‘Yoon should have met Pelosi,’ says ruling party lawmaker

On the second day of the National Assembly’s interpellation session on Tuesday, Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the ruling People Power Party said President Yoon Suk-yeol “should have met with” US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi during her trip to Seoul last month. In a question addressed to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the ruling party lawmaker on the parliamentary committee for national policy asked if he believes the president not meeting with the US House Speaker was “in n

Sept. 20, 2022

In photos: Yoon's London visit

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol visited London for two days to attend the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, held Monday, as part of his three-nation swing to the UK, US and Canada. On Tuesday, the leader is attending the UN General Assembly in New York and will hold a series of summits on the sidelines, including a highly anticipated meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Here are some photos recapping the president and first lady's UK trip.

Sept. 20, 2022

Ruling party picks floor leader as it struggles to return to normal

The ruling People Power Party has selected Joo Ho-young as its new floor leader, hoping to move on to a new phase after months of turmoil over party leadership. Joo is a five-term lawmaker who previously served as the party's floor leader in 2020. He won 61 out of 106 votes in a party floor leadership election held Monday, running against second-term lawmaker Rep. Lee Yong-ho, who earned 42 votes.  “I thank those who were concerned and those who helped,” Joo said after being el

Sept. 19, 2022

Yoon attends funeral, meets with king in UK

President Yoon Suk-yeol has begun a five-day overseas trip to London, New York and Ottawa, Ontario, beginning with an event hosted by the new king of Britain. He canceled the plan to visit Westminster Hall in London, where the queen's coffin was enshrined, due to traffic issues, but intends to attend the queen's funeral as scheduled. President Yoon and first lady Kim Keon-hee arrived at Stansted Airport north of London on Sunday afternoon and immediately headed to a reception hos

Sept. 19, 2022

PPP launches task force against Moon's solar panels project

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) launched a task force aimed at uncovering alleged corruption in the spending of government funds set aside to promote the installation of solar panels to enhance renewable energy generation in the previous administration. The move follows recent findings by the Office of Government Policy Coordination under the prime minister that identified 2,267 cases of irregularities over their use of the electricity industry funds over the past five years. An investigatio

Sept. 19, 2022

Yoon's approval rating edges up for 2nd consecutive week: poll

President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating rose for the second consecutive week thanks in part to the government's efforts on improving the economy and people's livelihoods, a poll showed Monday. In the poll of 2,015 voters conducted by Realmeter from Tuesday to Friday, 34.4 percent positively assessed Yoon's handling of state affairs, up 1.8 percentage points from the previous poll, while 63.2 percent gave a negative assessment, down 1.4 percentage points. This marks the seco

Sept. 19, 2022

Ruling party's ethics panel opens new disciplinary process against ex-leader

The ruling People Power Party's ethics committee initiated yet another disciplinary process Sunday against its former leader, Lee Jun-seok, under fire for his sharp criticism of President Yoon Suk-yeol and the party. The move came after PPP lawmakers called for disciplinary action against Lee last month, taking issue with his earlier broadsides seen as an angry reaction to his ouster in July from the party chairmanship over allegations of him receiving sexual services. In a press briefing, Le

Sept. 18, 2022

Construction plan for new state guest house discarded

President Yoon Suk-yeol has called off a plan to construct a new state guest house to replace Yeongbingwan, the former reception hall at Cheong Wa Dae, following criticism that the construction would be a waste of taxpayers' money. Previously at Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office and residence, Yeongbingwan functioned as a venue for the president to greet and serve guests. It has been closed following Yoon's decision to relocate to Yongsan-gu, central Seoul, as he took office earlier this y

Sept. 18, 2022

Yoon leaves for London, on 5-day trip to UK, US, Canada

President Yoon Suk-yeol is on a seven-day tour of the UK, US and Canada, where he will meet state leaders to strengthen security and economic cooperation and urge those attending the United Nations General Assembly to cooperate on the threat of North Korea. Yoon left Seoul Air Base for the UK on Sunday morning. This is his second overseas trip following the NATO summit in June. First lady Kim Keon-hee is also accompanying him on the tour. He will first attend Queen Elizabeth II's funera

Sept. 18, 2022

Yoon calls for thorough readiness for Typhoon Nanmadol

President Yoon Suk-yeol on Sunday instructed officials to maintain thorough readiness for Typhoon Nanmadol as the country's southern island of Jeju and the southeast coast are predicted to come under the typhoon's influence. Yoon made the instruction to Interior Minister Lee Sang-min at Seoul Air Base earlier in the morning before leaving for London for a three-nation trip that will also take him to the United States and Canada, a presidential spokesperson said in a written briefing. &

Sept. 18, 2022

Yoon orders scrapping of plan for new state guest house

  President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday ordered the government to scrap a contentious plan to build a state guest house at the new presidential compound. Earlier in the day, the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) slammed the government for requesting a massive budget for the project, saying the administration is squandering taxpayers' money on the unnecessary presidential office relocation. "After returning Cheong Wa Dae to the people, we tried to prepare a facility for state events, b

Sept. 16, 2022

Another W88b requested for presidential office relocation

Controversy over the relocation of the presidential office has been reignited yet again, following revelations that 87.8 billion won ($63 million) has been requested for the construction of a new building to replace Yeongbingwan. Yeongbingwan, the former state reception hall located at Cheong Wa Dae, which was previously the presidential office and residence, has been closed following President Yoon Suk-yeol's decision to relocate. In March, then-President-elect Yoon said it would cost 49.6

Sept. 16, 2022

Prosecutors raid 20 entities over opposition leader's third-party bribery allegations

Prosecutors raided Doosan Engineering & Construction Co. and 20 other institutions Friday in connection with allegations of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung's third-party bribery surrounding a corporate donation to a football club years ago. The case centers on the allegations that the city government of Seongnam, just south of Seoul, had attracted hefty donations from Doosan Engineering and other entities to a municipal football club in return for administrative favors in the mid-2010s, whe

Sept. 16, 2022

President Yoon appoints chief prosecutor and FTC chairman

President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday approved the appointment of Lee Won-seok as the administration's first chief prosecutor, ending the monthslong leadership vacuum at the prosecution. Yoon also confirmed the appointment of Han Ki-jeong, a Seoul National University law professor, as the chairman of the Fair Trade Commission. Yoon told reporters during a doorstep interview Friday morning that he decided to push ahead with the delayed appointments as many have pointed out the Cabinet vacancies. Th

Sept. 16, 2022

Yoon and ruling party blast Moon-era solar power projects

Solar power projects carried out during the Moon Jae-in administration appear likely to come under the scrutiny of law enforcement, raising speculations of a more far-reaching probe aimed at the previous government. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, President Yoon Suk-yeol said that alleged irregularities in solar power projects will be processed through the “standard legal system,” saying that the developments were “deplorable.” “The people’s taxes should be

Sept. 15, 2022

President Yoon to meet with Biden, Kishida bilaterally at UN

President Yoon Suk-yeol will meet US President Joe Biden and Japan's leader Fumio Kishida bilaterally on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the presidential office confirmed Thursday. Yoon will depart Sunday for a seven-day trip to the UK, the US and Canada. After attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London on Monday, Yoon will fly to New York to attend the 77th UN General Assembly. Kim Tae-hyo, the first deputy director of the National Security Office, told rep

Sept. 15, 2022

Artists investigated for Yoon satire

Police have launched an investigation over satirical posters of President Yoon Suk-yeol near the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul. The artist could be charged with violating public property, but is unlikely to be tried for defamation, given past cases. Yongsan Police Station in Seoul said that posters mocking Yoon were posted at a bus stop near Samgakji Station on Tuesday and launched an investigation. The posters show Yoon wearing a mask and undoing the front of a royal robe. His crotc

Sept. 15, 2022

Yoon condemns alleged corruption in previous government's power project

President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday condemned recent findings that 261.6 billion won ($187.5 million) of government money was misappropriated under a power project pursued under the previous Moon administration. Speaking to reporters as he arrived for work, Yoon called the findings by the Office of Government Policy Coordination under the prime minister "deplorable" and suggested the need for legal consequences. "It's truly deplorable that taxpayers' precious money, whic

Sept. 15, 2022

Constitutional Court begins deliberations on Cold War-era National Security Act

The Constitutional Court was to hold an open hearing Thursday on whether the National Security Act is constitutional, the first public hearing on the law enacted during the Cold War in response to threats from communist North Korea. The case follows a total of 11 petitions filed by individuals and district courts challenging the anti-communist law that was enacted in late 1948 in the height of ideological rivalries between the democratic South Korea and the communist North Korea. The law aims to

Sept. 15, 2022

Despite indictment, South Korea’s liberal opposition leader favored in new polls

New polls have shown a strong lead for main opposition Democratic Party of Korea chair Rep. Lee Jae-myung among voters on the left, while voters on the right did not have a clear favorite. In a Sept. 8-9 poll of 1,004 South Koreans aged 18 and older, conducted by polling company Next Research, 69.7 percent of liberal voters said they wanted Lee to run in the next presidential election. Lee enjoyed overwhelming support in the poll, ahead by a far margin over former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon u

Sept. 14, 2022