Ruling party urges govt. to ease antivirus measures

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Thursday called on the government to ease antivirus curbs, such as a virus test for inbound travelers, and an indoor mask mandate for toddlers and children, amid signs that the virus wave is slowing down. The virus wave, triggered by the spread of a highly contagious omicron variant, has been on a decline after a resurgence in July that later peaked above 180,000 cases in mid-August. As part of efforts to curb the public's inconvenience, the government

Sept. 29, 2022

Ruling party to decide on extra penalty for ex-Chairman Lee next week

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) decided to hold an ethics committee meeting next week to decide on an additional penalty for former Chairman Lee Jun-seok over his harsh criticism of President Yoon Suk-yeol and the party, officials said Thursday. The PPP held an ethics panel meeting Wednesday, but only suspended the party membership of Rep. Kim Sung-won for making insensitive remarks over flooding in Seoul and elsewhere caused by heavy rains last month. The panel also decided to open a discip

Sept. 29, 2022

Yoon’s office, ruling party step up offensive against MBC

The presidential office and the ruling party are ratcheting up the pressure on local broadcaster MBC over its reporting on President Yoon Suk-yeol’s controversial use of vulgar language, against rising accusations of attempts at censorship of the press. The presidential office said Tuesday night it sent an official letter to MBC President Park Sung-je asking for clarification on the matter. The letter asked the broadcaster to answer on what grounds it wrote the subtitles for Yoon’s

Sept. 28, 2022

Ruling party to hold ethics committee meeting, may decide extra penalty for ex-Chairman Lee

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) will hold an ethics committee meeting Wednesday amid speculation it may impose an additional penalty on former Chairman Lee Jun-seok over his sharply worded criticism of President Yoon Suk-yeol and the party. The meeting is set for 7 p.m. but whether to discuss Lee's case has not been decided, party officials said. But observers say the committee may decide to expel Lee from the party at worst. In July, the PPP suspended Lee's party membership for si

Sept. 28, 2022

Ex-Vice Gyeonggi governor arrested over bribery charges involving underwear maker

SUWON -- Prosecutors on Wednesday arrested former Vice Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Hwa-young on charges of taking bribes from an underwear company in return for business favors, officials said. Lee, currently the head of the convention and exhibition center KINTEX, was accused of pocketing some 250 million won ($175,315) worth of bribes from Ssangbangwool in the forms of a corporate credit card and luxury vehicles between 2018 and early 2022 while he was serving as vice Gyeonggi governor for peac

Sept. 28, 2022

‘Diplomatic disaster’: Democratic Party calls on Yoon to sack foreign minister

South Korea’s main opposition is demanding that Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin be removed from office over what it calls the “unprecedented diplomatic disaster” that unfolded during President Yoon Suk-yeol’s recent trip to the US. The Democratic Party of Korea convened a general meeting Tuesday afternoon and ratified a proposal to sack the top diplomat. Park “ought to be held to account for the series of diplomatic gaffes,” the party said in a stateme

Sept. 27, 2022

[News Focus] Did media harm nation's integrity?

The controversy surrounding President Yoon Suk-yeol's possible use of vulgar language during his recent US trip continues, despite numerous attempts from the presidential office and the ruling party to downplay the issue. While the ruling and opposition blocs clash head on, the Yoon administration has put the blame on local media, saying that “untrue” reports could damage South Korea’s alliance with the US and put people “at risk.” However, experts say the

Sept. 27, 2022

Yoon says untrue reports damage alliance, put people in danger

President Yoon Suk-yeol has denied the controversy surrounding his use of vulgar language during his recent US trip, saying the incorrect reports damage South Korea's alliance with the US and put people in danger. On his way to work on Monday morning, Yoon responded to the controversy, “Damaging the alliance with reports that are different from the facts is putting the people at risk." He added, "The rest of the related stories should be clarified more clearly first, such

Sept. 26, 2022

Critics tear into Yoon for 'ill-planned' Kishida meeting

The meeting between President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly after much controversy and led to few immediate results. While Seoul's presidential office touted the meeting as “meaningful,” some critics say the bilateral meeting was unnecessary and that it has put Yoon in a more difficult position. Yoon told reporters on the way to his office Monday morning that Seoul-Tokyo relations were a complicat

Sept. 26, 2022

[Newsmaker] YouTube’s ever-growing role in Korean politics

In a recent interview with British newspaper The Guardian, Cho Dong-youn, a former co-head of the Democratic Party of Korea candidate Lee Jae-myung’s presidential campaign, revealed that she had contemplated taking her own life after revelations about her personal life were made online, causing an onslaught of online bullying. The allegation that Cho had a child out of wedlock -- which she later revealed was the result of a sexual assault -- was made by a controversial far-right YouTuber K

Sept. 26, 2022

Yoon's approval rating falls after hot mic incident: Realmeter

President Yoon Suk-yeol saw his approval rating dip slightly at the end of last week, a survey showed Monday, after he was caught on video using foul language during a visit to New York. In the poll of 2,533 voters conducted by Realmeter from Monday to Friday last week, 34.6 percent positively assessed Yoon's job performance, up 0.2 percentage point from the previous week. Yoon's disapproval rating was 62.2 percent, down 1 percentage point. Yoon's approval rating, however, showed

Sept. 26, 2022

Yoon to hold summit with Trudeau to strengthen economic cooperation

President Yoon Suk-yeol is scheduled to hold a summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday in Ottawa, Canada, during the last stop of his five-night, seven-day trip, with a focus on strengthening economic cooperation. The bilateral summit is the first since President Yoon's inauguration at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Madrid, Spain, in late June. The two countries' leaders will discuss ways to strengthen economic cooperation, including key mineral s

Sept. 23, 2022

Yoon's approval rating drops again while overseas

Yoon Suk-yeol's multilateral diplomacy is overshadowed by multiple controversies, with his approval dropping again on Friday. Yoon's five-day overseas trip is coming to the end, with a summit with Canada still remaining. He has been mired in a number of controversies during his trip, including failing to visit the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London, holding summits with the US and Japan that failed to meet expectations, and being caught on a hot mic insulting the US Congre

Sept. 23, 2022

Yoon calls for Assembly's cooperation for Global Fund pledge

TORONTO -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday called on the National Assembly to render active cooperation for the execution of a pledge to contribute $100 million to a global fund for fighting infectious diseases. Yoon wrote in a Facebook message that he attended the Global Fund's Seventh Replenishment Conference in New York on Wednesday and committed $100 million from South Korea for the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria over the next three years. "Solidarity

Sept. 23, 2022

Yoon meets with Biden, Kishida amid much fuss

  President Yoon Suk-yeol met with his US and Japanese counterparts on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, but only after complications -- what the opposition party here has referred to as a debacle -- and without tangible results. The presidential office said on Wednesday in New York that Yoon and US President Joe Biden met at a reception hosted by King Charles III in London on Sunday, the seventh financial pledge meeting of the Global Fund in New York on Wednesday and at

Sept. 22, 2022

Yoon, Kishida agree to cooperate on NK, improve bilateral relations

President Yoon Suk-yeol held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for the first time in New York on Wednesday, where the two agreed on the need to improve relations by resolving pending issues between the two countries. The presidential office said in the afternoon, "President Yoon had a brief meeting with Prime Minister Kishida at a conference building near the United Nations General Assembly for 30 minutes from 12:23 p.m." It is the first meeting between the leaders of So

Sept. 22, 2022

Seoul, Tokyo not coming to terms on New York summit

President Yoon Suk-yeol’s office is remaining silent on media reports Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was unhappy with Seoul’s decision to announce the bilateral summit last week. Tokyo claims that the disclosure was not discussed beforehand. Yoon official said in response to a South Korean reporter question on Wednesday in New York that “there is not much to comment publicly.” “I don’t think I ought to comment on every media coverage as they come. Th

Sept. 21, 2022

Why did Yoon omit NK from UN speech?

President Yoon Suk-yeol left North Korea out of his first UN speech, an unusual move for a South Korean leader speaking at a multinational event, in what watchers say is likely to be a calculated move. On Tuesday afternoon in New York, Yoon delivered his first speech at the UN General Assembly, expressing his willingness to take a leading role in international cooperation to protect the international order based on freedom, human rights and the rule of law. He vowed to actively participate i

Sept. 21, 2022

Global crisis can be overcome with freedom and solidarity, Yoon says at UN

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol expressed his willingness to take a leading role in international cooperation to protect the international order based on freedom, human rights and the rule of law in a speech the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday. He vowed to actively participate in the international community's efforts to promote peace and prosperity for future generations. He made no mention of North Korea in his speech. Yoon stood on the stage on Tuesday afternoo

Sept. 21, 2022

Prosecutors drop sexual bribery allegations against ex-PPP leader Lee

Police have decided not to refer Lee Jun-seok, the former chairman of the ruling People Power Party, to the prosecution for indictment over allegations he received sexual services as bribery from a businessman about 10 years ago. The 37-year-old Lee has been accused of receiving sexual services paid for by Kim Sung-jin, CEO of tech company I-kaist, in 2013 and attempting to cover it up by promising to pay off a whistleblower. Kim's side claimed Lee had promised to set up a meeting with then Pres

Sept. 20, 2022