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☆ South Koreans vote for new parliament after campaign focused on economy, graft
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

People watch the first sunrise of the new year from a footbridge overlooking the city skyline in Seoul on January 1, 2024. The opposition Democratic Party (DP), which already dominates the 300-member legislature, has accused Yoon and his conservative People Power Party (PPP) of mismanaging the economy and failing to rein in inflation during their time in office. PPP leader Han Dong-hoon said a big win by the DP, whose leader is facing corruption charges, would create a crisis for the country. He warned against giving the opposition an unprecedented super majority of 200 seats, which would strip Yoon of his veto power. "I hope the two-party structure will be broken somehow, and politicians will carry out practical policies for ordinary people."

Persons: Yoon Suk Yeol, Yoon, Han Dong, hoon, Kim Ji, yun, Jung Cheol, Cho Kuk Organizations: South, Election, Democratic Party, People Power Party, DP Locations: Seoul

☆ South Korea midterms: Opposition wins landslide parliamentary vote in resounding blow to Yoon
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Heather Chen | Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —South Korea’s liberal opposition parties scored a landslide victory in a parliamentary election held on Wednesday, dealing a resounding blow to President Yoon Suk Yeol and his conservative party but likely falling just short of a super majority. A splinter liberal party considered allied with the DP was expected to take at least 10 seats, projections showed. It marked the highest ever turnout for a parliamentary election, though the numbers were down from the 2022 presidential vote that narrowly brought Yoon to power. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, watches election results at his district office in Incheon, South Korea, on Thursday, April 11, 2024. “Given his likely lame duck status, the temptation for Yoon will be to focus on foreign policy where he will still have statutory power,” Richey said.

Persons: Yoon Suk Yeol, Yoon Suk, Lee Jae, myung, Lee, Yoon, ”, Kim Keon Hee, SeongJoon Cho, Mason Richey, “, ” Richey Organizations: South Korea CNN, South, Democratic Party, National Election Commission, Dior, People Power Party, Election Commission, NEC, Bloomberg, Getty, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Incheon

☆ South Korean Parliamentary Election to Set Tone for Rest of Leader’s Term
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Choe Sang-Hun | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

In the two years since he was elected, President Yoon Suk Yeol has made his mark in foreign policy, forging deeper ties with the United States and Japan. Mr. Yoon has a shot at a do-over on Wednesday, when South Koreans head to the polls to select a new Parliament. Dozens of parties are vying for the 300 seats in the National Assembly, South Korea’s single-chamber legislature. However, the contest is largely between Mr. Yoon’s conservative People Power Party and the main opposition camp, the liberal Democratic Party. Both have intense followings, but the eventual winner is expected to be decided by moderate and swing voters.

Persons: Yoon Suk Yeol, Yoon Organizations: South Koreans, National Assembly, People Power Party, Democratic Party Locations: United States, Japan

☆ North Korea tests missile, Seoul says, ahead of vote seen as gauge of support for hardline South Korean leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —North Korea test-fired a presumed intermediate-range ballistic missile on Tuesday, South Korean officials said, its latest military maneuver since leader Kim Jong Un’s New Year declaration that he was ending a policy seeking reconciliation with the South. Pyongyang’s shows of power included long-range artillery and multiple rocket launchers, which pose a threat to the South Korean capital Seoul and other key areas near the border. But Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said Tuesday’s suspected missile test by North Korea won’t have much effect on the vote. North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui last week quashed recent speculation that Kishida could meet with North Korea’s Kim. North Korea “will not allow any attempt of Japan to contact” Pyongyang, he said, according to KCNA.

Persons: Kim Jong, Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim, Yoon’s, Democratic Party –, Yoon, Leif, Eric Easley, ” Easley, Easley, Tuesday’s, Fumio Kishida, Joe Biden, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Choe Son Hui, North Korea’s Kim, CNN’s Yoonjung Seo Organizations: South Korea CNN, North, South, Korean Central News Agency, CNN, Yoon’s People Power Party, Democratic Party, Ewha Womans University, Assembly, Korean, Philippine, North Korean Foreign, North Korea “ Locations: Seoul, South Korea, North Korea, Pyongyang, United States, North, Japan, Washington, China

☆ South Korea’s 2024 Parliament Election: What to Know
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Choe Sang-Hun | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

South Koreans go to the polls on April 10 to select a new 300-member National Assembly. Mr. Yoon won the presidential election in March 2022 by a razor-thin margin, and three months later, his People Power Party won the most big-city mayor and provincial governor races. But two major handicaps have hobbled his presidency: his party’s lack of control in the single-chamber Assembly and Mr. Yoon’s low approval ratings. Mr. Yoon will also see it as lending political legitimacy to his policy of aligning South Korea more closely with the United States. But if the opposition scores a decisive win, it will further weaken Mr. Yoon’s leadership and may turn him into an early lame duck, political analysts say.

Persons: Yoon Suk, Yoon Organizations: National Assembly, Democratic Party, People Power Party Locations: Korea, United States

☆ Factbox-Thailand's Polarising Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

(Reuters) - Thailand's billionaire former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was released from detention on Sunday, enjoying freedom in his country for the first time since fleeing into exile nearly 16 years ago to avoid jail. - Thaksin ran several failed businesses with his wife before getting his break in the 1980s leasing computers to the police. In 2010, a court seized $1.4 billion worth of Shinawatra assets, concluding Thaksin had concealed his Shin Corp shareholdings and tailored policy to benefit his business. - Thaksin's sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, was also prime minister and suffered an almost identical fate as him. - Thaksin's youngest daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 37, is Pheu Thai party leader and eligible to become prime minister.

Persons: Thaksin Shinawatra, Chiang Mai, Thaksin, Yingluck Shinawatra, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Srettha Thavisin, Martin Petty, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Reuters, Eastern Kentucky University, Kentucky Fried, Thailand's, Shin Corporation, Shin Corp, English Premier League football, Fulham, Manchester City, Forbes, Thai Rak, Thai Rak Thai, People Power Party, Srettha Locations: Thai, Chiang, Kentucky, Singapore, Thailand, Liverpool, Dubai, Britain, Montenegro, Thai Rak Thai, Thai Rak, Bangkok

☆ Thaksin Shinawatra: Ousted Thai PM's Life in Politics
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's controversial billionaire former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was released on parole on Sunday after serving six months in detention. 1998Thaksin founds the Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party. In September, the military launches a coup against Thaksin while he is overseas, citing the need to end the protests. 2011New elections are won in a landslide by another new pro-Thaksin party, Pheu Thai. Thaksin applies for a royal pardon and his eight-year jail term is commuted to a year by the king.

Persons: Thaksin Shinawatra, Thaksin, Love Thais, Thais, Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's, Srettha Thavisin, Nick Macfie, Martin Petty Organizations: Thai Rak Thai, Thaksin, People's Alliance for Democracy, Shin Corporation, Temasek, English Premier League, Manchester City, Power Party, United Front for Democracy, Democrat Party Locations: BANGKOK, Thai, Singapore, Thai Rak Thai, Britain, Bangkok, Thailand

☆ How a Dior bag shook South Korean politics
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is months out from a crucial election seen as a barometer of his mid-term popularity, but surveys show he has a big problem – the latest scandal surrounding his wife. “But with the Dior bag, there is this powerful visual evidence.”South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, attend an Independence Movement Day event in Seoul on March 1, 2023. The channel also provided Choi with the wristwatch and the Dior bag, according to the pastor. By appearing to not reject the bag, Kim gave ammunition to critics who have long accused her of using her position for personal gain. In a Gallup Korea survey last month, 56% of respondents said Kim should apologize for allegedly receiving the Dior bag.

Persons: Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Keon Hee, Yoon, Kim, Dior, “, ”, Cho Hee, Jung Yeon, Choi Jae, Choi, Yoon Suk, ” Yoon, Shin Pyeong, ’, Cho, it’s, Hongik University Choi, Kim Yun, Park, hye, Patrick van Katwijk, Marie Antoinette, Han Dong, Han, he’d, Leon Neal, ” Kim, ” Kim Yun, Kyung Hee University “ She’s, Deutsch, Kim’s Organizations: South Korea CNN — South, CNN, Hongik University, “, Getty, of, KBS, Kyung Hee University . South, Gallup Korea, Gallup, Power Party, Democratic Party, PPP, South, Kyung Hee University, Kookmin University, Deutsch Motors, BMW Locations: Seoul, South Korea, American, of Seoul, North Korea, Pyongyang, Netherlands, Gallup Korea, Bali , Indonesia, Korea

☆ South Korea's Yoon Vows Clearer Rules After Wife's 'Dior Bag Scandal'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Heekyong Yang and Josh SmithSEOUL (Reuters) - The release of hidden camera footage showing South Korea's first lady accepting a Dior bag as a gift was a "political manoeuvre", President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Wednesday, but vowed to draw clearer lines to ensure such incidents do not happen again. The comments were his first public response to a controversy, dubbed the "Dior bag scandal" by local media, that has roiled his ruling party ahead of a key election in April. "What's important is to set clearer boundaries with others to prevent something like this from happening in the future." A Gallup Korea weekly poll on Friday showed that Yoon's approval ratings had fallen to 29%, the lowest in nine months. (Reporting by Heekyong Yang and Josh Smith; Additional reporting by Ju-min Park, Editing by Kylie MacLellan)

Persons: Heekyong Yang, Josh Smith SEOUL, Dior, Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Keon Hee, Yoon, it's, Kim's, Abraham Choi, Josh Smith, Kylie MacLellan Organizations: People Power Party, KBS, Reuters, Gallup Korea Locations: North Korea, April's

☆ Far-Rightist Threatens to Quit Israel Gov't Over Any 'Reckless' Gaza Deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A far-right partner in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition threatened on Tuesday to quit the government over any attempt to enter a "reckless" deal with Hamas to retrieve hostages held by the Palestinian militants. "Reckless deal = dismantling of the government," Itamar Ben-Gvir of the Jewish Power party posted on X, amid media reports that Israel was considering a long-term halt, brokered by Qatar an Egypt, to its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Jewish Power accounts for six of the 64 seats that Netanyahu's religious-rightist coalition held in the 120-seat parliament before the Gaza war. They have called for no let-up in the offensive and for Israel to resettle Gaza, from which it withdrew in 2005. Netanyahu has ruled out rebuilding of Jewish settlements there but says post-war Gaza will be under Israeli security control.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu's, Itamar Ben, Israel, Ben, Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich, Netanyahu, Dan Williams, Ari Rabinovitch, Ros Russell Organizations: Jewish Power, Hamas, Jewish, National Locations: JERUSALEM, Qatar, Egypt, Gaza, Israel

☆ For Second Time This Month, a Politician Is Attacked in South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( John Yoon | Victoria Kim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

A South Korean lawmaker was attacked in the head with a blunt object in Seoul on Thursday and taken to a hospital where she was being treated for injuries that were not life-threatening, according to her staff and physicians. Bae Hyunjin, of the ruling People Power Party, is the second South Korean politician to be physically assaulted while in public in less than a month. Yang Jaeyu, her chief of staff, said that the attacker approached her asking, “Are you the People Power Party lawmaker Bae Hyunjin?” twice before striking her with what he called a “rocklike object.”Security camera footage shared by her office showed the assailant walking through a doorway closely behind her before repeatedly hitting the lawmaker as she fell over backward onto the floor and tried to resist the attack.

Persons: Bae Hyunjin, Yang Jaeyu, ” Organizations: Power Party, South, People Power Party Locations: Seoul, South Korean

☆ Israel’s far-right wants to move Palestinians out of Gaza. Its ideas are gaining attention
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Mick Krever | Jomana Karadsheh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

CNN —The Israeli soldiers stand rifles in hand, arm over shoulder, speaking to the camera. “We must promote a solution to encourage the emigration of the residents of Gaza,” far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on January 1. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also holds a position in the Defense Ministry, says that Israel “will rule there. If Palestinians in Gaza are “post-Jihad, pro-Israel, and want to live that good life in that beautiful soil, there should be an opportunity for that,” he said. That color was adopted in 2004 and 2005 by the movement protesting Israel’s disengagement from Gaza.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, “, Itamar Ben, Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel “, Antony Blinken, Dahlia Scheindlin, Itamar Ben Gvir, restoking, Netanyahu, ” Scheindlin, Diana Buttu, Netanyahu’s, ”, Ariel Sharon’s, Katif, Yishai Fleisher, ” Fleisher, we’ve, Fleisher, –, Jordan, ” Israel, Gush Katif, Hanan Ben Ari serenaded, Ben Gvir, Gila, Mahmoud Abbas, ” Omer Bartov, Buttu, ” Netanyahu, ” Tzvi, Melech, Ben Gvir’s Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Palestinian Authority, Gaza . Social Media, ”, Likud, National, Defense Ministry, United, Haaretz, Israeli, National Security, Settler, West Bank, “, Israel, Norwegian Refugee Council, United Nations, International Court of Justice, Israel Defense Forces, Gush, Social Media, Oregon State University, City University of New, Brown University, Smotrich’s, Ben Gvir’s Jewish Power Party Locations: Israel, Gaza, Hamas, Ramallah, Authority, ”, United States, Palestinian, Qatar, “, Hebron, Turkey, South America, South Africa, The Hague, Jerusalem, Gush, Israeli, Nova Beach, City University of New York, Israel’s

HWASEONG, South Korea, Nov 24 (Reuters) - As South Korea moves to ban eating dog meat, many of those involved in the centuries-old controversial practice are fighting to keep it legal. A Gallup Korea poll last year showed almost two-thirds of respondents opposed eating dog meat, with only 8% saying they had eaten dog within the past year, down from 27% in 2015. Despite its declining popularity and opposition from animal rights activists, previous attempts to ban dog meat have failed because of industry protests. With the backing of the public, and bipartisan support in parliament, there are signs that the ban could soon become law. Nam Sung-gue who has run a restaurant selling dog meat boshintang, or "restoring" soup, for the past 30 years, said the ban was unfair, even though his business is fast declining.

Persons: Lee Kyeong, I've, Nam Sung, Kim Keon Hee, Yoon Suk Yeol, gil, Daewoung Kim, Soo, hyang Choi, Jack Kim, Miral Organizations: Power Party, Gallup, Korean Association, Edible, Minwoo, Thomson Locations: South Korea, Korea, Seoul, Gallup Korea

CNN —Tensions are boiling over in Israel as frustrated families of hostages demand answers from the government about the fate of their loved ones and a deal for their release. Wenkert spoke to media on Monday, before he and other relatives met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet in Tel Aviv. So far only a handful of families have met with Netanyahu – infuriating hundreds of other relatives of hostages who say the government isn’t doing enough to free them. But many hostage families accuse Ben-Gvir of endangering their loved ones further, arguing that Hamas could be less willing to release hostages if there is suggestion that Israel might execute Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu has repeatedly expressed two goals of the war – the release of all hostages, and the destruction of Hamas.

Persons: ”, Shai Wenkert, Omer, Wenkert, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Goren, Tal Chaimi, Alexi J . Rosenfeld, Judith Tai Raanan, Natalie Raanan –, Nurit Cooper, Yocheved Lifshitz, Lifshitz, “, Itamar Ben, Ben, Gil Dickmann, Avigdori, Almog Cohen, ” Cohen, Gvir’s, Ismail Haniyeh, ” Haniyeh, Haniyeh, Israel Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Palestinian Ministry of Health, West Bank, National, Jewish Power Locations: Israel, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Qatar, United States, Gulf, –

☆ South Korea to Ban Eating Dogs
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Ju-min ParkSEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea aims to ban eating dog meat and put an end to the controversy over the ancient custom amid growing awareness of animal rights, a ruling party policy chief said on Friday. The government and ruling party would introduce a bill this year to enforce a ban, Yu said, adding that with expected bipartisan support, the bill should sail through parliament. First lady Kim Keon Hee has been a vocal critic of dog meat consumption and, along with her husband, President Yoon Suk Yeol, has adopted stray dogs. Eating dog meat has been an age-old practice on the Korean peninsula and is seen as a way to beat the summer heat. A Gallup Korea poll last year showed 64% opposed dog meat consumption.

Persons: Yu, Chung Hwang, keun, Kim Keon Hee, Yoon Suk, Ed Davies, Robert Birsel Organizations: Power Party, Agriculture, Humane Society International, Gallup Locations: SEOUL, Korea, South Korea, Gallup Korea

☆ South Korea to ban eating dogs
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Ju-Min Park | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, Nov 17 (Reuters) - South Korea aims to ban eating dog meat and put an end to the controversy over the ancient custom amid growing awareness of animal rights, a ruling party policy chief said on Friday. The government and ruling party would introduce a bill this year to enforce a ban, Yu said, adding that with expected bipartisan support, the bill should sail through parliament. First lady Kim Keon Hee has been a vocal critic of dog meat consumption and, along with her husband, President Yoon Suk Yeol, has adopted stray dogs. Eating dog meat has been an age-old practice on the Korean peninsula and is seen as a way to beat the summer heat. A Gallup Korea poll last year showed 64% opposed dog meat consumption.

Persons: Yu, Chung Hwang, keun, Kim Keon Hee, Yoon Suk, Ed Davies, Robert Birsel Organizations: Power Party, Agriculture, Humane Society International, Gallup, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, Korea, South Korea, Gallup Korea

☆ Israelis are arming up in the aftermath of Hamas’ attack. Some are worried it is playing to the far right’s vision for the country
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Tara John | Adi Koplewitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“We saw this in the first days of the war, wherever there were weapons, the scale of the disaster was smaller,” Ben Gvir said in a press release. Critics see it as part of a far-right vision to inflame Israeli-Palestinian relations in the country, especially in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Some in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, such as Ben Gvir and far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, support annexing the West Bank. When CNN asked Ben Gvir at the Caesarea event last week whether his actions were inciting violence against Palestinians, CNN was kicked out of the ceremony. He adds that arming people like that “is only showing what he (Ben Gvir) is trying to cause, which is chaos.”CNN has reached out to Eliasi for comment.

Persons: Itamar Ben Gvir, ’, “, Ben Gvir, ” Ben Gvir’s, Mariam Barghouti, Ben Gvir’s, , ”, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Bezalel Smotrich, we’re, we’ll, Itamar Ben, Gvir, William Bonnett, Amichay Eliyahu, Ben, Eliyahu, Roy Malkan, ” Malkan, Yoav Eliasi, Ori Givati, Guy Ben, Israel’s Ben, ” Ben, Porat, Liat Eisner, We’re, Eisner, she’s, Netanyahu’s, I’m Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, Ministry of National Security, West Bank, Power, New York Times, “, Jewish Power, CNN, Palestinian Ministry of Health, The United Nations, Israeli National Security, Israel Defense Forces, Heritage, ”, ” CNN, Reuters, Survey, Israel’s, Gurion University, ” Protesters, Ben, ” Security Locations: Caesarea, Jerusalem, Israel, Judea, Samaria, Palestinian, East Jerusalem, Abdelathim, Qusra, Nablus, Judaea, ”, Ben Gvir’s, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Swiss

☆ Netanyahu suspends a minister who said that dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza was an option.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Isabel Kershner | More About Isabel Kershner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel took the highly unusual step on Sunday of suspending a far-right minister from his government, after the minister said that dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza and killing everyone there was “one way” of dealing with the threat from Hamas. Mr. Netanyahu’s swift action came amid an immediate and broad outcry over the comments made on Sunday morning by Amichay Eliyahu, the minister of heritage from the ultranationalist Jewish Power party. In his remarks, made to a Hebrew radio station, Mr. Eliyahu also said that there was no such thing as noncombatants in Gaza. While the Jewish Power Party is a member of Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition government, Mr. Eliyahu is not a member of the war cabinet prosecuting Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza. Still, his abrupt suspension appeared to reflect Mr. Netanyahu’s concerns both over the low levels of public confidence in his leadership, as shown by recent opinion polls, and the challenges Israel faces in maintaining international support amid its assault in Gaza, particularly given the high civilian death toll there.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Amichay Eliyahu, Eliyahu Organizations: Jewish Power, Jewish Power Party Locations: Gaza

[1/6] Park Young-soo, whose son died in the Halloween crowd crush a year ago, visits the memorial park where her son's ashes were buried in Pocheon, South Korea, October 24, 2023. She says she may not be able to move on with her life until she sees some kind of accountability from the government. Park is one of more than 100 family members who say the authorities have done little to hold those responsible to account. Relatives of the victims want a special law that would allow an independent and comprehensive investigation into the cause of the crush. "Nothing is reported to us nor communicated to us," said Nari Kim from Austria, who lost her younger brother in the crush.

Persons: Kim Soo, soo, Lee Nam, Lee, Yoon Suk, Lee Sang, Kim Young, Kim, Nari Kim, Jong, Woo Paik, Hyunsu Yim, Daewoung Kim, Heejung Jung, Jimin Jung, Josh Smith, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Interior, National Assembly, Power Party, Korean Society, Thomson Locations: Pocheon, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, Itaewon, Hamilton, Seoul, North Korea, Seoul's, U.S, Japan, Iran, Austria, Korea

☆ S. Korea opposition leader hospitalised after hunger strike, prosecutors seek arrest
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Lee Jae-myung, leader of South Korea's Democratic Party, speaks at campaign rally while campaigning for the presidential election in Seoul, South Korea March 8, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Sept 18 (Reuters) - South Korea's main opposition leader was hospitalised on Monday, days into a hunger strike in protest against government policies, while prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for him over corruption allegations. Hours after Lee was transferred to a hospital, prosecutors said they had requested an arrest warrant for him as part of an investigation into a development project and bribery allegations. Prosecutors also accused Lee of bribery in connection with a company suspected of $8 million in illegal money transfers to North Korea. Parliament rejected their previous request for an arrest warrant in February.

Persons: Lee Jae, myung, Kim Hong, Kim Gi, Lee, Prosecutors, Yoon Suk, 1,327.4000, Soo, hyang Choi, Hyonhee Shin, Gerry Doyle Organizations: South Korea's Democratic Party, REUTERS, Rights, Democratic Party of Korea, National Assembly, Power Party, Seongnam Development Corporation, Thomson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, Seongnam, North Korea

☆ S. Korea Opposition Leader Hospitalised After Hunger Strike, Prosecutors Seek Arrest
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Soo-hyang ChoiSEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's main opposition leader was hospitalised on Monday, days into a hunger strike in protest against government policies, while prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for him over corruption allegations. Hours after Lee was transferred to a hospital, prosecutors said they had requested an arrest warrant for him as part of an investigation into a development project and bribery allegations. Prosecutors also accused Lee of bribery in connection with a company suspected of $8 million in illegal money transfers to North Korea. A Seoul court needs the 300-member parliament, where the Democrats hold a majority, to waive Lee's immunity from arrest to review the prosecution's request. Parliament rejected their previous request for an arrest warrant in February.

Persons: hyang Choi SEOUL, Lee Jae, myung, Kim Gi, Lee, Prosecutors, Yoon Suk, 1,327.4000, Soo, hyang Choi, Hyonhee Shin, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Democratic Party of Korea, National Assembly, Power Party, Seongnam Development Corporation Locations: Seoul, Seongnam, North Korea

☆ US, EU slam far-right Israeli minister’s ‘racist’ claim his rights outweigh that of Palestinians
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Kareem Khadder | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Jerusalem CNN —The United States and European Union Friday slammed comments by far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir that his right to life outweighs Palestinians’ right to freedom of movement in the occupied West Bank. “We strongly condemn Minister Ben Gvir’s racist, destructive comments on the freedom of movement of Palestinian residents of the West Bank,” a US State Department spokesperson said. Ben Gvir’s far-right Jewish Power party draws support mainly from Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, and Ben Gvir is himself a settler. The United States frequently says that it considers settlements in the area Israel captured in 1967 to be an obstacle to peace. Palestinians want the West Bank to be part of a future Palestinian state.

Persons: Itamar Ben Gvir, Ben Gvir’s, Joe, Biden, State Antony, Blinken, ” Ben Gvir, Mohammed, ”, Mohammed Magadli, Ben Gvir, ” Israel, “, Itamar Ben Gvir … Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, European Union, National Security, West Bank, US State Department, Union, Israel’s, Jewish, EU, United, Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Locations: Jerusalem, United States, ”, State, Palestinian

☆ Radioactive Water Is Complicating Japan and Korea’s New Friendship
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Choe Sang-Hun | More About Choe Sang-Hun | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At a busy intersection in Seoul this summer, a banner from the main opposition Democratic Party barked “No!” to Japan’s plan to dump treated radioactive water from its destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific. Across the street, a placard from the governing People Power Party said the real threat was the opposition spreading conspiracy theories that would scare people away from seafood: “The Democratic Party is killing the livelihoods of our fishermen!”Japan’s imminent decision to release more than 1.3 million tons of treated water at Fukushima Daiichi, the power plant that was destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011, has raised alarms across the Pacific. But in South Korea, it has triggered a particularly raucous political debate, with the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol and its enemies slugging it out through banners, YouTube videos, news conferences and protests. What sets South Korea apart from other critics in the region is that its government has endorsed Japan’s discharge plan despite widespread public misgiving, only asking Japan to provide transparency to ensure the water is discharged properly. The authorities are running online advertisements and holding daily news briefings to dispel what they call fear-mongering by the opposition and to convince the people that the water will do no harm.

Persons: Democratic Party barked, Yoon Suk Organizations: Democratic Party, People Power Party Locations: Seoul, Fukushima, South Korea, Korea, Japan

☆ 4 South Korean airlines will give emergency exit seats to uniformed workers in a new scheme after a passenger opened a door 700 feet in the air
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

An Asiana Airlines passenger made headlines in May as he opened an emergency exit in mid-air. Now, four South Korean airlines are trying to prevent this happening again, per The Korean Times. In May, an Asiana Airlines flight was coming in to land when a passenger opened the emergency exit door at an altitude of 700 feet, minutes before landing. The newspaper reports that uniformed personnel including police officers, soldiers, firefighters, and airline employees, will have priority for seats in the emergency exit row. Park told reporters it would apply to 94 seats in 38 aircraft operated by Asiana Airlines, Air Seoul, Air Busan and Aero K Airlines.

Persons: hyperventilation Organizations: Asiana Airlines, Korean Times, Morning, Korea Times, Guardian, Power Party, Air, Air Busan, Aero K Airlines, Los Angeles International Airport Locations: Air Seoul, Bulgaria

☆ Israel PM adviser says road to deal on Saudi ties is 'still long'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

JERUSALEM, July 31 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's national security adviser on Monday said the road to normalising ties with Saudi Arabia was "still long" while members of his hard-right cabinet ruled out concessions to Palestinians as part of any deal. U.S. President Joe Biden last week dispatched his national security adviser to Riyadh to discuss a possible deal, and on Friday said a rapprochement was "maybe under way". PALESTINIAN CONCESSIONSThe idea of Israel and Saudi Arabia formally cementing ties has been under discussion since the Saudis gave their quiet assent to Gulf neighbours United Arab Emirates and Bahrain establishing ties with Israel in 2020. "We certainly won't agree to such a thing," National Missions Minister Orit Strock told Kan."We are done with withdrawals. Her remarks were echoed by the head of another government member, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir who heads the far-right Jewish Power party.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu's, Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Tzachi Hanegbi, Eli Cohen, Minister Orit Strock, Kan, Strock, Itamar Ben, Gvir, Cohen, Maayan Lubell, Ari Rabinovitch, Henriette Chacar, Conor Humphries, Grant McCool Organizations: Monday, U.S, United, Kan, U.S ., Israel, National, Minister, West Bank, Jewish, Army Radio, Authority, Netanyahu's, Thomson Locations: Saudi Arabia, U.S, Riyadh, Israel, Saudi, Gulf, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Judea, Samaria, East Jerusalem, Gaza

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