Most Popular
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[Exclusive] Korean adoptee sisters meet for the first time in 39 years
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Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
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Yoon calls for measures to protect Koreans amid escalating Iran-Israel conflicts
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Rose's 'Apt.' redefines K-pop's global appeal
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Civil servant’s death linked to workplace bullying
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Two years on, thousands mourn Itaewon tragedy, calling for accountability
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[Weekender] Walk around Korea to really get to know the country
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N. Korea slams Seoul-Washington joint air exercise
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[Herald Interview] K-pop’s 'best years are ahead of us': Spotify’s general manager for Asia Pacific
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[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
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Ruling party suffers mayoral election debacle in Seoul, Busan
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea suffered an election debacle Thursday in the Seoul and Busan mayoral race regarded by many as a litmus test for next year's presidential electionon. Oh Se-hoon, a former mayor and the sole candidate from the main opposition People Power Party, won the by-election for Seoul mayor by a landslide. Oh of the main opposition People Power Party defeated his rival from the DP, Park Young-sun, 57.5 percent to 39 percent to claim the Seoul mayor
April 8, 2021
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Ruling party suffers crushing defeat in bellwether by-elections
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) suffered a crushing defeat in mayoral by-elections in Seoul and Busan Wednesday, seen as a critical bellwether for next year's presidential poll. Oh Se-hoon of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) defeated his rival from the DP, Park Young-sun, 57.5 percent to 39 percent to claim the Seoul mayoral seat, according to the final vote tally released by the National Election Commission. The mayoral seat in Busan, the country's second-largest city, also went
April 8, 2021
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6.45 million voters rush to cast ballots for mayoral by-elections
Some 6.45 million voters rushed to polling stations Wednesday to cast their ballots for the mayor of Seoul and Busan, the two largest municipalities in South Korea. According to preliminary data from the National Election Commission, 56.8 percent of 12.16 million eligible voters cast their votes during the two-day-long early voting period and from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the day of the election. Some 58.2 percent of 8.43 million eligible voters cast their ballots to choose the next mayor of Seoul.
April 7, 2021
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Ex-top justice claims innocence in trial over alleged judiciary power abuse
Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae on Wednesday denied his alleged role in a judiciary power abuse scandal during the conservative administration of Park Geun-hye, who was impeached. Yang, who headed the top court from 2011-17, is accused of having pressed his officials at the National Court Administration, the top court's governing body, to devise plans to influence politically sensitive trials for Park, who is now jailed over corruption charges. "The gale that blows in the
April 7, 2021
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Main opposition crushes ruling bloc in by-elections
Oh Se-hoon, a former mayor and the sole candidate from the main opposition People Power Party, won the by-election for Seoul mayor by a landslide. Oh won the race, taking 57.5 percent of the votes, compared to former SMEs minister Park Young-sun's 38.18 percent. Exits poll results showed that Oh received 59 percent of the votes while Park Young-sun, former minister of SMEs and startups and the sole candidate from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, received 37.7 percent of the votes i
April 7, 2021
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Cheong Wa Dae pledges more open communications with business
Cheong Wa Dae has pledged to facilitate communications with the business community through more frequent, official meetings, saying gone are the days of secret meetings for shady deals. According to the presidential office Wednesday, President Moon Jae-in’s new chief of staff for policy Lee Ho-seung plans to hold a series of meetings with heads of the nation’s key business groups this month in a way to better communicate with businesses in all sizes from chaebol to small merchants
April 7, 2021
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[Newsmaker] Govt. to expand free coronavirus testing to prevent new wave of infections: PM
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Wednesday the government will expand free coronavirus testing, with recent spikes in new cases spurring concerns of a fourth wave of infections. The country reported 668 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the most since Feb. 18, as sporadic cluster infections continued to increase across the country. "We will expand free testing so that anyone can get a free coronavirus diagnostic test regardless of the social distancing stage or symptoms," Chung sa
April 7, 2021
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Moon sends letter to UAE's crown prince over nuclear power plant operation
South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a congratulatory letter to the de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the nation's 50th founding anniversary and the start of its first nuclear power plant, Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday. In the letter to Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Moon congratulated the nation on beginning the commercial operation of the Barakah plant constructed by South Korea. Three more reactors are being built there. Moon described th
April 7, 2021
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Bellwether mayoral by-elections kick off in Seoul and Busan
Voters went to polls to cast ballots for new mayors in Seoul and Busan, the country's two biggest cities, on Wednesday in by-elections deemed a critical bellwether for next year's presidential contest. Voting began at 6 a.m. at 3,459 polling stations across the country and will last till 8 p.m. Besides the two mayoral seats, 19 other regional public posts are up for grabs, including the county governor for Uiryeong in South Gyeongsang Province and a ward office head in the southeastern In Seou
April 7, 2021
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By-election campaigns dominated by property allegations, negative battles
Rival parties were wrapping up their campaigns for local by-elections Tuesday dominated by corruption allegations and negative tactics rather than policy competition. Voters in 21 local entities will cast ballots Wednesday to pick the new mayors of Seoul and Busan and fill other regional administrative and legislative posts. The ruling Democratic Party (DP) and main opposition People Power Party (PPP) mounted fierce campaigns, as the elections are seen as a key barometer of voter sentiment ahe
April 6, 2021
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Cheong Wa Dae reaching out to biz community via on-site meetings
Cheong Wa Dae announced Tuesday it will redouble efforts to communicate with the local business sector in a bid to resolve difficulties facing firms here and provide other necessary support. The move comes at President Moon Jae-in's instruction, which was issued during an internal meeting last week. Lee Ho-seung, Moon's chief of staff for policy, is scheduled to hold a series of meetings with leaders of major lobby groups here. The top Cheong Wa Dae secretary in charge of policy issues will v
April 6, 2021
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By-election voters asked to observe quarantine, distancing rules
Quarantine authorities on Tuesday asked the public to thoroughly comply with social distancing and other anti-coronavirus rules in the voting process for this week's mayoral by-elections in Seoul and Busan. By-election voting for the two mayoral seats and 19 other regional public posts is scheduled to begin at 6 a.m. and last till 8 p.m. on Wednesday at 3,459 polling stations across the country. The Central Disease Control Headquarters said in a media briefing that voters must always wear a ma
April 6, 2021
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Main opposition interim leader to quit after by-elections
Kim Chong-in, the interim leader of the main opposition People Power Party, said Tuesday he will leave the party this week after seeing the results of local by-elections. The veteran politician took office as chairman of the emergency leadership committee in June 2020. At that time he promised to quit after refurbishing the conservative party to better compete in the presidential election slated for March 2022. "I will leave the party after the emergency committee's meeting the day after
April 6, 2021
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PM calls this week 'watershed' in efforts to prevent new wave of coronavirus infections
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Tuesday that South Korea is at a critical juncture this week in its bid to preclude a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections. "A sense of crisis is heightening, with coronavirus cases spreading rapidly especially in the greater Seoul area," he said during a daily interagency meeting on the coronavirus response. This week will be a "grave watershed" to determine whether the country enters the path of a fourth wave of large-scale outbreaks or it
April 6, 2021
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Parties scramble for last-minute campaigns on eve of by-elections
On the eve of the April 7 Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections, rival parties scrambled to make final appeals to voters in the country's two biggest cities Tuesday. Voting for the two mayoral seats and 19 other regional public posts is set to begin at 6 a.m. and last till 8 p.m. on Wednesday at 3,459 polling stations across the country in by-elections that are deemed harbingers of public opinions ahead of next year's presidential poll. Leaders and candidates of the ruling Democratic Party (DP)
April 6, 2021
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PM Chung may offer resignation next week: source
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, a potential presidential candidate, is likely to offer his resignation as early as next week, a source said Monday. "Chung has made up his mind to offer his resignation to President Moon Jae-in next week when he returns from a visit to the Middle East," said the source who asked not to be named. Chung is scheduled to visit Tehran to close the negotiations with Iranian officials regarding a South Korean ship was seized by Iran over three months ago. The
April 5, 2021
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S. Korea, US agree 'in principle' on Moon-Biden summit in Washington
Seoul and Washington reached an agreement "in principle" to hold a summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden in Washington, Seoul's national security adviser Suh Hoon said Monday. Suh made the remarks as he arrived in Seoul from a three-way meeting with his US and Japanese counterparts, Jake Sullivan and Shigeru Kitamura, at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Suh, however, stopped short of saying when Moon and Biden will hold a summit, b
April 5, 2021
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Moon attends tree-planting day event at historic power plant site
President Moon Jae-in planted trees Monday at a highly symbolic site in South Korea's push for low-carbon, environment-friendly energy use. Marking Korean Arbor Day, called "Sikmogil" here, he reaffirmed the nation's commitment to going carbon neutral by 2050. He joined the official ceremony held at the Dangin-ri power plant site in the western Seoul district of Mapo. Dangin-ri was constructed in the 1930s as the country's first coal-fired power plant. A major remodeling project is u
April 5, 2021
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High turnout in early voting draws mixed views
High early voting turnout for next week’s by-elections has prompted both the ruling and opposition camps to claim it as an indication that the polls will swing in their favor. According to the National Election Commission, 2.49 million eligible voters, or 20.54 percent of the total 12.16 million, cast their votes during the two-day early voting period that ended 6 p.m. Saturday. The figure is the highest advance voting turnout in South Korea’s by-election history, exceedi
April 4, 2021
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[Photo News] Early voting turnout for by-elections
Early voting for next week’s by-elections finished Saturday with a turnout of 20.54 percent, the highest in South Korea’s by-election history, according to election authorities. During the two-day advance voting period that ended at 6 p.m. on the day, 2.49 million of the total 12.16 million eligible voters cast their ballots, according to the National Election Commission. The previous record high of 19.40 percent was posted in the Oct. 29 by-elections in 2014. (Yonhap) Presi
April 4, 2021