Yoon vows not to exploit Seoul-Tokyo tensions for political gain

Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential nominee of the main opposition People Power Party, said Thursday he will not exploit historical tensions between South Korea and Japan for domestic political gain. Speaking at a forum on Seoul-Tokyo relations, Yoon accused the Moon Jae-in administration of plunging the bilateral relationship to its worst level since the sides normalized ties in 1965 by bringing the issue of "foreign relations into domestic politics, instead of putting national interests fir

Nov. 25, 2021

Lee says nothing should stop end-of-war declaration

Ruling Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung said Thursday nothing should stop the ongoing push to declare a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War, stressing opposing such a declaration amounts to helping Japan's national interests. Lee made the remark during a forum on Seoul-Tokyo relations, referring to the Moon Jae-in administration's push to use an end-of-war declaration to revive peace talks with North Korea. The three-year conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty

Nov. 25, 2021

Moon says violence against women must be prevented

President Moon Jae-in called Thusday for greater efforts to protect women from violence and abuse as he marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women days after a woman was killed by her ex-boyfriend despite being under police protection. "My heart aches, as there are still women falling victim to violence," Moon said in a Facebook posting marking the UN-designated day. "I will keep improving the system ... and do my best to root out violence against

Nov. 25, 2021

Assembly speaker meets WHO chief to discuss vaccines, N. Korea aid

National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug met with the World Health Organization (WHO) chief to discuss cooperation on vaccines and humanitarian aid to North Korea, his office said Wednesday. During the meeting with WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Park also emphasized that South Korea is the "optimal location" for a bio and vaccine workforce development hub planned by the WHO, the office said. "Korea is equipped with the educational infrastructure and global v

Nov. 24, 2021

Lee hopes to turn crisis into opportunity with ‘government-led investment’ for SMEs

The Democratic Party of Korea’s Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday pledged to increase support for small and medium-sized businesses, vowing to boost the pandemic-hit economy with “government-led investment” should he be elected president. On Wednesday, Lee announced his vision for small and medium-sized businesses at the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business in Yeouido, western Seoul. As a factory worker-turned-politician, Lee has positioned himself as a labor-friendly figu

Nov. 24, 2021

Ruling party officials offer to resign en masse to shake up presidential campaign

Senior officials of the ruling Democratic Party offered to resign en masse on Wednesday, saying they hope to inject fresh vigor into the flailing campaign of its presidential nominee Lee Jae-myung. Rep. Youn Kwan-suk, the party's secretary-general, said the decision involved himself and four other lawmakers in political posts who wished to "put the party before self." The others are chief policymaker Park Wan-joo, deputy chief policymaker You Dong-soo, chief spokesperson Koh Yong-jin

Nov. 24, 2021

[KH Explains] Undoing Moon’s policies, or going beyond them?

The presidential race is heating up, with contenders from the two largest parties -- Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea and Yoon Seok-youl of the People Power Party -- dominating the news. However, there are four candidates backed by parties with a presence in the National Assembly. In addition to the two leading candidates, Sim Sang-jung of the Justice Party and Ahn Cheol-soo of the People’s Party are in the running. Following is a close look at the four party-backed candi

Nov. 24, 2021

Ex-chief aide of DP presidential candidate Lee questioned over development scandal

Prosecutors questioned a former chief secretary to Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party, on Wednesday in connection with a far-reaching corruption scandal surrounding a development project undertaken in the city of Seongnam when Lee was mayor. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office summoned Lim Seong-min, who served as Lee's chief of staff while he was serving as Seongnam mayor, for questioning as a witness earlier in the day, according to officials.

Nov. 24, 2021

Yoon leads Lee by smaller margin than before in presidential race: survey

Main opposition People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl is leading his ruling Democratic Party rival, Lee Jae-myung, by a smaller margin than before in a hypothetical multicandidate race, a survey showed Wednesday. Yoon garnered 44.1 percent support against Lee's 37 percent in the survey of 1,011 adults conducted Monday and Tuesday, according to Realmeter. The difference was down to 7.1 percentage points from 9.8 points two weeks ago after Yoon lost 0.3 point and Lee gained 2.

Nov. 24, 2021

Virus situation in capital area urgent: PM

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Wednesday the country's virus situation is worse than expected, especially in the capital area, urging health authorities to beef up containment measures. Kim pointed out that the Seoul metropolitan area, home to half of the country's population, is in an urgent situation and needs to consider imposing an emergency COVID-19 response plan based on health authorities' virus risk assessment. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday, health authorities and local governments had repo

Nov. 24, 2021

President Moon praises BTS, shies away from speaking about late ex-dictator Chun Doo-hwan

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday had a lengthy message to share about K-pop group BTS’ winning of three trophies at this year’s American Music Awards. But he apparently had little to say about Chun Doo-hwan, Korea’s president from 1980 to 1988, who died on Tuesday morning. “Rest in peace. Condolences to the family members,” his spokesperson said during a press briefing late in the afternoon. Chun’s passing was earlier in the morning. The Korean sentences wer

Nov. 23, 2021

‘Kingmaker’ Kim Chong-in rejects Yoon’s election committee recruitment

Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential candidate for the main opposition People Power Party, is struggling to finalize his election committee, with Kim Chong-in hinting at a possible rift within the ranks. Kim, a veteran election campaigner who was asked to lead Yoon’s election committee, said on Tuesday he “does not want to talk about politics anymore” and that he would “return to his daily life,” hinting that he will not play a role in supporting Yoon in March’s

Nov. 23, 2021

Ruling party presidential candidate promises ‘digital transition’

Ruling Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung on Tuesday pledged to create more than 2 million jobs through the country’s “digital transition.” Lee, a former Gyeonggi Province governor, announced his plans for the digital transition at the party’s headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. Although Lee had shared election pledges on social media on multiple occasions, it was his first official announcement through his election campaign committee. “As technolo

Nov. 23, 2021

Chun Doo-hwan: Symbol of bloody, divided past

Former President Chun Doo-hwan, one of the most controversial figures in South Korea’s recent history, died Tuesday at the age of 90. Chun, who died after suffering from multiple myeloma in his later years, leaves behind a bloody and troublesome legacy largely due to a 1979 military coup that led to a bloody crackdown on the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising. The Army general-turned-politician was born as the fourth son of 10 children in Hapcheon County, South Gyeongsang Province, in 193

Nov. 23, 2021

Korea, Costa Rica raise bilateral relations into ‘action-oriented’

South Korea and Costa Rica will upgrade relations and boost their partnership in various fields, the two sides revealed after a summit between President Moon Jae-in and Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado Quesada in Seoul on Tuesday. At the summit, the two leaders agreed to develop bilateral relations into an “action-oriented comprehensive partnership” from the current comprehensive partnership and adopted a joint declaration to promote collaboration. “Next year is a speci

Nov. 23, 2021

Libel trial against ex-President Chun expected to end

GWANGJU -- A libel trial against former President Chun Doo-hwan is expected to come to an end with his death Tuesday. Chun has been on trial for allegedly defaming a late priest, Cho Pius, who claimed he witnessed Chun's troops shooting from helicopters at pro-democracy demonstrators in the southwestern city of Gwangju in 1980. Chun called the priest a "shameless liar" in his controversial memoir published in 2017. In November last year, the Gwangju District Court sentenced Chun to e

Nov. 23, 2021

PM rules out possibility of Cabinet reshuffle

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum has ruled out the possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle in the final months of the current administration amid rumors some Cabinet members could quit to run in next year's local elections. "It makes no sense," Kim said during his press meeting Monday in the central city of Sejong. "There are only six months left of this government's term, so how can we do a reshuffle?" Rumors have been circulating recently that Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki may run

Nov. 23, 2021

Why politicians head to national cemeteries in election season

South Korea’s two presidential front-runners -- Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Yoon Seok-youl of the major opposition People Power Party -- paid their respects at the Seoul and Daejeon national cemeteries soon after winning their parties’ primaries. “The state’s first duty is the security to protect the national community,” Lee said during his visit to the Daejeon National Cemetery on Oct. 11, a day after winning the primary. “Of

Nov. 22, 2021

Imprisoned ex-President Park admitted to hospital for 3rd time this year

Jailed former President Park Geun-hye was admitted to a hospital on Monday for an unspecified illness, officials said. According to the justice ministry, Park was transferred from the Seoul Detention Center, where she is serving her 22-year prison term, to the Samsung Medical Center in southern Seoul earlier in the day and was receiving treatment. It marked her third hospitalization this year. Park, 69, was previously hospitalized in January and July in connection to her left shoulder surgery

Nov. 22, 2021

Lee and Yoon emphasize fairness, growth in neck-to-neck race for presidency

The presidential nominees of the ruling and main opposition blocs on Monday avowed fairness and growth, with the two widely differing in how they would go about approaching the goals. Lee Jae-myung, presidential nominee for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, said Monday at a forum held by TV Chosun that he envisions a South Korea where there is fair competition and where ample opportunities exist for those in need. "The divide and conflict in our society are extreme, especially those f

Nov. 22, 2021