The Korea Herald

Oh having another bout with city council over waterway

Jun 28, 2011

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has been engaged in another wrangle with the opposition-dominated council over a project to build a waterway linking downtown Seoul to the western port city of Incheon.Oh initiated what he termed the “Seohae (West Sea) Waterway Project” as part of his campaign pledges for the 2006 mayoral election, saying it would bring in a larger number of tourists from Japan and China by
Seoul mayor casting himself as ‘antipopulism warrior’

Jun 28, 2011

Vote on school meals to be watershed for Oh’s political future, welfare competitionAgainst the backdrop of a pile of boxes containing what he had awaited for months, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon stood before a crowd of reporters at City Hall on June 16.“The upcoming referendum will be a watershed to decide whether to expand or put an end to welfare populism,” said Oh. He hoped the judgment to be made by
Will parliament clean up its act?

Jun 27, 2011

Rival parties agree on filibuster, new rules aimed at ending violence on floorRival political parties on Monday agreed on a set of measures, including a filibuster, which they hope would help end legislative violence and upgrade the political process. “A meeting of the ruling Grand National Party and the opposition Democratic Party worked out a tentative agreement on a number of issues, including
Lee, Sohn fail to bridge gap on FTA

Jun 27, 2011

President, opposition leader disagree on timing, extent of college tuition cutsPresident Lee Myung-bak on Monday declined main opposition leader Sohn Hak-kyu’s request for a revised supplementary budget bill, citing the proposal’s failure to meet legal conditions.The Democratic Party leader called for more government spending to help cut college tuition, create jobs, recoup damages from typhoons a
Strengths and weaknesses of GNP runners

Jun 27, 2011

(from left) Park Jin, Nam Kyung-pil, Hong Joon-pyo, Na Kyung-won, Yoo Seong-min, Won Hee-ryong, Kwon Young-seSupport of Park Geun-hye faction expected to hold critical sway in electionWith the ruling Grand National Party’s internal elections to select its new chair less than a week away, the seven candidates are making their cases as to why they should lead the party through next year’s big races
S. Korea to send Navy elite forces to the UAE

Jun 27, 2011

South Korea will dispatch 10 members of its Navy’s Underwater Demolition Team to the United Arab Emirates next month to help train troops in the Middle East country, an official at the Ministry of National Defense said Monday.They will join the 130-member contingent, which was deployed there in January following the UAE’s request last August that South Korea help it nurture world-class special war
Assembly June session may end with few results

Jun 26, 2011

While the National Assembly’s June provisional session nears its end, rival parties are yet to find the solution to most of the pending issues, raising concerns that the related discussions may be put off until the September session.The parliamentary tie-up also boosted anticipation over Monday’s talk between President Lee Myung-bak and main opposition party leader Sohn Hak-kyu.Last Thursday, the
Lee to visit Africa for PyeongChang bid

Jun 26, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday will fly to South Africa for a weeklong tour of three African countries, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday. The trip is part of last-minute efforts to promote Korea’s PyeongChang as the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics and to strengthen economic ties.The president will arrive in Durban, South Africa, on Saturday evening, four days before the International Olympic Commit
Lee visits Africa next week for PyeongChang bid, energy ties

Jun 26, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak (Yonhap News)　　President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday will fly to South Africa for a weeklong tour of three African countries, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday. The trip is part of last-minute efforts to promote Korea’s PyeongChang as the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics and to strengthen economic ties.　The president will arrive in Durban, South Africa, on Saturday evening, four days
Lawmakers up ante against tycoons

Jun 24, 2011

The feud between parliamentarians and some of the nation’s corporate leaders escalated Thursday, as politicians threatened legal action if the businessmen defied their request to testify before parliament next week. Members of the National Assembly’s Knowledge Economy Committee decided to call to a public hearing it is organizing three of the nation’s major business organizations’ chiefs ― Huh Cha
Obama extends national emergency against N. Korea

Jun 24, 2011

WASHINGTON, (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Barack Obama issued a public notice Thursday to extend the national emergency in relation to North Korea that provides a legal and administrative basis for sanctions against the nuclear-armed communist nation.On the basis of the national emergency declared in 2008 under the National Emergencies Act, the Obama administration slapped tougher sanctions on Pyongy
Parliament passes bills on Korea-EU free trade safeguards

Jun 23, 2011

SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly on Thursday passed a package of safeguard bills aimed at protecting local industries from cheap imports after a free trade deal with the European Union (EU) takes effect in July. The free trade pact, approved by the parliament in April, will eliminate 98 percent of import duties and other trade barriers in manufactured goods, agricultural products a
DP rules out compromise over TV fee rise plan

Jun 23, 2011

The main opposition Democratic Party renewed its pledge to veto the KBS subscription fee rise unless the public broadcaster moves to maintain political neutrality.“Only when KBS proves the legitimacy of the fee hike and shows efforts to renew itself will we examine the necessity to raise the fee,” said a party spokesperson after the DP Supreme Council meeting. The remarks overturned the party floo
An slams ‘blind spot’ on overseas schools

Jun 23, 2011

Lawmaker says education key to winning hearts of voters living abroadOverseas Korean schools have long been a blind spot for the government and National Assembly and it is time they paid attention to the issue, even if only to win votes abroad, said a second-term lawmaker.Rep. An Min-suk of the main opposition Democratic Party, who is also on the parliamentary education committee, has lately been
Officials lie low under corruption watch

Jun 22, 2011

Public servants refrain from drinking, dining out, golfingThese days, the staff cafeteria of the Financial Supervisory Service is jam-packed with its employees.They are reluctant to eat out for fear they could also be accused of corruption, as officialdom sees a spate of scandals.“More and more of us opt to eat at the cafeteria on the 20th floor rather than going outside. Since corruption allegati