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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.

Yongsan Park chosen as name for development project for returned US base

This file photo shows U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan in the middle of Seoul. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeThe Seoul Metropolitan Government has decided on the name Yongsan Park for the national park to be established on returned land from U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Yongsan in the middle of Seoul, city government officials said Sunday. The name was chosen after 9,401 proposals from residents received from Oct. 19 to Dec. 4 were put to an online vote and reviewed by experts.The city, together with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korea Land and Housing Corp. (LH), will also reflect citizens' opinions in designing the park. Three hundred residents including high school students and the elderly have been selected to form a citizens' group that will suggest a variety of ideas and opinions with regard to this.The city, ministry and LH plan to finalize plans for the design by the end of the year after receiving the opinions.“We will create the future of Yongsan Park by reflecting residents' ideas and opinions,” Acting Seoul Mayor Seo Jung-hyup said.On Dec. 11, the Unite

Jan 17, 2021By Jun Ji-hye
Yongsan Park chosen as name for development project for returned US base

Establishing laws not panacea for solving social issues

A bill on prevention of child abuse is passed at a plenary session at the National Assembly in Seoul, Jan. 8. YonhapBy Jung Da-minThe basic duty of a lawmaker as a representative of the public is to propose bills to help solve, or at least ease, social problems. Many lawmakers seem to believe wrongly that the number of bills they propose will be seen as a measure of their legislative activities, or that a proposal on its own is enough to solve any problems raised by constituents.But according to political watchers, while active proposals of bills could be an indicator of performance, many are actually passed by the National Assembly without being properly discussed or cross-checked by lawmakers and thus often have flaws, despite being established as laws.Such problems arise more often when it comes to social issues that are receiving a lot of public attention, as many lawmakers, wanting to promote their legislative activities, try to appeal to the public by competitively ― and rapidly ― proposing related bills.A recent child abuse case in which a 16-month-old girl died at the hands o

Jan 16, 2021
Establishing laws not panacea for solving social issues

Debate intensifies over pardons of 2 ex-presidents

Supporters of former President Park Geun-hye call for her release from jail in front of the Supreme Court, southern Seoul, Thursday, ahead of the court's ruling on her corruption charges. Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-hanBy Kim RahnThe possibility of presidential pardons for two jailed former presidents has become a hot issue in Korean politics after the sentence for former leader Park Geun-hye was confirmed at the Supreme Court, Thursday. While Cheong Wa Dae is cautious about the special pardon, which is the President's sole authority, politicians are divided over the issue, with differences of opinion even within the conservative and liberal blocs.Former President Park Geun-hye attends the first hearing of her trial over corruption allegations at the Seoul Central District Court in this May 23, 2017 photo. / Korea Times fileThe idea of pardoning former conservative presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park, who have been in jail after each were separately charged with corruption, was first brought up by liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) head Rep. Lee Nak-yon. In his New Year's

Jan 15, 2021By Kim Rahn
Debate intensifies over pardons of 2 ex-presidents

Role of Korea-China-Japan summit highlighted amid intensifying row with Japan

President Moon Jae-in, left, and new Ambassador to Japan Kang Chang-il pose after a ceremony at Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday. YonhapBy Do Je-hae Amid increased bilateral tensions between Korea and Japan resulting from a recent local court ruling regarding a historical issue, diplomatic experts expressed the importance of proceeding with the 9th Korea-China-Japan summit as planned.Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga lashed out at Seoul after a local court ruling last week in favor of surviving South Korean victims of wartime sex slavery who demanded compensation from Tokyo. The Japanese leader reiterated that all colonial-era reparations were completely concluded with the 1965 normalization treaty. President Moon officially appointed Kang Chang-il as his new ambassador to Japan, Thursday, during a ceremony at Cheong Wa Dae. It is expected that one of the first things the new envoy will focus on is persuading the Japanese side to attend the annual summit. Suga is hesitant to visit Korea unless there is progress in the existing deadlock between the two countries on the issue of compensati

Jan 14, 2021By Do Je-hae
Role of Korea-China-Japan summit highlighted amid intensifying row with Japan

Heavyweights set to compete for Seoul mayoral post

Na Kyung-won, a former four-term lawmaker with the main opposition People Power Party, greets citizens ahead of a press conference on a street in Itaewon, Seoul, to declare her bid for the party's primary for Seoul mayoral by-election, Wednesday. YonhapBy Jung Da-minPolitical heavyweights of the liberal and opposition blocs are set to compete for the Seoul mayoral post in the upcoming by-election in April. The position has remained vacant since last July following the suicide of former Mayor Park Won-soon.The by-election for the mayoral post of Seoul is a pressing political matter as the result could be seen as a barometer for the upcoming presidential election set to be held in March 2022.Eyes are on whether the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) could possibly win the election despite criticism that the need for the by-election was a direct result of the suicide of DPK member and former mayor, Park, following sexual harassment allegations raised against him.From the conservative opposition bloc, minor opposition People's Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo declared his bid for the Seoul

Jan 13, 2021
Heavyweights set to compete for Seoul mayoral post

Renovation at Assembly lobby

National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug, second from left, together with officials from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and the main opposition People Power Party, participates in an unveiling ceremony of a massive LED display installed in the lobby of the visitors' entrance to the National Assembly, Tuesday. / Yonhap

Jan 12, 2021
Renovation at Assembly lobby

Controversy rises over 'profit sharing' idea

By Kang Seung-wooDebates are rising over ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) chief Lee Nak-yon's proposal for a profit-sharing scheme aimed at encouraging profitable companies to distribute their earnings to those hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Rep. Lee Nak-yon attends the party's Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. / YonhapAlthough the ruling side is stressing that it will not twist anyone's arm and will instead offer various incentives, such as corporate tax breaks, to those voluntarily adopting the scheme, the opposition is critical of the idea, claiming that it goes against market economy principles. Plus, business owners are also skeptical of the proposal, saying there are no clear criteria on which companies are profitable. There is speculation that tech companies such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, the nation's top mobile messenger operator Kakao Corp., and Woowa Brothers, the operator of delivery app Baedal Minjok, would be subject to the scheme, as the companies have seen their sales g

Jan 12, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Controversy rises over 'profit sharing' idea

Politicians' TV appearances raise eyebrows

Former opposition lawmaker Na Kyung-won, right, sings with her husband and daughter at home on the TV Chosun show “Taste of Wife,” Jan. 5. Korea TimesBy Kim RahnControversy is rising over a TV show featuring politicians who are expected to run in the Seoul mayoral by-election.Other potential candidates are raising the fairness issue, while there are also concerns that their TV appearances may eclipse their political and administrative suitability.Former main opposition People Power Party lawmaker Na Kyung-won appeared on a show titled “Taste of Wife” on TV Chosun, Jan. 5. In the program she revealed some aspects of her personal life, with scenes showing her having a meal and singing at home with her husband and her daughter, who has Down's syndrome.It was the first time for the former four-term lawmaker to give the public a glimpse into her private life, and the episode drew huge attention, recording a 15.4 percent viewer rating, the highest achieved by the show.SMEs and Startups Minister Park Young-sun also appeared on the show, Tuesday, showing her spending

Jan 12, 2021By Kim Rahn
Politicians' TV appearances raise eyebrows

Meeting with business leaders

Rep. Joo Ho-young, center, floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), poses with representatives of business lobbies including Korea Enterprises Foundation (KEF) Chairman Sohn Kyung-sik, third from right, at a meeting at the National Assembly, Monday. The business lobby groups asked for a revision to the recently passed bill calling for stronger punishment for heads of companies responsible for fatal industrial accidents. / Yonhap

Jan 11, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Meeting with business leaders

Court ruling to hamper Moon's plan for Olympic diplomacy in Tokyo

President Moon Jae-in speaks on the phone with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Sept. 24, at Cheong Wa Dae. Courtesy of Cheong Wa DaeBy Do Je-hae A local court ruling over a historical issue between Korea and Japan has emerged as another major impediment to President Moon Jae-in's plan to use the upcoming Tokyo Olympics as a platform for diplomacy among key players in the region.The Seoul Central District Court's Jan. 8 ruling ordered the Japanese government to pay compensation of $91,200 to each of 12 Korean women who were victims of sexual slavery practices by the Japanese Army before and during World War II. The ruling triggered an intense backlash from Tokyo and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who said Japan could never accept the ruling.“The comfort women issue between Japan and South Korea has already been resolved completely and definitely,” Suga told reporters after the ruling. Suga's hardline stance is expected to further aggravate the mood between the two countries ahead of the Olympics. He has already refused to visit Korea for the Korea-Japan-Ch

Jan 10, 2021By Do Je-hae
Court ruling to hamper Moon's plan for Olympic diplomacy in Tokyo
  • Moon struggling to find breakthrough in ties with Japan
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