Latest news with #SouthKoreans
The Star
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
New S. Korean President's call for public to suggest Cabinet members ‘more than a populist move'
SEOUL: K-pop singer IU for Cultural Minister? How about Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho of the Parasite movie fame or even popular show host Yoo Jae-suk? A crowdsourcing exercise by the administration of the new South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, seeking public inputs towards the forming of its new Cabinet, has yielded these amusing results, along with more considered suggestions. Lee, who took office on June 4, had mooted the crowdsourcing idea as a 'meaningful first step towards the people becoming the main actors in running the state'. The 62-year-old former human rights lawyer was elected on June 3 in a snap election after the ouster of former president Yoon Suk-yeol over the botched martial law attempt of Dec 3, 2024. Given the lack of a transition period unlike usual elections, Lee has been working with the old Cabinet of his predecessor Yoon, while taking steps to form his own Cabinet. While the unusual crowdsourcing exercise is widely seen as a populist move, observers say that it is a shrewd decision by Lee in more ways than one. 'Through this public nomination system, Lee is able to not only cater to his supporters by giving them a voice, but also buy time to vet nominations thoroughly before formalising his Cabinet,' said Kyonggi University political science and law lecturer Hahm Sung-deuk. In his social media post on June 10 promoting the initiative, President Lee said that the process marks the beginning of a 'national sovereign government' and pledged transparency and fairness in ensuring that only 'truly qualified people' are selected. The public nominations were open from June 10 to 16, allowing South Koreans to submit their choice of Cabinet ministers, vice-ministers or heads of public institutions along with supporting reasons, via a dedicated website, a dedicated e-mail account and even through direct messages to Lee's social media accounts. Self-nominations were accepted. By the closing date of the public nomination exercise, some 74,000 suggestions had been received, with the posts of health minister, justice minister and prosecutor-general receiving the most number of nominations. South Korean media reported that while there were throwaway nominations like suggestions that ex-president Yoon, a former prosecutor-general, return to the top prosecutor job, there were more considered nominations too. These included one for former director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Jeong Eun-kyeong, who had led the nation through the Covid-19 pandemic, to be considered for the health minister position. The tight-knit medical community, in particular, had called for doctors to actively nominate medical field experts with good understanding of medical issues for the health minister position, in order to resolve the fall-out from the mass doctors' walk-out in February 2024 when the previous Yoon administration tried to unilaterally increase medical school admissions. This would be an example of political figures or influential people in various sectors of South Korean society mobilising their support bases to influence the outcome, said Sogang University's Associate Professor Hannah Kim. She also pointed out that there would inevitably be concerns that the selection process 'prioritises popularity over competence' although the public nomination process may appeal to voters 'frustrated by elite-driven decision-making and the revolving-door of establishment politics'. Such a nomination process many also deepen existing divisions, given the country's political polarisation driven in part by extreme fandom in both the opposing conservative and liberal camps, said Prof Kim. 'Moreover, President Lee is likely to face backlash regardless of which decision he makes – whether he goes with popular suggestions or ignores them and appoints allies or controversial figures. And with the latter, this could increase cynicism about democratic participation itself,' she added. At a press briefing on June 16, a presidential spokesperson gave the assurance that the public nomination system is 'not a popularity contest', so the recommendations would only be for reference. The presidential office has said that the received nominations will be put through rigorous vetting first, with final nominations to be released later at an unspecified date. Prof Hahm says such a time-buying tactic is a smart political move by Lee, who has already faced roadblocks in the formation of his government in his first week of office. 'It allows him to further scrutinise his future nominations, to make sure there are no more controversies to trip them up,' he said. A senior presidential aide was forced to resign four days after his appointment, after allegations surfaced of his undisclosed real estate holdings and a hefty 1.5 billion won (S$1.4 million) loan he allegedly took out using a friend's name. Lee's pick for the prime ministerial position, Kim Min-seok, has also come under intense scrutiny over his past conviction for accepting illegal political funds and his significant increase in assets over the last five years. Kim, a seasoned lawmaker from Lee's ruling Democractic Party (DP) who had warned about Yoon's possible martial law attempt as early as August 2024 and was a key strategist in Lee's presidential campaign, has refuted the allegations and called them politically motivated attacks by the erstwhile ruling People Power Party (PPP). The PPP, now the main opposition party, had staged a rally in Seoul on June 20 calling for the withdrawal of Kim's nomination. Referring to Lee's legal woes that have been temporarily put on hold because of his presidency, a PPP spokesperson said: 'If both the president and the prime minister have moral issues and a history of criminal offences, we cannot expect proper appointments of public officials below them!' Kim, who met the foreign press corps in Seoul on June 17, said that he understands the reasons behind the attacks and is optimistic that he will win the opposition over with his patience. 'However, even if I understand their opposition, that doesn't mean that the legal allegations that are untrue, are true. I would definitely address all of the issues and do my best to clear the nomination hearing,' said Kim, whose parliamentary confirmation hearings will take place on June 24-25. Lee himself has expressed confidence that Kim would be able to 'explain himself sufficiently'. Pointing out Kim's contributions during the martial law crisis and the ruling Democratic Party's majority in the Parliament, Prof Hahm said it was unlikely that Kim's nomination would fail. He said: 'Do not forget that this is still the 'honeymoon' period for the president. His popularity is running high and people would not want anything to obstruct his presidency at this moment.' - The Straits Times/ANN
See - Sada Elbalad
3 hours ago
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Slovakia Temporarily Closes Embassy in Tehran
Israa Farhan Slovakia has announced the temporary closure of its embassy in Tehran and the full evacuation of its diplomatic staff from Iran, citing rising military tensions in the region. The Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the decision on Friday, citing escalating hostilities between Iran and Israel as a major security concern. Meanwhile, South Korea has successfully evacuated dozens of its nationals from both Iran and Israel as fears grow over the intensifying conflict between the two countries. According to South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, around 60 South Korean citizens and their family members departed the region via land routes and arrived safely in neighboring countries. The ministry stated that 30 South Koreans and four family members left Iran and crossed into Turkmenistan using transport arranged by the South Korean government. They arrived in the capital, Ashgabat, on 18 and 19 June, according to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. A foreign ministry official explained that the eastern land route used for evacuation spanned roughly 1,200 kilometers and took around 30 hours to complete by bus, including rest stops along the way. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean News 3 Killed in Shooting Attack in Thailand
Korea Herald
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
6 more S. Koreans, 1 Iranian family member evacuate Iran amid escalating conflict with Israel
Six more South Koreans and an Iranian family member have safely crossed the border from Iran into neighboring Turkmenistan amid the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. Two South Korean nationals and an Iranian family member arrived in Ashgabat on Friday afternoon (local time), in addition to four other South Koreans who had earlier left Iran and reached the Turkmen capital via the same land route, the ministry said. This brings the total number of South Koreans who have left Iran to 37, since the government began operations to assist those wishing to evacuate, including by providing transportation through border checkpoints. Twenty-six South Koreans and four Iranian family members also crossed the border into Turkmenistan by transportation provided by the South Korean government earlier this week. Escalating airstrikes between Israel and Iran have prompted countries to evacuate their nationals from the region. At least 43 South Koreans and their Israeli family members have fled Israel and taken shelter in Jordan. An estimated 110 South Koreans were in Iran and around 500 in Israel before the conflict began last Friday. (Yonhap)
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
New S. Korean President's call for public to suggest Cabinet members ‘more than a populist move'
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung mooted the crowdsourcing idea as a 'meaningful first step towards the people becoming the main actors in running the state'. PHOTO: AFP SEOUL - K-pop singer IU for Cultural Minister? How about Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho of the Parasite movie fame or even popular show host Yoo Jae-suk? A crowdsourcing exercise by the administration of the new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, seeking public inputs towards the forming of its new Cabinet, has yielded these amusing results, along with more considered suggestions. Mr Lee, who took office on June 4, had mooted the crowdsourcing idea as a 'meaningful first step towards the people becoming the main actors in running the state'. The 62-year-old former human rights lawyer was elected on June 3 in a snap election after the ouster of former president Yoon Suk Yeol over the botched martial law attempt of Dec 3, 2024. Given the lack of a transition period unlike usual elections, Mr Lee has been working with the old Cabinet of his predecessor Yoon, while taking steps to form his own Cabinet. While the unusual crowdsourcing exercise is widely seen as a populist move, observers say that it is a shrewd decision by Mr Lee in more ways than one. 'Through this public nomination system, Mr Lee is able to not only cater to his supporters by giving them a voice, but also buy time to vet nominations thoroughly before formalising his Cabinet,' said Kyonggi University political science and law lecturer Hahm Sung-deuk. In his social media post on June 10 promoting the initiative, President Lee said that the process marks the beginning of a 'national sovereign government' and pledged transparency and fairness in ensuring that only 'truly qualified people' are selected. The public nominations were open from June 10 to 16, allowing South Koreans to submit their choice of Cabinet ministers, vice-ministers or heads of public institutions along with supporting reasons, via a dedicated website, a dedicated e-mail account and even through direct messages to Mr Lee's social media accounts. Self-nominations were accepted. By the closing date of the public nomination exercise, some 74,000 suggestions had been received, with the posts of health minister, justice minister and prosecutor-general receiving the most number of nominations. South Korean media reported that while there were throwaway nominations like suggestions that ex-president Yoon, a former prosecutor-general, return to the top prosecutor job, there were more considered nominations too. These included one for former director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Jeong Eun-kyeong, who had led the nation through the Covid-19 pandemic, to be considered for the health minister position. The tight-knit medical community, in particular, had called for doctors to actively nominate medical field experts with good understanding of medical issues for the health minister position, in order to resolve the fall-out from the mass doctors' walk-out in February 2024 when the previous Yoon administration tried to unilaterally increase medical school admissions. This would be an example of political figures or influential people in various sectors of South Korean society mobilising their support bases to influence the outcome, said Sogang University's Associate Professor Hannah Kim. She also pointed out that there would inevitably be concerns that the selection process 'prioritises popularity over competence' although the public nomination process may appeal to voters 'frustrated by elite-driven decision-making and the revolving-door of establishment politics'. Such a nomination process many also deepen existing divisions, given the country's political polarisation driven in part by extreme fandom in both the opposing conservative and liberal camps, said Prof Kim. 'Moreover, President Lee is likely to face backlash regardless of which decision he makes – whether he goes with popular suggestions or ignores them and appoints allies or controversial figures . And with the latter, this could increase cynicism about democratic participation itself ,' she added. At a press briefing on June 16, a presidential spokesperson gave the assurance that the public nomination system is 'not a popularity contest', so the recommendations would only be for reference. The presidential office has said that the received nominations will be put through rigorous vetting first, with final nominations to be released later at an unspecified date. Prof Hahm says such a time-buying tactic is a smart political move by Mr Lee, who has already faced roadblocks in the formation of his government in his first week of office. 'It allows him to further scrutinise his future nominations, to make sure there are no more controversies to trip them up,' he said. A senior presidential aide was forced to resign four days after his appointment, after allegations surfaced of his undisclosed real estate holdings and a hefty 1.5 billion won (S$1.4 million) loan he allegedly took out using a friend's name. Mr Lee's pick for the prime ministerial position, Mr Kim Min-seok, has also come under intense scrutiny over his past conviction for accepting illegal political funds and his significant increase in assets over the last five years. Mr Kim, a seasoned lawmaker from Mr Lee's ruling Democractic Party (DP) who had warned about Yoon's possible martial law attempt as early as August 2024 and was a key strategist in Mr Lee's presidential campaign, has refuted the allegations and called them politically motivated attacks by the erstwhile ruling People Power Party (PPP) . The PPP, now the main opposition party, had staged a rally in Seoul on June 20 calling for the withdrawal of Mr Kim's nomination. Referring to Mr Lee's legal woe s that have been temporarily put on hold because of his presidency, a PPP spokesperson said: 'If both the president and the prime minister have moral issues and a history of criminal offences, we cannot expect proper appointments of public officials below them!' Mr Kim, who met the foreign press corps in Seoul on June 17, said that he understands the reasons behind the attacks and is optimistic that he will win the opposition over with his patience. 'However, even if I understand their opposition, that doesn't mean that the legal allegations that are untrue, are true. I would definitely address all of the issues and do my best to clear the nomination hearing,' said Mr Kim, whose parliamentary confirmation hearings will take place on June 24-25. Mr Lee himself has expressed confidence that Mr Kim would be able to 'explain himself sufficiently' . Pointing out Mr Kim's contributions during the martial law crisis and the ruling Democratic Party's majority in the Parliament, Prof Hahm said it was unlikely that Mr Kim's nomination would fail. He said: 'Do not forget that this is still the 'honeymoon' period for the president. His popularity is running high and people would not want anything to obstruct his presidency at this moment.' Wendy Teo is The Straits Times' South Korea correspondent based in Seoul. She covers issues concerning the two Koreas. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
N. Korea flag disrupts S. Korea church livestream in ‘hacking incident'
The incident occurred early in the morning of June 18, when the livestream was abruptly filled with the North Korean flag. PHOTO: REUTERS SEOUL - One of South Korea's largest megachurches said on June 20 its YouTube worship service was briefly hacked during a live broadcast to display the North Korean flag, with a government agency saying it was checking the details. The incident occurred early in the morning of June 18 , when the livestream of the service by the Onnuri Church was abruptly filled with the North Korean flag, accompanied by what appeared to be Pyongyang's propaganda music. The flag was displayed for about 20 seconds, a church official told AFP, adding that the incident had been reported to the police. 'During the early morning worship service on June 18, an unexpected video was broadcast due to a hacking incident,' the church said in a separate statement. 'We are currently conducting an urgent investigation into the cause of the incident and will take appropriate measures as soon as the situation is clarified.' South Korea's state-run Korea Internet & Security Agency told AFP it was 'looking into the case'. Another Protestant church in Seoul, the Naesoo-Dong Church, told AFP it also experienced a similar hacking incident shortly before its YouTube worship service early Wednesday morning. An 'inappropriate' video was displayed for about 50 seconds due to an 'external hacking' attack, Pastor Oh Shin-young told AFP, adding that the footage had no apparent connection to North Korea. South Korea, widely recognised as among the most wired countries in the world, has long been a target of cyber hacking by North Korea, which has been blamed for several major attacks in the past. Police announced in 2024 that North Korean hackers were behind the theft of sensitive data from a South Korean court computer network – including individuals' financial records – over a two-year period. The stolen data amounted to more than 1GB . Also in 2024 , Seoul's spy agency said North Korean spies were using LinkedIn to pose as recruiters and entice South Koreans working in defence companies so the spies could access information on the firms' technology. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
