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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.

Lee Jae-myung declares bid for DPK chairmanship

Rep. Lee Jae-myung of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea announces his bid to run for the party's chairmanship during a press conference at the National Assembly, Sunday. NewsisEx-presidential candidate pledges to create 'winning party'By Nam Hyun-wooRep. Lee Jae-myung of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) declared his bid for the party's chairmanship, Sunday, in what is widely viewed as a move to increase his clout within the party to secure his candidacy for the next presidential election.Although a comfortable win is anticipated for the former presidential candidate, Lee faces the tough task of resolving a fractional strife within the party between those who support him and lawmakers loyal to former President Moon Jae-in. “There has been no change in the fact that that I am responsible for the (DPK's) defeat in the last presidential election and local elections,” Lee said during a press conference at the National Assembly, Sunday. “When it comes to taking responsibility, I think I should resolve the problems, without dodging them,&rdqu

Jul 17, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Lee Jae-myung declares bid for DPK chairmanship

Nat'l Assembly speaker proposes constitutional revision for balanced power, unity

National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo delivers a congratulatory address marking Constitution Day during a parliamentary ceremony held at the National Assembly on Seoul's Yeouido, Sunday, in this pool photo. YonhapNational Assembly speaker Kim Jin-pyo on Sunday proposed pushing for a constitutional revision in an effort to disperse power heavily concentrated in the president and to promote national unity.Kim made the proposal in an address marking Constitution Day, reigniting the long-debated issue of constitutional revision just two months after President Yoon Suk-yeol began his single, five-year term."Our society has had numerous discussions for a constitutional revision. As there is broad public consensus, it is time to act," Kim said in an address to parliament on the 74th anniversary of Constitution Day.The speaker said South Korea needs "a bigger plate" to accommodate high expectations of the people and deal with emerging challenges, such as the low birthrate, aging society and inequality, and overcome the political divide."We have to push for the dispersion of power and coopera

Jul 17, 2022
Nat'l Assembly speaker proposes constitutional revision for balanced power, unity

Yoon vows to safeguard constitutional values on Constitution Day

President Yoon Suk-yeol delivers an opening speech for the 2022 Boryeong Mud Festival at Daecheon Beach on South Korea's western coast, Saturday, in this photo provided by his office. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol renewed his commitment to promote the constitutional values of free democracy, human rights and rule of law as South Korea commemorates Constitution Day on Sunday."The constitutional values of free democracy, human rights and rule of law are the foundation of national unity, and the process of realizing such values leads to the road for prosperity and development," Yoon wrote on his Facebook account."I will safeguard the spirit of the Constitution together with the great people," he said.Yoon recalled his visit to the southwestern city of Gwangju a year ago to look back on the spirit of the 1980 pro-democracy uprising, in which he said people fought to defend the constitutional values with their blood.In May, Yoon and some 100 lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party traveled to Gwangju to pay their respects to the victims of the democracy movement during a ceremony mar

Jul 17, 2022
Yoon vows to safeguard constitutional values on Constitution Day

President Yoon's approval rating continues to decline

President Yoon Suk-yeol takes reporters' questions from the presidential press corps as he arrives at his office in central Seoul, Friday. According to a recent survey, Yoon's approval rating has fallen to a new low of 33 percent, Thursday. YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yooPresident Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating is on a downward trajectory just two months after his inauguration with some saying the political novice has failed to lay out a clear vision for the country amid global recessionary risks. His approval rating declined sharply during the past few weeks, entering a "death cross," as negative feedback for the president outstripped his support rate. Yoon has continuously blamed the previous administration without providing a better alternative as well as facing accusations of nepotism regarding his questionable personnel appointments.According to a survey of 1,001 adults in Korea from July 11 to 13, co-conducted by Embrain Public, KSTAT Research, Korea Research and Hankook Research, only 33 percent answered Yoon is performing his duties well, while 53 percent said he was not. Those who su

Jul 16, 2022By Kwon Mee-yoo
President Yoon's approval rating continues to decline

2019 repatriation of North Korean fishermen not unusual: DP lawmaker

This photo, provided by the Ministry of Unification on July 12, shows a North Korean fisherman, who was captured near the eastern inter-Korean sea border, resisting as he is handed over to North Korean authorities in the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom in November 2019. YonhapA lawmaker of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) claimed Friday the previous administration's repatriation of two North Korean fishermen in 2019 is not an unusual case, citing a unification ministry report that shows there were dozens of similar cases since 2010. Rep. Yoon Kun-young made the case amid growing criticism that the previous administration of President Moon Jae-in sent the fishermen back to the North in what critics said was an effort to curry favor with Pyongyang, even though they expressed a desire to defect to South Korea.The Moon administration said they were sent back as they confessed to killing 16 fellow crew members.The DP lawmaker claimed the only difference of the 2019 case from other defections is that the fishermen attempted to defect with an ulterior motive to flee from No

Jul 15, 2022
2019 repatriation of North Korean fishermen not unusual: DP lawmaker

Yoon asks science minister to invest in source technologies

This photo, provided by the presidential office, shows President Yoon Suk-yeol, right, receiving a policy briefing from Science and ICT Minister Lee Jong-ho at the presidential office in Seoul, July 15. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol received a policy briefing from the science minister on Friday and asked him to focus RD investment in source technologies, his spokesperson said."President Yoon Suk-yeol asked the minister to focus RD investment in areas that cannot be covered by commercial investments by private businesses," Kang In-sun said during a press briefing."He also emphasized that the minister focus RD investment in future strategic technologies and source technologies with large technological repercussions," she said.The briefing by Science and ICT Minister Lee Jong-ho was held at the presidential office earlier in the day as part of the first set of policy reports by government ministries to Yoon following his inauguration in May.Yoon told Lee to build a specialized system for fostering top-class talent and a detailed action plan for opening a space economy era in the wake of

Jul 15, 2022
Yoon asks science minister to invest in source technologies

Ex-NIS chief banned from travelling abroad over probe into handling of North's killing of fisheries official

Former Directors of the National Intelligence Service Park Jie-won, right, and Suh Hoon / YonhapProsecutors banned former National Intelligence Service Director Park Jie-won from traveling overseas while putting Park's predecessor, Suh Hoon, on an entry alert list as part of investigations into the previous administration's handling of two incidents involving North Korea, officials said Friday.Prosecutors have been looking into allegations that Park and Suh mishandled the killing of a South Korean fisheries official by North Korea in September 2020 and the repatriation of two North Korean fishermen in November 2019, respectively.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said it banned Park from leaving the country for one month. Suh, who has been staying in the United States, was put on a list of people whose entry into the country is automatically notified to prosecutors immediately, officials said.Prosecutors are trying to question them on their roles in the two incidents. (Yonhap)

Jul 15, 2022
Ex-NIS chief banned from travelling abroad over probe into handling of North's killing of fisheries official

Interior ministry to launch police bureau next month to directly oversee police

Interior Minister Lee Sang-min explains a new police reform plan in Seoul, July 15, 2022. YonhapA new bureau overseeing key personnel and policy decisions for police will go into operation under the interior ministry next month, Minister Lee Sang-min said Friday, as his ministry seeks to tighten its grip over the law enforcement agency. The "police bureau" will come into being on Aug. 2 following the Cabinet's planned authorization of revisions of relevant enforcement ordinances, the minister said in a press conference, announcing a sweeping police reform plan. The plan came as police are set to take on more investigative roles from the prosecution under new laws aimed at reducing and ultimately abolishing the investigative powers of the prosecution, long accused of political meddling and abuse of power.But critics say the move could put the police under political influence.It marks the first time in 31 years for the interior ministry to exercise direct control of police since the law enforcement agency was spun off as an outside organization of the ministry in 1991 as part of effort

Jul 15, 2022
Interior ministry to launch police bureau next month to directly oversee police

Yoon to appoint ex-technocrat as economic adviser

This file photo shows Byeon Yang-kyoon, a former Roh Moo-hyun administration official, who was to be appointed as economic adviser to President Yoon Suk-yeol, July 15. Korea Times filePresident Yoon Suk-yeol will appoint Byeon Yang-kyoon, a well-known former economic technocrat who served as budget and planning minister, as an outside economic adviser Friday, his office said.Byeon, 72, served as chief policymaker in the presidential office of former President Roh Moo-hyun from 2006 to 2007 after spending decades working at the finance ministry and serving as budget and planning minister from 2005-06."Many people recommended him," Yoon told reporters as he arrived for work.Byeon is "someone who has long advocated a policy fit for the industrial structure of the fourth industrial revolution from a perspective of innovation and supply," he said.Doorstepping with the president had been suspended this week due to a COVID-19 outbreak among the press corps. On Friday, it appeared to have resumed as normal, as no additional infections were reported for days. (Yonhap)

Jul 15, 2022
Yoon to appoint ex-technocrat as economic adviser

Main opposition party halts talks with ruling party over parliamentary committee formations

Ruling People Power Party floor leader and acting Chairman Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, left, and main opposition Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Park Hong-geun leave the National Assembly after their talks over parliamentary committee formations, Wednesday. Joint Press CorpsThe main opposition Democratic Party (DP) said Thursday that it suspended talks with the ruling People Power Party (PPP) over parliamentary committee formations that have left the National Assembly in limbo.Earlier this month, the rival parties voted to elect Rep. Kim Jin-pyo of the DP as new National Assembly speaker, but they have failed to narrow differences on how to form parliamentary committees.Rep. Lee Soo-jin of the DP said it suspended talks with the PPP over parliamentary committee formations, criticizing the ruling party for a "lack of sincerity."Kim's election came after the DP accepted a proposal from the PPP that it would cooperate for the election of the parliamentary speaker and vice speakers on condition the DP promises to select parliamentary committee chiefs based on agreement between the two

Jul 14, 2022
Main opposition party halts talks with ruling party over parliamentary committee formations
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