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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.

Yoon Seok-youl hit for lack of knowledge on security

Presidential contenders of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) attend a TV debate at a local broadcaster's studio in Seoul's Mapo District, Sunday. On the left is five-term lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo and on the right is former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. Joint Press CorpsBy Jung Da-minFormer Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, the current frontrunner among presidential hopefuls of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), has been hit by his rival contender who said during a TV debate that Yoon lacks understanding of the country's security issues. Yoon responded to questions with answers that some deemed insufficient or off point when it comes to the country's security, thus raising doubt on whether he is qualified to serve as president.In the latest televised debate among PPP presidential contenders, Sunday night, Rep. Hong Joon-pyo, the runner-up among the two in opinion polls, asked Yoon for his opinion on the remarks of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong.The previous day, the powerful sister issued a statement through the official Korean Central N

Sep 27, 2021
Yoon Seok-youl hit for lack of knowledge on security
  • Land development scandal set to engulf presidential election

Meeting with small business owners

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, second from right, speaks during a meeting with small business owners and the self-employed, at a small business support center in Mapo, western Seoul, Monday, to listen to their problems arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Yonhap

Sep 27, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
Meeting with small business owners

Gyeonggi Gov. Lee retakes lead in presidential hopeful poll despite corruption allegations

Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, the front-running presidential contender for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea / YonhapGyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, the front-running presidential contender for the ruling party, retook the lead in a presidential hopefuls poll released Monday, beating former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl of the main opposition party.In a poll of 1,006 voters conducted by the Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI) on Friday and Saturday, Gov. Lee of the Democratic Party (DP) garnered support from 30 percent of respondents, pushing down Yoon of the People Power Party (PPP) to second place with 27.1 percent. The gap between the two leading candidates was smaller than the poll's margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Lee's favorability rose by 6.4 percentage points from last week, while Yoon lost 1.7 percentage points in support. Lee, who had maintained the top position in KSOI's presidential hopefuls polls for four straight weeks since the fourth week of August, lost the top spot to Yoon last week amid allegations he gave business fa

Sep 27, 2021
Gyeonggi Gov. Lee retakes lead in presidential hopeful poll despite corruption allegations

PPP lawmaker offers to quit party over son's huge severance pay from controversial firm

Rep. Kwak Sang-do of the People Power Party / YonhapA lawmaker of the People Power Party (PPP) offered Sunday to leave the main opposition party amid mounting criticism over his son receiving a massive severance pay from a firm at the center of a controversial land development scandal.Rep. Kwak Sang-do submitted to a regional party chapter a document to end membership with the party, Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, the party's floor leader, said, as his political opponents ramped up an offensive against Kwak over the severance pay.His son reportedly received 5 billion won ($4.24 million) after some seven years of work at Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management, suspected of reaping huge gains from the land development project in Seongnam launched in 2015 when Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung, currently a presidential front-runner for the ruling Democratic Party, was the city's major. "Whether Kwak has any legal responsibility to take or not will be revealed during an investigation process later, but regardless of that, the People Power Party feels a heavy sense of responsibility regarding political accountabi

Sep 26, 2021
PPP lawmaker offers to quit party over son's huge severance pay from controversial firm

Lee Jae-myung solidifies lead in ruling party's regional primaries

Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, the first-runner of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)'s presidential primary, fist bumps his supporters during a regional primary event for North Jeolla Province held at a gym in Wanju County of the province, Sunday. Governor Lee won by a landslide in the primary in North Jeolla Province with 54.55 percent support, garnering 22,276 votes. YonhapFrontrunner Lee faces crisis over controversial development projectBy Jung Da-min Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung has solidified his lead in the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) regional primaries after clinching a landslide victory in the North Jeolla Province poll, Sunday, despite a controversial land development scandal surrounding him. The win was also a bounce back from his first loss of the primaries to former DPK Chairman Lee Nak-yon in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province, Saturday.In the latest primary, Governor Lee earned support of 54.55 percent with 22,276 votes, compared to the former party leader's 38.48 percent with 15,715 votes.In the Saturday primary, Lee Nak-yon eked ou

Sep 26, 2021
Lee Jae-myung solidifies lead in ruling party's regional primaries

Political storm looms over development project in Seongnam

Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung, the front-running presidential contender for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea / YonhapThe prosecution has opened a criminal probe into a highly lucrative land development project in Seongnam that began in 2015, a case that could provoke a political firestorm ahead of the 2022 presidential election and potentially jeopardize the presidential bid of Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung, the front-running presidential contender for the ruling party.The investigation was officially launched after Lee's camp filed a complaint against some key members of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) earlier this week for violating the Public Official Election Act by "repeatedly spreading false information" about Lee in order to "knock him out of the presidential race."The accusations came as the PPP sought to launch a counterattack at the ruling party after the PPP's leading presidential hopeful, Yoon Seok-youl, was mired in a political meddling scandal.Lee has recently come under growing scrutiny over accusations he gave business favors to certain companies to join

Sep 24, 2021
Political storm looms over development project in Seongnam

UN rapporteur voices concern 'fake news' bill would hurt Korea's reputation

President Moon Jae-in speaks at the Sustainable Development Goals during the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, at the United Nations Headquarters, Sept. 20, in New York City. Korea's “fake news” bill, if passed, could give a “negative message” to the world about the country's stance on freedom of press, a U.S. expert said Friday. AP-YonhapA South Korean media bill under criticism for potentially undermining press freedom, if passed, could give a "negative message" to the world about the country's stance on freedom of media, a U.N. expert said Friday.Irene Khan, a U.N. special rapporteur on promoting the right to freedom of expression, made the remark during a virtual press briefing, weeks after she sent a letter to the Seoul government calling for a revision of the bill.The legislation, titled Press Arbitration Act, calls for punitive damages up to five times more than usual if a media outlet is found guilty of running false or manipulated news reports. Critics argue the bill could be used to silence critical media."I am afraid that if this

Sep 24, 2021
UN rapporteur voices concern 'fake news' bill would hurt Korea's reputation

DP aims to pass controversial media bill at parliament early next week: spokesperson

Rep. Yun Ho-jung, center, floor leader of the Democratic Party, speaks at a policy coordination meeting of the party, Thursday, in this photo provided by the National Assembly press corps. YonhapThe ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Thursday reaffirmed its plan to put a controversial medial bill to a plenary parliamentary vote early next week."(The DP) has a goal to seek (the bill's) passage next Monday," DP spokesperson Rep. Shin Hyun-young told reporters, adding that no decision has been made yet over how to convene a plenary meeting that day. She stressed her party is sticking to the deadline Sunday, agreed upon with the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) last month, for bipartisan negotiations over the bill, suggesting the DP plans to process it the next day with or without consent from the opposition. Under a vision of "media reform," the DP championed the bill, which will require an up to fivefold increase in penalties for media outlets spreading false or fraudulent news reports. Amid fierce protest from opposition parties and press-related organizations, however, the DP sh

Sep 23, 2021
DP aims to pass controversial media bill at parliament early next week: spokesperson

Media self-reform

Representatives of seven media-related organizations pose during a press conference at the Korea Press Foundation in central Seoul, Thursday. The organizations have agreed to establish a self-regulatory body, as an alternative to the proposed revision to the Act on Press Arbitration, which enables punitive damages against media outlets that produce “fake news.” They said the joint body will review articles to correct false reports and help people harmed by them. Yonhap

Sep 23, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Media self-reform

Major elections scheduled for next year

National Election Commission staff sort ballot papers for counting at a polling station set up in a high school in Seoul's Jongno District following the by-election for the Seoul mayor position, in this April 7 photo. Korea Times fileBy Jung Da-min A series of major elections will mark the year 2022, as not only the regular presidential election and local elections, but also unusual parliamentary by-elections for two major constituencies in Seoul, will take place following the recent stepping down of two lawmakers. The presidential election is slated for March 9. Korea's presidential election used to be held in December and the president-elect's term used to start in the following February, but the last election took place on May 9, 2017, and President Moon Jae-in was inaugurated the next day, as it was an unprecedented snap election held after his predecessor Park Geun-hye was impeached over a massive corruption scandal.On the same day as the presidential election, by-elections for two district government seats in Seoul will be held ― one for Jongno, which was the constituency of fo

Sep 23, 2021
Major elections scheduled for next year
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