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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.

Yoon set to speak with Japan's Kishida amid N. Korea missile launches

Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pose for a photo prior to their talks in New York as they meet on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Sept. 21. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol is set to speak by phone with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday following a series of North Korean missile tests that included a launch over Japan.The plan for a phone call was announced Wednesday, a day after North Korea fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile that flew over Japan before crashing into the Pacific Ocean.The launch was the biggest provocation by North Korea in years and sent the Japanese people scrambling to evacuate while suspending train operations in some areas.On Thursday morning, North Korea fired two more short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea in its sixth launch in under two weeks.Yoon and Kishida are expected to coordinate the two countries' response to the North's provocations and discuss ways to strengthen trilateral cooperation with the United States.The two held their first one-on-one talks on the s

Oct 6, 2022
Yoon set to speak with Japan's Kishida amid N. Korea missile launches

Presidential office accused of underreporting relocation costs

The new presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul / Korea Times fileBy Nam Hyun-wooThe opposition bloc's fact-finding team has alleged that the presidential office has underreported the costs of its relocation in May after President Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration. Lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) have stated that the total cost of the relocation surpassed 1 trillion won ($703.9 billion) and that the office has underreported costs by dividing up the total expenses into budgets allocated to related ministries and municipalities. The presidential office and the government denied the allegation, saying that the office is sticking to its initial budget of 49.6 billion won pledged in March 20. According to Seoul Metropolitan Government data submitted to DPK Rep. Han Byung-do, Wednesday, the Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters was allocated 1.15 billion won as a reserve budget, which it used on June 17 to relocate a firefighting department from Cheong Wa Dae, the former presidential office and residence in central Seoul's Jongno District, t

Oct 5, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Presidential office accused of underreporting relocation costs

Cartoon ignites debate over freedom of expression

This combined image shows the award-winning cartoon by a high schooler satirizing President Yoon Suk-yeol, left and a satirical cartoon published in 2019 by British daily The Sun, satirizing Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Screenshot from InternetCulture ministry warning of punitive measures compared to past artist blacklistBy Lee Hae-rinA prizewinning cartoon drawn by a high schooler satirizing President Yoon Suk-yeol has ignited a debate over freedom of expression in the National Assembly Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee's annual audit, Wednesday. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) locked horns over the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's reaction to the controversy. The cartoon, titled “Yoonsukyeolcha,” which is a portmanteau of the president's name and the Korean word for “train,” won first prize in the high school category of a cartoon and webtoon contest organized by the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency. The piece features a train similar to Thomas the Tank Engine but with Yoon's face on it,

Oct 5, 2022By Lee Hae-rin
Cartoon ignites debate over freedom of expression

DPK denounces failed missile launch as 'security vacuum' in Yoon administration

This photo, provided by Lee Sang-hyun, shows a fire after Korea's Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile crashed during joint drills conducted by Korea and the United States, Oct. 4. YonhapThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lashed out at the military Wednesday over a failed missile launch conducted in response to North Korea's intermediate-range ballistic missile firing, saying the failure illustrates what it calls a "security vacuum" in the Yoon Suk-yeol government.In tit-for-tat saber-rattling, South Korea's military fired a Hyunmoo-2C short-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Tuesday night, but the missile flew erratically right after takeoff and ended up crashing on its own base in the east coast city of Gangneung.The crash sparked a fire to the missile's fuel, but its warhead did not explode and no one was hurt. Still, residents in the area spent the night concerned due to the bright flashes and strong roar from the crash.The DPK denounced the incident as a "security vacuum" and warned the military against attempting to cover it up."It's a complete operation fai

Oct 5, 2022
DPK denounces failed missile launch as 'security vacuum' in Yoon administration

Opposition DPK voices concerns over gov't plan to replace gender ministry with lower-level agency

The logo of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family in the government complex. YonhapThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Wednesday expressed concerns over the government's plan to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and establish a lower-level agency handling related policies under the Ministry of Health and Welfare.The plan, recently drawn up by the government and the ruling People Power Party (PPP), was one of President Yoon Suk-yeol's most controversial campaign pledges, with high support from young male voters and fierce objections from the opposition bloc and feminist groups. Degrading the status of gender minister to the head of an agency equivalent to a vice minister means an exclusion from Cabinet meetings, which could lead to a weakening of negotiating power in discussions on policies related to sex crimes, DPK spokesperson Oh Yeong-hwan said after the interior ministry briefed the DPK of the plan. "Crimes against women, such as the recent stalking murder incident at Sindang Station, and other major social issues are repeatedly happening,

Oct 5, 2022
Opposition DPK voices concerns over gov't plan to replace gender ministry with lower-level agency

Parties trade barbs in Assembly audit over first lady's alleged plagiarism

The National Assembly Education Committee holds a parliamentary audit of the education ministry at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapBy Lee Hae-rinThe ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) clashed at the National Assembly Education Committee's annual audit, Tuesday, over allegations that first lady Kim Keon-hee committed academic plagiarism despite the absences of key witnesses. At the beginning of the session, the DPK lawmakers said that eight out of 10 of the key witnesses requested to appear ― including Kookmin University President Yim Hong-jae and Sookmyung Women's University President Chang Yun-keum ― did not show up for the parliamentary audit citing last-minute “overseas business trips.” The PPP lawmakers, on the other hand, criticized their DPK counterparts for unilaterally pushing ahead with the requests for the witnesses to appear without their consent.The first lady has been mired in allegations that she plagiarized some of her academic papers and Ph.D. dissertation while attending Kookmin Universit

Oct 4, 2022By Lee Hae-rin
Parties trade barbs in Assembly audit over first lady's alleged plagiarism

Rival parties clash over slain South Korean official, presidential office relocation

Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup answers questions during a National Assembly audit of his ministry at the Ministry of National Defense headquarters in Yongsan District, Seoul, Tuesday.National Assembly's three-week audit beginsBy Kang Seung-wooIssues related to the relocation of the presidential office and the killing of a South Korean fisheries official by North Korea dominated the first day of the National Assembly's audit of the defense ministry, Tuesday. The government inspection came as the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) has asked former President Moon Jae-in to answer questions in writing in connection with the official's death near the western sea border in September 2020, while the main opposition has found faults with President Yoon Suk-yeol's decision to move the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae south to the compound of the Ministry of National Defense.The Assembly launched the three-week audit of the government and state agencies earlier in the day, the first such parliamentary audit taking place during the Yoon administration.“Political suppression by the g

Oct 4, 2022By Kang Seung-woo
Rival parties clash over slain South Korean official, presidential office relocation

Parliament adopts confirmation hearing report for health minister nominee

Health Minister nominee Cho Kyoo-hong speaks at a parliamentary confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Sept. 27. YonhapThe National Assembly on Tuesday adopted a confirmation hearing report on Health Minister nominee Cho Kyoo-hong after two previous nominees withdrew their nominations over allegations of various irregularities. The parliamentary committee on health and welfare unanimously approved Cho's nomination following last week's hearing, saying he is qualified to lead the Ministry of Health and Welfare considering his policy vision and motivation. Cho, an economic technocrat who previously served in key positions in the finance ministry, has worked as the first vice health minister and the health ministry's acting chief since May.The parliamentary committee also said it considered that the health minister position stayed vacant for more than 130 days since the start of President Yoon Suk-yeol's administration.Yoon's two previous nominees ― Chung Ho-young and Kim Seung-hee ― withdrew over various corruption allegations. Chung, the former chief of

Oct 4, 2022
Parliament adopts confirmation hearing report for health minister nominee

Ruling party presses Moon to comply with probe over 2020 death of fisheries official

The ruling People Power Party floor leader Joo Ho-young speaks at a party meeting at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Oct. 4. YonhapThe ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday urged former President Moon Jae-in to comply with an investigation by the state auditor into the death of a South Korean fisheries official killed by North Korea near the western sea border in 2020.The Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) has asked Moon to answer questions in writing in connection with the case, but Moon rejected the request as "very disrespectful," according to Rep. Youn Kun-young of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP).The BAI launched the probe into the Moon administration's handling of the case on June 17, a day after the Coast Guard said it has not found any circumstances suggesting the fisheries official was attempting to defect, backing away from its previous assumption.Last month, the family of the slain official also said it plans to file a complaint against Moon."All citizens of the Republic of Korea are equal before law," PPP floor leader Joo Ho-young said during a pa

Oct 4, 2022
  • Yoon declines to comment on Moon's objection to audit of slain fisheries official case

Yoon declines to comment on Moon's objection to audit of slain fisheries official case

President Yoon Suk-yeol answers reporters' questions while arriving for work at the presidential office in Seoul, Oct. 4. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol said Tuesday it was "inappropriate" for him to comment on reports that his predecessor Moon Jae-in objected to the state auditor's questioning of him over North Korea's 2020 slaying of a South Korean fisheries official.Yoon was responding to reports that Moon balked at a written questionnaire sent by the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) to seek clarification on the circumstances that led to the official's death and the then government's conclusion that he had tried to defect to the North.According to the reports, Moon blasted the BAI's action as "an incredibly disrespectful thing to do.""The Board of Audit and Inspection is an institution set up under the Constitution and an institution that is operated independently from the presidential office, so I think it's inappropriate for a president to say anything about that," Yoon told reporters when asked to comment on Moon's alleged response.When asked to comment on the notion that no

Oct 4, 2022
Yoon declines to comment on Moon's objection to audit of slain fisheries official case
  • Moon says audit office's attempt to question him is 'very rude'
  • Ruling party presses Moon to comply with probe over 2020 death of fisheries official
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