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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.

Ex-lawmaker Na Kyung-won criticizes Yoon's male-dominated Cabinet

Former lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party Na Kyung-won speaks as a special envoy of Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol during a session of the World Economic Forum 2022 Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, May 26. Xinhua-YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yooNa Kyung-won, a former lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party, said President Yoon Suk-yeol should appoint more women to decision-making positions, criticizing his male-dominated cabinet. Na shared on social media her experiences leading a presidential delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF), also known as the Davos Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, from May 22 to 26. In her fourth post released Saturday, she talked about the prominent women she met in Davos and urged the Yoon administration to put more women in key positions."The Yoon administration was indifferent to criticism of its male-centric Cabinet and increased the proportion of women after a question from a Washington Post reporter. It's a good thing, but I hope the women (in the Yoon Cabinet) are not just there to fill a quota but to play a central role decision-making," Na wro

Jun 12, 2022By Kwon Mee-yoo
Ex-lawmaker Na Kyung-won criticizes Yoon's male-dominated Cabinet

Ex-spy agency chief's motives behind remarks on classified files questioned

Former National Intelligence Service chief Park Jie-won, right, and Kwon No-gab, an adviser to the Democratic Party of Korea, greet each other at Seoul National Cemetery in southern Seoul's Dongjak District, where a commemoration event for the third death anniversary of former first lady Lee Hee-ho was held, June 10. Yonhap Experts say it's either a self-serving political move or whistleblowing attempt to warn about NIS' illegal practicesBy Ko Dong-hwanThe country's former spy agency chief Park Jie-won has found himself at the center of controversy after he publicly disclosed the agency has been secretly compiling dossiers on politicians, entrepreneurs and journalists. Experts were divided over whether Park made the remarks as a political gambit for personal gain or in a whistleblowing effort to stop the agency from further unethical gathering of information.The liberal lawmaker, who became chief of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) in 2020 and stepped down last May, posted an apologetic statement on Facebook on Saturday regarding his controversial remarks on a CBS radio show a

Jun 12, 2022By Ko Dong-hwan
Ex-spy agency chief's motives behind remarks on classified files questioned

Ex-spy chief apologizes over remarks on NIS X-files

Former NIS Director Park Jie-won / Korea Times fileA former spy chief apologized Saturday for speaking publicly about an archive of secret "X-files" kept by the National Intelligence Service (NIS).Former NIS Director Park Jie-won, who left the agency last month, told a local radio station Friday that the files were created over the past 60 years from the governments of President Park Chung-hee to President Park Geun-hye and contained mostly unconfirmed rumors about politicians, entrepreneurs, journalists and others, including extra-marital affairs.He lamented that he was unable to legislate a special bill to destroy the files.The NIS called out Park in a press release Saturday, saying it was "inappropriate" for a former director to publicly speak about information he had obtained while in office, regardless of whether it was true or not.The agency also urged him to refrain from publicly speaking about the NIS again.Park posted an apology on social media, saying, "Regardless of the reason, if it is burdensome to the NIS of which I was a part and am proud of, and its employees. Then fr

Jun 12, 2022
Ex-spy chief apologizes over remarks on NIS X-files

PPP leads DP by widest margin in 6 years in approval rating poll

President Yoon Suk-yeol, center right, and his wife Kim Keon Hee, center left, attend a ceremony marking the country's Memorial Day at the Seoul National Cemetery in Seoul, June 6. AP-YonhapThe ruling People Power Party's approval rating outstripped that of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) by the largest margin in more than six years, a poll showed Friday.In the poll of 1,000 voters nationwide, conducted by Gallup Korea from Tuesday to Thursday, PPP garnered 45 percent of support and the DP drew 29 percent.The gap of 16 percentage points is the largest since the Saenuri Party, a predecessor of the PPP, led the DP by 18 percentage points in a Gallup poll conducted in the second week of April in 2016.Since the March presidential election, support ratings of the rival parties were neck-and-neck until the first week of May, but the gap began widening after President Yoon Suk-yeol took office on May 10.PPP's approval rating remained unchanged from last week when the local elections took place, while DP's rating fell by 3 percentage points from 32 percent. (Yonhap)

Jun 10, 2022
PPP leads DP by widest margin in 6 years in approval rating poll

S. Korea mulling unilateral sanctions on N. Korea if it tests nuke: FM

A North Korea flag flutters next to concertina wire at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in this file photo. Reuters-YonhapSouth Korea is considering imposing unilateral sanctions on North Korea if it conducts a new nuclear test, Seoul's top diplomat said Friday.Foreign Minister Park Jin made the remark two days ahead of his trip to Washington D.C., for talks with his U.S. counterpart, Antony Blinken, amid concerns over the possibility of the North's conducting its seventh nuclear test.“The new government has reviewed the matter of unilaterally imposing sanctions on North Korea and is discussing various detailed measures,” Park said during an interview with Yonhap News TV, when asked about the possibility of Seoul and Washington imposing unilateral sanctions on Pyongyang. The U.N. Security Council last month failed to adopt U.S.-proposed new sanctions in response to Pyongyang's ballistic missile tests due to vetoes by China and Russia, and skepticism lingers over additional measures at the U.N. level.The conservative Yoon Suk-yeol administration, which pl

Jun 10, 2022
S. Korea mulling unilateral sanctions on N. Korea if it tests nuke: FM

Ruling party's factional infighting deepens after election wins

President Yoon Suk-yeol shakes hands with ruling People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok during their luncheon at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Friday. YonhapPro-Yoon lawmakers seek to establish private organization By Nam Hyun-wooFactional infighting is deepening in the ruling People Power Party (PPP), as lawmakers close to President Yoon Suk-yeol are attempting to form their own group within the party, while questioning PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok's role in the string of electoral victories in recent months.The clash is interpreted as an internal power struggle, with pro-Yoon lawmakers seeking to enhance their influence in the party and take over its leadership, in order to claim the rights to recommend candidates for the 2024 general elections.PPP floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong said in a radio interview Friday he opposed the formation of a lawmakers' group that can be seen as a faction within the party. “There are official consultative bodies between the government and the party,” Kweon said. “We should refrain from forming a group that c

Jun 10, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Ruling party's factional infighting deepens after election wins

Police vow to deal sternly with illegal acts by anti-Moon demonstrators

Replica handcuffs are hung during a rally in front of former President Moon Jae-in's residence in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, in this June 8 photo. YonhapPolice said Friday they will guarantee rallies and demonstrations in front of former President Moon Jae-in's residence in the southeastern city of Yangsan but illegal activities will be dealt with sternly. The National Police Agency said in a statement that strict action will be taken in accordance with the law and principles against any illegal acts by anti-Moon demonstrators, such as noise exceeding the permissible level and infringements on the peaceful private lives of local residents.This is the first time the police have expressed an official position on the issue, as the Moon family has reportedly suffered from loud noises and abusive language from demonstrators since arriving at their new home in Pyeongsan Village, Yangsan, 420 kilometers southeast of Seoul, May 11, after his retirement. Pyeongsan is a small rural village with just 54 households.Moon and his wife, Kim Jung-sook, lodged a complaint against some demons

Jun 10, 2022
Police vow to deal sternly with illegal acts by anti-Moon demonstrators

The People's Government Office most favored as name for new presidential office

The presidential office in Seoul's Yongsan District is seen from Yonsan Park, Friday. YonhapThe People's Government Office was the most preferred candidate name for South Korea's new presidential office, a poll showed Friday.The name was among five candidates shortlisted earlier this month for the name of the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul, among 30,000 entries submitted by the public. The four others were the People's House, Itaewon-ro 22, Mineum Government Office and Bareunnuri.The People's Government Office garnered support of 36 percent in a poll of 1,000 people aged 18 or above conducted by Gallup Korea from Tuesday to Thursday, followed by the People's House with 12 percent, Itaewon-ro 22 with 10 percent, Bareunnuri with 8 percent and Mineum Government Office with 7 percent.The remaining 27 percent did not give an answer.According to the poll, the public was divided on the relocation of the presidential office, with approval and disapproval ratings both at 44 percent.President Yoon Suk-yeol moved the presidential office to the former defense ministry building in

Jun 10, 2022
The People's Government Office most favored as name for new presidential office

Ruling party leader returns home after visit to Ukraine

Lee Jun-seok, chairman of the ruling People Power Party, arrives at the Incheon International Airport, Thursday. YonhapA ruling People Power Party (PPP) delegation led by Chairman Lee Jun-seok returned home Thursday from a weeklong trip to Ukraine, where they discussed cooperation and support for the country at war with Russia.Lee and PPP lawmakers traveled to Ukraine last Friday, and visited Kyiv and other cities ravaged by Russia's invasion. They met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials for discussions on various support measures. "We have witnessed how the Russian invasion left a big scar on Ukraine in humanitarian terms and acts against humanity in cities, like Bucha and Irpin, destroyed in war," Lee said at Incheon International Airport.Lee also said he will deliver various topics discussed with Kyiv officials, from humanitarian aid and post-war reconstruction to military aid, to the government, adding Ukrainian officials showed high hopes for Korea's proactive support for Ukraine. (Yonhap)

Jun 9, 2022
Ruling party leader returns home after visit to Ukraine

Praises and concerns for Yoon one month after inauguration

President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a meeting with family members of sailors who died on the Cheonan battleship that sank in 2010, at the presidential office in Seoul's Yongsan District, Thursday. YonhapSeoul-Washington summit commended; economy, North Korea, political rift still unresolvedBy Ko Dong-hwanOne month has passed since Yoon Suk-yeol was inaugurated as the country's president and there is already a number of achievements and significant political footsteps observers have used to assess his fledging administration.The overall evaluation is that there have been some definite achievements, while Yoon still faces monumental tasks.The president did not get off a smooth start after beating his rival, Lee Jae-myung, by a razor-thin margin in the presidential election in March, with some 48 percent of over 34 million voters choosing Lee over Yoon. The country remained clearly divided between supporters of the two major parties ― the now-ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) as seen in the country's local elections on June 1, wher

Jun 9, 2022By Ko Dong-hwan
Praises and concerns for Yoon one month after inauguration
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