US quickly downplays Yoon’s ‘nuclear prospect’

The US said Thursday it is still committed to a completely denuclearized Korean Peninsula and that South Korea has made it clear it is not seeking nuclear weapons, a day after President Yoon Suk Yeol openly backed a nuclear buildup if North Korea poses a bigger threat than now. Yoon’s remarks about South Korea arming itself with nuclear weapons against North Korea, a nuclear state, were made public Wednesday when his defense minister briefed him on the ministry’s plan for this year.

Jan. 13, 2023

Yoon's office allows MBC reporters to board presidential jet

The office of President Yoon Suk Yeol has allowed local broadcaster MBC's reporters to board the presidential jet for his upcoming overseas trip, officials said Friday, after banning them earlier over controversial coverage. MBC reporters were informed of the decision late Thursday ahead of Yoon's trip to the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland, which starts Saturday. "It was President Yoon's instruction to maximize reporting opportunities for the presidential office corresp

Jan. 13, 2023

Democratic Party of Korea head Lee asks to meet with Yoon for unity

The head of main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, Rep. Lee Jae-myung asked for a meeting with President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday, saying the conservative administration was not making an effort to bring the parties together. The party chair repeated his request for a meeting with the president at the press conference held just two days after he was summoned by prosecutors in an investigation into allegations that he solicited bribes while he was mayor of Seognam, Gyeonggi Province. In Sept

Jan. 12, 2023

First lady's solo activities likely to continue on UAE, Davos trip

Despite opposition pressure for first lady Kim Keon Hee to keep to a more supporting role, eyes are on whether she would continue to strike out on her own when she accompanies Yoon Suk Yeol on his first presidential trip this year Saturday. She and Yoon will go on a state visit to the United Arab Emirates and attend the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, for six days. “There is a high possibility that Kim will take an independent step (as she did in Cambodia) during the tri

Jan. 12, 2023

Govt. to hold public hearing on wartime forced labor issue

South Korea's foreign ministry plans to hold a public hearing Thursday on ways to resolve the thorny issue of how to compensate victims of Japan's wartime forced labor during World War II in line with the Supreme Court's ruling. The hearing, co-organized by the ministry and Rep. Chung Jin-suk, head of the South Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union, is scheduled to be held at the National Assembly in Seoul. The government is reportedly considering creating a fund from donations

Jan. 12, 2023

Ex-security chief hid North Korea killing South Korean to shield Moon: prosecutors

Suh Hoon, an ex-national security and intelligence chief, ordered the cover-up of the killing of a South Korean official by North Korean troops at sea in 2020 over concerns the incident would prompt criticism of then-President Moon Jae-in, according to an indictment Seoul prosecutors submitted to the National Assembly. Seoul prosecutors said in the indictment written Dec. 9 that while Suh was the top national security adviser at Cheong Wa Dae, he told staff to keep the death of the official disc

Jan. 11, 2023

Ahead of Seollal, first lady steps up community service

First lady Kim Keon Hee visited community centers and a local market in Daegu on Wednesday, expanding her public service activities ahead of President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the United Arab Emirates and Korea's Lunar New Year holiday next week, according to the presidential office. She visited Seongseo Social Welfare Center in Daegu and served meals with college student volunteers of the Korea Saemaul Undong Center, the office said. The trip was planned at the invitation of the

Jan. 11, 2023

Opposition leader Lee vows not to succumb to prosecution's 'fabrication'

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday renewed his pledge not to give way against what he called the prosecution's "violent attempt to distort and fabricate," a day after he was questioned over bribery allegations. In a questioning that lasted roughly 12 hours, Lee, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party, was grilled by prosecutors on Tuesday over allegations that the city government of Seongnam attracted 17 billion won ($13.7 million) in corporate donations to its muni

Jan. 11, 2023

People Power Party supporters pick Na as favorite for party leader

Supporters of the ruling People Power Party picked former four-term lawmaker Na Kyung-won as their favorite for party leader, giving her almost twice as much support as the closest challenger, a poll showed Wednesday. In a poll of 1,020 voters conducted by Hangil Research from Saturday to Monday, 30.7 percent of PPP supporters said Na should be the next chair of the party. Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon was in second place with 18.8 percent, followed by former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min at 14.6 percent, Rep. Ahn

Jan. 11, 2023

Prime Minister disagrees with birth policy by presidential committee

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said he had expressed objections to a birth policy suggested by a presidential committee on low birthrates, as the committee's chief offered to resign after the suggestion ran afoul of the presidential office. Han made the remarks on Tuesday, the day after Na Kyung-won, a former four-term lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party, tendered her resignation as vice chair of the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy. The policy row began aft

Jan. 11, 2023

Hwaseong City, Korean American business group in Santa Clara Country sign MOU

Hwaseong City Mayor Jeong Myeong-geun has signed an agreement with Santa Clara County Korean American Chamber of Commerce on Monday to support global entry of local startups operating in the Korean city, officials said Tuesday. Under the agreement, the two sides will hold a technology seminar and expo in the US as well as develop a network of companies and an entrepreneur leadership program. The agreement took place during Mayor Jeong’s visit to the Californian city. With Santa Clara Count

Jan. 10, 2023

More expert involvement urged at major emergencies after Itaewon disaster

Experts called for giving emergency doctors more authority and the government more responsibility at the scene of major disasters. Speaking at the parliamentary probe hearing into the Halloween disaster in Itaewon last year, emergency medicine professor Dr. Lee Kyung-won of Yonsei University said first responders should be supported by an expert at the scene. “Large public hospitals get aid from municipalities so they have their own disaster medical assistance team. But most hospitals can&

Jan. 10, 2023

Opposition leader appears for questioning in bribery case, denies charges

SEONGNAM, Gyeonggi Province -- Main opposition party leader Lee Jae-myung appeared at a prosecutors office for questioning Tuesday, denying the bribery charges against him and accused authorities for pushing ahead with "a politically motivated investigation." "Prosecutors have already made a conclusion to indict me whatever the circumstances might be," Lee told the media as he was entering the district public prosecutors' office in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Calling th

Jan. 10, 2023

Opposition leader to appear for questioning in bribery probe

SEONGNAM --Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung appeared at a prosecutors office for questioning over bribery allegations Tuesday, accusing the prosecution of fabricating charges against him. Lee, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party, arrived at the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors Office located just south of Seoul at 10:20 a.m., surrounded by a large crowd of supporters, including DP lawmakers. Police personnel were deployed to prevent a possible clash between supporter

Jan. 10, 2023

Senior U.S. State Department official in Seoul for talks on supply chain, IRA

Jose Fernandez, the U.S. under secretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, arrived in South Korea on Monday for consultations on a range of bilateral economic issues. Fernandez is the first senior U.S. official to visit Seoul this year, which marks the 70th anniversary of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. 　 　He plans to meet Lee Do-hoon, Seoul‘s second vice foreign minister, on Tuesday to discuss ways to boost bilateral cooperation. 　 　The two sides are expected to

Jan. 9, 2023

[Herald Interview] More in North Korea becoming disillusioned with regime: Tae

North Korea’s elite and younger generations are growing increasingly disillusioned with the Kim Jong-un regime, according to emigre-turned-assemblyman Rep. Tae Yong-ho. In recent interviews with The Korea Herald, Tae said the purging of former North Korean foreign affairs minister Ri Yong-ho would “instigate a further divide between Pyongyang’s elite and the leadership.” “The fall of Ri would estrange members of the North Korean elite further from Kim Jong-un,&rdquo

Jan. 9, 2023

‘Yoon factor’ hangs over race for ruling party leadership

With the party convention approaching, the race for a new leadership of the ruling People Power Party is heating up. President Yoon Suk Yeol is unlikely to issue a public endorsement, but contenders’ closeness with the president is considered a major factor that can sway the outcome. Over the weekend, the presidential office and Na Kyung-won, four-time lawmaker and not a pro-Yoon contender for party’s chair, clashed over her remarks regarding government loans for young married couple

Jan. 8, 2023

5-yr term demanded for lawmaker over alleged embezzlement of donations for sex slavery victims

Prosecutors on Friday demanded a five-year prison term for independent Rep. Youn Mee-hyang on charges of embezzling funds donated to help support women who were forced into wartime sexual slavery by Japan during World War II. Youn was accused of collecting hundreds of millions of won in donations to her private bank accounts and spent some of them for personal use, including living expenses, while heading a major civic group for wartime sexual slavery victims, the Korean Council for Justice and

Jan. 6, 2023

PM orders emergency measures to cut emissions against ultrafine dust

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Friday instructed relevant authorities to take emergency measures to cope with ultrafine dust plaguing the nation. "With the environment minister taking the lead, ministries and local governments should thoroughly implement emergency reduction measures in accordance with the current high-concentration ultrafine dust measures," Han said in a statement. Han also ordered relevant ministries to reduce emissions by coal-fired power plants and other facilities,

Jan. 6, 2023

Opposition leader to appear on prosecution’s summons next week

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, will comply with the prosecution's summons as part of an investigation into alleged bribery on Tuesday. This will be the first time for Lee to comply with the prosecution's summons since he became the party leader last year. “It was agreed that Lee will appear at the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office at 10:30 a.m. next Tuesday,” said Ahn Ho-young, the Democratic Party's

Jan. 6, 2023