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
103 autumn foliage paths in Seoul
-
7
First lady’s controversies to top agenda at meeting of party leaders
-
8
Seoul aims to halve current suicide rate by 2030
-
9
4 in 10 young South Koreans take up 'irregular' jobs: data
-
10
When two worlds collab: K-pop flexes power with global stars
-
[Newsmaker] Prosecutors raid DAS again, probe closes in on ex-President Lee
The prosecution on Thursday raided offices of the auto parts maker DAS linked to former President Lee Myung-bak, and companies associated with the firm, over allegations that Lee’s government helped the firm recoup an investment. The Seoul Central Prosecutor’s Office collected documents and computer files from the DAS office located in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and the residence of the DAS President surnamed Kang. It is the second time prosecutors have searched the office. The Seo
Jan. 25, 2018
-
Ex-president's nephew quizzed over slush fund allegations
A nephew of former President Lee Myung-bak appeared for questioning Wednesday over suspected involvement in the alleged creation of Lee‘s slush fund at a local auto parts maker run by his family. Lee Dong-hyung, vice president of DAS, arrived at the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office around 10 a.m. He was officially summoned Tuesday. The son of Lee Sang-eun, the eldest brother of the former president, is suspected of engaging in the making and running of a 12 billion-won (US$11 million)
Jan. 24, 2018
-
Ex-President Lee’s brother found unconscious amid probe into alleged bribery
The man known as former President Lee Myung-bak’s “butler” reportedly told prosecutors that he received the state spy agency’s funds under Lee’s orders, recanting his earlier denial of the allegations.Kim Paik-joon was arrested last week on charges of receiving more than 400 million won ($370,000) from the National Intelligence Service in 2008 and 2010 while serving as the senior secretary for administrative affairs to then-President Lee.Prosecutors reportedly obtained Kim’s testimony that he re
Jan. 24, 2018
-
Hundreds of thousands petition to demand removal of politician from PyeongChang Organizing Committee
More than 200,000 people have signed an online petition demanding the removal of a conservative lawmaker from the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympics and Paralympics, prompting an official response from the presidential office.Four-term lawmaker Rep. Na Kyung-won of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party came under fire after she sent an email to the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee, claiming that creating a unified inter-Korean women’s i
Jan. 24, 2018
-
[Breaking] Ex-President Lee’s brother found unconscious amid probe into alleged bribery
The second eldest brother of former President Lee Myung-bak was found unconscious inside his home, a local broadcaster reported Wednesday, two days before his scheduled questioning over alleged bribery involving the nation’s spy agency funds. Lee Sang-deuk, a former six-term lawmaker, has been admitted to the intensive care unit at Seoul National University Hospital, according to Channel A. The details of his condition have not been released.Lee Sang-deuk (Yonhap)The 83-year-old had been summone
Jan. 24, 2018
-
[Newsmaker] Supreme Court in hot water over blacklist, political bias allegations
The Supreme Court is facing increasing heat over allegedly surveilling judges and accusations of bending to political pressure.It had been alleged that the National Court Administration surveilled judges, and compiled a list detailing their character and actions. The allegations have sparked speculations that a blacklist -- much like that of cultural figures drawn up by the Culture Ministry during the Park Geun-hye administration -- had been compiled.Supreme Court in southern Seoul. YonhapIn con
Jan. 24, 2018
-
Prosecution summons ex-president's nephew in slush fund probe
Prosecutors said Tuesday they plan to question former President Lee Myung-bak's nephew this week over his involvement in the alleged creation of Lee's slush fund at a local auto parts maker run by his family. The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office summoned Lee Dong-hyung, vice president of DAS, for questioning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Lee is a son of Lee Sang-eun, the eldest brother of the former president. He is also the largest shareholder in IM, a partner firm of DAS. IM was raided by
Jan. 23, 2018
-
Prosecutors search home, office of ex-President Lee’s brother
Prosecutors on Monday raided the residence and office of former President Lee Myung-bak’s elder brother as part of a probe into allegations that he accepted illicit funds from the state spy agency.Investigators from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office searched Lee Sang-deuk’s home in Seongbuk-dong and office in Yeouido, seizing documents and computer hard drives.Prosecutors said they have obtained testimony from a high-ranking official of the National Intelligence Service that the sta
Jan. 22, 2018
-
Politician under fire after sending complaint letter to IOC over North’s participation
A South Korean conservative politician and member of the PyeongChang Organizing Committee came under fire after she sent a letter to the International Olympics Committee demanding a reconsideration of its approval of parts of inter-Korean agreements related to the North’s participation at the Winter Games.On Friday, Rep. Na Kyung-won, a four-term lawmaker from the main opposition Liberty Korea Party and a member of the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympics and Paralympics, sent
Jan. 22, 2018
-
Govt., ruling party work to reduce suicide, traffic, industrial accident deaths
The government and ruling Democratic Party pledged on Monday to push for safety measures aimed at halving the number of deaths from suicide and from car and industrial accidents by 2022.During a policy coordination meeting, they decided to more systematically monitor those at a high risk of suicide, toughening the criteria for passing drivers' license tests, and strengthening crackdowns on drunk driving and safety standards in industrial facilities."The party and government shared the view that
Jan. 22, 2018
-
Moon's approval rating dips to 4-month low
President Moon Jae-in's approval rating dropped to the lowest level in over four months last week, a poll showed Monday, amid controversies over a corruption investigation into former President Lee Myung-bak's aides, policy confusions over cryptocurrencies and the formation of an inter-Korean joint women's hockey team for the Winter Olympics. In a weekly survey by Realmeter, 66 percent of 2,509 people surveyed said they approved of the way the president managed state affairs, down 4.6 percentage
Jan. 22, 2018
-
Rival parties collide over NK's participation in PyeongChang Olympics
South Korea's ruling and opposition parties clashed on Sunday over the formation of a unified, inter-Korean team, as Seoul and Pyongyang are speeding up discussions about the details of North Korea's participation in the 2018 Winter Games.On Saturday, the International Olympic Committee said North Korea will be allowed to send 22 athletes to compete in three sports, paving the way for the two Koreas to establish a joint team for women's hockey at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.While the ruling
Jan. 21, 2018
-
People's Party dissenters to create own party
Nearly a half of the center-left People's Party's lawmakers on Sunday announced their plan to create their own party next month in defiance of its leader's push to merge with the center-right Bareun Party. The leaders of the two minor opposition parties on Thursday declared their merger in a bid to chart a new middle-of-the-road political group that brings together "reform-minded conservatives and rational centrists." The People's Party plans to hold a national convention on Feb. 4 to approve th
Jan. 21, 2018
-
Political maelstrom follows Moon-Lee spat
Leaders of political parties showed mixed reactions to President Moon Jae-in’s outrage over former President Lee Myung-bak’s denouncement of investigations into his aides as “political retaliation.” Moon said through his spokesman Thursday that he “cannot hold back outrage” as Lee accused the incumbent administration of taking revenge over the death of former President Roh Moo-hyun. Roh took his own life in 2009 amid a corruption probe into his family and aides during Lee’s presidency. Former Pr
Jan. 19, 2018
-
PM apologizes for remark about unified women's hockey team with NK
Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon apologized Friday for a remark suggesting that it would be OK to form a unified women's hockey team with North Korea because the South Korean team is unlikely to win a medal anyway.Lee made the controversial remark on Tuesday, saying that the South Korean team is "out of the medal range," in an effort to dispel concern that the formation of a unified team with the North could be disadvantageous to South Korean athletes because they would have fewer chances to play. Pri
Jan. 19, 2018
-
Moon's approval rating drops to 4-month low amid cryptocurrency controversy
President Moon Jae-in's approval rating dropped significantly from a week earlier this week, a poll showed Friday, amid a heated debate over how the government should handle the recent frenzy over cryptocurrency.In a poll conducted by Gallup Korea, 67 percent of respondents said they approved of the way Moon managed state affairs, down 6 percentage points from the previous week. President Moon Jae-in (Yonhap)The weekly survey was conducted Tuesday through Thursday, involving 1,004 adults across
Jan. 19, 2018
-
Moon, angry, refutes accusations of political revenge
President Moon Jae-in on Thursday denounced former President Lee Myung-bak’s accusations of political revenge as an “insult.”“President Moon Jae-in said that he cannot hold back outrage at the fact that former President Lee Myung-bak raised the death of President Roh Moo-hyun in talking of political revenge,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Park Soo-hyun said. Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Park Soo-hyun conveys President Moon Jae-in`s reaction to former President Lee Myung-bak`s announcement at the president
Jan. 18, 2018
-
Leaders of People's Party, Bareun Party declare merger
The leaders of two minor opposition parties declared their merger to chart a new middle-of-the-road political group Thursday despite deepening internal dissension and defections.Ahn Cheol-soo of the center-left People's Party and Yoo Seong-min of the center-right Bareun Party hastily arranged a press conference to announce their merger plan, which they think will bolster their parliamentary foothold ahead of the June gubernatorial and mayoral elections.Dissenters in both parties opposed the inte
Jan. 18, 2018
-
Lee Myung-bak cries foul as investigations close in
Former President Lee Myung-bak on Wednesday called on the prosecution to question him in various investigations, accusing the Moon Jae-in administration of taking revenge for the death of former President Roh Moo-hyun. “It is clear that the investigations into Cheong Wa Dae officials and government officials who worked with me have been aimed at me from the very beginning,” Lee said, describing the investigations into alleged wrongdoings of past administrations as “political plots, revenge for t
Jan. 17, 2018
-
Investigations close in on Lee Myung-bak
Former President Lee Myung-bak is being pushed into an increasingly tight corner as authorities delve deeper into allegations surrounding previous administrations. Former President Lee Myung-bak. YonhapOn Wednesday, investigators looking into allegations surrounding auto parts maker DAS raided the office of another parts maker, IM, and homes of an undisclosed number of company’s officials. Lee’s eldest brother Lee Sang-eun is the official majority shareholder of DAS, but it has been alleged the
Jan. 17, 2018