South Korea - The Korea Times

INTERVIEW 'Unification can be curse'

Kim Byong-joon, former interim leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times Monday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Oh Young-jin Unification could spell a curse for South Korea because the current progressive government, lacking clear vision and hobbled by its ties with big labor, has failed to prepare for it, said Kim Byong-joon, who just finished a seven-month tour as interim leader of the main opposition conservative Liberty Korea Party (LKP). “There would be a big sucking sound that knocks the wind out of our manufacturing base,” said the 65-year-old former top policy aide to the late progressive President Roh Moo-hyun during a recent interview. Kim worked together with President Moon Jae-in, then Roh's chief of staff. Now, the two find themselves on the opposite ends of the political spectrum _ after Kim took the job of fixing the Liberty party that was reeling amid a resounding defeat in the June local elections following the impeachment of Park Geun-hye. “Neither is a bonanza,” Kim said, dismis

Mar 6, 2019By Oh Young-jin

Severance founder's philanthropic mindset touches Korean people

By Lee Min-hyungOliver R. AvisonOliver R. Avison, the late founder of Yonsei Severance Hospital, is best known for his commitment to the country's medical development in the early to mid-20th century. But his descendants remember him not just for his accomplishments here, but his philanthropic mindset for the Korean people. Dr. Avison stood at the forefront to promote Western medicine in Seoul by opening the hospital and its education facility, the Severance Union Medical College, in 1904.Avison arrived in Korean in 1893 and soon felt the need to improve Western-style medical education in Korea.He thought the nation's first Western medical school, Jejoongwon which opened in 1886, had not served a proper role.“It was felt that the school did not produce real doctors,” said Katie Black, a great granddaughter of Dr. Avison. She is based in Calgary, Canada, where she is a social worker. Black shared his story gleaned from conversations with her extended family.Upon arriving in Korea with his wife and children, Avison started negotiations with the royal family, and received pe

Mar 5, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

Severance founder's philanthropic mindset touches Korean people

Trump risk weighs on Korea peace drive

U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sit down for a dinner during the second U.S.-North Korea summit at the Metropole Hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam Feb. 27, 2019. AP-YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulDomestic political problems facing U.S. President Donald Trump could negatively influence talks with North Korea as well as inter-Korean relations, analysts in Seoul said TuesdayThey said the failed summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un underscored the high risk of “top down” diplomacy, noting that when this collapses, there is no higher authority to take over and offer a compromise.The stakes of the Hanoi meeting had been elevated, and much has been lost in its failure they said, with some adding that a growing “Trump risk” was weighing on the peace process on the Korean Peninsula.President Moon Jae-in was convinced that the second summit between Kim and Trump would bring “at least” an agreement on partial easing of economic sanctions alongside denuclearization steps. As such, Moon was ready to announce new inter-Korean init

Mar 5, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul

Bolton blamed for deal breakdown: ex-minister

Former Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun speaks during a seminar at the National Assembly, Tuesday, on the second summit between North Korea and the U.S. and prospects for inter-Korean economic cooperation.  YonhapBy Park Ji-wonFormer Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun claimed Tuesday that the abrupt ending of the summit in Hanoi between U.S. President Donald trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was “intentional” and engineered by National Security Adviser John Bolton.Calling Bolton a “big hurdle” with regard to issues related to the Korean Peninsula, Jeong alleged the security adviser persuaded Trump to walk away from the talks with Kim. “Bolton, a North Korea hawk, reminds me of a white cavalry leader in an old Western movie who doesn't feel guilty about killing Native Americans,” Jeong said while meeting with lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). “I believe the breakdown was intentionally brought about by the U.S. side, and Bolton was the villain in this.”Jeong said Bolton caused problems in Hanoi by men

Mar 5, 2019By Park Ji-won

Bolton blamed for deal breakdown: ex-minister

Trump risk weighs on Korea peace drive

Ruling party supports economic projects with NK

Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, front row third from right, poses for a group photo with members of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea at the National Assembly, Tuesday, before giving a lecture on the second summit between North Korea and the U.S. in Hanoi and prospects for inter-Korean relations.  YonhapBy Park Ji-wonThe ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) vowed continued support, Tuesday, for economic cooperation with North Korea even after the unexpected breakdown of the second summit between North Korea and the U.S.DPK Chairman Rep. Lee Hae-chan was briefed by Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon at the National Assembly Tuesday over the summit between the North's Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Hanoi and discussed ways to deal with the aftermath of the summit. Suh Hoon, chief of the National Intelligence Service, also visited the Assembly to brief lawmakers on the summit outcomes.The moves came after Monday's National Security Council (NSC) meeting presided over by President Moon Jae-in, where Moon and top offici

Mar 5, 2019By Park Ji-won

Ruling party supports economic projects with NK

Kim Jong-un returns home

By Lee Min-hyungNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-unNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un returned home Tuesday after ending his failed summit with U.S. President Donald Trump and other diplomatic appointments in Vietnam's capital Hanoi.According to the North's Korea Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim's private train arrived in Pyongyang at around 3 a.m. Tuesday.It took about 60 hours for Kim to arrive in the North's capital after he left Dong Dang train station in Vietnam, Saturday.Some critics predicted the young dictator would visit Beijing for another summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping en route to Pyongyang. But Kim did not make any stops on his way home.“A crowd of people were waiting for Kim's arrival to celebrate his successful summit with the U.S. and Vietnam,” the KCNA said.Kim also responded by delivering a warm-hearted greeting to the people of the North upon his arrival in Pyongyang, the regime's state-run media reported.It went on to speak highly of Kim's latest overseas trip by saying: “Kim leads the global politics due to his outstanding diplomatic ability.&r

Mar 5, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

Trump risk weighs on Korea peace drive

New envoys to China, Russia, Japan to be named

From left Jang Ha-sung, Nam Gwan-pyo, Lee Sok-baeBy Park Ji-wonPresident Moon Jae-in plans to appoint former second deputy director for National Security Nam Gwan-pyo as ambassador to Japan, and former presidential policy chief Jang Ha-sung as ambassador to China, according to sources, Monday.Consul General of South Korea in Vladivostok Lee Sok-bae will also be promoted to ambassador to Russia, replacing Woo Yoon-keun who is under investigation over allegations he received kickbacks from a real estate developer in return for job favors while he was a lawmaker of the then-Democratic Party in 2009.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is getting consent for the appointment of the new envoys from respective countries, the sources said.The reshuffle is to strengthen diplomatic relations with countries surrounding the Korean Peninsula as the denuclearization talks between the U.S. and North Korea hit a deadlock.Nam served as first secretary at the Korean Embassy in Japan in 1992, and had been the second deputy director for national security since the beginning of the Moon adminis

Mar 4, 2019By Park Ji-won

New envoys to China, Russia, Japan to be named

Moon pledges more support for independence fighters

President Moon Jae-in, second from left, takes a group photo with first lady Kim Jung-sook, center, and Shim Soon-bok, left, great granddaughter of late independence fighter Jang Byung-hoon for a special meeting also attended by 64 other descendants of late independence fighters from overseas countries at his office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Monday. / YonhapBy Park Ji-wonPresident Moon Jae-in pledged to expand support for more independence fighters and their descendants in a move to commemorate the centennial of the March 1 Independence Movement, Monday.“Our ancestors' independence movement 100 years ago was a big fight for people's independence, liberty, human rights and democracy,” Moon said before a special lunch meeting at Cheong Wa Dae.His remarks came during a lunch with 64 overseas descendants of late independence fighters who fought against Japan's 191-45 colonial rule of Korea.Also among invitees are Susan Jane Black, a granddaughter of British journalist Ernest Thomas Bethell, who was awarded an order of merit for national foundation in 1968 and founded the newspa

Mar 4, 2019By Park Ji-won

Moon pledges more support for independence fighters

Two Koreas delay plans for repatriation project

By Lee Min-hyungThe two Koreas are delaying plans to notify each other of the members of a taskforce that will engage in inter-Korean repatriation of war remains from the border area.Under the inter-Korean Comprehensive Military Agreement (CMA), the two Koreas reached a consensus to establish the bilateral team and exchange lists of members by the end of last month.This is the first time Seoul and Pyongyang have failed to fulfill a part of the military agreement. The agreement was reached during the latest inter-Korean summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last September. At that time, the two Koreas agreed to form the team consisting of 80 to 100 officials on each side.The defense ministry said it is still in talks with the North to exchange the lists.“We are negotiating with the North, and the defense ministry believes there will not be any big stumbling blocks for the two Koreas to start the joint repatriation project as scheduled from the beginning of April upon finishing exchanging the list,” defense ministry spokeswoma

Mar 4, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

Two Koreas delay plans for repatriation project

Moon vows active role to bring derailed nuke talks back on track

President Moon Jae-in, center, right, speaks at the start of a National Security Council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. The meeting was the first in such directly chaired by the President in nearly nine months. YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulPresident Moon Jae-in vowed Monday to mediate between Washington and Pyongyang, saying the failed summit in Hanoi doesn't necessarily mean that dialogue for nuclear disarmament has failed.“In terms of the outcome of the Hanoi summit, I feel sorry that the two countries failed to reach an agreement. But this was also an opportunity to check on the important achievements that both the United States and North Korea have reached through bilateral dialogue,” Moon said at the start of a National Security Council (NSC) meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, according to press pool reports.The main topics of the agenda for the Hanoi summit last week were the North's plans to permanently dismantle its nuclear facilities in Yongbyon under the direct control of international inspectors, the possibility for a partial lifting of economic sanctions and the establishme

Mar 4, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul

Politics