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Trump's North Korea policy shakes up South Korea's ideological politics

A member of the Korean Veterans Association holds a card showing images of U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in during a rally to welcome Trump's visit to Seoul on June 30. Trump's drastic North Korea policy shift over the past two years has confused conservatives and liberals in South Korea because it challenges their traditional ideological lines. APBy Jung Min-hoIt used to be simple: conservatives in South Korea view the United States far more favorably than liberals, especially when it comes to its unwavering North Korea policy. No longer.U.S. President Donald Trump's drastic North Korea policy shift ― from “fire and fury” to warm handshakes with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in less than two years ― has confused conservatives and the liberals alike because it challenges their traditional ideological lines.Some liberal opinion leaders, including best-selling author and former health minister Rhyu Si-min, who were once critical of Trump, now praise his “peace efforts” in dealing with North Korea ― a major fault line in South

Jul 9, 2019By Jung Min-ho

Trump's North Korea policy shakes up South Korea's ideological politics

'Stop provoking ally': Korea's conservatives slam Trump

North Korea urged to participate in Gwangju swimming event

By Do Je-haeAmid the unconventional detente between the United States and North Korea following the historic Trump-Kim Jong-un encounter at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), senior South Korean politicians are making a last-minute request to the North Korean leader to send a delegation to the upcoming swimming event to be held in the southwestern city of Gwangju.A swimmer trains at one of the venues of the FINA World Championships in Gwangju, Monday. YonhapThey still have their hopes up, in light of the unique role that sporting events, such as the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, have played in promoting reconciliation between the two Koreas. Two months after that event, President Moon held his summit with the North Korean leader. Rep. Park Jie-won of the Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP), chief of staff to the late President Kim Dae-jung, has been at the forefront of politicians rallying for the North's participation in the event, to be held under the slogan “dive into peace.” In a Facebook post, the lawmaker Park urged the North Korean leader to dispatch athletes to the

Jul 8, 2019By Do Je-hae

North Korea urged to participate in Gwangju swimming event

Moon slams Abe's political intention behind export curbs

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting with senior presidential secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. YonhapBy Do Je-haePresident Moon Jae-in is taking a critical tone regarding Japan's export restrictions on three high-tech materials used by Korean firms in their manufacture of semiconductors and display panels announced last week.During a meeting with senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday, Moon underlined that the export curbs were prompted by political reasons. “Japan's move to contain mutually beneficial trade between private businesses for political motives has caused concern not just for Korea, but the entire world.” Moon called for an “immediate withdrawal” of the restrictive measures, urging Japan to adhere to the principles of free trade.This was the first time for Moon to publicly comment on the escalating trade row with Japan since Tokyo's announcement on tightening export regulations for materials used in Korea's core export items by some of the nation's biggest brands ― Samsung, LG and SK. So far, Moon has taken a subdued stance on th

Jul 8, 2019By Do Je-hae

Moon slams Abe's political intention behind export curbs

Assembly to adopt resolutions over Tokyo's export control

Authorities look into S. Korean's defection to NK

Choe In-guk, the son of former South Korean Foreign Minister Choe Dok-shin, expresses his thoughts at Pyongyang's Sunan International Airport upon his arrival there, Sunday. The North's propaganda website, Uriminzokkiri, released footage of him after he defected to North Korea via an unidentified route. YonhapBy Lee Min-hyungKim Yeon-chulThe South Korean government and intelligence authorities are looking into additional details over a South Korean national's recent defection to North Korea.The Ministry of Unification confirmed, Monday, Choe In-guk arrived in Pyongyang on Sunday for permanent resettlement following similar footsteps taken by his parents decades earlier.The ministry said it was “realistically impossible” for it to monitor every movement of South Korean citizens.“It is difficult for the government to keep updating the whereabouts of an individual citizen,” Unification Ministry spokesman Lee Sang-min said in a briefing Monday. “We are teaming up with related organizations to look into details surrounding the case.” Choe's defection to

Jul 8, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

Authorities look into S. Korean's defection to NK

Assembly to adopt resolutions over Tokyo's export control

DPK floor leader Rep. Lee In-young, right, shakes hands with the main opposition Liberty Korea Party floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won at the start of a meeting presided by National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang for talks with the political parties following the introduction of Japan's export control measures, at the Assembly, Monday. YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulThe ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said Monday it has joined with the major opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and other minor parties to adopt resolutions condemning Japan's export restrictions on some trading items.“The National Assembly plans to adopt resolutions blaming Tokyo's recent decision for export restrictions to South Korea. The Assembly will be watching to see how the trade issues progress. In a meeting presided by the Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, chiefs of ruling, opposition and minor opposition parties agreed to send a delegation to Japan at the earliest possible date to counter the Japanese move,” minor opposition Bareunmirae Party floor leader Oh Shin-hwan told reporters in a briefing at the A

Jul 8, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul

Assembly to adopt resolutions over Tokyo's export control

Moon slams Abe's political intention behind export curbs

Homeplus exclusively launches Paik's Coffee ice cream

Models pose with tubs of Paik's Coffee ice cream at the Homeplus discount store in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul, Monday. / Courtesy of HomeplusBy Baek Byung-yeulHomeplus has exclusively launched a new range of ice cream that comes in the flavors of popular drinks offered at local coffee chain Paik's Coffee, the country's leading discount store chain said Monday.Collaborating with Paik's Coffee and Lotte Foods, Homeplus began selling three kinds of ice cream that come in 474-milliliter tubs. The three flavors are strawberry banana, nicknamed “ddalba” in Korean; milk ice cream and chocolate ice cream. Each tub is priced at 2,800 won ($2.37) and is available at Homeplus stores nationwide and online.The company said it tried to reinterpret the popular coffee drinks in the form of ice cream to deliver a new grocery shopping experience.“We decided to develop the new ice cream product in order to provide a popular summer food at an affordable price. It took seven months for us to come up with the new ice cream product since November 2018,” the company said.“The st

Jul 8, 2019By Baek Byung-yeul

Homeplus exclusively launches Paik's Coffee ice cream

Moon acts to manage trade spat with Japan

By Do Je-hae Tackling a new trade row with Japan is emerging as one of the most urgent tasks for President Moon Jae-in, after Japan tightened export regulations on three high-tech materials used in Korean manufacturers' display panels and memory chips. President Moon is expected to lead the countermeasures against Japan's new trade offensive with a meeting with the nation's business leaders on July 10.During the meeting, Moon is expected to exchange views with 30 business tycoons on the difficulties faced by local producers of semiconductors and memory chips as well as responses to Tokyo's export controls and support measures, such as reducing the materials sector's reliance on imports, presidential aides said, Sunday. Seoul said earlier it would consider filing a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO). The upcoming meeting comes amid rising criticisms against Cheong Wa Dae that is it not doing enough to deal with the trade row with Japan.Following Japan's announcement on July 1, the presidential office has reacted in a subdued manner, urging the media to refer to the meas

Jul 7, 2019By Do Je-hae

Moon acts to manage trade spat with Japan

Seoul-Tokyo trade dispute pressurizing LKP leader Na

Rep. Na Kyung-won, right, floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, talks with Reps. Jeong Yong-ki, center, and Cheong Yang-seog at the National Assembly, last week. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonThe Liberty Korea Party (LKP), the country's main opposition party, is nowhere to be seen as a trade dispute is heating up between South Korea and Japan.The party was hoping to play a role of “helper” to President Moon Jae-in as lawmakers of the LKP contacted Japanese lawmakers to meet with them in hopes of finding common ground to resolve the deepening dispute.But the party's efforts went in vain as Japanese lawmakers who were contacted have yet to accept the offer, according to LKP officials who are knowledgeable on the matter.Since last Thursday, Tokyo has restricted exports of parts needed to fabricate semiconductors and next-generation flat-screen displays. The move is mostly aimed at harming South Korea's advanced tech industry. This comes as Seoul has been demanding compensation for Korean forced laborers during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation.LKP leader Na Kyung-won

Jul 7, 2019By Park Ji-won

Seoul-Tokyo trade dispute pressurizing LKP leader Na

Chaebol struggle to find solution to Japan's exports curb

New North Korea nuclear envoy in spotlight

Kim Myong-gil, a former North Korean ambassador to Vietnam, is seen behind North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Feb. 26 during the latter's visit to Hanoi for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. YonhapBy Lee Min-hyungKim Myong-gilKim Myong-gil, a former North Korean ambassador to Vietnam, is coming to the forefront as a highly probable figure to lead the North's delegation for the upcoming working-level discussions with the United States.As a replacement for Kim Hyok-chol, Kim is expected to make his international debut soon as Pyongyang's new point man for nuclear dialogue, according to North Korean watchers in Seoul, Sunday. He will be in talks with U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun to lay the new groundwork for the upcoming meeting, they said.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier he expected working-level discussions with North Korea over the country's nuclear program to resume in mid-July.The latest in a series of signals hinting at the mood came on Sunday when the South's foreign ministry said its nuclear envoy, Lee Do-hoon, will kick off

Jul 7, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

New North Korea nuclear envoy in spotlight

Seoul, Washington to discuss Gaeseong reopening

US President Donald Trump talks with President Moon Jae-in in the Korean Demilitarized Zone and views North Korea from Observation Post Ouellette at Camp Bonifas in South Korea, Sunday, June 30. AP-YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulNuclear negotiators of South Korea and the United States are set to discuss the possible reopening of now-shuttered Gaeseong Industrial Complex in North Korea through the upcoming working-level talks on North Korea's denuclearization, officials at the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), said Sunday.“South Korea unofficially sent a message about the normalization of the Gaeseong joint border industrial park to North Korea. The North has yet to respond. However, Seoul will be working on how to come to an agreement on conditions, terms and other differentiations with the United States about reopening the complex,” a DPK lawmaker who is involved with the matter said by telephone.Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump agreed with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the inter-Korean border of Panmunjeom to continue nuclear diplomacy with the goal of striking a

Jul 7, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul

Politics