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'US demands North Korea reveal names of ICBM experts'

In this Feb. 5, 2019, photo, US President Donald Trump gives his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, as Vice President Mike Pence, left, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi listen.By Kim Bo-eun, Kim Yoo-chulThe United States has asked North Korea to hand over a list of nuclear experts who were directly involved in the development of its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), according to sources, Friday.They said U.S. officials engaged in working-level discussions in Pyongyang for the second summit between the U.S. and North Korea ― scheduled for later this month ― were focusing on the dismantlement of the North's ICBMs, as well as the complete closure of its Yongbyon nuclear facility.“Among Washington's demands was for Pyongyang to list its ICBM developers,” one source said. Cheong Wa Dae officials declined to comment on the issue.North Korea has made some striking advances in missile and nuclear weapons development. While it's unclear whether it has had similar successes in warhead miniaturization, re-entry systems an

Feb 8, 2019By Kim Bo-eun

'US demands North Korea reveal names of ICBM experts'

Seoul, Washington reach a deal on sharing USFK cost

Chang Won-sam, the top negotiator in defense cost sharing negotiations shakes hands with Timothy Betts, a deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department State, after holding their fourth round of talks on the renewal of a defense cost sharing contract, at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy in southern Seoul, June 26. / YonhapBy Lee Min-hyungSouth Korea will likely pay around 1.05 trillion won ($934 million) in defense cost sharing with the United States this year, with the months-long negotiations in their final stages.They have also agreed to renew the contract annually instead of the current five-yearly interval, sources directly involved with the matter said Friday.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to make an official announcement and hold a press briefing on the sometimes fractious talks, Feb. 10. The ministry is the authority in charge of negotiations for the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) governing the cost sharing.“Seoul and Washington plan to sign a provisional contract on the compromise,” one source said. The South and the U.S. have shared the co

Feb 8, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

Seoul, Washington reach a deal on sharing USFK cost

US lawmakers urge Pompeo to seek longer-term defense deal with Seoul

Feb. 8 Independent Declaration distributed worldwide in 4 languages

A choir performs holding the Taegeukgi, the Korean national flag, at the Korean YMCA building in Tokyo, Japan, Friday, during a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the Feb. 8 Independence Declaration. The declaration was issued on Feb. 8, 1919 by Korean students studying in Japan to declare their aspiration for Korea’s independence from Japanese colonial rule. / Yonhap By Jung Hae-myoungA declaration of Korea's independence from Japan, made by Korean students during colonial rule in February 1919, has been translated into four languages, according to Seoul Metropolitan Government and a civic group, Friday.Seoul City, the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK) and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education worked on the translation of the Feb. 8 Independence Declaration and distributed it nationwide via online and offline channels in an effort to promote the declaration worldwide.On Feb. 8 1919, nine years after Japan colonized Korea, about 600 Koreans who were studying in Tokyo issued the declaration, calling for Korea's independence and pledging to fight against J

Feb 8, 2019

Gov't to create more 'Gwangju-type' job models across nation

Jung Tae-ho, senior secretary for job creation, speaks at a media briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Friday. / YonhapBy Lee Min-hyungCheong Wa Dae expressed hopes Friday of establishing more Gwangju-type job creation models across the nation, in a move to help local companies reduce labor costs and reinvigorate regional economies.The new job creation model refers to the government's partnership drive with Hyundai Motor Group and the nation's southwestern city.Under the model, Hyundai will build a car factory in the city. Employees there will receive about half the usual wages of workers. To help resolve the gap, the central and regional governments will offer financial and welfare support packages to the employees, such as housing and healthcare.“The government is preparing for spreading the job creation model across the country,” Jung Tae-ho, senior secretary for job creation, said at a media briefing Friday.“In the first half of this year, we hope to create at least more than two similar models (in other cities). The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is also

Feb 8, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

Gov't to create more 'Gwangju-type' job models across nation

End of Korean War declaration unlikely

By Kim Bo-eunIt is unlikely that the leaders of China and South Korea will join a summit between the U.S. and North Korea, with President Donald Trump stating he would not be meeting his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping this month. Earlier, a media report said Trump and Xi could meet in Vietnam's resort city of Danang Feb. 27 and 28. Days later, the U.S. president announced his second summit with Kim would take place on the same dates, also in Vietnam.Trump then told reporters at the White House, Thursday (local time), he would not meet with President Xi this month, but possibly later.Expectations were that President Moon Jae-in could join the meeting with Xi and that both would then participate on the sidelines of Trump's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to declare an official end to the 1950-53 Korean War. The declaration has been considered one of the reciprocal steps that Washington could offer Pyongyang for its denuclearization measures. Cheong Wa Dae had not ruled out the chance of Moon going to Vietnam given his continued efforts last year to push ahead with multilate

Feb 8, 2019By Kim Bo-eun

Nuclear big deal in the making in Pyongyang

By Lee Min-hyungSteve Biegun and Kim Hyok-cholThe United States and North Korea entered the second day of their pre-summit nuclear negotiations in Pyongyang, Thursday, but did not disclose any details over the working-level dialogue.With the upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un about three weeks away, both sides are ready to fine-tune the agenda for the second leadership meeting.The U.S. delegation, led by the country's special nuclear envoy Steve Biegun, arrived in Pyongyang on Wednesday for talks with his North Korean counterpart Kim Hyok-chol. It remains unknown for how long the talks on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula will continue.But it is likely the parties have already drafted the summit agenda, considering the timeline and location for the summit are fixed. Biegun and Kim Hyok-chol will instead focus on modifying the details of the agenda during their possibly days-long discussions.No specific details have been unveiled, but both sides are expected to present a series of negotiating chips under the common goal of ma

Feb 7, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

Nuclear big deal in the making in Pyongyang

Parliamentary leaders to visit Washington next week

Parliamentary leaders hold hands after having a meeting at the National Assembly last Dec. 3. From left are Party for Democracy and Peace leader Rep. Chung Dong-young, main opposition Liberty Korea Party interim leader Kim Byong-joon, National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, ruling Democratic Party of Korea leader Rep. Lee Hae-chan, Bareunmirae Party leader Sohn Hak-kyu and Justice Party leader Rep. Lee Jeong-mi. / Korea Times fileBy Park Ji-wonNational Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang and leaders of ruling and opposition parties will travel to the U.S. next week to meet policymakers and experts on North Korea there.Moon and party leaders Reps. Lee Hae-chan of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Na Kyung-won of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), Kim Kwan-young of the minor Bareunmirae Party, Chung Dong-young of the Party for Democracy and Peace and Lee Jeong-mi of the Justice Party plan to visit Washington, D.C., from Feb. 11 to 15 to discuss ways to strengthen ties between the two countries as well as the means for seeking denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.T

Feb 7, 2019By Park Ji-won

Parliamentary leaders to visit Washington next week

Women against cohabitation without marriage in mind

This image is unrelated to the article. / GettyimagesbankBy Kim Jae-heunA growing number of single women here are open to living with their partner, but more than half of them say they wouldn't do so if marriage was not part of the plan.Lee Ji-yeon, 30, is an office worker planning to get married to her boyfriend next year. Growing up in a conservative family, Lee is almost certain that her parents would never condone her living with her fiance prior to marriage. But she thinks it is not a bad idea to experience living with a partner before getting married.“You think you know all about your boyfriend or girlfriend just because you have been going out for more than a couple of years,” Lee said during an interview with the Korea Times. “But it is said dating and living together are two very different things. You can experience a totally different person that you never knew.”Another single woman surnamed Kim said cohabitation was a good way to prevent divorce, which has become very common here these days.“My two uncles got divorced recently. In the past, li

Feb 7, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Women against cohabitation without marriage in mind

Ex-Seoul Mayor joins LKP leadership race

Former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announces his bid for leadership of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) at the party's headquarters in Seoul, Thursday. The LKP is due to hold a national convention to elect its party leader and supreme members on Feb. 27. / YonhapBy Park Ji-wonFormer Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon declared his bid to run in the leadership race of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), following former Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and former LKP leader Hong Joon-pyo.Oh, who served as Seoul mayor during Lee Myung-bak's presidency, said he will seek the unification of conservative forces by eliminating the political factions inside the party, especially the legacy of impeached President Park Geun-hye.“We should no longer deny the impeachment as it was a judgment by the people. We need to get rid of the frame of the party of Park Geun-hye loyalists that we have,” he said at a press conference at LKP headquarters in Seoul. “It's time we throw off the legacy of former President Park Geun-hye. I am not talking about abandoning her. I am well aware o

Feb 7, 2019By Park Ji-won

Ex-Seoul Mayor joins LKP leadership race

Moon, Xi may join Trump, Kim to declare end to war

President Moon Jae-in and Chinese President Xi Jinping / Korea Times fileBy Kim Bo-eunPresident Moon Jae-in and Chinese President Xi Jinping may join the summit to be held between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un this month in Vietnam to declare an end to the Korean War.As U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun stated last week, President Trump is open to formally ending the war as part of measures to spur denuclearization talks with North Korea. This is an idea Moon, Xi and Kim have all been supporting.One major obstacle was North Korea's opposition to the continued presence of U.S. troops in South Korea. However, the North has reportedly changed its stance on this.U.S. and South Korean officials said ending the Korean War is a major topic in the ongoing pre-summit talks in Pyongyang.The South China Morning Post reported President Xi may fly to Vietnam while President Trump is meeting with Kim.Cheong Wa Dae said the possibility of President Moon Jae-in heading to Vietnam was low, but did not rule this out, stating it would depend on

Feb 7, 2019By Kim Bo-eun

Politics

Politics

'US demands North Korea reveal names of ICBM experts'

Seoul, Washington reach a deal on sharing USFK cost

Feb. 8 Independent Declaration distributed worldwide in 4 languages

Gov't to create more 'Gwangju-type' job models across nation

End of Korean War declaration unlikely

Nuclear big deal in the making in Pyongyang

Parliamentary leaders to visit Washington next week

Women against cohabitation without marriage in mind

Ex-Seoul Mayor joins LKP leadership race

Moon, Xi may join Trump, Kim to declare end to war

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