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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.

PM with business leaders

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, third from left, holds hands with leaders of five economic lobby groups ahead of a meeting at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) in Seoul, Thursday, to discuss measures to revive the country's economy. From left are Korea International Trade Association Chairman Koo Ja-yeol, Korea Enterprises Federation Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik, Kim, KCCI Chairman Chey Tae-won, Korea Federation of SMEs Chairman Kim Ki-mun and Federation of Middle Market Enterprises of Korea Chairman Kang Ho-gap. Yonhap

Jun 3, 2021
PM with business leaders

Novice liberal ruling party lawmakers stay low-key in meeting with Moon

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting with first-term lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea at Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday. Courtesy of Cheong Wa DaeBy Nam Hyun-wooFirst-term lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) ended up beating around the bush during their meeting with President Moon Jae-in on Thursday, despite the initial anticipation that they might challenge the President concerning his failed policies, including real estate, economy and a number of fairness issues that resulted in the party's crushing defeat in the April 7 by-elections for the Seoul and Busan mayor positions. According to Cheong Wa Dae, 68 first-term DPK lawmakers visited the presidential office and discussed pending state affairs. The meeting took place upon the lawmakers' earlier request.“During the meeting, Rep. Ko Young-in expressed his gratitude to Moon for accepting the request and acknowledged the positive outcomes of the Korea-U.S. summit last month,” presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee said after the meeting. “He added that the COVID-19 pandemic

Jun 3, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
Novice liberal ruling party lawmakers stay low-key in meeting with Moon

Moon orders strict probe into sexual assault victim's death in military

President Moon Jae-in / YonhapPresident Moon Jae-in strongly instructed military investigators Thursday to deal strictly with a recent sexual assault case that led to the death of the victim.Moon was referring to the Air Force noncommissioned female officer who was found dead in late May in an apparent suicide. In March, she allegedly suffered unwanted physical touching by a male colleague with the same rank of master sergeant in a vehicle. She reported the incident to her senior officers the following day, but they are accused of having sought to hush up or cover up the incident."It is heartbreaking to think of the victim who must have been in despair," Moon said, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Kyung-mee.The president "made a strong instruction" for the investigative authorities to handle the incident in a strict way, she added, amid news reports of a suspected secondary assault by some military officials.The president also ordered the military to look into whether there have been any problems in the overall procedures so far of handling the case, including measures ta

Jun 3, 2021
Moon orders strict probe into sexual assault victim's death in military

Moon leaning toward pardon for jailed Samsung chief

President Moon Jae-in speaks before a luncheon with the leaders of Korea's top four conglomerates at Cheong Wa Dae, Wednesday. From left are LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Moon, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Kim Ki-nam. YonhapPresident recognizes chaebols' role in successful US summitBy Nam Hyun-wooExpectations are growing over a presidential pardon for Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, after President Moon Jae-in commented during a luncheon meeting with leaders of the nation's top four business groups Wednesday that he recognized there was a growing public consensus on granting one. Moon neither confirmed nor denied the possibility of the pardon, but his remarks about the consensus seemed to indicate that he was leaning toward releasing Korea's top tycoon. The President stressed such a consensus as one of the preconditions for pardoning Lee during a press conference last month, which was interpreted as neutral rhetoric compared to his earlier dismissals of debate on the issue.With the ac

Jun 2, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
Moon leaning toward pardon for jailed Samsung chief

Former prosecutor general Yoon gearing up for presidential race

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, center, and four-term lawmaker Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the conservative main opposition People Power Party, right, pose for a photo at a restaurant in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, Saturday, in this photo provided by a member of the public. YonhapBy Jung Da-minSpeculation is mounting that former prosecutor general Yoon Seok-youl will announce his presidential bid soon and probably join the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP). Fueling such speculation, Yoon, who quit the top prosecutor job after butting heads with President Moon Jae-in over prosecution reforms, has been meeting multiple PPP lawmakers recently. Yoon has yet to say whether he will run for president and rarely made public appearances until recently, although he has topped the opinion polls about potential presidential contenders.Among the PPP lawmakers Yoon has met since last week were: four-term lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong, five-term lawmaker Chung Jin-suk and economist-turned-lawmaker Yun Hee-suk. The former top prosecutor also had a phone conversation with thre

Jun 2, 2021
Former prosecutor general Yoon gearing up for presidential race

Declassified US documents show dilemma between weak Korean civil gov't and military rulers

gettyimagesbankOver a dozen newly declassified U.S. diplomatic documents illustrate a Washington facing an agonizing political dilemma between a weak South Korean civilian government and military rulers in early 1980, months ahead of a landmark pro-democracy movement.The State Department recently declassified 14 documents, which highlight the growing influence of the junta, led by then Army Maj. Gen. Chun Doo-hwan, in stark contrast with the then feeble government of President Choi Kyu-hah.Chun seized power through a military coup on Dec. 12, 1979, less than two months after former President Park Chung-hee was assassinated by his own intelligence chief, which led to then Prime Minister Choi taking over as interim president.Indicating the Choi government's lack of authority, a diplomatic cable, dated Jan. 10, 1980, showed then Defense Minister Choo Young-bok confessing to a U.S. lawmaker that he had little control over the armed forces, though he was supposed to sit atop the military chain of command."I have no influence over the Army. You must help me," Choo said during talks with Le

Jun 2, 2021
Declassified US documents show dilemma between weak Korean civil gov't and military rulers

Ruling party chief apologizes over scandal involving former justice minister

Rep. Song Young-gil, chief of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, speaks during a press conference at the party office in Seoul, June 2. YonhapThe chairman of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) apologized Wednesday over an investment and academic fraud scandal involving the family of a former justice minister, blamed as a major reason for the party's recent landslide by-election defeats.The apology by Rep. Song Young-gil came as the DP is struggling to reclaim voters' confidence following its crushing defeats in the Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections in April, blamed largely on the party and its members' "hypocritical" conduct.At the center of voters' outrage against the DP has been the so-called Cho Kuk scandal surrounding the wife of the former justice minister, who allegedly forged academic documents to get her daughter admitted to a medical school."I once again apologize for having been unable to care for the hurt feelings of the public and young people," Song said in a press conference."Apart from the legitimacy issue of former Minister Cho Kuk, the admission issues involving

Jun 2, 2021
Ruling party chief apologizes over scandal involving former justice minister

Moon calls on new prosecutor general to play a role in prosecution reform

President Moon Jae-in, left, poses with new Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo after presenting Kim with a letter of appointment at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapPresident Moon Jae-in called Tuesday for new Prosecutor-General Kim Oh-soo to play a role in his administration's tumultuous drive to reform the state prosecution service.Presenting Kim with a letter of appointment during a Cheong Wa Dae ceremony, Moon said he expects him to "play a great role in transforming the prosecution to become a fair organization that meets the people's expectations," according to presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee.Kim, a veteran prosecutor, served as vice justice minister for nearly two years under the Moon administration before assuming the post. It had been vacant since the sudden resignation of Yoon Seok-youl in early March in apparent protest against the Moon administration's prosecution reform drive.Kim said, "Since the prosecution's authority has been granted by the people, it should be used for the people. With that in mind, I'll try to make a chance to trans

Jun 1, 2021
Moon calls on new prosecutor general to play a role in prosecution reform

Will Korea be able to see a president under age 40?

Lee Jun-seok, right, a 36-year-old politician running for the conservative main opposition People Power Party's leadership race, shakes hands with a merchant during his visit to a traditional market in Daegu, May 24. YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeCalls are growing from both the ruling and opposition parties to amend the Constitution, as it disallows people under 40 years old from running for a presidential election. These calls come amid a young politician's rise in the conservative main opposition People Power Party's (PPP) ongoing leadership race, and ask the political circles to embrace a generational shift.Lee Jun-seok, 36, who was a former Supreme Council member of the PPP, has emerged as a leading candidate to become the conservative party's next chairman.Since 1962, a year after the May 16 military coup through which former President Park Chung-hee seized power, the country's Constitution has stipulated that a candidate's minimum age on the day of the presidential election must be at least 40.Rep. Lee Kwang-jae, a three-term lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), who off

Jun 1, 2021By Jun Ji-hye
Will Korea be able to see a president under age 40?

Korea unveils homegrown space rocket for first time

The Nuri is erected on its launch pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, June 1. YonhapSouth Korea unveiled Tuesday a fully assembled model of its homegrown space rocket for the first time since the country started its development in 2010 as it conducts final testing procedures before its launch later this year.South Korea has earmarked 2 trillion won (US$1.8 billion) to develop its first homegrown space launch vehicle, named Nuri, and aims for a launch in October this year. In 2013, South Korea successfully launched its first-ever Naro space rocket, though its first stage rocket was built in Russia.An assembled qualification model of the Nuri has been transported and erected on its launch pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung, 473 kilometers south of Seoul, and will undergo testing over one month, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.The testing will cover procedures such as the charging of the rocket's fuel tanks and the separation from the launch pad, which was also developed with South Korean technology.The actual flight model of the three-stage

Jun 1, 2021
Korea unveils homegrown space rocket for first time
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