Articles by Lee Ji-yoon
Lee Ji-yoon
jylee@heraldcorp.com-
No fireworks as Moon, Oh hold first Cabinet meeting
President Moon Jae-in presided over a weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, with newly-elected Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon – the only participant from the opposition conservative bloc – in attendance for the first time. The first encounter between Moon and Oh drew keen attention as it came after the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's loss in last week’s mayoral by-elections in Seoul and Busan, dealing a crushing blow to the president and his administration. “Unlike
Politics April 13, 2021
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After election defeat, Moon to announce Cabinet revamp ‘soon’
President Moon Jae-in, whose job approval ratings fell again to the lowest this week, is seeking to turn his political fortunes around with a sizeable change in his Cabinet makeup, according to Cheong Wa Dae sources on Monday. The pending reshuffle is expected to involve senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Choi Jae-sung, Prime Minister Chung Se-kyun and Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki. Choi had allegedly offered his resignation following the crushing election defeat of the ruling De
Politics April 12, 2021
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North Korea-China trade may resume next week: report
Trade between North Korea and China that has remained at a standstill for more than a year amid the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to resume possibly next week, a South Korean broadcaster reported Friday. According to JTBC, officials in the Chinese city of Dandong at the North Korean border have started accepting export registration ahead of a potential border reopening on April 16, the day after the birth anniversary of state founder Kim Il-sung on April 15. North Korea sealed off its borde
North Korea April 9, 2021
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Cheong Wa Dae pledges more open communications with business
Cheong Wa Dae has pledged to facilitate communications with the business community through more frequent, official meetings, saying gone are the days of secret meetings for shady deals. According to the presidential office Wednesday, President Moon Jae-in’s new chief of staff for policy Lee Ho-seung plans to hold a series of meetings with heads of the nation’s key business groups this month in a way to better communicate with businesses in all sizes from chaebol to small merchants
Politics April 7, 2021
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PM heading to Iran for talks on seized vessel
Prime Minister Chung Se-kyun is heading to Iran in the next few days for talks to release a seized South Korean oil tanker and its captain, according to his office and diplomatic sources Tuesday. Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the visit earlier in the day, but did not specify a date. With the two governments still consulting on the timing, the Prime Minister’s Office said it was seeking to arrange a meeting between Chung and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. In early January,
Foreign Affairs April 6, 2021
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Seoul, Washington hope to schedule summit talks sooner
The first face-to-face meeting between President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden may come sooner than expected, with the two governments seeking to advance the date as early as April, according to diplomatic sources Monday. Considering Biden’s packed diplomatic schedule this month, including a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on April 16 and the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate he will preside over on April 22-23, a summit with Moon could come later in the mont
Foreign Affairs April 5, 2021
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Japan’s bigger presence adds complexity to NK nuke talks
Japan is rising as a possible fourth player in North Korean denuclearization issues, boosted by the new US administration’s emphasis on South Korea-US-Japan ties, but the changes are likely to bring complications for Seoul, experts say. The three nations are holding a series of high-level talks. Following the new US security team’s trip to Seoul and Tokyo in March, their top security advisers plan to hold a face-to-face meeting Friday as part of Washington’s ongoing policy r
Foreign Affairs April 1, 2021
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Moon calls for all-out efforts to fight real estate corruption
President Moon Jae-in on Monday pledged all-out efforts to fight real estate corruption, especially among public officials, as he chaired an emergency session of the government’s Anti-Corruption Policy Consultative Council for Fair Society. The meeting was attended by the ministers of finance, justice and interior, as well as the head of the Financial Services Commission and the acting prosecutor general. The last meeting was convened in June last year to discuss ways to root out corrupt
Politics March 29, 2021
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Moon’s top economic adviser resigns over excessive rent increase
President Moon Jae-in on Monday dismissed his chief of staff for policy Kim Sang-jo, who played a key role in implementing policies to better protect tenants’ rights but was recently found to have greatly raised the jeonse deposit for his Gangnam apartment days before the new laws took effect. According to government filings, Kim raised the jeonse deposit 14 percent -- from 850 million won ($751,000) to 970 million won -- when he renewed a lease with a tenant July 29 last year. Two days l
Politics March 29, 2021
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Moon slams North Korea’s missile test amid efforts for dialogue
President Moon Jae-in on Friday expressed deep concerns over North Korea’s recent missile launches, calling any action that hampers ongoing efforts for resuming dialogue “undesirable.” “I’m aware the people are concerned about North Korea’s missile launches yesterday,” Moon said in his speech during a ceremony honoring patriotic servicemen who sacrificed their lives to defend the Yellow Sea during maritime battles against North Korea. “Now is
North Korea March 26, 2021
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S. Korea, US, Japan to hold high-level talks next week
President Moon Jae-in’s top security adviser Suh Hoon is expected to head to Washington next week to hold talks with his US and Japanese counterparts Jake Sullivan and Shigeru Kitamura as part of Washington’s ongoing policy review on North Korea. According to the White House on Tuesday, the US National Security Council will host the trilateral meeting at the end of next week, while the allies also plan to hold separate bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the daylong schedule.
Foreign Affairs March 24, 2021
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US top diplomat, defense chief visit Seoul amid fresh warnings from Pyongyang
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Seoul Wednesday, a day after North Korea issued a fresh warning over a joint military drill currently conducted by the two allies. The two senior US officials plan to hold multiple meetings with their South Korean counterparts, including a courtesy call on President Moon Jae-in Thursday afternoon, during their two-day stay. They also visited Japan earlier this week in their first overseas trip since the Biden
Foreign Affairs March 17, 2021
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Moon discusses digital partnership with Latin American countries
President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday held a meeting with ministers and ambassadors of Costa Rica, Guatemala, Colombia and Brazil to discuss digital partnership with Latin American countries. This is the president’s first face-to-face diplomatic meeting over the past year amid canceled or delayed state visits in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Korea is an optimal and reliable partner for your envisioned transition towards an ecofriendly digital economy. Korea has
Politics March 16, 2021
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Moon, first lady to receive COVID-19 vaccines next week
President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook will receive COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday next week ahead of their planned trip to the UK for the G-7 summit in June, Cheong Wa Dae said Monday. The presidential couple will be given the two-dose AstraZeneca vaccines like other citizens here, the presidential office added. “Their planned vaccination also aims to eradicate safety and efficacy concerns surrounding the AstraZeneca vaccine,” Moon’s spokesperson Kang Min-seok s
Politics March 15, 2021
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Moon pledges to clean up corruption in housing market
President Moon Jae-in on Monday vowed to root out corruption in the housing market, calling real estate speculation another form of “deep-rooted evil” that has long been prevalent in society. “Eradicating deep-rooted evil and restoring order in the real estate market will become one of the key goals in the remaining time of the administration,” Moon said in a weekly meeting with his key aides at Cheong Wa Dae. “We should keep in mind that this is the most import
Politics March 15, 2021
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