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President appoints two new ministers

PoliticsJul 21, 2017

President Moon Jae-in formally appointed two new ministers Friday, nearly completing the list of his first Cabinet.Paik Un-gyu was appointed the new minister of trade, industry and energy in a ceremony at Cheong Wa Dae, with Park Neung-hoo appointed the new health and welfare minister. Park Sank-ki, the justice minister who took office Wednesday without a ceremony, also attended the event. With the two new ministers, the president has filled 17 of the 19 seats of the Cabinet.The post of labor mi
Government to begin discussions on tax hike next week

PoliticsJul 21, 2017

Cheong Wa Dae on Friday said discussions on tax reform will begin in earnest next week, amid controversy over President Moon Jae-in’s job creation and welfare expansion plans that critics say will eventually lead to a tax hike. “It is early for the Presidential Office to discuss (the tax hike plan) in detail, since it is expected to be dealt with at next week’s meeting of economy-related ministers or the weekly Cabinet meeting,” Cheong Wa Dae’s spokesperson Park Soo-hyun told reporters. Presiden
[Martin Schram] Rethinking Donald Sr. and Jr. and the secrets they keep

ViewpointsJul 21, 2017

After all of the negative Trump news that’s been pouring over us, it’s time somebody in my biz said a good word or two about Donald Trump. In fact, both Donalds — senior and junior.Because in one sense, I’m convinced they’ve got to be smarter than they appear. Of course, Donald Sr. and Donald Jr. are prone to say and do things that make them look goofy, inept, untruthful or maybe even worse to all of us outsiders. But I’m operating now on the assumption that, most of the time, they sure must hav
[Adam Minter] China’s cashless revolution

ViewpointsJul 21, 2017

On a recent trip to Shenzhen, in southern China, I came across a subway busker with two tip jars. The first was a cardboard box filled with coins and bills; the second was a small QR code taped to the box that allowed passersby to leave a tip by smartphone. On one level, this was simply smart business: Chinese made around $5.5 trillion in e-payment transactions last year. But it also offered a glimpse of the future.Around the developing world, QR codes are beating out Apple Pay and other brand-n
[Editorial] Problems of policy tasks

EditorialJul 21, 2017

The 100 policy tasks recently revealed by President Moon Jae-in’s de facto transition team form a blueprint of what he will endeavor to do during his five-year presidency.They can be summarized into job creation creation, strengthening welfare and eliminating “evils.”The No. 1 policy task is the eradication of evils, including the reinvestigation of the corruption scandal that brought down the previous administration.As one of the most important tasks, the team demanded the prosecution prove the
Giants’ Hwang shows off versatility with first start at 1st

BaseballJul 21, 2017

Hwang Jae-gyun made his first major league start at first base on Monday for the San Francisco Giants. Hwang is typically a third baseman, but was displaced from his starting role when veteran Eduardo Nunez returned from the disabled list after the All-Star Game break. But Hwang, who made several starts at first base this season for San Francisco’s Triple-A team, made his way back into the starting lineup when regular first baseman Brandon Belt was given the day off for the first game of a serie
KBO video review judges admit fault in overturned home run

BaseballJul 21, 2017

The Korea Baseball Organization’s video review judges have admitted fault for a missed call, saying they misunderstood the rules and made an incorrect judgment. But Thursday night, in a game at Ulsan Stadium between the Lotte Giants and Samsung Lions, the video review judges made a considerable mistake. With Lotte trailing 4-1 in the third inning, Lotte right fielder Son Ah-seop hit a ball to deep left-center that hit the top of the fence and crowd safety railing before bouncing back into the ou
[News Focus] Tax hike expectations hold back state affairs plan

EconomyJul 21, 2017

Controversies continue to bubble over expectations of a tax hike to finance President Moon Jae-in’s key state affairs agenda.Though the presidential office and ruling party leadership have said any extra taxes will be limited to corporations and the richest individuals, criticism persisted on the apparent inconsistency in the state chief’s words.Throughout the presidential election campaign and up until recently, Moon has been aspiring to achieve his visions of welfare and fair econo
'US wants to improve, not renegotiate FTA'

IndustryJul 21, 2017

SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island -- Amid growing concerns over US President Donald Trump’s repeated comments of “renegotiating” the free trade agreement with Korea, an American envoy to Seoul said Friday the intention is to improve the deal, not bring it back to square one.When asked about Trump telling Americans his government is in the process of a renegotiation with South Korea, Marc Knapper, charge d’affaires ad interim at the US Embassy in Seoul refuted, saying what the US wants is an amendment to the
Choo reaches base 4 times, Rangers still fall to Orioles

BaseballJul 21, 2017

Choo Shin-soo singled and walked three times, raising his on-base streak to six games, but could not save his team, the Texas Rangers, from falling to the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 9-7.The game was played Thursday night at the Orioles’ Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. Choo batted second and started in right field, going 1-for-2 with a run scored and two runs batted in, in addition to his 3 walks. Texas Rangers' right fielder Choo Shin-soo congratulated after homering in a game against
Jimenez leaves Twins, Korea with heavy heart

BaseballJul 21, 2017

After playing for the LG Twins for two years, third baseman Luis Jimenez has bid a disappointed farewell to Korea.On Tuesday, the Twins decided to cut Jimenez, making room for them to sign former major leaguer James Loney. With that decision, Jimenez’s two years in Korea came to an abrupt, crashing end.Jimenez joined LG during the 2015 season. Manager Yang Sang-moon was an early fan of Jimenez, saying, “He hits well, he fields well, he’s a perfect third baseman,” and even went to Jimenez’s nativ
Samsung's wind-free air conditioners selling like hotcakes despite odor problems

TechnologyJul 20, 2017

Amid the scorching summer heat that arrived earlier than usual, Samsung Electronics’ wind-free air conditioners are selling like hotcakes, with expectations that it may become the company’s best-selling flagship home appliance, despite consumer complaints about odor from the product. According to Samsung, the popularity of its wind-free air conditioners is now higher than when they were launched last year, with some tightness in its inventories. Consumers look at a floor-standing, wind-free air
Tougher rules proposed for foreigner-only nightlife establishments

Social affairsJul 20, 2017

A bill to toughen administrative control over nightlife establishments for foreign customers has been proposed, a local media outlet reported Thursday. (Yonhap)According to Gukje News, Rep. Kim Byung-wook of the Democratic Party of Korea proposed a bill to amend the Tourism Promotion Act addressing the standards for “entertainment restaurant business exclusively for foreigners” designated by the legislation. There are 427 business establishments across the nation under the designation that can e
Parties give partial approval to government reorganization

PoliticsJul 20, 2017

The ruling and opposition parties on Thursday passed President Moon Jae-in’s government reorganization plans through the National Assembly, clearing one of two main issues of contention. The parties, however, remain at odds over the supplementary budget, feeding speculations the issue will carry over to next week. The government and ruling party had hoped to see the supplementary budget passed this week, saying the funds are vital for job creation plans. Ruling and opposition lawmakers announce
[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette] After the siege: the defeat of IS raises new questions about Mosul

ViewpointsJul 20, 2017

The fall of Mosul to a coalition of forces led by government troops and supported by Americans brought to an end a nine-month attack on and siege of the ancient Iraqi city.Mosul had been held by the Islamic State, from which the IS had declared its caliphate, since June 2014. There remain unresolved issues surrounding Mosul. The issue for Americans at this point is the degree to which these questions engage the United States, which still has some 5,000 troops in Iraq. The first of these is futur