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New DPK leader meets with ruling party chief to discuss legislative cooperation

Ruling People Power Party floor leader Kweon Seong-dong, left, and main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Jae-myung speak during a meeting held at the National Assembly in western Seoul, Aug. 31. YonhapNewly elected leader Lee Jae-myung of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea paid a visit to the acting chief of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and discussed legislative cooperation to improve people's livelihoods.The meeting between Lee and PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong marked their first since Lee was elected the DP's new chairman in a national convention Sunday with an overwhelming 77.77 percent of the vote from party members.During the meeting, Kweon called for opposition support for efforts to carry out campaign pledges that both parties put forward during the presidential election earlier this year, in which Lee lost to President Yoon Suk-yeol by a thin margin.Lee proposed forming a joint committee to implement such campaign pledges.Cooperation from the DPK is key to passing any bills as the party holds 169 out of 299 parliamentary seats.Lee and Kw

Aug 31, 2022
New DPK leader meets with ruling party chief to discuss legislative cooperation

Yoon likely to move into new residence early next month

A man takes a photo of the new presidential residence in Hannam-dong, June, 16. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-keunPresident Yoon Suk-yeol is likely to move into the new presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul, early next month, several days later than initially planned, to allow for final preparation work, a source said Wednesday.Yoon had been expected to move into the new residence this week and begin commuting from there Thursday.But officials are still checking whether all the necessary systems are properly in place, including in the underground bunker that will be used as an ad hoc crisis management center, in meeting rooms and in the office space for the presidential security service, according to the ruling party source.Yoon's move-in date will likely be pushed back to around Sunday but could be postponed further to mid-September depending on circumstances, the source added.The new residence has been under renovation for months, as it was previously used as the foreign minister's official residence.Yoon relocated the presidential office and residence from the Cheong Wa Dae c

Aug 31, 2022
Yoon likely to move into new residence early next month

INTERVIEW 'Gangwon Province will represent latest technologies, not potatoes and mountains'

Gangwon Province Governor Kim Jin-tae speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the provincial government's headquarters in Chuncheon. Courtesy of Gangwon Provincial GovernmentGovernor Kim Jin-tae intent on attracting Samsung chip plant, international schools By Ko Dong-hwanCHUNCHEON, Gangwon Province ― Just like his surprising transformation from a conservative politician to the governor of Gangwon Province, Kim Jin-tae wants to change the mountainous eastern province, which has been a favored spot for vacationers, into an attractive destination for high-tech firms from around the world.One example reflecting such ambitions is the provincial government's decision on Aug. 24 to persuade Samsung Electronics to build a semiconductor factory in the province. Kim even hired Jeong Kwang-yeol, the former vice president of Samsung Electronics, as one of the two vice governors to assist him in his new term that began after he won in the local elections on June 1. In the Aug. 24 meeting at Gangwon Provincial Government's headquarters in Chuncheon, Kim discussed with the provincial ci

Aug 31, 2022By Ko Dong-hwan
[INTERVIEW] 'Gangwon Province will represent latest technologies, not potatoes and mountains'

Neighborhood of Yoon's new residence designated as military facility protection zone

The new presidential residence in Seoul. Korea Times fileThe new residence of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in Hannam-dong, Seoul, and the nearby area has been designated as a military facility protection zone for higher level of security, the defense ministry said Tuesday. Yoon plans to move into the new residence this week and begin commuting from there Thursday, according to sources. Until now, he has been commuting from his private residence in southern Seoul.To be in effect from Wednesday, the designation applies to parts of Hannam-dong, a high-end neighborhood in central Seoul resided by many top-tier politicians, diplomats and business tycoons."In order to protect the people's property rights, only the regions inside the (newly installed) fence will be designated as the military facility protection zone," the ministry said. Detailed information about the new military facility protection zone will be released on the state-run website at gwanbo.go.kr at 0 a.m. Wednesday, according to the ministry. The new facility, formerly used as the foreign minister's official residenc

Aug 30, 2022
Neighborhood of Yoon's new residence designated as military facility protection zone

Key suspect in Lee wife's credit card allegations attends arrest warrant hearing

A key suspect surnamed Bae in the allegations of corporate card misuse by the wife of incumbent opposition leader Lee Jae-myung arrives at a court in Suwon, south of Seoul, to attend her pretrial arrest warrant hearing, Aug. 30. YonhapA key suspect in the allegation that the wife of former ruling party presidential candidate and incumbent opposition leader Lee Jae-myung misused a provincial government's corporate credit cards years ago appeared at a court Tuesday to attend her pretrial arrest warrant hearing.The suspect, identified only by her surname Bae, entered the Suwon District Court in Suwon, 50 kilometers south of Seoul, around 10 a.m., accompanied by her lawyer.Bae, who worked for the Gyeonggi province government as a Grade 5 official from July 2018 to September 2021, when Lee served as governor, is suspected of serving as a protocol secretary for Lee's wife, Kim Hye-kyung, during the three-year-plus period.Bae is accused of purchasing food with the Gyeonggi government's corporate cards for personal use by Kim, getting prescription drugs for the governor's wife and delivering

Aug 30, 2022
Key suspect in Lee wife's credit card allegations attends arrest warrant hearing

Yoon meets with multicultural, single parent families

President Yoon Suk-yeol, center, meets with multicultural families at the Gurogu Family Center in western Seoul, Aug. 30. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol met with multicultural and single parent families Tuesday and pledged to increase the government's support for their education and welfare.Yoon held the meeting at the Gurogu Family Center in western Seoul, which has provided counseling, educational and child care services for multicultural families since its establishment in 2006, according to the presidential office. Around 40,000 people use the center annually.Yoon watched as mothers and young children read fairy tales and middle school students from China and Vietnam learned Korean."These children are truly precious assets that will lead the future of all the people of the world," he said afterward."It doesn't matter what their nationality is, and it's not important whether they obtained Korean citizenship or live here but have a foreign nationality, as they are all precious assets of Korea and the world," he added. "I am well aware that as our children grow, the state should bear

Aug 30, 2022
Yoon meets with multicultural, single parent families

Yoon seeks new opposition leader's support for public livelihood bills

Lee Jae-myung, left, the new chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, shakes hands with Lee Jin-bok, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, at the National Assembly in Seoul, Aug. 30. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol spoke by phone with the new leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Tuesday and congratulated him on his election while seeking bipartisan support for public livelihood-related bills, an aide said.The phone call with DPK Chairman Lee Jae-myung came two days after Lee's election in a national convention and as Lee Jin-bok, the senior presidential secretary for political affairs, delivered congratulatory orchids on Yoon's behalf, according to Kim Eun-hye, senior presidential secretary for public affairs."I congratulate you on your election. If there is anything I can do to help you carry out your responsibilities as party chairman, I will do so," Yoon was quoted as saying in the call."More than anything, as the economy is in a difficult state, I ask for bipartisan cooperation for legislation on public livelihood matters

Aug 30, 2022
Yoon seeks new opposition leader's support for public livelihood bills

DPK's new leader vows to end partisan politics

Rep. Lee Jae-myung, third from left, the newly elected chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), and former President Moon Jae-in, fourth from left, wave as DPK supporters (not seen in this photo) welcome Lee's courtesy visit to Moon's residence in Yangsan City, South Gyeongsang Province, Monday. Joint Press CorpsFormer President Moon voices worry about factional strife within party, calls for unityBy Kang Hyun-kyungRep. Lee Jae-myung of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) vowed to become a genuine successor of the liberal party by inheriting the legacy of the three liberal presidents, namely Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun and Moon Jae-in.“The new leadership will transform the DPK into a whole new party that is able and competent,” Lee said on Monday. “Under my leadership, the DPK will bid goodbye to old, partisan politics.” Later in the day, Lee paid a courtesy visit to the home of former President Moon Jae-in in South Gyeongsang Province. During their meeting, Moon expressed worries about the factional strife inside the DPK

Aug 30, 2022By Kang Hyun-kyung
DPK's new leader vows to end partisan politics

Yoon to begin commuting from new residence this week

This photo taken on Aug. 23 shows the new presidential residence in Seoul. Korea Times photo by Hong In-kiPresident Yoon Suk-yeol will begin commuting from the new presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul, on the first day of September, a ruling party source said Monday.The new residence has been under renovation for months, as it was previously used as the foreign minister's official residence. The source said Yoon will move into the new residence later this week and begin commuting from there Thursday.Yoon relocated the presidential office and residence from the Cheong Wa Dae compound as soon as he took office in May to keep a campaign promise.Until now, he has been commuting from his private residence in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)

Aug 29, 2022
Yoon to begin commuting from new residence this week

Yoon says presidential office must be dedicated, competent to serve people

President Yoon Suk-yeol answers questions from reporters on his way to the presidential office in Seoul, Monday. Joint Press CorpsPresident Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday that the presidential office must be dedicated and competent to better serve people amid speculation he may carry out a reshuffle of aides at his office to regain people's trust. "The presidential office should be the most dedicated and competent group to properly serve the people," Yoon replied when asked about a possible reshuffle of his office as he arrived for work. Yoon also said the presidential office's "commitment to the nation and the capacity to work must always be maintained at its highest level." Yoon's remarks came a day after a senior presidential official said the president could replace as many as 10 secretaries before the Chuseok fall harvest holiday that begins on Sept. 9. The senior official at the presidential office told Yonhap News Agency that about 10 secretaries "will be replaced before the Chuseok holiday next month." The potential reshuffle is expected to affect offices of civil and social agend

Aug 29, 2022
Yoon says presidential office must be dedicated, competent to serve people
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