South Korea - The Korea Times

Ex-president gets 17-year jail term

Former President Lee Myung-bak shakes hands with his supporters after arriving at the Seoul High Court, Wednesday, to attend a trial. The appellate court increased Lee's prison sentence to 17 years from 15 on bribery and embezzlement charges and took him back into custody after he was released on bail. He is also ordered to pay a 13 billion won fine. Yonhap

Feb 20, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji

Not happy with opposition's criticism

Cabinet members, including Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun in the front row, look upset as Rep. Shim Jae-cheol, the floor leader of the main opposition United Future Party, delivers a speech critical of the Moon Jae-in administration, during an extraordinary session of the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. He said the last three years under the Moon administration were a disaster, calling on people to judge the current government at the April 15 general election. / Yonhap

Feb 19, 2020By Kang Seung-woo

Justice Party seeks to set up organization for migrants

Jasmine Lee, third from right, a Philippines-born naturalized Korean politician, speaks at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday, as the minor Justice Party announces its pledges on immigrants for the April 15 general election. / YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooThe minor Justice Party said, Wednesday, it would seek to set up an organization to deal with matters concerning immigrants and enact an “Immigration Law.”The pledge for the April 15 general election has come amid calls for more centralized control when implementing comprehensive policies for foreigners, as current governing bodies have been set up to oversee policies on migrant workers, marriage migrants and foreign students separately.“The number of foreign nationals who live in Korea has reached 2.5 million, accounting for 4.9 percent of the total population. However, despite different types of foreigners, there are few legal and institutional supports for them,” the party chairwoman Rep. Sim Sang-jeung said in a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul.“Immigrants are vulnerable to blind

Feb 19, 2020By Kang Seung-woo

Justice Party seeks to set up organization for migrants

'Gov't needs to monitor English media on epidemics with greater scrutiny'

Rep. Heo Yun-jung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea smiles during an interview with The Korea Times at her office in the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul Lawmaker urges government to win public trust to fight against fake news on virusBy Jung Da-min The government needs to monitor English media on epidemics with greater scrutiny, including the current 2019-nCoV (COVID-19) outbreak, as it reflects the government's actions to the world, which could have diplomatic, economic and social influence in the globalized era, a health expert-turned-lawmaker has said.Thus the government should offer accurate information through trusted media channels that target foreigners here or abroad, to prevent false information from spreading, she said.“As today's world is one market, South Korea's issue is not merely a domestic issue but a global issue. The government should pay particular attention how foreign media and domestic media targeti

Feb 19, 2020

'Gov't needs to monitor English media on epidemics with greater scrutiny'

Moon orders emergency economic policy

President Moon Jae-in during a Cabinet meeting on Feb. 18 YonhapBy Do Je-hae President Moon Jae-in ordered the government to implement urgent measures to combat the new coronavirus Tuesday, including finding emergency funding to salvage the economy amid mounting concerns over the viral outbreak's impact on the business sector.“The government needs to exercise boundless imagination to create policies needed to cope with the emergency economic situation,” Moon said during a Cabinet meeting. “The current situation is more serious than we thought.”The President's remarks reflect grave worries over the epidemic, which originated in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, that has dented the nation's exports and consumer demand. In particular, Moon expressed concerns about immediate setbacks in supply chains and production activities linked to China, where more than 70,000 people have been infected by COVID-19, or 2019-nCoV. “If China's economic situation worsens, we are hit hardest,” Moon said. “Right now, supply chain and production activities linked to Ch

Feb 18, 2020By Do Je-hae

Ruling party seeks to cut salary for 'unproductive' lawmakers

Rep. Cho Jeong-sik, center, the chief policymaker of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), announces the party's pledge for the April 15 general election at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. He said the party would seek to cut the salary of lawmakers who often skip sessions. / YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooThe National Assembly has long received public criticism over the lack of penalties given to lawmakers who fail to attend Assembly sessions or participate in relevant activities.Amid mounting criticism of the “unproductive” Assembly, the ruling party has vowed to slash the salary of lawmakers with poor session attendance records.However, it remains to be seen if the pledge will be implemented as planned because it contains some exception clauses that lawmakers may exploit.The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) announced the plan as one of its campaign pledges for the April 15 general election, where 300 parliamentary seats will be taken.“We have come up with the pledge in response to growing public calls for practical punitive measures against lawmakers who negl

Feb 18, 2020By Kang Seung-woo

Ruling party seeks to cut salary for 'unproductive' lawmakers

First lady visits traditional market

First lady Kim Jung-sook talks with a vendor at Dongwon Traditional Market in Jungnang-gu, Seoul, Tuesday. She talked with and listened to vendors, who have suffered a drastic drop in visitors as people avoid crowded places because of the 2019-nCoV, or COVID-19, coronavirus. Yonhap

Feb 18, 2020

Korea to invest $9.3 bil. for components, materials

Shipping containers are seen at a port in Tokyo, Japan, in this file photo, Monday. Reuters-YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulFollowing Japan unexpectedly and unilaterally tightened controls on high-technology exports to Korea last year, the government has decided to invest up to 11.2 trillion won ($9.3 billion) this year alone to help South Korean companies gain the upper hand against their Japanese counterparts in the industrial materials and components sector.“South Korea will invest up to 11.2 trillion won to keep core industries ― automotive, shipbuilding and industrial materials ― running this year. The government-wide financial support is to give assistance to these related industries,” the trade ministry said in a statement Monday.Specifically, the plan provides up to 4.5 trillion won to help local small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) invest in facilities to produce industrial materials and components crucial to manufacturing. The government agency has allocated 3 trillion won to operate programs helping SMEs develop technological advancements. “The government aims

Feb 17, 2020By Kim Yoo-chul

Korea to invest $9.3 bil. for components, materials

Korean economy feared to contract in Q1

Conservative parties launch united bloc

Hwang Kyo-ahn, center, former chairman of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party that has been merged with other conservative minor parties to form the United Future Party, applauds with other members of the new party in the inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. He will lead the new party as well. / YonhapEx-main oppoosition chief Hwang to lead 'big tent' against Moon government By Kang Seung-wooThe United Future Party, a bloc of three conservative parties, was launched, Monday, less than two months ahead of the upcoming general election.The new political body with 113 parliamentary seats held an inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly in Seoul under the banner of “Judgment on the Moon Jae-in administration.”The party is comprised of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and two minor parties — the New Conservative Party and the Forward for Future 4.0 that were formed by lawmakers who left the Bareunmirae Party, another minor opposition party. The new party was also joined by conservative civic groups.It was the first

Feb 17, 2020By Kang Seung-woo

Accidents on snowy roads

Firefighters and road maintenance officials handle multiple crashes involving seven trucks and sedans on a highway in Hoengseong, Gangwon Province, Monday. The accidents were blamed on slippery road conditions caused by heavy snow. Yonhap

Feb 17, 2020By Lee Hyo-sik

Politics