Either he risks losing political capital and thousands of high-paying jobs if General Motors cuts its presence in South Korea, or he faces a public backlash if he uses taxpayer money as a lifeline for the U.S. automaker. Last week, GM announced it would shut down a factory in Gunsan, southwest of Seoul, and said it was mulling the fate of its three remaining plants in South Korea. It wants help from the government to restructure and keep the plants operating. Although coffers are full in both the government and Korea Development Bank, which owns a 17 percent stake in GM Korea, officials say likely opposition from South Koreans makes any financial support for the Detroit auto maker politically tricky. “We cannot be free from the potential public backlash expected from helping a private company using taxpayers’ money,” said one government official, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the ongoing discussions. On top of that, public support for South Korea’s auto worker unions, which have a reputation for militancy, has fallen as young workers battle to find increasingly rare full-time positions. South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in. Photo taken on February 17, 2018 by Reuters/John Sibley. A survey released on Thursday showed 30 percent of respondents oppose any public aid for the automaker, with 56 percent backing support only if GM lays out a feasible turnaround plan. According to the survey by pollster Realmeter, just 6 percent say the government should inject public funds unconditionally to save… [Read full story]
(VOVworld) - The Vietnam Women's Union and the South Korean Women's Development Institute have jointly organized a forum for women from the two countries in Hanoi. Delegates shared their experience in making and implementing policies on women's development, vocational training, and job creation. They discussed cooperative opportunities on women-related issues and the content of the 2nd Forum to be held in South Korea. The Vietnam Women's Union and the South Korean Women's Development Institute signed a MoU to enhance cooperation in research, publication, exchanging experts and information, and development programs. They agreed to take turns to host the Forum every…... [read more]
U. S. President Donald Trump should “under no circumstances” take military action against North Korea without the consent of the government in Seoul, the chairwoman of South Korea’s ruling party, Choo Mi-ae, said on Wednesday. “President Trump often emphasizes that he put all options on the table,” Choo told a Washington think-tank. “We want to make sure that this option of another war is not placed on the table. Under no circumstances should the U.S. go ahead and use a military option without the consent of South Korea.” “We must seek a peaceful resolution of the matter in any manner that…... [read more]
The Anti-missile system will be operational by year-end as Trump vows to deal with "global threat" of N.Korea. The U.S. military started moving parts of the controversial THAAD anti-missile defence system to a deployment site in South Korea on Wednesday amid high tensions over North Korea's missile and nuclear programmes. Washington and Pyongyang have been ratcheting up pressure on each other in recent weeks, with the United States sending a aircraft carrier group and nuclear submarine to the region and North Korea attempting more missile launches in defiance of layers of U.N. sanctions. North Korea said on Wednesday leader Kim…... [read more]
It’s a late afternoon on a recent Saturday and a store in the Phu My Hung urban area in HCM City’s District 7 is filled with customers from South Korea, looking for new clothing and shoes. Many South Koreans who live in the Phu My Hung area in HCM City’s District 7 send their children to the Korean International School, which is located in the area. Just opposite the clothing store is a South Korean coffee shop serving drinks and offering a selection of books for Korean readers, many of whom live in the neighbourhood.Such sights are common on the streets…... [read more]
A Vietnamese bride was murdered by her South Korean father-in-law in Seoul earlier this month, Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Thursday.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Seoul has been working with local authorities on resolving the horrific incident since shortly after being briefed of the case, the ministry’s spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang told reporters in Hanoi.
According to the Vietnamese Embassy, the victim, 31-year-old Bui Cat Ha, lived with her South Korean husband and his family in Seoul’s Seongbuk-gu District.
“Her father-in-law, known only as Kim, was arrested for murder by Seoul police,” Hang…... [read more]