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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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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[Photo News] Rallying against LGBTQ+
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North Korean defectors seek to create political party
North Korean defectors living here are pushing to create a political party that protects their rights and interests. On Tuesday, some 200 defectors launched a preparatory committee for establishment of the tentatively named Inter-Korean Reunification Party during a conference of party promoters at the Federation of Korean Industries building. “We are trying to create a political party that can represent the equivalence and difference between South and North Korean people,” the
Feb. 18, 2020
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[News Focus] Recruitment of new faces remains key task for merged conservative party
After three years of disarray, conservatives managed to forge a united front to counter the main liberal force of the ruling party, boosting their chances in the upcoming general elections. The question, however, remains. Will the newly formed Party for Future Integration be able to recruit new talent and extend its support base beyond diehard conservative voters? The new bloc was born Monday through the merger of the largest opposition Liberty Korea Party, the New Conservative Party and
Feb. 18, 2020
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New party woos soldiers with longer vacation pledge
The newly formed main opposition United Future Party on Tuesday unveiled an election pledge to offer soldiers longer vacations, extended tenures and higher pay. It was the fledging party’s first campaign promise for the April general elections. The conservative group was launched the day before following the merger of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party and two minor parties. On average, conscripted soldiers take vacation every 1 1/2 months and can spend only one night out before re
Feb. 18, 2020
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Moon calls for ‘extraordinary measures’ to shore up economy
President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday again called on the government to do all it can to deal with the economic fallout of the coronavirus outbreak. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Moon said the outbreak has created an “emergency economic situation” that calls for extraordinary measures, and stressed the need to cooperate with neighboring countries. “Extraordinary situations need extraordinary measures. Preemptive response and special measures for both the people’s safety a
Feb. 18, 2020
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Moon urges 'special' economic policy measures against virus-caused 'emergency situations'
President Moon Jae-in ordered his Cabinet on Tuesday to mobilize all available "special" means to handle the "emergency economic situations" attributable to the continued spread of the novel coronavirus. "Emergency situations require an emergency prescription. The current situation is much more serious than (we) thought," he said in his opening remarks during a weekly Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae. The president stressed that, "It is the time when specia
Feb. 18, 2020
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Moon calls on government to focus on reducing economic impact of virus
President Moon Jae-in on Monday called for close cooperation among economy-related government bodies in reviving the economy and dealing with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. “Economic ministries have the important task for realizing clear changes in people’s livelihoods and the economy. (Their) shoulders have become heavier due to the COVID-19 situation,” Moon said at the annual operations briefing by economy-related government organizations. The bodies that held t
Feb. 17, 2020
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Main opposition, 2 minor parties launch new merged party for April elections
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and two minor parties officially launched their new merged party Monday, a move to integrate conservatives ahead of the April parliamentary elections. The tentatively named Party for Future Integration set sail as the LKP approved a move to unify with the New Conservative Party and Onward for Future 4.0 last week. Its official English name has yet to be chosen. The move is aimed at mustering conservatives to challenge the liberal Moon Jae-in gover
Feb. 17, 2020
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Proposed merger among 3 minor parties hits snag
A proposal to merge three minor parties hit a snag Monday as the chief of the opposition Bareunmirae Party (BP) suspended the review of its approval, claiming that the move could deepen regionalism. The BP, the Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP) and the New Alternative Party jointly announced a plan Friday to unite for the April 15 parliamentary elections, eyeing becoming the third-largest political bloc sharing support bases in the southwestern provinces of North and South Jeolla. But BP ch
Feb. 17, 2020
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[News Focus] Pessimists outnumber advocates over Moon in most areas
SEJONG – More people have a negative assessment of President Moon Jae-in’s performance than a positive one, a recent poll has shown. According to the survey by Gallup Korea, which was released on Saturday, the approval rating for the president was 44 percent across the country. In contrast, the disapproval rating for him rose to 49 percent. By region, in particular, Moon’s approval rating was outstripped by disapproval ratings in most major cities and provinces, excepting Gw
Feb. 16, 2020
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3 minor opposition parties to merge for April 15 general elections
Three minor opposition parties announced a plan to merge Friday in a widely expected move that comes two months before the April 15 general elections, paving the way for them to become the third-largest political bloc in South Korea in terms of parliamentary seats, at least for now. The Bareunmirae Party (BMP) and the Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP) agreed to be united with the New Alternative Party, which has seven lawmakers. They decided to name their new grouping the "Democratic Un
Feb. 14, 2020
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Moon to receive economic policy reports from ministries next week
President Moon Jae-in will be briefed next week on key economic policies for 2020 by four relevant ministries as part of his renewed focus on revitalizing South Korea's economy amid nascent signs of the coronavirus epidemic subsiding in the nation, his office said Friday. Moon has put state affairs on an emergency footing since the confirmation of people here infected with the virus late last month. He adjusted some public schedules, including the postponement of a series of new year policy br
Feb. 14, 2020
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PM says no complacency yet over coronavirus in S. Korea
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Friday his government is coping with the coronavirus pandemic relatively well but it's too early to be complacent. He cited "several risk factors" still in place as a number of Chinese workers and students are returning to South Korea in the wake of the Chinese New Year holidays and winter vacation. "Although there was great anxiety in the early stage of the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, (we) now have a belief that it's being well managed wi
Feb. 14, 2020
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Seoul suspends more than 81,000 visas issued in China's Wuhan
Seoul has temporarily suspended more than 81,000 visas issued by the South Korean Consulate General in Wuhan, central China, since Feb. 4, when an entry ban for non-Korean travelers from the epicenter of the new coronavirus and its surrounding Hubei Province took effect, the Ministry of Justice said Friday. The suspension was announced by the Seoul government early this month, together with the unprecedented entry ban for all foreigners traveling from Hubei, as part of its efforts to stem the
Feb. 14, 2020
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Moon rallies corporate leaders’ support to curb economic impact of coronavirus
President Moon Jae-in on Thursday urged the country’s corporate community to go ahead with investments as planned, calling on business leaders to work with the government to minimize the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak. Speaking at a meeting with leaders of the country’s largest conglomerates and business associations at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Moon said the outbreak was holding back Korea’s economic recovery but the situation would end soon -
Feb. 13, 2020
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Main opposition party to merge with 2 minor parties ahead of April elections
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) approved a plan to merge with two minor parties on Thursday in a bid to integrate conservatives ahead of the April parliamentary elections. The LKP gave the green light to a proposal to merge with the New Conservative Party and Onward for Future 4.0. A committee preparing for the merger is eyeing the launch of a new party on Sunday. "We push to merge with all parties, politicians and civic groups that uphold the Constitution and the principle
Feb. 13, 2020
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Senior S. Korean national security adviser leaves for Russia: sources
A senior South Korean national security adviser left for Russia on Wednesday in a trip expected to focus on discussions on President Moon Jae-in's initiatives to expand inter-Korean exchange and cooperation to help move forward stalled denuclearization talks. Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-chong embarked on a four-day trip to Moscow, according to sources associated with the ruling Democratic Party. He was earlier seen at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, which raised s
Feb. 12, 2020
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Cheong Wa Dae names new deputy spokesperson
President Moon Jae-in has appointed a Cheong Wa Dae staffer, Yoon Jae-kwan, as his new deputy spokesperson, Moon's office announced Wednesday. Yoon, deputy secretary at the office for public relations planning, is filling the post that has been vacant since Han Jung-woo was tapped as director of the Chunchugwan press center of Cheong Wa Dae earlier this month. It is part of a reshuffle in the lineup of Moon's public communication team following Ko Min-jung's departure from the spokesperson jo
Feb. 12, 2020
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Ex-N. Korean envoy pledges to bring peninsula closer to unification
Thae Yong-ho, who was North Korea’s deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom before defecting to South Korea in 2016, is aiming for a parliamentary seat. Announcing his run in the April general elections under the conservative Liberty Korea Party, the high-profile defector said Tuesday that his mission is to contribute to the reunification of the two Koreas. “I know North Korea better and deeper than anyone else in South Korea. With my knowledge and experience, I hope to
Feb. 11, 2020
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High-profile N. Korean defector to run in S. Korea's spring election: party
Thae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea in 2016, plans to run in the April 15 general elections here as a member of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), a party official announced Monday. Kim Hyong-o, head of the LKP's election candidate selection panel, said Thae has joined the conservative party for a race in a Seoul constituency and not in pursuit of a National Assembly seat from proportional representation. "I think he would probably be the fi
Feb. 10, 2020
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Opposition party threatens to impeach Moon over election scandal
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party on Monday urged President Moon Jae-in to come clean on allegations involving former and incumbent presidential secretaries in an election-meddling scandal, threatening to launch an impeachment campaign. “As soon as the 21st National Assembly is formed, we will push for a parliamentary probe and special investigation. Should President Moon be found to have been involved in any way, we will push for his impeachment,” the party’s floor l
Feb. 10, 2020