Journalist

HYE YOUNG KO
  • Song Young-gil Says He Would Seek Defense Committee Seat if He Returns to Parliament
    Song Young-gil Says He Would Seek Defense Committee Seat if He Returns to Parliament Song Young-gil, former leader of the Democratic Party, said on Thursday that if he returns to the National Assembly, he would seek a seat on the Defense Committee. Speaking on KBS radio's "Jeongyeok Sisa," Song was asked whether the transfer of wartime operational control should be completed within President Lee Jae-myung's term. "I'll go to the Defense Committee and make sure it's handled properly," he said. On the transfer of wartime operational control, Xavier Brunson, commander of the U.S.-ROK Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea, said on April 22 (local time) that he submitted a roadmap to the Defense Ministry targeting the first quarter of 2029 for the handover. The Lee administration has said it plans to complete the transfer by June 2030, when Lee's term ends. Song said that if he joins the Assembly's Defense Committee, he would consult with the U.S. Forces Korea commander and U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth to find an approach. Commenting on a poll showing the People Power Party at 15% support, Song said he felt more worried than pleased about the opposition's collapse. On Wednesday, Embrain Public, Kstat Research, Korea Research and Hankook Research released results of the NBS survey conducted April 20-22 of 1,005 adults ages 18 and older. The poll put support for the Democratic Party at 48% and the People Power Party at 15% (details available on the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission website). Song said the public is questioning whether the People Power Party is a normal political party, adding that it has no future unless it reflects and changes. He also said he met Daegu mayoral hopeful Kim Boo-kyum in Daegu and asserted Kim would win decisively with more than 10% of the vote. Song said the People Power Party should immediately dismantle the leadership of Chairman Jang Dong-hyeok and shift to an emergency leadership committee by recruiting new faces.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 09:31:05
  • Kakao Pay Securities Says Client Deposits Top 15 Trillion Won, Up 31% YTD
    Kakao Pay Securities Says Client Deposits Top 15 Trillion Won, Up 31% YTD Kakao Pay Securities said on April 23 that its client deposit assets topped 15 trillion won as of April 17, up 31.2% from the start of the year. The company cited strong inflows. Net inflows in the first quarter totaled 3.668 trillion won. Growth was led by Korean stocks: related assets rose 94% to 6.5323 trillion won from the point when they first exceeded 10 trillion won. The share of Korean stocks in total deposits increased to 44.2% as of April from 33.6% over the same period. Tax-advantaged accounts also helped lift deposits. Pension savings assets rose 58% from January, and assets in individual savings accounts, or ISAs, launched in November last year, grew about fourfold over the same period. The combined share of pension savings and ISAs in total deposits increased to 7.6% from 5.5%. The user base also expanded. Monthly active users rose to 4.02 million in March from 3.65 million in January. Kakao Pay Securities said it plans to upgrade its portfolio so users can meet a range of investment needs on one platform, including pension savings, ISAs and RIA accounts, which it described as accounts for returning to the domestic market. CEO Shin Ho-cheol said the company aims to reach 20 trillion won in client deposit assets within this year, adding it will continue to strengthen investment experiences and product competitiveness tailored to users’ asset-building stages.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 18:16:20
  • Democratic Party’s Jung Won-oh vows Seoul will match Tokyo within five years, criticizes Oh Se-hoon
    Democratic Party’s Jung Won-oh vows Seoul will match Tokyo within five years, criticizes Oh Se-hoon Democratic Party Seoul mayoral candidate Jung Won-oh said Wednesday he aims to put Seoul “shoulder to shoulder” with Tokyo within five years, while accusing Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon of failing on “space, the industrial ecosystem and management philosophy.” Jung made the remarks at a policy event at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building in Seoul’s Yeouido district, titled “Jung Won-oh’s G2 Seoul vision declaration, a major transformation for global city Seoul.” He said he would make Seoul “Asia’s No. 1 economic and cultural city” that “outpaces Tokyo,” adding, “Seoul’s counterpart is New York.” He said Seoul has been stagnant, claiming it has “stagnated for 14 years” and that since the COVID-19 pandemic, the city’s growth rate under Oh has “dragged down the overall average.” Jung attributed the slowdown to what he called structural failures in Oh’s administration, saying Oh has tried to solve city issues only within Seoul’s boundaries rather than the broader capital region, failed to foster new industries such as artificial intelligence and finance, and lacked a management philosophy, allowing stagnation to persist. As an alternative, Jung proposed a “1-2-3-4 strategy”: developing Seoul into Asia’s top economic and cultural capital by 2030; creating two additional urban centers; building three youth startup clusters; and establishing a pipeline for four special zones. He said the city would add Sinchon-Hongdae and Cheongnyangni-Wangsimni as new centers beyond the existing three — central Seoul, Yeouido-Yeongdeungpo and Gangnam. He also proposed youth startup innovation clusters in Sinchon (content), Cheongnyangni (bio and innovation) and Gwanak (deep-tech startups). On the four-zone pipeline, he said Hongneung, Yangjae and Yongsan would be designated as special zones, while Guro would be pursued through a Seoul city ordinance.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 16:52:02
  • Joo Ho-young Says He Won’t Run in Daegu Mayor Race After PPP Cutoff
    Joo Ho-young Says He Won’t Run in Daegu Mayor Race After PPP Cutoff Rep. Joo Ho-young, who was cut from the People Power Party’s primary for Daegu mayor in the June 3 local elections, said Wednesday he will not run in the race. Speaking at a news conference at the National Assembly, Joo said, “I have decided not to run in this June 3 local election.” He also voiced disappointment over a court decision the previous day rejecting his appeal of an injunction request to suspend the cutoff’s effect. Joo said the court “cowardly stepped back behind the words that this is an internal party matter and that party autonomy should be respected,” adding it “stopped short at a chance to draw a clear line against the abuses of nominations.” Joo sharply criticized the party’s decision as well. “This cutoff will remain a wrong example for a long time,” he said. He accused the leadership of removing a candidate with strong chances of winning and filling the field with “uncompetitive candidates” favored by party leaders, then telling citizens to accept the outcome. He said major conservative election defeats stemmed from “botched nominations” and ultimately led to the impeachments of presidents from the party. Despite his efforts to break what he called a cycle of conservative failure, he said, he did not succeed in changing what he described as the People Power Party’s flawed nomination structure. In closing, he took aim at party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, quoting a saying that those with “no character but high position, little wisdom but big dreams” rarely avoid disaster. “Please know when to step forward and when to step back,” Joo said. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 15:31:23
  • Seoul mayoral rivals Oh Se-hoon and Jung Won-oh court social workers in first joint appearance
    Seoul mayoral rivals Oh Se-hoon and Jung Won-oh court social workers in first joint appearance Democratic Party Seoul mayoral candidate Jung Won-oh and People Power Party candidate Oh Se-hoon, the incumbent Seoul mayor, appeared side by side at an official event for the first time since their nominations were confirmed on April 22, seeking support from social workers. They attended the 40th anniversary ceremony of the Seoul Association of Social Workers that afternoon at the Baekbeom Kim Koo Memorial Hall in Seoul’s Hyochang-dong neighborhood. Also present were Seoul Vice Mayor for Political Affairs Kim Byung-min, Democratic Party lawmakers Nam In-soon and Jung Tae-ho, and People Power Party lawmakers Seo Myung-ok and Kim Jae-seop. In congratulatory remarks, Oh said Seoul has made “accompanying the vulnerable” the top priority of city administration and pointed to what he described as policy results. “Seoul is an administrative unit where debt tends to keep rising, but during my term the debt fell significantly,” Oh said. He added that even under tight budgets, the city has worked each year to raise social workers’ pay and bring allowances in line with reality to improve working conditions. Oh said a survey of social welfare workers showed job satisfaction rose to 81.7% from 64.4% three years earlier. “I believe a warmer and healthier special city with a higher quality of life will be completed when social workers can take pride in their work,” he said. Oh also signaled his desire to serve another term, saying he wanted to “take responsibility to the end” so social workers can focus on their jobs in a better environment. Jung, casting himself as the challenger, responded by setting a higher target. “Since Mayor Oh says he did so well that job satisfaction rose into the 80% range, I’ll set my goal at 90%,” Jung said. He also highlighted his personal ties to the field, noting his wife is a social worker and that he studied social welfare. Jung said that while working as Seongdong district mayor, he felt most strongly that welfare is not completed by systems and budgets alone but “at the fingertips of social workers.” “I will do everything I can so that those fingertips can carry strength and warmth,” he said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 17:54:16
  • Seoul mayoral candidate Jung Won-oh proposes 700,000 won first independence grant for young adults
    Seoul mayoral candidate Jung Won-oh proposes 700,000 won 'first independence' grant for young adults Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party’s candidate for Seoul mayor, met with young office workers on April 22 as he stepped up his street-level campaign focused on livelihoods. He said he understood their concerns about living costs, noting that “in reality, real income is declining in some ways.” Jung made the remarks during his third “Seoul In(people)terview” lunchtime session for office workers, held in Jung-gu, central Seoul. A participant identified only by the surname Kim said lunch in busy areas such as Gwanghwamun and Gangnam Station typically costs 12,000 to 15,000 won, calling it a burden. Jung responded that eating two meals at 15,000 won each would total 30,000 won a day, adding up to about 1 million won a month for food. He also cited monthly rent for one-room units near university districts at 600,000 to 700,000 won, and said rent can reach 1 million won, putting combined food and housing costs at about 2 million won. Targeting young adults, Jung pledged a “first independence” grant for those moving out on their own for the first time. The plan would provide 700,000 won in total: 400,000 won for real estate brokerage fees and 300,000 won for living expenses. He also said he would create a mayoral office-level organization and 추진 a “Youth Cheer Start Home” five-part package, including steps to prevent jeonse fraud and strengthen tenant protections. The proposal follows programs Jung promoted in Seongdong-gu, including a “coming-of-age start grant” for 19-year-olds and support for essential purchases for young people who moved into the district and formed one-person households. Jung said that when he was in Seongdong-gu, the district provided a 200,000 won coming-of-age gift at age 20. “It’s small, but it feels good,” he said, adding that it helps young people feel society is paying attention and making an effort for them. Jung has been running the “Seoul In(people)terview” series since April 15. The campaign selects stories from text messages sent to a direct number for the candidate, and Jung visits people in person to hear their concerns and suggest policy responses. He said he plans to develop pledges based on what he hears and present a vision of “Seoul where citizens are the owners.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 15:57:42
  • Jung Won-oh says one-homeowners’ tax break rights must be protected, criticizes Oh Se-hoon
    Jung Won-oh says one-homeowners’ tax break rights must be protected, criticizes Oh Se-hoon Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party’s Seoul mayoral candidate, writes in the guest book after paying respects at the late President Roh Moo-hyun’s gravesite in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, on April 21. (Yonhap) Jung Won-oh, the Democratic Party’s candidate for Seoul mayor, said April 21 that the current rights of owner-occupiers who own a single home must be protected amid controversy over scrapping the long-term holding special deduction for capital gains tax. Jung also stepped up his criticism of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, saying Oh was “raising issues that haven’t even been discussed yet” and “stoking conflict.” Jung made the remarks after visiting the gravesite of the late President Roh Moo-hyun in Bongha Village, Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, along with Choo Mi-ae, the Democratic Party’s candidate for Gyeonggi governor, and Park Chan-dae, the party’s candidate for Incheon mayor. “If it’s not for speculative purposes, the rights of all one-home households should still be protected,” Jung said. He added that a Seoul mayor’s job is not to fuel conflict and said it was time to “join forces for people’s livelihoods and the interests of citizens.” Citing what he called a crisis stemming from a war in the Middle East, Jung said the government and the Seoul city government should work together, and that repeatedly raising matters not yet under discussion only makes residents anxious. Earlier April 21, Oh appeared on KBS radio and, referring to President Lee Jae-myung’s comments about scrapping the deduction, said that “even if it’s the president speaking,” it is a basic duty of a Seoul mayoral candidate to state an opinion. Oh said Jung had remained silent and added that a candidate “shouldn’t just stay quiet” at such times. The ruling party also sought to draw a line on the issue. Democratic Party member Han Jeong-ae said at a party floor leadership meeting that the government and ruling party have never reviewed abolishing the long-term holding deduction for one-homeowners.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-21 16:40:24
  • Jamsil Baseball Stadium to Be Demolished After 2026 Season; Farewell Legends Game Planned
    Jamsil Baseball Stadium to Be Demolished After 2026 Season; Farewell Legends Game Planned Jamsil Baseball Stadium will be demolished after the 2026 season. The Ilgu Association said Monday it is planning a farewell “Legends Game” to honor the stadium’s historical significance ahead of its scheduled demolition at the end of the 2026 season. Organizers plan to hold the game in October or November, shortly after the Korean Series ends. The roster and detailed schedule will be announced later after discussions by the Legends Game organizing committee. “Jamsil Baseball Stadium is a symbol of Korean professional baseball and a sacred place that has produced countless classic games and legends,” the association said, adding that the event is meant to mark the stadium’s final chapter and thank fans for their unwavering support. Kim Kwang-su, head of the Ilgu Association, said the game will be “a final moment for players and fans who have shared Jamsil Baseball Stadium for a long time to come together as one,” adding that he hopes to create meaningful time with everyone who loves baseball.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-23 20:33:00
  • Joo Hyung-hwan Publishes Book on 700 Days of Population Policy Shift, Offers Low Birthrate Plan
    Joo Hyung-hwan Publishes Book on 700 Days of Population Policy Shift, Offers Low Birthrate Plan Joo Hyung-hwan, who served as vice chair of the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy, has published a new book detailing 700 days of policy work during his tenure, titled “A 700-Day Record of a Major Population Policy Shift: From Freefall to Rebound.” The book chronicles a shift from narrow low-birthrate measures to a broader population strategy spanning the full life cycle. With pessimism growing that “nothing works” despite years of policies and budget spending that failed to deliver results, Joo diagnoses the limits of past approaches and lays out alternative solutions. When Joo took office in February 2024, the total fertility rate stood at 0.72, the lowest on record. Projections that it could fall to 0.65 this year heightened the sense of a national population crisis. Arguing that the moment required a policy paradigm shift, he pushed to reorganize priorities around three pillars: work, caregiving and housing. For an ultra-aged society, he also called for moving beyond a welfare-centered approach and stressed innovation from an industrial perspective, pointing to areas such as age tech and a dementia-related asset market. A central theme is a move away from short-term fixes toward structural responses. He writes that the government pursued mid- to long-term tasks in parallel, including easing the burden of private education costs, reducing overconcentration in the Seoul metropolitan area and introducing inclusive immigration policies. “The population crisis is not an impossible problem; it is a task we can reverse if we bring together society’s capabilities,” Joo said. He said the book aims to present the process and results of the policy shift, along with remaining challenges. “A 700-Day Record of a Major Population Policy Shift: From Freefall to Rebound” runs 412 pages and was published by 21st Century Books. It is priced at 24,000 won. The publication date is 2026년 3월 20일.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-23 19:06:31
  • Ko Young-pyo Pulled After Back-to-Back Homers in South Korea-Japan WBC Game
    Ko Young-pyo Pulled After Back-to-Back Homers in South Korea-Japan WBC Game South Korea starter Ko Young-pyo was knocked out after surrendering home runs to Japan's Shohei Ohtani and Seiya Suzuki in the third inning. Ko started the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool C second-round game between South Korea and Japan at Tokyo Dome on March 7. He allowed solo shots to Ohtani and Suzuki in the bottom of the third and was pulled. Ko issued a walk to Ohtani earlier, then gave up a two-run homer to Suzuki on a full count with one out and a runner on first. Ko went 2 2/3 innings with four strikeouts, allowing three hits and one walk for four runs. All three hits he allowed were home runs. Ko, of the KT Wiz, is known as a groundball pitcher. From 2021 to 2023, he won at least 10 games in three straight seasons, and posted ERAs in the 2.00s in 2021 and 2023.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-07 20:54:00