Early voting starts for June 1 elections

Early voting started for the 8th local elections and parliamentary by-elections Friday, as South Korea carries out its fourth public official election during the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Election Commission on Friday opened early voting at 3,551 polling stations across the country, and voters have been rushing to nearby voting booths to cast their ballots in a fierce two-way battle between the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Polling stations

May 27, 2022

Yoon appoints his first spy chief

President Yoon Suk-yeol appointed Kim Kyou-hyun, a former deputy national security adviser and career diplomat, as his first spy chief Friday. Yoon presented Kim with a letter of appointment a day after the National Assembly approved him as director of the National Intelligence Service. Kim takes over at a time when tensions run high in the wake of a series of weapons tests by North Korea. During his confirmation hearing Wednesday, the director vowed to reinforce the country's intelligence

May 27, 2022

Govt. vows swift prescription of COVID-19 pills for high-risk patients: PM

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Friday that the government will encourage doctors to prescribe COVID-19 treatment pills for high-risk patients on the day their infections are confirmed. "For high-risk COVID-19 groups, including people aged 60 or older, test, treatment and prescription of medicine will be carried out in one day," Han told a virus response meeting. The government will also allow high-risk patients to swiftly be admitted to hospitals responsible for COVID-19 treatment, H

May 27, 2022

Yoon picks two women for remaining Cabinet seats

President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday nominated two female experts to fill remaining Cabinet seats after being criticized for a lack of female representation. Yoon also appointed a female expert to co-head the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Yoon nominated Seoul National University professor Park Soon-ae for education minister and former lawmaker Kim Seung-hee as health minister. He also nominated Seoul National University professor Oh Yu-Kyoung as vice minister of food and drug safety. Wit

May 26, 2022

[Herald Interview] Gangwon Province should move past regulations for development says opposition hopeful

Gangwon Province has been underdeveloped, limited by heavy regulations, says Lee Kwang-jae, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea’s Gangwon Province candidate for governor. Lee, who held the post of Gangwon Province governor for a short period in 2010 before he was removed due to involvement in a large political scandal, believes a new future awaits the province. According to Lee, the new Special Act on the Establishment of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, likely to p

May 26, 2022

Supreme Court rules against peak wage system

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against the peak wage system introduced by a large number of local companies to gradually cut the salaries of senior workers several years before retirement. The top court said the peak wage system is an illegal discrimination against workers on the basis of age, making the first ruling of its kind in a lawsuit filed by a former employee of a local research institute. The plaintiff who joined the institute in 1991 retired honorably in 2014. The institute intro

May 26, 2022

Main opposition party mired in internal feud ahead of local elections

With the local elections less than a week away, the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) has found itself battering with an internal feud amid concerns the infighting may hinder its chances in the elections. The turmoil began earlier this week when the DP's co-interim chief Park Ji-hyun promised self-reflection and called for a sweeping reform of the party in a press conference aimed at drumming up support ahead of the local elections. The 26-year-old upped the ante Wednesday after she cal

May 26, 2022

Yoon picks women for last remaining 2 Cabinet ministers

President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday named his nominees for education and welfare ministers, picking women for both positions following criticism that his Cabinet is male-dominated. Park Soon-ae, a professor of the Graduate School of Public Administration at Seoul National University, was named education minister, while Kim Seung-hee, a former lawmaker, was named welfare minister. Earlier in the day, a senior presidential official said Yoon had planned to pick women as his nominees for education

May 26, 2022

PM defends reported nominee for gov't policy coordination chief

  Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Wednesday defended a reported nominee for the head of government policy coordination, citing his rich experience as an economic bureaucrat. President Yoon Suk-yeol has been reportedly considering nominating Yoon Jong-won, chief executive of the state-run Industrial Bank of Korea, as the minister for the Office for Government Policy Coordination, which is in charge of assisting the prime minister. The ruling People Power Party voiced opposition to his nom

May 25, 2022

26-year-old co-leader throws Democratic Party hand grenade in drive for reform

With just a few days left until the June 1 local elections, 26-year-old rookie politician Park Ji-hyun dropped a bombshell on the liberal opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Wednesday, openly calling on the party’s old guard to retire. Park, who is only four months into partisan politics yet leads the main opposition party’s interim leadership as its co-head, said the party is in need of drastic reforms, attributing its failure to win over voters to a culture of tolerance tow

May 25, 2022

[KH Explains] Who’s winning where for June 1 elections?

With just seven days left until the local elections and parliamentary by-elections on June 1, latest public opinion surveys are hinting a clear lead for the ruling People Power Party and its candidates in many regions. Out of 17 metropolitan mayoral and gubernatorial elections, the People Power Party has shown a strong lead in 10 of the posts, compared to four for the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. The prospects are still uncertain for three out of the 17 major posts. The country o

May 25, 2022

[Herald Interview] Democratic Party Seoul mayor hopeful says he will be ‘balance that Yoon needs’

In the aftermath of a divisive race that put a conservative back into presidency, the Democratic Party of Korea’s candidate for mayor of Seoul, Song Young-gil, said he would serve as “a voice for the other half.” On June 1, Koreans head to polls for elections to pick municipal heads and fill vacant parliament seats. “0.73 percent. That’s how thin the margin was,” he said as he sat down for an interview with The Korea Herald on Tuesday at his office in Yeouid

May 25, 2022

Yoon says his vision was ‘narrow’ in response to gender criticism

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Tuesday he would try to create “bold opportunities” for women when appointing public officials, amid growing criticism over a lack of women serving in his government. “I will work hard to give bold opportunities to women when it comes to public personnel appointments,” Yoon was quoted as saying during a meeting with outgoing leaders of the National Assembly at his office in Seoul, according to presidential spokesperson Kang In-sun. The remar

May 25, 2022

Spy chief nominee vows to bolster intelligence capabilities on N. Korea

The nominee to head the country's spy agency vowed Wednesday to significantly bolster the agency's intelligence capabilities on North Korea amid rising tensions in the wake of Pyongyang's missile launches. "If I can serve as the director of the National Intelligence Service, I will sharply reinforce intelligence capabilities on North Korea, such as early detection of provocation signs," Kim Kyou-hyun said during his confirmation hearing. "I will reform and reform ag

May 25, 2022

Yoon's office strongly condemns NK missile launches

The office of President Yoon Suk-yeol strongly condemned North Korea's ballistic missile launches as a grave provocation Wednesday as Yoon ordered measures to ensure the US "extended deterrence" commitment to South Korea. The presidential office released the statement shortly after Yoon presided over a National Security Council meeting to discuss North Korea's launch of three ballistic missiles, including a presumed intercontinental ballistic missile, earlier in the day. "The pa

May 25, 2022

Yoon promises 'bold opportunities' for women in public posts

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Tuesday that in the process of appointing public officials, he will work to give "bold opportunities" to women, amid calls for his administration to enhance gender equality.    Yoon made the remarks during his meeting with outgoing leaders of the National Assembly at his office in Seoul, according to presidential spokesperson Kang In-sun.    "I will work hard to give bold opportunities to women when it comes to public personnel a

May 24, 2022

Yoon calls for ‘rational’ energy mix

President Yoon Suk-yeol said it is necessary for Korea’s future energy sources to be a “rational” mix of nuclear power, renewable energy and natural gas to achieve carbon neutrality amid global supply chain instability and rising energy prices. Yoon attended the 28th World Gas Conference held at Exco in Daegu on Tuesday, his first public attendance at an international event since taking office. The World Gas Conference is the world’s largest international event in the

May 24, 2022

PM meets opposition leader, agrees to hold regular sessions with parliament

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Tuesday met with Rep. Yun Ho-jung, a co-chair of the Democratic Party of Korea’s interim leadership committee, in a gesture seeking cooperation from the country’s main opposition party. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Han visited Yun first before he met with leaders of the ruling People Power Party. This move showed his enthusiasm to cooperate with the opposition party, at least on the surface. Overall, Han’s first encounter with the main opposition

May 24, 2022

[Herald Interview] Lee Jung-hyun opts for comeback in hometown

Lee Jung-hyun, once a big name in the conservative bloc, is seeking a return to politics after a five-year hiatus, this time running for the governor of South Jeolla Province. Lee, a former head of the main conservative party and a close aide of ousted former President Park Geun-hye, had left politics after Park’s impeachment in 2017. Having left the central arena, Lee has returned to his political hometown. “I wanted a fresh start, working my way upward,” Lee told The

May 24, 2022

[Herald Interview] Opposition candidate promises growth with airport, World Expo in Busan mayor bid

Byun Seong-wan, representing the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea in the Busan mayoral election, faces a steep uphill battle against his rival Park Heong-joon of the People Power Party. After former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don of the Democratic Party was found to have sexually harassed female employees of the city government, public sentiment toward the liberal party has turned ice cold in the southern city. Byun admits he is facing a difficult challenge. Nevertheless, Byun says he is a ca

May 24, 2022