Month: March 2024

WASHINGTON, South Korea and the United States expressed “deep concerns” Thursday over North Korea’s definition of the inter-Korean relationship as one between two hostile states and its potential attempt at changing the status quo in the Yellow Sea, Seoul’s foreign ministry said.

Their position was announced in a statement after Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell had a breakfast meeting in Washington. The previous day, Cho held his first bilateral in-person talks with Secretary of State Antony Blinken since he took office in January.

“Following the foreign ministerial meeting, (the two sides) expressed deep concerns again over North Korea’s definition of the inter-Korean relationship as one between hostile, belligerent states, and over any potential attempt to change the status quo in the Yellow Sea,” the statement read.

“They agreed to actively cooperate to be able to deter any provocation by North Korea,” it added, noting that Seoul and Washington have been “co
mpletely in solidarity” with each other to address North Korean threats and provocations.

The allies’ worries over the North’s potential attempt to revise the status quo came as Pyongyang has been more vocal in its move to dispute the Northern Limit Line (NLL), a de facto western inter-Korean sea border.

The North has challenged the NLL, arguing that the line was unilaterally drawn by the U.S-led U.N. Command after the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

During the breakfast meeting, Cho asked Campbell to play an “active” role in further developing the bilateral alliance as well as trilateral cooperation with Japan.

Campbell said in turn that he “highly” cherishes the partnerships with South Korea and Japan, and will work to strengthen three-way cooperation through frequent communication with his counterparts in Seoul and Tokyo, according to the ministry.

Cho reiterated his call for the U.S. government to show interest to help ensure that South Korean enterprises expanding their investment in the U.S. can get
benefits commensurate with their contributions in America.

In a readout, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that Cho and Campbell discussed concerns over miliary cooperation between the North and Russia.

“They also noted Russia’s concerning military cooperation with the DPRK, including Russia’s use of DPRK ballistic missiles against Ukraine, which poses a serious threat to regional stability and global nonproliferation,” Miller said.

DPRK stands for the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The two sides also discussed concerns about China’s support to the Russian defense industrial base while they stressed the importance of providing further support to Ukraine, according to Miller.

During the talks on Wednesday, Cho and Blinken also had discussions on North Korea’s threats and its military ties with Russia, Miller said in a separate readout.

“The secretary and foreign minister discussed their concerns about the DPRK’s increasingly aggressive behavior, repeated
violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions, including its transfer to Russia of ballistic missiles for use against the people of Ukraine, and increased domestic repression,” the spokesperson said.

Both sides underscored continued alignment on countering Russia’s aggression, Miller said.

In addition, the top diplomats emphasized the “unwavering” strength of the two countries’ alliance and reaffirmed the importance of the trilateral relationship with Japan, he said.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

SEOUL, The following is the weather forecast for South Korea’s 12 major cities at 9:01 a.m. Friday.

Temperature (C) Condition Possibility

High/Low of Rain (%)

Seoul -2/-6 Sunny 0

Incheon -3/-6 Sunny 0

Suwon -1/-5 Sunny 0

Cheongju -1/-4 Cloudy 20

Daejeon 00/-4 Cloudy 20

Chuncheon 01/-7 Sunny 0

Gangneung 02/-4 Sunny 0

Jeonju 01/-3 Cloudy 20

Gwangju 01/-2 Sunny 60

Jeju 04/03 Sunny 60

Daegu 03/-2 Sunny 0

Busan 06/00 Sunny 0

Source: Yonhap News Agency

South Korea’s fertility rate, or the average number of births a woman is expected to give in her lifetime, fell to the lowest ever of 0.72 last year. It has continued downhill from 1.24 in 2015. The number of babies born in the country dropped 7.7 percent from 2022 to the fewest ever of around 230,000, according to Statistics Korea.

The dwindling fertility rate, which has been getting worldwide attention, has several reasons. The first is the number of marriages, which has plunged from its peak of about 435,000 in 1996 to around 191,700 in 2022. In the past, most Koreans believed getting married was something you do when you reach a certain age, but like in most other parts of the world, that has changed.

In a poll of over 7,700 students in elementary, middle and high schools conducted last year by the state-funded National Youth Policy Institute, 39.5 percent of the boys and 18.8 percent of the girls said marriage was a must, down from 82.3 percent of the boys and 63.1 percent of the girls in 2012. Only 1
9.8 percent of the respondents agreed to the statement “One should have children once you get married.” Sixty-one percent agreed that “One can have children without getting married.” Eight out of 10 believed “unmarried couples can live together,” while 52 percent agreed that “same-sex marriages should be legalized.”

Other polls have shown that Koreans in their 20s and 30s cite financial reasons such as unaffordable homes for not getting married, or the weighty cost of raising and educating children for not having them. Prices of homes in Seoul have indeed soared over the past decade, and the amount of money parents spend on children’s lessons outside schools has been rising in tandem with the ever-growing shadow education industry.

The Korea Development Institute said in a recent report that the country’s diminishing birth rate is related to the scarcity of jobs at large companies where more employees, compared to small businesses, can actually exercise their legal right to take maternity and childcare leav
e.

Citing OECD figures, the state-funded think tank said that large firms, or those with 250 or more employees, provided only 14 percent of jobs in Korea, compared to over 40 percent in Germany, the UK, France, and 58 percent in the US. Wages at small firms were also much smaller than that of large firms. The KDI also divided universities into five tiers based on the Suneung scores required for entry, and found that graduates of schools in the top 20 percent tier earned up to 50 percent more compared to those of the bottom 20 percent by the time they were 40-44 years of age. Hence, the rat race to enter good colleges.

There is no quick fix to the problem of people not having babies. One might think the government or philanthropists should join hands to pay parents 100 million won per childbirth — which means 10 trillion won for 100,000 babies. But such policy on a national level is not viable as it would raise questions like until when, and what about childbirths after that, not to mention the risk of baby
-for-money crimes.

The only workable solution, which can take decades to produce visible progress, is to alleviate the concentration of everything — manpower, medical and educational infrastructure — in the greater Seoul area. Residents of the metropolis are too exhausted from the congestion and competition throughout their own lives to think about having kids. Young people leave small towns for education and jobs. Retired people don’t move to the provinces mainly for medical reasons.

In addition to the planned increase of student quotas in mostly medical schools outside Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, the government should drastically increase investment in national universities across the country and offer huge incentives to reputable private universities that move to the provinces. Local governments should learn from the example of Gangjin in South Jeolla Province, which saw its fertility rate jump 60 percent in a year to 1.47 thanks to its policy of paying a monthly childcare allowance of 600,00
0 won per child for seven years by cutting all less important expenditure.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

March 2

1906 — Hirobumi Ito assumes duties as Japan’s first governor-general of Korea.

1959 — South Korea establishes diplomatic ties with Norway.

1960 — A large fire breaks out at a rubber factory in Busan, killing 62 people.

1994 — The government reinstates 1,135 teachers fired for taking part in union activities.

2002 — The Korea National Tourism Organization buys an inn and hot spring spa run by Hyundai Asan on Mount Kumgang, North Korea, for 46.2 billion won.

2004 — The National Assembly passes an individual debt restructuring bill designed to help people refinance their debts.

2005 — The National Assembly endorses a revision bill that calls for the abolition of a male-dominated family registration system, or Hojuje in Korean.

2007 — South and North Korea agree to resume reunions of families separated across the border at the 20th round of inter-Korean ministerial talks held in Pyongyang. Inter-Korean talks and family reunions had been suspended since the North’s nuclear weapons test in
October 2006.

2016 — The National Assembly passes the North Korean human rights bill. The approved law, first submitted in August 2005, calls for government-led efforts to investigate and fix human rights violations perpetrated by the North Korean regime.

2020 — North Korea fires what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea. It marked the first such launches since its leader Kim Jong-un said in his New Year’s Day message it would show off a “new strategic weapon” in the near future.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

SEOUL, The following is a translation of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s speech to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement. It was provided by his office.

My fellow citizens, 7 million overseas Koreans, decorated patriots who fought for the nation’s independence,

Today, we celebrate the 105th March First Independence Movement Day.

With utmost reverence I pay a heartfelt tribute to our fallen patriotic forefathers and patriots who devoted themselves to the cause of our country’s freedom and prosperity.

I extend my sincerest gratitude to our independence heroes and the bereaved families who lost their loved ones.

Fellow Koreans,

One hundred and five years ago today, our patriotic forefathers declared Korea to be an independent country where the Korean people are its rightful owners.

With the national flag Taegeukgi in their hands and with unquenchable belief in freedom in their hearts, they took to the streets in a nationwide non-violent struggle.

The 1919 Proclamation of Korea
n Independence eloquently lays out the spirit of the March First Independence Movement as follows:

“We claim independence in the interest of the eternal and free development of our people and in accordance with the great movement for world reform based upon the awakening conscience of mankind.”

The Proclamation of Korean Independence was rooted in liberalism – a prevailing trend of world history at that time.

Our patriotic martyrs believed that if the blood they shed soaked the soil and caused seeds of freedom to sprout, their sons and daughters could live happily in a free and affluent land.

Moreover, the March First Independence Movement was a forward-looking, unprecedented fight for independence.

Rather than a return to monarchy, it envisioned a new country where every Korean, regardless of gender or age, could fully enjoy their freedoms.

And what our patriotic martyrs believed in and hoped for has been realized.

Today, the Republic of Korea is known to the world as a global pivotal state where free
dom and prosperity flourish.

Just as the Proclamation of Korean Independence declared, Korea has become a country of new and outstanding vitality; a country that contributes to global peace and prosperity; and a country that shares its ingenious and enticing culture with the world.

The journey has never been easy.

With independence came the occupation of the northern half of our country by the forces of communist totalitarianism. We also had to endure a horrendous war.

Nonetheless, no hardships could deter us from our quest for freedom and prosperity.

Despite lacking any capital or resources, we built expressways and nuclear power plants and cultivated industries on a war-ravaged land.

Even during the times when affording a meal was a daily challenge, we looked to the future and made unsparing investments in science and technology as well as education.

Our people have overcome countless adversities and challenges. I am truly proud of the great journey taken by them all. The government and I will do eve
rything possible to build a happier and more prosperous Republic of Korea while upholding the value of freedom — the spirit of the March First Independence Movement.

Fellow Koreans,

I would like all of us here today to reflect on the history of our independence movement.

Inheriting the spirit of the March Independence Movement, various types of independence movements followed at home and abroad.

Independence fighters engaged fiercely in armed struggle at the risk of their lives.

Visionaries with insight into changing global political landscape struggled for independence through diplomacy in countries around the world.

Some independence activists initiated educational and cultural movements to empower Koreans with necessary skills on their own.

Following the defeat of imperialism, we were able to gain independence thanks to all these pioneering endeavors.

The blood and sweat of these independence activist enabled our country’s independence and became the foundation of the Republic of Korea.

I believe
that the significance of all of these independence movements must be duly recognized and their history should be passed down correctly generation after generation.

No one is allowed to monopolize history. All Korean people and our future generations should take pride in the proud history of the Republic of Korea.

The government and I are committed to ensuring that the sacrifices and dedication of our patriotic martyrs in securing the independence, founding and prosperity of our country are properly honored and remembered by our descendants.

Fellow Koreans,

The 1919 Proclamation of Korean Independence made it clear to Japan that our independence would be a a path to prosperity for both countries and that we should open a “new world” on the foundation of mutual understanding and empathy.

Now, Korea and Japan are working together to overcome the painful past and moving toward that “new world.”

Sharing the values of freedom, human rights and the rule of law, our two countries have become partners have becom
e partners in the pursuit of common interests for global peace and prosperity.

The security cooperation between the two countries against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats has been strengthened further.

Korea and Japan are building a closer partnership in industry, finance and cutting-edge technologies, and 9.28 million people traveled back and forth between our two countries last year.

When armed conflicts broke in the Middle East and Africa, both countries helped rescue each other’s citizens,

If Korea and Japan build trust through mutual exchanges and cooperation and work together to resolve difficult challenges that history has left us, we will be able to usher in a new and brighter future for our bilateral relations.

I hope that the 60th anniversary of Korea and Japan normalizing diplomatic relations next year will serve as an opportunity to take our bilateral relationship to a higher level, one that is more productive and constructive.

Fellow Koreans,

The March First Independence Movement
will be made complete only upon a unification that brings freedom and abundance to everyone.

Now, we must move toward a free, unified Korean Peninsula where the people are its rightful owners.

North Korea still continues its totalitarian system and repressive rule and is unable to escape from the worst forms of degradation and poverty.

The North Korean regime relies solely on nuclear weapons and missiles while trapping its 26 million citizens in a quagmire of misery and despair.

Recently, North Korea labeled the Republic of Korea as its primary foe and invariable principal enemy.

This is truly deplorable.

Unification is not just an issue confined to the Korean Peninsula.

The tyranny and human rights abuses of the North Korean regime deny the universal values of humanity.

Unification is precisely what is needed to expand the universal values of freedom and human rights.

Our unification efforts must become a source of hope and a beacon of light for the people of North Korea.

The government will contin
ue extending the helping hand to North Koreans, and our efforts to improve their human rights will never cease.

We will continue to provide North Korean defectors with warmhearted support, so they can enjoy freedom and prosperity together with us.

Beginning this year, the government designated July 14 as North Korean Defectors’ Day.

In light of this designation, I ask all citizens to extend warm compassion and understanding toward North Korean defectors.

Unification is a challenging task that we cannot accomplish alone.

The international community must pool its strength in a responsible manner.

A free, unified Republic of Korea will contribute to peace and prosperity not only in Northeast Asia but also in the Indo-Pacific region and the rest of the world.

As President of the Republic of Korea, I will do all I can to fulfill this duty that history and the Constitution have given to me.

Fellow citizens,

We are now standing at the crossroads of a historic transformation.

We must expand freedom. We must
promote peace. Let us move forward along the path to prosperity by rekindling the spirit of the Proclamation of Korean Independence.

We must come together on a path that leads ultimately to unification. Our government will take the lead with passion and dedication.

Let us join hands and usher in a new, hopeful future together.

Source: Yonhap News Agency