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Yoon calls for details of 'audacious plan' for N. Korea

In this photo provided by South Korea Presidential Office, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, right, listens to Unification Ministry's policy briefing by Unification Minister Kwon Young-se at the presidential office in Seoul, Friday. AP-YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol instructed the unification ministry Friday to prepare the details of his “audacious plan” to revive North Korea's economy in the event it accepts denuclearization, a spokesperson said.Yoon outlined the plan in his inauguration speech on May 10, saying that if North Korea genuinely embarks on a process to complete denuclearization, South Korea will be prepared to present an “audacious plan” to vastly strengthen North Korea's economy and improve the quality of life for its people.On Friday, he called for details of the plan during a policy briefing by Unification Minister Kwon Young-se.“He said he hopes they will consult with relevant agencies and make thorough preparations regarding realistic measures for the audacious proposal, which will be offered to North Korea in the event it accepts a

Jul 22, 2022
Yoon calls for details of 'audacious plan' for N. Korea

Audit agency finds irregularities in land development scandal

Democratic Party Rep. Lee Jae-myung / YonhapThe state audit agency said Friday they found irregularities in a land development scandal that was launched in 2015 in the city of Seongnam, when Rep. Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party was the city's mayor.The scandal centered on allegations that the municipal government of Seongnam, just south of Seoul, gave special treatment to a private developer, which developed Seongnam's Baekhyeon-dong district into apartment complexes. Wrapping up its inspection, the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) concluded the private developer earned windfall profits because Seongnam city “intentionally” did not join the development project. In 2015, Seongnam city allowed the private firm to develop the land on the condition that the city's own developer should have joined the project, according to the BAI.Senior officials at Seongnam city "deliberately delayed the timing of participation in the project," and the city decided not to join the project in 2016, the BAI said. As the city did not join the project, the private developer could exclus

Jul 22, 2022
Audit agency finds irregularities in land development scandal

S. Korea, US to normalize joint military drills

Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup explains the details of the ministry's policy report to President Yoon Suk-yeol at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Friday. President asks defense ministry to increase soldier's salary to 2 million won By Kwon Mee-yooThe Ministry of National Defense has vowed to strengthen its ability to fend off North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, announcing its plan to normalize combined drills between South Korea and the United States later this year. During the ministry's policy briefing to President Yoon Suk-yeol, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup said South Korea will resume large-scale field training with the U.S., which have been canceled, delayed or downscaled since the North Korea―United States Singapore Summit in 2018."Normalization of the exercises and training will strengthen the combined defense posture of South Korea and the U.S.," the ministry said in a statement.The summer allied training, slated for Aug. 22 throug

Jul 22, 2022By Kwon Mee-yoo
S. Korea, US to normalize joint military drills

Rival parties reach agreement on parliamentary committee formation

Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, left, acting chair and floor leader of the People Power Party, Rep. Kim Jin-pyo, second from left, National Assembly Speaker, and Rep. Park Hong-keun, floor leader of the Democratic Party, talk at the National Assembly after reaching an agreement on parliamentary committee formation, July 22, YonhapThe ruling and main opposition parties reached agreement Friday on how to share parliamentary committee chairmanships, paving the way for the National Assembly to go into operation after 53 days of idling.Under the agreement, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) will take seven committees, including the judiciary, intelligence and public administration committees, while the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) will take 11 committees, including the national policy and science committees.One of the sticking points in committee formation talks was which party will take the chairmanships of the science and public administration committees. Under Friday's deal, the two sides agreed to alternately hold the chairmanships for one year each.Regarding the launch of a special

Jul 22, 2022
Rival parties reach agreement on parliamentary committee formation

Yoon urges workers at DSME subcontractors to end strike

President Yoon Suk-yeol answers reporters' questions as he enters the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Thursday. Joint Press CorpsBy Nam Hyun-wooPresident Yoon Suk-yeol ratcheted up pressure on striking subcontracted workers at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) to end their protracted walkout, days after he said his patience was wearing thin, urging them to return to work “for the sake of everyone.”“Ending the illegal action and getting back to normal is what the public wants, and that is also good for everyone,” Yoon told reporters, Thursday, when asked for his opinion on the strike. A day earlier, he said any illegalities in industrial relations “shouldn't be tolerated” and “the government and the public have already waited so long” for an end to the strike. Yoo Choi-an, vice head of a union of subcontracted workers of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), holds a banner as he stages a sit-in protest inside a metal structure at a dock in DSME's Okpo shipyard on Geoje Island in South Gyeo

Jul 21, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Yoon urges workers at DSME subcontractors to end strike

Don't let first lady outshine president, says Daegu mayor

President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife, first lady Kim Keon-hee during Yoon's first official overseas trip to Spain for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in this June 30 file photo / Korea Times fileGlitz and glamour of first lady, president's problematic inner circle do more harm than good: Mayor Hong Joon-pyoBy Kang Hyun-kyungDaegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo / Korea Times fileDaegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo has shared some advice in a Facebook post to help President Yoon Suk-yeol stay in control of state affairs amid Yoon being trapped in falling approval ratings. Hong singled out the first lady, the founder and president of her “fan club” and a group of Yoon's confidants who are called by the Korean acronym, “Yoon-haek-kwan,” or President Yoon's inner circle as three groups of people who are causing issues that need to be properly addressed before they develop into major problems besetting the Yoon administration. “Previously, there had been no first ladies who were at the center of the spotlight. There was no such thing as the glitz and glamour of the f

Jul 21, 2022By Kang Hyun-kyung
Don't let first lady outshine president, says Daegu mayor

PPP lawmaker claims Moon gov't falsely accused North Korean fishermen of killings

Rep. Han Ki-ho, who leads a PPP task force on national security incidents involving the previous administration, speaks during a task force meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, July 20. YonhapA lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) claimed Wednesday that the preceding Moon Jae-in administration falsely accused two North Korean fishermen of killing 16 fellow crew members before repatriating them in 2019.The alleged killings were the main reason behind the Moon administration's decision to send the North Koreans back to their homeland, where they could face harsh punishment, even though they had expressed a desire to defect to South Korea.Rep. Han Ki-ho, who leads a PPP task force on national security incidents involving the previous administration, claimed that the North Koreans had actually planned to help 16 people from five households in the North's northeastern city of Kimchaek flee to South Korea."The two were set to guide the 16 people to the South on a fishing vessel but fled when they realized they were being arrested," Han said during a task force meeting at t

Jul 20, 2022
PPP lawmaker claims Moon gov't falsely accused North Korean fishermen of killings

President's motives behind 'star Cabinet ministers' remark

President Yoon Suk-yeol answers reporters' questions as he enters his office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Wednesday. Joint Press CorpsYoon hopes eloquent Cabinet ministers can convince public with his policy visions: experts By Nam Hyun-wooPresident Yoon Suk-yeol has been stressing the importance of “star ministers” who are not shy of the media spotlight, in what appears to be an effort to give Cabinet members greater discretion and defy negative public sentiment on his administration.According to the presidential office, Yoon said during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that ministers should not feel pressure about media exposure, and he would not mind even if they outshine him.“I want ministers to be the stars of this administration,” Yoon was quoted as saying. He cited the case of late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee, who relied on star CEOs to run his tech empire, according to the office. On his way to work, Wednesday, Yoon reaffirmed his position about the role of a star player for a team. “Since I worked for the prosecution, I have been saying that i

Jul 20, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
President's motives behind 'star Cabinet ministers' remark

Justice ministry found no legal grounds before repatriation of North Korean fishermen in 2019

A North Korean fisherman, who was captured near the eastern inter-Korean sea border, resists as he is handed over to North Korean authorities in the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom in Nov., 2019. YonhapJust before South Korea repatriated two North Korean fishermen in 2019, the justice ministry reviewed its legality and found no legal grounds to send them back to North Korea, the ministry said Wednesday.The revelation is expected to further fuel criticism that the previous administration of President Moon Jae-in deported the North Koreans even though it knew there was no legal ground to do so after they expressed a desire to defect to South Korea.The Moon government said at the time that it decided to repatriate the North Koreans because they had admitted to killing 16 fellow crew members and their expression of a desire to defect to the South was deemed insincere. "Around noon on Nov. 7, 2019, the justice ministry was asked by Cheong Wa Dae to conduct a legality review in connection with the repatriation of the North Korean fishermen," the ministry said of the then presidenti

Jul 20, 2022
Justice ministry found no legal grounds before repatriation of North Korean fishermen in 2019

Ruling party leader apologizes for inappropriate remarks about hired officer

Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, the floor leader and acting chairman of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), speaks during a meeting with PPP lawmakers at the National Assembly, Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap By Lee Yeon-wooRep. Kweon Seong-dong, the floor leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), who is concurrently serving as acting leader of the party after Chairman Lee Jun-seok was suspended for six months for allegedly receiving sexual services as bribery for political favors, offered an apology for his inappropriate remarks about an administrative officer hired at the presidential office.“I offer my apologies for my previous remarks about the hiring practices of the presidential office. I'm sorry if my words hurt any young job seekers,” Kweon said in his social media post uploaded on Wednesday. “It's entirely my fault that my words created a controversy. I should have explained properly what I meant by my words first.” His apology came days after his remarks about the h

Jul 20, 2022By Lee Yeon-woo
Ruling party leader apologizes for inappropriate remarks about hired officer
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