The Korea Herald

GNP to seek new faces for general election

Nov 8, 2011

The Grand National Party needs to replace its senior lawmakers with political rookies who can appeal to young voters to win in next April’s general election, the party’s policy think tank said.The Youido Institute analyzed the party’s crushing defeat in last month’s Seoul mayoral by-election and suggested new strategies to win the hearts of voters in their 20s and 30s, according to officials Tuesday.The absentee voting results, which were delivered to the National Election Commission prior to th
Lee meets new Seoul mayor amid tension over trade pact with U.S.

Nov 8, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak had his first face-to-face encounter with new Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, a day after Park voiced his opposition to Lee's push to get the free trade agreement with the United States to pass through parliament. (Yonhap News)Park, who was elected
GNP primed to vote on Korea-U.S. FTA bill

Nov 7, 2011

The ruling Grand National Party on Monday renewed its resolve to vote on the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement with the key parliamentary plenary session scheduled for Thursday after weeks of political wrangling over the ratification bill.“The Korea-U.S. FTA is a matter of national interest and of paramount importance; we can no longer tolerate the opposition’s approach (to the FTA) out of partisan interests,” GNP spokesman Kim Ki-hyun said in a briefing after the party’s supreme council meeting M
DP for left-wing unity, against new party

Nov 7, 2011

Leading figures of the main opposition Democratic Party on Monday once again called for consolidation of the liberal bloc, while stepping up pressure on professor Ahn Cheol-soo to join them and abandon the potential creation of a new political party.“The DP welcomes the integration plan suggested by Innovation and Integration, which basically agreed with our plan to bring liberal groups as one,” said the party chairman Rep. Sohn Hak-kyu in the party’s Supreme Council meeting on Monday.“Through t
U.S. lobbying firm drafted Lee’s speeches

Nov 7, 2011

The Korean Embassy in Washington was found to have commissioned a U.S. lobbying firm named West Wing Writers to draft President Lee Myung-bak’s speeches during his visit to Washington last month.According to data disclosed under a U.S. law, the embassy paid about $46,500 (51.8 million won) to the firm to write Lee’s speeches to the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, during the welcoming ceremony at the White House, the state dinner and a luncheon hosted by the U.S. State Department.The
GNP chairman puts off reform plans

Nov 7, 2011

Hong faces backlash from members demanding radical changes to ruling partyThe ruling Grand National Party chairman Rep. Hong Joon-pyo on Monday delayed talks for party reform until after the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement’s ratification.“Efforts to renew the party have now just begun,” said Hong in the party’s Supreme Council meeting.“Once the imminent FTA talks reach a conclusion, we will hold further in-depth discussion to collect a variety of opinions and then confirm our final guidelines.”T
GNP primed to vote on FTA Thursday

Nov 7, 2011

The ruling Grand National Party on Monday renewed its resolve to vote on the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement with the key parliamentary plenary session scheduled for Thursday after weeks of political wrangling over the ratification bill.“The Korea-U.S. FTA is a matter of national interest and of paramount importance; we can no longer tolerate the opposition’s approach (to the FTA) out of partisan interests,” GNP spokesman Kim Ki-hyun said in a briefing after the party’s supreme council meeting M
FTA wrangling heats up outside Assembly

Nov 6, 2011

The main opposition Democratic Party stepped up its public campaign against the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement over the weekend, as the ruling Grand National Party mulled pushing a final vote at a plenary session Wednesday. “The top priority for us is to inform the general public of what this deal is truly about,” said Rep. Lee Yong-sub, the DP spokesperson. The DP and other liberal parties claim that the deal is biased in favor of the U.S. About 2,000 protesters held a candle-lit vigil in cent
Lee arrives home after Russia, France trip

Nov 6, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak returned home Saturday from a trip to Russia and France that included talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on a gas pipeline project and a G20 summit aimed at tackling the eurozone debt problems.In a two-day visit to Russia’s second-largest city of Saint Petersburg, Lee and Medvedev agreed to work closely together on the massive project to build a gas pipeline linking the two countries via North Korea.Lee then attended this year’s G20 summit in the southern French
Controversy over ‘polifessors’ reemerges

Nov 6, 2011

Proponents value expertise, while opponents note negligence of teaching and researchLast month’s Seoul mayoral by-election has reignited the long-standing controversy over whether it is desirable for professors to engage in politics. As they exerted sizable influence on the high-profile election using their popularity among relatively young voters, professors have straddled the thin line between politicians and scholars.Seoul National University professor Ahn Cheol-soo has been at the center of
N. Korea's mineral exports to China tripled from last year: study

Nov 6, 2011

North Korea's mineral exports to China have tripled this year compared to a year ago, a study showed Sunday.A joint study of Chinese data by Yonhap News Agency and Seoul-based IBK Economic Research Institute showed that China imported 8.42 million tons of minerals from North Korea from January to Se
GNP renewal plan to tackle pro-rich image

Nov 6, 2011

Rep. Kim Song-sik (center) addresses a news conference Sunday. (Yonhap News)The ruling Grand National Party is pushing to introduce a so-called “Buffett Tax” on the wealthy, party officials said Sunday.It is the latest populist gesture to appeal to young voters, who election experts say have turned
Lee arrives home after trip to Russia, France

Nov 5, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak returned home Saturday from a trip to Russia and France that included talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on a gas pipeline project and a G-20 summit aimed at tackling the eurozone debt problems. In a two-day visit to Russia's second-largest city of Saint
GNP divided over Park taking the lead

Nov 4, 2011

Calls for an early party convention to drag the Grand National Party out of the gloom are increasing a week after its defeat in the Seoul mayoral by-election, as Park Geun-hye’s stature rises in the party. Park, who typically maintains a discreet, low profile, broke her silence on the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, following up on her campaigning for the GNP in last week’s by-elections. She told reporters Thursday that the FTA should be passed immediately, as further delays would harm national
Lee bashes Greek leader for referendum on bailout deal

Nov 4, 2011

CANNES, France (Yonhap News) ― South Korean President Lee Myung-bak sharply criticized Greece’s prime minister for putting a bailout plan to a referendum, saying he was shocked the Greek leader made the decision without agreement with other European leaders, officials said Friday.Lee issued the unusually strong rebuke during the first day of discussions at the G20 summit in the southern French city of Cannes on Thursday, which was overshadowed by the eurozone debt crisis, according to presidenti