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Presidential office defends appointment of senior secretary amid reactor shutdown controversy

This photo, provided by Cheong Wa Dae, shows Park Won-joo, a new presidential secretary on economic affairs. YonhapThe presidential office on Friday defended the appointment of a new senior secretary for economic affairs, saying there are no grounds for disqualification because he was not indicted in an investigation over a decision to close a decades-old nuclear power plant. President Moon Jae-in appointed Park Won-joo, a career economic bureaucrat who served in various capacities at the energy ministry, as a senior secretary in charge of economic affairs on Thursday. A day after the appointment, local daily Munwha Ilbo reported that Park is still under investigation by prosecutors in connection with the allegations surrounding the nuclear power plant. In October last year, the main opposition People Power Party pressed criminal charges against 12 officials, including and then-energy minister Paik Un-gyu and Park, over the controversial early closure of Wolsong-1, the nation's second-oldest nuclear reactor, and the alleged obstruction of the state audit into the case.Paik was indict

Nov 12, 2021
Presidential office defends appointment of senior secretary amid reactor shutdown controversy

Lee says US played part in Japan's forced annexation of Korea

Lee Jae-myung, right, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), shakes hands with U.S. senator Jon Ossoff at his party's headquarters in Seoul, Nov. 12. YonhapLee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), said Friday the United States played a part in Korea losing its sovereignty to Japan, as it consented to the colonization in a 1905 secret deal with Japan.Lee made the remarks during a meeting with Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), referring to the Taft-Katsura Agreement between then U.S. Secretary of War William Howard Taft and Japanese Prime Minister Katsura Taro in which the U.S. condoned Japanese rule over Korea at that time. The remark drew fire from conservatives questioning Lee's view on the nation's key ally. "The reason Korea was annexed to Japan was because the U.S. approved it through the Taft-Katsura Agreement," Lee said. "Korea was able to maintain its system by winning the war and earned recognition as an economically advanced country, thanks to the cooperation and support of the U.S. But there may have been a little shade b

Nov 12, 2021
Lee says US played part in Japan's forced annexation of Korea

Yoon says Korea is free to upgrade THAAD

Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential nominee of the People Power Party, speaks to reporters at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club in Seoul, Nov. 12. YonhapSouth Korea is free to upgrade the U.S. THAAD anti-missile system deployed in the country to defend against North Korean missile threats, because such decisions are a "sovereign matter," main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl said Friday.Yoon of the conservative People Power Party made the remark in response to a question about whether he supports additional THAAD deployments during a meeting with foreign correspondents in Seoul.The remark could touch China's nerves, because Beijing has long opposed the THAAD deployment in South Korea, claiming the system could be used to hurt its security interests. "Questions about how much further we will strengthen our missile defense system, including through THAAD, and work jointly with the United States and Japan, are a sovereign matter of our government that can certainly lead to an upgrade depending on the security situation," he said. "I will decide on that basis."The Termi

Nov 12, 2021
Yoon says Korea is free to upgrade THAAD

Biden-Xi summit not likely to narrow differences on North Korea issue

These two file photos show U.S. President Joe Biden, left, speaking at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C. on June 2; and Chinese President Xi Jinping speaking on arrival at Macau's international airport on Dec. 18, 2019. U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are expected to hold a virtual summit on Nov. 15, U.S. media reported, as tensions mount over Taiwan, human rights and trade. AFP-YonhapBy Jung Da-min With the first virtual summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping set to take place on Nov. 15, according to U.S. media reports, eyes are now on what topics will be included on the summit agenda. It will be the first virtual summit between the two leaders. The two have spoken over the phone twice since Biden took office in January. Diplomatic experts have said that thorny issues involving the hegemonic rivalry between the two, such as the issue of Taiwan or the competition between China's Belt and Road and the U.S. and G7-led B3W (The Build Back Better World) regional initiatives to build global infra

Nov 12, 2021
Biden-Xi summit not likely to narrow differences on North Korea issue

Lee expresses hope to develop alliance with US into 'global partnership'

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party, right, meets with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink at the party's headquarters in Seoul, Nov. 11. YonhapRuling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung met with the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia on Thursday and expressed his hope to develop the alliance between the two countries into a global partnership.Lee and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink held talks at the Democratic Party's headquarters as part of the U.S. official's three-day visit to Seoul.Kritenbrink is also reportedly planning a meeting with the main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl of the People Power Party later this week as Washington seeks to build relations with Seoul's next potential leaders ahead of the March 9 presidential election."I hope the South Korea-U.S. alliance will continue to grow and develop into an economic alliance and a global partnership," Lee said at the meeting.Thanking the U.S. government for its past econ

Nov 12, 2021
Lee expresses hope to develop alliance with US into 'global partnership'

Yoon says firm Korea-US alliance ever more important

Yoon Seok-youl, right, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party, poses with U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, center, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink during their meeting at the party's headquarters in Seoul, Nov. 12. YonhapMain opposition presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl met with the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia and a U.S. senator Friday, saying a firm alliance between the two countries has become ever more important.The meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink and U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) was held at the People Power Party's headquarters as part of their separate visits to Seoul."I can't stress enough the importance of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, not only in terms of conventional national security, but in all areas from health and administration to climate agreements and advanced digital technologies," Yoon said."A firm alliance between South Korea and the U.S. has become ever more important in global issues beyond national security,

Nov 12, 2021
Yoon says firm Korea-US alliance ever more important

Prime Minister apologizes over private gathering rule violation

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum speaks at a state affairs coordination meeting in Seoul, Nov. 12. YonhapPrime Minister Kim Boo-kyum apologized Friday for violating social distancing rules when he met with his college alumni last week. "I am deeply sorry," Kim said at the start of a state affairs coordination meeting. "I promise that I will look after myself thoroughly so that this kind of incident never happens again." Kim came under fire after media reported that a total of 11 people, including Kim himself, had a luncheon at the prime minister's residence in Seoul last Saturday, which violates the government's private gathering restriction of 10 people in the capital area. The government raised the private gathering limit to 10 in the greater Seoul area from Nov. 1 after initiating its "living with COVID-19 scheme" for people's gradual return to normal life. The prime minister's office explained the luncheon was originally scheduled for 10, but one of Kim's invitees brought his wife. "I could not just ask my friend's wife to leave, but whatever the reason, it is true that I violated vir

Nov 12, 2021
Prime Minister apologizes over private gathering rule violation

Lee's camp releases ambulance CCTV images showing wife under his care

Lee Jae-myung, rear, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party, holds the hand of his wife, Kim Hye-kyung, in an ambulance in Seongnam, south of Seoul, Nov. 9, as she is transported to a hospital after fainting and sustaining lacerations due to a fall at their home, in this photo taken from the Facebook account of lawmaker Lee Hae-sik, an aide to Kim. YonhapThe campaign of ruling party presidential nominee Lee Jae-myung on Friday released photos of Lee holding his wife's hand as she was taken to a hospital in an ambulance earlier this week.Kim Hye-kyung, the wife of the Democratic Party nominee, was admitted to a hospital in Seongnam, south of Seoul, on Tuesday after sustaining injuries from a fall at their home, according to the party.Lee canceled his campaign activities that day, saying he wanted to be by her side."This shows Lee Jae-myung's wife, Kim Hye-kyung, being rushed to a hospital together with Lee in an ambulance at around 1:20 a.m. Tuesday," DP Rep. Lee Hae-sik, an aide to Kim, wrote on Facebook, alongside three images that he said were taken from a closed

Nov 12, 2021
Lee's camp releases ambulance CCTV images showing wife under his care

Parties seek to lower age limit to run in elections

Three lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party submit the party's revision bill to the Public Official Election Act to lower the age limit for those running for parliamentary and local elections from the current 25 to 18, to the National Assembly Secretariat at the Assembly on Seoul's Yeouido, Wednesday. Joint Press CorpsBy Jung Da-min The political parties of the country's liberal and conservative blocs are seeking to lower the age limit for those wishing to run in National Assembly and local elections scheduled for next year. Political observers say the major parties share the same goal of attracting younger voters in their 20s and 30s ahead of the upcoming presidential election in less than four months, and they believe lowering the age limits could be one way to appeal to them.Currently those aged 25 or older are eligible to run for an Assembly seat, a head of local government position or local council membership. The parties plan to lower the age limit to 18.On Wednesday, all 103 lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) proposed a revision to the Publ

Nov 11, 2021
Parties seek to lower age limit to run in elections

DPK files complaint with prosecution for spreading false information about injury of candidate's wife

Lee Jae-myung, front left, the presidential candidate for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, walks with his wife, Kim Hye-gyeong, during a ceremony to launch his campaign office at a gym in Seoul, Nov. 2. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geunBy Bahk Eun-jiThe ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said, Thursday, it has filed a complaint with the prosecution against two people for spreading false information online about an injury suffered by the wife of its presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung. The unidentified people uploaded postings that implied Lee had assaulted his wife, Kim Hye-gyeong."The accused raises indiscriminate suspicions that the health of Lee's spouse was affected by the candidate, causing public misunderstanding and controversy. They will have to take responsibility for the spread of false information unless there is evidence to back that up,” the DPK said in the complaint.According to the party, one of the postings uploaded Tuesday read: “I wonder why she got a CT scan and why she had it on the face. If she had been slapped with a palm and no bone fractur

Nov 11, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
DPK files complaint with prosecution for spreading false information about injury of candidate's wife
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