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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.

'Korea-Japan ties may get worse after asset liquidation'

Korean and Japanese flags are being displayed in a Korea town in Tokyo in this Oct. 22 file photo. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Park Ji-wonSouth Korean experts on Korea-Japan relations said the two countries' relations may get even worse after the court-ordered liquidation of Japanese firms' assets here in a few months.Expecting that the liquidation of Japanese assets will occur between March and May, they pointed out it could drop bilateral relations to an even lower level and it is widely expected that they will be exchanging additional countermeasures against each other and continuing to clash over historical and economic issues.They also pointed out there is no visible plan for both countries to resolve the liquidation issue while saying there are possibilities that both governments are taking advantage of the current situation for the sake of their domestic political interests to extend the powers of the current Moon Jae-in and Shinzo Abe administrations. Some of them said the South will try not to politicize the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, although there are still chances t

Jan 5, 2020By Park Ji-won
'Korea-Japan ties may get worse after asset liquidation'

S. Korea's Gen Z less interested in unification, Korean identity: poll

South Koreans born after 1995 are less supportive of unification and feel less affinity for North Koreans despite a common ethnic identity, according to a recent survey.The poll from newspaper Hankook Ilbo and Hankook Research taken in early December interviewed a pool of 500 Generation Z respondents and compared their answers to those of 500 South Korean members of Generation X, or people born after 1968 and before 1980.The Hankook Ilbo reported Friday Gen Z respondents were relatively apathetic about the notion of a unitary Korean people that binds Koreans of North and South.When asked about their sense of "belonging" to transnational Koreans as an ethnic group, fewer Gen Z respondents responded positively than their Gen X counterparts, or about 13 percentage points lower, according to the report. Lack of identification with North Koreans was also greater among Gen Z respondents; only about 12 percent of them said they view North Korea in a positive light.South Korean university student Kim Ji-su told interviewers the decades-long division of North and South contributes to her disi

Jan 5, 2020
S. Korea's Gen Z less interested in unification, Korean identity: poll

New Justice Minister Choo vows to reform prosecution

New Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, right, shakes hand with Bae Seong-beom, the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, during her inaugural ceremony at the government complex in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunNew Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae has vowed to reform the prosecution in what she called “the demand of the times.”“Prosecution reform is what we call the most difficult and challenging task and it has become the demand of the times that nobody can go against,” Choo said in her inaugural speech at the government complex building in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday.“As far as the ministry is concerned, we will have to take on the task with a particular attitude in completing the historic reformation.”The nation's demand and support for reform of the prosecution had reached its highest level in history according to various polls, Choo said. “President Moon Jae-in's administration has been working continuously to revamp power apparatuses like the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and th

Jan 3, 2020By Kim Jae-heun
New Justice Minister Choo vows to reform prosecution

Yankees' German suspended 81 games for domestic violence

In this file photo taken on September 05, 2019 Domingo German of the New York Yankees pitch sin the first inning of a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass. /AFP-YonhapYankees pitcher Domingo German will miss the first 63 games of the 2020 season as part of an 81-game ban for violating Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy.The league announced the suspension Thursday. German has agreed not to appeal.German was put on administrative leave on Sept. 19 while MLB investigated an alleged domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend, with whom he has at least one child. He missed the final nine games of the 2019 regular season and all nine of New York's postseason games. Those missed games will count toward his ban.The right-hander was the Yankees' winningest pitcher last season, going 18-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 24 starts and three relief appearances. The 27-year-old had a $577,500 salary but will not be paid for the time he missed after being placed on leave, costing him $35,153. He is expected to make a similar salary for 2020 but again will not be

Jan 3, 2020

Moon vows export growth, focuses on eco-friendly vehicles

President Moon Jae-in, center, congratulates the first export of a Niro-branded eco-friendly vehicle developed by Kia Motors during his visit to the Pyeongtaek-Dangjin seaport, a trade hub of South Korea's vehicle exports located 70 kilometers southwest of Seoul, Friday. YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulPresident Moon Jae-in vowed to expand the country's exports for this year by providing various assistance programs for domestic vehicle manufacturers with competitiveness especially in electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).“South Korea has taken steps toward becoming one of the world's big four powerhouses in terms of export volume by 2030. Korea has begun exporting eco-friendly vehicles and this will clearly help us put a big fresh impetus on the country's economy,” the President said in a speech delivered at the Pyeongtaek-Dangjin seaport, 70 kilometers southwest of Seoul, according to Cheong Wa Dae press pool reports, Friday. Moon visited the seaport as his first field trip of 2020, Cheong Wa Dae said, in a move to soothe looming concerns over bot

Jan 3, 2020By Kim Yoo-chul
Moon vows export growth, focuses on eco-friendly vehicles

Police struggle to control large rallies at National Assembly

Liberty Korea Party lawmakers stage a protest in front of the National Assembly to voice opposition to the new prosecutorial reform bill, Dec. 17. Korea Times fileBy Kim Hyun-binStarting this year, protesters are able to stage rallies in the vicinity of the National Assembly, keeping police on their toes. Until last year, protests were banned from within 100 meters of the Assembly, but the Constitutional Court ruled last May that the law was in discordance with the Constitution, saying it “violates the right to protest and to hold rallies.” It also ruled, if a revision is not made by Dec. 31, 2019, the law would lose its legal force in 2020.However, lawmakers failed to pass the revision due to scores of other contentious pending bills awaiting vote.As a result, there is no longer any law prohibiting large-scale rallies in front of the National Assembly, putting the police on high alert.Rep. Kang Chang-il of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea issued several revised bills that allow small rallies which do not hinder the National Assembly's functions. However, those bills

Jan 3, 2020By Kim Hyun-bin
Police struggle to control large rallies at National Assembly

Kim Hyun-chong did not offer to resign: Cheong Wa Dae

National Security Office Second Deputy Director Kim Hyun-chong, right, at a meeting of presidential aides, presided over by President Moon Jae-in, on Dec. 30. Korea Times photo by Ryu Hyo-jinBy Jung Da-min Cheong Wa Dae on Friday denied reports that senior presidential aide Kim Hyun-chong has offered to resign as second deputy director of the presidential National Security Office (NSO).“The NSO's second deputy Kim Hyun-chong didn't offer his resignation. Reports over Kim's resignation are far from the truth,” a Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters at a briefing.The official said the NSO deputy's commitment to his role remained firm and the senior presidential aide “has no intention” to run in the April 2020 general elections. It was speculated that Kim was planning to run in the election after resigning. Media reports said Kim's offer of resignation was likely to be related to his recent “conflict” with Choi Jong-kun, presidential secretary for peace planning, over assessment of inter-Korean policies. Kim and Choi reportedly clashed over the direc

Jan 3, 2020
Kim Hyun-chong did not offer to resign: Cheong Wa Dae

Parties seek different North Korea policies

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea chief Rep. Lee Hae-chan, second from left, shakes hands with retired Army Gen. Kim Byung-joo, who was a former deputy commander of the Republic of Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command and joined the party ahead of the 2020 general election, Thursday, at the National Assembly.By Jung Da-min The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) are pursuing different policies toward North Korea. The DPK has emphasized the importance of continuing dialogue in 2020, while the LKP criticized this engagement policy for bringing no results. The two parties showed different reactions to North Korea's New Year message which implied the possibility of resuming the tests of strategic weapons such as nuclear weapons or intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). North Korea delivered this message on New Year's Day announcing the results of the 5th plenary meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the country's ruling Workers' Party of Korea, which lasted for four days from Dec. 28 to 31. The DPK has emphasized the need to r

Jan 2, 2020
Parties seek different North Korea policies

'Outdated' Ahn Cheol-soo declaring return to politics faces limited impact

Seen above is former People's Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo's Facebook page. Ahn said Thursday in the post that he will return to South Korea's political arena. / Courtesy of Ahn Cheol-soo's Facebook pageBy Jhoo Dong-chanFormer People's Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo will return to South Korea's political arena, according to his Facebook post, Thursday. Political analysts and incumbent lawmakers, however, downplayed Ahn's return, claiming his influence is likely to be limited.Ahn, who is staying at Stanford University as a visiting scholar in California, halted his political activities shortly after his defeat in the Seoul mayoral race in June 2018. He then left South Korea to study abroad. “I spent about one year abroad to look back on my six-year political career. And I would like to give a sincere apology for failing to live up to the expectations of my supporters,” Ahn said in his Facebook post.“My original intention contributing to Korea's future remains undeterred. South Korea is unfortunately going backward at the moment. Korean politics are also deteriorating even

Jan 2, 2020By Jhoo Dong-chan
'Outdated' Ahn Cheol-soo declaring return to politics faces limited impact

President to focus on 'outcomes' in 4th year in office

President Moon Jae-in pays tribute at Seoul National Cemetary, Thursday, with Cabinet members and senior presidential secretaries. YonhapBy Do Je-hae President Moon Jae-in's main focus this year will be centered on achieving tangible progress in improving the people's livelihoods with the clock ticking on his time in office and a crucial election just months away.Starting the New Year, the President is putting emphasis on his administration's efforts to actually get people to feel the benefits of his policies. The general election, considered a test of Moon's performances since assuming office in May 2017, will take place in April. Coming off a hectic diplomatic schedule in Chengdu, China where the President met with leaders of China and Japan, Moon is expected to focus on domestic affairs in the coming weeks to achieve a good result for the ruling party in the elections. Cheong Wa Dae is preparing for a New Year press conference where the President will give a clear outline of his focus this year. But from several public messages this week, it is evident that some keywords for his a

Jan 2, 2020By Do Je-hae
President to focus on 'outcomes' in 4th year in office
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