Cheong Wa Dae official rejects notion of S. Korea-US rift over end-of-war declaration

South Korea and the United States may have "somewhat different perspectives" on the issue of declaring a formal end to the Korean War, but the perspectives should not be seen as a "difference of views," a senior Cheong Wa Dae official said Thursday. Park Soo-hyun, senior Cheong Wa Dae secretary for public communication, made the remark in response to speculation that Washington is reluctant to support President Moon Jae-in's vision for an end-of-war declaration that would ju

Oct. 28, 2021

Chinese Amb. Xing pays tribute to ex-President Roh

The top Chinese envoy here expressed condolences Thursday over the death of former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo, who formally established diplomatic ties between the two nations during his presidency. Ambassador Xing Haiming said Roh is "an old friend" of China who changed the regional security dynamic by establishing relations with China in 1992 and deciding to sever South Korea's ties with Taiwan. "(We) won't forget that (Roh) made a big decision to forge diplomatic rela

Oct. 28, 2021

Constitutional Court set to rule on impeachment motion of ex-judge accused of trial meddling

The Constitutional Court was set to rule Thursday on whether to accept the National Assembly's impeachment of a judge, now retired, accused of meddling in politically sensitive trials chaired by other judges during the previous administration. The National Assembly voted on Feb. 4 to impeach Lim Seong-geun, then a judge at the Busan High Court, for allegedly meddling in several sensitive cases in the past, most notably a libel case filed by the former Park Geun-hye government against a Japanese

Oct. 28, 2021

Moon leaves for Italy for meeting with Pope Francis, G20 on Europe swing

President Moon Jae-in was set to leave for Italy on Thursday for a meeting with Pope Francis and a G20 summit with other global leaders expected to focus on tackling climate crisis and helping the world end the COVID-19 pandemic. On Friday, Moon will meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican to discuss peace on the Korean Peninsula and efforts to end the pandemic. Moon and Pope Francis are expected to exchange their wisdom to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula and resolve pending global issues,

Oct. 28, 2021

Moon pays respects to Roh, won’t attend funeral

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday relayed condolences and praised the achievements of his early predecessor Roh Tae-woo, the country’s first directly elected president, who died of illness a day earlier at the age of 88. “President Moon Jae-in wished for the deceased to rest in peace, and relayed condolences to the family,” Moon’s spokesperson Park Kyung-mee said. “(Moon) said that while former President Roh Tae-woo’s faults such as suppressing the May 18

Oct. 27, 2021

Jeju April 3 incident victims to receive record state compensation

The government plans to pay about 960 billion won ($820 million) to the victims of the bloody 1948-1954 suppression of a civilian uprising on Jeju Island, the interior ministry said Wednesday, marking the largest state compensation for civilian victims connected to past tragedies. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said the government has finalized the plan to pay compensation of 90 million won per person to 10,101 victims of the so-called Jeju April 3 incident. If the individual compensati

Oct. 27, 2021

Late ex-President Roh asks democracy uprising victims for forgiveness in last will

Former President Roh Tae-woo used his last will to ask for forgiveness from victims of the military's brutal crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising in the southwestern city of Gwangju in 1980, his son said Wednesday. Roh Jae-heon unveiled the will of his father, who died Tuesday of chronic illness at age 88, to reporters at a funeral altar for the late president in Seoul. "He thought he had infinite responsibility for all things that happened, whether it is good or bad, because he cared a

Oct. 27, 2021

Moon prays for late ex-President Roh while noting 'faults' of coup, bloody crackdown

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday expressed his condolences to late former President Roh Tae-woo, crediting the deceased with foreign policy achievements but also describing his involvement in a coup and the brutal crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising as "faults." The measured message by Moon, which came a day after Roh died at age 88, suggested that soul-searching had taken place to determine the right balance between paying respect to a late predecessor and public sentiment critic

Oct. 27, 2021

Former president Roh given state funeral

Former President Roh Tae-woo will be given a state funeral, the prime minister said Wednesday, citing his achievements as president. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said at a Cabinet meeting Wednesday, “While serving as the 13th president, the deceased made many achievements in the country’s development. The government will honor his achievements with the people through a state funeral.” Kim told the Ministry of Public Administration and Security and related ministries to thorou

Oct. 27, 2021

Cabinet approves greenhouse gas reduction target

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the government's pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 2018 levels by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The pledge, which was passed at a Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, represents a significant raise in the country's previous greenhouse gas reduction target of 26.3 percent. President Moon Jae-in plans to introduce the country's vision globally in person at the 26th United Nations Climate Change C

Oct. 27, 2021

Cabinet to discuss proposal to hold state funeral for late ex-President Roh

The government will hold a Cabinet meeting Wednesday to discuss whether to hold a state funeral for late former President Roh Tae-woo, the country's last general-turned-president accused of deep involvement in a coup and the bloody crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising. The Cabinet meeting is aimed at holding discussions on a state funeral proposal but tabling the proposal at a Cabinet meeting itself raised views that the government was close to deciding to hold a state funeral for him. Presid

Oct. 27, 2021

Moon's office faces dilemma over state funeral for ex-leader Roh

The office of President Moon Jae-in was mulling how much courtesy to extend to late former President Roh Tae-woo, including whether to hold a state funeral for the country's last general-turned-president accused of deep involvement in a coup and the bloody crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising. Moon has not issued any message yet since Roh died Tuesday at age 88, suggesting that soul-searching is under way to determine the right balance between paying respect to a late predecessor and public se

Oct. 27, 2021

Death of ex-President Roh raises mixed reactions

The news of former President Roh Tae-woo’s death on Tuesday was met with mixed reactions. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea expressed condolences, but also pointed to his part in military regimes. Saying that the party wishes for Roh to rest in peace, Democratic Party spokesperson Rep. Lee Yong-bin said the late ex-president extended military rule despite being elected democratically, and that he was a “criminal in history” for his part in crushing the 1980 Gwangju Democ

Oct. 26, 2021

Former President Roh, a key man in military coup and witness to democratization

Former President Roh Tae-woo, who served as the 13th president of South Korea, died at the age of 88 on Tuesday. Roh, who had been ailing for a long time with chronic conditions, had recently been hospitalized at Seoul National University Hospital due to worsening health and was in an intensive care unit. Leaving a mixed legacy, he was the first president to be elected after the June 1987 democratization movement and was also a leading force behind the military coup in 1979 along with his

Oct. 26, 2021

Late President Roh credited for post-Cold War diplomacy, dialogue with N. Korea

Despite a complicated assessment of his political career, the late former President Roh Tae-woo is widely credited for opening a new chapter in South Korea's diplomatic ties with communist nations under his signature Nordpolitik and laying the groundwork for promoting inter-Korean relations. Roh, who died at the age of 88 Tuesday, was the country's first president to establish diplomatic relations with the traditional allies of North Korea in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including the Sovie

Oct. 26, 2021

Main opposition mourns death of late President Roh, vows to not repeat faults in his legacy

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) expressed condolences over the death of former President Roh Tae-woo but also promised not to repeat the faults of his political legacy. Roh, who served as president from 1988-93, died Tuesday at 88 after failing to recover from health problems. The former general who succeeded Chun Doo-hwan as president has been credited for building ties with socialist states, including the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union in 1990 and C

Oct. 26, 2021

Controversial policies to continue in Gyeonggi Province even without Lee Jae-myung

Lee Jae-myung has left the Gyeonggi provincial government to focus on his campaign as the ruling Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, but his controversial policies are to continue, at least until July. The presidential candidate’s resignation -- announced during a televised press conference Monday -- officially took effect Tuesday, putting Oh Byoung-kwon, the vice governor for administrative affairs, in charge until a new governor is elected to serve starting in July 2022. It

Oct. 26, 2021

Ex-President Roh Tae-woo dies

Former President Roh Tae-woo, the country's first directly elected president, died Tuesday at age 88, leaving behind a checkered legacy as well as a list of diplomatic accomplishments intended to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula. Roh’s aides announced Tuesday that Roh, who served as the 13th president of South Korea from 1988 to 1993, died at around 1:45 p.m. while receiving treatment at Seoul National University Hospital. He was brought to the hospital's emergency room at 1:10 p.m.

Oct. 26, 2021

Moon congratulates Lee on candidacy, asks for focus on policies

President Moon Jae-in met with Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of Democratic Party of Korea, at Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday, marking the ruling liberal bloc’s formal consolidation for next year’s presidential election. Their tea meeting that lasted for about 50 minutes early in the day started as the president congratulated Lee for being elected the party’s presidential nominee.  “After finishing a fierce competition, it is also important to heal the scars and

Oct. 26, 2021

Former President Roh Tae-woo dies at 88

Former President Roh Tae-woo, who accepted popular calls for a direct presidential election system at the start of South Korea's democratization and sought to broaden diplomatic ties with socialist nations while in office, died Tuesday, his aides said. He was 88. Roh, who served as president from 1988-93, was recently admitted to a hospital after his health deteriorated but failed to recover, they said. Roh, a former general, succeeded former President Chun Doo-hwan after helping the latter se

Oct. 26, 2021