North Korea should work harder for dialogue: Moon

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday reiterated his willingness to build an integrated railway network for the peace on the Korean Peninsula during a visit to a groundbreaking ceremony for railroad construction in the Jejin railway project. On the same day, the North fired a suspected ballistic missile into the sea. “It could symbolically show our trust and willingness to connect the Donghae Line and Gyeongui Line, which the two Koreas agreed to pursue as a top priority in the Panmunjom De

Jan. 5, 2022

Main opposition party bogged down in power struggle

The main opposition People Power Party appears to be swamped with a power struggle, as the discord between the presidential candidate and his election campaign chief on running the campaign has come to the fore. As the election committee’s top chief, Kim Chong-in revealed to have excluded the party’s presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol in announcing the surprise renewal of the election committee, and reversing his on what he had agreed with Yoon, the presidential candid

Jan. 4, 2022

Cheong Wa Dae confident about stabilizing housing prices, pundits doubtful

The Korean government says the nation is moving toward stabilizing housing prices due to its supply and policy measures, but experts are scratching their heads. “(Cheong Wa Dae) has thoughts close to a conviction that housing prices have begun to stabilize,” said Park Soo-hyun, senior presidential secretary for public communication, in a local radio interview Tuesday. The nation’s housing prices have continuously increased during Moon’s administration, but a slowdown

Jan. 4, 2022

Moon calls for enhanced containment measures against spread of omicron variant

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday instructed his aides to make utmost efforts to contain the spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant, as health authorities warned that omicron is likely to soon replace the delta variant as the dominant strain in South Korea. Moon also called for officials to spare no efforts to provide compensation to small merchants and self-employed people who were hit by the government's imposing of tighter virus curbs. "The government should make utmost effo

Jan. 4, 2022

Lee says W30tr extra budget possible before end-Jan.

Ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung said Tuesday he believes it will be possible to draw up a supplementary budget of up to 30 trillion won ($25 billion) before the end of January to support pandemic-hit small businesses. Lee of the Democratic Party made the remark during a New Year's press conference, referring to his party's push to create an extra budget to help small merchants affected by the government's COVID-19 business restrictions. "I think it's certainly possible b

Jan. 4, 2022

[Election 2022] Feuding, gaffes, falling support put opposition campaign in crisis

Leaving just 66 days before the presidential election, the entire leadership of the main opposition People Power Party’s campaign committee resigned Monday, amid unending internal strife, constant gaffes and falling support. After the campaign chief Kim Chong-in announced earlier in the day that he would carry out a complete reform of the election committee, the party said all politicians holding a leader position at the election camp would resign from their posts, including all of the

Jan. 3, 2022

PPP launches campaign overhaul as Yoon's support drops

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Monday promised a sweeping overhaul of its campaign committee and shed a feminist politician unpopular among young male voters as the party scrambled to stop the declining support of its presidential nominee Yoon Suk-yeol. The party's floor leader, Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, and its chief policymaker, Rep. Kim Do-eup, also offered to leave their positions in a demonstration of their commitment to overhauling the campaign plagued by factional feuding. The

Jan. 3, 2022

Lee Jae-myung triumphs in early 2022 polls

Presidential nominee Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea has ranked top in all polling results this year, as South Korea has just over 60 days left until the March election. Continued turmoil within the main opposition People Power Party and the resulting fall in support of its presidential nominee Yoon Suk-yeol are all working in favor of Lee. Yoon has lost support from almost all age groups, including young voters in their 20s, as mistakes continued and allegations ensued.

Jan. 3, 2022

Moon hails S. Korea’s democratic ‘maturity’ in New Year’s address

President Moon Jae-in hailed progress in South Korean democracy in a New year’s address on Monday, saying it has “matured” and been recognized by the world. “The government, which was launched without a transition committee in the face of an impeachment of the president, unprecedented in constitutional history, straightened up the collapsed constitutional order and advanced democracy,” Moon said in a speech delivered on the main stairs of Cheong Wa Dae on Monday m

Jan. 3, 2022

PM stresses political neutrality, discipline ahead of key elections

Prime Minister Kim Boo-Kyum on Monday called on public servants to keep political neutrality and discipline as the country prepares for the presidential and local elections this year. "Please restrain from any activity that can be misinterpreted ahead of elections," Kim said at the government's new year kick-off ceremony in Seoul. "We will strictly deal with activities regarding producing or providing government policy data in an unofficial way." South Korea is scheduled

Jan. 3, 2022

What lies ahead for Korea’s new president

The next president, to be elected in March and take office in May, will have a host of urgent issues. Korea’s economy has been hit hard by the prolonged pandemic. Millions of small business owners and self-employed people are burdened with mounting debts. Housing prices have soared. The deepening US-China rivalry is posing a tricky policy challenge. Relations with the North and with Japan have turned sour. Whoever becomes a new president, their top priority will, above all, be respondin

Jan. 2, 2022

[Election 2022] Ruling party candidate to accept cryptocurrency for campaign donations

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, will accept cryptocurrency for campaign donations, his party said on Sunday, amid growing interest in virtual assets among young voters. According to Lee’s election committee, it will issue nonfungible tokens as receipts to those who donate virtual currencies to support the presidential nominee, starting from mid-January. Bitcoin, Ethereum and up to three other cryptocurrencies are under review. The committ

Jan. 2, 2022

Yoon pledges ‘digital platform’ for government services, affairs

The main opposition People Power Party’s presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol on Sunday pledged to establish a digital system to integrate all government portals into one platform, and to provide “personalized” services to the people. “I want to transform the government into a digital platform government, which provides services to the people based on digital technology and big data,” Yoon said. Yoon said that the envisioned digital platform would “accurate

Jan. 2, 2022

Moon expects March presidential election to bring hope for future

President Moon Jae-in said Saturday he expects the upcoming presidential election to bring hope for the future, with people expected to vote in a tight race in March between two main candidates.  "An election to pick a new president lies ahead," Moon said in a New Year's message posted on social media, adding he "expects an election that assures hope for the future together with people."  The presidential election will be held on March 9, and recent polls showed

Jan. 1, 2022

Yoon’s ‘Am I an idiot?’ remark turns into a viral meme

The conservative opposition People Power Party‘s presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl asked the rhetorical question on Wednesday if he is an “idiot” to take part in a TV debate with his liberal rival Lee Jae-myung. His remark has now become a viral meme in online communities. At a campaign event on Wednesday in Andong, a conservative stronghold, Yoon dismissed a proposal by the candidate from the ruling Democratic Party to debate him. “The Democratic Party candidate w

Dec. 31, 2021

Yoon stresses corruption probe of ex-president Park was not personal

Main opposition presidential nominee Yoon Suk-yeol stressed Friday that his investigation of former President Park Geun-hye was carried out in the line of duty as a senior prosecutor amid speculation her release from prison could hurt his election chances. Park became a free woman at midnight under a presidential pardon after serving nearly five years in prison. Her release puts Yoon of the People Power Party (PPP) in an awkward position as he headed the investigation of Park's corruption scand

Dec. 31, 2021

People Power Party strife peaks to extend into 2022

Strife within the main opposition People Power Party has reached its peak and is expected to carry onto 2022, as the latest attempt to bring peace fell short amid dwindling support for presidential nominee Yoon Suk-yeol on the last day of 2021. Kim Chong-in, head of Yoon’s presidential election campaign committee, said Friday his attempt to bring People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok back to the team failed after the two held a meeting over lunch in Seoul the same day. "Whet

Dec. 31, 2021

Assembly passes bill on lowering age of candidacy for parliament to 18

The National Assembly on Friday passed a bill that lowers the age of candidacy for parliament and local elections from 25 to 18. Under the bill, which is expected to be endorsed by the Cabinet next month, anyone aged 18 and above can run for a seat in the National Assembly starting with the by-elections slated for March 9, when the presidential election will be held simultaneously. At least five seats will be up for grabs in the 300-seat Assembly. The bill passed 204-12, with 10 abstentions.

Dec. 31, 2021

Yoon accuses CIO of being 'out of mind' over alleged surveillance

Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition party, on Thursday denounced the anti-corruption agency for checking phone logs of his family and dozens of lawmakers from his party. The day before, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials came under fire over revelations that it had checked phone logs of hundreds of people, including the People Power Party’s presidential candidate and some 80 lawmakers from the conservative opposition party. &ldqu

Dec. 30, 2021

Yoon says he wants to meet ex-President Park

Main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol said Thursday he wants to pay a visit to former President Park Geun-hye when she recovers her health, as Park was to be set free later in the day under a presidential pardon. Park's release puts Yoon in an awkward position as he headed the investigation of Park's corruption scandal in 2016 that eventually led to her impeachment, ouster from office and imprisonment. "I would like to visit and meet former President Park Geun-hye when she

Dec. 30, 2021