Lawyer at center of corruption-laden development scandal released after 2-day probe

Prosecutors released a key partner involved in a corruption-laden urban development scandal early Wednesday after questioning him for two days, belying widespread expectations they would seek an arrest warrant for him. Nam Wook, a lawyer, was freed shortly after midnight from emergency arrest he had been under since his arrival at Incheon International Airport from the United States early Monday for questioning over bribery and other allegations. Prosecutors had widely been expected to seek a

Oct. 20, 2021

Ruling party mulls referring opposition lawmaker to ethics panel over 'cash photo'

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) said Tuesday it plans to refer an opposition lawmaker to the parliamentary ethics committee for making groundless claims against Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung using a dubious photo of bundles of cash. Rep. Kim Yong-pan of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) revealed the photo during a parliamentary audit of the Gyeonggi provincial government on Monday, claiming it showed Lee, the DP's presidential nominee, took bribes from gangsters. Lee, who attended th

Oct. 19, 2021

Cabinet approves immigration law revision to grant long-term residency to Afghan evacuees

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a revision to the immigration law to grant long-term residency to Afghan evacuees airlifted in August from the Taliban-seized country and allow them to get jobs here. "In order for them to live independently in our society, getting jobs must be a priority," Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said during the Cabinet meeting in Sejong. "Ministries should review ways that can utilize their careers in Afghanistan in South Korea." In August, the governme

Oct. 19, 2021

Prosecutors expected to seek arrest warrant for key figure in corruption-laden development scandal

Prosecutors were expected to seek an arrest warrant Tuesday for a key suspect in a corruption-laden urban development project rocking South Korean politics, a day after detaining him for questioning upon his return from the United States. Nam Wook was put under emergency arrest upon his arrival at Incheon International Airport early Monday morning and underwent questioning. As the emergency arrest is set to expire Wednesday morning, prosecutors are expected to seek a formal arrest warrant for h

Oct. 19, 2021

S. Korea unveils 2 upgraded road maps for 2050 carbon neutrality goal

The presidential committee on carbon neutrality on Monday unveiled two upgraded policy road maps, including scrapping coal-fired power generation, to achieve South Korea's net-zero emissions goal by 2050. Presided over by President Moon Jae-in, the committee held its second general meeting in Seoul to review and approve agendas for the country's carbon neutrality and green house gas (GHG) reduction plans. In August, the committee announced a draft for three scenarios for the country's 2050 n

Oct. 18, 2021

Police search Nat'l Assembly in Seoul over bomb threat

Police and fire officials searched the National Assembly complex in Seoul on Monday after a lawmaker's office received a bomb threat by phone, officials said Monday. According to police and parliament officials, an unidentified person made the call around 2 p.m., saying an explosive has been placed somewhere at the complex and a secretary of the lawmaker's office alerted security personnel there about the call. Dozens of firefighters and police officers, along with a bomb squad and 10 fire tr

Oct. 18, 2021

Ex-Foreign Minister Kang asks for local labor sector's support for her bid for top ILO seat

Former Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Monday met with the chief of an umbrella labor union and asked for support for her bid to become the next director general of the International Labour Organization (ILO). "I decided to run for the seat because I thought the experiences, career and the international network I have reasonably match the leadership credentials demanded by ILO," Kang said during her meeting with Kim Dong-myung, chief of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions. &quo

Oct. 18, 2021

S. Korea to raise goal of cutting emissions to 40% by 2030: Moon

South Korea will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from the 2018 levels by 2030, sharply raising its previous goal as part of efforts to curb the pace of climate change, President Moon Jae-in said Monday. Moon also confirmed that South Korea will achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, as the nation started tackling the challenge of responding to climate change and attaining sustainable growth simultaneously. The goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions was sharply raised from 26.3

Oct. 18, 2021

Lee shifts blame for corruption, takes credit for project

Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung on Monday continued to praise himself for his role in a controversial land development project while distancing himself from any alleged corruption, and attacked the opposition bloc for undercutting his milestone achievement. The leading presidential candidate representing the ruling Democratic Party said Monday that he was the chief officer responsible for the land development project in Daejang-dong, a neighborhood within Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, when

Oct. 18, 2021

Moon orders plan for booster shots for people who receive J&J COVID-19 vaccine

President Moon Jae-in on Monday ordered officials to swiftly set up a plan to provide booster shots for people who received Johnson & Johnson's one-dose vaccines. Moon's remarks came as a study showed COVID-19 protection from J&J's Janssen is weakening after a certain period of vaccination, according to presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee. Moon also instructed officials to come up with plans for patient transportation as the nation is preparing for gradually returning to normal

Oct. 18, 2021

89 cities, counties, wards designated as depopulation areas

Nearly 90 small cities and counties that are in danger of extinction due to population decrease have been designated as "depopulation areas" for intensive support from the central government, the interior ministry said Monday. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said that it has designated 89 cities, counties and wards across the country as depopulation areas and a relevant public notice is to take effect Tuesday. The government plans to provide intensive administrative and finan

Oct. 18, 2021

Lee says he feels 'betrayed' by ex-aide arrested in Seongnam development scandal

Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung said Monday he feels "betrayed" by a former aide arrested over a massive development corruption scandal, once again disavowing any connection to the case threatening to mar his presidential campaign. Lee made the remark ahead of the National Assembly's audit of his government, referring to Yoo Dong-gyu who served as acting president of Seongnam Development Corps. in charge of the development project in Seongnam, south of Seoul, when Lee was its mayor. Yoo

Oct. 18, 2021

Key suspect in corruption-laden development scandal detained upon return from US

A key partner in a corruption-laden urban development project involving a former aide to the ruling Democratic Party's presidential nominee was detained upon his arrival from the United States on Monday for questioning over bribery and other allegations. Nam Wook is believed to be holding a key to resolving suspicions over how a previously unheard-of asset management firm, Hwacheon Daeyu, and its seven affiliates reaped astronomical profits from a 2015 project to develop the Daejang-dong distri

Oct. 18, 2021

Key figure in land development corruption scandal heads home from US for probe

A key figure at the center of an escalating land development corruption scandal was to arrive in South Korea this week for questioning over his suspected role in bribing influential figures in exchange for business favors. Attorney Nam Wook left Los Angeles on Sunday and was to arrive in South Korea early Monday to face a probe by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office over allegations that he was involved in illegal lobbying over the course of the 2015 development project in Seongnam, s

Oct. 17, 2021

Moon asks Japan’s Kishida for diplomacy on disputes

South Korea and Japan should work out their wartime disputes before it is too late, President Moon Jae-in said in his first phone call with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida since he took office last week, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday. But the talks, which came amid worsening ties over disagreements on virtually every issue between the two neighbors, did little to close the widening gap. “We should leave open our communication channels and continue to engage each other for a way out of

Oct. 15, 2021

Assembly speaker returns after ‘sales diplomacy’ in Italy, Egypt

National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug returned home Friday after attending the seventh G-20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit in Rome following an official visit to Egypt. During the 11-day trip, he focused on “sales diplomacy” to expand summit talks at the parliamentary level and allow South Korean companies to enter the regions, his office said. Park met all 18 representatives of 16 countries who attended the two-day speakers’ meeting in Rome, which ran Oct. 7-8,

Oct. 15, 2021

President Moon Jae-in gets Pfizer booster shot

President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook received COVID-19 booster shots Friday, 168 days after receiving their second vaccinations. Moon received the AstraZeneca vaccine March 23 and April 30, and his booster shot was from Pfizer. Starting Tuesday, the government began additional vaccinations for workers at COVID-19 treatment hospitals, who were vaccinated six months ago. They will get boosters from Pfizer through Oct. 30. Alongside medical workers, older adults and those who lea

Oct. 15, 2021

President Moon, first lady receive COVID-19 booster shots

President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook on Friday both received a COVID-19 booster shot, in line with a guidance from health authorities, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) began administering booster shots earlier this week for people aged 60 and older as well as medical workers, as part of the nation's strategy to ensure maximum protection for the public. Moon and Kim qualified for a third shot of COVID-19 vaccine u

Oct. 15, 2021

Govt. to raise gathering size limit to 8 under new distancing rules: PM

The government decided Friday to raise the private gathering size limit to eight people for the capital area and 10 for elsewhere before the country shifts to a "living with COVID-19" scheme next month, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said. Under the renewed plan that will go into effect Monday, the greater Seoul area will remain under the toughest social distancing of Level 4, while the rest of the country will be under Level 3, Kim said during an interagency meeting on the government's

Oct. 15, 2021

Former Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo dies at 71

Former South Korean Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo died Thursday after battling blood cancer, officials here said. He was 71. Lee served as prime minister shortly between February and April in 2015 under then President Park Geun-hye before stepping down over bribery allegations. Considered a political heavyweight in Chungcheong Province, Lee entered politics in 1995 after working as a provincial police commissioner. He served three terms as a lawmaker for the conservative New Party Korea, United

Oct. 14, 2021