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DPK set on approving controversial 'bulletproof' party charter

Rep. Woo Sang-ho, the interim leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, speaks to the press at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday, following a decision at the party's national convention preparatory committee to amend a controversial party charter.The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) was set Wednesday to endorse a revision to its charter aimed at raising the bar for party membership suspension for those facing criminal charges amid criticism it is aimed at shielding former presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung.The party's national convention preparatory committee adopted the envisioned revision a day earlier to state that only those convicted in the first trial would have their party membership suspended. Under the current charter, party membership is suspended only if a member is indicted.The revision was widely seen as aimed at preventing Lee, who is expected to take over as leader in a national convention later this month, from getting his membership suspended even if he is indicted in corruption cases currently under investigation.Pro-Lee lawmakers argue that th

Aug 17, 2022
DPK set on approving controversial 'bulletproof' party charter

INTERVIEW Moon rallies int'l support for unification of two Koreas

Hyun Jin Preston Moon speaks during an interview with The Korea Times on Aug. 13 at Fairmont Ambassador hotel in Seoul. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulRev. Moon Sun-myung's third son puts forth 'Korean Dream' peace framework, says progress will be made in unification movement only when it is driven by the people By Kang Hyun-kyungNorth Korea found itself at the center of international attention in March 1994, when one of its officials threatened South Korea with inflammatory remarks during working-level talks to dissuade the North from its then-planned withdrawal from the Non-Proliferation Treaty. “Seoul is near here and if there is war, it will become a sea of fire,” that official was quoted as saying by South Korean media outlets. Since then, numerous diplomatic efforts have been launched, both at the bilateral and multilateral levels, to stop North Korea from moving forward with its nuclear ambitions and get it back to the negotiating table to solve the problem peacefully.There have been some noteworthy agreements, which were initially seen as diplomatic milestones

Aug 17, 2022By Kang Hyun-kyung
[INTERVIEW] Moon rallies int'l support for unification of two Koreas

Court to review injunction filed by former PPP chair against leadership switch

Lee Jun-seok, the suspended chief of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) /YonhapA Seoul court is set to hold a hearing Wednesday to review an injunction filed by the former chairman of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), Lee Jun-seok, against the party's leadership switch.The hearing comes a day after the PPP endorsed members of its emergency leadership committee, completing the leadership transition that removes then suspended party chief Lee Jun-seok from office. Five-time Rep. Joo Ho-young was named the committee's chief.Protesting the transition, Lee filed for the injunction with the Seoul Southern District Court against the PPP last week and Joo to stop what he called a "procedural error" with the leadership switch.The court could make a decision as early as later Wednesday. If the court rules in favor of Lee, the emergency leadership committee will be suspended and the party will be headed by an acting chief.Under the party charter, Lee lost his status as party chairman as the emergency leadership committee was established due to an emergency, which included the dissolution of

Aug 17, 2022
Court to review injunction filed by former PPP chair against leadership switch

Ruling party chief accuses president of verbal abuse

People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok speaks during an interview with CBS at the broadcaster's studio in Yangcheon District, Seoul, Monday. Joint Press CorpsBy Nam Hyun-wooRuling People Power Party (PPP) Chairman Lee Jun-seok has been launching an offensive against President Yoon Suk-yeol, posing a serious threat to the president, who is already suffering from dismal approval ratings, as he reaches his 100th day as the country's chief executive.During a radio interview with broadcaster CBS on Monday, Lee said he would give President Yoon a 25 out of a scale of 100 for his managerial skills with regard to state affairs, saying that Yoon and his key associates in the party have been attempting to attack him. Lee said that Yoon would refer to him using a swear word, in a press conference on Saturday. “(The way Yoon referred to me) served as a sort of instruction ordering his key associates to attack me,” Lee said during the radio interview. “When people heard this (the way he referred to me), they thought that the president does not like Lee Jun-seok, so we can crit

Aug 16, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Ruling party chief accuses president of verbal abuse

DPK warns Yoon's Liberation Day speech will give 'wrong signal' to Japan

Rep. Park Hong-keun, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, speaks at a party meeting at the National Assembly, Aug. 16. YonhapThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) rapped President Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday for pledging to swiftly improve relations with Japan in his Liberation Day speech a day earlier, saying the address failed to touch on thorny issues, like wartime sexual slavery and forced labor.In Monday's address marking the end of Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea, Yoon called Tokyo a "partner" in tackling common threats and pledged to swiftly improve relations with the neighboring nation, but he did not mention historical rows."Turning a blind eye to outstanding issues, such as compensation for forced labor victims, and the comfort women issue, the address churned out the vague rhetoric of future-oriented Korea-Japan relations," Rep. Park Hong-keun, DPK floor leader, told a party meeting.Such a unilateral push to improve relations could give a wrong signal to Japan, he said.In the address, Yoon vowed to improve the frayed relations be

Aug 16, 2022
DPK warns Yoon's Liberation Day speech will give 'wrong signal' to Japan

Gov't to supply 2.7 million homes in next 5 years

The Hyundai apartment complex in Apgujeong, Seoul / YonhapKorea will supply 2.7 million new homes in the next five years by easing regulations for redevelopment and reconstruction and allowing the private sector to join downtown development projects, the transport ministry said Tuesday.The home supply plan is the first of its kind since President Yoon Suk-yeol took office on May 10.The government will provide 1.58 million homes in Seoul and metropolitan areas and 1.12 million houses in other provinces from 2023-2027 to stabilize the real estate market, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement. Of the planned homes, 520,000 homes will be provided through redevelopment, reconstruction and government-led development projects in cities; 880,000 public homes will be available in metropolitan areas; and 1.3 million homes will be offered through private-sector development programs, it said.The ministry said it will gradually announce designated sites for the new homes from October and release a set of measures to facilitate reconstruction of decades-old apartme

Aug 16, 2022
Gov't to supply 2.7 million homes in next 5 years

Yoon says he plans 'changes' to better serve people

President Yoon Suk-yeol / YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol said Tuesday he is thinking of bringing unspecified "changes" to better serve the people amid speculation he could shake up the presidential office to turn his approval ratings around.Yoon has been widely expected to carry out a shake-up around the 100-day mark of his taking office as his administration's image is badly in need of a makeover following weeks of unusually low approval ratings for the president.The ratings have slipped to under 30 percent, with pollsters largely attributing the decline to Yoon's personnel choices at the presidential office and in his Cabinet."I think any change ultimately has got to be about change for the sake of properly taking care of people's livelihood issues and thoroughly taking care of people's safety, not about political gain or loss," Yoon told reporters as he arrived for work."Since taking office, I've been all over the place because of various issues, but there are things I came up with during my vacation period, and I plan to make changes in a meticulous and substantive manner to bring

Aug 16, 2022
Yoon says he plans 'changes' to better serve people

Lawmakers from Korea, Japan to visit Washington as part of State Department program

Vice speaker of the National Assembly Rep. Chung Jin-suk, center, Rep. Kim Han-jung of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, left, and DPK Rep. Yun Ho-jung pledge allegiance to the flag, Wednesday. YonhapLawmakers from Korea and Japan will visit Washington later this week as part of a U.S. State Department invitation program, where they are expected to discuss various pending issues, including strengthening trilateral cooperation, officials said Tuesday.The Korean participants are National Assembly Vice Speaker Chung Jin-suk, Reps. Kim Seok-ki and Kim Jung-jae from the ruling People Power Party, and Reps. Kim Han-jung and Lee Jae-jung from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, according to officials. They are scheduled to depart for the U.S. on Saturday for a weeklong visit.About three to five Japanese lawmakers are also expected to attend the program."Lawmakers from Korea, the U.S. and Japan plan to meet and discuss restoring the traditional trilateral ties and other issues," Chung said, adding the trip will also include visits to the White House and major intellig

Aug 16, 2022
Lawmakers from Korea, Japan to visit Washington as part of State Department program

PM urges new disaster response system to cope with climate change

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo presides over a Cabinet meeting at the government complex in Sejong, Tuesday. YonhapPrime Minister Han Duck-soo on Tuesday called for a new disaster response system to cope with climate change, as the heaviest rainfall in decades battered Seoul and its surrounding areas last week. "Due to climate change, unprecedented disasters have frequently occurred," Han told a Cabinet meeting, emphasizing the need to come up with a new response system to deal with natural disasters caused by climate change. "In line with environmental changes, safety management standards must be drastically strengthened and boldly reorganized to effectively prepare for major disasters in the future," Han said. The heaviest rainfall in 80 years swamped Seoul and its surrounding areas earlier last week, killing 14 people, with six people still missing.Climate change has been cited as one of the key factors that caused the flooding, with a warming temperature more likely to cause the extreme weather. Han also instructed relevant authorities to fully mobilize equipment and manpower for a

Aug 16, 2022
PM urges new disaster response system to cope with climate change

Analysis Yoon faces uphill battle to regain public trust

President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Yongsan presidential office, Aug. 12. Aug. 17 will mark the 100th day since his inauguration. Joint Press CorpsExperts advise Yoon to listen to criticism, be flexible By Ko Dong-hwanTimes are tough for President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is set to mark his 100th day in office on Wednesday. His approval rating is lower than that of any of his predecessors. He was sworn in as president on May 10 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which entered its third year and dealt a blow to self-employed people, among other victims. The recent flood that ripped through Seoul and its adjacent regions has also created plenty of new challenges.His celebration of 100 days in the presidency also comes as his ties with the ruling People Power Party (PPP) have become strained, as the defiant young Chairman Lee Jun-seok, who was suspended from party affairs for six months, vowed to cling onto power, causing further damage to Yoon and his close aides.“His public endorsement of 'principles' and 'beliefs' as a former prosecutorial chief may have earned him pu

Aug 15, 2022By Ko Dong-hwan
[Analysis] Yoon faces uphill battle to regain public trust
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