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≡ New Parliamentary Speaker Vows To Push For Constitutional Revision
Newly-elected parliamentary speaker Moon Hee-sang has vowed to prod rival parties to reach an agreement on a bill to revise the Constitution.
Speaking at an event celebrating the 70th Constitution Day, Moon pledged to make sure the bill gets finalized by the end of the year.
In March, President Moon Jae-in submitted a revision bill aimed at empowering local governments and changing the current single five-year presidential term to a maximum of two successive four-year terms.
The president's plan to have people vote on the proposal simultaneously with the June local elections was spoiled as the National Assembly failed in April to revise the law on national referendums.■
[2018.07.17]
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≡ S. Korea's Intelligence Agency Behind N. Korea Waitresses' Defection: Yonhap
South Korea's military intelligence agency is apparently behind a high-profile "defection" case involving a dozen North Korean waitresses and their manager.
Citing a source familiar with the matter, Yonhap News today reported that the Defense Intelligence Command carried out the operation with the help of the National Intelligence Service.
The 12 waitresses and their manager working at the Ryugyong Korean Restaurant in the Chinese city of Ningpo defected to South Korea in April 2016.
In a rare move, the South's authorities immediately made public their defection just a few days ahead of the general elections.
The issue has long been controversial, with Pyongyang saying the defectors were kidnapped while Seoul insists they defected on their own free will.
A top United Nations human rights official last week urged Seoul to investigate the case, saying the restaurant workers did not know where they were going at the time of the defection.■[2018.07.17]
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≡ Singapore To Unveil US-N. Korea Summit Commemorative Stamp
A stamp will be unveiled in Singapore later this week commemorating last month's historic summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Singapore Post and The Straits Times announced today that it will jointly launch the stamp on Friday.
The stamp will have a denomination of 10 Singapore dollars and will feature Trump and Kim's first handshake against the Singapore skyline.
Collector's sheets will be priced at 10 Singapore dollars and 70 cents each and sold at all post offices in the country.
Ahead of the summit, the Singapore Mint unveiled three commemorative coins.■
[2018.07.17]
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≡ Sweltering Heat Pushes Electricity Demand To New Summer High
Electricity consumption has hit a new summertime high amid scorching heat across the country.
The state-run Korea Power Exchange said the maximum electricity load shot up to over 86.2 million kilowatts late yesterday afternoon, as the first heat wave warning of the season was issued in Seoul.
It topped the previous summer high of nearly 85.2 million kilowatts recorded on August 12th, 2016.
The energy ministry assured, however, that the power supply reserve ratio stayed at around 12 percent, which is above the warning level of 10 percent.
Consumption is expected to surge again as sweltering heat grips most regions.■[2018.07.17]
