South Korea - The Korea Times

Hurdles remain for Lee Nak-yon in presidential bid

Rep. Lee Nak-yon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea holds a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday, as he steps down from the party's chairman post in a move to prepare for the next presidential election set for March 9, 2022. YonhapBy Jung Da-minWith just a year left before the next presidential election set for March 9, 2022, Rep. Lee Nak-yon, a potential candidate from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), stepped down from his post as party chairman, Tuesday.Lee resigned as the DPK's internal regulations stipulate that a party member who plans to run in the presidential race must quit major leadership posts within the party, such as chairperson or Supreme Council member, at least a year before the election.Political analysts said more time is needed to judge whether Lee's presidential bid will be a success as many variables and events could emerge to affect the political dynamics and public opinion with a year left before the election.Recent polls have not been favorable for Lee, who had topped approval ratings for presidential hopefuls for months

Mar 9, 2021

Hurdles remain for Lee Nak-yon in presidential bid

3rd-generation chiefs reorganize conglomerate portfolios

By Kim Hyun-binThird- and fourth-generation conglomerate chiefs are reorganizing their company portfolios, selling off unprofitable businesses and double downing on future growth sectors to gain competitiveness and better recover from the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.Koo Kwang-mo who took the helm of LG Group in June 2018 has been focusing on new growth sectors including AI and robotics while selling off unprofitable businesses. The chairman recently announced the company would sell off LG Electronics' mobile communications division, which has incurred consecutive losses for the conglomerate for years.Soon after he was appointed, LG liquidated fuel cell subsidiary LG Fuel Cell Systems, in addition to deciding to sell LG Electronics' Hi-Entech and LG-Hitachi Water Solutions. LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo LG Chem's LCD business was also sold off to a Chinese company and LG Uplus sold its electronic payment system unit to a startup company.Koo has

Mar 9, 2021By Kim Hyun-bin

3rd-generation chiefs reorganize conglomerate portfolios

Moon says prosecutors have yet to gain public trust

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Monday. YonhapPresident Moon Jae-in called on the state prosecution service Monday to earn public trust, saying the separation of its rights to investigate crimes and indict suspects is necessary to reform the prosecution.The prosecution should be able to assure the public that the exercise of its rights is fair, not arbitrary or selective, he stressed.There has been no improvement, however, in public confidence in the prosecution's impartiality despite efforts by most prosecutors, he added.The president was speaking at the outset of a Cheong Wa Dae session to receive briefings from the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on pending policy issues.His remarks, delivered in front of pool reporters and cameras, represented his first official message on the controversial prosecution reform drive since Yoon Seok-youl resigned in protest from the job of prosecutor general last week.The liberal administration of Moon, formerly a human rights lawyer, has focused on giving the police more inve

Mar 8, 2021

Moon says prosecutors have yet to gain public trust

Former top prosecutor's popularity soars after resignation

Former top prosecutor's popularity soars after resignation

Flowers sent by supporters of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl are seen in front of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul, Sunday. YonhapBy Do Je-hae Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, who resigned from his post last week amid conflicts with the ruling bloc over prosecutorial reform measures, has topped the latest favorability survey for possible presidential candidates.A survey released Monday by the Korea Society Opinion Institute had the former chief prosecutor in first place with a 32.4 percent support rate from 1,023 respondents.He is more popular than other potential presidential contenders such as Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung at 24.1 percent and ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Nak-yon at 14.9 percent. Former conservative presidential candidate Hong Joon-pyo, now an independent lawmaker, came in fourth place with 7.6 percent, followed by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun at 2.6 percent and former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae at 2.5 percent.In a similar survey published Jan. 22 by the same poll agency, Yoon had recorded 14.6

Mar 8, 2021By Do Je-hae

Former top prosecutor's popularity soars after resignation

Moon says prosecutors have yet to gain public trust

Apology for ex-mayor's misconduct

Kim Young-choon, the Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) candidate for the Busan mayoral by-election, makes a deep bow at the Busan Metropolitan Council building, Monday to apologize to Busan citizens for the by-election being held due to misconduct by a former DPK member, former Mayor Oh Keo-don who resigned in April 2020 following sexual harassment allegations. Yonhap

Mar 8, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji

Former prosecutor general's popularity surges after resignation: poll

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl / YonhapPublic support for Yoon Seok-youl has bounced back sharply, following his resignation from the post of prosecutor general last week, to lead other presidential hopefuls in South Korea, a poll showed Monday.The Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI) said he has garnered 32.4 percent in the survey of 1,023 likely voters nationwide. Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) ranked second with 24.1 percent followed by the party's leader Lee Nak-yon with 14.9 percent. The poll on who is fit to become South Korea's next president was conducted last Friday. In the previous KSOI poll, conducted on Jan. 22, Yoon won 14.6 percent. At that time, his support rate was on a steady decline.Yoon announced his decision to quit on Thursday, protesting the DP's push for a new investigative agency that would further weaken the state prosecution service's power and authority."The spirit of the constitution and rule of law, which are the backbone of this country, are being destroyed," he argued.He did not clarify whether he pl

Mar 8, 2021

Former prosecutor general's popularity surges after resignation: poll

Moon may get AstraZeneca vaccine this month

President Moon Jae-in watches a nursing home doctor receiving a shot of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine at a public health center in Seoul, Feb. 26, when the country kicked off its nationwide vaccinations. Korea Times fileBy Kang Seung-wooPresident Moon Jae-in is expected to get AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine as early as this month before traveling to Britain to attend the G7 summit there in June.According to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok, last week, Moon's inoculation plan will be decided based on discussions with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and his diplomatic schedule. Moon, 68, is not subject to vaccination in the first quarter according to the government scheme drawn up according to age, vulnerability and other factors, and his turn is initially expected to come in the second quarter.The health authorities said, Saturday, those embarking on overseas trips for government affairs will be eligible for priority vaccinations, mentioning President Moon as one of those eligible.Cheong Wa Dae announced, January, that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Mar 7, 2021By Kang Seung-woo

Moon may get AstraZeneca vaccine this month

INTERVIEW Ruling party's Seoul mayoral candidate vows to make city global economic hub

Ruling Democratic Party of Korea's candidate for the April 7 Seoul mayoral election Park Young-sun speaks during an interview with the Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times, at her election camp office in Seoul, March 2. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-hoBy Jung Da-minThe ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate for the April 7 Seoul mayoral by-election has pledged to make the capital one of the world's top seven economic hubs through her economic policies. Park Young-sun, who formerly served as the Moon Jae-in government's SMEs and startup minister, said that if elected she will maximize the competitiveness and potential of Seoul to make the city a global economic hub, based on her experience and capabilities as a veteran politician and her expertise in economic affairs.“To that end, I propose issuing a digital currency, the KS-Coin, to make Seoul a blockchain hub; pushing to attract global companies in the bio-health field, especially at this time of a pandemic; strengthening the capabilities of startups and venture companies; and establishing a global foster

Mar 7, 2021

[INTERVIEW] Ruling party's Seoul mayoral candidate vows to make city global economic hub

Seoul tasked with complex challenges ahead of visit of US diplomatic, defense policy chiefs

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks on foreign policy at the State Department, Wednesday, March 3, 2021 in Washington. AP-Yonhap By Do Je-hae Korea and the U.S. are coordinating a visit to Seoul by U.S. diplomatic and defense policy chiefs, according to Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday. Although Seoul has not officially announced a date yet, latest reports say that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are expected in Korea March 17 and 18, following their visit to Japan. If the trip to Seoul happens, it will be the first time for the top U.S. policymakers in diplomacy and defense to visit Korea since President Joe Biden's inauguration in January. The consecutive visits to Seoul and Tokyo only two months following the launch of the new U.S. administration are seen as showing the level of importance that Washington places on the two allies in its diplomatic strategy.In an Interim National Security Strategy Guidance released by Presiden

Mar 6, 2021By Do Je-hae

Seoul tasked with complex challenges ahead of visit of US diplomatic, defense policy chiefs

Ruling party chairman egged by woman protesting new theme park project in Chuncheon

Ruling Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Nak-yon flinches after getting hit by an egg in his face while visiting a marketplace in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, March 5. YonhapBy Ko Dong-hwanRuling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Nak-yon's visit to a traditional marketplace in Chuncheon, Friday, turned ugly after a woman egged his face in protest of a new land development project in the city.The woman in her 50s, whose name was withheld, threw three eggs at Lee, one of which hit his right cheek while another landed on a supporter.She was a member of an activist group calling for protecting the heritage of rocky sites and ancient artifacts found on Joong Island on the Bukhan River running through the Gangwon Province city.According to Yonhap News Agency, she condemned Lee for “approving the construction of Lego Land in the city thereby putting the heritage site at risk of being destroyed.” The woman arrived at the marketplace after staging a one-person protest in the Myeong-dong area of the city against the theme park project. A DPK member at the scene whos

Mar 5, 2021By Ko Dong-hwan

Politics