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Bae Hyun-jung

안녕하세요 Bae Hyun-jung 기자입니다.

Articles by Bae Hyun-jung

Panel agrees on legal reform bill

PoliticsApr 20, 2011

Measure to ban ex-judges, prosecutors from practicing law in 'cool-off' periodThe National Assembly committee on legal reform will submit this month a bill to revise the Lawyers’ Act to bar former judges and prosecutors from practicing law for a period of time after retiring.“It is urgent to take measures to root out the long-standing practice of offering career favors to former judges and prosecu
Key prosecution unit’s fate hangs in the balance

Social affairsApr 19, 2011

The National Assembly and the prosecution are clashing as the latter has officially refused to abolish the controversial Central Investigation Department as requested by the parliamentary legislation reform committee.The parliamentary committee demanded on Monday that the prosecution abolish the CID and submit a revised ordinance by 5 p.m. Tuesday.The prosecutor’s office, however, immediately stru
Ministry to abolish parenticide clause

Social affairsApr 19, 2011

The clause on parenticide, which places additional criminal penalty on murderers who have killed their parents, is to be deleted from the criminal law.The criminal law revision committee met in the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office on Monday and resolved to rid the criminal law of the special clause, according to the Justice Ministry on Tuesday.Under the present law, those who have murdered their own pa
Pre-election polls put races on knife edge

PoliticsApr 18, 2011

As the by-election campaigns heat up, public opinion of the candidates is shooting up and down, keeping the parties in suspense to the last minute.In the Bundang-B Constituency where the most fierce battle is expected, Sohn Hak-kyu of the main opposition Democratic Party is putting up a good fight despite the region’s traditional support for the conservative party.In a survey conducted by JoongAng
Junior lawmakers vow cooperation on FTA

PoliticsApr 18, 2011

Cross-party group aims to have free-trade deal ratified during current sessionA dozen junior lawmakers of the ruling and opposition parties met Monday and agreed to pass the Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement in the National Assembly within the present plenary session.“Parties shall come up with supplementary means to protect the local agriculture industry from the impact of the FTA and do their best to have the agreement passed,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement.They also pledged to refrain f
Rhee’s son to apologize to April 19 victims

Social affairsApr 17, 2011

The family members of the deceased former President Syngman Rhee are to make their first official apology to students killed in the April 19 revolution in 1960.Rhee In-soo, the foster son of the late president, will visit the graves Tuesday morning, the 51st anniversary of the revolution, and pay respect to the victims who died under police fire, according to the Syngman Rhee Committee on Sunday.T
By-election candidates stress personal touch

PoliticsApr 17, 2011

Candidates for the April 27 by-elections emphasized their personal qualities over the first weekend since the official campaign kicked off last Thursday.Though candidates have been holding public campaigns during weekday commuting hours, all seized the weekend as a chance to attract the full attention of the voters.In the Bundang-B constituency, the former head of the ruling Grand National Party K
By-election campaigning begins

PoliticsApr 14, 2011

Outcome likely to be used as barometer of next year’s key electionsWith the official campaign for the April 27 by-elections kicking off Thursday, parties are scurrying to survive what may be the prelude to next year’s parliamentary and presidential elections.The ruling Grand National Party stresses its capacity as the ruling party to realize its pledges, whereas the main opposition Democratic Part
Uncorrected Korea-EU FTA put to vote

PoliticsApr 13, 2011

A partisan clash is expected over the ratification of the Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement in which more than 200 mistranslations were found recently.The parliamentary foreign affairs committee Wednesday opened a two-day session, during which the ruling and opposition parties were sharply divided on whether to ratify the agreement.The ruling Grand National Party is determined to ratify the agreement
KAIST head admits faults, won’t resign

PoliticsApr 12, 2011

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology president Suh Nam-pyo has refused to step down but he pledged to abolish its incentive system applying different fees based on grades.Suh made public his stance while attending the parliamentary education committee convened Tuesday to deal with issues involving his school, including the suicides of four students and a professor since January.Suh w
PPP candidate gets liberal nod to run in Gimhae

PoliticsApr 12, 2011

A candidate from the minority People’s Participation Party was selected Tuesday as the unified runner of opposition parties in the upcoming by-election in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province.Lee Bong-soo, who beat contenders from the Democratic Party and the Democratic Labor Party in a two-day public survey, is to compete against Kim Tae-ho of the ruling Grand National Party for the legislative seat
Korea may close old reactors

Social affairsApr 11, 2011

All nuclear power facilities to undergo safety inspectionThe Korean government will conduct a safety inspection on nuclear power plants in the country amid growing worries about the radiation leaks in Japan. Officials said they may shut down reactors if they fail to meet safety standards.In a nuclear power committee meeting Monday, presided over by Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik, participants decide
Watchdog to investigate personal data leak affecting 420,000

NationalApr 9, 2011

South Korea's financial watchdog plans to launch an investigation next week into the leak of personal data from 420,000 customers of a major financial firm, Hyundai Capital, officials said Saturday.The company, whose president returned to South Korea from an overseas trip earlier in the day, also began its own probe into the leak, which prompted the firm Friday to ask its 2 million customers to ch
Japan minister to visit stricken nuclear plant

WorldApr 9, 2011

TOKYO (AFP) - Japan's industry minister will Saturday meet workers battling to cool overheating reactor cores and plug radioactive leaks in the first government visit to the country's tsunami-crippled nuclear plant.With Tokyo warning the crisis is far from over, Banri Kaieda will don full protective gear for his brief trip to the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant, his ministry said.Kaieda, who has o
Opposition to field single nominee in Gimhae

PoliticsApr 8, 2011

Opposition parties have finally reached an agreement to run a single candidate for the upcoming by-election in the hometown of the late liberal President Roh Moo-hyun, forewarning a showdown with the ruling party there.“We have resolved to select a single candidate to represent the opposition parties by Tuesday, when the official candidate registration begins,” an official of a civic group advocat