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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.

Ruling party leader meets Australian envoy

Rep. Song Young-gil, left, chief of the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea, bumps fists with Australian Ambassador to Korea Catherine Raper, who is the granddaughter of a Korean War veteran, during a meeting held at the National Assembly, Wednesday. They discussed cooperation between the two nations on renewable energy. Yonhap

Jul 28, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Ruling party leader meets Australian envoy

Economy, fairness to be key issues in presidential election

The economy and fairness will be the key issues in next year's presidential election. From left are presidential contenders: Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), former DPK Chairman Rep. Lee Nak-yon, former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl and former Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choe Jae-hyeong. Graphic by Cho Sang-wonYoung voters in 20s, 30s might be deciding factorBy Jung Da-min About seven months remain before the country chooses its new leader, and although it has yet to enter full-on election mode, dozens of contenders from both the ruling and opposition blocs have already announced their presidential bids. From the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), six contenders are in the running but the competition is now mainly about the rivalry between Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, and former DPK Chairman and ex-Prime Minister Rep. Lee Nak-yon. The ruling party will select its final candidate in October.From the conservative opposition bloc, former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl has long topped opinion polls

Jul 28, 2021
Economy, fairness to be key issues in presidential election

Presidential hopefuls vying to win support of pet lovers

gettyimagesbankPresidential contenders from the ruling and opposition blocs have added a new approach to their widening campaigns to win voters at next year's presidential election: reaching out to cats and dogs. Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung and Rep. Lee Nak-yon, the top two presidential hopefuls from the ruling Democratic Party (DP), have been stepping up the promotion of their presidential campaign pledges dedicated to pets and, ultimately, pet and animal lovers.Gov. Lee is not a pet owner himself, but he has led a range of pro-pet projects while serving as mayor of Seongnam, just south of Seoul, and then governor of Gyeonggi, including those on the creation of dog parks and cat adoption centers.He has also led a trap-neuter-return program for stray cats. One of the campaign workers for Lee said he is probably the most outstanding candidate in terms of animal and pet protection policies, highlighting the policy efforts the governor has carried out.Rep. Lee Nak-yon, a former DP chief, has also been proactive in raising public awareness about pets and animal rights. Last mont

Jul 28, 2021
Presidential hopefuls vying to win support of pet lovers

Minister rules out Aug. 15 presidential pardons for two jailed former leaders

Former President Park Geun-hye, left, and former President Lee Myung-bak / Korea Times fileJustice Minister Park Beom-kye said Wednesday it is too late for two former presidents jailed for corruption to receive presidential pardons on the occasion of the Aug. 15 Liberation Day.He made the remark as two elderly former presidents, Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak, were admitted to hospitals last week in moves some observers said may be intended to arouse public opinion favorable to special amnesties for them.Minister Park dismissed such speculation, saying they were hospitalized for treatment of illnesses and that he has not received a message from President Moon Jae-in on their possible pardons."To grant Aug. 15 pardons, a related committee must be convened, but it is not possible in the time available as it is the holiday season and the coronavirus situation is serious," Park told reporters at the government complex in Gwacheon, south of Seoul.Park Geun-hye, who was president from 2013-17, is serving a 22-year prison term. Her predecessor Lee is serving a 17-year sentence. (Yonhap)

Jul 28, 2021
Minister rules out Aug. 15 presidential pardons for two jailed former leaders

For Korea-Mongolia relations

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, right, hold hands with his Mongolian counterpart Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene at the Government Complex Seoul, Tuesday, during the latter's visit to Korea. The prime ministers of the countries discussed pandemic response, easing of travel restrictions for the people of the two countries and cooperation in other economic projects. Courtesy of Prime Minister's Office

Jul 27, 2021
For Korea-Mongolia relations

Moon's confidant jailed

Former South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyoung-soo, center, speaks before being imprisoned at Changwon Prison in the province, Monday, after the Supreme Court upheld a two-year jail term for the close aide to President Moon Jae-in for conspiring to manipulate online opinions in favor of Moon ahead of the 2017 presidential election. Kim said, “Even though the judiciary did not find the truth, I want to stress that the truth will not change.” Yonhap

Jul 26, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
Moon's confidant jailed

One month after presidential bid, Yoon sees sharp decline of support

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl listens to reporters' questions after attending the funeral service of the Venerable Wolju, former president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, in Gimje, North Jeolla Province, Monday. YonhapYoon likely to join conservative main opposition party in August to regain support baseBy Nam Hyun-wooNearly one month has passed since former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl declared his bid to run in the presidential election next year, but his support rate has experienced a sharp decline, as his coarse rhetoric and inexperienced political moves appear to be letting down conservative voters' expectations. According to a poll released by the Korea Society Opinion Institute, Monday, Yoon's support rate stood at 26.9 percent to lead the pack. Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung from the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) was close behind, with 26 percent. The poll surveyed 1,006 adults in Korea from Friday to Saturday. Compared to previous surveys conducted by the institute, Yoon's support rate has declined by 3.4 percentage points fr

Jul 26, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
One month after presidential bid, Yoon sees sharp decline of support

Late ex-President Roh invoked in ruling party primary dispute

In this May 3, 2007, file photo, then-President Roh Moo-hyun, left, and his then-chief of staff Moon Jae-in speak at Cheong Wa Dae. Courtesy of Cheong Wa DaeDPK contenders question each other's party loyalty By Nam Hyun-wooThe late former President Roh Moo-hyun is being invoked in a fierce verbal battle between ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) presidential contenders, who appear to be appealing to the party's loyalists for support. Leading contenders Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung and former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon are clashing over whether the latter cast a ballot to impeach Roh, a liberal president serving from 2003 to 2008 who belonged to a DPK predecessor, the Millennium Democratic Party. Despite some DPK members' concerns over internal strife, other contenders are also joining the fray, questioning each other's loyalty to the party.The dispute began when Governor Lee raised allegations last week that former Prime Minister Lee may have voted for Roh's impeachment, countering the latter's earlier questions over the former's integrity as a DPK member.From left, G

Jul 25, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
Late ex-President Roh invoked in ruling party primary dispute

'I will upend everything Moon has done': Jeju governor declares presidential bid

Jeju Province Gov. Won Hee-ryong speaks during an online media conference in Seoul, July 25. YonhapJeju Province Gov. Won Hee-ryong announced Sunday that he will run for presidency in the election slated for March next year.In a video speech, Won, a former three-term opposition lawmaker, vowed to upend "everything" the Moon Jae-in government has done."I declare my bid for the 20th presidential election to make the Republic of Korea a country of a different class and different dimension," he said in the virtual press conference."I would like to propose a vision of a country that values every person's happiness, where the next generation further prospers and where the people, nature and civilization co-exist," he said.Won, a native of Jeju, won his second term as the governor of the southernmost resort island as an independent candidate in the 2018 general elections. He later rejoined the main opposition People Power Party (PPP).With Won's presidential bid, the PPP now has a roaster of more than 10 members who have either officially declared or reportedly plan on making a presidential

Jul 25, 2021
'I will upend everything Moon has done': Jeju governor declares presidential bid

National Assembly endorses 34.9 trillion-won extra budget to fight COVID-19

Lawmakers attend the National Assembly plenary session at its main building in Seoul, July 24. YonhapThe National Assembly approved a 34.9 trillion-won ($30.3 billion) extra budget bill, Saturday, aimed at propping up the economy battered by the COVID-19 pandemic.The bill was passed at a plenary meeting in a 208 to 17 vote, with 12 abstentions. The second extra budget this year came as the country is in a semi-lockdown under the toughest Level 4 social distancing measures amid the fourth, and worst, wave of mass COVID-19 infections nationwide.Through the supplementary budget, most of which will be financed by the country's excess tax revenue, the government will pump a total of about 38 trillion won into the economy to assist small merchants ravaged by antivirus business restrictions and dole out stimulus checks to citizens to buoy the economy.Of the pandemic response package, more than 5 trillion won was earmarked as relief funds for small merchants, such as operators of restaurants, cafes or private gyms that have been ordered to close or limit their business due to social distanci

Jul 24, 2021
National Assembly endorses 34.9 trillion-won extra budget to fight COVID-19
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