community urges truckers to stop strike, come to table for talks

Panel to rule on disclosure of presidential expenses

President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Kun-hee watch "Broker" at a movie theater in Seoul, June 12. Courtesy of presidential officeThe Administrative Appeals Commission is expected to decide Wednesday whether the presidential office should disclose information about President Yoon Suk-yeol's off-the-book funds as demanded by a civic group.The Korea Taxpayers Association filed a petition in early July, demanding the presidential secretariat reveal details of spending related to Yoon and first lady Kim Kun-hee watching a movie at a theater in Seoul on June 12.The group also demanded information on presidential special activity expenditures, which are not officially recorded, since his inauguration on May 10.The tribunal is scheduled to convene Wednesday to review the issue.In a recent response to the commission, the presidential office refused the demand, saying such a disclosure "can cause a great danger to the president's security," a presidential official said.The civic group said if the tribunal dismisses its request, it will file an administrative lawsuit against the president

Nov 29, 2022
Panel to rule on disclosure of presidential expenses
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