[Photo News] Election Day scenes in S. Korea

South Koreans across the country headed to the polls Wednesday morning in nationwide local elections, results of which could determine how much momentum the newly launched Yoon Suk-yeol administration will have in pushing its agendas. The voting booths opened at 6 a.m. across the country, with 17 leadership positions at metropolitan or provincial levels, 226 heads of lower-level administrative levels at stake. The elections will also pick the seats at metropolitan, provincial and lower-level re

June 1, 2022

Local election results likely to be known as early as midnight

The winners of Wednesday’s local elections will likely emerge around midnight, some four hours after the polls close, according to the National Election Commission. The vote count begins at around 8 p.m. after ballot boxes are moved to the local election commissions’ ballot counting stations across the country. One hour later, the vote count is expected to start being revealed to the public in real time. Early signs of the outcome of the elections for the heads of the 17 metropol

June 1, 2022

Koreans head to polls in local elections

South Koreans voted Wednesday to elect mayors, governors, local council members and regional education chiefs in nationwide local elections that could determine whether the newly inaugurated government of President Yoon Suk-yeol can powerfully push its agenda in its first years. Up for grabs in this year‘s local elections are 17 metropolitan mayoralties and provincial governorships, 226 lower-level administrative leadership positions, as well as 872 seats in provincial and metropolitan c

June 1, 2022

What to watch for in 2022 local elections

South Korean voters are heading to the polls again on Wednesday for local elections, just three months after the 20th presidential election in early March. Occurring every four years, the local elections will determine the new heads of autonomous local government units and members of local councils, including the two high-profile posts of Seoul mayor and Gyeonggi Province governor. The total number of public offices up for grabs are nearly 4,000. The stake, however, goes beyond the control of

May 31, 2022

[Newsmaker] 2022 local elections by the numbers

The 2022 local elections are upon us. Here’s a quick look at the vote by key numbers. 2.2 percent This is the first local election in which 18-year-olds can cast ballots. They already hit the polls during the presidential election in March after the voting age was lowered from 19 to 18 in late 2019. The number of 18- and 19-year-old voters stands at 973,335, or 2.2 percent of the country‘s 44.3 million eligible voters. 7 sheets In the June 1 elections, most voters will

May 31, 2022

Yoon’s office flip-flops on independent inspector role after criticism

The presidential office has backtracked on its stance on abolishing the role of an independent inspector general as criticism arose even within the ruling bloc, saying it would not get rid of the position. A senior official from the presidential office told reporters Tuesday, “We are sorry that it seemed like we were discussing the premise of abolishing (the position of) the independent inspector general.” “We are reviewing a good system -- including an independent inspect

May 31, 2022

Parties wrap up campaigns for local elections with visits to key battlegrounds

Campaigns for the local elections and parliamentary by-elections wrapped up Tuesday, with political parties’ heavyweights focusing on major battlegrounds to draw voters to polling stations on Wednesday. Leadership figures with the ruling People Power Party spent much of their energy rallying support in Gyeonggi Province, where its gubernatorial candidate Kim Eun-hye is seen to be in a tight race against Kim Dong-yeon of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Rep. Kweon Seong-dong

May 31, 2022

Rival parties make last-ditch appeals for support on eve of local elections

The rival parties made last-ditch efforts Tuesday to woo undecided voters on the eve of nationwide local elections amid expectations the results will boost or weaken the mandate of the new government of President Yoon Suk-yeol. Up for grabs in Wednesday's elections are 17 metropolitan mayors and provincial governors, 226 lower-level council heads, as well as 779 seats in provincial and metropolitan councils, and 2,602 in lower-level local councils. Also at stake will be seven National Assem

May 31, 2022

Gimpo International Airport closure pledge draws heated debate

Whether to close down Gimpo International Airport has suddenly risen as a major topic in political circles, with just days left until local elections and parliamentary by-elections on Wednesday. Major figures within the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea have vowed to work toward closing the airport and lifting regulatory restrictions from its surrounding area. Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party candidate in a parliamentary by-election for the Gyeyang-gu constituency in Incheon, pledge

May 30, 2022

Yoon not to appoint special inspector for president's family, aides

President Yoon Suk-yeol will not appoint a special inspector charged with investigating corruption among the president's family members and senior aides in line with his commitment to giving all investigations to the prosecution and police, an official said Monday. The office of the special inspector was established under then President Park Geun-hye in 2014 to conduct investigations into alleged irregularities committed by the president's spouse, close relatives up to and including fi

May 30, 2022

Cabinet endorses W62tr extra budget

The Cabinet on Monday approved a 62 trillion-won ($49.4 billion) extra budget aimed mainly at helping small merchants affected by the pandemic. The spending plan was passed at an extraordinary Cabinet session presided over by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. The National Assembly passed the extra budget bill Sunday, just three days before the local elections. The bill was approved in a plenary session after the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party agreed to add 2.6 tri

May 30, 2022

[Herald Interview] Kim Tae-heum vows to end DP’s 12-year reign in S. Chungcheong

Kim Tae-heum, the ruling People Power Party’s candidate for the South Chungcheong gubernatorial election, pledged to end the main opposition party’s 12-year reign in South Chungcheong Province. “I will make South Chungcheong Province free of the arrogance, incapability and immorality that the Democratic Party has shown over the last 12 years,” Kim said in an email interview with The Korea Herald. Calling the Democratic Party’s 12-year reign a “failure,&ldquo

May 29, 2022

[Herald Interview] Yang Seung-jo seeks reelection to complete pending work

Yang Seung-jo, the Democratic Party’s candidate for the South Chungcheong gubernatorial election, said he aims to win a second term in the upcoming local election to complete what he started for the province’s more robust and balanced economic development. “South Chungcheong Province needs a governor with capability and experience for the region’s development without discontinuity,” Yang said, expressing hopes for a second term in an email interview with The Korea

May 29, 2022

Ruling, opposition parties agree on W62tr extra budget

The ruling and opposition parties agreed Sunday on a 62 trillion-won ($49.4 billion) extra budget aimed mainly at helping pandemic-battered small merchants and others, a ruling party official said. Kweon Sung-dong, floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, said he and his Democratic Party counterpart, Park Hong-geun, reached the agreement to handle the supplementary budget bill at a parliamentary plenary session to open at 7:30 p.m. The rival parties had been at loggerheads over details of

May 29, 2022

Yoon congratulates Cannes-winning director Park, actor Song

President Yoon Suk-yeol on Sunday congratulated director Park Chan-wook and actor Song Kang-ho on winning the best director and the best actor awards at the Cannes Film Festival, saying the prizes confirmed the competitiveness of the Korean movie industry. In a message to Park, Yoon praised the director's Cannes-winning movie "Decision To Leave," saying it "again confirmed the Korean movie's unique originality and outstanding competitiveness." In a separate message,

May 29, 2022

Koreans hit polls on last day of early voting for local elections

South Koreans headed to the polls Saturday on the second and last day of early voting for next week's nationwide local elections and parliamentary by-elections as the ruling and main opposition parties made last-minute pitches for support.  The first-day turnout reached 10.18 percent, which was higher than 8.77 percent in the 2018 local elections. Of the 44.3 million eligible voters, 4.5 million cast their ballots on Friday, according to the National Election Commission (NEC).  

May 28, 2022

PM says will seek new nominee for gov't policy coordination chief

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Saturday he will try to find a new nominee after a former official reportedly tipped as the head of government policy coordination showed his intent not to accept the nomination.    "This is a decision he made feeling pressure as discussions were under way. So I hope the people will respect it," Han told Yonhap News Agency by phone. "We'll swiftly begin (the process of selecting a new nominee)."    Yoon Jong-won, chief

May 28, 2022

Plenary session for extra budget canceled, expected to be held Sunday

The ruling and main opposition parties agreed Saturday to cancel the National Assembly plenary session initially expected to be held later in the day to deal with an extra budget bill.    The ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party tentatively agreed to hold the session at 7:30 p.m. Sunday instead.    The PPP and the DP have been at loggerheads for weeks over the size of the supplementary budget for compensating small businesses hit by the COV

May 28, 2022

Political parties remain in conflict over Yoon administration’s extra budget proposal

South Korea’s political circle is yet to reach a compromise over the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s supplementary budget proposal made earlier this month, with prospects remaining unclear whether the proposal will pass the final vote at the National Assembly this month. Floor leaders of the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea announced Friday that the two failed to reach a deal on the budget proposal despite holding a two-hour discussion over

May 27, 2022

Early voting starts for June 1 elections

Early voting started for the 8th local elections and parliamentary by-elections Friday, as South Korea carries out its fourth public official election during the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Election Commission on Friday opened early voting at 3,551 polling stations across the country, and voters have been rushing to nearby voting booths to cast their ballots in a fierce two-way battle between the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Polling stations

May 27, 2022