South Korea - The Korea Times

Main opposition urges president to withdraw nomination of justice minister

Liberty Korea Party Rep. Kim Jin-tae rips up a family relationship certificate of justice minister nominee Cho Kuk during the latter's confirmation hearing at the National Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, Friday. YonhapThe main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) lashed out at justice minister nominee Cho Kuk again Saturday, calling on President Moon Jae-in to withdraw the latter's nomination.The call came hours after Cho was grilled in his National Assembly confirmation hearing that ended close to midnight over various allegations involving his wife and daughter.Cho's wife was formally charged by the prosecution Friday of forging a school certificate for the couple's daughter that many believe may have played a critical role in her admission into a medical school."Nominee Cho has shown such arrogance, ridiculing the people and staying above the law throughout the confirmation hearing. He is unfit as a justice minister nominee and unfit as the head of a household," LKP spokesman Rep. Jun Hee-kyung said in a statement."The nominee has refused to offer his resignation, pushing off the deci

Sep 7, 2019

Main opposition urges president to withdraw nomination of justice minister

Parties wrangle over justice minister nominee

Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk participates in his National Assembly confirmation hearing, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukMoon expected to appoint Cho regardless of mounting allegations By Park Ji-wonParties clashed over new allegations regarding the daughter of justice minister nominee Cho Kuk during a National Assembly confirmation hearing, Friday.Much like his remarks at the press conference arranged by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) earlier this week, he denied the allegations of power abuse in his daughter's academic background. In particular, he denied any wrongdoing regarding the latest allegation of rigging an award from Dongyang University used in his daughter's admission to a medical school.Cho admitted that he had spoken on the phone with the university's dean Choi Sung-hae, but he said it was only to ask him to clarify the widespread misunderstandings. “I did not ask for a false testimony and only conveyed my intention to reveal the truth,” Cho said. Opposition parties raised suspicions that Cho asked the dean to cover up what could be

Sep 6, 2019By Park Ji-won

Parties wrangle over justice minister nominee

Ruling puts Gyeonggi governor at risk of losing seat

Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung answers reporters' questions before entering the Suwon High Court in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. YonhapBy Lee Suh-yoonThe Suwon High Court fined Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung 3 million won ($2,500), Friday, for making a "false claim" in his election campaign last year.This decision puts the ruling party politician, who is said to be a future presidential contender, at risk of losing his governorship.Unlike the lower court ruling in May that exonerated Lee on all charges, the high court found him guilty of making a false claim about his brother's forced hospitalization during a televised debate in last year's local elections.Based on the election law, elected politicians in Korea are stripped of their position when receiving a sentence higher than a 1 million won fine for violation of the laws on election and political funds. Lee will have to leave the Gyeonggi governor post if the Supreme Court later upholds the 3 million won fine decision. Prosecutors indicted Lee, 54, last year on four separate charges ― one for abuse of power as the mayor of

Sep 6, 2019

Ruling puts Gyeonggi governor at risk of losing seat

Prosecution, Cheong Wa Dae clash over investigation into justice nominee

Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk attends a hearing at the national assembly in Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Bahk Eun-jiThe ruling bloc and the prosecution have collided head-on over the latter's investigation into various corruption allegations surrounding justice minister nominee Cho Kuk. Cheong Wa Dae, Cabinet members and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) criticize the probe as being a “political act” to impede the government's plan to reform the prosecution, while prosecutors slam such reactions for “interfering with an investigation” and “damaging the independence” of the organization.The clash is only getting more severe with bellicose comments being exchanged, and is unlikely to be relieved if President Moon Jae-in pushes ahead with Cho's appointment despite the allegations and the ongoing investigation.A Cheong Wa Dae official expressed strong complaints about the prosecution's investigation, including searches conducted at dozens of places involved in the allegations before Cho's confirmation hearing at the Na

Sep 6, 2019By Bahk Eun-ji

Prosecution, Cheong Wa Dae clash over investigation into justice nominee

Internal discord deepens over GSOMIA nullification

By Lee Min-hyungDefense Minister Jeong Kyeong-dooInternal discord among government authorities is deepening over Cheong Wa Dae's decision to scrap a military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan.The presidential office's widely unexpected decision on Aug. 22 put pressure on relevant government authorities to abruptly change their policy surrounding the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).Only a day before the announcement, Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo spoke highly of the “strategic value” of GSOMIA to keep track of any potential nuclear threats from North Korea. But a few days later, Jeong changed the ministry's stance by saying “GSOMIA is not of great value in terms of exchanging military information between South Korea and Japan.”The shift was predictable considering political pressure from the presidential house. But on Thursday, the defense authority drew controversy after Jeong made public remarks opposing the government's decision to scrap GSOMIA.While attending a National Assembly meeting, the defense chief said the quasi-mi

Sep 6, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

Internal discord deepens over GSOMIA nullification

LIVE Confirmation hearing for Justice minister nominee Cho Kuk

Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk at the confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk is attending a confirmation hearing Friday amid heated controversy over whether he is qualified to lead the ministry due to a host of corruption allegations involving him and his family.The session, which began at 10 a.m., comes as President Moon Jae-in has asked the National Assembly to send a hearing report by Friday, a procedural step toward appointing the embattled nominee.Since being nominated in early August, Cho has faced a string of corruption allegations, including that his daughter received preferential treatment in entering elite colleges and that his family made a dubious investment in a private equity fund.In particular, the allegations linked to his 28-year-old daughter have hit a public nerve in a country where admission to prestigious universities is a sensitive issue.Cho's daughter was listed as the primary author of a pathology paper published in a medical journal in 2018, while she was still in high school, after she took p

Sep 6, 2019

[LIVE] Confirmation hearing for Justice minister nominee Cho Kuk

Moon vows to help economic boom in Laos

President Moon Jae-in, left, and Laotian President Bounnhang Vorachith celebrate after signing a memorandum of understanding between South Korea and Laos following a summit at the presidential palace in Laos, Thursday. YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulVIENTIANE, Laos ― South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowed to elevate ties with Laos by investing more in various business sectors in the Southeast Asian country.On the last stop of his six-day tour to three ASEAN countries including Thailand and Myanmar, the President arrived in the Laotian capital, Thursday afternoon. Moon held a summit with Laos President Bounnhang Vorachit on bilateral cooperation.“South Korea is ready for Laos. We will work together in promoting Laos' real export sector. As Laos is called the battery of Southeast Asia given the country's abundant hydropower resources by way of the Mekong River, South Korea hopes Laos will offer substantial support to South Korean companies that have investment plans in water management-, bio- and medical-related businesses,” Moon said at the start of the summit with his Laotian cou

Sep 5, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul

Kim Jong-un pays attention to Trump's tweets

A screen capture of U.S. President Donald Trump's tweet on Aug. 2 defending North Korea's missile tests. Screen capture from TwitterBy Lee Min-hyungNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un is paying more attention to U.S. President Donald Trump's “tweetstorms,” as his messages are regarded as Washington's “unofficial” foreign policy initiatives, diplomatic sources said Thursday.“As far as I understand, the North Korean government was checking Trump's tweets on a real-time basis as Trump is a very active user endorsing the social platform as a preferred tool in announcing Washington's key policies. North Korea is watching it,” the source added asking not to be identified. Trump leaves a number of tirades in addition to personal thoughts on state affairs on a frequent basis on the platform. Political circles in Washington in particular are monitoring Trump's Twitter messages even regarding overseas diplomatic policies.“In the political world of the U.S., a widespread perception is that Trump's tweets represent the country's overseas policies,” the

Sep 5, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

Kim Jong-un pays attention to Trump's tweets

'JSA church' emerges as symbol of peace

JSA Roman Catholic Church/Courtesy of Military Ordinariate in KoreaBy Do Je-hae The recent completion of a new Catholic church near the inter-Korean border has captured worldwide attention as the newest symbol of peace on the Korean Peninsula.The JSA Roman Catholic Church in Camp Bonifas in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, replaces the existing one which was first built back in the 1950s, only a few years after the 1950-53 Korean War.Francis Xavier Yu Soo-il, bishop of Military Ordinariate in Korea, officiated the Mass to celebrate the completion of the new church on Aug. 21 with dignitaries and guests from the military and the Roman Catholic Church, including Archbishop Alfred Xuereb, the Apostolic Nuncio to both South Korea and Mongolia and former first private secretary of Pope Francis. The bishop, who has led the Military Oridinariate of Korea since 2010, said in a recent interview with The Korea Times that the new church has a special significance as the closest South Korean church to North Korea.Francis Xavier Yu Soo-il, bishop of Military Ordinariate in Korea/ Courtesy of Military Ord

Sep 5, 2019By Do Je-hae

Ferries to Dokdo bar Japanese tourists

Dokdo Islets / YonhapBy Lee Suh-yoonA YouTube video criticizing a ferry operator's ban on Japanese passengers to Dokdo Islets has caused a stir in Korea's online community this week.In the video, a young Korean man and a Japanese woman ― a couple who run the One's Film YouTube channel ― walk viewers through how they were barred recently from their trip to Ulleung Island, a pre-Dokdo stopover.According to the video, the ferry employees at Gangneung Port in Gangwon Province refused the ride citing “safety reasons.” The ferry operator said putting Korean and Japanese passengers on the same ship headed for the islets, a longtime symbol of geopolitical tension between the two countries, could lead to heated arguments or scuffles out at sea.SSPV JD, the ferry company that rejected the couple, says it has limited Japanese passengers to Dokdo since 2011, when a group of conservative Japanese lawmakers asserting Japan's territorial claim over the islets tried to visit Ulleung Island to see them. Last month, after Japan removed Korea from its “whitelist” of favored trad

Sep 5, 2019

Politics