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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.

Conservative parties' consolidation faces hurdles

Former National Assembly Secretary-General Park Heong-joon, center, leader of a newly launched committee for the renovation and unification of conservatives, speaks during the second meeting of the committee at the National Assembly, Wednesday. The committee includes members from the Liberty Korea Party, the New Conservative Party and several independent lawmakers. YonhapMerger committee launched; friction already surfacing among partiesBy Jung Da-min Conservative parties are gearing up for a merger to form a “big tent” to win the April 15 general election, but questions are whether the move will succeed when signs of fragmentation among the members have already emerged.A committee for the renovation and unification of the conservatives held its first meeting, Tuesday. With former National Assembly Secretary-General Park Heong-joon being the head, the committee is comprised of members from conservative parties including the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP); the minor New Conservative Party, a breakaway group from the minor Bareunmirae Party; and some other i

Jan 15, 2020
Conservative parties' consolidation faces hurdles
  • For conservative parties' unity

Seoul reaffirms focus on North Korean engagement

Foreign Minister Kang and her U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo YonhapBy Do Je-hae Despite a rising controversy over the possible violation of global sanctions, key officials of the Moon Jae-in administration have reaffirmed the President's pro-engagement policy with North Korea this year through the pursuit of various inter-Korean projects.During her latest visit to the United States, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha indicated that Seoul could proceed with inter-Korean projects irrespective of the stalemate in the North Korea-U.S. nuclear negotiations. “Depending on the circumstances, North Korea-U.S. relations can proceed faster at some point, and South-North relations can do so at another point,” Kang told reporters after her meeting with her U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo in Palo Alto, Calif., Wednesday (local time). “Amid the deadlock in North Korea-U.S. talks, what the two Koreas can do is to keep up the momentum for engagement. There have been some important agreements between the two Koreas. In particular, there are projects that are not restricted by the sanctions.

Jan 15, 2020By Do Je-hae
Seoul reaffirms focus on North Korean engagement
  • US slaps sanctions over North Korea overseas workers
  • S. Korea to take action to improve relations with North Korea: minister
  • South Korea looking into 'various formats' to allow individual trips to Mount Kumgang
  • Trump likens North Korea talks to 'beautiful game of chess'

Presidential spokeswoman to quit for April election

Presidential spokeswoman Ko Min-jung smiles after finishing her last press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Wednesday. YonhapBy Jung Min-hoCheong Wa Dae spokeswoman Ko Min-jung has tendered her resignation to run in the parliamentary general election slated for April 15.“I have spoken for President Moon Jae-in over the past three years,” Ko, 40, said at the presidential office in Seoul Wednesday. “With my political beliefs, now I want to speak for the people.” Cheong Wa Dae is reportedly “in the final stage” of selecting her successor.Goyang and Uijeongbu in Gyeonggi Province are among the constituencies she is considering.Two other Cheong Wa Dae officials ― Chunchugwan press center director Yoo Song-hwa and Kwon Hyang-yup, secretary for balanced personnel affairs ― and Ko's two predecessors ― Park Soo-hyun and Kim Eui-kyeom ― also plan to run.

Jan 15, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Presidential spokeswoman to quit for April election

'Idol' underplays K-pop artistry: music industry expert

K-pop columnist Jeff Benjamin speaks during a media conference for winners of the Korea Image Awards at Samsung-dong, southern Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapBy Lee Gyu-leeK-pop columnist Jeff Benjamin, who writes for Billboard and Forbes, wants media outlets to stop calling K-pop stars “idols” because the term “de-emphasizes” their artistry. “Many artists in Korea are referred to as an 'idol,' but I think that word doesn't emphasize that there's art, creative merit or artists' leadership in their work,” the New York-based journalist said Tuesday. Benjamin shared his views on K-pop during a media conference for winners of the Korea Image Awards at Samsung-dong, Seoul. The Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) awards recognize people who promote and spread a positive image of Korea abroad.He suggested the media should pay attention to K-pop artists' thoughts and true self expressed through their work. “If we dive deeper into something that connects fans and artists ... and shows the artists in different lights, it's going to create a bond not only

Jan 15, 2020By Lee Gyu-lee
'Idol' underplays K-pop artistry: music industry expert

K-pop, hallyu continue global rise

Lee Geun, president of the Korea FoundationBy Kim Ji-sooThere is a cautious but strong move to bet on K-pop to lead the Korean economy in the years ahead, as interest in hallyu continues to grow.The Korea Foundation has released a booklet tallying the status of hallyu over the globe, which found that global fans of the Korean wave increased about 11 percent in 2019 or nearly 100 million over the previous year. The foundation, which is affiliated with the Foreign Ministry, made the assessment by studying hallyu communities in 98 nations. As of December 2019, there were 1,799 hallyu fan clubs with 99.32 million fans. The number of fans increased 11 percent over the figure of 89.19 million in 2018.The bulk of the fans were based in Asia and Oceania at around 72 million, followed by 15 million in Europe and 12 million in the Americas. The object of love for these fans was mainly K-pop, followed by K-dramas.The book ascribes the growth of hallyu to expanding distribution and consumption routes of Korean content through such platforms as YouTube, Netflix and SNS, and to the qualitative gro

Jan 15, 2020By Kim Ji-soo

Ex-prime minister resumes political activity

Former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, right, receives a bouquet of flowers from Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Hae-chan at the National Assembly, Seoul, as a welcome gift to resume the party's affairs as a permanent adviser, Wednesday, a day after he left the prime minister position. / Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geunBy Kim RahnFormer Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon was named a permanent adviser to the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Wednesday, a day after he left the post.One of the strongest contenders for the next president, Lee is expected to run for the Jongno District in the upcoming April 15 general election, and possibly head the party's committee on election strategy.“I returned to the party after six years of being away while working as the governor of South Jeolla Province and prime minister,” Lee said ahead of a party meeting at the National Assembly.“I'll do what I can and must do faithfully while talking with the party on every issue.”DPK Chairman Lee Hae-chan said Lee has sufficient experience in and knowledge of politics. “As an a

Jan 15, 2020By Kim Rahn
Ex-prime minister resumes political activity

South Korea looking into 'various formats' to allow individual trips to Mount Kumgang

Mount Kumgang in North Korea. Korea Times fileSouth Korea is looking into "various formats" to allow its citizens to visit Mount Kumgang, a day after President Moon Jae-in cited individual trips as a way to expand inter-Korean exchanges, the unification ministry said Wednesday.On Tuesday, Moon said during a press conference for the new year that allowing such trips does not violate global sanctions, saying it could be one of the ways to expand inter-Korean cooperation, draw international support for partial sanctions relief for Pyongyang and help bring it back to denuclearization talks.In response to Moon's remarks, the U.S. State Department said that Washington and Seoul are "committed to close coordination on our unified response to North Korea," suggesting that individual trips to the mountain should be subject to discussions between the allies. "(We) see the individual trips do not violate U.N. Security Council sanctions and could actively review it if the personal safety of our people are guaranteed," Kim Eun-han, the ministry's deputy spokesperson, told a regular press briefing

Jan 15, 2020
South Korea looking into 'various formats' to allow individual trips to Mount Kumgang
  • S. Korea to take action to improve relations with North Korea: minister
  • Seoul reaffirms focus on North Korean engagement

S. Korea to take action to improve relations with North Korea: minister

Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul. Korea Times fileUnification Minister Kim Yeon-chul has pledged to take possible measures to improve relations with North Korea, rather than waiting for progress in negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington, according to civic group officials.The remark, made during a luncheon meeting with representatives of pro-unification civic and religious groups on Tuesday, is in line with President Moon Jae-in's vow to expand inter-Korean cooperation so as to help facilitate stalled nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang."We will review various measures, such as cooperation with international organizations and individual tours, to put in active efforts in improving inter-Korean relations," Kim was quoted as saying by civic group officials.Kim also said the government will take a more "flexible" stance this year to make conditions for dialogue.Speaking at his New Year's press conference on Tuesday, Moon said cooperation between the two Koreas could lead to international support for sanctions relief and facilitate the stalled nuclear talks between Py

Jan 15, 2020
S. Korea to take action to improve relations with North Korea: minister
  • South Korea looking into 'various formats' to allow individual trips to Mount Kumgang
  • Seoul reaffirms focus on North Korean engagement

Another strong year for Mercedes

Mercedes-Benz Korea CEO Dimitris Psillakis speaks during the company's New Year press conference at the EQ Future Pavilion in Sinsa-dong, Seoul, Tuesday. Psillakis said Mercedes will introduce nine full-change and six facelift vehicles in Korea this year. Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Korea

Jan 14, 2020By Nam Hyun-woo
Another strong year for Mercedes

Assembly speaker's son taking flak for hereditary succession

By Kang Seung-wooMoon Seok-gyun, son of National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, plans to run for his father's parliamentary seat. / YonhapThe son of National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang is in the hot seat with his plans to take over his father's constituency. Moon Seok-gyun, son of six-term lawmaker and parliamentary leader Rep. Moon, has declared his bid to run in the general election in April on the Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) ticket and has already passed its primary screening.However, the 49-year-old political rookie's pursuit of a National Assembly seat representing the Uijeongbu A District in Gyeonggi Province is facing a backlash as many are criticizing him for piggybacking on his father's stature. The senior Moon has won the election in the constituency six times, including five consecutive terms, since 1992.Last month, the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) submitted a bill to prevent political parties from nominating direct descendants of incumbent lawmakers as candidates for their constituencies.“If the speaker's son wins the nomination in his father

Jan 14, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Assembly speaker's son taking flak for hereditary succession
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