South Korea - The Korea Times

Parties engulfed by political strife

A massive rally, calling for newly appointed Justice Minister Cho Kuk's resignation, is being held in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Park Ji-wonPresident Moon Jae-in took office in May 2017 vowing to heal the nation's deep divide following the impeachment of his predecessor. Slightly more than two years later, his decision to appoint his trusted aide Cho Kuk as justice minister in September has caused a severe division among the people, with his cherished pledge for “national unity” sounding increasingly hollow. Protesters in support of Moon's push for judicial reform, led by Cho, held a rally in Seocho-dong and other parts of the country over the weekend to show their support for the scandal-ridden justice minister, while those against him took to the streets in Gwanghwamun in central Seoul. Some 300 protesters even spent the night near Cheong Wa Dae, calling on the President to dismiss Cho amid the prosecution's widening investigation into his wife and family members for alleged corruption and other illegalities. The controversy over Cho h

Oct 6, 2019By Park Ji-won

Rallies in support of prosecutorial reform grow

Rallies in support of prosecutorial reform grow

People hold a massive rally in front of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul, Saturday, to show support for Justice Minister Cho Kuk and the Moon Jae-in administration's push for prosecutorial reform. Organizers claim around 3 million people took part in the rally. YonhapBy Kim Hyun-binProtests calling for reform of the prosecution are expanding, with rallies taking place across the country participated in by larger numbers of people. In southern Seoul, Saturday, a massive candlelit rally was held near the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in support of President Moon Jae-in's prosecutorial reform plan and Justice Minister Cho Kuk ― a larger protest than the Sept. 28 one which the organizer said drew 1.5 million.The organizers claimed over 3 million people took part, occupying eight lanes of the 1.1-kilometer road north and south, and 10 lanes of the 1.2-kilometer road east to west, from Seocho Station. Police had to expand their closure of roads due to the number of participants.According to some observers, the larger attendance was triggered by a rally held Oct. 3 by conserv

Oct 6, 2019By Kim Hyun-bin

Rallies in support of prosecutorial reform grow

Parties engulfed by political strife

Supporters of justice minister hold rally, demanding reform of prosecution

Supporters hold a candlelight rally for the beleaguered justice minister, Cho Kuk, in front of Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seoul, Saturday. APProtesters shout slogans as they wave national flags and signs during a rally denouncing Justice Minister Cho Kuk in Seoul, Saturday. The letters read "Arrest Cho Kuk" and "Moon Jae-in, resign." APActivists and citizens held a rally in southern Seoul on Saturday in support of Justice Minister Cho Kuk and his drive to reform the prosecution amid a probe into corruption allegations surrounding his family.The candlelight vigil started at around 6 p.m. at an intersection near Seocho Station, where the prosecution's office is located, for the third such weekly rally.Participants chanted slogans ― "Reform the Prosecution" and "Protect Cho Kuk" ― as they condemned the prosecution's widening probe into Cho's family as an attempt to deter the minister from reforming the elite investigation agency.They also called for comprehensive reforms of the prosecution, including the establishment of an independent unit to probe corruption allegat

Oct 6, 2019

Supporters of justice minister hold rally, demanding reform of prosecution

Moon brushes aside 'public division'

Moon reaffirms commitment to co-hosting 2032 Olympics with N. Korea

President Moon Jae-in on Friday reaffirmed Seoul's resolve to co-host of the 2032 Olympic Games with North Korea in his opening address at the nation's biggest athletic competition.In February, the two Koreas sent a joint bid for the 2032 Olympics to the International Olympic Committee (IOC)."When the inter-Korean talks were cut off and relations were difficult, sports opened the door for meetings and dialogue," Moon said during the opening ceremony of the 100th Korean National Sports Festival at Jamsil Sports Complex in southern Seoul.Noting that the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, in which North Korea participated, helped resume peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula, Moon said a possible first-ever co-hosting of Olympics will open an era of co-prosperity of the two Koreas. He asked citizens and sports communities support the efforts.Moon also used the speech to celebrate the centennial of the national sports contest and promise to support athletes and promote sport activities among the public."The government will extend support to allow all athletes to achieve their dreams while

Oct 5, 2019

Moon asks Koreans abroad to support 2032 peace Olympics bid

President Moon Jae-in expressed hope Saturday that Koreans residing in foreign countries continue to support Seoul's peace efforts, especially its bid to host the 2032 Olympic Games together with Pyongyang.Addressing the 13th World Korean Day event at a Seoul hotel, he recalled their contributions to the successful hosting of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics early last year."I request compatriots once again to work together for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula," Moon said. "I expect you to add strength to the bid for the hosting of the 2032 Seoul-Pyongyang joint Olympics."He attached a special meaning to this year's World Korean Day, which he called a festival of around 7.5 million Koreans living abroad, as Korea marks the 100th anniversary of the March 1st Movement, a popular uprising against Japan's colonial rule, and the establishment of a provisional government.He stressed that Koreans abroad have contributed a lot to the fight against Japan's 1910-45 brutal colonization and South Korea's rapid economic growth after the 1950-53 Korean War."Just as the Republic of Korea

Oct 5, 2019

Moon vows to invite multinational firms to Gaeseong complex

By Kim Yoo-chulPresident Moon Jae-in vowed Friday to invite foreign companies to set up affiliates at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex (GIC) in North Korea if operations there are resumed.“If operations at the Gaeseong complex resume, I will try to make it a place that houses multinational companies,” President Moon said at the start of a luncheon with businesspeople at Cheong Wa Dae, according to press pool reports.The President appeared to be responding to remarks by Kim Ki-mun, head of the Korea Federation of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), calling for the complex to be reopened to help small local businesses. Many of these are in a dire financial straits due to their investment in the complex, and a lack of new growth engines.The GIC was once at the heart of South-North rapprochement during the “sunshine policy” of former President Kim Dae-jung. It was opened in 2014, but was forced to shut down following Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test. The comments come against the backdrop of the U.S. and North Korea resuming working-level denuclearization ta

Oct 4, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul

Moon vows to invite multinational firms to Gaeseong complex

Parties clash over 'optimism' in North Korea-US talks

Members of the North Korean delegation arrive to Arlanda airport north of Stockholm, Friday (KST). Working-level nuclear negotiations are expected to resume between the U.S. and North Korea. AFP-YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chul, Park Ji-wonKorea's political parties clashed (KST) in New York, Friday, over the prospects for the planned working-level denuclearization talks between the United States and North Korea during a National Assembly audit of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, being held there.The audit came a few hours after a North Korean delegation arrived in Stockholm, Sweden, Oct. 4, for the talks with the U.S., after months of deadlock and increased tensions mostly due to a series of missile tests by Pyongyang.During the audit, lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) remained optimistic over the talks, urging Washington to ease sanctions. The opposition parties, however, expressed concern about the recent missile launches, saying they underscored the need for the U.S. to move quickly to negotiate limits to the North's growing arsenal.

Oct 4, 2019By Park Ji-won

Parties clash over 'optimism' in North Korea-US talks

Prosecution makes partial concessions for reform

Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl walks through the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho, Seoul, Tuesday. / Korea Times photo by Lee Han-hoBy Lee Suh-yoonProsecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl announced Friday that the prosecution will no longer allow the press the opportunity to photograph suspects or witnesses arriving for questioning by prosecutors. The reform was put forward to the President Moon Jae-in administration amid the ongoing investigation into Justice Minister Cho Kuk and his family over corruption allegationsTo date, it has been common practice for the prosecutors' office to alert the media in advance, allowing journalists to photograph such high-profile people on a “press photo line” at the main entrance. This arrangement “updated the public” on ongoing investigations, but also served as a powerful political tool, making targeted suspects look guilty before any allegations were proven. “We have prepared revisions to our press relations practices to better protect the rights of people under investigation, while at the same time ensuring the pr

Oct 4, 2019

Prosecution makes partial concessions for reform

Cho-related scandals reveal chronic shortcomings of annual audit

Main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn, second from left, and LKP floor leader Na Kyung-won, left, join a rally at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul, Oct. 3, calling for scandal-ridden Justice Minister Cho Kuk to step down. / YonhapBy Yi Whan-wooThe National Assembly has faced calls for years to overhaul its annual audit because it fails to properly assess hundreds of government bodies ranging from ministries and their subordinate organizations to state-run firms. The 2019 audit, which started Oct. 2, is unlikely to be an exception, as lawmakers are excessively focused on scandal-ridden Justice Minister Cho Kuk instead of covering other major areas.The audit is held for 20 days every year, but the amount of time is seen as a major shortcoming because it is too short for a thorough inspection of government activities for the previous year. The case is more extreme this year as more than 800 organizations ― the highest in the audit history ― are subject to the audit.“I'd say the audit only scratches the surface of issues that need to be brought up to

Oct 4, 2019By Yi Whan-woo

Cho-related scandals reveal chronic shortcomings of annual audit

PM urges inter-Korean peace for world peace

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon speaks during a ceremony for the National Foundation Day at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Thursday. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonPrime Minister Lee Nak-yon stressed the importance of establishing peace between the two Koreas to contribute to world peace and realize the philosophy of Dangun, the legendary founder of Korea, Thursday, which was National Foundation Day.“We need to end hostility between South and North Korea and secure peace by fulfilling people's wishes to contribute to world peace,” Lee said during a ceremonial event in Seoul to mark the 4,351st anniversary of the country's foundation.Adding to building peace, he pointed out South Koreans should seek development, democracy and cooperation to achieve the dream of Dangun, the legendary founder of the first Korean kingdom of Gojoseon, which aimed to materialize the spirit of Hongik Ingan, or to broadly benefit humanity, and Iwha Segye, or guidance of the world through principles of nature.Citing the South's economic success, democracy and popular culture, Lee said “

Oct 3, 2019By Park Ji-won

Politics