South Korea - The Korea Times

Outgoing DPK leader laments stalled inter-Korean ties

By Kang Seung-wooLee Hae-chan, the outgoing chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), regretted, Friday, that inter-Korean relations could not develop further during his two-year tenure, vowing to continue efforts to get the stalled bilateral ties back on track after retirement. Lee Hae-chan, the outgoing chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, speaks during a virtual press conference, Friday. / YonhapThe former seven-term lawmaker, 68, will wrap up his 32-year political career, Saturday, when the DPK will hold a virtual convention to pick a new leader to replace him. “I really wanted to build a cornerstone that would contribute to inter-Korean relations advancing, but they have been stalled,” Lee said during a press conference livestreamed via YouTube. “Inter-Korean exchanges got off to a solid start, but now they are facing a deadlock, which is the most pitiful thing during my two-year term. Keeping it in mind that there must not be another war on the Korean Peninsula, and inter-Korean affairs should be addressed via dialogue.” Biddin

Aug 28, 2020By Kang Seung-woo

Korean Air demands Seoul city stop blocking land sale

The site owned by Korean Air in Songhyeon-dong, Jongno-gu, in downtown Seoul. / Korea Times FileBy Lee Hyo-sikKorean Air released a statement, Friday, demanding the Seoul Metropolitan Government stop blocking the sale of a site in downtown Seoul, which the air carrier seeks to dispose of to raise much-needed cash.Korea's largest flagship carrier said the city likely violated the law by designating its 37,000-square-meter site in Songhyeon-dong, Jongno-gu, as land for a public park, urging city officials to stop infringing on its property rights.The company bought the former compound of embassy housing for American diplomatic personnel for 290 billion won ($240 million) in 2008 to build a hotel. But it has been unable to do so because of opposition from the city government. To secure cash amid its worsening bottom line and plunging travel demand, the carrier now wants to sell the property, worth about 500 billion won. But Seoul city has designated the site as a public park, driving off those prospective buyers.“Seoul city has not secured enough money to buy the Songhyeon-dong la

Aug 28, 2020By Lee Hyo-sik

Online petition critical of Moon Jae-in administration draws attention

By Kang Seung-wooAn online petition critical of the Moon Jae-in administration's policy missteps and beleaguered current and former officials has received widespread attention. President Moon Jae-in / YonhapThe petition, made public at Cheong Wa Dae website, Thursday, in the form of a written appeal to a king during the 1392-1910 Joseon era, criticized the government's policies in various fields of real estate, taxes, foreign and economic policy and personnel management. As of 5 p.m., Friday, it has garnered more than 279,000 signatories. Any petition that gets more than 200,000 signatures within a month requires an official response from the presidential office.“As the COVID-19 pandemic is sweeping the nation and hitting its economy hard, lawmakers and government officials are merely busying pursuing private interest, while preventing the President from gauging the public sentiment toward the administration,” the petitioner wrote. The petitioner called on Moon to lower taxes, carry out policies in a rational manner, pursue pragmatic diplomacy, respect human desires, appo

Aug 28, 2020By Kang Seung-woo

Online petition critical of Moon Jae-in administration draws attention

COVID-19 paralyzes political circles

The entrance of the main building of the National Assembly in Seoul is locked, Thursday, after a reporter covering the ruling party tested positive for COVID-19 the previous day. / Yonhap By Kang Seung-wooA photo journalist covering the ruling party has tested positive for COVI-19, disrupting operations at the National Assembly and among political parties. The Assembly was closed Thursday for disinfection of the affected buildings, while parties scrambled to cancel all their meetings scheduled for the day.Given that the leaderships of the ruling and opposition parties and even the Assembly speaker were found to have had direct or indirect contact with the journalist, concerns are lingering that the coronavirus pandemic may affect the Assembly's regular sessions slated for next month. Right after the reporter tested positive Wednesday, the Assembly announced its closure and the postponement of nine committee meetings scheduled for Thursday. This is the second time th

Aug 27, 2020By Kang Seung-woo

Hyundai Steel runs projects on recycling coffee grounds

A Hyundai Steel official introduces its coffee grounds recycling program to officials from district offices in Incheon, July 29. Courtesy of Hyundai SteelBy Nam Hyun-wooHyundai Steel is running a number of projects to recycle coffee grounds as part of its efforts to pursue sustainability and make commitments to society, according to the steelmaker, Thursday.Hyundai Steel, the Korea Productivity Center and Incheon Metropolitan City held a conference on upcycling coffee grounds on July 29, sharing the company's knowhow in recycling the waste with officials at environment-related divisions in eight districts in the city. Since last year, Hyundai Steel has been running coffee waste recycling programs. Last year, the company signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the Ministry of Environment, the Incheon city government and district offices in the city, and set up infrastructure for collecting coffee grounds. This year, they started collecting coffee waste from cafes in two districts of the city and handed the grounds over to the recycling companies which manufacture upcycled produc

Aug 27, 2020By Nam Hyun-woo

Hyundai Steel runs projects on recycling coffee grounds

Moon urges church leaders to cooperate in virus fight

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting with the country's Protestant leaders at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Thursday. Moon asked for their cooperation in the government's infection control efforts to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. YonhapBy Jung Da-min President Moon Jae-in has asked for church leaders' cooperation with the government's infection control measures to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. The request came as some churches are not following government guidelines to hold services online instead of at church buildings.“Most of the country's churches are helping the government's infection control efforts by conducting worship services online,” Moon said during meetings with 16 Protestant leaders at Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday. “As I understand this was not an easy decision, I deeply appreciate your active cooperation.” The President said some churches, however, are continuing with gatherings, to the point where it threatens public safety.“In the case of a specific church, in particular, it refuses to follow the government's infection

Aug 27, 2020

Moon urges church leaders to cooperate in virus fight

Controversy rises over ruling bloc's criticism against judiciary

Foreign Minister Kang makes misdirected apology

Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha speaks at the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Aug. 25. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geunBy Do Je-hae Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha came under fire this week for her remarks during a National Assembly session regarding a highly publicized sexual harassment case involving a ministry official who formerly served at the Korean Embassy in New Zealand.The Korean diplomat, who was relieved of his duties at another diplomatic mission recently and ordered to return to Korea for further investigation on Aug. 3, has faced allegations that he sexually harassed a local male employee during his service at the embassy in 2017.The Korean foreign minister took questions regarding the case at a session of the Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Tuesday. She raised controversy by refusing to apologize to the government or people of New Zealand. Instead, she offered an apology to President Moon Jae-in. “Regardless of the circumstances, I feel sorry that the case has left the President in an uncomfortable posit

Aug 27, 2020By Do Je-hae

Foreign Minister Kang makes misdirected apology

Anti-virus fight or freedom of religion: What deserves priority?

President Moon Jae-in, center, speaks during a meeting with church leaders at Cheong Wa Dae, Seoul, Thursday. YonhapPresident Moon Jae-in strongly criticized a Seoul church Thursday for hampering the government's fight against the new coronavirus outbreak, saying its "brazen" attitude has put relevant national efforts in jeopardy."Still, some churches (in South Korea) are sticking to face-to-face worship services," he said during a Cheong Wa Dae meeting with 16 leaders of the nation's Protestant community.In particular, Moon said, a "specific church is rejecting and obstructing the government's coronavirus-related guidelines," without mentioning its name.Moon was apparently referring to Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, a hotbed of the recent cluster infections sweeping through the greater Seoul area and spreading fast to other parts of the country.Its pastor Jun Kwang-hoon ― a firebrand right-wing pastor who has long openly criticized the Moon administration ― and many followers ignored the health authorities' warnings and participated in a massive anti-government rally in Gwang

Aug 27, 2020

Anti-virus fight or freedom of religion: What deserves priority?

Trump or Biden?

U.S. President Donald Trump points to a delegate after speaking during the first day of the Republican National Convention on Aug. 24 in Charlotte, North Carolina. AFP-YonhapUS presidency to affect Korean Peninsula issuesBy Do Je-hae The U.S. presidential election campaigns are picking up speed. The Democratic Party has named former two-time Vice President Joe Biden as its presidential candidate earlier this month and the incumbent President Donald Trump accepted the Republican Party's nomination to run for reelection this week. The U.S. presidential election is drawing keen attention from Korean media and among foreign policymakers given the dominant influence the U.S. plays in Korea's national security and diplomacy as the nation's biggest ally.Foreign policy experts raise a question over how Korea should prepare to deal with changes in the post-election period and adjust to either Biden's “pro-alliance” approach or Trump's “America-first” policy, as well as which candidate will better handle relations with China, as the escalating China-U.S conflict is emer