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DPK pushes for naming more new faces in April election

Rep. Lee Hae-chan, center, chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), begins a party meeting at the National Assembly, Monday. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonThe ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) plans to name some 40 new candidates in the upcoming April general election in an attempt to give the party a "fresh stimulus" amid criticism that there are limited opportunities for political newbies under the current election rule.Political sources said the ruling party will designate political rookies or popular figures as sole candidates in some 40 constituencies replacing incumbent lawmakers which account for one third of the current 129 DPK lawmakers. Several incumbent lawmakers who announced they would bow out of the race in April are expected to be among those replaced with new candidates.If the candidates are on the DPK's ticket under the plan, they are exempted from competitive primary races. The initiative aims to increase the number of political rookies while minimizing the internal clashes created by the nomination process so that the party can have more chances of winnin

Dec 16, 2019By Park Ji-won

Last-minute breakthrough? Moon to meet Biegun at 11 a.m. to discuss North Korea

President Moon Jae-in, right, talks with top U.S. nuclear negotiator Stephen Biegun at Cheong Wa Dae in this photo taken on Sept. 11, 2018. Courtesy of Cheong Wa DaeTop U.S. nuclear negotiator Stephen Biegun was set to meet President Moon Jae-in and other senior Seoul officials on Monday to discuss how to bring North Korea back to dialogue amid rising tensions over its apparent rocket engine tests this month.The special representative for North Korea arrived in Seoul the previous day as Pyongyang has been ramping up pressure on Washington to present an acceptable proposal before its year-end deadline to advance their stalemated nuclear negotiations.Biegun plans to pay a courtesy call on Moon at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae at 11 a.m. It would mark his first such visit to the president since September last year shortly before an inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang.Before that, the U.S. official, now the nominee for deputy secretary of state, will separately meet First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young and then his counterpart Lee Do-hoon at the foreign ministry.After his talks

Dec 16, 2019
Last-minute breakthrough? Moon to meet Biegun at 11 a.m. to discuss North Korea

Night of KU businesspeople

Seung Myung-ho, third from left, chairman of The Korea Times and the Hankook Ilbo, poses with alumni of Korea University during an event held by the Business People's Association of Korea University at the Sheraton Seoul Palace Gangnam Hotel, southern Seoul, Thursday. From left are Aju Corp. Chairman Moon Kyu-young, Kim&aL Chairman Kim Myung-ha, Seung, Iljin Package President Woo Yoon-sik, and Younam Electric President Ko Jae-hyo. / Courtesy of Business People's Association of Korea University

Dec 13, 2019By Bahk Eun-ji
Night of KU businesspeople

EXCLUSIVE S. Korea to propose establishing joint funds for wartime laborers

National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang speaks during a meeting with floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties at his office at the National Assembly, Friday. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonNational Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang is planning to submit contentious bills to end historical disputes with Japan. They include a plan to establish joint funds to “compensate” forced labor victims in Korea and overseas, and soldiers, funded by Korean and Japanese companies and civilians.According to the bills, copies of which were obtained by The Korea Times, Friday, Moon has notified Japanese politicians as Seoul and Tokyo agreed to initiate an “exit-strategy” in resolving bilateral friction that has continued since July after Japan's decision to impose export curbs on industrial materials crucial to South Korean manufacturing industries at the coming summit between the leaders of the two countries.But the bills are expected to face opposition from civic groups as they don't mandate legal responsibilities for the Japanese government over its past wrongdoings against Sout

Dec 13, 2019By Park Ji-won
[EXCLUSIVE] S. Korea to propose establishing joint funds for wartime laborers

Progressive group under probe for defaming LKP head Hwang

Leaflets criticizing main opposition Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn are in the mailboxes of an apartment building in Seoul. / Captured from the Facebook of the Youth PartyBy Kim RahnPolice are investigating a progressive group for allegedly defaming the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn in leaflets that describe Hwang as a “pro-Japanese collaborator” with “a cunning face.”Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn / YonhapSeoul Seongbuk Police Station officers said Friday they would next week officially summon a staffer from the “investigation team for Hwang Kyo-ahn's arrest” ― a unit set up by the Youth Party ― for questioning over the defamation allegations.Police earlier asked the staffer, surnamed Jang, voluntarily to come to the police station for questioning but he refused.The team has allegedly distributed fliers that call for Hwang's arrest through apartment building mailboxes across Seoul.The leaflets have the word “WANTED” on them and an altered photo showing Hwang in a prison uniform

Dec 13, 2019By Kim Rahn
Progressive group under probe for defaming LKP head Hwang

Moon vows to promote agricultural, fishing sector

President Moon Jae-in at a farm YonhapBy Do Je-hae The Moon Jae-in administration will put more emphasis on raising the competitiveness of the agricultural and fisheries sectors as well as raising the quality of life of people in these industries. Moon held a town hall meeting with policymakers and industry insiders at the Korea National College of Agriculture and Fisheries in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, a traditional stronghold of rice farming. During a speech, Moon said that his administration will better address the difficulties faced by those in the agricultural and fishing sectors. “It cannot be denied that the gap between cities and rural areas has been widening,” Moon said. “We need to reassess the value of agriculture and fisheries in society. The remarkable industrial development we've achieved today was possible because of strong backing from the farming and fishing areas.”Moon proposed several objectives to open a new “era of agriculture” for “inclusive and innovative growth,” which has been one of his core policies. As a

Dec 12, 2019By Do Je-hae
Moon vows to promote agricultural, fishing sector

Foreign officers learning Korean visit Hanwha Group

Foreign military officers pose during a visit to the headquarters of Hanwha Group in Seoul, Dec. 12. Courtesy of Hanwha GroupBy Do Je-hae A group of 84 foreign military officers learning Korean language at the Korea Defense Language Institute (KDLI) visited the headquarters of Hanwha Group in Seoul, Dec. 12.The visit was part of Hanwha's efforts to promote diverse cultural exchange programs. In a welcoming speech, Moon Sang-kyun, executive vice president of strategy division, expressed gratitude to the foreign military officers' interest in Korea, stressing Hanwha's entrepreneurial spirit of “trust” and “loyalty.” "Hanwha truly values the relations with each of you from all the countries of the world,” Moon said. “Taking this opportunity, we hope your understanding of Hanwha's entrepreneurial spirit and business activities as well as South Korea's defense industry will be deepened further.” The participants are from 28 countries,including Saudi Arabia, Mongolia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Ukraine and Brazil. The KDLI is affiliated w

Dec 12, 2019By Do Je-hae
Foreign officers learning Korean visit Hanwha Group

Moon asks Assembly to submit a hearing report on Choo

Rep. Choo Mi-ae, justice minister nominee, answers reporters' questions at her temporary office for hearing preparations in Seoul, Monday. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonPresident Moon Jae-in asked the National Assembly to submit a hearing report on his choice of Choo Mi-ae as the next justice minister.“President Moon asked the National Assembly to send reports on the confirmation hearings for justice minister-designate Choo Mi-ae. Because of the request, the confirmation hearings on Choo for the justice minister position will be held within this month,” a ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) official said, Wednesday.While South Korean lawmakers could submit confirmation hearing reports to express their support or disapproval of ministerial candidates, President Moon doesn't need approval to appoint his nominees other than from the prime minister.As a former DPK chairwoman and judge, Rep. Choo is considered the “right fit” for the justice minister position to support President Moon's drive for prosecutorial reform. The justice minister position has been vacant since th

Dec 11, 2019By Park Ji-won
Moon asks Assembly to submit a hearing report on Choo

Biegun may visit Panmungak for 'undisclosed meeting' with NK

In this file photo taken on February 9, 2019, US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun listens to South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha during their meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul. AP-YonhapBy Do Je-hae, Kim Yoo-chul U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun may visit the North Korean side of the Joint Security Area early next week, for a meeting with a high-level North Korean official, sources familiar with the issue told The Korea Times, Wednesday.“Biegun plans to visit South Korea later this week or early next week, after attending a meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in New York. Talks are underway for Biegun to possibly meet with a high-level North Korean diplomat on the North's side of the border village of Panmunjeom,” a senior lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said.Washington confirmed the upcoming UNSC meeting will focus on what North Korea claimed was “a very important test” at its rocket and missile, testing and launch facility in Dongchang-ri. The meeting h

Dec 11, 2019By Do Je-hae
Biegun may visit Panmungak for 'undisclosed meeting' with NK
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