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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.

Gyeonggi Governor Lee pledges halt to smear campaign against rivals in DP presidential primary

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, center, announces his pledge to halt smear campaigns against rival contenders in the Democratic Party of Korea's primary, during a press conference at the National Assembly, Seoul, Sunday. YonhapGyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, the front-running presidential contender for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), pledged Sunday to stop all smear campaigns against rivals in the party's ongoing primary election. "From this moment onward, I will not even make any negative mention of other candidates, focusing instead on debates about competence and policies," Lee said in a hastily called press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul. "Concerns are growing among party members and supporters about the escalating mudslinging in the party's primary process," Lee said of the background of his pledge.Lee's announcement came as the governor, former DPK Chairman Rep. Lee Nak-yon and other DPK presidential contenders are locked in an intense slugfest in the overheated party primary to pick the single presidential contender to run in the March

Aug 8, 2021
Gyeonggi Governor Lee pledges halt to smear campaign against rivals in DP presidential primary

Conflict with big contenders undermines main opposition chief Lee's leadership

Lee Jun-seok, right, the chairperson of the conservative main opposition People Power Party, pins a party badge on former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, a presidential contender who joined the party recently, at the National Assembly in Seoul, Aug. 2. Yonhap By Kwon Mee-yooLee Jun-seok, the youngest leader ever of the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP), was seen as a sign of change in the conservative party when he took the post in June. However, the strength of his leadership is now in question after only two months, as the big-name presidential contenders of the party are not following the party's campaign trail activities, but rather organizing their own.The party's committee in charge of the primary organized a volunteer activity at a low-income neighborhood near Seoul Station on Aug. 4, where all 13 presidential hopefuls of the party were supposed to participate. But four of the biggest names ― former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, fo

Aug 8, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
Conflict with big contenders undermines main opposition chief Lee's leadership

Prosecutors drop suspicions of involvement in hedge fund lobbying scandal against ex-officials, politicians

The political lobbying scandal reared its head last year in tandem with a massive fraud scandal involving Optimus. Korea Times fileProsecutors have cleared a number of former high ranking officials and politicians of suspicions of possible involvement in a hedge fund lobbying scandal as they brought their yearlong investigation to a virtual end, sources said Sunday.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office in charge of the scandal involving the asset management firm Optimus decided Wednesday to drop charges against Lee Hun-jai, a former finance minister; Yang Ho, former chairman of Nara Bank; and Kim Jin-hoon, former chief of the Military Mutual Aid Association, in connection with the probe into the scandal, the prosecution sources said. The three served as members of Optimus' advisory council.Prosecutors also decided earlier not to book ex-Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook, who also served on the advisory panel, for a lack of plausible allegations. The decisions practically brought the prosecution probe into the political lobbying scandal involving Optimus to its end, exoneratin

Aug 8, 2021
Prosecutors drop suspicions of involvement in hedge fund lobbying scandal against ex-officials, politicians

Ex-special counsel in former president case grilled by police for alleged graft

Former special counsel Park Young-soo / YonhapA former special counsel who investigated a corruption scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye was summoned by police Saturday for questioning over alleged graft, according to officials. Park Young-soo was booked for investigation last month over allegations that he accepted a Porsche rental car and seafood from a man who claimed to be a fisheries businessman last December. According to officials at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Park was grilled as a suspect for about 10 1/2 hours in the day. He is one of several high-profile figures, including senior members of the prosecution and police, who are being investigated for allegedly accepting bribes from the man.Park's supporters claimed earlier that the car was only rented for two days and the cost was paid in full.But some observers have said the payment was only made after police launched their investigation into the businessman who is currently standing trial for fraud.The former special counsel has also argued that under this title, he is not a public official and so is

Aug 7, 2021
Ex-special counsel in former president case grilled by police for alleged graft

Espionage allegation escalates to threaten Moon, liberal ruling party

Activists who have been staging protests against South Korea's deployment of F-35A stealth fighters enter a district court in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, Monday, to face allegations that they received orders from North Korea. YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooThe Moon Jae-in administration and the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) are facing a new political threat, after a group of activists accused of espionage was found to have contacted Moon and the party before he was elected as President. The conservative opposition bloc is already labeling this incident an “espionage scandal,” demanding an explanation from the Moon government and suggesting that the issue could cause a stir in the upcoming presidential election slated for next march. On Monday, the Cheongju District Court issued arrest warrants for three of the four activists who are based in the city, on charges of violating the National Security Act. The activists were turned into the prosecution while protesting South Korea's deployment of F-35A stealth fighters. The National Intelligence Service (

Aug 7, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
Espionage allegation escalates to threaten Moon, liberal ruling party

PR envoy for senior citizens

Kim Ho-il, right, chairman of the Korea Senior Citizens Association (KSCA), holds a certificate with renowned comedian Shim Hyun-seop, after naming him a public relations envoy for the KSCA, at his office in Yongsan, Thursday. Courtesy of KSCA

Aug 6, 2021

Presidential hopeful Yoon under fire over remarks on Fukushima disaster

People Power Party presidential contender Yoon Seok-youl speaks during his visit to the party's chapter in Eunpyeong District Seoul, Tuesday. Joint Press CorpsBy Nam Hyun-wooYoon Seok-youl, former prosecutor general and a presidential contender for the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), is under fire for his recent remarks that there was no radioactivity leaked from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. This marks Yoon's latest slip of the tongue, following his controversial comments on the government's plan regulating the workweek and “income classes.” In an interview with the Busan Ilbo newspaper Wednesday, Yoon said, “The Fukushima nuclear plant did not explode,” and, “Though there was damage due to the tsunami and earthquake, the reactor did not collapse, thus there was no radiation leaked,” when asked about his thoughts on the risks of nuclear power plants.Yoon apparently made the remarks as part of his criticism of the Moon Jae-in government's policy to phase out nuclear power. Contrary to Yoon's assertion, the Fukushima

Aug 6, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
Presidential hopeful Yoon under fire over remarks on Fukushima disaster

Ruling party chairman slammed for calling conservative main opposition party 'infertile'

Ruling Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Rep. Song Young-gil speaks during a Supreme Council meeting of the party at the National Assembly in Seoul, Friday. YonhapBy Jung Da-minRuling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Rep. Song Young-gil has come under fire for calling the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP) “infertile” in criticizing it for scouting strong presidential contenders from outside the party. The controversy is growing as Song used a apolitical, sensitive health issue as a tool to denounce the rival party, making remarks that could offend couples or women with infertility issues.Song said that the PPP's scouting of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl and former Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) Chairman Choe Jae-hyeong, both of whom had served under President Moon Jae-in but resigned from their posts to run in the presidential election slated for next March, was equivalent to the Roman Empire's employing of mercenaries, which led to its decline.“The PPP is taking people who were under the Moon Jae-in administration, which

Aug 6, 2021
Ruling party chairman slammed for calling conservative main opposition party 'infertile'

Ex-Jeju governor registers for presidential race

Former Jeju Provincial Governor Won Hee-ryong visits the National Election Commission's headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, to register as a presidential contender of the main opposition People Power Party, Thursday, four days after he resigned from the governor position to run in the election slated for March next year. Joint Press Corps

Aug 5, 2021
Ex-Jeju governor registers for presidential race

Ruling party lawmakers increase pressure to delay ROK-US joint military drill

U.S. Forces Korea vehicles are parked in Camp Casey in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. South Korean government is wavering over whether to delay a South Korea-U.S. combined military exercise in August, after North Korea's demand for a "big decision" by the South. YonhapMoon government wavering on North's tacticBy Nam Hyun-wooLawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) are increasing pressure on the government to postpone a combined military exercise with the U.S., saying it would undermine the chance to improve inter-Korean relations which have shown signs of improvement following the restoration of communication hotlines between the two Koreas. The Moon Jae-in administration is wavering over the issue after the North warned that the exercise would damage peace efforts engaged in by the leaders of the two countries and demanded a “big decision” by Seoul on the exercise.More than 60 DPK lawmakers ― led by Reps. Sul Hoon and Jin Sung-joon ― released a statement Thursday urging the government to postpone the Combined Command Post Training to improve i

Aug 5, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
Ruling party lawmakers increase pressure to delay ROK-US joint military drill
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