Most Popular
-
1
Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
-
2
Rose's 'Apt.' redefines K-pop's global appeal
-
3
Two years on, thousands mourn Itaewon tragedy, calling for accountability
-
4
[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
-
5
Hanwha, HD Hyundai vie for Poland’s $2.7b submarine program
-
6
First lady’s controversies to top agenda at meeting of party leaders
-
7
103 autumn foliage paths in Seoul
-
8
Seoul aims to halve current suicide rate by 2030
-
9
4 in 10 young South Koreans take up 'irregular' jobs: data
-
10
[Photo News] Rallying against LGBTQ+
-
Moon seeks ‘direct democracy’ though Constitution amendment
Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday revealed the first part of the government’s Constitution amendment bill that would strengthen the basic rights and power of the people. President Moon Jae-in (Yonhap)“The amendment must be centered on the people,” Cho Kuk, senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, said in introducing the proposed changes, adding that the candlelight protests had shown the people’s desire for “direct democracy,” and the desire to exercise their sovereignty.“Therefore, the amendment
March 20, 2018
-
Moon to head to Vietnam, UAE
President Moon Jae-in will head to Vietnam Thursday, beginning his seven-day trip to the Southeast Asian nation and the United Arab Emirates. South Korean President Moon Jae-in (Yonhap)Moon will kick off his trip to Vietnam with a meeting with Park Hang-seo, the head coach of Vietnam’s national under-23 soccer team. Moon will then attend the groundbreaking ceremony for a higher-education institution modeled after the Korea Institute of Science and Technology. On the following day, Moon will hol
March 20, 2018
-
Seoul City to shut off computers at night to fight overtime
The Seoul Metropolitan Government has begun to take steps to reduce overtime work in the public sector, mandating that all computers be shut down after 8 p.m. starting Friday. The latest measure comes after the growing number of criticism from Koreans, who lack a decent work-life balance. The city government ordered all computers at the Seoul City Hall building and its Seosomun annex be powered down at 8 p.m. Friday. (Yonhap)The automatic shut-down of computers will be implemented at 7:30 p.m. e
March 20, 2018
-
BBC correspondent criticizes reports that she called Moon communist
BBC’s Seoul correspondent Laura Bicker expressed her disappointment after learning that some Korean media outlets had misinterpreted her article published on March 10 by insinuating that she had called President Moon Jae-in a communist.Bicker requested via Twitter on Sunday that the Korean press “translate my articles fairly.” (Laura Bicker’s Twitter)Some conservative media outlets here had portrayed Bicker’s article as supporting their view of President Moon as a malevolent communist.But the ar
March 20, 2018
-
Govt. proposal seeks to promote human rights of all people, not just citizens
The government proposal for a constitutional revision seeks to promote and enhance the basic human rights of all people in the country, instead of just Korean citizens, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday."Considering the level of human rights the international community expects from us and more than 2 million foreign residents in our society, there is a need to expand the subject of basic human rights to people from citizens," Cho Kuk, the top aide to President Moon Jae-in for ci
March 20, 2018
-
Court to review arrest warrant for ex-President Lee Thursday
A Seoul court said it will hold a hearing Thursday to determine whether to issue an arrest warrant for former President Lee Myung-bak, who is accused of a dozen corruption charges, including bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power. The Seoul Central District Court said Tuesday it will begin the hearing at 10:30 a.m. to judge the legality of his detainment. The court is expected to deliver its decision early Friday. Prosecutors sought an arrest warrant on Monday after months-long investigation,
March 20, 2018
-
Arrest warrant sought for ex-President Lee Myung-bak
Prosecutors on Monday requested an arrest warrant for former President Lee Myung-bak, who is suspected of 20 criminal charges including bribery, embezzlement and power abuse. As Lee has denied most of the allegations against him, the prosecution viewed him as at risk of destroying evidence. The allegations against him include bribery of some 11 billion won ($10.3 million) from the state spy agency, individuals and conglomerates, such as Samsung. Lee Myung-bak (Yonhap)The former president, who w
March 20, 2018
-
Prosecutors seek arrest warrant for ex-President Lee in corruption probe
Prosecutors on Monday requested a court warrant to arrest former President Lee Myung-bak over 12 counts of corruption charges including bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power. Lee, president from 2008-2013, is suspected of taking about 11 billion won (US$10.3 million) in bribes from the state intelligence agency, businesses and others. The 77-year-old is believed to be the real owner of DAS, an auto parts maker at the center of the scandal, through which he allegedly created 35 billion won in
March 19, 2018
-
Moon to submit Constitution amendment bill on Monday
President Moon Jae-in’s constitutional amendment bill will be submitted to the National Assembly on Monday, according to the Blue House.“The president gave orders to fully prepare to submit the Constitution amendment bill on March 26,” said Jin Sung-joon, a presidential political affairs secretary, on Monday. The presidential office also revealed plans for government reform. President Moon Jae-in speaks at the conference on government reform in Seoul on Monday. YonhapJin added that the date was
March 19, 2018
-
Opposition parties rail against Moon's added pressure over constitutional change
Opposition parties on Monday castigated President Moon Jae-in's move to table a government bill on a constitutional revision next week, reiterating their stance that any change to the basic law must be led by the parliament.The pushback came shortly after Moon instructed his government to prepare its own bill, for submission on March 26, to press ahead with his plan to put the amendment to a referendum at the same time as the June 13 local elections."The government-led amendment is a move that h
March 19, 2018
-
Govt. to submit own proposal for constitutional revision on March 26
The government will submit its own bill on constitutional change to the National Assembly next week, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Monday."The president has instructed Cheong Wa Dae to prepare the government bill for submission on March 26," Jin Sung-joon, aide to President Moon Jae-in for political affairs, told a press briefing.Cheong Wa Dae officials earlier said March 26 was the last day for the government to submit its own bill ahead of the June 13 local elections as the parlia
March 19, 2018
-
Abe wishes talks with NK during phone meeting with Moon
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed his hope for talks between his country and North Korea during his phone conversation with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, according to Seoul officials. In their 45-minute conversation on Friday, the two leaders agreed that relations between Japan and North Korea should improve to help resolve North Korea issues."Peace on the Korean Peninsula is not possible only with a South-North summit," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom quoted Moon as telli
March 16, 2018
-
Parties ready for Seoul mayoral election
Former leader of the People’s Party Ahn Cheol-soo took up an official post in the Bareun Future Party on Friday, adding weight to speculation he may run for Seoul mayor in the local elections in June. Ahn stepped down from the leadership when the People’s Party merged with the Bareun Party a month ago to form the Bareun Future Party.The new party’s co-leaders Yoo Seong-min and Park Joo-sun have asked Ahn to run for Seoul mayor, hoping he will save the party from single-digit support ratings. Ahn
March 16, 2018
-
Moon's approval rating rises to 74% thanks to improved ties with NK
President Moon Jae-in's approval rating rose 3 percentage points, to 74 percent, from a week earlier thanks to positive views of his handling of relations with North Korea, a survey showed Friday.Resumption of talks with the North, and the handling of North Korea policy and security issues, were cited as the main reasons for the positive views of his performance, according to the Gallup Korea survey of 1,003 adults, conducted from Tuesday through Thursday.Negative views of Moon's performance fel
March 16, 2018
-
Main opposition party unveils road map for constitutional revision
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party said Friday it will seek to revise the Constitution with a focus on delegating more presidential power to the prime minister and suggested the rival parties submit a joint revision bill to the National Assembly by June.Rep. Kim Sung-tae, floor leader of the party, unveiled the party's road map for amending the basic law as President Moon Jae-in increased pressure on opposition parties to come up with a joint revision proposal as early as possible so that i
March 16, 2018
-
Second woman files sexual assault complaint against An Hee-jung
About 10 days after an allegation of multiple rapes was made public against former South Chungcheong Province Gov. An Hee-jung, a second alleged victim filed a legal complaint against him for sexual assault on Wednesday. The woman says she was sexually assaulted by An seven times over the course of more than a year, from October 2015 until January last year. Of the seven assaults, the victim alleges she was raped on three occasions. The woman worked for a think tank founded by An. In the most r
March 15, 2018
-
Ex-President Lee admits to receiving illicit money from state spy agency
Former President Lee Myung-bak admitted to receiving $100,000 from the state spy agency through his former presidential aide while in office, but refused to disclose how the money was used, according to the prosecution.Lee denied other corruption allegations against him and returned home in the early hours of Thursday, after a marathon overnight interrogation by the prosecution that had begun the previous morning.Lee Myung-bak (Yonhap)The prosecution suspects the National Intelligence Service se
March 15, 2018
-
South Korea's former first lady faces possible probe over bribery allegations
Ex-President Lee Myung-bak’s wife Kim Yoon-ok received a bribe from former Woori Financial CEO Lee Pal-seung during her husband’s term in office, Kim’s son-in-law reportedly told prosecutors in a recent questioning session. Kim’s son-in-law, Lee Sang-joo, a senior executive at Samsung Electronics, told prosecutors he received 1.45 billion won ($1.36 million) from the former Woori chief and passed on part of the money to Kim. The money was given sometime during Lee Myung-bak’s term as president,
March 15, 2018
-
Govt. to fire all 226 illicit job solicitors at Kangwon Land casino
The government has decided to fire all 226 employees of Kangwon Land casino who were found to have secured their jobs through illicit means, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday.The move comes months after a government probe concluded the 226 workers landed their jobs through illicit soliciting. (Yonhap)"President Moon Jae-in today ordered the government to take swift and thorough measures against employment-related corruption at public organizations, best known by the Kangwon Lan
March 15, 2018
-
Moon-Trump talks possible in between NK summits: prime minister
South Korean President Moon Jae-in may hold a summit with US President Donald Trump after talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to brief him about the results of the inter-Korean meeting before Trump meets with the North’s leader, Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon said Wednesday.Moon and Kim are scheduled to hold what would be the third inter-Korean summit in late April, and Trump is also expected to hold talks with the North’s leader sometime by May as he accepted Kim’s offer to meet as early as
March 14, 2018