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
When two worlds collab: K-pop flexes power with global stars
-
10
4 in 10 young South Koreans take up 'irregular' jobs: data
-
Prosecutors step up investigation into slush fund suspicions at DAS
Investigators raided the office of an auto parts company headed by the family of an elder brother of former President Lee Myung-bak on Wednesday as part of a slush fund investigation involving a partner firm that the former president is suspected of owning. Investigators from the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' office searched the offices and residences of people related to the parts firm IM in the city of Gyeongju, some 370 kilometers southeast of Seoul, officials said. Officials said the r
Jan. 17, 2018
-
Ruling party chief presses ex-President Lee to explain corruption allegations
The leader of the ruling Democratic Party on Wednesday pressured former President Lee Myung-bak to come clean about mounting corruption allegations involving his former aides, as prosecutors accelerated probes into them.Choo Mi-ae made the remarks after prosecutors arrested two key former aides to Lee Tuesday night and early in the morning on allegations of receiving illicit funds from the National Intelligence Service. Aside from the NIS funding scandal, the prosecution is also looking into sus
Jan. 17, 2018
-
PM: Shutdown of cryptocurrency exchanges impossible without National Assembly approval
Shutting down cryptocurrency exchanges is impossible without approval from the National Assembly because new legislation would be required to do so, Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said Tuesday.Virtual currency regulations have been one of the hottest issues in Korea since the justice minister said last week that the government is working on legislation that includes a shutdown of all exchanges. The remark sent cryptocurrency prices tumbling and sparked angry reactions from investors. As market confu
Jan. 16, 2018
-
Korean public servants work up to 1,000 hours more than their OECD counterparts a year
South Korean public servants on around-the-clock duties, such as police and customs officials, work about 1,000 hours more a year than public workers in member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a government survey showed Tuesday.According to the Ministry of Personnel and Management's survey, government employees work for 2,738 hours per person a year on average while those in ordinary duties work for 2,271 hours a year. Civil servants at Seoul Government Com
Jan. 16, 2018
-
Ruling party chief expresses desire to help foster NK-US dialogue
The leader of South Korea's ruling Democratic Party on Tuesday voiced her willingness to play a mediating role that would allow ongoing inter-Korean talks to lead to dialogue between the United States and North Korea.During her New Year's press conference, Choo Mi-ae also expressed hopes that next month's PyeongChang Winter Olympics, which Pyongyang will participate in, could help usher in an "era of new detente" on the Korean Peninsula. Choo Mi-ae, leader of the ruling Democratic Party, speaks
Jan. 16, 2018
-
President's annual salary set at W225m
The annual salary of President Moon Jae-in was set at 225 million won ($211,320), up 5 million won from last year, as the Cabinet approved the personnel and management ministry's pay raise plan for public servants Tuesday. According to the plan, monthly wages for rank-and-file soldiers were raised by an average 87.8 percent. That's in line with Moon's campaign promise to increase the salaries of conscripts to half the minimum wage by 2022. Moon at airport terminal opening President Moon Jae-in t
Jan. 16, 2018
-
President Moon to meet SME, venture firm leaders
President Moon Jae-in was set to meet a group of top executives and officials from small and medium-sized enterprises on Tuesday.The meeting will be held over dinner at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, involving around 30 business leaders, including the head of the Korea Federation of SMEs. It will also involve the top officials of six venture firms, according to Cheong Wa Dae.The meeting will be the first of its kind since Moon took office in May. President Moon Jae-in speaks during a mee
Jan. 16, 2018
-
Minor opposition leaders to release joint proposal on merger
The leaders of two minor opposition parties are preparing a joint proposal for a merger and are expected to make the announcement as early as this week, party officials said Monday.Chairmen Ahn Cheol-soo of the center-left People’s Party and Yoo Seong-min of the center-right Bareun Party are likely to release a statement containing the spirit underlying the founding of their new party and its identity, a lawmaker close to Ahn said. People’s Party Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo (right) and Bareun Party
Jan. 16, 2018
-
Ex-President Lee at center of multiple probes
Former President Lee Myung-bak is involved in several ongoing investigations by the prosecution, but it remains to be seen whether prosecutors will be able to hold Lee accountable as they get to the bottom of a bribery scandal and alleged political maneuvers by the state spy agency and the Defense Ministry during his presidency, as well as a slush fund case.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office has been scrutinizing the National Intelligence Service for allegedly running an online smear
Jan. 15, 2018
-
NIS, prosecution, police reform faces rough road in parliament
The outlook for Moon Jae-in administration’s drive to reform organs of state power appears bleak with conservative opposition hitting back immediately after the plans were announced. (Yonhap)On Sunday, Cheong Wa Dae revealed reform plans for the National Intelligence Service, National Police Agency and the Public Prosecutors’ Office, aiming to increase transparency and prevent one body wielding too much power. The gist of the plans is to limit the NIS to North Korea and overseas intelligence, r
Jan. 15, 2018
-
Prosecution to freeze 3 billion won returned to Park by her lawyer
The prosecution is expected to freeze an additional 3 billion won ($2.81 million) belonging to ousted President Park Geun-hye, which her lawyer returned to her account Friday. According to prosecutors Sunday, Park’s lawyer Yoo Young-ha deposited the money into an account belonging to Park just before the court ordered Friday a freeze on Park’s assets totaling 6 billion won. The assets included the 3 billion won which had been kept by Yoo, and a 2.8 billion won residence in southern Seoul.Yoo pre
Jan. 14, 2018
-
Korean lawmakers to visit China to discuss security, diplomatic cooperation
A group of South Korean lawmakers will visit China this week to discuss security and economic cooperation in a follow-up to President Moon Jae-in’s recent state visit to Beijing, parliamentary officials said Sunday.The 20-member bipartisan delegation led by Rep. Park Byeong-seug of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea will leave for Beijing on Tuesday for a five-day trip, according to the officials. During their stay, the lawmakers will meet with leading Chinese parliamentary and party represent
Jan. 14, 2018
-
Conservative party gives rare praise for Moon's NK policy direction
The minor conservative Bareun Party on Thursday offered an unusual bit of praise for President Moon Jae-in's North Korea policy, one day after he displayed firm resolve to tackle the nuclear standoff despite growing signs of thawing ties.During his press conference for the new year Wednesday, Moon said he has no plans to ease Seoul's unilateral sanctions on Pyongyang and linked the issue of improving cross-border ties to that of resolving the North's nuclear issue.His remarks came amid growing c
Jan. 11, 2018
-
Moon asks to proceed with June referendum on Constitutional amendment
President Moon Jae-in reiterated Wednesday his pledge to hold a referendum on constitutional amendment in tandem with the upcoming local election in June, urging the National Assembly to come up with an agreed revision bill by March. In the New Year’s press conference at the Blue House, Moon also said the government is willing to prepare a proposal of its own if necessary. “The Constitution that was last amended 30 years ago cannot reflect the will of the people,” Moon said during the televised
Jan. 10, 2018
-
‘Dialogue and pressure’ in dealing with NK: Moon
President Moon Jae-in said Wednesday that South Korea will approach the North Korean nuclear issue with both engagement and pressure, and that cooperation with the US has been critical in inter-Korean relations. “The purpose of sanctions and pressure is to bring North Korea to dialogue, (but) it cannot be said that dialogue is the only solution,” Moon said at the New Year’s press conference held Wednesday at the Blue House.While Seoul will engage the North and endeavor to resolve the North Korea
Jan. 10, 2018
-
Moon’s ‘no script’ news conference draws attention
The interactive and spontaneous manner of President Moon Jae-in’s New Year’s press conference on Wednesday differentiated him from most of his predecessors.Following Moon’s 20-minute address on key policy goals, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae opened the floor to the press for an hourlong Q&A session. “Questioners are to be picked by the president’s hand gestures and eye contact,” said Yoon Young-chan, the chief presidential secretary for public affairs, underlining that there was no pre-a
Jan. 10, 2018
-
President reaffirms resolve to denuclearize N. Korea
South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday welcomed the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue but said his country will continue to work with the international community to denuclearize North Korea.In his first press conference in the new year, Moon also said his country has no plans to ease sanctions on the communist state against the will of the international community."Now the dialogue with North Korea has begun, but because the North Korean nuclear issue has not been resolved, South Korea
Jan. 10, 2018
-
[Breaking] Moon says Seoul has no plans to ease sanctions on NK
President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday called on lawmakers to expedite consultations on constitutional revision, reiterating his resolve to hold a national referendum concurrently with local elections scheduled for June. "The Constitution is a bowl that holds the daily lives of the people. Our people's thoughts about the government's responsibility and role and the people's rights have changed dramatically from 30 years ago. We cannot uphold the thoughts of the people with an old constitution that i
Jan. 10, 2018
-
Moon set to hold New Year's press conference
President Moon Jae-in is set to hold a press conference Wednesday to personally explain his administration's policy objectives for the new year.The press conference will be held at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae from 10 a.m. and will involve over 200 journalists from local and foreign news outlets.It will mark the second of its kind since Moon came into office in May 2017, following his victory in the presidential by-election caused by the ousting of his conservative predecessor, Park Geu
Jan. 10, 2018
-
[Newsmaker] Seoul to abide by 2015 'comfort women' deal
The South Korean government said Tuesday that it will not seek to renegotiate the 2015 Korea-Japan deal on Korean victims of Japan’s wartime sexual enslavement, but reiterated that the controversial agreement cannot resolve the “comfort women” issue. Sticking to the deal under which Japan apologized to the victims and provided 1 billion yen ($8.8 million) to a fund to support them, the Foreign Ministry said that it will replace Japan’s money for the victims from the government’s budget. “We can
Jan. 9, 2018