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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.

Real estate issues engulf Moon's top aides

Former presidential chief of staff for policy Kim Sang-jo announces his resignation during a press conference at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooPresident Moon Jae-in's chief of staff for policy, Kim Sang-jo, has left Cheong Wa Dae in disgrace due to a rental property controversy, marking the latest case of top presidential aides leaving the presidential office over real estate-related issues. Along with Kim, a series of top presidential aides for Moon have been replaced after drawing public backlash over similar issues, proving that real estate is one of the most sensitive issues here and that the public will not accept “unfair” property transactions by politicians and ranking government bureaucrats.Kim was replaced by Lee Ho-seung on Monday, just a day after media reports were made that Kim raised rent by 14.12 percent for a Seoul apartment he is leasing to a tenant when the contract was renewed last year. The hike came just two days before a new law took effect placing a 5 percent cap on rent increases for leasing contract renewals.Rep. Kim Eui-kyeom of Ope

Mar 30, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
Real estate issues engulf Moon's top aides

Next president? Former Prosecutor General Yoon's popularity soars: poll

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl / Korea Times fileFormer Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl is leading presidential hopefuls from rival parties by a large margin in the latest popularity poll on potential candidates to succeed President Moon Jae-in next year, a pollster said Monday.Public support for Yoon as South Korea's next leader surged to a record high of 34.4 percent in a Realmeter survey conducted on 2,547 adults nationwide from last Monday to Friday, according to the Seoul-based pollster.It is the first time that Yoon's support rate has topped 30 percent in Realmeter polls, though his popularity rate has already approached 40 percent in surveys by other local pollsters.Yoon resigned from the top prosecution post in early March in protest of the Moon administration's prosecution reform drive. The former top prosecutor has led in many other recent polls on who is fit to win the next presidential election slated for March next year, though he has never declared political ambitions. A poll by the Korea Society Opinion Institute, released a week ago, showed Yoon's support

Mar 29, 2021
Next president? Former Prosecutor General Yoon's popularity soars: poll
  • Moon strives to recover approval rating hit by real estate scandal

Moon strives to recover approval rating hit by real estate scandal

Kim Sang-jo, presidential chief of staff for policy, leaves a briefing room at Cheong Wa Dae after announcing his resignation, Monday. YonhapChief of staff for policy replaced over rent hike controversy By Nam Hyun-wooNew presidential chief of staff for policy Lee Ho-seung / Courtesy of Cheong Wa DaeIn a desperate effort to turn around his faltering approval rating, President Moon Jae-in accepted the resignation of his chief of staff for policy, Kim Sang-jo, on Monday for hiking the rent on his Gangnam apartment.The dismissal came amid aggravating public sentiment over allegations of real estate speculation by some employees at the state-run housing developer Korea Land and Housing Corp. (LH).The President also held a meeting with ministers and heads of other economy-related government bodies and announced a set of measures to eradicate real estate speculation by public servants, saying “rooting out corruption regarding real estate is the top priority of anti-corruption policies.” Pundits said Moon's dismissal of his top economic policy aide and drastic anti-speculation m

Mar 29, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
Moon strives to recover approval rating hit by real estate scandal
  • Next president? Former Prosecutor General Yoon's popularity soars: poll

Race for Busan mayor

In the top photo, Busan mayoral candidate Kim Young-choon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea greets citizens at a traditional market in Busan, Monday, while in the bottom photo, main opposition People Power Party candidate Park Heong-joon meets citizens at a park in the port city, Monday. The Busan mayoral by-election will take place on April 7. Yonhap

Mar 29, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
Race for Busan mayor

Moon urges law to prevent 'conflict of interest' among public officials amid LH scandal

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Monday. YonhapPresident Moon Jae-in stressed the need Monday to introduce legislation on preventing civil servants from seeking private advantage via their positions, citing public fury over alleged speculative land purchases by employees at the state-owned housing enterprise."On this occasion, we will have to enact a law on preventing the conflict of interest among public officials at any cost," he said during an Anti-Corruption Policy Consultation Council meeting held at Cheong Wa Dae.It marked the first time in nine months for the president to convene the session joined by heads of major ministries and other government agencies with power and authority to handle the anti-corruption issue.It came in response to a snowballing real estate speculation scandal that began with a revelation that some officials at the Korea Land and Housing Corp. (LH) had used undisclosed information for the purchase of undeveloped land around Seoul, where new residential towns would be built."We must take the anger and rebuke of the

Mar 29, 2021
Moon urges law to prevent 'conflict of interest' among public officials amid LH scandal
  • Moon replaces Cheong Wa Dae policy chief amid property-related controversy

Lawmakers to sing 'March for the Beloved' to support Myanmar protest

Rep. Lee Yong-bin, right, and Rep. Song Young-gil, left, both of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, pose for photos with Myanmarese students at a special photo exhibition supporting pro-democracy protests in Myanmar at Seo District Office in Gwangju, March 16. Courtesy of Rep. Lee Yong-binBy Kwon Mee-yooKorean lawmakers will sing “March for the Beloved,” a song representing the May 18 Gwangju pro-democracy movement, in support of anti-coup protests in Myanmar.Rep. Lee Yong-bin of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) suggested, Sunday, that legislators here sing the song in relay to show their support for pro-democracy protests in Myanmar and condemn the military junta's brutal crackdown on protesters. “March of the Beloved” was composed in 1981 by then student activist Kim Jong-ryul and the lyrics were from a poem by activist Baek Gi-wan to commemorate the sacrifices of citizens who were killed during the 1980 Gwangju democratic uprising. The song has since been recognized as a tribute to the spirit of democracy and freedom sought by Gwangju citizens.

Mar 29, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
Lawmakers to sing 'March for the Beloved' to support Myanmar protest

Moon replaces Cheong Wa Dae policy chief amid property-related controversy

Kim Sang-jo, the outgoing Cheong Wa Dae chief of staff for policy / YonhapPresident Moon Jae-in replaced Kim Sang-jo, his top Cheong Wa Dae aide on policy, Monday, Moon's office announced amid a controversy over the leasing of his apartment in southern Seoul.Moon promoted Lee Ho-seung, senior secretary for economic affairs, to the post of handling policy at the presidential office, according to You Young-min, presidential chief of staff.Moon's decision came "in consideration of the very grave situation connected with real estate," a senior Cheong Wa Dae told reporters later on background.Kim "expressed strong intent" on stepping down, saying it is inappropriate for him to continue his work amid a dispute over his own apartment lease, added the official, who spoke on the customary condition of anonymity.Kim has been in charge of overall policy issues, including the government's efforts to stabilize the real estate market.Earlier in the day, multiple news outlets reported that Kim signed a contract to hike the "jeonse" fee of his apartment by 14 percent to 970 million won (US$856,000),

Mar 29, 2021
Moon replaces Cheong Wa Dae policy chief amid property-related controversy
  • Moon urges law to prevent 'conflict of interest' among public officials amid LH scandal

Seoul mayoral by-election campaigns going negative

Park Young-sun, Seoul mayoral candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, visits a clothing shop at the Express Bus Terminal Underground Shopping Mall in southern Seoul during her election campaign, Sunday. Joint press corpsBy Kwon Mee-yooWith 10 days left ahead of the Seoul mayoral by-election, the campaigns of two leading candidates ― Park Young-sun of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Oh Se-hoon of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) ― are focusing on mudslinging rather than promotion of their respective policies. The smear campaign tactics are more actively used by Park's side, as recent polls show Oh is outstripping her. Rep. Yun Ho-jung of the DPK, who went on the stump for Park, referred to Oh as “trash that lies” during a campaign speech at a traditional market in Jungnang District, Saturday.“Let's separate the truth from the garbage on April 7; whether or not the candidate who approved a redevelopment plan and lied about it is garbage. He's garbage,” Yun said. Oh's in-laws reportedly owned land in Naegok-dong in southern S

Mar 28, 2021By Kwon Mee-yoo
Seoul mayoral by-election campaigns going negative

Minor candidates want their voices to be heard regardless of election result

Staffers from the Seoul branch of the National Election Commission put posters of Seoul mayoral by-election candidates on a fence in Jongno District, central Seoul, March 25. Twelve candidates are running for the race slated for April 7. YonhapBy Kim RahnAhead of the April 7 by-election to select a Seoul mayor, the candidates of two major parties ― Park Young-sun of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Oh Se-hoon of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) ― have been making headlines. However, there are 10 more candidates from minor and independent parties. For these hopefuls the chance of victory is almost zero and some openly admit it. But they are still running in the mayoral race to advance their individual political careers or to draw public attention to social problems they hope to be addressed.Huh Kyung-young, head of the National Revolutionary Party who has a history of running in almost all major elections since 1997 including presidential and mayoral ones, has returned. He rose to fame about 10 years ago with his quirky claims of having levitational powers an

Mar 28, 2021By Kim Rahn
Minor candidates want their voices to be heard regardless of election result

Gov't to push for legislation binding public officials to mandatory registration of property

Acting chairman of the ruling Democratic Party Kim Tae-nyeon speaks during the party's supreme council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul's Yeongdeungpo District, March 28. YonhapThe government and the ruling party decided to push for new legislation obligating all public officials to declare their assets, a lawmaker said Sunday, amid a public uproar over a land speculation scandal involving employees of the state housing developer.Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon, acting chairman of the ruling Democratic Party, also said after a meeting with officials of the government and the presidential office that the government will make sure to confiscate all illegal gains made from real estate speculation.Retroactive legislation, if necessary, will be pushed for to confiscate illegal profits, he said.The move came as the government and the ruling party are grappling to assuage the public outcry over the allegations that the employees at the Korea Land and Housing Corp. (LH) bought large plots of land using insider knowledge. "We will elevate the level of institutionalization to root out the

Mar 28, 2021
Gov't to push for legislation binding public officials to mandatory registration of property
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