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] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
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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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S. Korea expected to roll out its own coronavirus vaccine late next year, PM says
South Korea will be able to develop its own COVID-19 vaccine late next year, in addition to foreign products to be shipped here in the near future, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Thursday. He was speaking in public at the outset of an interagency meeting on the virus response. "(The government) will be able to introduce a COVID-19 vaccine, which we are developing independently, to the people around the end of next year," he said during the session held at the government office co
Dec. 31, 2020
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New justice minister, first chief of anti-corruption agency named
President Moon Jae-in’s prosecutorial reform is entering a new chapter in the new year, with nominees announced for the inaugural chief of a new anti-corruption body and the justice minister in his final Cabinet reshuffle of the year on Wednesday. Moon nominated Kim Jin-wook, a former judge and a Constitutional Court scholar, to head the upcoming Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking officials handling corruption among ranking government officials like prosecutors. After the
Dec. 30, 2020
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Moon picks former judge as inaugural chief of anti-corruption agency
President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday nominated a former judge to head the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, a new body handling corruption among senior government officials like prosecutors. After the confirmation hearing report is passed at the National Assembly within 20 days, the new anti-corruption agency, key to the president’s prosecutorial reform, will finally kick off in the weeks to follow. “I’m asking for support for the prompt launch
Dec. 30, 2020
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Pastor acquitted of pre-electioneering, libel against Moon
A conservative pastor, best known for his mass anti-government rallies in central Seoul, was acquitted Wednesday of charges of premature electioneering and libel against President Moon Jae-in. The Seoul Central District Court made the ruling in the case of Jun Kwang-hoon, 64, head pastor of Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul, who was indicted in March over remarks he made during some of the protests and prayer services. He was charged with violating election laws for rallying participants be
Dec. 30, 2020
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President Moon won’t take pay raise next year
President Moon Jae-in and other high-ranking government officials will not take salary raises next year, given the economic crisis arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Moon, the highest-paid government official in the nation, will be paid 238.23 million won ($218,095) next year, while Prime Minister Chung Se-kyun will be second with 184.69 million won. The Ministry of Personnel Management recently approved a 0.9 percent pay increase for public servants next year. Under the plan, Moon’s
Dec. 29, 2020
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Assembly speaker suggests Korea-China-Japan disease control body
National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug recently urged his counterparts from China and Japan to cooperate to resolve health and security crises caused by the coronavirus, officials said Tuesday. In recent videoconferences with Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, and Oshima Tadamori, speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan, Park raised the need for a meeting of the National Assembly speakers from the three nations. &ldqu
Dec. 29, 2020
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Govt. to grant over 3,000 pardons before New Year's Day
The government will pardon 3,024 people, mostly convicted of minor crimes related to jobs, ahead of New Year's Day, the justice ministry announced Tuesday. The presidential clemency, effective as of Thursday, will also be granted to some protesters of military facilities and small-scale business owners involved in economic crimes. Politicians, election law violators, business tycoons and convicted felons are excluded from the list. "The subjects of these pardons were selected in a way to
Dec. 29, 2020
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Police close probe without conclusion on ex-Seoul mayor's alleged sexual misconduct
Police said Tuesday they have closed a five-month investigation into allegations that late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon sexually abused a former secretary, failing to reach a conclusion on the high-profile case. In July, a municipal official who had formerly worked as a mayoral secretary filed a complaint with the police, accusing Park of having sexually harassed her over several years. Two days later, Park was found dead in an apparent suicide on the hills of a Seoul mountain. He left a note say
Dec. 29, 2020
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Moon says S. Korea to begin coronavirus vaccine shots in Feb.
President Moon Jae-in dismissed criticism Monday that his government has fumbled its COVID-19 vaccine procurement policy, saying inoculation is expected to start as planned in February next year. He cited concerns that South Korea might have not secured enough vaccines yet or that its people would take shots too late. "That's not true," the president said in front of pool reporter and TV cameras at the outset of his weekly meeting with senior Cheong Wa Dae aides. The government put
Dec. 28, 2020
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Moon’s once-infallible approval ratings hit by vaccine delay, prosecution reform
As President Moon Jae-in enters his fifth year in office, his disapproval ratings have reached their highest level yet, a survey showed Monday. Moon has recently faced strong criticism over the nation’s vaccine rollout plans and also caused controversy over disciplinary action against the top prosecutor. Moon is poised to drive up his ratings by speeding up the launch of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials and carrying out a ministerial-level reshuffle. Accor
Dec. 28, 2020
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Parliamentary committee passes confirmation report on land minister nominee amid protest
A parliamentary committee on Monday passed a confirmation report on Land Minister nominee Byeon Chang-heum amid fierce protests from the main opposition party. The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, where the ruling Democratic Party (DP) holds a majority, passed the report on Byeon's recent parliamentary confirmation hearing in a 17-0 vote during its plenary meeting. Lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), who belong to the committee, however, boycotted the voting
Dec. 28, 2020
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Quarter of recent local COVID-19 infections originate among family members: PM
A quarter of all the new local COVID-19 patients over the past month were infected with the virus through family members, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Monday, calling for extra antivirus precautions inside homes. "Among the local (COVID-19) patients who tested positive over the past month, 25 percent were found to have been infected via their family members," the prime minister said during an interagency meeting on the COVID-19 response. He said that recent epidemiological inve
Dec. 28, 2020
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Public disapproval of Moon's presidency close to 60%: Realmeter
President Moon Jae-in's approval rating has tied its all-time low, while public disapproval of his job performance has surged to the highest point so far, a poll showed Monday. In the four-day Realmeter survey conducted on 2,008 people, aged 18 or older, nationwide till last Thursday, 36.7 percent of respondents supported the president, down 2.8 percentage points from the previous week. Moon's rating had fallen to 36.7 percent, the lowest since he took office in May 2017, in the second week of
Dec. 28, 2020
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Govt. to begin vaccinations of medical workers, elderly in Feb.: presidential chief of staff
South Korea will begin administering coronavirus vaccines to medical workers and the elderly from February, presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min said Sunday. Noh made the remark during a high-level policy discussion between officials from Cheong Wa Dae, the government and the ruling party at the National Assembly. "In terms of volume, we've already secured enough (vaccines) to protect our people. Vaccinations of medical workers and the elderly will begin in February of next year,&quo
Dec. 27, 2020
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Govt. to offer relief grants of up to W3m to virus-hit small biz
SEJONG -- South Korea will offer relief grants of up to 3 million won ($2,700) for small business owners hit by the new coronavirus outbreak, ruling party and government officials said Sunday. The decision on the country's third round of emergency relief package was reached during a high-level policy discussion between officials from Cheong Wa Dae, the government and the ruling party at the National Assembly. After the meeting, the ruling party announced the decision to offer 1 million won to
Dec. 27, 2020
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Yoon’s victory draws mixed reaction from lawmakers
Seoul court’s decision lifting the two-month suspension on Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl drew mixed reaction from rival parties on Thursday. While the opposition bloc, including the main opposition People Power Party, hailed the decision, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea expressed regret, saying the ruling undermines the stability of the administration. Choi In-ho, a senior spokesman for the Democratic Party of Korea, said, “We deeply regret that the judiciary‘s jud
Dec. 25, 2020
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Yoon returns to work as court upholds his suit
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl will return to his work immediately as a Seoul court approved his suit to overturn his two-month suspension. As the top prosecutor won the legal battle, political blows are inevitable for Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, who lost to Yoon twice, and President Moon Jae-in, who endorsed Yoon’s suspension. The second interrogation, which was held two days after the first held on Tuesday, began at 3 p.m. and ended one hour and 20 minutes later. At around
Dec. 24, 2020
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New labor group leader threatens general strike in 2021
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the more militant of the nation's two largest labor umbrella organizations, elected a hard-line figure as its new leader on Thursday, heralding an escalation in its conflict with the government over key labor reform policies. The KCTU, the nation's largest labor group with more than 1 million members, said Yang Kyeong-su, head of the KCTU chapter in Gyeonggi Province, was elected as its new leader in a contested vote and will begin his three-year
Dec. 24, 2020
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Moon appoints interior, health ministers after confirmation hearings
President Moon Jae-in has appointed two new ministers on interior and health affairs, as the National Assembly adopted reports on the results of their confirmation hearings, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday. Jeon Hae-cheol began his work as interior and safety minister, and Kwon Deok-cheol as health and welfare minister on the day, it added. (Yonhap)
Dec. 24, 2020
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Court to resume hearing over top prosecutor's injunction request against duty suspension
A court here will resume a hearing Thursday afternoon on an injunction request by the country's top prosecutor over a disciplinary measure given to him last week. The Seoul Administrative Court is set to reopen the hearing behind closed doors at 3 p.m. on whether to grant an injunction filed by Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl. The first hearing took place Tuesday afternoon for about two hours, attended by lawyers of Yoon and the Ministry of Justice. Yoon is not expected to attend the hearin
Dec. 24, 2020