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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Vice justice minister under fire over violence against cab driver
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office has been assigned to look into civic groups’ complaint against Vice Justice Minister Lee Yong-gu over allegations he was not duly punished for grabbing a taxi driver by the collar early last month. Lee, reportedly drunk at the time, was reported to police for his violent act, but police closed the case as the victim said two days later that he didn’t want to press charges. Lee allegedly grabbed the cab driver around the neck when
Dec. 23, 2020
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Land Minister nominee apologizes for past remarks at hearing
Land Minister nominee Byeon Chang-heum repeatedly apologized for controversial past remarks after being blasted by opposition lawmakers at his confirmation hearing Wednesday. He also pledged to supply more homes in station areas to address housing shortages. At the parliamentary confirmation hearing, lawmakers from the opposition party called for the nomination of Byeon, CEO of the state-run housing developer Korea Land & Housing Corp., to be withdrawn, saying he does not have “the m
Dec. 23, 2020
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[News Focus] Who is responsible for Korea's late entry in vaccine race?
The government is facing growing criticism over the apparent lag in Korea procuring sufficient COVID-19 vaccines, with a blame game erupting over who is responsible. President Moon Jae-in said in a meeting Tuesday that efforts were well underway to ensure Korea has enough vaccine doses for its people, hitting back at accusations that he has been too slow in acquiring vaccines, which already have reached the public in a number of countries. “I believe public inoculation in our country wi
Dec. 23, 2020
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Sentencing due for ex-justice minister's wife in corruption scandal
Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk's wife was sentenced by a Seoul court on Wednesday to imprisonment of four years for academic fraud and other charges. The Seoul Central District Court handed down the jail sentence, together with a fine of 500 million won ($451,000) and a forfeit of 140 million won, to Chung Kyung-sim, the wife of the former presidential secretary for civil affairs and a close aide to President Moon Jae-in. The court also ordered the immediate imprisonment of Chung. Chung, 58-
Dec. 23, 2020
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Moon says COVID-19 vaccinations for Korean people won't be 'too late'
President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday that efforts are well under way to ensure that coronavirus vaccinations for the South Korean people won't be too late. Moon made the remarks while meeting with the leaders of the five major constitutional organizations to discuss measures to overcome the COVID-19 crisis and other pending national issues. "There are a lot of worries about the vaccine these days, but it may be inevitable for vaccine producing countries to get vaccines first because they ex
Dec. 22, 2020
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Court hearing held on Yoon’s 2-month suspension
The process of reviewing the legalities of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl’s suspension began Tuesday, with a Seoul court holding a hearing on Yoon’s suit to lift the suspension. The court’s decision could turn the tables yet again on Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae. The Seoul Administrative Court held a hearing at 2 p.m. to interrogate the suspension of the order filed by Yoon against Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae. Yoon did not attend. Deliberation ended at 4:16 p.m. The
Dec. 22, 2020
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S. Korea to impose nationwide ban on restaurant gatherings of 5 or more people
South Korea will ban five or more people from gathering at restaurants during the upcoming holiday season to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, officials said Tuesday. Restaurants will be fined up to 3 million won ($2,709) in case of a violation, while customers will be fined up to 100,000 won, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. The new restriction will be part of the government's special antivirus measures in effect from Thursday until Jan. 3. Excep
Dec. 22, 2020
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Moon affirms 2021 budget use for coronavirus vaccine, treatment development
President Moon Jae-in said Monday the government will spend a part of South Korea's record amount of science-related budget next year for the development of a COVID-19 vaccine and treatment. He was chairing the third plenary meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology at Cheong Wa Dae. He noted that 2021 will be a "very meaningful year" for the nation's science and technology field, with a combined research and development (R&D) investment by the govern
Dec. 21, 2020
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Moon's approval rating rebounds from record low: Realmeter
President Moon Jae-in's approval rating has rebounded this week from a record low registered a week earlier, amid progress on his prosecution reform plan and other key issues, an opinion poll showed Monday. In the Realmeter survey conducted on 2,514 voters nationwide for five days through last Friday, the support rating for Moon stood at 39.5 percent, up 2.8 percentage points from a week earlier. Last week, Moon saw his approval rating dive to a record low of 36.7 percent, as the public remain
Dec. 21, 2020
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Raising distancing rules to top level should remain as government's 'final card': PM
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Monday that elevating the nation's social distancing rules to the highest Level 3 should be a last resort for the government in dealing with the new coronavirus crisis, stressing the importance for the public to properly follow state-mandated distancing rules. "Adjusting the social distancing level needs to be prepared thoroughly, but it should remain as the final card," Chung said during a government meeting of top officials in charge of dealing wit
Dec. 21, 2020
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Capital area bans gatherings of 5 or more people to stem COVID-19 spread
Gatherings of five or more people will be banned in the greater Seoul area, beginning Wednesday, in a new hard-line measure to combat the spread of the coronavirus, local governments said Monday. The governments of Seoul and neighboring Gyeonggi Province and Incheon announced the strident assembly restriction measure in time for the upcoming peak season for year-end gatherings and events. The new administrative order for the restrictions on freedom of assembly will take effect at midnight Tues
Dec. 21, 2020
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Presidential secretary for peace planning tapped as new chief nuclear envoy
South Korea replaced its chief nuclear envoy Monday, naming a seasoned diplomat and presidential aide to take on the job, as the country prepares to work with the incoming US administration of Joe Biden to move the stalled nuclear talks with North Korea forward. Noh Kyu-duk, a career diplomat serving as presidential secretary for peace planning, was named to replace Lee Do-hoon as the special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, the foreign ministry announced in a pre
Dec. 21, 2020
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Justice ministry scheduled to convene committee to decide on special pardon
The Ministry of Justice is expected to convene a committee to deliberate on a special pardon, legal sources said Monday. The ministry's amnesty review committee is scheduled to meet later in the day at the government complex in Gwacheon, south of Seoul. The committee, chaired by Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, is made up of nine members, including more than four outside experts. President Moon Jae-in has the final authority on whom to pardon, after the justice minister's initiation and the delib
Dec. 21, 2020
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Ahn Cheol-soo to run for Seoul mayor
Ahn Cheol-soo, chairman of the minor opposition People’s Party, on Sunday announced his bid for Seoul mayor, saying he is prepared to sacrifice himself to prevent the ruling bloc from maintaining power. “I concluded that losing the Seoul mayoral election making it impossible to bring about an administration change must be prevented even if I have to throw myself (into the task),” Ahn said at a press conference at the National Assembly. The post of Seoul mayor, which has rema
Dec. 20, 2020
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S. Korea to begin COVID-19 vaccination in Q1 2021, PM says
South Korea will be able to start the coronavirus vaccination of its people in the first quarter of next year on a limited basis, according to Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun. "Inoculation will begin as early as in February or March at the latest," he said in an interview with KBS, a Seoul-based broadcaster. But the vaccine produced by AstraZeneca would only be available in the first half of 2021 under a current contract, not shots made by such other foreign drugmakers as Pfizer, Moder
Dec. 20, 2020
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Moon wishes Macron quick recovery from COVID-19
South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a consolation message Friday to French President Emmanuel Macron, who has tested positive for the coronavirus. It's "regrettable to hear the news of your sudden coronavirus infection," Moon wrote on his Twitter account. The note, written in French, began with "M. le President @EmmanuelMacron." Moon pointed out that he and Macron talked about overcoming COVID-19 in their phone talks two weeks earlier. He expressed hope for Macron's qu
Dec. 18, 2020
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‘Prosecutor General’s legal counterattack is against President Moon’
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl has taken aim at the president in the latest of his ongoing conflict with the incumbent administration and its close officials. Yoon’s defense told reporters Thursday that Yoon is fighting the “illegal and unfair” two-month suspension from his post with a lawsuit against President Moon Jae-in, as he is the one who signed and approved the disciplinary action. “This lawsuit is a complaint against an action from the president, so this is a
Dec. 18, 2020
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Prime minister says ‘social consensus necessary’ to raise distancing rules to Level 3
With growing interest in whether social distancing rules will be raised to Level 3 after the daily average number of confirmed cases in Korea surpassed 900 this week, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Friday social consensus should be achieved sufficiently before moving to stricter rules. The government would “make a bold decision” when it deemed it necessary, he added. “We are collecting opinions from related ministries, local governments and experts as we need to quickly
Dec. 18, 2020
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Ruling party pushing for rent discount for small businesses amid pandemic
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) has set out to find ways to cut rent for small business owners teetering under the protracted COVID-19 pandemic. On Wednesday, DP Chairman Rep. Lee Nak-yon reaffirmed his party's push to get landlords to slash rent for small business owners struggling under the weight of the new coronavirus. The drive for so-called fair rent gained traction earlier this week after President Moon Jae-in raised the issue of small business owners who have to shoulder a heavy econ
Dec. 17, 2020
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Moon says S. Korea's economy needs 'great transformation' in 2021
President Moon Jae-in said Thursday that South Korea should overcome the COVID-19 crisis and achieve a "grand transformation" of its economy in the coming year. "We will have to turn 2021 into a period of great transformation of South Korea's economy. The beginning is to clearly overcome the coronavirus crisis," he said during an expanded session of the National Economic Advisory Council. Moon received a briefing on the government's economic policy for 2021 and had related
Dec. 17, 2020