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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.

City of Seoul toughens rules against sexual crimes in officialdom

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon participating in a cabinet council's meeting at Government Complex Seoul in Jongno District, Tuesday. YonhapThe city of Seoul is introducing a new rule under which officials involved in sexual crimes will be expelled immediately, Mayor Oh Se-hoon said on Tuesday. Oh made the announcement during a press briefing arranged to formally apologize to the victim of alleged sexual harassment by his predecessor Park Won-soon. Park was found dead last July in an apparent suicide amid allegations that he harassed a female secretary. "I declare the immediate introduction of a 'one-strike-and-you're-out' rule," the mayor said. He noted the city hall failed to eradicate sexual crimes due to its lenient responses like transferring perpetrators to other posts without punishing them.From now on, sexual offenders will not be given a second chance and will be fired immediately after their wrongdoing is confirmed, he said.Oh, affiliated with the main opposition People Power Party, assumed his third term after overwhelmingly winning a by-election on April 7."At the same time, to pr

Apr 20, 2021
City of Seoul toughens rules against sexual crimes in officialdom

New presidential disease control secretary Ki Mo-ran faces criticism

Ki Mo-ran, presidential secretary for disease control and prevention affairs / Courtesy of Ki Mo-ranBy Nam Hyun-wooKi Mo-ran, the new presidential secretary for disease control and prevention affairs, is facing doubts about her credibility and capability to fulfill her duties in the new post. The opposition parties are badgering her over her previous remarks, which seem to underestimate the significance of the prompt supply of COVID-19 vaccines in Korea. Some experts and opposition lawmakers claim that Ki has made “politically biased” remarks favoring the Moon Jae-in administration and are questioning whether she can provide professional and impartial advice to the president.During a reshuffle of presidential aides last week, Moon created the new post of secretary for disease control and prevention, and named Ki as the inaugural secretary. Cheong Wa Dae said Moon picked Ki for her expertise in preventive medicine and acknowledging her contribution to the country's battle against the pandemic, as the chair of the COVID-19 countermeasure committee at the Korean Society of P

Apr 19, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
New presidential disease control secretary Ki Mo-ran faces criticism

Ex-prosecutor general outstrips ruling party presidential contenders

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl casts his ballot at a polling station in Seoul's Seodaemun District, April 2, for the early voting of the April 7 by-elections. He is leading polls of potential presidential candidates. YonhapBy Jung Da-minFormer Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl's popularity as a potential presidential candidate has outstripped the two major contenders from the ruling party. Public favorability of him as a potential presidential contender has increased after he resigned from his post in early March, and he now has a big lead over Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, a member of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), and former DPK Chairman Lee Nak-yonIn a survey of 1,011 adults by local pollster Realmeter and released Monday, 37.2 percent said they support Yoon, followed by Governor Lee with 21 percent and the former DPK Chairman, 11 percent.In a hypothetical two-way race between Yoon and Governor Lee, Yoon garnered 51.1 percent of support, far surpassing the governor's 32.3 percent. Yoon led the governor even in Gwangju and North and South Jeolla p

Apr 19, 2021
Ex-prosecutor general outstrips ruling party presidential contenders

Foreign Line

David Mason introduces Korea's 4 golden agesDavid A. Mason, a professor of cultural tourism at Sejong University and a researcher on the religious characteristics of Korea's mountains, will give a presentation titled, “Four Golden Ages: A Study of Korean History and UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites,” next week for the Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) Korea on the four eras he defines as Korea's golden ages. Mason argues that Korea has enjoyed four golden ages, characterized by strength, prosperity and the creation of cultural treasures. The previous ages lasted a couple of centuries, and in between them were dark ages of large-scale suffering or stagnation. He will introduce representative UNESCO World Heritage Sites associated with these eras, interwoven with several past dynasties as well as the modern era. These sites include Buddhist temples and Confucian academy shrines, fortresses, castles, aristocratic villages and dolmen stones. Mason claims Korea entered its fourth golden age in 1988. The lecture will be held April 27 at 7:30 p.m. Attendance is free but donations

Apr 19, 2021By Jon Dunbar

Moon urges move toward 'more mature' democracy in Korea on historic anniversary

At April 19th National Cemetery in Sooyu area in Seoul's Gangbuk District on Monday, President Moon Jae-in burns incense to pay tribute to the victims of April 19 Revolution in 1960. YonhapPresident Moon Jae-in called Monday for nonstop efforts to further develop South Korea's democracy, as the country commemorated its historic pro-democracy movement six decades ago.He paid tribute to the victims of the April 19 Revolution in 1960, which was led by students protesting vote-rigging in presidential elections by then President Rhee Syngman, during his visit to a national cemetery in Seoul.The two-week mass civilian protests led to the collapse of the Rhee government that had ruled the nation for 12 years. According to official data, 183 people were killed and 6,259 others were wounded in a police crackdown.Following the visit, Moon wrote on his social media accounts that the movement has served as the "solid root of democracy" here.It marked a day "when democracy was planted deep in our hearts with aspirations that were hotter than life," he added. "We should move toward a more mature d

Apr 19, 2021
Moon urges move toward 'more mature' democracy in Korea on historic anniversary

Legal loophole allows sex doll shops to open around schools

Seen is a screen capture from a website of a company selling sex dolls. Yonhap By Jun Ji-hyeThe recent opening of sex doll experience shops near local schools is reigniting controversy over life-size sex objects, with many parents of students voicing concern over the adverse impact such facilities would have on their children. While objectors are even referring to the facilities as a “new form of sex trafficking,” police and education officials are facing difficulties cracking down on them due to a lack of applicable lawsAccording to police, sex doll experience shops or cafes are categorized as a “free business” type here, and thus do not require approval from local governments to open. They added that there are also no particular standards to regulate new businesses related to sex dolls.Last Friday, police received a report that a sex doll experience shop had opened in Seoul's Jongno District.The shop, which was located near two high schools, was being promoted bot

Apr 19, 2021By Jun Ji-hye
Legal loophole allows sex doll shops to open around schools

Moon's Cabinet reshuffle focuses on stability over reform

Cheong Wa Dae announced its latest Cabinet reshuffle Friday. From left are nominees to join the Moon Jae-in government: Kim Boo-kyum, a former four-term lawmaker with the DPK and a former minister of interior and safety, as new prime minister; Noh Hyeong-ouk, former chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination as land minister; Moon Sung-wook, deputy head of Office for Government Policy Coordination as minister of trade, industry and energy; Lim Hye-sook, chief of the National Research Council of Science Technology as science minister; An Kyung-duk, a standing member of the Economic, Social Labor Council as minister of employment and labor; and Park Jun-young, vice minister of oceans and fisheries as the new minister of oceans and fisheries. YonhapMoon replaces prime minister, five Cabinet membersBy Jung Da-minPresident Moon Jae-in announced a Cabinet reshuffle, Friday, widely seen as being focused on ensuring stability rather than pushing a reform drive in his fifth and final year in office, according to political watchers the same day. They also said the shakeup was aimed

Apr 17, 2021
Moon's Cabinet reshuffle focuses on stability over reform

Kim Boo-kyum, former four-term lawmaker, nominated as Korea's new prime minister

President Moon Jae-in on Friday nominated Kim Boo-kyun, above, as Korea's new prime minister. YonhapKim Boo-kyum, a former four-term lawmaker and interior minister, has been nominated as South Korea's new prime minister, Cheong Wa Dae announced Friday.President Moon Jae-in picked him in a Cabinet reshuffle intended apparently for new momentum in his leadership that was further dampened by the ruling Democratic Party's rout in the April 7 Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections.The president also nominated new land, labor, industry, science and oceans ministers, according to his chief of staff You Young-min.Noh Hyeong-ouk, minister for government policy coordination at the prime minister's office, was tapped to lead the ministry of land, infrastructure and transport.Moon Sung-wook, deputy head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, was named as minister of trade, industry and energy.The president nominated An Kyung-duk, a standing member of the Economic, Social Labor Council, as minister of employment and labor, and Lim Hye-sook, chief of National Research Council of Science T

Apr 16, 2021
Kim Boo-kyum, former four-term lawmaker, nominated as Korea's new prime minister

Ruling party picks 4-term lawmaker Yun Ho-jung as new floor leader

Rep. Yun Ho-jung of the ruling Democratic Party holding a bouquet offered by the party members at the National Assembly after being elected the party 's new floor leader on Friday / YonhapThe ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Friday elected Yun Ho-jung, a four-term lawmaker from a faction supportive of President Moon Jae-in, as its new floor leader in a party reshuffle following its crushing by-election defeats last week. The 58-year-old incumbent chairman of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee defeated three-term rival Park Wan-joo by receiving 104 of the total 169 votes. He will replace Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon who resigned last week as the party's floor leader to assume responsibility for the party's landslide defeat in the April 7 by-elections. The election of Yun, categorized as "pro-Moon" inside the DP, is expected to help the party retain its close collaboration with President Moon in the final year of his five-year term. "The wheel of reform should not be stopped here," Yun said in a speech prior to the vote. "I will ceaselessly keep up legislative efforts for

Apr 16, 2021
Ruling party picks 4-term lawmaker Yun Ho-jung as new floor leader

National Assembly reports 1st COVID-19 case among lawmakers

Rep. Lee Gae-ho of the ruling Democratic Party / YonhapRep. Lee Gae-ho of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) tested positive for the new coronavirus, the first virus case among the incumbent lawmakers, the National Assembly said Thursday.Lee underwent COVID-19 testing earlier in the day after one of his secretaries was confirmed to have been infected, it said.Rep. Wi Seong-gon, who came into close contact with Lee, tested negative, and Rep. Lee Won-taeg is set to undergo a test, according to officials. Both are members of the DP.The parliament's disaster management office is conducting disinfection work, and discussions are under way on further measures to prevent infections, they added."We will fully cooperate with health authorities for contact tracing," DP spokesperson Huh Young said. "We will hold a vote to elect the new floor leader tomorrow as planned while strictly abiding by anti-infection rules."The parliament located in Yeouido, western Seoul, shut down the main hall and other buildings for several days on two occasions last August and September after a visitor and a journali

Apr 16, 2021
National Assembly reports 1st COVID-19 case among lawmakers
  • New virus cases on Friday in 600s for 2nd day, virus battle at inflection point
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