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INTERVIEW US midterms unlikely to lead to truce in Washington-Beijing chip war

Voice of US chip industry stresses S. Korea's role in US innovation By Kim Yoo-chulThe Biden administration may have braced itself for an unpleasant time on the first day of the U.S. midterm elections because the results threaten the Democrats' control of Congress.While who will control the Senate remain a toss-up, the Republicans will likely seize control of the House of Representatives, the outcome, viewed as an “inflection point,” will determine how effective the U.S. president's ambitious legislative agenda will be during his second term in office. Internationally, he's led a coalition of like-minded countries helping the United States continue its crackdown campaign on China's technology industry.Political analysts expect President Biden will have to rely more heavily on executive orders and shift to target areas ― such as foreign affairs and environmental regulations ― where he can be better positioned to act independently of Congress. The outcome of the 2022 midterm elections will come early next week, according to them.SIA President and CEO John NeufferNevertheles

Nov 10, 2022By Kim Yoo-chul
[INTERVIEW] US midterms unlikely to lead to truce in Washington-Beijing chip war

Unification minister says law banning sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets unconstitutional

Unification Minister Kwon Young-se / YonhapThe law banning the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea is unconstitutional and restricts the freedom of expression and political activities, Unification Minister Kwon Young-se has said in an opinion submitted to the Constitutional Court.Kwon recently submitted the opinion for the court's constitutionality review of the so-called anti-North Korea leaflet prohibition law, initiated at the request of 27 civic groups, according to the Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea, which is also one of the petitioners.The revised Development of Inter-Korean Relations Act went into force in March last year to prohibit the launching of anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border, with violators subject to a maximum prison term of three years or a fine of 30 million won ($21,937).The legislation sparked criticism that it restricts freedom of expression. But the government at that time countered that it is necessary for the safety of people living in border regions because such leafleting could provoke the North to undertake bellic

Nov 10, 2022
Unification minister says law banning sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets unconstitutional

Yoon says people want scientific, compulsory probe into Itaewon tragedy

President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks to reporters as he arrives at the presidential office in Seoul, Nov. 10. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol said Thursday he believes the people want to see a "scientific" and "compulsory" investigation into the Itaewon crowd crush, effectively dismissing the opposition's push for a parliamentary probe.The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea and two minor parties jointly submitted a request for a parliamentary probe into the tragedy Wednesday. The request is expected to be handled during a plenary parliamentary session scheduled for later Thursday."Right now, the entire nation is hoping for a swift determination of the truth by investigative agencies based on a scientific investigation and a compulsory investigation," Yoon told reporters as he arrived for work, apparently drawing a contrast with the noncompulsory nature of a parliamentary probe."I think the people are hoping more for a determination of the truth first of all through a police investigation and then, after it is forwarded, a swift investigation by the prosecution," he said.A police inves

Nov 10, 2022
Yoon says people want scientific, compulsory probe into Itaewon tragedy

Yoon says Korea-US-Japan summit to take place in Southeast Asia

President Yoon Suk-yeol answers reporters' questions while arriving for work at the presidential office in Seoul, Nov. 10. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol said Thursday he will hold a trilateral summit with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of upcoming regional gatherings in Southeast Asia.Yoon made the remark to reporters a day before he leaves for Cambodia and Indonesia to attend summits involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Group of 20. (Yonhap)

Nov 10, 2022
Yoon says Korea-US-Japan summit to take place in Southeast Asia

Yoon cites national interests after banning MBC reporters from boarding Air Force One

Korean President, Yoon Suk-yeol, addresses the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City on Sept. 20. AFP-YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol said Thursday that important national interests are at stake during presidential overseas trips, after his office decided to ban local TV station MBC's reporters from boarding Air Force One to cover his upcoming trip to Southeast Asia.The presidential office informed MBC of the decision Wednesday, two days before Yoon departs for his tour of Cambodia and Indonesia, citing the broadcaster's repeated "distorted" coverage."The president goes on overseas trips using taxpayer money because important national interests are at stake," Yoon told reporters as he arrived for work Thursday. "We've been providing a service to help with coverage of foreign policy and security issues, and I'd like you to accept it in those terms."The presidential office did not specify which reports were distorted, but MBC has been at the center of controversy after it broadcast a video of Yoon walking out of an event in New York in Se

Nov 10, 2022
Yoon cites national interests after banning MBC reporters from boarding Air Force One

Moon expresses willingness to adopt dogs gifted by NK leader if gov't revises law

This photo provided by Cheong Wa Dae in September 2021 shows then President Moon Jae-in posing with seven puppies whelped three months earlier by one of the two indigenous North Korean Pungsan dogs that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gave Moon as a gift in 2018. YonhapFormer President Moon Jae-in said Wednesday he wishes to officially adopt, if possible, a pair of dogs gifted by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, one day after he returned them to the government citing legal grounds and a lack of support. "I initially wanted to adopt the pets in a way that endows me with clear ownership of them," Moon wrote on his Facebook page. Moon's side delivered the dogs to officials of the Presidential Archives at a university veterinary hospital in Daegu, about 300 kilometers south of Seoul, on Tuesday. The destination of the dogs remains undecided.The move drew criticism, largely from ruling political conservatives, that he was abandoning the companion animals that he had kept for about four years because of financial issues.The indigenous North Korean Pungsan-breed dogs, one male named Songkan

Nov 10, 2022
Moon expresses willingness to adopt dogs gifted by NK leader if gov't revises law

President seeks advice from religious leaders to help nation heal wounds from Itaewon tragedy

President Yoon Suk-yeol greets monks at Bongeun Temple in Seoul's southern district of Gangnam on Tuesday. Courtesy of presidential office By Lee Yeon-wooPresident Yoon Suk-yeol had a flurry of meetings with religious leaders as the nation grieves for the losses of lives in a crowd disaster in Itaewon on Oct. 29. Since last week, Yoon has been attending memorial services hosted by different religious groups and meeting various Protestant, Catholic, and Buddhist leaders.According to the presidential office, President Yoon visited Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul on Wednesday to meet Archbishop Chung Soon-taick and Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung. He visited Bongeun Temple in Seoul's Gangnam District the day before to meet with Buddhist leaders, and invited Christian leaders to the presidential office for lunch.“A lot of lives have been lost due to the tragedy, and not only the bereaved families but the entire nation are grieving and feeling pain from the losses. The president is

Nov 9, 2022By Lee Yeon-woo
President seeks advice from religious leaders to help nation heal wounds from Itaewon tragedy

DPK leader calls for Yoon's apology over aides' gaffe

Rep. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, speaks to a party Supreme Council meeting, Nov. 9. YonhapOpposition leader Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday called for President Yoon Suk-yeol to apologize after his aides came under fire over an inappropriate memo that opposition lawmakers claimed was seen as demeaning a parliamentary audit session on the Itaewon crowd crush.Kim Eun-hye, senior presidential secretary for press affairs, and Kang Seung-kyoo, senior presidential secretary for civil society, were asked to leave a parliamentary audit session Tuesday evening after press cameras caught a memo that read, "Hilarious," on Kang's notepad.Local media outlet Edaily reported that the memo was presumably written by Kim while main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Rep. Kang Deuk-gu was asking questions to presidential chief of staff Kim Dae-ki on the government's response over the Itaewon tragedy. It said Kim soon scribbled over the memo to hide it.The presidential aides apologized for the word, saying they were talking about a personal issue and not th

Nov 9, 2022
DPK leader calls for Yoon's apology over aides' gaffe

Opposition parties to submit request for parliamentary probe into Itaewon tragedy

Rep. Park Hong-keun, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), speaks during the party's Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Nov. 9. YonhapThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and two minor progressive parties will submit a joint request Wednesday for a parliamentary investigation into the Itaewon crowd crush, officials said.The DPK, the Justice Party and the Basic Income Party said they plan to submit the request to the National Assembly's Bills Division on Wednesday afternoon, with an aim to have the request reported at a parliamentary plenary session scheduled for Thursday.Once the request is reported at a plenary session, the National Assembly speaker can form a special committee in charge of a probe through discussions with party leaders. The committee is then required to come up with an investigation plan that should be approved at a plenary session.The three parties plan to approve the investigation plan on Nov. 24.Opposition parties have been pushing to launch the parliamentary investigation, accusing the government of m

Nov 9, 2022
Opposition parties to submit request for parliamentary probe into Itaewon tragedy

Yoon to visit Cambodia, Indonesia for ASEAN, G20 summits

President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, Nov. 7. Korea Times filePresident Yoon Suk-yeol will visit Cambodia and Indonesia starting later this week to attend a series of regional summits involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Group of 20, his office said Wednesday.Yoon will leave for Phnom Penh on Friday and attend a South Korea-ASEAN summit, an ASEAN Plus Three summit and the East Asia Summit during a three-day stay, national security adviser Kim Sung-han said during a press briefing.On Sunday, Yoon will depart for Bali and attend the G20 summit on Tuesday.He will leave Indonesia the same day and return home early Wednesday. (Yonhap)

Nov 9, 2022
Yoon to visit Cambodia, Indonesia for ASEAN, G20 summits
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