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.

Moon recalls 1980 Gwangju uprising, hopes for breakthrough in Myanmar

President Moon Jae-in takes off a mask before speaking during a cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul's Jongno District, May 17. YonhapPresident Moon Jae-in commemorated the anniversary of a 1980 pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju on Tuesday with a call for finding the truth behind the bloody crackdown by soldiers and recovery of victims' honor.Thanks to "courageous" testimonies by some of those involved, "We are coming close to the truth of Gwangju," Moon wrote on his Facebook and Twitter accounts in commemoration of the May 18 Democratization Movement.In Gwangju, 329 kilometers south of Seoul, at that time, citizens stood up against the military junta led by Chun Doo-hwan. Martial law troops and paratroopers were deployed to seal off the city and carry out a brutal crackdown on protesters.Last week, former soldiers testified that even machine guns and snipers were mobilized to open fire on civilians, Moon pointed out.The president also expressed his sympathy for people in Myanmar."We are seeing yesterday's Gwangju in today's Myanmar," he wrote, referring to the local military's

May 18, 2021
Moon recalls 1980 Gwangju uprising, hopes for breakthrough in Myanmar
  • Friends of Korea Witnessing Gwangju's 1980 democratic uprising
  • Activists demand removal of ex-President Chun's monument in Incheon

Bill to be proposed to allow babies in National Assembly meeting rooms

Rep. Yong Hye-in of the Basic Income Party speaks during a plenary session of the National Assembly in this April 20 photo. Yong, who gave birth to a boy on May 8, proposed a bill to allow children under 24 months old to enter the National Assembly's meeting rooms and plenary chamber. YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yooThe National Assembly's plenary chamber and meeting rooms are currently “no kids zones.” But what if a lawmaker has to take care of a newborn child while doing their job? The Assembly has again begun to discuss this issue after Rep. Yong Hye-in of the minor opposition Basic Income Party gave birth on May 8. She said that she would propose a bill to revise the National Assembly Act, so that members of the National Assembly may be allowed to bring in their infants ― under 24 months of age who need attention ― to the plenary chamber and other meeting rooms. Currently, under Article 151, no person other than National Assembly members, the prime minister and people necessary for examining bills can have access to the meeting place."Babies in the National Assembly will let mor

May 16, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
Bill to be proposed to allow babies in National Assembly meeting rooms

Main opposition party slams Moon for appointing 'disastrous' Cabinet members

New Science Minister Lim Hye-sook smiles during her inauguration ceremony at the government complex in Sejong, May 14. YonhapThe main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Friday slammed President Moon Jae-in for appointing the new prime minister and two other Cabinet members despite opposition objections. "The Moon Jae-in administration does not budge a bit no matter how hard it is hit by (souring) public opinion. Its DNA of arrogance and self-righteousness has never been cured," PPP floor leader Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon said during an emergency plenary meeting of the party. PPP staged the meeting in front of Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul in a show of protest against Moon's appointment of Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, Science Minister Lim Hye-sook and Land Minister Noh Hyeong-ouk earlier in the day.The National Assembly, dominated by the ruling Democratic Party, passed the confirmation bill on the new prime minister late Thursday, dismissing objections by PPP. Relevant parliamentary committees also adopted confirmation hearing reports on Lim and Noh the same day, clearing the way for Moon

May 14, 2021
Main opposition party slams Moon for appointing 'disastrous' Cabinet members

Gyeonggi Gov. Lee wins in hypothetical presidential race: poll

Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung / YonhapGyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung has overtaken Yoon Seok-youl, the former prosecutor general, for the first time in a hypothetical two-way presidential hopeful poll released Friday. In a survey conducted by Gallup Korea on 1,007 adults nationwide from Tuesday to Wednesday, 42 percent picked Gov. Lee, affiliated with the ruling Democratic Party (DP), as their favored candidate for the next presidential election slated for March 2022. Yoon, who has led the presidential hopefuls' race in various polls, fell to second place, with 35.1 percent support.The result marked the first time Lee sat at the top in a hypothetical two-way race against Yoon, considered a potential candidate for the opposition bloc, in recent polls.Lee outweighed Yoon across all regions except for the North and South Gyeongsang provinces, a traditional stronghold of the main opposition People Power Party, and Gangwon Province. In a companion survey by Gallup Korea measuring the popularity of potential presidential contenders across all political parties, Lee also finished first, with 23.

May 14, 2021
Gyeonggi Gov. Lee wins in hypothetical presidential race: poll

Ruling party's presidential hopefuls gear up for primary race

From left are former Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Nak-yon, former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun and Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung. Korea Times fileBy Kang Seung-wooWith 10 months left before the presidential election, the “race for Cheong Wa Dae” has begun among potential candidates of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), with some declaring their bids for the presidency and a dozen others planning to do so soon.As the presidential election is scheduled to take place on March 9, 2022, the ruling camp plans to officially kick off its primary race in late June to pick its official standard bearer by September. President Moon Jae-in's term ends two months after the March election.Led by the so-called “Big Three” presidential hopefuls ― Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, former DPK leader Rep. Lee Nak-yon and former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun ― 10 high-profile politicians are regarded as potential candidates.Rep. Park Yong-jin, a two-term lawmaker, has become the first DPK national assemblyman to officially declare his bid for

May 12, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Ruling party's presidential hopefuls gear up for primary race
  • Young opposition politician emerges as strong party chief candidate

Young opposition politician emerges as strong party chief candidate

By Bahk Eun-jiLee Jun-seok, a young politician of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), is emerging as one of the strongest candidates to take on the leadership of the conservative party, which plans to select its new head next month, a poll showed Wednesday.According to the survey of 1,010 adults nationwide conducted by Hangil Research from Saturday to Tuesday, 15.9 percent of the respondents said former four-term lawmaker Na Kyung-won would be the best fit for the PPP chief position among party members who have announced their bids for the position. Lee ranked second with 13.1 percent of support, beating more experienced politicians including former floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young with 7.5 percent, and Rep. Kim Woong with 6.1 percent.Lee Jun-seok / Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geunThe results were similar among supporters of the PPP, with Na coming in first and Lee in second, although the support rate gap was wider at 27.3 percent for Na and 15.2 percent for Lee.Lee said he would seek the party leadership to help the PPP come up with policies that appeal to young voters in th

May 12, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Young opposition politician emerges as strong party chief candidate
  • Ruling party's presidential hopefuls gear up for primary race

Main opposition party to hold convention next month to pick new chairman

Kim Gi-hyeon, floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) speaks during the party's central election committee meeting held at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapThe main opposition People Power Party (PPP) said Tuesday it will hold a convention next month to elect the new party leadership. The party's central election committee decided to host the party convention on June 11 to pick the new chairman and the new members of the supreme council, during its inaugural meeting held earlier in the day.Currently, about 12 party members have declared or are reportedly considering running for the party chairmanship. As the competition for the chairman seat became heated, the party committee deferred its decision on setting the ground rules for a primary for the election and said it will make the decision after the deadline for candidacy registration on May 22.So far, five heavyweight incumbent legislators declared their bids for the chairman post left vacant by the departure of interim party leader Kim Chong-in last month. They include the previous floor leader Jo

May 11, 2021
Main opposition party to hold convention next month to pick new chairman

Moon's comments trigger debate over parliamentary confirmation hearing system

President Moon Jae-in presides over a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. YonhapBy Jung Da-minComments made by President Moon Jae-in have triggered debate over the effectiveness of the National Assembly confirmation hearing system for ministers and other ranking government officials. Moon said during a special address at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday, to mark the fourth anniversary of his inauguration, that the current system, usually led by the opposition, is being misused to humiliate nominees rather than reviewing whether the candidates are good fits for the jobs.Late last month, the President named his nominees for prime minister and five Cabinet members. But Moon's pick for Land Minister, Noh Hyeong-ouk, as well as Science Minister nominee Lim Hye-sook and Oceans Minister nominee Park Jun-young, have been embroiled in controversies over their respective ethical lapses.During the speech, Moon said that the three nominees are good fits for the jobs, considering their expertise and career backgrounds. The National Assembly turned down Moon's request to approve their nominations by M

May 11, 2021
Moon's comments trigger debate over parliamentary confirmation hearing system

Conservative students' group posts leaflets satirizing Moon government

Kim Tae-il, head of the New National Council of Student Representatives, a conservative college students' group, stages anti-government protest near Cheong Wa Dae, Sunday. Courtesy of New National Council of Student RepresentativesBy Bahk Eun-jiA conservative college students' group has put up posters satirizing President Moon Jae-in at around 100 universities and the National Assembly building. The poster, created by the New National Council of Student Representatives (NCSR), is written in the form of a letter of apology, but in fact satirizes the high-handed manner the Moon administration has shown on many controversial issues.Titled “Letter of Apology,” the poster references President Moon's recent decision not to take legal action against a 34-year-old man who allegedly “insulted” him by distributing leaflets that called him “a dog of North Korea.” Announcing the withdrawal of the complaint against the man, presidential spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee said at the time that if similar case took place in future, Cheong Wa Dae would decide whether to t

May 11, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Conservative students' group posts leaflets satirizing Moon government

Critics say Moon's special address far from public sentiment

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a press conference at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. Joint press corpsBy Kang Seung-wooPresident Moon Jae-in's special address, Monday, on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of his inauguration, left critics believing that he still does not recognize the current situation that the public is facing, according to political watchers. “I think the President is not on-point regarding what the public are complaining about,” Hangil Research director and political analyst Hong Hyeong-sik said. “It seems that his aides might be failing to recognize and precisely report to the President the situation as it is.”Hong added, “President Moon needs to feel the same urgency that the general public are feeling.”During his special address, Moon was critical of the current parliamentary confirmation hearing system for ministers and other ranking government officials, which he believes focuses on humiliating nominees, preventing him from picking candidates who are a good fit for the job.His remark came following criticism from the publi

May 10, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Critics say Moon's special address far from public sentiment
previous page
696697698699700
next page

Most Read in South Korea