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.

Korea, India to strengthen defense cooperation

President Moon Jae-in and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands to begin their summit at Cheong Wa Dae, Friday. / YonhapBy Lee Min-hyungPresident Moon Jae-in and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed Friday to tighten bilateral defense and economic ties.By holding a summit at Cheong Wa Dae, President Moon pledged to make concerted efforts to build a future-oriented relationship with India, which he said will help the two countries' peoples live better lives.“We are going to develop the friendly relations between Korea and India into a new level, and turn Asia into a community of peace and prosperity,” President Moon said after the summit with Modi.In particular, the leaders agreed to continue enhancing economic and defense ties.Modi said he firmly believes Korea is a role model for India's economic development, saying that Korea is a valuable partner for India to push for an economic paradigm shift.Leaders of the two countries also set a common goal of expanding their trade volume to reach $50 billion (56.23 trillion won) by 2030.Aside from the economic tie

Feb 22, 2019By Lee Min-hyung
Korea, India to strengthen defense cooperation
  • Prize that belittles winner

Seoul wary of Bolton's visit

By Lee Min-hyungU.S. National Security Adviser John BoltonSouth Korea is wary of the upcoming visit of U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton, known as a North Korea hawk, as it is hoping to resume economic exchanges with the North.Some analysts say Bolton's longtime hawkish stance against North Korea will likely pose a political burden amid the ongoing inter-Korean reconciliation.On his two-day trip from Sunday, Bolton will meet with his South Korean counterpart Chung Eui-yong to discuss the upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Japanese National Security Adviser Shotaro Yachi also reportedly plans to join the meeting. The trilateral meeting is expected to take place in the nation's southern port city of Busan.Seoul and Washington did not confirm details on Bolton's Busan visit, but expectations are that Bolton will engage in talks with the South on the agenda for the Kim-Trump summit next week.It has not been confirmed whether President Moon Jae-in will meet Bolton.“His visit to South Korea is aimed primarily at discussin

Feb 22, 2019By Lee Min-hyung
Seoul wary of Bolton's visit

Widows of American missionaries lament at May 8 distortion

By Yi Whan-wooWidows of two late Americans who served as missionaries in Korea have sent a letter of protest to National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang over some lawmakers' latest attempt to distort the truth about the democratic uprising in Gwangju on May 18, 1980.According to the National Assembly, Friday, Barbara Peterson and Martha Huntley are taking the case very seriously because it goes against what they and their late husbands ― Arnold Peterson and Charles Betts Huntley ― witnessed.The two missionaries and their families lived in Gwangju from 1969 to 1985. They were on the scene when Army Major General Chun Doo-hwan's military junta suppressed and massacred hundreds of pro-democracy protesters in the streets.Some far-right politicians still refuse to acknowledge that the massacre took place apparently under Chun's order. They instead argue North Korean agents infiltrated Gwangju and instigated a riot which Chun suppressed.During a public hearing on Feb. 8, two main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) legislators ― Lee Jong-myeong and Kim Soon-rye ― brought up the conspiracy

Feb 22, 2019By Yi Whan-woo

PHOTOS Korea, India agree to strengthen defense, economic ties

President Moon Jae-in, right, shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after their joint press conference at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Friday. YonhapSouth Korean President Moon Jae-in and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed Friday to strengthen military ties and defense industry cooperation between the two countries.During their summit in Seoul, the leaders also agreed to complete the two nations' negotiations to upgrade their bilateral free trade pact at an early date, according to the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.Modi arrived in Seoul on Thursday for a two-day state visit. His trip reciprocated Moon's state visit to India last year.After a one-on-one meeting and an expanded session involving their aides, the two leaders agreed to bolster bilateral military ties and defense industry cooperation and to better cope with the so-called fourth industrial revolution, Cheong Wa Dae said.Moon and Modi also agreed to speed up negotiations to enhance the countries' free trade agreement, known as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which took effect

Feb 22, 2019
Korea, India agree to strengthen defense, economic ties [PHOTOS]
  • Prize that belittles winner

Voices of far-right groups strong in LKP leadership race

A national flag is on the ground near Exco, Daegu, Monday, before the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) holds its joint speech session there for candidates of its leadership race on Feb. 27. / YonhapBy Park Ji-wonThe main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) will hold its national convention Feb. 27 to choose a new leader and members of its Supreme Council. However, it is being criticized for attracting ultra-right wing supporters and focusing more on satisfying them rather than promoting the individual candidate's political vision. The candidates for the leadership race continue to make controversial remarks purportedly seeking to impress so-called “Taegukgi troops,” a group that allegedly supports impeached former President Park Geun-hye. The group has been expanding its presence after calling for the “nullification” of Park's impeachment for years, while actively participating in anti-government protests and political gatheringsFormer Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, a candidate for the leadership race, said during a televised debate Tuesday,  &ld

Feb 21, 2019By Park Ji-won
Voices of far-right groups strong in LKP leadership race

India's leader visits for summit with Moon

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers a speech during the India Korea Business Symposium in Seoul, Thursday, Feb. 21. Modi arrived Thursday for a two-day state visit. AP-YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulPresident Moon Jae-in will hold a summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Cheong Wa Dae, today, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday.Modi's trip to South Korea comes after Moon made a state visit to India last year. Modi is the first foreign leader to have a state visit to South Korea this year, the presidential office.The Indian prime minister arrived Thursday afternoon at a military air base in Seongnam, outside of Seoul. The visit is aimed at strengthening the special strategic partnership with the South, and boosting bilateral trade and cultural ties.“South Korea and India will seek to enhance cooperation in diverse areas including trade and investment. The level of the bilateral partnership will be expanded into the defense, science and technology and infrastructure areas,” the presidential office said, adding the leaders of the two countries will also explore ways to ad

Feb 21, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul
India's leader visits for summit with Moon

Ex-Moon aide handed 6-year jail term for graft, avoids being arrested

Jun Byung-hun, former senior political affairs secretary to President Moon Jae-in, walks out of the Seoul Central District Court after being sentenced to six years in prison, Thursday. YonhapA court on Thursday handed down a six-year prison term to a former senior secretary to President Moon Jae-in over a corruption case relating to a gaming industry body.Jun Byung-hun, an ex-presidential aide for political affairs, was convicted of forcing two home shopping channels and a telecom company to donate 550 million won ($514,260) between 2014 and 2017 to the Korea e-Sports Association, over which he practically held control. But he was not taken into custody after the ruling.The Seoul Central Court also slapped him with a fine of 350 million won and an overdraft fee of 25 million won.The court did not issue a warrant to arrest him as it judged that "it is appropriate for him to appeal to a higher court and solve the dispute (with the prosecution) without detention."Jun is also accused of pressuring the finance ministry in July 2017 to set aside a fresh budget of 2 billion won for a projec

Feb 21, 2019
Ex-Moon aide handed 6-year jail term for graft, avoids being arrested

John Bolton to visit Seoul ahead of Hanoi summit

U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton speaks to the media before the arrival of President Donald Trump during a rally at Florida International University on Feb. 18 in Miami, Florida. AP-YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulU.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton plans to visit Cheong Wa Dae later this week for a meeting with his South Korean counterpart Chung Eui-yong and consultations over the upcoming U.S.-North Korea summit.“John Bolton is set to hold a meeting later this week with National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong at Cheong Wa Dae, to notify the presidential adviser about Washington's thoughts, expectations and rapprochement for President Donald Trump's second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un,” a source who is knowledgeable about the issue said, Thursday, without elaborating further. Regarding Bolton and Chung's pre-summit meeting, presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said in a media briefing the presidential office couldn't confirm reports of the U.S. official's upcoming visit. “Denuclearization can't be achieved and completed suddenly. It would

Feb 21, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul
John Bolton to visit Seoul ahead of Hanoi summit
  • Trump signals more meetings after Hanoi

Ex-defense minister gets jail term for political meddling

Former Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin walks out of the Seoul Central District Court after being sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison, Thursday. Yonhap Former Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison on Thursday for his involvement in a massive online maneuver by the military designed to sway public opinion.The Seoul Central District Court handed down the verdict on Kim, who headed the ministry from late 2010 to June 2014. The court did not arrest him as it allowed him to appeal without detention.The court also sentenced Lim Kwan-bin, a former policy planning chief at the ministry who was charged alongside Kim, to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years.Kim, who also served as national security adviser to then President Park Geun-hye, was indicted in March last year for instructing the Cyber Command to write some 9,000 internet comments in support of Park's conservative government.Kim was also accused of pressuring ministry officials i

Feb 21, 2019
Ex-defense minister gets jail term for political meddling

Gov't uncovers 182 hiring irregularities at public firms

Pak Un-jong, chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, announces the joint inspection results on hiring irregularities at public firms and its countermeasures at Government Complex Seoul, Wednesday. / YonhapBy Park Ji-wonThe government announced Wednesday it had found 182 suspected hiring irregularities at  1,205 public companies and institutions, pledging to come up with comprehensive measures to root out corruption there.The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission said it conducted a joint inspection with the finance, interior and labor ministries on employment irregularities at the public entities from November to January, and found 182 cases requiring punishment or police investigation. In 16 cases, favors appeared to have been given to relatives of sitting executives and employees at the public institutions, the commission said.The commission added that it will request investigations into 36 cases including at the Korea Workers’ Compensation & Welfare Service and Seoul National University Hospital and demand disciplinary punishment in the

Feb 20, 2019By Park Ji-won
Gov't uncovers 182 hiring irregularities at public firms
previous page
955956957958959
next page

Most Read in South Korea