my timesThe Korea Times
South Korea

Politics

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

BMP lawmaker may be expelled for publicly ridiculing party chief

Rep. Lee Un-ju of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party prepares for a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly, Wednesday. / YonhapBy Park Ji-wonRep. Lee Un-ju of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party (BMP) may face punitive measures from her party for making slanderous remarks against party Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu.Several BMP members and chiefs of BMP's regional branches have referred Lee to the party's ethics committee, demanding disciplinary measures including expulsion from the party, the party said Wednesday.The move came after Lee openly criticized Sohn in a YouTube clip released on March 20 over his campaign strategies concerning a by-election in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province.“He is so stubborn that anyone talking to him may feel like they're talking to a wall,” she said. “He is acting like a loser.”Her comments triggered a backlash from Sohn's aides and party officials. Seven party members including Jung Chan-taek, chief of the party's Yeongdeungpo branch, issued a statement in response. “Publicly ridiculing the party chief is tantamo

Mar 27, 2019By Park Ji-won
BMP lawmaker may be expelled for publicly ridiculing party chief

US asks South to cover fees of using wartime command bunker

South Korean soldiers take part in a military drill being held as a part of the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise in Yongin in this Aug. 29, 2017. / Korea Times fileBy Park Ji-wonThe United States has asked South Korea to cover the operation and maintenance costs for a U.S.-controlled wartime command bunker complex here, which may run into tens of billions of dollars, according to defense sources, WednesdaySeoul and Washington tentatively agreed to jointly use the Command Post Theater, Air, Naval, Ground Operations, or CP Tango, in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, even after wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean troops is handed over to the South, during their Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) talks. “The two sides have agreed on the idea of jointly using Command Post Tango,” a source said. “In broad terms, the SOFA talks are moving in the direction toward joint use.”The U.S. initially wanted to hand over control of CP Tango ahead of the OPCON transfer so that Seoul could use the complex as a future command facility. Based on this, it asked the governm

Mar 27, 2019By Park Ji-won
US asks South to cover fees of using wartime command bunker

Anti-Kim Jong-un group claims raid on NK embassy in Spain

Seen above is the North Korean embassy in Madrid, Spain. Reuters-YonhapBy Lee Min-hyungFree Joseon, a political organization opposing North Korea's Kim Jong-un regime, claimed responsibility for a recent raid on the North Korean Embassy in the Spanish capital of Madrid in a statement Tuesday.The incident took place last month when a group of unidentified men broke into the embassy and stole computers from it.“We responded to an urgent situation in the Madrid Embassy,” the organization, previously known as Cheollima Civil Defense, said on its website.But the group denied allegations that “armed intruders” attacked the embassy.“We were invited into the embassy, and contrary to reports, no one was gagged or beaten,” it said. “Out of respect for the host nation of Spain, no weapons were used.”Free Joseon is a secretive organization that has vowed to overthrow Kim's regime. Since its establishment in March 2017, it has engaged in a series of clandestine anti-Pyongyang activities.The raid occurred Feb. 22, a few days before the second summit

Mar 27, 2019By Lee Min-hyung
Anti-Kim Jong-un group claims raid on NK embassy in Spain
  • FBI possibly involved in North Korean embassy raid
  • North Korea embassy raider is regime change advocate

Trump blocked sanctions on Chinese firms: report

By Lee Min-hyungU.S. President Donald TrumpU.S. President Donald Trump withdrew new sanctions imposed on two Chinese shipping firms for their violation of international trade restrictions on North Korea, U.S. media reported Tuesday (local time).Last week, Trump said on Twitter he “ordered the withdrawal of additional sanctions” on the regime without further clarification. The vague tweet has raised speculations over what those sanctions were.This tweet came after the U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on the Chinese companies Thursday, accusing them of helping the North evade international sanctions by engaging in ship-to-ship transfers of oil and coal. Citing five sources, Bloomberg reported Tuesday what Trump meant by the “order” was to remove the sanctions by the department.“The president in fact intended to remove the penalties Treasury had announced the day before against two Chinese shipping companies that had helped Pyongyang evade U.S. sanctions,” the U.S. media outlet reported.The report came in response to growing speculation,

Mar 27, 2019By Lee Min-hyung
Trump blocked sanctions on Chinese firms: report

Unification minister nominee vows peace-making efforts

Unification minister nominee Kim Yeon-chul speaks during his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly, Tuesday. / Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han By Park Ji-wonUnification Minister Nominee Kim Yeon-chul said in a confirmation hearing Tuesday that he will help the United States and North Korea meet and make progress toward denuclearization.“If I become the unification minister, I won't miss this historic chance to make real progress in resolving the North's nuclear issue and do my best to make laws to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula,” Kim said.Kim, a professor and head of a think tank in Seoul, has long been a strong backer of dialogue with Pyongyang rather than pressure to improve inter-Korean relations, which is in sync with President Moon's “engagement-centric” approach. Kim has also been vocal on the easing of economic sanctions against the North to get it to denuclearize.For activities in support of these positions, the opposition parties have clai

Mar 26, 2019By Park Ji-won
Unification minister nominee vows peace-making efforts

North Korea wants to freeze nuclear weapons instead of dismantlement: former UN Chief

Ban Ki-moon, former U.N. Secretary-General and chief of a recently established government committee to fight fine dust, speaks at a Kwanhoon Club invitational panel discussion at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap By Jung Da-minFormer U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, also chief of a recently established committee to fight fine dust, said Tuesday he does not expect North Korea to give up nuclear weapons. Speaking at a forum hosted by the Kwanhoon Club, a group of senior journalists, Ban shared his views on the issue of North Korea's denuclearization.He said North Korea has not clearly stated the concept of complete denuclearization while making agreements with the South and the U.S. to gain time to avoid an economic crisis caused by international sanctions.“There is no way that North Korea did not know that what South Korea and the U.S. meant by complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was the overall abolition of its nuclear capabilities in

Mar 26, 2019
North Korea wants to freeze nuclear weapons instead of dismantlement: former UN Chief

NK, US seek to restart nuclear talks

By Lee Min-hyungStephen BiegunWashington and Pyongyang are apparently trying to restart their nuclear talks with Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, visiting Beijing for talks with China on issues regarding North Korea's denuclearization. Biegun will also discuss the results of the latest summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-unThe U.S. did not unveil Biegun's specific schedule for his Beijing trip, but chances are that he may hold closed-door meetings with North Korean officials there.On Tuesday, a North Korean Air Koryo airplane, apparently carrying a high-ranking official, arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport where a group of officials from China and the North _ including North Korean ambassador to China Ji Jae-ryong _ were seen greeting him.The official is possibly Ri Su-yong, the vice chairman of the Central Committee of the North's ruling Workers' Party of Korea, in consideration of the entourage. North's Korea Central News Agency also reported that a North Korean delegation ― led by Ri ― left Pyongy

Mar 26, 2019By Lee Min-hyung
NK, US seek to restart nuclear talks
  • North Korea: Is Trump failing?

Ruling party chief visits Vietnam to strengthen ties

Rep. Lee Hae-chan, center, chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) arrives at Incheon International Airport, Monday, before traveling to Vietnam to meet with his political counterparts there and boost ties with Hanoi. / YonhapBy Park Ji-wonRuling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman, Rep. Lee Hae-chan, left for Vietnam, Monday, for a three-day visit centered on seeking support for President Moon Jae-in's New Southern Policy of improving ties with Southeast Asian nations.Before departing from Incheon International Airport, Lee told reporters he plans to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Vietnam's ruling party to boost political exchanges and cooperation between the two parties.“Last December, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung visited the DPK and asked us to sign an MOU between ruling parties,” Lee said.“Vietnam is very important for the country's New Southern Policy. It is one of the countries with the most human and trade exchanges with the South and has a large potential among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Mar 25, 2019By Park Ji-won
Ruling party chief visits Vietnam to strengthen ties

Land minister nominee quizzed over possible housing speculation

Choi Jeong-ho, nominee for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, speaks during his parliamentary confirmation hearing, Monday. /By Park Ji-wonChoi Jeong-ho, nominee for land, infrastructure and transport minister, was questioned at a confirmation hearing Monday about alleged property speculation.Rep. Lee Hyun-jae of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) claimed Choi's purchases of three apartments in Seoul, Seongnam in Gyeonggi Province and Sejong City were speculative, so he was not qualified to be land minister.“Housing speculation is suspected to have taken place in all the areas he bought houses,” said Lee. Lee added that Choi was suspected of having bought those houses with the aim of property speculation, saying he could earn 2.3 billion won if he sold them now.“I doubt that a nominee who invested in multiple houses can lead the country's housing policies,” Lee said.Opposition lawmakers say Choi's nomination does not make sense because the Moon Jae-in government is trying to stabilize the housing market by raising taxes on the owner

Mar 25, 2019By Park Ji-won
Land minister nominee quizzed over possible housing speculation

Kim Jong-un may visit Russia to meet Putin

Kim Chang-son, chief protocol secretary for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un got out of a vehicle as he arrived at Sheremetyevo International Airport, northwest of the central Moscow, to head for Vladivostok, March 24 (KST). YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulThere are signs that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may soon visit Russia for a summit with President Vladimir Putin, according to North Korea watchers.Kim Jong-un's chief protocol secretary Kim Chang-son arrived in Vladivostok, Sunday morning (KST) after a five-day visit to Moscow. Secretary Kim, also known as the “chief butler” for the North Korean leader, departed from Sheremetyevo International Airport, northwest of central Moscow on Russia's Aeroflot flight SU 1700.“Secretary Kim's visit to Vladivostok is viewed as a necessary step ahead of the upcoming Kim-Putin summit as he was in Singapore and Vietnam shortly before the two Kim-Trump summits and inspected hotels and other accommodation for the North's delegation,” a government official here said.On March 4, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was expect

Mar 25, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul
Kim Jong-un may visit Russia to meet Putin
  • Russian minister arrives in Pyongyang amid speculation over Kim's trip to Moscow
  • Kim Jong-un's Russia visit looks imminent
previous page
941942943944945
next page

Most Read in South Korea