South Korea - The Korea Times

Ruling party lawmaker hit for tweet on post-US summit Korea-China relations

Rep. So Byung-hoon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) speaks during a hearing session at the National Assembly in Seoul, May 4. Korea Times fileBy Jung Da-minA ruling party lawmaker has come under fire for his remarks that one of President Moon Jae-in's aides had better visit China to explain the results of the latest Korea-U.S. summit held last Friday (local time).Rep. So Byung-hoon, a two-term lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), said on Twitter, Saturday, “It would be great if one of President Moon's aides would visit China on their way back to Korea, to explain things related to the summit.”The tweet was seen as a message urging the government to consider its relations with China, as Beijing has expressed opposition through state media reports about a message issued during the Korea-U.S. summit regarding the Taiwan Strait.A joint statement adopted after the summit between Moon and U.S. President Joe Biden said that the countries would cooperate in maintaining freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and upholding peace and stability i

May 24, 2021

Ruling party lawmaker hit for tweet on post-US summit Korea-China relations

Korea faces China dilemma after fruitful summit with US

Veteran US diplomat appointed as Biden's special envoy to North Korea

President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joe Biden applaud after the U.S. leader announces the appointment of Acting Assistant Secretary of State Sung Kim, right, as “U.S. special envoy for the DPRK,” during a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House, Washington, D.C., Friday (local time). YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeSung Kim, who was appointed as the new U.S. special envoy to North Korea, is a veteran State Department official who has been deeply involved in nuclear talks with the North during the Obama and Trump administrations.In a joint press conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Friday (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden made a surprise announcement that he was appointing Acting Assistant Secretary of State Sung Kim as “U.S. special envoy for the DPRK,” using the acronym for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.President Biden said Kim's “deep policy expertise” will help drive efforts to move toward “our ultimate goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”The Korean-

May 23, 2021By Jun Ji-hye

Veteran US diplomat appointed as Biden's special envoy to North Korea

Biden makes strong case for engagement, but North Korea unlikely to react soon: experts

Memorial service held for ex-President Roh Moo-hyun

Former first lady Kwon Yang-sook, center, who is the widow of late former President Roh Moo-hyun, walks with political leaders following behind during a ceremony to mark the 12th anniversary of Roh's death at Bongha Village in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province. Yonhap Late former President Roh Moo-hyun, left, talks with late former President Kim Dae-jung at Cheong Wa Dae in this 2007 October file photo. Korea Times file South Korea held a ceremony Sunday to commemorate former President Roh Moo-hyun, marking the 12th year of his death.It took place at Bongha Village in Gimhae, Roh's hometown located 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, bringing together a number of key government and political figures.They included Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum; Song Young-gil, head of the ruling Democratic Party (DP); Kim Gi-hyeon, acting chief and floor leader of the m

May 23, 2021

Memorial service held for ex-President Roh Moo-hyun

Scholars launch group in support of former top prosecutor

Scholars and critics participate in a forum organized by a group of experts in support of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, at Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Friday. YonhapBy Kim RahnDozens of academic and legal experts have launched an organization to support former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, who is said to be a leading potential presidential contender from the opposition bloc.While many ruling and opposition presidential hopefuls have been launching think tanks or support groups ahead of the presidential election slated for next March, Yoon has maintained a low profile despite his lead in public opinion polls. It remains to be seen whether the support organization will facilitate his political activity.The group, whose Korean name can be roughly translated into “national coalition for recovery of fairness and common sense,” held a forum in Seoul as an inaugural event, Friday, to discuss Yoon's “potential and limitations for presidency.”Seoul National University professor emeritus and former International Criminal Court President Song Sa

May 22, 2021By Kim Rahn

Scholars launch group in support of former top prosecutor

Gender conflict issue comes to center of political arena

Lee Jun-seok, a former member of the main opposition People Power Party's Supreme Council, announces his bid to run for the leadership of the party at its headquarters on Yeouido in Seoul, Thursday. Lee is enjoying high support from young men with his remarks addressing issues largely concerning men in their 20s and 30s. YonhapBy Jung Da-minThe thorny issue of gender conflict, which had often been observed through messages or postings on some radical online communities ― either male-oriented or female-oriented ― has become an everyday social issue that not only affects the business but also the political arena. The recent controversies over food advertising posters by some retailers, which some people see as a reference to radical feminism and hatred toward men, showed that gender conflict has now become an important factor which businesses have to consider in order to not lose customers.The posters, which showed an image of a hand about to take hold of or holding food, brought about boycott campaigns against the retailers from some of their customers, mostly young men. They said the

May 21, 2021

Gender conflict issue comes to center of political arena

Heavyweights, rookies vie for opposition party leadership

Former lawmaker Na Kyung-won of the main opposition People Power Party announces her bid to run for the party leadership during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooThe race for the leadership of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is heating up, with 10 heavyweight and rookie politicians placing their bid for the party chairpersonship.Na Kyung-won, former floor leader of the PPP's predecessor, the Liberty Korea Party, announced her bid to run for the leadership of the PPP on Thursday, pledging she will make the party a “melting pot” for all opposition presidential candidates and she will serve as “brushwood” for the fire. “I will make the PPP into a melting pot, in which all differences between regions, generations and social strata can be melted and mixed,” she said during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul. “When I become the chairwoman of the PPP, I will reach out to all figures who can be opposition presidential candidates, and I believe it is important to share i

May 20, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo

Heavyweights, rookies vie for opposition party leadership

Gyeonggi governor gearing up for presidential bid

Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, front row fourth from left, poses with participants during an inauguration ceremony of his think tank, at the Korea Federation of SMEs, on Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday. Lee, currently the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's leading potential presidential candidate, launched the think tank with support from 34 lawmakers of the party, including party Chairman Rep. Song Young-gil, front row fifth from left. Yonhap

May 20, 2021

Gyeonggi governor gearing up for presidential bid

Controversy continues over public servants' speculative home purchases

The new headquarter of the Customs Valuation & Classification Institute in the administrative town of Sejong remains empty, Tuesday, as the government agency was not able to relocate to the city although it built the building. But its employees are suspected of gaining profit from purchasing houses there that were offered at a special price for civil servants. YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yooMore allegations of speculative home buying by civil servants have emerged, this time in the administrative town of Sejong where dozens of ministries and affiliated organizations have been relocated. It is alleged that some employees of the Customs Valuation and Classification Institute (CVCI) purchased, and later sold, apartments there to profit from rising real estate prices even though their workplace is not in the city.This latest case of alleged property speculation by public officials follows on from multiple cases that surfaced earlier this year involving workers at the Korea Land and Housing Corp. (LH), the state-run housing developer.According to Rep. Kwon Young-se of the main opposition People

May 19, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo

Controversy continues over public servants' speculative home purchases

Moon thanks Buddhist community for solidarity in virus fight

President Moon Jae-in / YonhapPresident Moon Jae-in on Wednesday expressed gratitude to the Buddhist community for its decision to call off an annual lotus lantern festival as a precaution against the coronavirus pandemic as he issued a message marking the Buddha's Birthday holiday."Last year's listing of Yeondeunghoe as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage marked a big joyous occasion. It's natural wanting to celebrate the feat, but the Buddhist community decided to cancel this year's lantern festival and hold an online event instead," Moon said in the message posted on social media.Yeondeunghoe, South Korea's lantern lighting festival held as part of the Buddha's Birthday celebration, was officially inscribed as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO in December of last year. Moon also thanked Buddhist leaders for providing support for the nation's medical and quarantine workers, small business owners and self-employed workers going through tough times due to the pandemic. "While suspending ceremonies and events for the sake of antivirus measures, Buddhist monks hav

May 19, 2021

Moon thanks Buddhist community for solidarity in virus fight

Politicians see parallels to Gwangju in Myanmar uprising

President Moon Jae-in's Facebook message on the commemoration of May 18 Gwangju pro-democracy movement. Moon expressed support for anti-military junta protests in Myanmar. YonhapRival parties rush to Gwangju for commemoration of pro-democracy movementBy Kang Seung-wooOn the occasion of the 41st anniversary of the 1980 pro-democracy movement in Gwangju, Tuesday, politicians, including President Moon Jae-in, showed support for the citizens of Myanmar in their continued fight against a military junta to restore democracy and freedom. The Gwangju uprising against the military regime of Chun Doo-hwan, who seized control of the country in a Dec. 12, 1979, coup, began in the southwestern city, May 18, 1980. Over 10 days, more than 200 civilians were killed in a bloody military crackdown that included attacks by helicopter gunshipsWatching the Myanmarese people staging protests against the military, which seized power in a Feb. 1 coup, Koreans have seen that the unrest, including a nationwide crackdown and the shooting of protesters, bears similarities to what happened in Gwangju more than f

May 18, 2021By Kang Seung-woo

Politics