my timesThe Korea Times
South Korea

Politics

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
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.

Opposition contender Yoon calls COVID-19 'Wuhan virus'

People Power Party presidential contender Yoon Seok-youl speaks during a meeting with a group of healthcare experts at his election camp in Jongno District, Seoul, Thursday. Joint Press CorpsPPP contender criticized for instigating unnecessary anti-China sentimentBy Nam Hyun-wooYoon Seok-youl, a presidential contender from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), again created a stir with his rhetoric, by referring to COVID-19 as “the Wuhan virus.” He also denounced the Moon Jae-in administration's decision not to place a travel ban on incoming travelers from China in the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak in 2020, calling it “political quarantine.”Yoon made those comments while criticizing the Moon government's quarantine and social distancing policies, but this backfired and he himself is facing criticism for instigating unnecessary anti-China sentiment for his use of the term, which is considered by some as an inaccurate and xenophobic description.During a meeting with a group of healthcare experts on Thursday, Yoon told reporters, “The U.S

Aug 14, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
Opposition contender Yoon calls COVID-19 'Wuhan virus'

Foreign ministry summons Japanese diplomat over Yasukuni visit by defense minister

Japan's Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, center, visits Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo, Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. APThe foreign ministry called in a senior Japanese diplomat on Friday to protest Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi's visit to a war shrine in Tokyo seen as a symbol of Japan's past militarism. Lee Sang-ryeol, director general for Asia Pacific affairs, lodged a stern protest when he met with Naoki Kumagai, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, the ministry said in a release. Kishi, along with Yasutoshi Nishimura, economic and fiscal policy minister, visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine earlier in the day to pay respects to the war dead, according to Japanese news outlets.Lee told Kumagai that it is "deplorable" that Kishi has visited the shrine that "honors the war criminals and beautifies the colonial past and wars of aggression."Lee said that the visit amounts to damaging the trust between South Korea and Japan, urging the Japanese leadership to squarely face history and show by action their genuine atonement for past wrongdoings.South Korea's de

Aug 13, 2021
Foreign ministry summons Japanese diplomat over Yasukuni visit by defense minister

Global Peace Foundation discusses diplomacy for unified Korea

Moon Hyun-jin, founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation, speaks during the virtual International Forum on One Korea 2021. Courtesy of Global Peace FoundationBy Kwon Mee-yooThe world is looking at Korea's diplomatic priorities as South Korea pursues peaceful unification of the two Koreas, participants in an international forum organized by the Global Peace Foundation said Friday, sharing ideas on ways to achieve peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula. Moon Hyun-jin, founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), called for greater attention to the movement for a free and unified Korea, during the High Plenary Session of the International Forum on One Korea 2021, the same day. The forum is running from Aug. 7 through 15 as part of the Global Peace Convention 2021.Moon's book "Korean Dream," exploring the vision of a unified Korea, was reissued in observance of Korea's independence movement. In the book, Moon emphasizes that unification is needed to continue South Korea's "Miracle on the Han River," the remarkable economic transformation from a war-ravaged,

Aug 13, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
Global Peace Foundation discusses diplomacy for unified Korea

President faces backlash over Samsung chief's release

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, left, walks out of the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, Friday, after being released on parole. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulMoon stresses 'national interest,' asks for 'public understanding'By Nam Hyun-wooPresident Moon Jae-in asked for “public understanding” Friday on Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong's release from prison, in response to growing criticisms from liberal civic groups that the President has abandoned the “value of fairness and justice” which had been a major part of his election campaign platform.“I am fully aware of the pros and cons regarding Vice Chairman Lee's release on parole,” Moon was quoted as saying by senior presidential secretary for public communication Park Soo-hyun in a press briefing. “I accept the release as a choice for the national interest and hope for the public to understand it.”Moon said that those opposing Lee's parole are also saying the right things, but the people who called for Lee's parole are expecting hi

Aug 13, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
President faces backlash over Samsung chief's release

Gov't to mark 30th anniversary of 1st public testimony by comfort woman

A statue symbolizing "comfort women" installed in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul / Korea Times fileThe government said Friday it will hold an online ceremony this weekend to mark 30 years since the first public testimony by a Korean victim of Japanese wartime sexual slavery.The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said the ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, exactly 30 years after Kim Hak-soon publicly testified about her ordeals as a victim of Japan's organized military brothel program during World War II.The government designated Aug. 14, the day Kim testified, a national memorial day in 2017.During the ceremony, President Moon Jae-in plans to deliver a video message honoring the victims and pledging the government's continued efforts to address their grievances.The issue of the "comfort women," a Japanese euphemism for the sex slaves, has been a constant source of tension between the two countries as South Koreans demand a sincere apology and compensation from Tokyo.The Japanese government, which ruled the Korean Peninsula as a colony from 1910-45, claims all matt

Aug 13, 2021
Gov't to mark 30th anniversary of 1st public testimony by comfort woman

Moon's approval rating dives to 36% amid worsening COVID-19 pandemic

President Moon Jae-in / Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae, YonhapPresident Moon Jae-in's approval rating has sharply dropped over the past week, apparently due to the prolonged fourth wave of coronavirus pandemic, a poll showed Friday. In the poll of 1,002 people aged 18 or over nationwide conducted by Gallup Korea from Tuesday to Thursday, Moon received positive assessment from 36 percent of respondents, down 5 percentage points from last week. It was the first time his support has dropped below 40 percent since the third week of July when it was 38 percent.Moon's disapproval rating rose 2 percentage points to 53 percent."The decline in the job approval rating is conspicuous among those in their 20s and 30s, independents and people indifferent to politics," Gallup Korea said. "As the COVID-19 situation prolongs, some voters who thought the government was dealing with it well appear to have changed their opinion," the polling company added. The poll also showed that the support rating of the ruling Democratic Party fell 1 percentage point to 33 percent, while that of the main opposition Peop

Aug 13, 2021
Moon's approval rating dives to 36% amid worsening COVID-19 pandemic

Global journalists stand with Korean media in fight against 'fake news' law

Lawmakers of the National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee hold a meeting to review a revision to the Act on Press Arbitration, at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Members of the supermajority ruling Democratic Party of Korea have been pushing ahead with the revision which is aimed at holding media outlets and reporters producing so-called “fake news” subject to punitive damages. YonhapBy Jung Da-minA global network of newspapers and news editors have vowed to stand with Korean media organizations in their fight against the ruling party's attempt to revise a law to impose punitive damages on media outlets and reporters for producing what it calls “fake news.”The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) sent a public statement to the Korean Association of Newspapers, Thursday, to deliver a message of support for Korean media organizations. The association is a global network of 3,000 news publishing companies and tech entrepreneurs and 60 publisher associations representing 18,000 publications in 120 countries, and th

Aug 13, 2021
Global journalists stand with Korean media in fight against 'fake news' law

Alleged female victim in Navy sexual harassment case found dead

Defense Minister Suh Wook, second from right, pays a silent tribute to a female officer who committed suicide after reporting sexual harassment by an Army general, at the National Assembly, June 9. From right are Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Jung Sang-hwa, Suh, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Nam Yeong-shin and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Boo Suk-jong. Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-hanA female Navy noncommissioned officer was found dead at her base on Thursday after the armed service launched a probe into allegations that she was sexually harassed by a senior colleague, the Navy said.The body of the 32-year-old chief petty officer, whose name was withheld, was found at her accommodation earlier in the day, amid the probe into the allegations that a senior chief petty officer at her former unit sexually harassed her.The alleged victim claimed that she was harassed by the senior colleague at a restaurant in late May. Navy officials said the supposed victim had remained separated from the alleged perpetrator after the case was reported. But questions on whether the Navy took proper steps ha

Aug 12, 2021
Alleged female victim in Navy sexual harassment case found dead

Reporter's notebook Moon shirking responsibility on infection surge, slow vaccination

President Moon Jae-in makes a hand heart gesture during an event on promoting improvements in national health insurance scheme at Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday. YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooWhen Korea's daily COVID-19 cases reached a new high of 2,223, Tuesday, President Moon Jae-in said the recent surge was “in line with the global spread of the Delta variant” and “Korea is still maintaining a better situation compared to other countries.” These comments cast doubt on Moon's awareness of his responsibility for the spread of the coronavirus here, and there is growing criticism that the President is trying to avoid blame for the recent setbacks in quarantine enforcement and the supply of vaccines.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said Monday that U.S. vaccine maker Moderna would only be supplying half of the 8.5 million doses it had promised to deliver this month, due to production-related problems. This was the fourth time the government has been found wanting in its promises regarding the supply of the Moderna vaccine.In December, Cheong Wa Dae stated

Aug 12, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
[Reporter's notebook] Moon shirking responsibility on infection surge, slow vaccination

Feud intensifies between PPP head, top presidential contender

Lee Jun-seok, right, chairman of the main opposition People Power Party, shakes hands with Yoon Seok-youl, a leading presidential contender of the party, during their meeting at the National Assembly, Aug. 2. Korea Times file By Kang Seung-wooTension between the head of the main opposition party and its leading front-running presidential hopeful is sharply escalating, as the two have been engaged in an exchange of words on a nearly daily basis in what seems to be each striving to have a bigger say in the lead-up to next year's presidential election. The latest fracas between People Power Party (PPP) Chairman Lee Jun-seok and former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl came, Wednesday, as Shin Ji-ho, a former PPP lawmaker and member of Yoon's camp, mentioned “impeaching” Lee for his “self-righteous” management of the party regarding the first debate of its preliminary contenders.While the party chairman wants every contender to participate in the Aug. 18 debate, Yoon's side is showing reluctance on his participation, complaining that he has not yet registered as a

Aug 12, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Feud intensifies between PPP head, top presidential contender
previous page
671672673674675
next page

Most Read in South Korea