South Korea - The Korea Times

Gov't 'hopeful' for job market recovery

Jung Tae-ho, a senior presidential aide for job creation, responds to a question from reporters regarding the government's job policy and Cheong Wa Dae's interpretation of the local job market situations in South Korea, Sunday. YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulDespite an unexpected rise in the unemployment rate, a senior presidential aide said Sunday the government was seeing gradual signs of recovery in the job market. He said stimulus measures including support for smaller companies was resulting in more hiring.“I have to admit that the job situation is not good enough. However, what we're seeing from various statistics is that the overall job market trend is on a rather positive trajectory from last year. We are still hopeful,” Jung Tae-ho, senior presidential secretary for job creation, told reporters in a press briefing.Jung noted that if the National Assembly passes the government's supplementary budget, which is still pending due to partisan differences, this will be “an additional and special plus” in boosting hiring.Data from Statistics Korea showed the number of

May 19, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul

Bush may bring portrait of ex-president Roh

Portraits of world leaders are on display as part of "The Art of Leadership: A President's Diplomacy" exhibition at the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas, Texas, in this April 4, 2014 photo. AP-Yonhap fileBy Jung Da-minFormer U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to bring a portrait he painted of former President Roh Moo-hyun with him when he participates in a memorial ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the president's death, May 23.It has yet to be confirmed whether the former U.S. leader will give the portrait to the family of the late South Korean leader, according to a Yonhap report, Sunday.Bush reportedly plans to deliver a eulogy at the beginning of the memorial service to be hosted by the Roh Moo-hyun foundation at Bongha Village, Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, the late president's hometown. In May 2009, Roh jumped to his death from a cliff near his retirement house in Bongha Village, while under investigation over allegations that his family had accepted illicit funds during his presidency. Serving two terms as U.S. President from 200

May 19, 2019

Bush may bring portrait of ex-president Roh

Moon may meet with Bush

Moon urges end to ideological rift over 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising

President Moon Jae-in gives a speech at a ceremony marking the 39th anniversary of the Gwangju Democratization Movement at Gwangju in South Jeolla Province, Saturday. YonhapPresident Moon Jae-in called for an end to wasteful political strife over the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju, Saturday, saying the country still owes a huge debt to the residents of the city. Attending the 39th anniversary of the movement against the then military junta led by Chun Doo-hwan, he offered an apology, as the country's sitting president, for the many deaths that resulted in the brutal crackdown that followed. He lamented continued reckless remarks by some politicians and scholars to distort or play down the truth behind the historic event, officially named the Gwangju Democratization Movement."As a Korean, I feel tremendous shame when facing the reality of preposterous remarks denying and insulting the May 18 Democratization Movement still being uttered out loud without any hesitation," he said in a speech at the ceremony held in the city, 268 kilometers south of Seoul.Earlier this year, three

May 18, 2019

Moon urges end to ideological rift over 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising

Preparing Gwangju uprising commemoration

Activists preparing for an event to mark the May 18 Gwangju Uprising reenact a street broadcast, which protesters held back in 1980, in front of the old South Jeolla provincial government building, Friday, a day before the 39th anniversary of the pro-democracy movement. /Yonhap

May 17, 2019By Bahk Eun-ji

North Korea food aid has nothing to do with security: NSO chief

Chung Eui-yong, chief of the National Security Office, speaks in a media briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Friday. YonhapBusinesspeople allowed to visit GaeseongBy Lee Min-hyungSouth Korea will stick to its plan to provide food aid to North Korea, as this should be seen from a humanitarian perspective regardless of the country's recent provocations, National Security Office (NSO) chief Chung Eui-yong said Friday.“The issue of providing food aid to North Korea should be reviewed from the viewpoint of compatriots without regard to national security,” Chung told reporters at Cheong Wa DaeThe Ministry of Unification said it plans to provide $8 million in food aid in partnership with international relief organizations, such as the World Food Programme and the United Nations Children's Fund.This comes amid skepticism toward the aid plan after a series of short-range missile and “unidentified projectile” tests this month.Some media outlets reported Friday the United States Forces Korea (USFK) concluded these were short-range ballistic missile launches.Chung, howeve

May 17, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

North Korea food aid has nothing to do with security: NSO chief

Only LKP leaders absent in Gwangju

Two ladies prepare for a reenactment of the May, 19, 1980, pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju on the eve of its 39th anniversary, Friday. YonhapConcerns rise over Hwang Kyo-ahn's planned visit, May 18By Yi Whan-wooThe leaders of four of the five major parties, with the exception of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), gathered in Gwangju, Friday, on the eve of the 39th anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement in 1980.They joined events held to commemorate the victims of a military crackdown at the sites of protests 39 years ago in downtown Gwangju.LKP Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn and floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won, instead, joined a rally in Daejeon to continue to protest against President Moon Jae-in.This was the fifth in a series of nationwide rallies organized by the LKP since Hwang was elected the party’s leader in February.Hwang plans to visit Gwangju tomorrow to attend an anniversary ceremony, along with the leaders of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), the Bareunmirae Party, the Party for Democracy and Justice and the Justice Party.The citizens of G

May 17, 2019By Yi Whan-woo

Ex-UN chief stresses non-partisan action against fine dust

Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, left, who now leads a presidential agency handling the nation's fine dust issue, speaks with National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, at the Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Friday. YonhapBy Lee Min-hyungFormer United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for non-partisan cooperation in handling the fine dust issue during a visit to the National Assembly, Friday.Ban, who now serves as head of the nation's special taskforce to fight fine dust, met main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn and requested the party's active role in tackling the problem.“Issues such as fine dust and climate change should not be the subject of factional disputes,” Ban said, adding no ideological conflicts should ensue in handling them. “The thing is how we can reduce the level of fine dust in the air by utilizing science and technology.”In the meeting with Hwang, Ban raised the need for the LKP to step up efforts with other parties to resolve the air pollution issue.Ban spoke with Hwang for about 30 minute

May 17, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

Ex-UN chief stresses non-partisan action against fine dust

LKP leader's Gwangju visit may trigger clash

Hwang Kyo-ahn, chairman of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, is doused with water on his way to Gwangju-Songjeong Station while facing fierce public opposition in Gwangju, in this May 3 photo. Yonhap fileBy Jung Da-minMain opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) leader Hwang Kyo-ahn plans to visit Gwangju, Saturday, to attend a ceremony marking the 39th anniversary of the Gwangju Democratization Movement, despite risks of a possible clash with citizens there.The ceremony will be held at the May 18th National Cemetery, attended by about 5,000 people including surviving victims of a military crackdown, families of those who were killed during the incident and civic activists, according to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Thursday. Hwang has expressed his willingness to attend the ceremony, saying he had been officially invited by the ministry. However, the people of Gwangju have opposed his visit, condemning Hwang for not punishing LKP members who made controversial remarks on the 1980 democratization movement.Concerns are rising about a possible clash there given str

May 16, 2019

LKP leader's Gwangju visit may trigger clash

North Korea book published last year still shows hostility toward US, S. Korea

By Lee Min-hyungNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-unA South Korean professor has unveiled a North Korean book which mocks and ridicules the United States and South Korea. It was published last year while peace talks were taking place. According to Dong-A University professor Kang Dong-wan, who recently acquired the book, this shows North Korea still has a deep sense of distrust and hostility toward the United States and South Korea.The nursery rhyme book included phrases mocking the two countries. The 190-page-long book, named Chukposeong, included about 130 poems aimed at enhancing the North's internal propaganda.One poem contained such phrases as “[Americans] will be burned to death even if they tighten sanctions and pressure [against the North].”This shows the North was focused on instilling a sense of hostility against both the South and the United States in children even at a time when North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was expressing his willingness for peace and denuclearization of the peninsula last year.Despite the outward peace gestures, the book also indicated that Nor

May 16, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

North Korea book published last year still shows hostility toward US, S. Korea

Gov't focuses on eliminating safety-related corruption

Interior and Safety Minister Chin Young speaks during a joint interview with The Korea Times and the Hankook Ilbo at the Government Complex Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoonMarking the second anniversary of the Moon Jae-in administration, The Korea Times, jointly with the Hankook Ilbo, interviewed Cabinet ministers to review his government's policies on tackling corruption to create a more just society, as well as other pending issues. This is the fourth of the interviews. ― ED.By Kang Seung-wooThe Moon Jae-in administration is sparing no efforts to root out corruption linked to public safety, the newly appointed interior minister said Friday.“While the government is fighting corruption hard, we ― in particular ― are committed to eradicating such bad practices because of the huge impact on the people,” Interior and Safety Minister Chin Young said in an interview at the Government Complex Seoul. “The so-called usual corruption tends to damage private interests only, but corrupt activities related to safety can bring serious harm to people's lives and

May 15, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Politics