Yoon says he doesn't want change status quo changed by force in N. Korea

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Wednesday that South Korea cannot provide North Korea with security guarantees, but he does not want the status quo changed "unreasonably or by force." The remark, made in a press conference marking his 100 days in office, was seen as yet another olive branch to Pyongyang, days after he unveiled what he described as an "audacious" offer to rebuild the North's economy if the regime takes substantial steps toward denuclearization. "Guaranteeing

Aug. 17, 2022

DP set on approving controversial 'bulletproof' party charter

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) was set Wednesday to endorse a revision to its charter aimed at raising the bar for party membership suspension for those facing criminal charges amid criticism it is aimed at shielding former presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung. The party's national convention preparatory committee adopted the envisioned revision a day earlier to state that only those convicted in the first trial would have their party membership suspended. Under the current chart

Aug. 17, 2022

Court to review injunction filed by former PPP chair against leadership switch

A Seoul court is set to hold a hearing Wednesday to review an injunction filed by the former chairman of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), Lee Jun-seok, against the party's leadership switch. The hearing comes a day after the PPP endorsed members of its emergency leadership committee, completing the leadership transition that removes then suspended party chief Lee Jun-seok from office. Five-time Rep. Joo Ho-young was named the committee's chief. Protesting the transition, Lee filed

Aug. 17, 2022

Homes of ex-ministers, spy chief searched in civil servant death probe

South Korean prosecutors searched the houses of Park Jie-won, Suh Hoon and Suh Wook in an investigation into allegations surrounding the death of a South Korean civil servant. 　Park served as the head of the National Intelligence Service, Suh Wook was the defense minister, and Suh Hoon was the head of the presidential National Security Council at the time of the civil servant’s death in 2020. The civil servant, 47-year old Lee Dae-jun, was killed by North Korean soldiers on Sept. 22, 202

Aug. 16, 2022

Yoon hints at reorganizing presidential office

President Yoon Suk-yeol hinted at reorganizing the presidential office, saying he intends to “make changes” meticulously and substantially for the people as his approval ratings show no sign of rebounding. It was once expected that a full personnel reshuffle would take place ahead of the 100th day of his office’s inauguration, but Yoon is likely to reorganize his office in a way that reinforces some functions, including public relations and government affairs. Asked wheth

Aug. 16, 2022

PM urges new disaster response system to cope with climate change

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Tuesday called for a new disaster response system to cope with climate change, as the heaviest rainfall in decades battered Seoul and its surrounding areas last week. "Due to climate change, unprecedented disasters have frequently occurred," Han told a Cabinet meeting, emphasizing the need to come up with a new response system to deal with natural disasters caused by climate change. "In line with environmental changes, safety management standards mus

Aug. 16, 2022

Lawmakers from S. Korea, Japan to visit Washington as part of State Department program

Lawmakers from South Korea and Japan will visit Washington later this week as part of a US State Department invitation program, where they are expected to discuss various pending issues, including strengthening trilateral cooperation, officials said Tuesday. The South Korean participants are National Assembly Vice Speaker Chung Jin-suk, Reps. Kim Seok-ki and Kim Jung-jae from the ruling People Power Party, and Reps. Kim Han-jung and Lee Jae-jung from the main opposition Democratic Party, accordi

Aug. 16, 2022

Conservative activists hold rally in downtown Seoul on Liberation Day

Conservative activists held a massive rally in downtown Seoul on Monday to celebrate Liberation Day, despite lingering concerns over COVID-19. About 20,000 members, according to police, of the far-right Liberty Unification Party led by Rev. Jun Kwang-hoon gathered in Gwanghwamun Square, which reopened earlier this month after a major facelift. Jun is a conservative pastor of Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul, known for his inflammatory speeches attacking liberal former President Moon Jae-in. Pr

Aug. 15, 2022

[Newsmaker] Yoon likely to opt for ‘small’ reshuffle

The president may be looking to strengthen his office’s public appeal, in a move to subdue growing calls for a major reshuffle. According to reports citing a high level ruling bloc official, President Yoon Suk-yeol is considering a “small” reshuffle of his aides, focused on “strengthening” the presidential office. Talks of a reshuffle within the presidential office gained momentum following Education Minister Park Soon-ae’s resignation on Aug. 8, after co

Aug. 15, 2022

'Angry young men' are turning their backs on Yoon

“Disgruntled young men” were one of the main forces behind the rise of a political novice named Yoon Suk-yeol to the highest office in South Korea earlier this year. Yoon, whose career had been entirely focused on rounding up bad guys as a state prosecutor, was hoped to restore justice in a society that they say was tilted in favor of feminists, labor unions and North Korean sympathizers. A few months after his election, however, the mood among younger conservative men appears t

Aug. 15, 2022

Ruling party faces intensifying internal conflict

The ruling People Power Party’s internal conflict appears likely to continue, with a party leadership contender launching another volley of criticism at the former chair‘s actions. Na Kyung-won, a former four-term People Power Party lawmaker, on Monday berated Lee Jun-seok, the suspended chairman of the same party, for his scathing press conference attacking the party held over the weekend. Na claimed that he “threw a bomb” at the party by making a speech undermining fe

Aug. 15, 2022

Suspended ruling party chief again cries foul over leadership switch

The suspended chairman of the ruling People Power Party, Lee Jun-seok, again cried foul Saturday over a party leadership switch, which he claims is aimed at removing him from his position. 　The PPP’s move to switch to an emergency leadership system is “unfair” and “nonsense,” Lee told reporters in a news conference held just a few days after the PPP amended the party charter to switch to an emergency leadership system and named five-term Rep. Joo Ho-young as the in

Aug. 14, 2022

South Korea pardons chaebol chiefs to help COVID-19 recovery

Chaebol bosses -- most notably of Samsung and Lotte -- are being given special presidential pardons and being bailed out of jail in light of the economic crisis triggered by the pandemic. The first round of special pardons by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration was issued in consideration of the “economic fallout from COVID-19 and stagnant recovery, as well as inflation that is associated with the hardships of many South Korean households,” according to the Ministry of Justice on Frid

Aug. 12, 2022

Yoon expected to hold press conference to mark 100 days in office

President Yoon Suk-yeol is expected to hold a press conference next week to mark his first 100 days in office, a presidential official said Friday. The press conference will be held at the presidential office on Wednesday to coincide with the 100th day and last around 50 minutes, according to the official. It would be Yoon's first formal press conference, though he has spoken to reporters on a near daily basis while arriving for work. (Yonhap)

Aug. 12, 2022

PPP to take disciplinary action against lawmaker for insensitive remarks during cleanup work

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) is expected to take disciplinary action against a party lawmaker after he came under fire for making remarks wishing for more rain during voluntary cleanup work in the wake of massive downpours. Rep. Kim Sung-won drew strong criticism after he was caught on TV camera saying he wishes more rain would fall for better public relations effects of their voluntary work, even though the downpours, believed to be the heaviest in 115 years, caused serious flooding in S

Aug. 12, 2022

Govt. to swiftly take steps to designate rain-hit areas as special disaster zone

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Friday instructed the government to swiftly take steps to designate areas that were hit by heavy rains early this week as a special disaster zone. If designated, the rain-hit areas will be eligible for the government's financial support in recovery work, relief funds for victims and other benefits. "The government will make its utmost efforts to stabilize the lives of residents in the affected areas and to support a swift recovery," Han said during a

Aug. 12, 2022

Ex-President Lee Myung-bak likely to be excluded from pardon list

President Yoon Suk-yeol is likely to exclude politicians, including former President Lee Myung-bak, from the list of special pardons for National Liberation Day on Aug. 15, apparently because he is mindful of public opposition to the pardon of politicians amid low approval ratings. Yoon has hinted at a possible pardon for former Lee since taking office. In early June, he told reporters during a morning press briefing that it is “not right” for Lee to serve 20-something years in pr

Aug. 11, 2022

PM holds meeting on recovery work in rain-hit areas

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo held a meeting with relevant authorities to review how the recovery from this week's heavy rain damage has progressed, Han's office said Thursday. Two days of the heaviest rainfall in 80 years battered Seoul and its surrounding areas, killing 11 people, with eight people still remained missing. About 1,000 pieces of heavy equipment have been mobilized for recovery work and some 2,200 soldiers are set to assist cleanup efforts, the office said. Of 4,047 tasks

Aug. 11, 2022

Unification ministry expresses regret over 'groundless claims' on origin of its COVID-19 outbreak

South Korea's unification ministry on Thursday voiced strong regret over North Korea's claim that its COVID-19 outbreak had originated from the South and its threats of an unspecified retaliatory step. Earlier in the day, Pyongyang's state media reported that leader Kim Jong-un held a national meeting the previous day and declared victory in the campaign against COVID-19. During the session, his younger sister Kim Yo-jong, who serves as vice department director of the Central Comm

Aug. 11, 2022

Minor candidate proposes candidacy merger in DP leadership race

One of the two trailing candidates in the race for chairmanship of the main opposition Democratic Party said Thursday he is willing to merge candidacies with the other in any way in order to defeat front-runner and former presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung. Reps. Park Yong-jin and Kang Hoon-sik have been trailing Lee by wide margins in the DP leadership race. After four out of 15 primaries, Lee has won 74.5 percent of the vote so far, reinforcing the widespread belief that he will be elected l

Aug. 11, 2022