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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.

Diplomacy emerges as double-edged sword for S. Korean president

President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee disembark from the presidential jet at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Nov. 16, following a six-day trip to Southeast Asia. Courtesy of presidential office.Yoon's approval rating falls below 30% after overseas tripsBy Nam Hyun-wooPresident Yoon Suk-yeol has seen his job approval rating dive below the 30 percent mark again despite spending a week jam-packed with diplomacy, including trips to Southeast Asia for regional summits.Traditionally, public polls released right after a president's overseas trip show upticks in job approval ratings. But for Yoon, the opposite is happening again, due to controversies associated with him overshadowing diplomatic achievements, thereby negatively affecting his job approval. According to a survey by Gallup Korea released on Friday, Yoon's job approval rating stood at 29 percent in the third week of this month, down 1 percentage point from a week earlier. Negative responses reached 61 percent, down 1 percentage point during the same period.In the poll, which surveyed 1,007 adults from N

Nov 20, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Diplomacy emerges as double-edged sword for S. Korean president

Opposition leader's 'right-hand man' questioned over bribery charges

Jeong Jin-sang, a vice chief of staff to Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung, enters the Seoul Central District Court on Nov. 18. YonhapProsecutors on Sunday questioned one of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung's closest confidants who was arrested over bribery and other charges connected to a high-profile real estate development scandal.Jeong Jin-sang, a vice chief of staff to the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) chairman, was arrested the previous day for allegedly having received nearly 140 million won ($105,596) between 2013 and 2020 from real estate developers at the center of the development corruption scandal in return for business favors.Earlier in the day, Jeong was questioned at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office for the first time since his arrest, a move that suggests the investigation is closing in on Lee.Known as Lee's "right-hand man," Jeong had served as a senior policy secretary to Lee while he served as the Seongnam mayor and then the governor of Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul.Jeong is also known as one of Lee's two closest aides, along with Kim Yong

Nov 20, 2022
Opposition leader's 'right-hand man' questioned over bribery charges

Opposition leader's 'right-hand man' arrested over corruption scandal

Jeong Jin-sang, a vice chief of staff to Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung, enters the Seoul Central District Court on Nov. 18. Yonhap One of the main opposition leader's closest confidants was arrested Saturday on charges connected to a high-profile real estate development scandal, a move that suggests the investigation is closing in on Lee. The Seoul Central District Court granted an arrest warrant for Jeong Jin-sang, a vice chief of staff to Democratic Party (DP) Chairman Lee Jae-myung. Jeong is known as Lee's "right-hand man."Jeong is under suspicion of taking about 140 million won (US$104,000) between 2013 and 2020 from real estate developers at the center of the corruption scandal in exchange for business favors for the project pushed for in Seongnam, south of Seoul, when Lee was its mayor.Jeong accused the prosecution of fabricating charges against him, claiming the current prosecution's investigation is worse than those carried out when the past mili

Nov 19, 2022
Opposition leader's 'right-hand man' arrested over corruption scandal

President says MBC's 'malicious' reports hurt national interest

President Yoon Suk-yeol turns his head away from media microphones after speaking to reporters in the lobby of the presidential office in central Seoul, Friday. NewsisBroadcaster's reporting has been far from impartial, but president's response is immature: expertsBy Jung Min-hoPresident Yoon Suk-yeol defended his decision to bar MBC's reporters from boarding the presidential plane to cover his latest overseas trip, saying that the broadcaster “maliciously” attempted to damage national interests while reporting about his gaffe in New York in September.Speaking to journalists Friday, Yoon said the reason for his “inevitable” measure to exclude MBC employees from joining other reporters on Air Force One during his visit to Southeast Asia earlier this week was because of their “fake news,” not because of their criticism aimed at him.“You are free to criticize me. I'm open to criticism from the press and the public. Yet MBC tried to harm diplomatic relations, the linchpin of our security, with fake news and showed malicious intent,” Yoon sa

Nov 18, 2022By Jung Min-ho
President says MBC's 'malicious' reports hurt national interest

Rival parties quarrel over cash transfer to North Korea

Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Youn Kun-young speaks during an audit by the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee, Thursday. YonhapRuling party chief accuses former president of bribing Pyongyang to hold inter-Korean summitsBy Ko Dong-hwanRep. Youn Kun-young of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has denied allegations that the former Moon Jae-in government sent millions of dollars in bribes to North Korea to agree to hold inter-Korean summits in 2018 and 2019. Earlier, Rep. Chung Jin-suk of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) claimed that the two summits took place because Seoul bribed Pyongyang with cash multiple times and said the former South Korean president “must have known about it back then.” During Thursday's meeting with party leaders at the National Assembly, Rep. Chung cited an article published Wednesday by the local daily DongA Ilbo reporting that prosecutors accused Gyeonggi Provincial Government under Lee Jae-myung (who was governor between 2018 and 2021), Asia Pacific Exchange Association (APEA), a private organization based

Nov 18, 2022By Ko Dong-hwan
Rival parties quarrel over cash transfer to North Korea

Opposition parties name members of envisioned special committee for parliamentary probe into Halloween tragedy

People visit the Itaewon alley where the crowd crush disaster happened, Nov. 14. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulThe main opposition Democratic Party and two minor parties on Friday finalized a list of lawmakers to take part in an envisioned special committee to lead a parliamentary probe into the government's bungled response to the Itaewon crowd crush.The finalization of 11 special committee members underscores the opposition's commitment to forge ahead with a parliamentary investigation into the tragedy despite persistent objections from the ruling People Power Party.Last week, the DP, the Justice Party and the Basic Income Party submitted a joint request to form an 18-member special committee to look into whether measures by government agencies were appropriate and whether there were attempts to minimize or cover up the tragedy that killed at least 158 people in Seoul's entertainment district of Itaewon on Oct. 29. The PPP has strongly objected to the request, saying it could hamper ongoing police investigations into the case, but the opposition parties have been pushing ahead

Nov 18, 2022
Opposition parties name members of envisioned special committee for parliamentary probe into Halloween tragedy

Yoon says barring MBC reporters from presidential plane was 'unavoidable'

President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks to reporters as he arrives at the presidential office in Seoul, Nov. 18. Yonhap President Yoon Suk-yeol said Friday it was "unavoidable" that his office barred local TV station MBC's reporters from boarding the presidential plane to cover his Southeast Asia trip, given that the broadcaster had engaged in "malicious" reporting.MBC reporters took commercial flights to cover Yoon's tour of Cambodia and Indonesia earlier this week after they were informed by the presidential office, two days before his departure, they would not be allowed to board Air Force One due to their repeated "distorted" reporting.The measure was seen as a response to MBC's airing of Yoon's hot mic moment in New York in September, which the broadcaster subtitled to make it appear that he had used vulgar language to refer to U.S. President Joe Biden. The presidential office has denied there was any mention of Biden."You are free to criticize me. I am always open to t

Nov 18, 2022
Yoon says barring MBC reporters from presidential plane was 'unavoidable'

Yongsan Ward chief, senior police officer summoned over Itaewon crush probe

Yongsan Ward office chief Park Hee-young enters a special investigation team building in western Seoul, Nov. 18, to face questioning over the crowd crush in Seoul's Itaewon neighborhood. Yonhap Police brought in a Yongsan Ward chief for questioning on Friday as part of an investigation into the crowd crush in Seoul's Itaewon neighborhood.Yongsan Ward office chief Park Hee-young, who administers the Itaewon district, appeared before a special investigation team building in western Seoul as a suspect.Park has been booked on charges of professional negligence resulting in the deaths of at least 158 people, mostly those in 20s, on Oct. 29. She has also been banned from leaving the country.Asked about her charges upon arrival at the building, Park simply said, "I will faithfully undergo investigation."The team is investigating whether Park had sufficient disaster prevention planning for the Halloween crowds in advance and whether she was faithful to her duties to promptl

Nov 18, 2022
Yongsan Ward chief, senior police officer summoned over Itaewon crush probe

BTS Jin's 'The Astronaut' sells over 1 million copies

K-pop megastar BTS' Jin"The Astronaut," the solo debut single by K-pop group BTS' Jin, has sold over 1 million copies, the band's agency said Friday.Big Hit Music said, citing data from Circle Chart, the album has sold 1,024,382 copies since it was released Oct. 28.Jin's deeply sentimental voice accompanied by a calming sound of acoustic guitar and gradual build-up of synth sounds creates the mysterious and dreamy mood of the song.Co-written by British rock band Coldplay, the song debuted at No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.In South Korea, it rose to the top of the weekly albums charts of Hanteo Chart and Circle Chart.After wrapping up promotional activities for "The Astronaut," the 29-year-old vocalist is set to be the first BTS member to enlist in the mandatory military service. (Yonhap)

Nov 18, 2022
BTS Jin's 'The Astronaut' sells over 1 million copies
  • BTS' Jin to release photo book before joining military

DPK raps presidential security service for seeking to take command of dispatched military, police

President Yoon Suk-yeol's car being escorted by presidential security service vehicles, Nov. 8. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Thursday slammed the Presidential Security Service (PSS) for pushing to revise an enforcement decree that will allow it to command military and police officers dispatched for the protection of the president. Last week, the PSS put up a pre-legislation notice about the enforcement decree revision, saying it is aimed at minimizing security loopholes and improving the security system by legally clarifying the PSS chief's command authority over military and police officials dispatched to protect the president.The DPK, however, has criticized the move, saying it is an "unprecedented attempt" and "unconstitutional" in Korea's history. "The Yoon Suk-yeol administration is turning backwards the clock of Korea's democracy to 50 years ago," Rep. Lee Soo-jin, the DPK spokesperson, said. DPK Rep. Jeon Yong-gi also said the PSS is coveting the authority of the military and the police, a line that even the previous

Nov 17, 2022
DPK raps presidential security service for seeking to take command of dispatched military, police
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