South Korea - The Korea Times

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

Gov't focuses on eliminating safety-related corruption

North Korea's involvement in Gwangju uprising 'fabricated'

 Kim Yong-chang, a former intelligence agent for the U.S. military, stands inside a deserted boiler room where he alleges bodies of killed protesters were incinerated during the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement in 1980 during a visit to the site of a former military hospital in Gwangju, Wednesday. YonhapBy Jung Da-minSome conservative politicians have echoed a far-right researcher's claims that North Korea secretly sent troops to Gwangju in 1980 to instigate a “riot” against then-Army General Chun Doo-hwan, who seized power in a coup in late 1979.In February, some lawmakers of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) even organized a forum at the National Assembly to “re-evaluate” the Gwangju Democratization Movement, in which researcher Ji Man-won reiterated such claims, saying North Korea's involvement in the incident is a clear fact.However, recent testimony by Kim Yong-chang, a former intelligence agent for the U.S. military, suggests there was an attempt by Chun's camp to use North Korea as a pretext for their deadly crackdown on the city

May 15, 2019

North Korea's involvement in Gwangju uprising 'fabricated'

Civic group calls for probe into possible diversion of US military costs

 Members of Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea stage a protest in front of the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) headquarters in Seoul, Wednesday.  They called for a thorough investigation over how the money South Korea paid the U.S. military from 2014 to 2018 under their defense cost-sharing pact was spent. The group later submitted a formal request signed by 614 people to the BAI. Courtesy of Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of KoreaBy Jung Da-minA civic group has asked the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) to investigate how the money South Korea paid the U.S. military from 2014 to 2018 under their defense cost-sharing pact was spent. Over the five years, 95.42 billion won ($8.03 million) was used for maintenance of military equipment that did not belong to the United States Forces Korea but to the Japanese military, according to a recent press release from the office of Rep. Chun Jung-bae of the minor opposition Party for Democracy and Peace, citing statements from the Ministry of National Defense.On Tuesday, civic group Solidarity for Peace and R

May 15, 2019

Civic group calls for probe into possible diversion of US military costs

PM wants to mend ties with Japan

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon speaks during a seminar held by the Korea News Editors' Association at the Press Center, Seoul, Wednesday. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonPrime Minister Lee Nak-yon urged Japan Wednesday to accept the South's position over historical issues in order to build future-oriented relations between the two countries.Citing President Moon Jae-in's proposal urging Tokyo to separate historical issues from others and wisely deal with the situation so that Korea-Japan relations can be normalized. Lee said, “Japan is not accepting the idea. From that perspective, I gently suggest Japan accept it and join hands together to come up with wise ways to tackle things including the North Korea nuclear issue.”“In the past, the government tried to improve Korea-Japan relations in diplomatic and political ways. For example, in the 1990s, the Asian Women's Fund was created, but it failed. Later, the government tried to improve the situation in a diplomatic way, but was also unsuccessful after failing to get the victims' approval. If the two countries understand their nature

May 15, 2019By Park Ji-won

University president gives away sandwiches to students

Pai Chai University President Kim Seon-jae, right, smiles while giving away sandwiches to students inside the university campus in Daejeon, about 140 kilometers south of Seoul, Tuesday, a day before Teacher's Day. Courtesy of Pai Chai UniversityBy Lee Min-hyungPai Chai University President Kim Seon-jae has drawn the spotlight by giving away sandwiches and beverages to students ahead of Teacher's Day which fell on Wednesday.On Tuesday morning, Kim welcomed students near the front gate of the university in Daejeon, a city situated about 140 kilometers south of Seoul, providing food to about 500 students.The event came a day before the May 15 Teacher's Day, and Kim said he organized the event to have face-to-face communication with students.He said he did not want to take part in formal and rigid events marking the day, and was pleased to hear the voices of the students. Kim and university officials also set up a bulletin board near the event venue for students to write any complaints and suggestions for the university.“Under the current law, it has become difficult for students t

May 15, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

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