my timesThe Korea Times
South Korea

Politics

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
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.

Ruling party to push for disaster law revision for tighter crowd control

Reps. Sung Il-jong, left, the chief policymaker of the ruling People Power Party, and Joo Ho-young, the PPP floor leader, attend a party response meeting at the National Assembly, Nov. 1. YonhapThe ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday pledged to push for a revision of the disaster and safety law, a day after President Yoon Suk-yeol called for a crowd control system for unorganized and spontaneous events in the wake of a deadly crowd crush in Seoul."We will push to revise the Framework Act on the Management Of Disasters And Safety to bolster safety management in events without organizers," Rep. Sung Il-jong, the PPP's chief policymaker, told a party response meeting.On Monday, Yoon instructed the government to come up with a crowd control system for unorganized events following the deaths of at least 155 partygoers, mostly in their 20s, who took part in Halloween festivities in Seoul's entertainment district of Itaewon on Saturday.The incident, the nation's worst disaster since the Sewol ferry disaster in 2014 that killed 304 people, has prompted critics to question lax safety r

Nov 1, 2022
Ruling party to push for disaster law revision for tighter crowd control

Yoon thanks foreign leaders, people for condolences over deadly crowd crush

President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, Nov. 1. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol thanked U.S. President Joe Biden and other foreign leaders Tuesday for their condolences over the Halloween crowd crush, saying the government will provide the same assistance to local and foreign victims of the tragedy.Yoon expressed his thanks during a Cabinet meeting held three days after the incident. At least 156 people, including 26 foreign nationals, were killed during the crowd surge in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon on Saturday."U.S. President Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida, Chinese President Xi Jinping and other foreign leaders sent their deep condolences," Yoon said. "On behalf of our people, I would like to deeply thank the foreign leaders and people for their warm consolation.""We will do our best to assist the foreign casualties in the same way as our own people," he added.The 26 foreign victims include five from Iran, four each from China and Russia, two from the United States, two from Japan, and one each from France, Au

Nov 1, 2022
Yoon thanks foreign leaders, people for condolences over deadly crowd crush

Yoon calls for crowd control system for spontaneous events

President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife, Kim Keon-hee, offer flowers at a joint memorial altar for the victims of a Halloween stampede in Seoul's Itaewon district at Seoul Plaza in front of Seoul City Hall, Oct. 31. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol instructed the government on Monday to come up with a crowd control system for unorganized and spontaneous events, following the deaths of at least 154 people in a Halloween crowd crush in Seoul.Yoon's instructions came during a weekly meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, which on Monday was joined by the interior and health ministers to discuss the government's overall response to the tragedy in Itaewon last Saturday."President Yoon said ahead of the discussions that he feels an indescribable sadness and responsibility as the president responsible for the people's lives and safety when he thinks of the victims and their families," deputy presidential spokesperson Lee Jae-myoung told reporters."In particular, he once again expressed his grief that so many young people at such a tender age were struck by tragedy before they even had a chance

Oct 31, 2022
Yoon calls for crowd control system for spontaneous events

Defector-turned-lawmaker tapped to lead parliamentary foreign affairs committee

Rep. Tae Yong-ho, a North Korean defector-turned-lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party / Korea Times fileRep. Tae Yong-ho, a North Korean defector-turned-lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), was appointed the PPP's leader at the parliamentary foreign affairs and unification committee Monday.Underlining the importance of bipartisan commitment in foreign affairs and security, Tae said he will closely cooperate with his counterpart from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea to run the committee smoothly."They often say there is no ruling and opposition party when it comes to foreign affairs and security. This is because they agree that parties can exist only when a country exists," Tae said. "I will communicate with the Democratic Party of Korea's committee leader Rep. Lee Jae-jung for the committee's smooth operations."Tae, who formerly served as a No. 2 diplomat at North Korea's Embassy in London, defected to South Korea in August 2016. In 2020, he was elected to the National Assembly as the main conservative opposition United Future Party's candidate in Seoul'

Oct 31, 2022
Defector-turned-lawmaker tapped to lead parliamentary foreign affairs committee

US Forces Korea expresses condolences over victims of deadly Itaewon stampede

Gen. Paul LaCamera / UPI-YonhapThe U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) on Sunday expressed condolences over a deadly stampede in Seoul's entertainment district of Itaewon that left at least 151 people dead and 82 others injured."The thoughts and prayers of the members of UNC/CFC/USFK are with all of the families impacted by last night's tragic event in Seoul," the USFK wrote on Facebook. "Our alliance is strong and part of that is because of the way the Itaewon community has opened its arms to us over the years."The UNC and CFC stand for the U.N. Command and the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command. U.S. Army Gen. Paul LaCamera heads the USFK, UNC and CFC. (Yonhap)

Oct 30, 2022
US Forces Korea expresses condolences over victims of deadly Itaewon stampede
  • Foreign heads of state pay condolences to Itaewon tragedy

Ruling, opposition parties to hold emergency meetings over Itaewon stampede

PPP chief Chung Jin-suk attends a meeting at the National Assembly, Oct. 30. YonhapThe ruling and opposition parties are set to hold emergency meetings on Sunday to discuss a deadly stampede at Seoul's Itaewon district that killed at least 149 people during Halloween celebrations. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) said it has canceled scheduled meetings and will instead convene a meeting at the National Assembly to discuss emergency response plans. "It is an unprecedented, massive safety accident," PPP chief Chung Jin-suk wrote on Facebook. "We need to closely look into the cause of the accident." The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said its leadership will gather for an emergency meeting to look into the cause of the deadly crush and come up with response plans. Rescue workers and firefighters try to help injured people near the scene in Seoul, Oct. 30. APDPK leader Lee Jae-myung said he was "shocked and devastated" and vowed to make efforts to handle the aftermath of the accident."We have to focus on promptly identifying victims and supporting their bereaved famil

Oct 30, 2022
Ruling, opposition parties to hold emergency meetings over Itaewon stampede

Yoon announces national mourning period over Itaewon stampede

President Yoon Suk-yeol addresses the nation on the deadly stampede in Itaewon from the presidential office in Seoul, Oct. 30. YonhapYoon addressed the nation live from the presidential office a day after a crowd surge in a narrow alley in Itaewon crushed scores of young revelers, many in their 20s."It's truly horrific," Yoon said, saying Saturday's "tragedy and disaster should never have happened.""As president, who is responsible for the people's lives and safety, my heart is heavy and I struggle to cope with my grief," he said. "The government will designate the period from today until the accident is brought under control as a period of national mourning and will place top priority in administrative affairs in recovery and follow-up measures."Prime Minister Han Duck-soo later told reporters that the mourning period would last from Sunday until Saturday at Yoon's instructions and that a mourning altar would be set up in downtown Seoul to allow people to pay tribute to the victims.Han spoke following a government response meeting presided over by Yoon, saying those injured and fami

Oct 30, 2022
Yoon announces national mourning period over Itaewon stampede
  • Finance minister vows swift necessary support after Itaewon tragedy
  • Seoul mayor to discuss designating entire capital as special disaster zone following stampede tragedy

Former Justice Party leader Lee Jeong-mi elected for 2nd term

Lee Jeong-mi gives her acceptance speech at the National Assembly in western Seoul after being elected as the new leader of the minor progressive Justice Party on Oct. 28. YonhapLee Jeong-mi, a former chief of the minor progressive Justice Party (JP), was elected Friday for a second term to lead a major reform of the party reeling from recent election routs. The former lawmaker and labor activist won 63.05 percent of the vote in the runoff, against former deputy party chair Kim Yun-ki's 36.95 percent, according to the party. The 56-year-old Lee previously served in the party's top job from 2017 to 2019. "I will devote all I have to preventing the Yoon Suk-yeol government's massive regression," Lee said in her acceptance speech.The JP, which prioritizes progressive agenda from labor rights to gender equality and social welfare, suffered a crushing defeat in June's local elections, failing to win any local administrative posts.The party adopted a resolution last month pledging a massive reform to win over voters, including renaming and recreating the party by 2023. (Yonhap)

Oct 28, 2022
Former Justice Party leader Lee Jeong-mi elected for 2nd term

Yoon names new deputy NIS director

This photo provided by the presidential office shows Kim Nam-woo, new National Intelligence Service deputy director for planning and coordination. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday named a former prosecutor as a deputy director of the National Intelligence Service, his office said, filling a vacancy created earlier this week by the resignation of one of his confidants.Kim Nam-woo, who has been working as a lawyer since leaving the prosecution in 2020, was appointed the new deputy director for planning and coordination, three days after Jo Sang-jun resigned over what the presidential office and the NIS said were health and other personal reasons.Jo's departure sparked a flurry of speculation as to why he quit because it came only four months after he took the job and a day before he was due to attend a parliamentary audit of the spy agency.Rumors had it that Jo had clashed with NIS Director Kim Kyou-hyun over personnel issues or that he may have been caught drunk driving or involved in an irregularity. (Yonhap)

Oct 28, 2022
Yoon names new deputy NIS director

Korea to invest W4.12 tril. in R&D for 12 strategic technologies in 2023

President Yoon Suk-yeol, center, chairs a government meeting at the presidential office in Seoul on Oct. 28. Yonhap Korea will funnel 4.12 trillion won ($2.9 billion) into research and development next year to promote 12 selected strategic technologies as part of the country's long-term future growth plan, the science ministry said Friday.The Ministry of Science and ICT said in a report released at a meeting with President Yoon Suk-yeol that it has picked 12 strategic technologies to focus its capacity and efforts on in order to maintain growth momentum in the influential and emerging sectors.The 12 technologies are semiconductors and displays, rechargeable batteries, advanced mobility, next generation nuclear power, advanced biology, aerospace and ocean engineering, hydrogen, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, next generation communications, advanced robotics and quantum technology.It said 4.12 trillion won has been set aside for the project next year, up from

Oct 28, 2022
Korea to invest W4.12 tril. in R&D for 12 strategic technologies in 2023
previous page
489490491492493
next page

Most Read in South Korea