Most Popular
-
1
Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
-
2
[Exclusive] Korean adoptee sisters meet for the first time in 39 years
-
3
Rose's 'Apt.' redefines K-pop's global appeal
-
4
Two years on, thousands mourn Itaewon tragedy, calling for accountability
-
5
[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
-
6
Hanwha, HD Hyundai vie for Poland’s $2.7b submarine program
-
7
First lady’s controversies to top agenda at meeting of party leaders
-
8
[Photo News] Rallying against LGBTQ+
-
9
4 in 10 young South Koreans take up 'irregular' jobs: data
-
10
SM founder Lee Soo-man is back with A2O Entertainment
-
[Newsmaker] Prosecutors raid police headquarters in probe related to officer's nightclub scandal
Prosecutors on Friday raided the National Police Agency headquarters in western Seoul, widening their probe into allegations that a ranking NPA officer was involved in attempts to cover up irregularities at southern Seoul nightclubs.Prosecutors and investigators from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office searched the office of a senior superintendent, identified only by his surname, Yoon, at the NPA headquarters, beginning at 9 a.m., before reportedly securing his computer hard drive and
Sept. 27, 2019
-
Justice minister's phone conversation over raid sparks uproar in parliament
Justice Minister Cho Kuk said Thursday he spoke by telephone with a chief prosecutor in charge of raids on Cho's residence over allegations of corruption, sparking a row over the appropriateness of the conversation, during a parliamentary interpellation session.The telephone conversation was with a prosecutor who was on the scene of the raids of Cho's residence on Monday. Prosecutors are investigating corruption allegations involving his family, including his wife's alleged forgery of a school a
Sept. 26, 2019
-
More than 4,000 academics call for prosecutorial reform, end to Cho Kuk probe
Thousands of South Korean academics on Thursday called to push through with prosecutorial reform, amid the prosecution’s ongoing investigation into Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s family. A group, calling itself “Korea and Overseas University Researchers and Professors Urging Speedy Reform of the Prosecution,” held a press conference Thursday at the Busan City Hall building, releasing the names of more than 4,000 academics supporting the group’s call for prosecutorial re
Sept. 26, 2019
-
[News Focus] Prosecution reform stands at crucial crossroads
SEJONG -- In South Korea, the military seized control of state affairs for about three decades from the 1960s to the 1980s.Though Korea is no longer a dictatorship, if asked whether the country still has a privileged class with an abundance of unchecked power, no doubt most ordinary people would not hesitate to point the finger at prosecutors.But certain segments of society -- notably prosecutors and right-wing politicians -- would vociferously disagree. They would say the prosecution has carrie
Sept. 26, 2019
-
Top prosecutor says justice minister probe in line with protocol
South Korea's top prosecutor on Wednesday said an ongoing probe into allegations surrounding Justice Minister Cho Kuk's family is being conducted in an appropriate manner.Replying to reporters on the sidelines of an international anti-drug conference, Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl said the investigation "is being conducted in accordance with the (appropriate) procedure."Yoon's remarks come amid criticism on the appropriateness of ongoing probes into corruption allegations involving
Sept. 25, 2019
-
Justice Minister home raided for 11 hours, row ensues over keeping ‘criminal suspect’ in Cabinet
Prosecutors raided Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s home for 11 hours from 9 a.m. Monday, an unprecedented move that raised questions on the possibility of a biased probe as well as the propriety of Cho keeping the post.The raid at the minister’s home, initially expected to last an hour or two, continued for 11 hours, reportedly after the Cho family’s lawyer took issue with the scope of the search warrant, which then had to be reissued from the court.The prosecution secured from Mond
Sept. 24, 2019
-
Opposition floor leader denies allegations over her son's birth, nationality
The floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party denied speculation Monday that she went to the United States to give birth to her son and that he thereby has dual nationality.LKP floor leader Na Kyung-won faces allegations that her son, a Yale University student, was born in the US in 1997 and has dual citizenship. The speculation arose after Justice Minister Cho Kuk has been under public criticism over corruption allegations involving his family, including suspected preferential tre
Sept. 23, 2019
-
Prosecution raids justice minister's house over corruption scandal
The prosecution raided the residence of Justice Minister Cho Kuk on Monday as part of a widening probe into corruption allegations involving his family, including suspected forgery by his wife.State prosecutors are looking into allegations that Cho's wife forged a college presidential citation to help her daughter enroll in a medical school. Cho's wife was indicted on those charges early this month.Investigators were sent to his house earlier in the day to collect computer hard drives and docume
Sept. 23, 2019
-
Confirmation hearing process under scrutiny, but revision may be delayed
The country’s political parties are once again seeking to revamp parliamentary confirmation hearings for government posts, driven by the controversies surrounding Justice Minister Cho Kuk. Rather than being a stage for vetting nominees for high-level posts, confirmation hearings have often been marred by partisan clashes, and personal attacks. Problems and shortcomings of parliamentary confirmation hearings have long been subjects of discussion. The issues raised include lack of regulation
Sept. 22, 2019
-
Moon heads to US for UN General Assembly, Trump summit
President Moon Jae-in on Sunday set out on a five-day trip to the US to attend the UN General Assembly.On the sidelines of the event, Moon is scheduled to hold a summit with US President Donald Trump and a number of other world leaders. According to Cheong Wa Dae, Moon’s meeting with Trump -- scheduled for Monday there -- will focus on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as well as the South Korea-US alliance. “President Moon will discuss cooperation measures for the compl
Sept. 22, 2019
-
Justice minister holds first dialogue with prosecutors over reform
Justice Minister Cho Kuk held his first dialogue with prosecutors since his appointment Friday to collect views about the government's drive to reform the prosecution.Cho held a closed-door meeting with about 40 prosecutors and investigators at the district prosecutors' office in Uijeongbu, north of Seoul.It was his first such meeting since he was appointed as the justice minister last week amid a controversy over allegations of corruption involving his family. "I would like to listen to va
Sept. 20, 2019
-
S. Korea named illegal fishing country by US
The United States made a preliminary decision on Thursday to designate South Korea as a country that engages in illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, calling on Asia's fourth-largest economy to adopt tougher regulations.In a biennial report to Congress, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it is identifying South Korea for "failing to apply sufficient sanctions to deter its vessels from engaging in fishing activities that violate conservation and management me
Sept. 20, 2019
-
Group of professors urge Cho Kuk to step down
Current and former university professors on Thursday called for the resignation of Minister of Justice Cho Kuk.The declaration was announced by an association of current and former university professors -- roughly translated as professors for social justice. The association on Thursday held a press conference outside Cheong Wa Dae and called for Cho’s resignation, and urged President Moon Jae-in to seek a replacement more fit to represent justice and ethics. “Today, we are witne
Sept. 19, 2019
-
Moon, Trump to hold talks Monday on peace process in New York
South Korean President Moon Jae-in hopes to focus on how to move forward the Korea peace process when he holds summit talks with US President Donald Trump in New York next week, as Pyongyang-Washington negotiations are expected to resume soon, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday.Their ninth bilateral summit will be held Monday on the sidelines of a United Nations General Assembly session, according to Choi Jong-kun, presidential secretary for peace planning. The exact time and venue will be announced la
Sept. 19, 2019
-
Moon’s approval rating at its lowest point
President Moon Jae-in’s job approval rating tumbled to its lowest point since he took office, pollster Realmeter said Thursday.In a survey of 2,007 eligible voters conducted between Monday and Wednesday by Realmeter, 43.8 percent of the respondents said Moon was doing a good job, down 3.4 percentage points from last week.Realmeter attributed the decline to continued media reports on the ongoing investigations into Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s family.The weekly poll was commissioned by
Sept. 19, 2019
-
Main opposition leader’s bald head leads to unexpected stardom
When Hwang Kyo-ahn, head of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, had his head shaved Monday, calling for the resignation of newly appointed Justice Minister Cho Kuk, he intended to publicly demonstrate his firm resolve to see the matter through. Little could he have imagined that photos parodying his new look would go viral. As soon as the media began running images of Hwang’s very closely shaved head, his name shot to the top of the “trending news” list on Naver, the
Sept. 18, 2019
-
[Video] Politics of ‘head shaving performance’
The leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party had his head shaved Monday in front of Cheong Wa Dae, calling for the resignation of the justice minister, whose family has been implicated in corruption allegations.Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn followed suit after his party’s Rep. Park In-sook and independent lawmaker Rep. Lee Un-ju shaved their heads to protest President Moon Jae-in’s appointment of Justice Minister Cho Kuk. Korean politicians sometimes have t
Sept. 17, 2019
-
[News Focus] 57% of Koreans support prosecution reform despite Cho Kuk scandal: poll
SEJONG -- An interest among the people under the Moon Jae-in administration is whether an independent investigative agency, which holds the authority to indict crime-suspected prosecutors or other public officials, will be launched.The agency, which is being pushed in the 20th National Assembly, has been dubbed the Senior Civil Servant Crime Investigation unit.Previous administrations and legislatures had also tried and failed to create such a body, such as the Roh Moo-hyun administration’
Sept. 17, 2019
-
Prosecution summons daughter of justice minister for probe
The prosecution has summoned the daughter of the justice minister as part of a probe into allegations that she entered prestigious colleges on the back of exaggerated internship experiences or fabricated certificates.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office called in the 28-year-old daughter of Justice Minister Cho Kuk on Monday over its widening investigation into a set of corruption allegations involving the minister's family.The daughter is at the center of the education-related scandal
Sept. 17, 2019
-
Main opposition leader has head shaved to demand justice minister's resignation
The leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party had his head shaved Monday in a show of protest, calling for the resignation of the justice minister, whose family is embroiled in corruption allegations.In South Korea, politicians sometimes have their heads shaved in public to express dissent over political and social issues.LKP chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn got his head shaved at a plaza in front of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul in his call for Justice Minister Cho Kuk to step do
Sept. 16, 2019