ROK and Inter-Korean relations
April 2017
Return to Asian Geopolitics indexpage
Return to ROK and Inter-Korean relations page
-
Philippines seeks S. Korea warship donation
Published : 2017-04-27 21:38
Updated : 2017-04-27 21:38
The Philippines has asked South Korea to donate a decommissioned warship to Manila, the defence department said Thursday, to help them patrol their waters and perform counter-terrorism operations.
"We have transmitted a letter of intent to the South Korean government to acquire one Pohang-class corvette which we hope to get within the year,"
ministry spokesman Arsenio Andolong told AFP in a text message.
The vessel will be acquired at a "token fee" of $100, though it will be refurbished at the Philippine government's cost, he added.
"It will definitely enhance our capability to patrol our waters and perform counter-terrorism operations," he told reporters earlier Thursday.
Andolong said Seoul had offered a decommissioned corvette to Manila as early as 2014, but the donation was delayed while the government studied the terms of reference.
South Korea, along with the United States and Japan, are playing major roles in the modernisation of the Philippine armed forces.
Manila also ordered a dozen FA-50 fighter jets from a state-controlled South Korean manufacturer in 2015.
The navy and air force upgrades were originally aimed at improving Philippine military capability to patrol the South China Sea, including waters also claimed by China and other neighbours.
However President Rodrigo Duterte, who was elected last year, has sought to downplay the dispute while chasing billions of dollars in trade and investment from China. (AFP)
[Arms sales] [Sea power] [Military balance]
-
LGBT Protests, Ageing Liberals, and Midnight Meetings: #Shigak no. 36
By Sino-NK | April 27, 2017
This installment of #Shigak focuses on two political developments: Ahn Cheol-soo’s slipping popularity (and what he might do about that), and Moon Jae-in’s stance on sexual minorities in society and in the military. Also considered is the changing demographic makeup of South Korean society and what this means for the upcoming (and future) elections.
[Ahn Cheol-soo] [Moon Jae-in] [LGBT]
-
South Korea needs to be the country preparing for dialogue with North Korea
Posted on : Apr.28,2017 15:56 KST Modified on : Apr.28,2017 15:56 KST
US Secretary of Defense James Mattis (left) and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford leave after a closed-door briefing on new North Korea policy, at the White House for the members of the Senate, in Washington DC, Apr. 26. (AFP/Yonhap News)
The Korean peninsula is at a crossroads with a number of situations, including the North Korean nuclear crisis. On Apr. 26, US President Donald Trump held a closed-door North Korea policy briefing at the White House for Senators. Afterwards, three of his officials - Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, and Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats - issued a joint statement calling North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons “an urgent national security threat and top [US] foreign policy priority.” It’s considered unusual for the US executive and Congress to join in announcing North Korea policy.
[US NK policy] [Agency] [Self delusion]
-
National Security Chief Kim Kwan-jin under fire for overstepping authority
Posted on : Apr.28,2017 16:02 KST Modified on : Apr.28,2017 16:02 KST
Kim being accused of orchestrating rushed THAAD deployment before new administration can take office
Blue House National Security Chief Kim Kwan-jin (right) (by Lee Jeong-woo, staff photographer)
Following the abrupt deployment of the THAAD missile defense system, South Korea’s Defense Ministry and US Forces Korea (USFK) announced on Apr. 27 that THAAD would soon become “actually operational,” which is intensifying the debate over THAAD. Despite fierce opposition by local residents and criticism by politicians, Blue House National Security Chief Kim Kwan-jin said during a telephone conversation with White House National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster on Apr. 27 that “USFK’s deployment of THAAD was moving ahead smoothly according to the threat of North Korean provocations.”
There is growing criticism that Kim has overstepped his authority by making decisions about key security matters just 12 days before the presidential election so as to impose qualitative changes on the incoming administration’s foreign policy and security policy and limit the next president’s options. The problem, critics say, is that Kim, an advisor to the impeached former president Park Geun-hye, is not just managing the security situation but is instead acting as a decision maker.
[THAAD] [SK_election17]
-
S. Korea needs nuclear submarines: leading candidate
Posted : 2017-04-27 17:22
Updated : 2017-04-28 16:30
Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea speaks during a debate hosted by the Korea Broadcasting Journalists Club at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Thursday. / Yonhap
By Jun Ji-hye
Leading presidential candidate Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said Thursday the nation needs nuclear submarines.
Toward that end, he vowed to revise the nuclear cooperation deal between South Korea and the United States, if elected, so the nation can purchase the U.S. ingredients that can be used to make nuclear fuel.
"We need nuclear submarines in this era," he said during a debate hosted by the Korea Broadcasting Journalists Club, noting that using nuclear fuel as a power source only is not against international agreements.
"The problem is we need to purchase the ingredients from the U.S. to turn into nuclear fuel, but the current Seoul-Washington nuclear cooperation deal does now allow this," he said.
[Moon Jae-in] [[Nuclear submarines] [Nuclear fuel cycle] [US dominance] [Autonomy]
-
Both Koreas Put on Big Show of Conventional Firepower
By Yu Yong-weon
April 27, 2017 10:52
The South Korean military put on a massive display of firepower on Wednesday by mobilizing some 2,000 troops and 250 tanks, self-propelled howitzers and fighter jets at a training range in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province.
A day earlier North Korea also put on a big show of force at an air base in Wonsan, Kangwon Province to mark the 85th anniversary of its Army as leader Kim Jong-un looked on.
[Military balance]
-
Post-Park impeachment sets up left-winning presidential election
BY Hyung-A Kim
Candidates for South Korea’s presidential elections next month promise radical reform following the fall of President Park Geun-hye, writes Hyung-A Kim
The formal indictment of recently impeached and ousted former president Park Geun-hye on 18 charges on 17 April 2017, including that of receiving or demanding 59.2 billion won (A$52.1 million) in bribes, has indisputable political implications for South Korean democracy.
In the context of the broader debate in South Korea over governance and constitutional reform, the upcoming presidential election on 9 May, in particular, will represent a test and example of the country’s development as a democracy.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the 1987 democratic constitution, which exhibits obvious flaws. For example, five of the past six presidents, including Park, have fallen from grace, mainly over corruption charges, since South Korea democratised in 1987.
Besides Park’s ousting for corruption, two former presidents, Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, were imprisoned for mutiny and bribery; two presidents, Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung, saw their sons imprisoned for receiving bribes and influence-peddling; one president, Roh Moo-hyun, suicided amid a corruption investigation involving his wife and children.
Yet South Korea is generally regarded as one of the most active democracies in Asia, and the successful impeachment of Park is seen to have shown the potential to become a ‘historic milestone in the development of modern democracy across Asia’.
[SK_Election17]
-
Seongju residents resist arrival of THAAD components in their community
Posted on : Apr.27,2017 16:42 KST Modified on : Apr.27,2017 16:42 KST
Local residents cry while protesting the deployment of the THAAD missile defense system in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Apr. 26. (by Kim Seong-gwang, staff photographer)
Locals decry unexpected mobilization of missile defense system with no effort made to gain their consent
“It was so embarrassing to see the smiling faces of those American bastards,” said Park Hee-ju, 48, an independent member of the Gimcheon city council, as tears streamed down his face.
Park was standing before a group of locals on the street in front of the Soseong Village Community Center in Chojeon Township, Seongju County, North Gyeongsang Province, around 5 pm on Apr. 26. As the co-chair of the Gimcheon Civic Action Committee Against the THAAD Deployment, Park had been trying to stop trailers carrying the THAAD X-band radar and launchers from entering the former site of the Lotte Sky Hill Seongju Country Club early that morning when he was detained for interfering with the execution of public duties. After being questioned at the Gumi Police Department, Park was released around 4 pm, at which point he headed straight to Soseong Village to attend the rally against THAAD.
[THAAD] [Protest]
-
Welfare and Security Reforms on the Docket: #Shigak no. 35
by Sino-NK
With the election less than 2 weeks away, Moon Jae-in appears to be pulling ahead definitely in the polls. Is an alliance between those candidates strongly opposed to a Moon Jae-in presidency possible? What did we learn from the most recent presidential debate about the candidates’ views on the country’s intelligence agency? And just how salient are labor market concerns to the candidates? This issue of #Shigak addresses these questions and more.
[SK_election17]
-
'Until Kim Jong-un caves in, sanctions must continue': ranking defector
Posted : 2017-04-26 16:11
Updated : 2017-04-26 18:05
Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, April 20. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Former NK diplomat cautions against military options
By Kim Rahn
The international community should keep imposing sanctions on North Korea until the Kim Jong-un regime falls, former North Korean diplomat Thae Yong-ho said.
Additionally, he cautioned against using military options to denuclearize Pyongyang, saying that should be the last resort.
The remarks from the former North Korean deputy ambassador to Britain, who fled to the South last August, come amid heightening tension here following Washington's warnings against Pyongyang's provocations and the latter's vows of "merciless" counterattacks.
Thae said U.S. officials and experts are talking about two approaches to the North Korea issue -- military options and risk management for phased negotiations -- but he believes neither can be the solution.
"We need to take a third road," he said in an exclusive interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, April 20. "We need to review what cards we haven't played yet to resolve the issue peacefully, and play these cards to the end (before taking the military option)."
[Thae Yong Ho] [Sanctions]
-
Support growing for man resisting the Security Surveillance Act
Posted on : Apr.25,2017 17:20 KST Modified on : Apr.25,2017 17:20 KST
Kang Yong-ju (front, third from the left) with bereaved Gwangju Democratization Movement families doing flower arrangement therapy at the Gwangju Trauma Center. (by Jung Dae-ha, Gwangju correspondent)
Kang Yong-ju has refused to comply with requirements to check in with government, and faces possible prison sentence
As Kang Yong-ju, a 55-year-old doctor, awaits his trial for having refused to perform his reporting duties in accordance with the Security Surveillance Act, resistance to the act is increasing, along with support for those who refuse to comply with the law.
As a high school student, Kang was a member of the citizen’s army at the time of the Gwangju Democratization Movement in 1980, and he was in medical school in 1985 when he was sentenced to life in prison in connection with a case involving a foreign student spy ring in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province. His refusal to sign a single sheet of paper renouncing his views made him the world’s youngest long-term prisoner, and he remained behind bars for 14 years. After his release in Feb. 1999, he started his academic studies at a late age, eventually becoming a doctor of family medicine. In 2008, he set up a foundation called The Power of Truth, dedicating his energy to comforting torture victims, and he served as the director of the Gwangju Trauma Center, which is dedicated to comforting the survivors of the Gwangju Democratization Movement.
[NSA] [Human rights] [Repression]
-
'Next government must revive ties with N. Korea'
Posted : 2017-04-24 15:15
Updated : 2017-04-25 11:49
Longtime historian Kang Man-gil, emeritus professor at Korea University's department of Korean history, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times, April 11. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Renowned historian backs peace treaty with NK
By Choi Ha-young
Kang Man-gil, emeritus professor in Korea University's department of Korean history, has led the study of the nation's history after liberation from Japanese rule (1910-1945).
The historian, 83, has seen the ups and downs of Korean modern history, observing its progressions and regressions. After holding a chair at the university in 1967 when ex-President Park Chung-hee was consolidating his iron-fist rule, Kang was expelled from the school in 1980 during ex-President Chun Doo-hwan's reign, as part of government efforts to "purify" Korean society.
[SK NK policy] [Peace proposal]
-
If elected, Moon Jae-in envision S. Korea “playing a leading role in the Northeast Asian order”
Posted on : Apr.24,2017 15:08 KST Modified on : Apr.24,2017 15:08 KST
Minjoo Party presidential candidate Moon Jae-in presents a summation of his foreign policy and national security pledges at a press conference at the National Assembly on Apr. 23. (by Lee Jeong-woo, staff photographer)
Liberal presidential candidate would effectively return to engagement-oriented policies of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun
Minjoo Party presidential candidate Moon Jae-in said on Apr. 23 that if elected, he would phase in mutual inter-Korean arms controls and encourage “simultaneous action” from North Korea, the US, and other countries to achieve “a comprehensive package” of ending North Korea’s nuclear program, denuclearizing, and signing a peace agreement.
Moon’s message hinted at an increased role for South Korea instead of China, with Seoul taking the initiative in Korean Peninsula denuclearization discussions.
Moon‘s “bold vision for denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula,” presented as a summation of his foreign policy and national security pledges at a press conference at the National Assembly on Apr. 23, faithfully follows in step with the policy approaches of the Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003) and Roh Moo-hyun (2003-08) administrations.
“We need a completely new vision for permanent peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula,” Moon declared.
[Moon Jae-in]
-
Without loyal base, Ahn Cheol-soo’s support waning
Posted on : Apr.23,2017 08:16 KST Modified on : Apr.23,2017 08:16 KST
Support ratings for Moon Jae-in and Ahn Cheol-soo (Unit: %, Data: Gallup Korea )
People’s Party candidate falling further behind Moon Jae-in, showing limits of wooing progressives and conservatives simultaneously
The support gap between Minjoo Party presidential candidate Moon Jae-in and People’s Party candidate Ahn Cheol-soo has widened to double digits, according to a poll by Gallup Korea.
Results from the poll of support for presidential candidates, which was conducted over a three-day period from Apr. 18 with 1,004 voters nationwide, showed Moon was 41% to Ahn’s 30%, indicating a rise of one percentage point for Moon and a dip of 7 percentage points for Ahn compared to findings from a Gallup poll the week before.
The slide appeared to result from closer scrutiny and debate about his political identity, with Ahn losing the support of conservative-leaning swing voters who previously backed him as a “conservative alternative” and moderate-progressive voters who favored him over Moon due to his moderate reformist image.
[Ahn Cheol-soo]
-
“Unification plant nursery” in South Korea to prepare for regreening North Korean forests
Posted on : Apr.23,2017 08:18 KST Modified on : Apr.23,2017 08:18 KST
Cheorwon County mayor Lee Hyeon-jong and Green Korea Organization standing committee chair and former Prime Minister Goh Kun signed a working agreement on the plant nursery project at the Cheorwon County Office on the morning of Apr. 20. (provided by Cheorwon County)
Project to share South Korean saplings and technical support to pave the way for inter-Korean dialogue
A “unification plant nursery” producing saplings for use in restoring damaged North Korean forests is opening next year in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province.
Cheorwon County mayor Lee Hyeon-jong and Green Korea Organization standing committee chair and former Prime Minister Goh Kun signed a working agreement on the plant nursery project at the Cheorwon County Office on Apr. 20. At the ceremony, the county and organization agreed to actively cooperate in four areas ahead of reunification of South and North Korea: building and operating the plant nursery; collaborating on necessary administration and technology for seed management; offering technical guidance on reforestation (including sapling cultivation and management), technical support, and anti-erosion efforts to restore damaged forests; and supplies of superior saplings and support for distribution of farm income sources to boost resident participation.
[Unification] [Takeover]
-
Will North Korea make any provocation tomorrow?
Posted : 2017-04-24 11:19
Updated : 2017-04-24 15:52
South Korea's unification ministry said Monday that there has been no unusual movement in North Korea as Pyongyang is set to mark the 85th anniversary of the creation of its military this week.
North Korea will celebrate the founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army (KPA) on Tuesday amid speculation that it may conduct its sixth nuclear test or launch a long-range missile.
"When it comes to the anniversary, there has been no unusual signs in North Korea," Lee Duk-haeng, ministry spokesman, told a regular press briefing.
[Provocation]
-
Seoul advised to reexamine all policy options after May election
This is the fifth in a series of interviews with international experts on North Korea to see how its nuclear issues will unfold down the road and seek ways to secure stability on the Korean Peninsula. -- ED.
By Kim Jae-kyoung
Kelsey Davenport
Donald Trump's provocative strategy on North Korea could lead to a military conflict making South Korea the biggest victim, warned Kelsey Davenport, director for nonproliferation policy at the Arms Control Association.
She said diplomacy through negotiations is the only way to stop North Korea's nuclear brinkmanship, calling for the Trump administration to give more weight to engagement.
[US NK policy] [Engagement] [SK NK policy]
-
S. Korea develops artillery-locating radar
Posted : 2017-04-24 11:08
Updated : 2017-04-24 11:08
South Korea announced Monday it has developed an advanced artillery-locating radar to help counter North Korea's rocket threats more effectively.
The mobile radar system, called "counter-artillery detection radar-II," will be operational starting in 2018, according to the country's arms procurement agency.
"In recent tests it met all of the required operational capabilities of the military. It has been assessed to be fit for combat use," the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said in a statement.
Developed over six years and worth around 54 billion won ($47.7 million), the new system would add to the Army's existing ARTHUR-K radar imported from Sweden.
The counter-battery radar developed by South Korea can find the location of the enemy's artillery forces more than 60 kilometers further away, versus around 40km by the ARTHUR-K, said the DAPA.
It can operate for around eight hours in a row, some two more hours than the Swedish radar, it added.
The North has a vast array of artillery deployed near the inter-Korean border that can reach Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province with a population of roughly 20 million. (Yonhap)
[Rocket artillery] [Military balance]
-
Moon commits to strong defense
Posted : 2017-04-23 17:06
Updated : 2017-04-23 22:54
Liberal candidate refutes allegations of UN vote on NK
By Kim Hyo-jin
Moon Jae-in, presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea
Moon Jae-in, presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), said Sunday he will prioritize increasing military strength and seek the early transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean forces from the U.S. to Seoul if elected.
[Moon Jae-in] [OPCON] [Militarisation]
-
Guns and Butter: #Shigak no. 34
By Sino-NK | April 23, 2017 | No Comments
In this edition of #Shigak, the papers turn their attention to the labor and social welfare policies of the five main candidates, reminding us that while North Korea makes headlines, invigorating the economy is what matters to most people. Nevertheless, Moon Jae-in has a soft underbelly where national security is concerned, and plenty of people have their knives out to try and stab him in it. We’ve also got a review of the second presidential debate, which was broadcast live by KBS.
[SK_Election17] [Economy]
-
To build support, Ahn Cheol-soo turning further to the political right
Posted on : Apr.22,2017 14:22 KST Modified on : Apr.22,2017 14:22 KST
People’s Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo speaks at a campaign appearance in front of the Lotte Hotel in Ulsan, Apr. 21. On the fifth day of official campaigning, People’s Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo campaigns in Ulsan and his hometown of Busan, a conservative stronghold.(by Kim Kyu-nam, staff reporter)
Conservatives are the swing voters in upcoming presidential election, so Ahn is toughening stances on security and North Korea
People’s Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo is increasing his overtures to the right wing by mentioning the possibility of including the conservative Liberty Korea Party in the government and reorganizing the political landscape. By taking on clear conservative overtones such as emphasizing pressure and sanctions on North Korea and a strong alliance with the US, Ahn has moved one step closer to the conservatives who have emerged as the new swing voters in the May 9 presidential election.
[Ahn Cheol-soo]
-
Moon Jae-in fires back at pro-N. Korea accusations
Posted : 2017-04-21 17:01
Updated : 2017-04-21 22:48
By Yi Whan-woo
Presidential frontrunner Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is getting more aggressive in defending himself from political attacks by his rivals over his relatively flexible stance on North Korea.
Moon had previously remained low-key over such political offensives. However, he is taking campaigning tactics questioning his ideology and framing him as a North Korean sympathizer more seriously.
On Friday, a former security official unveiled a memo suggesting the Roh Moo-hyun administration consulted with North Korea before it abstained from voting on a U.N. resolution on the North's dire human rights situation in 2007. Moon was the presidential chief of staff at the time.
Using aggressive words, Moon criticized such offensives, Friday, as a new version of the "North Wind," a method of political sabotage allegedly employed by conservatives in the past to highlight issues on North Korea and national security to smear progressive candidates.
[SK_Election17] [Moon Jae-in] [North Wind]
-
Acting President Warns of Imminent N.Korean Provocation
By Yu Yong-weon, Jung Nok-yong
April 21, 2017 09:42
Acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn on Thursday asked the military to reinforce its defenses and warned that North Korea is poised to carry out a provocation around April 25.
There are increasing signs that the North is getting ready to conduct a fresh nuclear test, and a U.S. Navy strike group headed by the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson is expected to return to waters off the Korean Peninsula around the same time.
[SK_Election17] [North Wind]
-
And It Was All Yellow: #Shigak no. 33
by Sino-NK
If a picture paints a thousand words, then campaign posters are an important medium for conveying vital political messages in the 20 days between now and the presidential election on May 9. Perhaps mindful that less can indeed be more, Ahn Cheol-soo released the most impressive campaign poster of the year this week, and that leads our latest edition of #Shigak. Additionally, we have the third anniversary of the sinking of the Sewol and the enormously touching tribute paid to the disaster by the British rock band Coldplay; presidential candidate lists; and the release of campaign funding from the state.
[SK_election17]
-
N. Korea provocation more likely from two weeks before S. Korean election
Posted : 2017-04-19 13:34
Updated : 2017-04-19 13:38
North Korea could undertake a provocation sometime between next week and the May 9 presidential election in South Korea, a U.S. expert said Tuesday.
Victor Cha, Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, made the prediction after analyzing data on North Korean provocations related to South Korean elections.
The study has found that the provocation window, which refers to the number of days or weeks between a North Korea provocation and a South Korean election, has become narrow over time, Cha said.
"Under (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-un, the average window for a North Korean provocation bracketed around all ROK elections is 6.5 days (about 1 week). The average for presidential elections is 15 days or about two weeks," he said.
That represents a significant change because under the leadership of previous leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, grandfather and father of the current leader, the window was an average of about 10 and 11 weeks, Cha said.
"This pattern suggests a provocation as early as two weeks before the South Korean elections on May 9th. The start of the provocation window falls on Military Foundation Day (April 25), a holiday in North Korea, and 10 days after the 105th anniversary of Kim Il-sung's birthday on April 15th," he said. (Yonhap)
[SK_election17] [North Wind] [MISCOM] [Cui bono]
-
N.Korea Touts Special Ops Forces
By Kim Myong-song
April 18, 2017 10:19
North Korea has been busily touting its special operation forces since they took part for the first time in a parade on the 105th birthday of regime founder Kim Il-sung last Saturday.
In its Sunday edition, the state-run Rodong Sinmun carried no fewer than a dozen pictures of special ops forces in a spread about the units that took part in the parade. The online edition had even more pictures.
Their outfits looked so similar to those of the South Korean special forces that it was hard to distinguish them.
A military parade in Pyongyang on Saturday marks the 105th birthday of North Korea founder Kim Il-sung in this photo from the official [North] Korean Central News Agency. /Yonhap
Some pictures show leader Kim Jong-un with a big smile on his face when the forces, clad in black sunglasses and their faces painted in black camouflage, appear.
"Kim seems to be putting top priority on the special operation forces," a source said.
The shift of focus appears to be a response to "decapitation operations" by South Korea and the U.S. in recent joint maneuvers, a researcher at a government-funded think tank here speculated. "The regime also seems to have stepped up plans to infiltrate South Korean rear areas with the troops."
[Special forces] [Decapitation] [Retaliation]
-
Prosecutors indict Park Geun-hye on bribery charges
Posted on : Apr.18,2017 16:25 KST Modified on : Apr.18,2017 16:25 KST
Former president is facing 18 charges, and accused of a larger amount of bribes than listed on March arrest warrant request
Former President Park Geun-hye was indicted by Prosecutors on Apr. 17 on charges of bribery. Her trial will begin in mid-May. (Hankyoreh file photo)
The Prosecutors Special Investigation Headquarters indicted currently detained former President Park Geun-hye on Apr. 17 on charges related to 59.2 billion won (US$52.2 million) in bribes.
This is the third time that a former South Korean President has ended up in court, after Roh Tae-woo (in office 1988-93) and Chun Doo-hwan (1979-88).
Prosecutors also decided the same day to indict former Blue House Senior Secretary to the President for Civil Affairs Woo Byung-woo without detention, a move that is likely to have critics accusing them of letting him off the hook. The indictments brought an effective end to the 201-day long investigation since Sep. 29 into government interference during the Park Geun-hye administration, which came just as campaigning for the May 9 presidential election officially began the same day.
[Park Geun-hye] [Prosecution]
-
[Editorial] Leave THAAD deployment for the next president to handle
Posted on : Apr.18,2017 16:26 KST Modified on : Apr.18,2017 16:26 KST
On Apr. 16, a foreign policy advisor for the White House said that the questions of the timing of the THAAD missile defense system to the Korean Peninsula and when the system would come online were matters for the next South Korean president to decide.
Considering that the US has been rushing to deploy THAAD since bringing the THAAD launchers into South Korea in early March, this gave reason to think that the US was changing its plans. After a meeting with South Korea’s acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn the next day, US Vice President Mike Pence, who is currently visiting South Korea, said that THAAD is being deployed for the US-ROK alliance.
[THAAD] [SK_election17]
-
There’s No Going Back: #Shigak no. 32
By Sino-NK | April 15, 2017 | No Comments
Unlike the United States, with its interminable election seasons that suck in unconscionable sums of money, South Korean democracy runs on a deliberately restricted timeframe and budget. This edition of #Shigak observes the beginning of official campaigning with the registration of candidates, a moment in the process that foretells the arrival of state campaign subsidies on the 18th. There is also a review of the first presidential debate, and a look at the childcare policies of the various candidates.
[SK_Election17]
-
Bringing the Humans Back in: #Shigak no. 31
By Sino-NK | April 13, 2017
The background to Moon Jae-in’s Facebook page. Much of Moon’s work these last few days has appeared right there online. | Image: Moon Jae-in campaign
On April 2, Sino-NK began a series of regular analyses looking at the South Korean presidential election through the lens of the Korean-language media, reviving a series that ran from February 2014 to October 2015. “Shigak” (??), or “perspective” uses Twitter to curate sources on the key determinants of the election outcome. Each issue takes the most important tweets posted by Sino-NK analysts under the #?? hashtag and augments them with essential annotations and a bite-size dollop of concentrated analysis.
Sino-NK will publish brand new #Shigak analyses three times a week between now and the election on May 9. #Shigak is edited by Steven Denney and Christopher Green. Yongmin Lee is a regular contributor. Back issues can be found on the dedicated page. Importantly, users of Twitter are encouraged to adopt the hashtag and take part in the project.
Bringing the Humans Back in: #Shigak no. 31
by Sino-NK
As #Shigak was going to press, the first of South Korea’s presidential debates took place, with the five major candidates pitting their wits against one another for two and a half hours on SBS. More on this and future debates in upcoming editions of #Shigak, but in the meantime this edition has more on the leading candidates’ environmental policies; discussion of Moon Jae-in’s attempt to seize control of the national narrative on national defense and the economy; and a reminder that although Ahn Cheol-soo is certainly rising fast, Moon Jae-in continues to ride high.
[SK_election17]
-
North Korea the first question at first all-candidates presidential debate
Posted on : Apr.14,2017 17:09 KST Modified on : Apr.14,2017 17:09 KST
From left to right, president candidates Hong Joon-pyo (Liberty Korea Party), Ahn Cheol-soo (People’s Party), Yoo Seong-min (Bareun Party), Shim Sang-jung (Justice Party) and Moon Jae-in (Minjoo Party), take a commemorative photo at the first presidential debate, at the SBS event hall in Seoul’s Sangam neighborhood, Apr. 13. (National Assembly photo pool)
Moon Jae-in and Ahn Cheol-soo say US strike completely unacceptable; Hong Joon-pyo and Yoo Seong-min say prior deliberations needed
During the first group debate on Apr. 13 featuring the five leading candidates in the presidential campaign, the first question was about signs that the US might carry out a preemptive strike on North Korea. This suggests how critical the security situation has become, considering that the first question in the presidential debate in 2012 (organized by the National Election Commission) was about the presidential leadership needed by South Korean society. In 2012, questions about North Korean policy and foreign policy with the US and China came toward the end of the debate.
[SK_election17] [SK NK policy]
-
Anti-Communism and the Rule of Law: #Shigak no. 30
By Sino-NK | April 11, 2017 | No Comments
Share this:
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)More
Moon Jae-in in conversation with Ohmynews journalists. | Image: Ohmynews TV YouTube channel
On April 2, Sino-NK began a series of regular analyses looking at the South Korean presidential election through the lens of the Korean-language media, reviving a series that ran from February 2014 to October 2015. “Shigak” (??), or “perspective” uses Twitter to curate sources on the key determinants of the election outcome. Each issue takes the most important tweets posted by Sino-NK analysts under the #?? hashtag and augments them with essential annotations and a bite-size dollop of concentrated analysis.
Sino-NK will publish brand new #Shigak analyses three times a week between now and the election on May 9. #Shigak is edited by Steven Denney and Christopher Green. Yongmin Lee is a regular contributor. Back issues can be found on the dedicated page. Importantly, users of Twitter are encouraged to adopt the hashtag and take part in the project.
-
Ahn Cheol-soo Answers Allegations About Daughter
April 12, 2017 12:14
People's Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo on Tuesday revealed the finances of his daughter amid demands to prove he has not illegally passed his software fortune to her.
Ahn has been under pressure from Minjoo Party, which accused his daughter Seol-hee of owning massive real assets and dodging taxes.
Opponents also levied a number of vague charges that aim to paint him as a typical member of the establishment, potentially undermining his image as a reformer. Online rumors claimed she has U.S. citizenship, which could damage Ahn's chances among left-leaning voters.
© This is copyrighted material owned by Digital Chosun Inc. No part of it may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission.
[Ahn Cheol-soo]
-
[Interview] Can candlelight energy spark new era of inter-Korean relations?
Posted on : Apr.11,2017 16:34 KST Modified on : Apr.11,2017 16:34 KST
Professor discusses facing next government in Seoul, including relations with North Korea, the US and China
John Delury, Associate Professor of Chinese Studies at Yonsei University
John Delury is an Associate Professor of Chinese Studies at Yonsei University in Seoul and an expert on North Korean affairs. He conducted a two-round interview with a Hankyoreh reporter, consisting of a meeting at his office in Seoul on Mar. 23, then follow-up discussion by email on Mar. 27. He discussed possible North Korea policy approaches of the next South Korean administration, as well as the Trump administration in the US.
Hankyoreh (Hani): Could you give us your general review of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s recent trip to northeast Asia?
John Delury (Delury): Obviously North Korea was the central question on the trip. We should be careful because sometimes North Korea hides other parts of the agenda. We always talk about North Korea as this hard problem, but it’s also very useful, for example when the US wants to encourage South Korea and Japan to get along, the best way to do that is to talk about North Korea.
[US NK policy] [Continuities]
-
[News analysis] Is there any truth to rumors of an April crisis?
Posted on : Apr.12,2017 16:30 KST Modified on : Apr.12,2017 16:30 KST
Fake news has stocked uncertainty at a time of rising inter-Korean tensions, as government denies rumors
Rumors about a crisis on the Korean Peninsula have been recently spreading on social media, stoking public insecurity. With multiple government officials stepping forward to deny the rumors and newspapers and broadcasters reporting that they are fake news without any evidence to support them, the rumors seem to be subsiding. But this flare-up has confirmed once again how sensitive the Korean Peninsula is to security issues. And with the US-South Korea joint military exercises continuing until the end of this month, the rumors about a crisis could roar back to life at any time.
[SK_election17]
-
Ahead of presidential election, liberal candidates shifting their positions on THAAD
Posted on : Apr.12,2017 16:27 KST Modified on : Apr.12,2017 16:27 KST
Minjoo Party candidate Moon Jae-in (left) and People’s Party candidate Ahn Cheol-soo, the two frontrunners for the May 9 presidential election. (by Lee Jeong-a, staff photographer)
Mounting tensions have been Moon Jae-in and Ahn Cheol-soo backing off of claims that deployment should be reconsidered
Mounting tensions around the Korean Peninsula are leading to subtle changes in the leading presidential candidates’ positions on the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system.
[THAAD] [Liberal]
-
Trump causes candidates' shift to right
Posted : 2017-04-12 16:53
Updated : 2017-04-12 17:55
Dignitaries participating in the Korea Forum 2017, hosted by the Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times, pose at the Lotte Hotel Seoul, Wednesday. They are, from left, Rep. Lee Ju-young, head of the National Assembly committee on amending the Constitution; Korea Times and Hankook Ilbo Chairman Seung Myung-ho; Liberty Korea Party presidential candidate Hong Joon-pyo; Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Moon Jae-in; People's Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo; Justice Party presidential candidate Sim Sang-jung; and Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun. / Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han
Security emerges as dominating issue in presidential race
By Jun Ji-hye
Security issues are dominating the country's presidential campaign, with the Donald Trump administration's hawkish approach to North Korea raising tension on the Korean Peninsula.
Analysts said Wednesday that candidates for the May 9 election are leaning to the right as rumors of a possible U.S. pre-emptive strike on Pyongyang in April are fanning fears here. The North also vowed Tuesday to take the "toughest" counteraction against any attack on its soil.
In the latest in a series of offensive remarks on the North, the White House warned that President Trump has put Pyongyang "clearly on notice," and if he decides to take action, it will be "decisive and proportional" as seen in the U.S. military strikes on Syria last week.
[SK_election17] [THAAD]
-
N. Korean defector accused of siphoning off state subsidies
Posted : 2017-04-12 14:24
Updated : 2017-04-12 16:46
Prosecutors said Wednesday they have indicted the leader of a local North Korean defectors' association on charges of siphoning off government subsidies.
Kim Yong-hwa, chief of the NK Refugees Human Rights Association of Korea, is accused of swindling some 135 million won ($118,000) provided by the Korea Hana Foundation, the state-run agency in charge of supporting defectors, from May 2012 to June 2014.
The money was originally provided for emergency relief activities and the establishment of a center for female defectors, according to the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office.[Defector]
-
[Editorial] If Ahn Cheol-soo is responsible, he should explain his THAAD flip-flop
Posted on : Apr.11,2017 16:31 KST Modified on : Apr.11,2017 16:31 KST
People’s Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo shoots an assault rifle during a visit to a new marine training center in Incheon, Apr. 10. (by Lee Jeong-woo, staff photographer)
People’s Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo’s attitude toward the deployment of the THAAD missile defense system is starkly different from his previous position. During a debate at the Gwanhun Club (a club of senior South Korean journalists) on Apr. 6 and during an interview with Yonhap News on Apr. 9, Ahn said that “the next administration must respect intergovernmental agreements” and that it was “a problem to hold to a previous position when the circumstances have changed.” Ahn‘s remarks appear to mean that he basically supports the current administration’s decision to deploy THAAD at Seongju County, North Gyeongsang Province.
[Ahn Cheol-soo] [THAAD] [SK_Election17]
-
Addressing Continuity in
South Korean Foreign Policy
Thursday, April 20, 2017
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
KEI Conference Facility
1800 K St NW | Suite 1010
The upcoming presidential election in Korea on May 9th will place many key issues under the microscope. One meriting serious consideration that has featured less prominently in the political discourse is continuity in foreign policy. Korean policy-making processes empower each president to make their own mark on Korea’s foreign outreach, and simultaneously make it difficult to maintain initiatives from the previous administration. Constitutional reform is one of several changes that could help lessen the impact of leadership transitions on international priorities.
KEI invites you to join us and Dr. Jeffrey Robertson for a discussion on why Korean foreign policy continuity should be strengthened and potential avenues for reform.
Featuring:
Jeffrey Robertson
Visiting Fellow
Australia National University
&
Assistant Professor
Yonsei University
[SK Foreign policy]
-
Education, Education, Education: #Shigak no. 29
By Sino-NK | April 08, 2017
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)More
Ahn Cheol-soo and his wife, Kim Mi-kyung. The resumes of the pair have been under the microscope in the last 48 hours amidst accusations of preferential hiring practices at two of the leading South Korean universities. | Image: JTBC News YouTube channel
On April 2, Sino-NK began a series of regular analyses looking at the South Korean presidential election through the lens of the Korean-language media, reviving a series that ran from February 2014 to October 2015. “Shigak” (??), or “perspective” uses Twitter to curate sources on the key determinants of the election outcome. Each issue takes the most important tweets posted by Sino-NK analysts under the #?? hashtag and augments them with essential annotations and a bite-size dollop of concentrated analysis.
Sino-NK will publish brand new #Shigak analyses three times a week between now and the election on May 9. #Shigak is edited by Steven Denney and Christopher Green. Yongmin Lee is a regular contributor. Back issues can be found on the dedicated page. Importantly, users of Twitter are encouraged to adopt the hashtag and take part in the project.
[SK_Election17] [Ahn Cheol-soo]
-
Mind the Gap: #Shigak no. 28
By Sino-NK | April 06, 2017
On April 2, Sino-NK began a series of regular analyses looking at the South Korean presidential election through the lens of the Korean-language media, reviving a series that ran from February 2014 to October 2015. “Shigak” (??), or “perspective” uses Twitter to curate sources on the key determinants of the election outcome. Each issue takes the most important tweets posted by Sino-NK analysts under the #?? hashtag and augments them with essential annotations and a bite-size dollop of concentrated analysis.
Sino-NK will publish brand new #Shigak analyses three times a week between now and the election on May 9. #Shigak is edited by Steven Denney and Christopher Green. Yongmin Lee is a regular contributor. Back issues can be found on the dedicated page. Importantly, users of Twitter are encouraged to adopt the hashtag and take part in the project.
Mind the Gap: #Shigak no. 28
by Sino-NK
Since the parliamentary elections of 2016, South Korea has had three competitive parties: the main opposition Democratic Party (currently Minjoo Party), the People’s Party, and the ruling Saenuri Party. Under ordinary circumstances, the People’s Party, which is identified as center-left, would siphon votes from the main opposition Minjoo and pouch a few center-right voters from Saenuri. It wouldn’t, however, compete on the same level as the main opposition or ruling parties. But these aren’t ordinary conditions.
[SK_Election17]
-
Unified Candidacy? No, Thanks: #Shigak no. 27
By Sino-NK | April 04, 2017
On April 2, Sino-NK began a series of regular analyses looking at the South Korean presidential election through the lens of the Korean-language media, reviving a series that ran from February 2014 to October 2015. “Shigak” (??), or “perspective” uses Twitter to curate sources on the key determinants of the election outcome. Each issue takes the most important tweets posted by Sino-NK analysts under the #?? hashtag and augments them with essential annotations and a bite-size dollop of concentrated analysis.
Sino-NK will publish brand new #Shigak analyses three times a week between now and the election on May 9. #Shigak is edited by Steven Denney and Christopher Green. Yongmin Lee is a regular contributor. Back issues can be found on the dedicated page. Importantly, users of Twitter are encouraged to adopt the hashtag and take part in the project.
[SK_Election17]
-
Who is Ahn Cheol-soo?
Posted on : Apr.5,2017 16:48 KST Modified on : Apr.5,2017 16:48 KST
Ahn Cheol-soo waves to supporters after being named the People’s Party presidential candidate, at Hanbat Sports Complex in Daejeon, Apr. 4. (by Kang Chang-kwang, staff photographer)
Former software tycoon has learned from a series of setbacks since entering politics, and is pledging not to back down this time
Presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo, 55, had been a wunderkind in various fields - as a medical doctor, computer programmer, entrepreneur and university professor. But for some time after Ahn entered politics in 2011, his name “Cheol-soo” was used sarcastically to mean “back out” (since the two are homophones in Korean). This joke was based on a series of capitulations during a few rocky years when Ahn withdrew from the presidential race in 2012 and then gave up on his efforts to set up a new political party.
But after completing a crash course in practical political theory, Ahn detached himself from the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (currently the Minjoo Party of Korea) in Dec. 2015 and successfully launched the People’s Party. And in this presidential election, he’s angling for a fight, retooling the puns on his name to suggest that he‘s determined and as strong as steel.
[Ahn Cheol-soo] [SK_Election17]
-
Moon seeks to appeal to conservative voters
DPK candidate visits gravesite of Park Chung-hee
Posted : 2017-04-04 19:02
Updated : 2017-04-04 22:16
By Kim Hyo-jin
Moon Jae-in, the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) presidential candidate, visited the gravesites of former presidents including Park Chung-hee, the father of ousted leader Park Geun-hye, Tuesday.
This was his first official function since being elected as the party's candidate for the May 9 presidential election, Monday.
The visit was widely viewed as the liberal candidate's symbolic move to appeal to elderly conservative voters.
Moon, along with party leader Choo Mi-ae, paid their respects at the gravesites of Korea's inaugural President Syngman Rhee and Park at the National Cemetery in Seoul.
[Moon Jae-in]
-
S. Korean military's new tactical vehicles in field test
Posted : 2017-04-05 15:33
Updated : 2017-04-05 15:33
Some South Korean military units are operating newly developed small tactical vehicles, modeled after the Humvee, in a field operation test, the nation's arms procurement agency said Wednesday.
Five types of indigenous multipurpose wheeled vehicles have been delivered to such forward-deployed units as the Army's 12th Division and the Marine Corps' 2nd Division since January for a four-month test run before mass production, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
The vehicles are designed to replace the military's aged K-131 and K-311A1 vehicles.
The basic model has a maximum speed of 135 kilometers per hour.
"They have superb mobility in unpaved mountainous territory" in addition to various devices for drivers including automatic transmission, GPS and rear-view camera, said the DAPA.
It also expects the export of the vehicles, saying the fresh assets are competitive in performance for the price.
"Small-sized tactical vehicles are expected to greatly improve the power of combat teams," Brig. Gen. Um Dong-hwan, a senior DAPA, official said. (Yonhap)
[Military balance]
-
Who is Moon Jae-in?
Posted on : Apr.4,2017 15:40 KST Modified on : Apr.4,2017 15:40 KST
Moon Jae-in was named Minjoo Party candidate for the May 9 presidential election, on Apr. 3 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul’s Guro district. (by Kang Chang-kwang, staff photographer)
Former Chief of Staff under Roh Moo-hyun has won Minjoo Party’s nomination, and is leading in polls
Moon Jae-in, the former Minjoo Party leader named as the party’s presidential candidate on Apr. 3, is someone who in the past tended to be far more comfortable standing a step behind someone else. While he consistently took on leading roles in social reforms - from his days as a university student spearheading opposition to the Yushin government to his activities as a human rights lawyer - he also always yearned for the life of a “free man” instead of the political center stage. Having heard the calling to pursue his “destiny” in politics after former President Roh Moo-hyun’s death ahead of the 2012 election, the now 64-year-old Moon has since transformed into a practical politician, presenting himself as the person to achieve a change in administrations.
[Moon Jae-in]
-
[Reportage] After ten-year struggle, Gangjeong villagers beset by government indemnity claims
Posted on : Apr.2,2017 08:22 KST Modified on : Apr.2,2017 08:22 KST
On the morning of Mar. 25, the USS Stethem, an Aegis-equipped destroyer in the US navy, docks at Jeju Naval Base, the first foreign warship to put in at the base since its completion. (by Huh Ho-joon, Jeju correspondent)
Villagers who opposed the base are accused of delaying construction, and are facing huge financial penalties
On the morning of Mar. 25, the USS Stethem, an Aegis-equipped destroyer in the US navy, slowly entered Jeju Naval Base. This was the first foreign warship to put in at the base since its completion. At the same time, a number of villagers and activists standing in front of the base chanted their opposition to the vessel’s anchoring there. At Gangjeong Harbor, the ocean breeze ruffled a faded yellow flag that said, “Adamantly opposed to the naval base” and “Give up the right to indemnity.” Around noon, the neighborhood began to bustle as villagers who had been fishing in their boats set up stalls teeming with fish in front of the Life and Peace Center like a flea market.
[Jeju][Bases]
-
The Road to the Blue House: #Shigak no. 26
By Sino-NK | April 02, 2017
Between February 2014 and October 2015, Sino-NK ran a regular series of analyses of South Korean politics and society through the lens of the Korean-language media. “Shigak” (??), or “perspective” used Twitter to curate sources on the key affairs of the day. Each issue took the most important tweets posted by Sino-NK analysts under the #?? hashtag and augmented them with essential annotations and a bite-size dollop of concentrated analysis.
Things have changed a lot since 2015. Former President Park Geun-hye has been swept from office and faces criminal prosecution, as does the de facto head of Samsung Group, Lee Jae-yong. The country will soon go back to the polls, a full seven months early. All of this, plus the awe-inspiring series of public protests in late 2016 that got us here, has resulted in intense focus on South Korean politics.
[SK_election17]
-
Seongju residents fighting back as equipment trucks arrive at THAAD deployment site
Posted on : Mar.30,2017 16:55 KST Modified on : Mar.30,2017 16:55 KST
Elderly women sit on a road as trucks pass by, in front of the Soseong village center in Chojeon, a township in North Gyeongsang Province’s Seongju County. (by Kim Il-woo, Daegu correspondent)
Locals clash with police out of concern that THAAD radar battery will damage local environment
“These bastards - it’s not right. We can’t live with THAAD as a neighbor.”
It was around 1 pm on Mar. 29, and elderly women were blocking the road in front of the Soseong village center in Chojeon, a township in North Gyeongsang Province’s Seongju County. Four 4.5-ton trucks and one 5-ton truck were stuck, unable to reach the former Lotte Skyhill Seongju Country Club golf course site. The trucks were loaded with what appeared to be equipment for a geological survey. Two kilometers up from the village center is the golf course where a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system is being deployed. Hundreds of police officers were surrounding local residents, and frictions between residents and police were breaking out all aroun
[THAAD] [Protest]
-
Is Moon Jae-in pinko?
Posted : 2017-03-31 10:41
Updated : 2017-03-31 16:18
By Oh Young-jin
Some detractors of Moon Jae-in would call him and his supporters a bunch of commies and claim that they shouldn't be trusted to run the country.
Moon, the leading contender in the May 9 presidential election, recently caught a great deal of flak for talking about his being cited by Chun Doo-hwan, a former Army general and president, for his tour of duty in a Special Forces unit. Gwangju people were upset because Chun was responsible for the May 18, 1980 massacre by Special Forces soldiers, as part of his power grab.
How do the two events get linked? Obviously, the first has got so much under Moon's skin that he had felt an urge to deal with it by bringing about his not-so-proud ties with the infamous general.
Even experienced pundits said that Moon got carried away but chances are that it is not the case.
But it should be seen rather as a gesture by Moon to reach out to the other side ? the hostile territory of the conservatives. Interestingly, Moon has been careful not to look friendly to conservatives and is prone to chide An Hee-jung, the distant second in the party primary to choose its standard bearer, for doing so.
[Moon Jae-in]
-
Park Goes to Jail
By Shin Su-ji
March 31, 2017 09:26
Ex-President Park Geun-hye was arrested early Friday after a court granted prosecutors' request for a warrant on a slew of charges including bribery, abuse of power and leaking government secrets.
The Seoul Central District Court accepted that her arrest is necessary to "hedge the risk of Park fleeing or destroying evidence."
Former President Park Geun-hye is being driven from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seoul on early Friday. /Newsis
Park was taken to a remand prison, the third ex-president to be detained on criminal charges after Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo.
Park, who was ousted last month, had been waiting all night at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office about 150 m away as the court reviewed the warrant request.
Former President Park Geun-hye enters the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seoul on Thursday. /Yonhap
Earlier in the day, she appeared in court to plead innocence.
Intense legal debate took almost nine hours before the court spent another eight hours deciding whether to take her into custody.
Prosecutors argued that Park needs to be arrested since her alleged accomplices are already on remand while their trial is in progress, whereas her lawyers said she presents no flight risk and is unlikely to destroy evidence since she had been living under virtual house arrest since her ouster.
Park faces 13 charges, including colluding with her confidante Choi Soon-sil to solicit W43.3 billion in bribes from Samsung and extorting billions more from other top conglomerates (US$1=W1,118). She denies all charges.
[Park Geun-hye] [Prosecution]
-
[Editorial] Park Geun-hye’s arrest affirms South Korea’s rule of law
Posted on : Mar.31,2017 14:53 KST Modified on : Mar.31,2017 14:53 KST
Former president Park Geun-hye has finally been put in jail. After Kang Bu-yeong, the judge in charge of warrants for the Seoul Central District Court, issued an arrest warrant for charges including bribery on Mar. 31, Park suffered the ignominy of being South Korea’s third former president to be jailed. While personally, this was no doubt a very unfortunate development, legally speaking, it was the obvious outcome.
While there were some who said that Park should be shown lenience out of respect for her status as former president or for the sake of national harmony and unity, it’s significant that the court has affirmed once again the great principle of the rule of law, namely, that all citizens are equal before the law. We hope that Park’s arrest will be a turning point confirming that the Republic of Korea is a democratic republic and ensuring that politics and leaders who think of themselves as above the Constitution and the law and who roll back democracy have no place in this country.
[Park Geun-hye] [Prosecution]
-
Park Geun-hye becomes third former S. Korean president to be arrested
Posted on : Mar.31,2017 14:55 KST Modified on : Mar.31,2017 14:55 KST
Former President Park Geun-hye is taken by car from the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Seoul’s Seocho district to Seoul Detention Center, early in the morning of Mar. 31. (Yonhap News)
In granting arrest warrant, judge recognizes credibility of bribery charge against Park, and risk of evidence destruction
An arrest warrant for former president Park Geun-hye requested by the Prosecutors’ Special Investigation Headquarters (led by Lee Yeong-ryeol) was issued by a court on Mar. 31. The warrant, which was issued 21 days after the Constitutional Court removed Park from the presidency, is linked to a number of charges against Park, including the acceptance of a 43.3 billion won (US$38.6 million) bribe from Samsung.
Park is the third former president who has been jailed, along with Roh Tae-woo (in office 1988-93) and Chun Doo-hwan (1979-88). While Prosecutors can detain Park for up to 20 days as they carry out their investigation, concerns about the possible influence this could have on the May 9 presidential election will likely lead them to wrap up their investigation and hand the case to the courts before Apr. 17, when the election period officially kicks off.
[Park Geun-hye] [Prosecution] [Roh Tae-woo] [Chun Doo-hwan]
Return to ROK and Inter-Korean relations page