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Speculation that the Korean government is considering a
move to halt U.S. beef imports is unfounded since there is no risk to public
health, a senior aide to the president said Saturday.
Senior press secretary Choe Geum-nak said media reports that the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae is reviewing the possibility of halting imports are not true. The comments came as some media outlets reported policymakers are seriously considering a move to halt quarantine inspections tantamount to an import ban due to growing public health concerns. Seoul has said it will provide up-to-date information on the latest mad cow case to the general public, with the farm ministry taking steps to inspect half of all U.S. beef shipments to make certain they meet import requirements. In the past, only 3 percent of all shipments were checked in accordance with international practices. "The government places great importance on protecting the health of the people, but all data so far shows there are no risks," Choe said. He stressed that if new information emerges that changes this perception, Seoul will take swift and immediate action. The comments came after the country's farm minister said Friday that U.S. beef imports will not be affected by the latest discovery of a bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in California. The latest discovery is the fourth detected in the United States. BSE is the official name for brain-wasting mad cow disease that can be transmitted to humans and cause the fatal variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Authorities said the cow had contracted a very rare "atypical" form of the brain-wasting disease and pointed out that the animal was a dairy cow over 10 years old. The rare type of disease is not caused by an animal eating protein-based feed that is considered the main cause of animals coming down with BSE. Seoul had initially banned U.S. beef imports in late 2003 after the first case was reported, but fully reopened the market in 2008 after long-drawn negotiations with Washington. Government officials said since Seoul only imports beef from cattle under 30 months old, there is no risk that the meat of such animals could reach South Korea. The country also does not import meat from dairy cows. Despite such assurances, both the ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic United Party called on the government to prevent U.S. beef from reaching consumers. (Yonhap) |
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Saturday, April 28, 2012
'Speculation of gov't weighing US beef import ban unfounded'
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Lee suffers end-of-term syndrome
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Presidential mentor grilled over bribery allegations By Na Jeong-ju Traditionally, corruption scandals rock administrations during the last stretch at the end of their terms. History appears to be obviously repeating itself as the big guns who helped President Lee Myung-bak to win the 2007 election and enjoyed riding on the cusp of power are now succumbing to a backlash for their avarice. Amid morning drizzle, former Korea Communications Commission (KCC) Chairman Choi See-joong, who is referred to as Lee’s mentor, was summoned by prosecutors Wednesday on charges of taking huge bribes. With a big black umbrella, the 75-year-old man, the power behind the scenes, entered the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office in southern Seoul. He told a gaggle of reporters, “I will answer questions to the best of my ability.” It was widely expected that an advanced arrest warrant would be issued to put him behind bars for partially admitting to receiving money from Picity, a real estate developer, during the 2007 presidential campaign. The grilling comes after investigators revealed that they had found clues suggesting his involvement in bribery. The prosecution said it secured testimony from former Picity Chairman Lee Jeong-bae that he offered bribes to Choi as well as another key presidential aide Park Young-joon, a former knowledge economy minister, through a “broker.” There is now keen attention on whether the probe will lead to a full-scale investigation into campaign funds used during the 2007 presidential race. Choi admitted on Monday that he received money from Picity, but claimed that it was not in return for influence peddling and that he spent it on President Lee’s campaign. Arriving at the prosecution office in Seocho-dong, southern Seoul at 10:40 a.m., a grim-faced Choi said, “I will answer (questions from prosecutors) sincerely.” Reporters asked a flurry of questions about his involvement, but he refused to answer. According to the prosecution, the Picity chairman, who is now imprisoned, told investigators that he gave at least 6 billion won ($5.26 million) to the broker, who is a middle school junior to Choi, to lobby for a construction project. Prosecutors suspect that some 1.1 billion won was given to Choi and Park. The prosecution will issue a summons for the former vice minister, too. The businessman said he bribed “powerful people” to get a license to build a complex of office buildings and logistics facilities in Yangjae-dong, southern Seoul. The project had long been stalled due to its negative impact on traffic and air quality, but Seoul City approved the project in May 2006 when President Lee was mayor. Lee served as Seoul mayor from July 2002 to June 2006. The real estate firm allegedly stashed a slush fund amounting to some 30 billion won. The prosecution is now tracing money transfers between the firm and presidential aides who had relationships with the chairman. Choi, after receiving a complaint from the Picity chairman in 2010, reportedly called Financial Supervisory Service Governor Kwon Hyouk-se and Justice Minister Kwon Jae-jin, then-senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, and told them to “take care of” him. | |
Monday, April 23, 2012
Ex-telecom regulator suspected of money-for-favor deal
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Choi
See-joong, a close confidant of President Lee Myung-bak and a former
communications regulator, is suspected of taking bribes from a property
developer in exchange for influence-peddling in a construction project,
prosecutors said Monday.
The 75-year-old Choi stepped down as chief of the state-run Korea Communications Commission in January over allegations that a former aide accepted bribes from a businessman in return for favors. Later that month, Choi was accused of offering money to several lawmakers close to the president in 2008. Prosecutors said they secured testimony that a former head of the property developer, surnamed Lee, gave more than 1 billion won ($877,501) to a broker, also surnamed Lee, to be delivered to Choi in 2007-2008. The money was allegedly payment for Choi's help in winning a permit to build a large trade complex in southern Seoul. Speaking in a local media interview, Choi acknowledged the allegations of money taking were "partly true," but denied it was an exchange for favors. Instead, he claimed he used the money for President Lee's election campaign in 2007. Choi played a key role in Lee's election victory at the time. Prosecutors said they are investigating whether the alleged bribe was delivered to Choi. They also arrested the broker on Saturday on suspicion of accepting lobbying money from the property developer's former head. (Yonhap) | |
Former news anchor vows to focus on news media policy
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| Shin Kyoung-min |
This is the second article in a series introducing significant lawmakers-elect of the upcoming 19th National Assembly. ― Ed.
The main opposition Democratic United Party was disappointed by the results of the recent parliamentary elections but succeeded in winning some key battles in the capital.
One of the party’s electoral heroes is political rookie Shin Kyoung-min, who defeated Rep. Kwon Young-se, third-term lawmaker and secretary-general of the ruling Saenuri Party in the Youngdeungpo-B constituency.
His victory was all the more valuable to the party as the constituency has long been a conservative seat. Shin started his bid shortly before candidate registration ended, but soon caught up with his right-wing opponent.
The DUP spokesman’s electoral win also carried a symbolic meaning for the liberal camp, as the corresponding district included Yeouido, where the National Assembly building is located.
Before entering politics this year, Shin worked as a reporter and news anchor at the broadcaster MBC.
During his years as a news anchor, he often made biting remarks on current issues at the end of the news program, which earned him an uncompromising and confident image.
The lawmaker-elect, however, must overcome numerous obstacles from the beginning of his first parliamentary term.
The top priority task is to boost the party’s ratings and reputation by the time of the presidential election in December.
The DUP, despite earlier expectations of winning the majority, failed to take the lead over the Saenuri Party, even when allied with the minority Unified Progressive Party.
He will also likely take a role in resolving the ongoing media walkout involving state broadcaster KBS, MBC and daily Kookmin Ilbo newspaper.
“I decided to take the challenge in an attempt to take part in the issue and achieve democracy in the media,” said the former newsman.
“Freedom of the press is the most fundamental factor in democracy.”
By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldm.com)
Prosecutors to summon police chief over Roh remarks
Prosecutors are reportedly considering summoning Police
Commissioner-General Cho Hyun-oh in a libel investigation over remarks he made
that indicated the late former President Roh Moo-hyun amassed slush funds.
The investigation prompted by complaints by Roh’s family is expected to shed new light on the bribery scandal involving Roh. He killed himself on May 23, 2009, as the prosecution tightened its examination into the allegations of illegal funds. The investigators closed the case after his death.
Cho alluded to Roh’s irregularities at a meeting of high ranking police officials at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in 2010, when he served as the regional chief.
He reportedly said, “Why did Roh kill himself? Just a day before his death, we found his slush fund kept under a borrowed-name account.”
The bereaved family members sued him but the prosecution has been reluctant to delve into the case, claiming that it has been already closed due to Roh’s death.
But the case reemerged as Cho once again implied Roh’s irregularities to a vernacular magazine.
In his interview in the Weekly Dong-a May 1st edition, Cho said, “The comments I made about Roh were inappropriate … but unless the family withdraws the suit, I will say what I have to say. It is for the honor of the police.”
Noh’s family requested on Saturday that the prosecution resume the investigation.
“Cho has threatened Roh’s family to drop the case. He has also tarnished the deceased person’s dignity once again. The investigators should arrest Cho,” the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation stated in a press release.
Cho recently offered to resign from his post after demands he take responsibility for sloppy police work during the response to a emergency call in the Suwon rape and murder case at the beginning of April.
His term will end next Monday.
By Bae Ji-sook
(baejisook@heraldm.com)
The investigation prompted by complaints by Roh’s family is expected to shed new light on the bribery scandal involving Roh. He killed himself on May 23, 2009, as the prosecution tightened its examination into the allegations of illegal funds. The investigators closed the case after his death.
Cho alluded to Roh’s irregularities at a meeting of high ranking police officials at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in 2010, when he served as the regional chief.
He reportedly said, “Why did Roh kill himself? Just a day before his death, we found his slush fund kept under a borrowed-name account.”
The bereaved family members sued him but the prosecution has been reluctant to delve into the case, claiming that it has been already closed due to Roh’s death.
But the case reemerged as Cho once again implied Roh’s irregularities to a vernacular magazine.
In his interview in the Weekly Dong-a May 1st edition, Cho said, “The comments I made about Roh were inappropriate … but unless the family withdraws the suit, I will say what I have to say. It is for the honor of the police.”
Noh’s family requested on Saturday that the prosecution resume the investigation.
“Cho has threatened Roh’s family to drop the case. He has also tarnished the deceased person’s dignity once again. The investigators should arrest Cho,” the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation stated in a press release.
Cho recently offered to resign from his post after demands he take responsibility for sloppy police work during the response to a emergency call in the Suwon rape and murder case at the beginning of April.
His term will end next Monday.
By Bae Ji-sook
(baejisook@heraldm.com)
Friday, April 20, 2012
IOC ethics panel to probe Moon case
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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Saturday that it will study a plagiarism case of IOC member Moon Dae-sung and consider whether any action needs to be taken, one day after the suspicion of plagiarism in his doctoral thesis was confirmed by Kookmin University. “We will contact the university in due time,” IOC spokesperson Andrew Mitchell told The Korea Times via e-mail. “The IOC Ethics Commission will only be active, once there is a definitive decision by the university and only after the Commission has received all the information, will it be able to discuss the issue.” The Korean university, where the 2004 Olympic gold medalist in taekwondo did his doctoral work in 2007, announced Friday that the 35-year-old lawmaker-elect had committed plagiarism in his doctoral thesis, following a preliminary investigation. Right after the announcement, Moon quit the ruling Saenuri Party, issuing a statement of apology, but he didn’t mention whether he will give up his seat. On the back of his rock star status thanks mainly to his impressive victory at the Athens Olympics in 2004, he was elected as a member of the IOC in 2008. The Moon’s case is the second plagiarism issue swirling around the IOC of late. Earlier this month, the IOC said it would examine Pal Schmitt, the former Hungarian president and IOC member, over his plagiarism scandal involving a doctoral dissertation he wrote 20 years ago. Due to the scandal, he gave up his presidency on April 2. Currently, Korea has two IOC members ― Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee and Moon. | |
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World’s No. 2 tower in Japan shows off views
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| A man walks toward the Tokyo Skytree in Tokyo on Tuesday. (Bloomberg) |
The Tokyo Skytree is the world’s second-tallest structure behind the 828-meter Burj Khalifa in Dubai, according to owner Tobu Tower Skytree Co.
The needle-like radio and television tower opens to the public on May 22.
Journalists given a tour Tuesday saw sweeping if hazy views of the Tokyo skyline.
It took about 50 seconds in a high-speed elevator Tuesday to zip up to the lower observation deck at 350 meters and another 30 seconds to reach the higher deck at 450 meters.
The Skytree has a restaurant and two cafes on the observation decks, a vertigo-inducing glass floor that allows visitors to look straight down, and an emergency staircase with 2,523 steps.
The tower was constructed with extremely strong steel tubes surrounding a central concrete column that are structurally separate from each other in the tower’s mid-section. In the event of an earthquake, the concrete core and steel frame are designed to offset each other to reduce the building’s overall motion.
The Skytree has been built to stand firm even if a magnitude 7 quake were to strike beneath the building, said Sho Toyoshima, a spokesman for Tobu Tower. He said the tower sustained no structural damage from the magnitude 9.0 quake that struck off Japan’s northeastern coast last March, even as it was being built.
The Skytree is expected to bolster television and radio transmissions in the capital region. Owners hope it will also become a new tourist destination in Tokyo.
Pakistani plane carrying 127 crashes amid storm
(AP) -- Emergency workers with flashlights searched the
smoldering wreckage of a passenger jet carrying 127 people that crashed into a
muddy wheat field Friday while trying to land in a violent thunderstorm at
Islamabad's main airport.
The government said there appeared to be no survivors in the crash of the Boeing 737-200 near Benazir Bhutto International Airport _ the second major air disaster in the Pakistani capital in less than two years.
Sobbing relatives of those aboard the Bhoja Air flight from Karachi to Islamabad rushed to airports in both cities for news of their loved ones.
One rescue official asked residents to bring sheets to cover the remains of the dead, and smashed seats and other wreckage was spread over a wide area near the airport, along with clothing and jewelry belonging to passengers.
Bhoja Air, a domestic carrier that has just four planes, only resumed operations last month after suspending them in 2001 due to financial difficulties.
Bhoja administrative director Javed Ishaq told reporters and relatives of those on board that the jet was in good condition and was brought down by ``heavy winds.''
``The aircraft was in good shape. This came from God,'' said Ishaq, speaking at the airport in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city. As he spoke, relatives of those aboard who had come to the airport jeered him and demanded to be flown to Islamabad to collect the bodies of their loved ones.
The plane had been given clearance to land, said an air traffic controller who did not give his name because he was not authorized to speak to the media. A violent thunderstorm was lashing Islamabad at the time of the crash, about 6:40 p.m. local time.
``It was really bad weather for a flight,'' said navy Capt. Arshad Mahmood, who lives near the crash site. ``The pilot was forced to move down to avoid clouds that were generating the lightning and thunder.''
Islamabad police chief Bani Yameen said nobody on the ground was reported killed, ``but apparently all on board perished.'' Civil aviation officials also said survivors were highly unlikely, according to Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar.
The government said there appeared to be no survivors in the crash of the Boeing 737-200 near Benazir Bhutto International Airport _ the second major air disaster in the Pakistani capital in less than two years.
Sobbing relatives of those aboard the Bhoja Air flight from Karachi to Islamabad rushed to airports in both cities for news of their loved ones.
One rescue official asked residents to bring sheets to cover the remains of the dead, and smashed seats and other wreckage was spread over a wide area near the airport, along with clothing and jewelry belonging to passengers.
Bhoja Air, a domestic carrier that has just four planes, only resumed operations last month after suspending them in 2001 due to financial difficulties.
Bhoja administrative director Javed Ishaq told reporters and relatives of those on board that the jet was in good condition and was brought down by ``heavy winds.''
``The aircraft was in good shape. This came from God,'' said Ishaq, speaking at the airport in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city. As he spoke, relatives of those aboard who had come to the airport jeered him and demanded to be flown to Islamabad to collect the bodies of their loved ones.
The plane had been given clearance to land, said an air traffic controller who did not give his name because he was not authorized to speak to the media. A violent thunderstorm was lashing Islamabad at the time of the crash, about 6:40 p.m. local time.
``It was really bad weather for a flight,'' said navy Capt. Arshad Mahmood, who lives near the crash site. ``The pilot was forced to move down to avoid clouds that were generating the lightning and thunder.''
Islamabad police chief Bani Yameen said nobody on the ground was reported killed, ``but apparently all on board perished.'' Civil aviation officials also said survivors were highly unlikely, according to Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar.
Samsung pushes ahead with Apple patent suits
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| People who pre-ordered wait in line to get Apple’s new iPad outside a store in Seoul on Friday. (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald) |
Samsung Electronics said Friday it filed another suit against its rival Apple Inc. at a Californian court this week, requesting that the U.S. firm stop selling the new iPad, Mac laptop and Apple TV.
The Korean IT behemoth has filed eight different patent infringement cases against Apple, seen as a move taken to fight Apple’s U.S. federal lawsuit against Samsung earlier in February.
The lawsuits included Samsung’s claims that Apple infringed its patents in its services such as iTunes and iCloud.
Notable about the recently-filed lawsuits is that it is the first time for Samsung to ask the court to put a sales ban on the Mac laptop and Apple TV for infringing its patent rights as well as its services.
“We decided to file the lawsuit to respond to the additional patent claims raised by Apple in February,” said a Samsung official.
The move came as a surprise since many assumed the two parties would reach a compromise of some kind with the chief executives of both companies scheduled to meet within 90 days.
On Wednesday, Samsung confirmed that its vice chairman and CEO Choi Gee-sung will take to the table with Apple’s chief Tim Cook to discuss matters on their ongoing patent disputes. The two are engaged in over 30 different lawsuits in nine countries.
“Our stance, however, on going ahead with the patents suits has not altered,” the Samsung official said.
This indicates that Samsung will maintain a hard stance ahead of its negotiations with the U.S. IT giant, which is in line with its mobile chief Shin Jong-kyun’s statements made repeatedly through its patent battle.
Most recently, Shin made clear again during a press conference in Barcelona that the company will push its legal efforts, stating that “there is no room for negotiations.”
Although Samsung has yet to win a legal case in the nine different countries, it is continuing to file infringement suits involving wireless technologies, user interface and design against Apple since a lawsuit was first raised by Apple in April last year.
Since then, patent infringement suits were filed by both companies at courts in Germany, Australia, the U.K., the U.S., Japan, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Korea.
By Cho Ji-hyun (sharon@heraldm.com)
Costco inconveniences customers
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Costco Wholesale Corporation, the U.S.-based membership warehouse chain that operates seven outlets here, is facing growing criticism from Korean customers over its payment policy that requires shoppers to pay for purchases with cash or credit cards issued only by Samsung Card, in contrast to wholesale and retail stores. This exclusive business partnership with the card unit of the country’s largest conglomerate has inconvenienced many consumers who do not carry a Samsung credit card. Consumer advocacy groups say Costco’s payment policy is solely designed to avoid high transaction fees it would be required to pay to card firms — the wholesaler pays Samsung only a 0.7 percent in commission. Competitors pay plastic issuers about 1.5 percent of the total charged amount in a transaction fee. They say Costco should end the exclusive contract with Samsung Card, which they argue compromises consumer interests. They argue consumers should have other credit card options when paying for merchandise. Costco refused to explain the reasons behind the exclusive deal with Samsung Card, saying it did not want to discuss the matter. Park Mi-kyoung, 43, who shops at Costco once a week for bottled water and other household items, say she would prefer the wholesale outlet to allow her to use non-Samsung credit cards. “I have many other cards that get me rebates and other benefits. But Samsung Card does not provide me with such perks at all. So obviously I really would like Costco to let me use other credit cards,” said the housewife residing in southern Seoul. “I also want the wholesaler to stop charging me a 35,000 won annual membership fee. It feels like Costco’s membership fees and other polices are less customer friendly, compared to other companies,” Park said. Costco customers have been unhappy about its payment policies. “I go to shop at Costco’s Dangsan store on a regular basis. But I did not know it only accepts credit cards issued by Samsung Card,” an executive at Korea Woman’s Association. “This policy is tantamount to an unfair practice at the expense of customers. Our organization will look into this issue. If its policies are proved unfriendly toward local consumers, we will take all possible action to correct them.” She then said the U.S. wholesaler should stop charging an annual membership fee to be eligible to shop there. “Shoppers at E-Mart and other large stores here do not pay to enter and shop. Costco should correct these ‘unfair’ policies and do more to improve consumer wellbeing.” | |
South Korea to contribute $15 billion for IMF resourcing
South Korea announced a plan Friday to provide US$15 billion to the
International Monetary Fund, which seeks to expand its lending
capacity.
The move comes as spring meetings of the IMF and G-20 are under way here. South Korea's finance minister, Bahk Jae-wan, and the Bank of Korea chief, Kim Choong-soo, are attending the sessions.
In a joint statement with Australia, Singapore and the United Kingdom, South Korea said the contribution is part of efforts to "increase the precautionary resources of the IMF's total resourcing."
Australia will contribute $7 billion, Singapore $4 billion, and the United Kingdom $15 billion, according to the statement.
The move comes as spring meetings of the IMF and G-20 are under way here. South Korea's finance minister, Bahk Jae-wan, and the Bank of Korea chief, Kim Choong-soo, are attending the sessions.
In a joint statement with Australia, Singapore and the United Kingdom, South Korea said the contribution is part of efforts to "increase the precautionary resources of the IMF's total resourcing."
Australia will contribute $7 billion, Singapore $4 billion, and the United Kingdom $15 billion, according to the statement.
"This will be by way of contingent loans or note purchase agreements," it
added. "These resources will increase the lending capacity of the IMF and enable
it to play its systemic role for the benefit of all members."
South Korea said it decided the amount of the contribution in consideration of its international stature and its share in the IMF.
South Korea, with Asia's fourth largest economy, served as a chair nation of the G-20, which involves 20 developed and emerging economies, in 2010.
"South Korea's decision this time to participate in the expansion of the IMF's financial resources is very meaningful in that a country, which received bailout funds during the 1997 Asia-wide financial crisis, has become a key player in resolving a global crisis," the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said in a press release.
Meanwhile, the G-20 nations promised to contribute a total of $430 billion to the IMF.
"We remain committed to take the necessary actions to secure global financial stability," the G-20 said in a joint communique.
"There are firm commitments to increase resources made available to the IMF by over $430 billion in addition to the quota increase under the 2010 reform," it read. "These resources will be available for the whole membership of the IMF, and not earmarked for any particular region."
South Korea said it decided the amount of the contribution in consideration of its international stature and its share in the IMF.
South Korea, with Asia's fourth largest economy, served as a chair nation of the G-20, which involves 20 developed and emerging economies, in 2010.
"South Korea's decision this time to participate in the expansion of the IMF's financial resources is very meaningful in that a country, which received bailout funds during the 1997 Asia-wide financial crisis, has become a key player in resolving a global crisis," the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said in a press release.
Meanwhile, the G-20 nations promised to contribute a total of $430 billion to the IMF.
"We remain committed to take the necessary actions to secure global financial stability," the G-20 said in a joint communique.
"There are firm commitments to increase resources made available to the IMF by over $430 billion in addition to the quota increase under the 2010 reform," it read. "These resources will be available for the whole membership of the IMF, and not earmarked for any particular region."
Sudden death of woman due to “too much Coke”
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MCT
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Natasha Marie Harris, a mother of eight children and a fanatic for Coca-Cola, died suddenly in her home in Invercargill, New Zealand.
The reason, an inquest has heard Wednesday, was because she consumed too much Coke.
According to Harris’s partner Christopher Hodgkinson, “she drank at least 10 litres a day” for the past seven or eight years.
The family bought four 2.5 litres of Coke daily, which Harris drank during the course of the day.
Investigations of the death showed that Harris had consumed an average of seven litres of Coke a day.
Mr Hodgkinson told the court that she had been unwell up to a year before her death which occured February 25, 2010, including vomiting six times a week, but they had initially believed it was caused by the stress of looking after her eight children and gynecological problems.
An autopsy showed Miss Harris had a diseased liver but the cause of death was undetermined.
Medical evidence stated that the main finding of death was from a cardiac arrhythmia.
Dr Dan Mornin told the court Miss Harris probably had severe hypokalemia, a lack of potassium in the blood, relating to excessive consumption of soft-drink.
He said although it was difficult to confirm this from postmortem tests, it was consistent with her symptoms of tiredness and lack of strength and other cases of heavy soft-drink consumers.
He added it was likely the vomiting was due to too much caffeine, medically known as caffeine toxicity.
The inquest is yet to be continued.
From news reports
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Post-election purge in ruling Saenuri
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By Chung Min-uck Kim Hyung-tae, a lawmaker-elect of the ruling Saenuri Party, decided to leave the party Wednesday amid mounting criticism over his ethically-flawed behavior in allegedly attempting to sexually assault the wife of his deceased brother. The would-be lawmaker’s move comes at a time when the ruling party is apparently worried over any possible negative impact upon the party and its Chairwoman Rep. Park Geun-hye ahead of the presidential election slated for December 19. The party captured majority status in last week’s parliamentary elections. Kim’s
The 60-year-old journalist-turned-politician, who successfully ran in South Pohang and Ulleung Island constituency in North Gyeongsang Province, decided to drop his party membership following allegations that he attempted to sexually assault the wife of his late brother 10 years ago. The scandal first surfaced when his brother’s wife surnamed Choi accused him three days before the National Assembly elections on April 11. The former KBS reporter immediately filed a suit against Choi for defamation. The case is still awaiting a first hearing. “I am leaving the Saenuri Party. I don’t want to burden the party and Rep. Park,” Kim said in a press release. However, he denied the accusation and added he will rejoin the party after proving his innocence. Insiders say Kim’s decision came too late and that the late response in handling it could hurt the party’s image as it has been taking bold actions against its member’s ethically-flawed behavior in the past as part of reform measures. Observers say the seemingly belated move is attributable to Rep. Park, the conservative party’s strongest presidential candidate, as she hung on to the position of “checking on the relevancy of cases first before making a final decision.” They say it is in contrast with the chairwoman’s earlier behavior where she urged Rep. Choi Gu-sik to leave the party right after rumors spread that one of his secretaries masterminded a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack on the National Election Commission before the Seoul mayoral by-election last October. Meanwhile, unlike Kim, Moon Dae-sung, 36, said he will maintain his party membership until an evaluation of his allegedly plagiarized academic paper is made. The lawmaker-elect of Busan’s Saha-A constituency has been under fire for plagiarizing his doctoral thesis submitted to Kookmin University in Seoul in 2007. The former taekwondo athlete is a gold medalist in the 2004 Athens Olympics and later became an athlete member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He currently serves as professor at Dong-A University in Busan. “I will wait for the results of an investigation and then see what I can do with my party membership,” Moon said. “I didn’t plagiarize any thesis.” Asked if he was planning on leaving the party, he said, “How can I make a decision that is against Rep. Park.” Kookmin University is now evaluating the accuracy of the thesis. |
Unionized teachers found guilty of 'anti-government' campaign
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By Yi Whan-woo
The Supreme Court upheld a lower-court ruling against unionized teachers for their anti-government activities, Thursday. The ruling was on a 2009 collective statement by the progressive teachers criticizing the Lee Myung-bak government for an alleged suppression of democracy. The majority of justices upheld the lower court’s decision that ruled against three members of the progressive Korean Teachers Education Worker’s Union (KTU), who were charged for collective action banned under the public service law. “Expressing partial political ideas is a violation of political and educational neutrality required by educators,” a judge said. “Such acts infringe on the public’s trust.” The three “politically-biased” teachers include a Daejeon district union leader surnamed Lee, who was slapped with a 2 million won fine in a previous court ruling. Lee organized the group of teachers in his district in June 2009 to participate in the “anti-government” movement. He was also charged for his failure in reporting the specifics on campaign to police in advance. The government filed a lawsuit against him for allegedly violating the teachers’ union law, which prohibits political activity. He was also charged with violating the public service law that bans any group activities. The two other teachers, surnamed Kim and Oh, were also found guilty of collective action against the government. Each of them was ordered to pay 700,000 won. Some justices, however, were skeptical about the court’s decision. “It’s not clear whether those teachers caused any social risk to the public, and I don’t think their action violates the law,” one said. The nationwide “anti-government” campaign caused the administration to put pressure on the KTU in 2009, including a raid of the union’s headquarters by police and disciplinary actions against the union members. | |
| yistory@koreatimes.co.kr |
Presidential hopefuls making moves
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Potential presidential candidates in the opposition camp are seeking supporters as they look to decide on whether to run in the December presidential election. The moves come after a defeat in the National Assembly elections and the ambiguous silence of software mogul-turned professor Ahn Cheol-soo on his presidential ambitions. Ahn leads the liberal presidential race in various polls. Moon Jae-in, a senior member of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) who has also been leading in some opinion polls, hinted at running in the election with a support base in Busan and South Gyeongsang Province.
In the Assembly elections, Moon won his first parliamentary seat in the Sasang district of Busan, a conservative stronghold, on the DUP ticket, affirming his position as a viable presidential candidate. “It is time to decide whether to make a bid for the presidency. To realize regime change, I will make a decision as soon as possible,” Moon said in a radio broadcast Wednesday. Moon went on to emphasize the need to align with Ahn, who has remained silent on news reports earlier this week that he has decided to run. Meanwhile another potential contender Kim Doo-gwan, also dubbed “little Roh Moo-hyun” has embarked on plans for the December election. Kim is reported to be holding a series of events to launch a book, which will kick off in Changwon, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on May 26, in Gwangjoo, about 330 kilometers southwest of the capital on June 2 and in Seoul on June 15. According to multiple sources, Kim also opened an office for his presidential campaign as well as a supporters club in a building in Yeouido, Seoul. Kim said such reports were rumors. Kim, like the former president Roh Moo-hyun, may win support from his home town in the traditionally conservative dominant area of Gyeongsang Province. Experts say that the DUP is targeting Kim as a possible replacement for Moon, with the opposition’s election defeat and Moon’s weakening power in Busan and South Gyeongsang Province. Senior DUP advisor Sohn Hak-kyu is also gearing up for the presidential race by organizing a 10 day trip to five European countries including the Netherlands, Sweden, and Finland. He plans to study their labor, welfare and education policies. Sohn is said to launch presidential campaign and publish a book about his economic policies after the DUP’s national convention slated for June 9th. The three candidates, determined to oust the ruling Saenuri party from power, will be vying as a single candidate representing the opposition |
Kim quits party over scandal; Moon defiant
IOC member says he will stay despite plagiarism
allegation
Lawmaker-elect Kim Hyung-tae quit the Saenuri Party on Wednesday over a growing sexual assault scandal, leaving the ruling party with a majority of just one-seat in the incoming National Assembly.
Kim’s defection came just a week after Saenuri’s majority win in the April 11 general election, and as the party prepares to launch a campaign committee for presidential candidate frontrunner Park Geun-hye next month.
“I leave the party as I no longer want to be a burden on the party and emergency committee chairwoman Park Geun-hye with my unfortunate family affairs,” Kim said in a press release.
Kim won his seat in the South Pohang and Ulleung Island constituency by a large margin.
“I will be sure to return to my dear party and honorable chairwoman Park after I resolve the misunderstanding and complete the legal issue,” he added, confirming his intention to hold onto his lawmaker post.
Kim has faced incessant opposition calls to renounce his party membership and parliamentary seat over the allegation that he sexually assaulted the wife of his late younger brother in 2002. Kim denied the allegation and filed a defamation suit against his sister-in-law, arguing that she has been blackmailing him since 2004. Local news reports that the voice in an audio recording apologizing to the sister-in-law and her son belongs to Kim pushed him into further jeopardy.
Another scandal-ridden lawmaker-elect Moon Dae-sung, a former Olympic gold medalist in taekwondo suspected of thesis plagiarism, was widely expected to follow Kim’s step and leave Saenuri. But he later met with reporters and reiterated his innocence, stating he would not be leaving the party at present.
“I will wait (for investigation results). I did not plagiarize,” Moon told reporters.
Moon is suspected of having plagiarized his doctorate thesis submitted in 2007 for Kookmin University, which is currently investigating the claim. Saenuri has said it will wait until the results are out to deal with Moon.
With Kim’s departure, Saenuri’s number of parliamentary seats decreased to 151 in the 300-member assembly.
But letting go of its controversial lawmaker-elect will fall short of controlling the damage, observers said.
“The Kim and Moon cases may just be the tip of the iceberg. The ultimate problem lies with the hasty nomination process for the elections,” said Myongji University politics Professor Kim Hyung-joon.
“If the party wishes to maintain its sincere image of reform, the ruling party should consider additional options such as the chairwoman apologizing for the nomination-gone-awry, and addressing the issue of ethics at the National Assembly,” Kim said.
“There must be fundamental improvement in the current nomination process that is done around the party’s boss. We must consider systems like open primaries of the United States where the voters are given the right to nominate,” he added.
The problematic nomination process had been a source of controversy at both the ruling and opposition parties throughout the parliamentary race.
Senior Saenuri members who were excluded from the nomination lambasted the party’s choice of candidates, with some bolting from the party to run as independents.
The main opposition Democratic United Party’s nomination process was also put under scrutiny over the revelation of past vulgar comments made by its nominee Kim Yong-min, who later lost in Nowon-gu, Seoul.
Opposition parties, in the meantime, called on both Kim and Moon to drop out of the assembly and for the Saenuri leadership to apologize.
“Saenuri must take responsibility for nominating a sex offender to win the election,” said Democratic United Party supreme councilor Namyoon In-soon.
DUP Spokesman Park Yong-jin said, “If Chairwoman Park wishes to become president, she must abandon her treacherous attitude and take responsibility openly and directly.”
By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldm.com)
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
World grows smaller for boy band CNBLUE
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This is the first of a 15-part series on the stars and trends in “hallyu,” or the Korean Wave, which is gaining global popularity particularly in Southeast Asia and Latin America. The Korea Times produces this special project in cooperation with the Korea Foundation and CJ E&M. — ED.  By Kwaak Je-yup  Since
their 2009 debut in Korea, CNBLUE have been one of the few rock bastions in the
ultra-competitive local music scene dominated by danceable
electro-pop.Their lasting success has comforted some about the continuing mainstream appeal of rock, while detractors have accused them of packaging innocuous poppy sounds, even calling them a “fake band.” At a recent interview with the four members, front man Jung Yong-hwa, bassist Lee Jung-shin, guitarist Lee Jong-hyun and drummer Kang Min-hyuk, seemed to weigh in little on the controversy, which has been their biggest asterisk since they began.  Rather
than theorizing or rationalizing about their career, the barely 20-somethings
reveled in it with ample humility. Sometimes, even they were at a loss to
describe the reason behind their success.“Compared to when we were touring (East) Asia with the single ‘Love,’ (from their second EP ‘Bluelove’) nowadays K-pop is riding on a much bigger wave,” said Jung, adding that their audience and fan base have expanded thanks to the collective expansion of Korean pop music in the last year. “The stages are bigger for us. Most of our fans used to be in their 30s or 40s; now we have more in their 20s or younger.” Much like their K-pop colleagues, CNBLUE have gone from nobodies to superstars almost overnight, starting with their debut Korean EP “Bluetory” and its catchy lead single “I’m a Loner.” And they have not stopped since, writing and performing new material across the Korean and Japanese markets.  Most recently, they released their third mini-album titled “Ear Fun,” with the single “Hey You” topping domestic on- and offline charts. Their continuing run of hits in Korea and even their rise to Japanese stardom came as a surprise to many, simply because they stood nowhere near the usual dancing troupe model of K-pop, now noted across the world. There were many critics, however, including Korean rock legend Shin Hae-chul, who publicly accused CNBLUE of plagiarism and also called the band unworthy of bearing that term. But since their debut, seeing guitars and a drum set on the stage of weekly pop music shows has become less alien. Big Bang, the biggest K-pop boy band that relies  heavily
on dance, hired a live back-up band. Even indie act Busker Busker, the runner-up
on the third season of Korea’s “American Idol” equivalent “Superstar K,” is now
gaining mass-market attention, with their recent major-label debut topping local
charts."The format of live television shows hasn’t changed much and so we have a few improvements we would love as a band,” said Jung. “We’re content with the fact that we can let our music be heard.” And they certainly have pushed themselves hard on that front. According to lead guitarist Lee Jong-hyuk, in the first four months of this year, they have had 30 live showcases, including nine concerts outside their usual domains of Korea and Japan. The group is also looking further afield when it comes to giving back. In March, a school named after them was opened in a small village in southwestern Burkina Faso in West Africa, partially funded by the  proceeds
of the band’s earnings. “A lot of times we want to help but don’t know how,” said Jung. “We recently got to watch a video clip of the school, now all finished and in operation. We are very proud of this.” The band’s management agency, FNC Entertainment, stated that the contribution to the Burkinabe project, organized by the Korea Food for Hungry International, will continue on a consistent basis. Now in their third year as CNBLUE, the members seemed to reflect much longer when asked about their future plans and ambitions. “The lyrics of foreign bands are so much more varied. Some of the subjects are simply unimaginable to me,” said Jung, adding that the group is also stepping away from the syrupy lovesick words the fans have come to associate it with. “I want to take some time out and be alone, maybe travel — alone.” “I want life to be a bit more spectacular,” said Lee Jung-shin. “Our career has progressed endlessly. We need a break.” “I want to space out for a little while,” said Lee Jong-hyuk, half-joking. They were off to an amusement park outside Seoul for their next appointment, at least a two-hour ride from the central business district downtown, where the interview took place. The four members of CNBLUE all looked exhausted from their non-stop schedule, but glowed with hope. “We are going to be together for 20 to 30 years, at least,” the guitarist said firmly. For more, click on www.enewsworld.com. |
Lawmaker-elect to leave ruling party over alleged attempted rape
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A
lawmaker-elect quit the ruling Saenuri Party Wednesday over allegations that he
attempted to rape the wife of his late brother 10 years ago, saying he will
return to the party after clearing "misunderstandings" about him.
Kim Hyung-tae, 60, who was elected in a district in the southeastern city of Pohang in last week's general elections, said in a statement he decided to leave the party in order not to cause any more trouble to the party and its leader Park Geun-hye because of "my unfortunate family affair." "Though I am leaving today, I will make sure to return to the party that I love and Chairwoman Park that I respect after dispelling misunderstandings about me and sorting out legal problems," Kim said. "I earnestly hope I will be able to return to the party as early as possible" and help it win December's presidential election. Kim's departure came after reports that the party was considering expelling him. A journalist-turned-politician, Kim has been accused of attempting to rape the wife of his late brother in 2002 in his studio apartment, commonly known here as an officetel, after asking her to visit Seoul from her home in Busan to discuss tuition for her son. The sister-in-law claimed that she fought off the rape attempt and reported the allegations to the rival candidate in Kim's district ahead of the April 11 parliamentary elections, claiming that an attempted rapist should not be elected a lawmaker. Her husband died of cancer in 1995. Kim has rejected the accusations as a political smear campaign. On Wednesday, Kim claimed that the alleged incident happened around April 2002 when his sister-in-law made frequent visits to Seoul to get money from him, and "whether it was a sexual assault or not" will be determined in an investigation by law enforcement authorities. Police are looking into the incident after both sides filed complaints against each other. But the alleged victim recently made public the audio recording of a conversation purportedly between Kim and her son, where a man believed to be Kim acknowledged the wrongdoing and offered an apology. Kim's departure will leave the party with 151 seats in the 300-member new National Assembly. The party has also been considering taking action against another lawmaker-elect, Moon Dae-sung, over allegations of plagiarism in an academic paper for his Ph.D. degree. A former taekwondo athlete, Moon, 36, rose to stardom after winning gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics with a spectacular knockout kick in the final. He later became an athlete member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and a professor at a university in Busan. Moon denies the plagiarism allegations. (Yonhap) |
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Korea issues rabies alert after discovering infected dog
South Korea has issued a rabies alert after a dog tested
positive for the potentially deadly disease, the country’s Farm Ministry said
Saturday.
The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said a dog on a farm in Hwaseong 55, southwest of Seoul, tested positive for rabies. Local quarantine officials have been ordered to inoculate all domestic animals in the vicinity of the farm and to conduct decontamination.
Also called hydrophobia, rabies is a contagious zoonotic disease, meaning it can be passed from animals to humans. It is usually contracted when domestic pets or livestock come in contact with infected wild animals such as raccoons.
Thanks to comprehensive inoculation, South Korea reported no rabies cases from 1985 through 1992, but a case was reported in the mountainous Gangwon Province in 1993. Isolated cases have since been reported, primarily near the demilitarized zone that separates South and North Korea, with four cases discovered in 2011.
Seoul has set aside 952 million won ($840,000) for rabies vaccines this year and another 2.40 billion won for drugs that can be mixed with food to help prevent pets from catching the disease.
(Yonhap News)
The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said a dog on a farm in Hwaseong 55, southwest of Seoul, tested positive for rabies. Local quarantine officials have been ordered to inoculate all domestic animals in the vicinity of the farm and to conduct decontamination.
Also called hydrophobia, rabies is a contagious zoonotic disease, meaning it can be passed from animals to humans. It is usually contracted when domestic pets or livestock come in contact with infected wild animals such as raccoons.
Thanks to comprehensive inoculation, South Korea reported no rabies cases from 1985 through 1992, but a case was reported in the mountainous Gangwon Province in 1993. Isolated cases have since been reported, primarily near the demilitarized zone that separates South and North Korea, with four cases discovered in 2011.
Seoul has set aside 952 million won ($840,000) for rabies vaccines this year and another 2.40 billion won for drugs that can be mixed with food to help prevent pets from catching the disease.
(Yonhap News)
Girl group Afterschool adds new member
Korean girl group Afterschool introduced Tuesday its newest
member, Ga-eun.
The 17-year-old will make her official debut on the group’s upcoming album, which will be released June 21.
Ga-eun has the Afterschool “vibe” with a baby-face and a model-like figure, Afterschool’s management agency Pledis said. The company pointed out that Ga-eun demonstrated the most powerful vocal and dancing abilities among the candidates who vied to become the ninth member of the group.
“Ga-eun went to junior high in Japan and speaks native-level Japanese. We have high expectations for her contribution to Afterschool’s activities in Japan,” the agency said.
The group has had several changes in its members. The agency said that it does not have an ideal number of members in mind, and does not intend to permanently fix the number of members at nine.
According to Afterschool’s “school system,” its members enter and graduate like students, the agency said.
The girl group started as a five-member outfit in 2009 since which two original members have left and six have been added.
Afterschool is scheduled to start a Japan tour on April 27.
By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldm.com)
The 17-year-old will make her official debut on the group’s upcoming album, which will be released June 21.
Ga-eun has the Afterschool “vibe” with a baby-face and a model-like figure, Afterschool’s management agency Pledis said. The company pointed out that Ga-eun demonstrated the most powerful vocal and dancing abilities among the candidates who vied to become the ninth member of the group.
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| Girl group Afterschool. (Pledis) |
“Ga-eun went to junior high in Japan and speaks native-level Japanese. We have high expectations for her contribution to Afterschool’s activities in Japan,” the agency said.
The group has had several changes in its members. The agency said that it does not have an ideal number of members in mind, and does not intend to permanently fix the number of members at nine.
According to Afterschool’s “school system,” its members enter and graduate like students, the agency said.
The girl group started as a five-member outfit in 2009 since which two original members have left and six have been added.
Afterschool is scheduled to start a Japan tour on April 27.
By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldm.com)
Sistar returns with new album ...on broken heart
Four-member girl group brings mature, sexy look for
summer
Korean girl group Sistar stepped back into the spotlight with a press conference announcing their new mini album Thursday, breaking their eight-month hiatus.
Titled “Alone,” the album reflects the group’s attempts to transform its image from energetic to sexy in all aspects ― music, dance, make-up and outfits, Sistar said. The four-member group wore flashy red dresses cut shorter in the front to show off their new subtle moves focusing on their legs and body silhouettes.
“We tried to come up with mature attractiveness for this summer. We put so much effort into this,” said Bora, the group’s rapper. “We used to run around on stage and be all springy before, but this time, we are going to be sexy.”
The music video for the title track “Alone,” a piece whose motif is the pain of a broken-hearted woman, was filmed overseas in Las Vegas. The music video shows Sistar dancing at clubs, bars and on a graphic stage embedded with crystal lights and gleaming metals.
On Thursday, Sistar kicked off their showcase in micro shorts and loose tops with “Lead Me,” a song about a girl’s feelings towards the man she loves. The song composed by Double Side Kick is an R&B piece with a laid-back groove and hip-hop beats.
Then the group changed into red dresses with slits and performed “No Mercy” and “Alone.” “No Mercy,” composed and arranged by Rovin, demonstrates catchy composition and pop-style arrangement, noted for the reduced electronic sound and stronger guitar.
Hit songwriter Brave Brothers said that he wrote the title track “Alone” exclusively for Sistar.
“These girls have unlimited potential. They’ve got the visual (attraction) and have Hyorin, the vocal,” he said. Brave Brothers wrote “Push Push,” the group’s debut single.
The composer added a stronger piano and FX guitar to the piece.
“Sistar made a different shot this time. Previously it was oriented toward electronic pop-style, but now we added ‘real-sound,’ giving more emotions and less tension to the ears,” said Brave Brothers.
The girl group had more than just music to talk about during the question-and-answer session. Soyou shared her low-sodium diet with the audience. Dasom, the youngest member, talked about her coming of age.
“Surprisingly it makes no difference, and the agency head still won’t let me drive,” she said. Dasom added that she shed three kilograms for the new album.
Sistar returned to live TV on MNet Countdown on last Thursday.
By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldm.com)
Korean girl group Sistar stepped back into the spotlight with a press conference announcing their new mini album Thursday, breaking their eight-month hiatus.
Titled “Alone,” the album reflects the group’s attempts to transform its image from energetic to sexy in all aspects ― music, dance, make-up and outfits, Sistar said. The four-member group wore flashy red dresses cut shorter in the front to show off their new subtle moves focusing on their legs and body silhouettes.
“We tried to come up with mature attractiveness for this summer. We put so much effort into this,” said Bora, the group’s rapper. “We used to run around on stage and be all springy before, but this time, we are going to be sexy.”
The music video for the title track “Alone,” a piece whose motif is the pain of a broken-hearted woman, was filmed overseas in Las Vegas. The music video shows Sistar dancing at clubs, bars and on a graphic stage embedded with crystal lights and gleaming metals.
On Thursday, Sistar kicked off their showcase in micro shorts and loose tops with “Lead Me,” a song about a girl’s feelings towards the man she loves. The song composed by Double Side Kick is an R&B piece with a laid-back groove and hip-hop beats.
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| Korean girl group Sistar with new album, "Alone". (Starship Entertainment) |
Then the group changed into red dresses with slits and performed “No Mercy” and “Alone.” “No Mercy,” composed and arranged by Rovin, demonstrates catchy composition and pop-style arrangement, noted for the reduced electronic sound and stronger guitar.
Hit songwriter Brave Brothers said that he wrote the title track “Alone” exclusively for Sistar.
“These girls have unlimited potential. They’ve got the visual (attraction) and have Hyorin, the vocal,” he said. Brave Brothers wrote “Push Push,” the group’s debut single.
The composer added a stronger piano and FX guitar to the piece.
“Sistar made a different shot this time. Previously it was oriented toward electronic pop-style, but now we added ‘real-sound,’ giving more emotions and less tension to the ears,” said Brave Brothers.
The girl group had more than just music to talk about during the question-and-answer session. Soyou shared her low-sodium diet with the audience. Dasom, the youngest member, talked about her coming of age.
“Surprisingly it makes no difference, and the agency head still won’t let me drive,” she said. Dasom added that she shed three kilograms for the new album.
Sistar returned to live TV on MNet Countdown on last Thursday.
By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldm.com)
Another cover-up attempt suspected at nuke plant
The emergency power generator at a nuclear power plant in
Yeonggwang, South Jeolla Province was found to have malfunctioned during a
special checkup last month, stoking controversy over another possible attempted
cover-up.
The diesel power generator at the Yeonggwang-2 unit stopped a minute and 14 seconds after it was manually started for an examination on March 28, and the governor of Yeonggwang knew about it but did not report it to the public or nongovernmental watchdogs.
This comes after authorities at a nuclear power plant in Gori, Busan, had tried to conceal a power failure in February for more than a month.
Two emergency power generators are on standby at every nuclear power plant so they can start operating within 10 seconds in case of a power blackout.
The generator at the Yeonggwang-2 unit came to a halt with an alert for low-cooling water pressure, which the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. explained on Sunday was due to malfunctioning of the pressure switch.
“The actual pressure of the engine cooling water was normal, but the switch had malfunctioned,” the KHNP said in a statement, adding that it replaced the switch and completed the test on the generator.
“Such alerts do not stop the generator during blackouts or other emergency situations. So it could have supplied power in case of an emergency.”
The defect was fixed in about five hours, thereby meeting the rules that emergency power generator problems should be fixed within 72 hours after discovery, the KHNP said.
The government said all diesel power generators were functioning normally as it announced the results of its inspection on emergency power generators in 16 atomic power plants nationwide last month.
Chung Ki-ho, governor of Yeonggwang, confirmed the malfunctioning on the day it happened during a visit to the plant, but did not announce it, prompting anti-nuclear groups to file a complaint with the county office.
The KHNP said the case was not subject to public disclosure.
By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldm.com)
The diesel power generator at the Yeonggwang-2 unit stopped a minute and 14 seconds after it was manually started for an examination on March 28, and the governor of Yeonggwang knew about it but did not report it to the public or nongovernmental watchdogs.
This comes after authorities at a nuclear power plant in Gori, Busan, had tried to conceal a power failure in February for more than a month.
Two emergency power generators are on standby at every nuclear power plant so they can start operating within 10 seconds in case of a power blackout.
The generator at the Yeonggwang-2 unit came to a halt with an alert for low-cooling water pressure, which the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. explained on Sunday was due to malfunctioning of the pressure switch.
“The actual pressure of the engine cooling water was normal, but the switch had malfunctioned,” the KHNP said in a statement, adding that it replaced the switch and completed the test on the generator.
“Such alerts do not stop the generator during blackouts or other emergency situations. So it could have supplied power in case of an emergency.”
The defect was fixed in about five hours, thereby meeting the rules that emergency power generator problems should be fixed within 72 hours after discovery, the KHNP said.
The government said all diesel power generators were functioning normally as it announced the results of its inspection on emergency power generators in 16 atomic power plants nationwide last month.
Chung Ki-ho, governor of Yeonggwang, confirmed the malfunctioning on the day it happened during a visit to the plant, but did not announce it, prompting anti-nuclear groups to file a complaint with the county office.
The KHNP said the case was not subject to public disclosure.
By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldm.com)
Friday, April 13, 2012
Absentee ballots lost on campus
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By Kim
Rahn
A group of students at a Busan college were unable to vote in Wednesday’s election as the student leader of their department applied for absentee voting under their names without their consent and so the ballots were discarded. The Busan Metropolitan City Election Commission said Thursday it is investigating the case that took place at Pukyong National University’s Image Science and Engineering Department. According to the commission, students of the department received a text message from the unidentified leader at 4:52 p.m. on Monday. The message said: “To have a station for the absentee vote set up on the campus, I applied for the vote by using your names at my own discretion. The ballot papers were delivered to the department’s administration office, but staff there said they dumped the papers. So you became unable to vote. I apologize for applying without your consent and making you unable to participate in the vote.” On April 5 and 6 before the voting day, the commission set up the polling station on the campus as more than 2,000 students applied for the absentee vote. The student leader earlier asked the commission to send the ballot papers to the department office. Absentee voters cast their ballots at designated polling stations with the specially-designed ballot papers. Even if they fail to vote on the absentee voting dates, they can still vote if they bring the papers to the stations of their region on election day. But if they lose the ballot paper, they can’t vote at all, as their right to vote is regarded as being annulled. Some students who didn’t receive the text message found this out on Wednesday when they went to the polling station in their region to vote. It is said the number of such “victims” reached 250 in the whole school. A commission official said they usually check the signatures of an absentee voting application to see if they were forged, but it seems they failed to find the fabrication. “We will investigate the case with police to find out how many names the student leader abused and how many students actually were unable to vote,” the official said. Meanwhile, unsealed ballot boxes were found in Gangnam B district, and there was an argument on whether to count the ballots in the total of 27 boxes. The counting process was suspended for three hours until the district election commission decided to include them as valid votes and counted them. As ruling Saenuri Party candidate Kim Jong-hoon won, the rival candidate Chung Dong-young of the Democratic United Party raised suspicions on the fabrication of the ballots in the boxes. |
[Editorial] Reform amid stability
Now that the parliamentary election is over, political parties
are shifting their focus to the presidential race. The Wednesday election was
widely viewed as the precursor to the December poll. Yet there is no guarantee
that the Saenuri Party victory will be repeated in eight months’ time.
To win the crucial election in December, political parties should listen to the vox populi expressed in the parliamentary poll. This applies to the ruling Saenuri Party, as well as to the main opposition Democratic United Party, which underperformed expectations.
The Saenuri Party scored a dramatic victory on Wednesday. In light of the heavy pre-election odds against it, the party’s performance can be seen as a shining success. By garnering 152 of the 300 seats, it managed to retain its absolute majority.
Yet that majority has sharply dwindled ― the party lost more than a dozen seats while the DUP boosted its share from 81 to 127 seats. The margin is even slimmer when the 13 seats gained by the DUP’s election partner, the United Progressive Party, are taken into account.
The electorate’s message is unmistakable. By giving the ruling party a parliamentary majority, they have chosen to keep it in the driver’s seat. But by slashing its majority, they made strident calls for change. The message thus can be summed up as “reform amid stability.”
Hence, for Park Geun-hye, the ruling party’s presidential aspirant who burnished her reputation ― the “queen of elections” ― by almost single-handedly pulling off the upset victory, there is little room for complacency. She needs to push for bold reforms to address voter discontent with the present government.
In a press conference on Thursday, Park pledged to bring in new legislation to prevent the illegal surveillance of civilians by government officials. This is a move intended to placate public outcry over the unwarranted spying on civilians by officials of the Prime Minister’s Office and the alleged cover-up attempt by the presidential office.
Park needs to promote reform in other areas. For instance, she should push for reform of the prosecution, which has lost public trust by failing to maintain political neutrality in several high-profile investigations.
Yet in pursuing her reform agenda, the Saenuri leader is likely to be severely constrained by the new balance of power in parliament. Given its beefed-up presence, the opposition camp is unlikely to recognize the ruling party’s leadership in handling state affairs and steering the National Assembly.
Furthermore, smarting from the Wednesday defeat, the two opposition parties are set to step up attacks against President Lee Myung-bak and the Saenuri leader in a bid to shape the presidential race in their favor.
In this new political environment, Park faces a harsh leadership test ― she is required to walk a fine line between confronting a hostile opposition and enlisting its cooperation to press ahead with her reform initiatives. If she fails this test, there would a political deadlock and parliamentary paralysis.
For the DUP, the Wednesday election provided an embarrassing reality check. The party has rightly tapped into anti-incumbent sentiment among voters. Yet, overconfident of its victory, it had made several painful mistakes in the nomination process, which it did not bother to correct.
The party also lost public confidence by foolishly trying to negate policies that it had initiated itself while in power, such as the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and the construction of a naval base on Jeju Island.
The cost of its hubris was a blown opportunity to grasp parliamentary control. Yet, just as the Saenuri Party managed to come from behind in the parliamentary poll, the DUP can do it in the more important presidential vote ― if it avoids repeating the same errors.
The party’s potential was demonstrated by the dominance of the DUP-UPP alliance in the capital zone, a region of vital importance in the presidential poll. Furthermore, the alliance received more votes than the Saenuri Party in the contest for proportional representation seats, an indication that its support base is broader.
To win the presidential race, the DUP should know better than to oppose government policies for boneheaded reasons. Doing so undermines not only its trustworthiness but national interests. More importantly, the party needs to find a presidential candidate who can compete with Park. It may have to court Ahn Cheol-soo, the popular IT businessman-turned-professor.
To win the crucial election in December, political parties should listen to the vox populi expressed in the parliamentary poll. This applies to the ruling Saenuri Party, as well as to the main opposition Democratic United Party, which underperformed expectations.
The Saenuri Party scored a dramatic victory on Wednesday. In light of the heavy pre-election odds against it, the party’s performance can be seen as a shining success. By garnering 152 of the 300 seats, it managed to retain its absolute majority.
Yet that majority has sharply dwindled ― the party lost more than a dozen seats while the DUP boosted its share from 81 to 127 seats. The margin is even slimmer when the 13 seats gained by the DUP’s election partner, the United Progressive Party, are taken into account.
The electorate’s message is unmistakable. By giving the ruling party a parliamentary majority, they have chosen to keep it in the driver’s seat. But by slashing its majority, they made strident calls for change. The message thus can be summed up as “reform amid stability.”
Hence, for Park Geun-hye, the ruling party’s presidential aspirant who burnished her reputation ― the “queen of elections” ― by almost single-handedly pulling off the upset victory, there is little room for complacency. She needs to push for bold reforms to address voter discontent with the present government.
In a press conference on Thursday, Park pledged to bring in new legislation to prevent the illegal surveillance of civilians by government officials. This is a move intended to placate public outcry over the unwarranted spying on civilians by officials of the Prime Minister’s Office and the alleged cover-up attempt by the presidential office.
Park needs to promote reform in other areas. For instance, she should push for reform of the prosecution, which has lost public trust by failing to maintain political neutrality in several high-profile investigations.
Yet in pursuing her reform agenda, the Saenuri leader is likely to be severely constrained by the new balance of power in parliament. Given its beefed-up presence, the opposition camp is unlikely to recognize the ruling party’s leadership in handling state affairs and steering the National Assembly.
Furthermore, smarting from the Wednesday defeat, the two opposition parties are set to step up attacks against President Lee Myung-bak and the Saenuri leader in a bid to shape the presidential race in their favor.
In this new political environment, Park faces a harsh leadership test ― she is required to walk a fine line between confronting a hostile opposition and enlisting its cooperation to press ahead with her reform initiatives. If she fails this test, there would a political deadlock and parliamentary paralysis.
For the DUP, the Wednesday election provided an embarrassing reality check. The party has rightly tapped into anti-incumbent sentiment among voters. Yet, overconfident of its victory, it had made several painful mistakes in the nomination process, which it did not bother to correct.
The party also lost public confidence by foolishly trying to negate policies that it had initiated itself while in power, such as the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and the construction of a naval base on Jeju Island.
The cost of its hubris was a blown opportunity to grasp parliamentary control. Yet, just as the Saenuri Party managed to come from behind in the parliamentary poll, the DUP can do it in the more important presidential vote ― if it avoids repeating the same errors.
The party’s potential was demonstrated by the dominance of the DUP-UPP alliance in the capital zone, a region of vital importance in the presidential poll. Furthermore, the alliance received more votes than the Saenuri Party in the contest for proportional representation seats, an indication that its support base is broader.
To win the presidential race, the DUP should know better than to oppose government policies for boneheaded reasons. Doing so undermines not only its trustworthiness but national interests. More importantly, the party needs to find a presidential candidate who can compete with Park. It may have to court Ahn Cheol-soo, the popular IT businessman-turned-professor.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Ahn hints at supporting opposition in polls
| |
Ahn Cheol-soo, an IT mogul-turned-professor, released a video promoting participation in the April 11 general elections on Youtube Monday. “At 4 p.m. Ahn uploaded a message urging voters to cast ballots for the April 11 elections via Youtube,” said an official from Ahn Lab, the country’s biggest anti-virus software firm said in a telephone interview with Yonhap News Agency. Ahn canceled a planned lecture at Busan National University on Monday, in view of a possible misinterpretation of his political ambition, ahead of the National Assembly elections. The move came as Ahn cleared up misunderstandings regarding his visits to Busan, that he might be involved in political fight over the Nakdong River Belt. Instead Ahn emphasized the necessity of citizens to exercise their voting rights. “The voters must make decisions on account of candidates who legitimately care about acting on behalf of national interest and the people, rather than the ones who are drawn by political interests and ideology,” said Ahn during his lectures in Chonnam National University and Kyungpook National University last week. Meanwhile, Ahn also appeared in the second TV promotion of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP), holding hands with Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon. according to an official from DUP. The writer is a Korea Times intern |
Podcast star’s controversy could sway vote outcome
An opposition candidate taking flak for foul language has
emerged as a key variable in the upcoming parliamentary race, political watchers
said Saturday.
Kim Yong-min, a candidate for the Democratic United Party (DUP), who made a series of vile sexual remarks and derogatory comments to senior citizens, has come under increasing pressure to step down after it was found that he attacked South Korea’s Christian churches.
The candidate, who is running for a parliamentary seat in Seoul’s Nowon district, apologized for his remarks made in the mid-2000s, but the clips of his remarks posted on YouTube have drawn considerable attention and public outcry.
Kim, the son of a pastor, said the local protestant church is nothing more than a criminal organization and should be eradicated.
South Korea’s Christians make up just over a quarter of the population and can influence the outcome of tight elections.
He predicted that regardless of who takes power, the church will collapse.
The outspoken critic and co-host of a political satire program “Naneun Ggomsuda” also conceded that he called for terrorists attacks against the United States, and suggested the release of a notorious serial killer to murder former U.S. President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Kim also suggested that national TV should air pornography to deal with the country’s low birthrate, and removal of escalators and elevators from Seoul City Hall subway station to keep conservative seniors from gathering there to protest liberal policies.
The ruling Saenuri Party, which is fighting an uphill battle in the race, has lashed out at Kim and called on him to resign. The conservative party said if he does not, the DUP should make its position clear on the candidate.
Church groups have demanded Kim withdrawal and attacked the opposition for picking such a “substandard” candidate.
The DUP insiders said they are aware of the potential impact of keeping Kim on, but have been slow to take steps for fear of alienating young supporters who are fans of “Naneun Ggomsuda” and still want the candidate to run for the Nowon seat.
Kim’s campaign office said that because of the inflow of support, there will be no stepping down, and pledged to do more to meet the expectations of the people.
Independent political analysts said the controversy surrounding Kim may be an important factor in the elections slated for Wednesday.
“It will probably not turn the views of people who have already decided to vote in favor of a particular party, but it could influence those who are undecided,” a pundit following the election process said.
Of the 246 district seats up for grabs, 100 are expected to be close races. In addition to the district seats, there are 54 proportional seats divided according to the popularity of parties.
He speculated that the debate surrounding Kim could be just as volatile as fallout from the incumbent administration’s unlawful surveillance of civilians.
Meanwhile, with the critical poll just around the corner, leaders from Saenuri and DUP campaigned across the country to win votes.
Saenuri interim leader and presidential hopeful Park Geun-hye visited Geoje, 470 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and lashed out as the opposition’s unreliability and failure to put the interests of the country first.
She told a crowd that if the DUP and its partner the Unified Progressive Party control a majority in the National Assembly, they will try to nullify the free trade agreement with the United States and stop the building of a naval base on Jeju Island.
“Both endeavors were first pursued by the previous administration that was made up of members from the present day DUP,” Park said.
The DUP, on the other hand, blasted Saenuri for trying to fool voters by claiming they were a different party from the Grand National Party (GNP), which lost the people’s trust after mismanaging the country. The GNP changed its name to Saenuri on Feb. 2.
“The outcome of the votes will determine whether South Korea enters a stage of moving forward or regression,” said Han Myeong-sook, chairwoman of the DUP. She said if the opposition prevails, a new era for the people will be able to flourish.
(Yonhap News)
Kim Yong-min, a candidate for the Democratic United Party (DUP), who made a series of vile sexual remarks and derogatory comments to senior citizens, has come under increasing pressure to step down after it was found that he attacked South Korea’s Christian churches.
The candidate, who is running for a parliamentary seat in Seoul’s Nowon district, apologized for his remarks made in the mid-2000s, but the clips of his remarks posted on YouTube have drawn considerable attention and public outcry.
Kim, the son of a pastor, said the local protestant church is nothing more than a criminal organization and should be eradicated.
South Korea’s Christians make up just over a quarter of the population and can influence the outcome of tight elections.
He predicted that regardless of who takes power, the church will collapse.
The outspoken critic and co-host of a political satire program “Naneun Ggomsuda” also conceded that he called for terrorists attacks against the United States, and suggested the release of a notorious serial killer to murder former U.S. President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Kim also suggested that national TV should air pornography to deal with the country’s low birthrate, and removal of escalators and elevators from Seoul City Hall subway station to keep conservative seniors from gathering there to protest liberal policies.
 |
| Kim Yong-min (third from left), a candidate for the Democratic United Party, at his election campaign office in northern Seoul on March 25 (Yonhap News) |
The ruling Saenuri Party, which is fighting an uphill battle in the race, has lashed out at Kim and called on him to resign. The conservative party said if he does not, the DUP should make its position clear on the candidate.
Church groups have demanded Kim withdrawal and attacked the opposition for picking such a “substandard” candidate.
The DUP insiders said they are aware of the potential impact of keeping Kim on, but have been slow to take steps for fear of alienating young supporters who are fans of “Naneun Ggomsuda” and still want the candidate to run for the Nowon seat.
Kim’s campaign office said that because of the inflow of support, there will be no stepping down, and pledged to do more to meet the expectations of the people.
Independent political analysts said the controversy surrounding Kim may be an important factor in the elections slated for Wednesday.
“It will probably not turn the views of people who have already decided to vote in favor of a particular party, but it could influence those who are undecided,” a pundit following the election process said.
Of the 246 district seats up for grabs, 100 are expected to be close races. In addition to the district seats, there are 54 proportional seats divided according to the popularity of parties.
He speculated that the debate surrounding Kim could be just as volatile as fallout from the incumbent administration’s unlawful surveillance of civilians.
Meanwhile, with the critical poll just around the corner, leaders from Saenuri and DUP campaigned across the country to win votes.
Saenuri interim leader and presidential hopeful Park Geun-hye visited Geoje, 470 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and lashed out as the opposition’s unreliability and failure to put the interests of the country first.
She told a crowd that if the DUP and its partner the Unified Progressive Party control a majority in the National Assembly, they will try to nullify the free trade agreement with the United States and stop the building of a naval base on Jeju Island.
“Both endeavors were first pursued by the previous administration that was made up of members from the present day DUP,” Park said.
The DUP, on the other hand, blasted Saenuri for trying to fool voters by claiming they were a different party from the Grand National Party (GNP), which lost the people’s trust after mismanaging the country. The GNP changed its name to Saenuri on Feb. 2.
“The outcome of the votes will determine whether South Korea enters a stage of moving forward or regression,” said Han Myeong-sook, chairwoman of the DUP. She said if the opposition prevails, a new era for the people will be able to flourish.
(Yonhap News)
Saenuri lawmakers bashed for 'vulgar' play
The Democratic United Party has blasted Saenuri Party officials over a
“vulgar” satirical play staged eight years ago in a counterattack to the ruling
party’s recent criticism of an outspoken DUP candidate.
Ahead of Wednesday’s parliamentary elections, the Saenuri Party and conservative media have been escalating their offensive against DUP nominee Kim Yong-min over past sexist and anti-establishment remarks.
The liberal party on Friday pointed to a video clip of a play titled “Hwansaeng Gyeongje (Resurrecting the Economy),” in which Saenuri lawmakers and officials heaped insults on then-President Roh Moo-hyun.
“The Saenuri Party has been acting as though vulgar remarks on the Internet by a young man eight years ago will ruin the country. But did they offer a single word of apology over a vulgar play that was ‘broadcasted’ all over the country?” DUP spokesperson Park Yong-jin said Sunday.
On Friday, DUP Supreme Council member Moon Seung-keun posted the video clip on his Twitter account. Professor Cho Kisuk of Ewha Womans University, a former press aide to Roh, demanded that Saenuri lawmakers who appeared in the play resign.
The controversial play was performed in 2004 by members of the then-main opposition Grand National Party --¡¡formerly the Saenuri Party.
Its main character Nogari, played by Rep. Joo Ho-young, is thought to represent Roh. The resemblance is made clear by his use of Roh’s catch phrases and sardonic references to Roh’s key policies such as the new administrative city of Sejong and inter-Korean reconciliation.
Throughout the play, Nogari is portrayed as an incompetent, ill-tempered person who is responsible for the death of his son Gyeongje –- which means “economy” in Korean. The play bombards Nogari with vulgar and sexist remarks.
A friend of Nogari’s wife Geunae –- who resembles Saenuri Party leader Park Geun-hye -– tells her that Nogari “does not deserve to have (male reproductive organs) dangling on him” and suggests that she should leave him and demand his sex organs in a divorce.
The friend, played by Rep. Park Sun-ja, says he should be mercilessly executed, and nearly every character showers him with profanities.
The play also ridicules people that resisted authoritarian leaders. A character played by Rep. Chung Doo-un says he became a democratic activist just by urinating on President Chun Doo-hwan’s picture.
In the last scene of the play, the god of death promises to bring Gyeongje back to life in exchange for Nogari’s life three years later.
Since Roh had three years left in his term as president at the time, this was widely interpreted as suggesting that Roh should be ousted to invigorate the economy.
Upon its release, the play was fiercely criticized by the Roh administration “for ridiculing the head of state with such preposterous and abusive words.”
By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldm.com)
 |
| A scene from the play "Hwansaeng Gyeongje" (Image grab from a Youtube video) |
Ahead of Wednesday’s parliamentary elections, the Saenuri Party and conservative media have been escalating their offensive against DUP nominee Kim Yong-min over past sexist and anti-establishment remarks.
The liberal party on Friday pointed to a video clip of a play titled “Hwansaeng Gyeongje (Resurrecting the Economy),” in which Saenuri lawmakers and officials heaped insults on then-President Roh Moo-hyun.
“The Saenuri Party has been acting as though vulgar remarks on the Internet by a young man eight years ago will ruin the country. But did they offer a single word of apology over a vulgar play that was ‘broadcasted’ all over the country?” DUP spokesperson Park Yong-jin said Sunday.
On Friday, DUP Supreme Council member Moon Seung-keun posted the video clip on his Twitter account. Professor Cho Kisuk of Ewha Womans University, a former press aide to Roh, demanded that Saenuri lawmakers who appeared in the play resign.
The controversial play was performed in 2004 by members of the then-main opposition Grand National Party --¡¡formerly the Saenuri Party.
Its main character Nogari, played by Rep. Joo Ho-young, is thought to represent Roh. The resemblance is made clear by his use of Roh’s catch phrases and sardonic references to Roh’s key policies such as the new administrative city of Sejong and inter-Korean reconciliation.
Throughout the play, Nogari is portrayed as an incompetent, ill-tempered person who is responsible for the death of his son Gyeongje –- which means “economy” in Korean. The play bombards Nogari with vulgar and sexist remarks.
A friend of Nogari’s wife Geunae –- who resembles Saenuri Party leader Park Geun-hye -– tells her that Nogari “does not deserve to have (male reproductive organs) dangling on him” and suggests that she should leave him and demand his sex organs in a divorce.
The friend, played by Rep. Park Sun-ja, says he should be mercilessly executed, and nearly every character showers him with profanities.
The play also ridicules people that resisted authoritarian leaders. A character played by Rep. Chung Doo-un says he became a democratic activist just by urinating on President Chun Doo-hwan’s picture.
In the last scene of the play, the god of death promises to bring Gyeongje back to life in exchange for Nogari’s life three years later.
Since Roh had three years left in his term as president at the time, this was widely interpreted as suggesting that Roh should be ousted to invigorate the economy.
Upon its release, the play was fiercely criticized by the Roh administration “for ridiculing the head of state with such preposterous and abusive words.”
By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldm.com)
<관련 한글 기사>
막말 비난하던 여당, 막말연극 논란에 곤혹
민주통합당 김용민 후보가 과거 인터넷 방송에서 한 막말을 두고 “후보자질 부족” 등 맹비난을 퍼붓던 새누리당의 전현직 의원들이 과거에 공연했던 “막말연극”을 두고 비난여론이 일고 있다.
민주통합당은 박용진 대변인은 8일 과거 새누리당의 전신인 한나라당 의원들이 “환생경제”라는 연극에서 사용했던 욕설과 성적인 비하발언 등을 두고 “현직 대통령에게 저질 막말을 쏟아냈던 새누리당”이라고 비판했다.
박 대변인은 “새누리당은 지난 며칠 동안 8년 전 인터넷 방송에서 했던 한 젊은이의 막말에 대해 나라가 망할 것처럼 난리법석을 피웠다”며 "그런데 똑같이 8년 전 공중파 방송을 통해 온 나라에 중계되고 알려졌던 이른바 '환생경제' 연극 막말에 대해 한 마디라도 사과를 했느냐"고 지적했다.
민주통합당의 문성근 최고의원은 자신의 트위터 계정에 연극의 영상의 링크를 실었으며, 노무현 정부에서 홍보수석비서관을 지난 이화여대 조기숙 교수는 이 일과 관련된 모든 새누리당 의원들의 사임을 요구했다.
2004년에 공연된 이 연극의 주인공 노가리는 무능력하고 부정적인 성격의 소유자로 그 아들 경제의 죽음에 가장 큰 책임이 있는 인물이다.
새누리당 주호영 의원이 분한 이 인물은 노무현 전 대통령이 사용해 유명해진 “이쯤가면 막가자는 거죠?”란 말과 세종시 이전, 남북회담 등을 패러디해서 언급한 것으로 보아 노 전 대통령을 그린 것으로 보인다.
극중 인물들은 노가리를 향해 성적인 표현을 포함한 욕설을 마구 퍼붓는다.
박순자 의원이 분한 노가리의 아내 “근애”의 친구 “부녀회장”은 노가리를 더러 “(남성 생식기)를 달고 있을 자격도 없는” 인물이며 노가리가 잔혹하게 처형당해야 한다는 말을 거친 욕설을 통해 표현한다. 이혜훈 의원이 분한 근애는 박근혜 새누리당 비상대책위원장을 패러디한 것으로 보인다.
연극에서는 노 전 대통령뿐만 아니라 과거 군사정권에 항거했던 인물들에 대한 비하표현도 있다. 정두언 의원이 연기했던 “번데기”란 극중인물은 자신이 전두환 전 대통령의 사진에 소변을 봤을 뿐인데 민주투사가 됐다며 자랑하듯 말한다.
마지막 장면에서는 저승사자가 나타나 아들 경제를 살려주는 대가로, 노가리의 목숨을 3년 뒤에 가져가겠다고 선언한다. 이는 당시 임기가 3년 남았던 노 전 대통령이 자리에서 물러나야 경제가 살아난다는 의미로 해석된다.
당시 열린우리당과 청와대는 연극에 대해 제1야당이 국가수반을 터무니없고 모욕적인 단어로 비하한다며 강하게 비판했다.
막말 비난하던 여당, 막말연극 논란에 곤혹
민주통합당 김용민 후보가 과거 인터넷 방송에서 한 막말을 두고 “후보자질 부족” 등 맹비난을 퍼붓던 새누리당의 전현직 의원들이 과거에 공연했던 “막말연극”을 두고 비난여론이 일고 있다.
민주통합당은 박용진 대변인은 8일 과거 새누리당의 전신인 한나라당 의원들이 “환생경제”라는 연극에서 사용했던 욕설과 성적인 비하발언 등을 두고 “현직 대통령에게 저질 막말을 쏟아냈던 새누리당”이라고 비판했다.
박 대변인은 “새누리당은 지난 며칠 동안 8년 전 인터넷 방송에서 했던 한 젊은이의 막말에 대해 나라가 망할 것처럼 난리법석을 피웠다”며 "그런데 똑같이 8년 전 공중파 방송을 통해 온 나라에 중계되고 알려졌던 이른바 '환생경제' 연극 막말에 대해 한 마디라도 사과를 했느냐"고 지적했다.
민주통합당의 문성근 최고의원은 자신의 트위터 계정에 연극의 영상의 링크를 실었으며, 노무현 정부에서 홍보수석비서관을 지난 이화여대 조기숙 교수는 이 일과 관련된 모든 새누리당 의원들의 사임을 요구했다.
2004년에 공연된 이 연극의 주인공 노가리는 무능력하고 부정적인 성격의 소유자로 그 아들 경제의 죽음에 가장 큰 책임이 있는 인물이다.
새누리당 주호영 의원이 분한 이 인물은 노무현 전 대통령이 사용해 유명해진 “이쯤가면 막가자는 거죠?”란 말과 세종시 이전, 남북회담 등을 패러디해서 언급한 것으로 보아 노 전 대통령을 그린 것으로 보인다.
극중 인물들은 노가리를 향해 성적인 표현을 포함한 욕설을 마구 퍼붓는다.
박순자 의원이 분한 노가리의 아내 “근애”의 친구 “부녀회장”은 노가리를 더러 “(남성 생식기)를 달고 있을 자격도 없는” 인물이며 노가리가 잔혹하게 처형당해야 한다는 말을 거친 욕설을 통해 표현한다. 이혜훈 의원이 분한 근애는 박근혜 새누리당 비상대책위원장을 패러디한 것으로 보인다.
연극에서는 노 전 대통령뿐만 아니라 과거 군사정권에 항거했던 인물들에 대한 비하표현도 있다. 정두언 의원이 연기했던 “번데기”란 극중인물은 자신이 전두환 전 대통령의 사진에 소변을 봤을 뿐인데 민주투사가 됐다며 자랑하듯 말한다.
마지막 장면에서는 저승사자가 나타나 아들 경제를 살려주는 대가로, 노가리의 목숨을 3년 뒤에 가져가겠다고 선언한다. 이는 당시 임기가 3년 남았던 노 전 대통령이 자리에서 물러나야 경제가 살아난다는 의미로 해석된다.
당시 열린우리당과 청와대는 연극에 대해 제1야당이 국가수반을 터무니없고 모욕적인 단어로 비하한다며 강하게 비판했다.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Samsung estimates record-high Q1 profit
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| A man walks behind a Samsung Electronics Co. light-emitting diode (LED) television at Yongsan Station in Seoul (Bloomberg) |
Analysts also gave rosy outlooks for the upcoming second quarter, expecting strong sales of the Galaxy S3 smartphones, which is planned to be released next month.
In a regulatory filing, the world’s top television and memory chip maker said it is likely to mark a 96.6 percent rise in operating profit from a year earlier and an increase of 9.4 percent from the previous quarter.
The firm also said it reached 45 trillion won in total sales, up 21.65 percent from the same period last year, but a slight decrease of 4.9 percent from the final quarter of 2011. The exact earnings figures for January-March will be unveiled later this month, possibly on April 27.
The sales figure met market expectations, but the operating profit surpassed it, exceeding its record quarterly profit of 5.3 trillion won posted in the fourth quarter of last year.
The rise in operating profit for the country’s IT behemoth was backed by the strong sales of its smartphone Galaxy series, including the success of the 5.3-inch Galaxy Note, industry watchers said.
According to the company, it has sold more than 5 million units of the Galaxy Note globally as of last month since rolling out the gadget last October.
Samsung also said last week that it sold up to 1.65 million units of the Galaxy Note in Korea, selling an average of 18,000 units of the model per day. Its flagship smartphone Galaxy S2 had also recorded 20 million units in the first 10 months of sales, its officials said.
“It’s an earnings surprise,” said Choe Sung-je, an analyst at SK Securities. “Samsung shares will continue to rise for the time being.”
Noh Geun-chang, a senior analyst at HMC Securities, also said that hot-selling smartphones were the main drivers in reaching record quarterly earnings for the company and that the release of Galaxy S3 will also contribute in the continuous rise for the second quarter.
“I’m expecting the operating profit to post over 6 trillion won in the second quarter and the profit growth driver is also the smartphone for the upcoming quarter,” he said. “Due to the popularity of its smartphone, the subparts used to make the device such as the mobile dynamic random access memory, mobile application processor and the AMOLED display screens will also see rises in profit figures.”
As the Galaxy S3 is projected to roll out in May, the new smartphone is likely to sell up to 5 million units in June alone, said Noh.
Meanwhile, shares of the company closed at 1.332 million won per share on the Seoul bourse on Friday, up 2,000 won from Thursday.
By Cho Ji-hyun (sharon@heraldm.com)
9 out of 10 French hallyu fans want to visit Korea
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More than nine out of 10 French hallyu fans, who are interested in the Korean culture, want to travel Korea, a survey showed Tuesday. A poll at tourism promotion Website(www.visitkorea.or.kr), conducted by the state-run Korea Tourism Organization's Paris branch, displayed that more than 90 percent of 3,775 respondents said they want to visit Korea. Of them, 75.8 percent said they will come to Korea without fail. The result tells that hallyu has been promoting the Korean tourism industry directly or indirectly. According to the poll, most respondents preferred hallyu theme tour packages, which include K-pop concerts and drama-related tourist attractions. In a selection of two or more purposes of visiting Korea, the general sightseeing tour was the largest with 96 percent, followed by the tour with K-pop concert by 80 percent and that with drama shooting site by 41.2 percent. The tour for study was the lowest 34.2 percent. On the other hand, 169 respondents of the polled have already visited Korea were content with travelling. As many as 95 percent of them replied they were satisfied with their tour to Korea. Surprisingly, all respondents said they have enjoyed Korean pop music. Dramas came second hallyu content with 91.6 percent, followed by movies with 69.6 percent and Korean traditional culture with 50.5 percent. The survey also confirmed that K-pop experience helped the French tourists get better image on Korea. As many as 72 percent said that they got to know Korea after they listened to the K-pop, the highest, and 66.3 percent have got interested interest in Korean culture. Even more, 62.5 percent considered staying in Korea for a long time and 41.2 percent started to learn Korean language. More than 90 percent of the respondents showed strong interest in most of general Korean culture. Among the attractive Korean content was Hangeul or Korean language with 91.5 percent, Korean food with 90.9 percent, traditional culture with 83 percent and dramas with 69.9 percent. The respondents were allowed to choose two or more in the category. Meanwhile, Big Bang and 2NE1, idol singer groups of YG Entertainment, were most popular among the French respondents. Among boy groups, Big Bang won 50 percent of the polled, followed by Super Junior with 45 percent, Shinee with 35.5 percent, and Beast with 33.8 percent. 2PM was the lowest with 24.2 percent. 2NE1 was the most popular girl groups with 64.8 percent, followed by Girl’s Generation with 45.4 percent, miss A with 31.5 percent, f(x) with 29.4 percent and T-ara with 25.9 percent. “The poll proves that hallyu fans are highly motivated to travel Korea,” said Park Jae-seok, Paris branch manager of the Korean tour promotion body. “We will make our efforts to increase the number of French fans of hallyu." An estimated 100,000 French people are fans of hallyu or Korean culture, according to the branch manager. |
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