South Korea - The Korea Times

Unification Minister nominee in hot seat over past Facebook posts

Kim Yeon-chul, Unification minister nominee, answers questions at the Office of the Inter-Korean Dialogue, Seoul, Friday. / YonhapBy Park Ji-wonUnification Minister nominee Kim Yeon-chul deactivated his Facebook account Tuesday after being embroiled in a controversy over his past posts against politicians including President Moon Jae-in.Kim said that he temporarily deactivated his Facebook account as he was worried about being contacted by strangers and hacking. He also apologized for what he wrote on his social media account. “I used some inappropriate expressions when making political comments on North Korea policy and inter-Korean relations. I feel really sorry and I apologize. I will be more cautious when saying something in the future,” he said.His moves came after the main opposition Liberty Korea Party called for withdrawal of his appointment for his political stance on North Korea amid criticism claiming that he is not qualified as a high-ranking official for making blunt remarks.In March, 2015, the nominee criticized Moon, then leader of the main opposition party

Mar 13, 2019By Park Ji-won

Unification Minister nominee in hot seat over past Facebook posts

S. Korea, US to meet today to discuss NK handling

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha speaks in a National Assembly seminar on March 7, organized to discuss the result of the recent summit between the U.S. and North Korea. / YonhapBy Lee Min-hyungSouth Korea and the United States will hold a working group meeting in Washington Thursday (local time) to seek a breakthrough in the nuclear impasse between Washington and Pyongyang, the South's foreign ministry said.Seoul and Washington plan to exchange up-to-date information on inter-Korean and Washington-Pyongyang relations during the meeting in response to the breakdown of the Hanoi summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last month, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Rhee Dong-yeol, director-general of the ministry's Korean Peninsula peace regime bureau, will head the South Korean delegation for talks with his U.S. counterpart led by Alex Wong, deputy assistant secretary for North Korea.The meeting comes at a critical juncture when Washington and Pyongyang need to bring their now-suspended nuclear talks back on the right track for peac

Mar 13, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

S. Korea, US to meet today to discuss NK handling

South Korea, Malaysia agree to push for free trade deal

President Moon Jae-in, left, shakes hands with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at the start of their summit at PM's office in Putrajaya, Wednesday afternoon. YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulPresident Moon Jae-in and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad decided to push for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) at their meeting in Putrajaya, Wednesday.“The leaders of the two countries agreed to sign an FTA by the end of this year, at the earliest. With the increase in the volume of trade between South Korea and Malaysia, the consensus was establishing a fresh trading framework was needed,” the presidential office said in a press release.“Working-level discussions will begin soon. The leaders agreed in principle to sign the FTA on the sidelines of the Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir's possible participation to a special South Korea-ASEAN summit later this year.” Moon planned to hold the summit later this year to mark the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations.Cheong Wa Dae officials said the FTA, if realized, would give people in South Korea

Mar 13, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul

South Korea, Malaysia agree to push for free trade deal

Hanoi summit was brand booster for SPC

A booth offering sandwich boxes and water bottles to international journalists covering the Hanoi summit inside the International Media Center in downtown Hanoi, Vietnam, is seen in this file photo. Courtesy of SPC GroupBy Kim Yoo-chulThough the failure of the U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi has been considered a major disappointment, the summit was a “brand booster” for South Korea's food giant SPC Group.During the Hanoi summit, SPC Group, which operates bakery franchise units of Paris Baguette and Paris Croissant, supplied 7,500 snack boxes, each of them holding handcrafted sandwiches made with specialty breads and rolls, and 10,000 water bottles to the International Media Center (IMC).“Events provide marketers like us with a number of great chances to actively engage with audiences, at the same time creating increased brand awareness,” Lee Yong-seok, chief of SPC's Vietnam subsidiary, said in an interview with The Korea Times.“Events that provide meaningful experiences with meaningful timing allow brands to forge emotional connections, creating deep

Mar 13, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul

Ruling party refers opposition leader to ethics panel for 'insulting' Moon

Rep. Na Kyung-won of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party speaks with the party's key members at the National Assembly, Mar. 13. YonhapThe ruling Democratic Party (DP) requested the parliamentary ethics panel Wednesday punish the floor leader of the main opposition party over her derisive remarks about President Moon Jae-in's engagement with North Korea.In a parliamentary speech on Tuesday, Rep. Na Kyung-won of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) called on Moon to behave in a way that would prevent "compromising talk that South Korea's president is Kim Jong-un's top spokesman."The DP filed a petition against Na with the special parliamentary committee on ethics alleging she violated parliamentary law that bans insulting remarks.Na's speech sparked political tension at a time when the National Assembly managed to open its extra session last week after a two-month hiatus.After Rep. Na Kyung won, bottom, criticized South Korean President Moon Jae-in by calling him "Kim Jong-un's top spokesman" in a parliamentary speeech on Tuesday, ruling Democratic Party's floor leader Hon

Mar 13, 2019

Ruling party refers opposition leader to ethics panel for 'insulting' Moon

'Chief spokesman for Kim Jong-un': opposition leader attacks Moon

Fine dust now 'social disaster': new parliamentary bill

Heavy particulate matter-bound air pollution filled Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square district in Jongno-gu, Mar. 12, when the city sent out a pollution warning. YonhapThe National Assembly passed a bill on the designation of fine dust as a social disaster Wednesday as South Korea struggles with its worst-ever particle pollution.Parliament opened a plenary session to deal with several bills on fine dust as rival parties have pledged bipartisan efforts to tackle the issue.The proposal on fine dust as a social disaster will pave the way for the government to inject state money when an urgent need for expenditure arises.Other bills on particulate matter include a proposal on deregulation of the uses of liquid national gas (LNG) vehicles and a measure that requires schools to install air purifiers.Fine dust air pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing issues here. The country was choked by particulate matter for a record streak of seven straight days in early March.The ruling Democratic Party (DP) and two opposition parties agreed last week to vote on the bills Wednesday and consider a

Mar 13, 2019

Fine dust now 'social disaster': new parliamentary bill

PHOTOS+VIDEO 'Bad level' smog chokes Seoul

Moon visits Malaysia

President Moon Jae-in, center, shakes hands with Malaysian officials at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia, Tuesday. Moon is on a three-nation state visit to Brunei, Malaysia and Cambodia in a move to boost ties with the ASEAN countries. / YonhapBy Park Ji-wonPresident Moon Jae-in visited Malaysia Tuesday and attended a Korean pop culture and halal exhibition organized by Korean corporations, on the second day of his state visit to ASEAN countries. Moon and first lady Kim Jung-sook, who arrived in Kuala Lumpur in the afternoon, participated in the combined exhibition held at 1 Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jayato ― a satellite town of Kuala Lumpur ― to enhance cultural ties between the countries.Moon will be the first head of state to be received by King Yang di-Pertuan Agong since the Malaysian leader took office on Jan 31. His visit to Malaysia was followed by a state visit to Brunei on Tuesday, where he and Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah agreed to expand their partnership from the energy industry to intellectual property during a summit Tuesday, according to Ch

Mar 12, 2019By Park Ji-won

LKP floor leader's speech prompts political turmoil

Main opposition Liberty Korea Party floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won, bottom left, waits for the resumption of her speech at the National Assembly Tuesday as Rep. Hong Young-pyo, second row center, and other party members protest her speech before National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang. / YonhapBy Park Ji-wonThe political establishment is being thrown into turmoil yet again following Liberty Korea Party (LKP) floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won's defamatory remarks against President Moon Jae-in in a National Assembly speech, Tuesday.While criticizing Moon's North Korea policy, Na called Moon the “chief spokesman” for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, triggering loud cries of protest from liberal lawmakers. She was able to resume her speech after about half an hour.Cheong Wa Dae expressed deep disappointment over Na's speech, demanding Na apologize to Moon as well as the Korean people. “This is an insult to Moon as well as the people wishing for permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula,” presidential vice spokesman Han Jeong-woo said in a commentary. The ruling Democra

Mar 12, 2019By Park Ji-won

LKP floor leader's speech prompts political turmoil

'US, NK should exercise restraint'

Moon Chung-in, special presidential adviser for unification, diplomacy and national security affairs, speaks in a panel discussion at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Tuesday. / YonhapBy Lee Min-hyungThe United States and North Korea should refrain from upsetting each other to resume the stalled momentum for dialogue, according to President Moon Jae-in's security adviser, Moon Chung-in, Tuesday.“Washington is willing to hold talks (with the North), so the dialogue momentum has yet to be broken,” Moon said in a forum hosted by the Kwanhun Club, an association of senior journalists, in Seoul.“Both sides should exercise restraint to keep the momentum going,” he said. “They are (equally) responsible for the breakdown of the recent summit.”He also shared his views on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's possible visit to Seoul.The adviser said Kim is unlikely to visit Seoul in the near future, as there is nothing he can gain from South Korea at the moment.“As of now, there is little possibility for Kim to visit Seoul, as he will likely receive 'no gi

Mar 12, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

Trump's harsh immigration tactics aren't working

The numbers are sobering. The federal government reported Tuesday that immigration agents apprehended 76,000 people ― most of them families or unaccompanied minors ― at the U.S.-Mexico border in February, twice the level of the previous year and the highest for February in 11 years. The increase continues a trend that began in the fall, and offers direct evidence that President Donald Trump's strategy of maximum enforcement at the border is not reducing the flow of migrants.And no, the answer is not “a big, beautiful wall.” Most of those apprehended weren't trying to sneak past border agents; instead, they sought out agents once they reached the border and turned themselves in, hoping to receive asylum or other permission to stay.Furthermore, the situation isn't a military confrontation, though Trump has sent troops to the border. Nor is it a national security emergency, as he has declared in an effort to spend more on his border wall than Congress provided. It's a complex humanitarian crisis that appears to be worsening, and it's going to take creative analytic

Mar 12, 2019

Politics