Most Popular
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Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
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[Exclusive] Korean adoptee sisters meet for the first time in 39 years
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Rose's 'Apt.' redefines K-pop's global appeal
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Two years on, thousands mourn Itaewon tragedy, calling for accountability
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Yoon calls for measures to protect Koreans amid escalating Iran-Israel conflicts
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Civil servant’s death linked to workplace bullying
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[Weekender] Walk around Korea to really get to know the country
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[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
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Hanwha, HD Hyundai vie for Poland’s $2.7b submarine program
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First lady’s controversies to top agenda at meeting of party leaders
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Some 15,000 adult wards to cast votes in April general elections
Seoul’s election body acknowledged adult wards’ right to vote, paving the way for voters under full guardianship to cast their ballot for the first time in the April 15 parliamentary elections, the Seoul city government said Wednesday. Seoul Social Welfare Public Interest Law Center, a city-affiliated institution, said it received the Seoul City Election Commission’s authoritative interpretation of the relevant law, recognizing voting rights of some 15,000 people under legal
March 11, 2020
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Ahn Cheol-soo’s party surges in polls
The tentatively named People’s Party led by Ahn Cheol-soo is rising in the polls on the back of support from young and centrist voters, a survey showed Monday. The party’s approval rating came in at 4.7 percent between March 2 and March 6, up 3 percentage points from a week earlier, when it lagged behind in the 1 percent range, according to a survey by local pollster Realmeter. The hike comes amid much-publicized volunteer work by former physician Ahn and his spouse at a hospital
March 10, 2020
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PM casts cautious optimism about containment of new coronavirus
South Korea's prime minister raised cautious optimism about the containment of the new coronavirus Monday, saying the pace of growth in infections has slowed for the third straight day. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun also vowed efforts for the smooth operation in a new rationing system for face masks amid public anger over the bungled supply scheme. "It is still too cautious, but I can see some hope that we may approach an inflection point in the near future through cooperation of the cen
March 9, 2020
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National Assembly votes against ride-hailing service Tada
The National Assembly on Friday passed a controversial bill that dealt a severe blow to the ride-hailing service Tada, in an attempt to put an end to the conflict between the service operator and taxi companies. The passage of the bill comes on the heels of a court ruling last month that allowed the ride-hailing service to operate freely. Tada is the only company to offer the service here. The bill limits the hours of operation for ride-hailing services and also imposes restrictions on the ou
March 7, 2020
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First political party of NK defectors launched
North Korean defectors launched a political party in South Korea for the first time Friday, vowing to work toward "liberating" people in their homeland from autocratic rule and promoting the rights of defectors. "Although we are few in number I feel that we have great potential ... just two months ago I, myself, was skeptical as to whether or not we would be able to launch the party but a miracle happened today thanks to everyone here," Thae Yong-ho, a former No. 2 diplomat
March 6, 2020
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All govt. bodies switch to 24/7 emergency situation room system
All government organizations in South Korea have been operating emergency situation rooms 24 hours a day since earlier this week to swiftly cope with the coronavirus outbreak, authorities said Friday. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters said that the 24/7 operations at all government organization emergency situation rooms began Wednesday and will continue until the COVID-19 crisis is over. The rare emergency footing by all government ministries and agencies was ordere
March 6, 2020
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NSC to convene over Japan's entry restrictions on arrivals from S. Korea
South Korea's National Security Council will hold a meeting on Friday morning to discuss Japan's decision to tighten entry restrictions from the South amid the spread of the new coronavirus. In its standing committee meeting at 10 a.m., top national security officials will discuss ways to respond to Japan's move to effectively place South Koreans arriving in Japan under a two-week quarantine, according to Cheong Wa Dae. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Thursday night that those fl
March 6, 2020
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Jailed ex-president Park urges conservative forces to unite
Park Geun-hye, an impeached former president of South Korea, stepped back into politics Wednesday while in prison by sending a message calling for the country's conservatives to unite ahead of the April 15 parliamentary elections. In a handwritten letter made public by her lawyer, Yoo Young-ha, Park asked them to come together around the "existing giant opposition party." Yoo read the letter aloud at a press briefing he held at the National Assembly. Park was apparently referring t
March 4, 2020
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Ex-President Park calls for unity in conservative bloc
Ousted former President Park Geun-hye has called for unity within the conservative bloc, saying that conservatives’ patriotism can save the country from an “unprecedented crisis,” in a letter revealed by her lawyer Yoo Young-ha. “The country is in deep difficulties. There can be differences, and gaps that are difficult to fill in, but I urge all those who took up the Taegeukgi to come together around the behemoth opposition for a better Korea,” the imprisoned Par
March 4, 2020
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Election body mulls special voting measures amid virus outbreak
Those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak may be allowed to vote from home in the April 15 general elections. According to reports, the National Election Commission is considering ways to enable COVID-19 patients and people under quarantine to vote in the general elections. One possible option is allowing them to apply to vote from their places of residence. Those who might be eligible under the new rules include hospitalized COVID-19 patients, patients in home isolation and others whose movem
March 4, 2020
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S. Korea prepares over $8b extra budget bill against coronavirus: minister
South Korea is preparing an extra budget bill worth more than 10 trillion won (US$8.37 billion) to help fight against the new coronavirus, the finance minister told a parliamentary session Tuesday. Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki added that the outbreak of COVID-19 may undercut the country's economic growth by 0.2 percentage point this year. "(The outbreak) will probably have a negative impact on gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter and on this year's overall growth rate,&quo
March 3, 2020
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Moon apologizes for mask shortage
President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday apologized for the shortage of protective masks, and called on all government organizations to operate 24-hour situation rooms in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. “I feel very sorry for causing inconveniences to the public by failing to supply masks sufficiently and quickly,” Moon said at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. “Resolve the matter in the near future through cooperation among concerned ministries, with the Ministry of Food and Drug
March 3, 2020
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Korea plans massive supplementary budget for COVID-19
The government and ruling Democratic Party of Korea have decided to draw up a supplementary budget of over 6.2 trillion won ($5.2 billion) and submit the plans to the National Assembly on Thursday. The exact scale of the supplementary budget has not been determined, but the two sides agreed it needs to be larger than that allocated in response to the Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak in 2015, the ruling party said. At the time, a supplementary budget of 6.2 trillion won was drawn up
March 2, 2020
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Cheong Wa Dae holds security ministers' meeting on N. Korea's projectile launch
Cheong Wa Dae said Monday it has convened an emergency meeting of security-related ministers Monday on North Korea's firing of unidentified projectiles. The session started at 1:30 p.m. and was presided over by Chung Eui-yong, director of national security at the presidential office, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kang Min-seok. Earlier in the day, the North fired projectiles from Wonsan, an eastern coastal city, into the East Sea, the South's military said, adding that it is analyzi
March 2, 2020
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Govt. to submit extra budget bill on coronavirus Thursday
South Korea's finance minister said Monday the government plans to submit an extra budget bill to fight the fast spread of the new coronavirus this week, expressing readiness for its swift implementation. The government has been drawing up the bill to submit to the National Assembly on Thursday, Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki told a consultative meeting with ruling party and government officials over the virus outbreak. "The best way to overcome the economic fallout from the coronavirus cr
March 2, 2020
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Parties agree to pass bill on extra budget to prevent coronavirus spread
South Korean ruling and opposition parties have agreed to quickly pass a bill on an extra budget to help fight the spread of the novel coronavirus, a ruling party official said Sunday. Floor leaders of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), the main opposition United Future Party and the minor Party for People's Livelihoods met on Sunday at the National Assembly to come to this agreement, Rep. Yoon Hu-duk, DP's deputy floor leader, said during a press briefing. Their goal is to pass bills on a sup
March 1, 2020
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Moon says Korea can overcome COVID-19 crisis, makes overtures to N. Korea, Japan
President Moon Jae-in called Sunday for national unity in a fight against the new coronavirus in line with the spirit of a historic independence movement a century earlier and suggested close international cooperation against such an unconventional threat, including partnerships with North Korea. "The March 1 Independence Movement once again reminds us that we can prevail over anything as long as we stand together," he said in a televised speech to commemorate the 1919 public uprisin
March 1, 2020
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Moon requests parties’ support for budget for COVID-19 outbreak
President Moon Jae-in on Friday met with leaders of political parties, calling for their cooperation in dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak. “(I) ask you to increase the speed and strength of the cooperation. I hope (the parties) will shore up measures such as strengthening the country’s quarantine capabilities, and aid (to those affected by the outbreak) with the (supplementary) budget,” Moon said. With the virus spreading rapidly, the government and the ruling Democratic
Feb. 28, 2020
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Chinese people's entry to South Korea being effectively controlled: Cheong Wa Dae
South Korea's presidential office said Thursday it does not believe a full entry ban on Chinese nationals is necessary in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak, citing multiple reasons. It expressed regrets over continued criticism that the Moon Jae-in administration is currying favor with China and disregarding the safety of South Koreans amid the fast spread of the COVID-19 virus. South Korea has maintained limited travel restrictions against people who have stayed in China's Hubei
Feb. 27, 2020
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Opposition heaps criticism on Moon, health minister
The conservative opposition on Thursday slammed the Moon Jae-in administration for gross “incompetence and negligence” in tackling the coronavirus outbreak. “Running away from the responsibility and turning a blind eye to what experts have to say about COVID-19 is evidence the Moon government is just unfit to govern,” said Shim Jae-cheol, floor leader of the United Future Party. Shim urged Health Minister Park Neung-hoo to step down over his remarks that Koreans, not
Feb. 27, 2020