Moon, CEPI CEO discuss Korea’s vision for global vaccine production hub

President Moon Jae-in and Richard Hatchett, CEO of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation, held a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday and exchanged views on South Korea’s pandemic preparedness and its vision for a global vaccine production hub. Moon applauded CEPI’s leadership role in facilitating investment into vaccine development and manufacturing against COVID-19, which he said greatly helped in saving people’s lives around the world. “Since joining CEPI l

Nov. 16, 2021

[Newsmaker] Kingmaker or safe choice, opposition hopes for ‘Kim Chong-in effect’

Kim Chong-in, a veteran election campaigner often referred to as "kingmaker," is once again at the center of attention in the political arena, with the conservatives betting on him to help them win next year’s presidential election. In recent weeks, the main opposition People Power Party has been openly reaching out to Kim to head Yoon Seok-youl's election campaign and wrest power from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea in the March presidential election. "We hope

Nov. 16, 2021

In election season, the wrong hat could land you in prison

Supporters in MAGA hats have been a common sight on the campaign trail in the US in recent years, but in Korea that kind of promotion won’t wash. According to Korea’s Public Official Election Act, a hat bearing a campaign slogan candidate can lead to a fine or even jail if the wearer is not a candidate or on the campaign staff. This is one of several obscure clauses in addition to the more widely known rules such as prohibiting giving money out to voters, damaging candidates’

Nov. 16, 2021

Stalking offense warning issued to reporters covering DP nominee's wife

Reporters covering the wife of the ruling party's presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung outside their home have been sent away by police after being warned of potential stalking offenses, officials said Tuesday. According to the Bundang Police Station in Seongnam, South of Seoul, five reporters who were covering Kim Hye-kyung, Lee's wife, in front of her home Monday have been sent away after being warned they could be in potential violation of the anti-stalking law. The journalists reportedly s

Nov. 16, 2021

Opposition party seeks veteran politician's help with presidential campaign

Both the leader and the presidential nominee of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) met with a veteran politician Monday and publicly asked for his help in the 2022 presidential campaign. The request was made by PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok and presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl during a book event for Kim Chong-in, a former five-term lawmaker credited with steering both the ruling and opposition parties to key election victories as their interim chief. Kim is reportedly being conside

Nov. 15, 2021

Moon sends orchids of congratulations to main opposition presidential candidate

President Moon Jae-in on Monday sent a pot of orchids to the main opposition People Power Party's presidential candidate, Yoon Seok-youl, to congratulate him on his nomination and pledged to remain politically neutral during the presidential race, a lawmaker said. Lee Cheol-hee, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, paid a visit to Yoon to deliver the orchids with a message from Moon that he hopes Yoon will stay healthy during the election campaign. In response, Yoon sent his g

Nov. 15, 2021

Progressive presidential candidate pledges full volunteer military system from 2030

Sim Sang-jeung, the presidential candidate of the minor progressive Justice Party, said Monday she will make the military switch to a full volunteer system from 2030 and reduce the number of standing troops if elected president. Currently, all able-bodied South Korean men are mandated to serve about two years in the military. Sim vowed to change the country's compulsory military draft system if she wins the presidential election in March next year. "Under the current compulsory system, t

Nov. 15, 2021

Yoon leads Lee by some 13 percentage points in presidential race: survey

Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential nominee of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), is leading his opponent Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) by some 13 percentage points in a hypothetical multicandidate race, a survey showed Monday. Yoon garnered 45.6 percent support against Lee's 32.4 percent in the survey conducted on 1,009 adults nationwide on Friday and Saturday, according to the Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI). Yoon's rating rose 2.6 percentage points from th

Nov. 15, 2021

Lee Jae-myung accused of trying to buy votes after call for more handouts

Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung’s proposal for another round of emergency relief funds looks set to ignite another fierce battle between rival parties as lawmakers work to prepare plans for next year’s budget. The presidential nominee for the ruling Democratic Party has proposed handing out more relief funds to all South Korean citizens, as he believes additional compensation is needed for those who have undergone economic struggles from the COVID-19 pandemic a

Nov. 15, 2021

Moon attends christening ceremony of floating LNG platform

President Moon Jae-in on Monday attended a christening ceremony for a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility set to head to Mozambique, saying the platform will expand energy cooperation between the two nations. The christening ceremony of the Coral-Sul floating facility came about four years after Samsung Heavy Industries Co., a major Korean shipyard, won a $2.5 billion deal to build the offshore facility. Moon said the floating LNG facility will become a symbol of friendly cooperati

Nov. 15, 2021

Ruling bloc working to win back trust lost from real estate fiasco

Ruling party lawmakers are gearing up to adjust details of South Korea’s capital gains taxation program to match the rising price level of housing units and thereby make up for their continued losses in public support. The National Assembly's Strategy and Finance Committee is on track to hold a sub-committee meeting Monday to discuss details of a bill aimed at revising the guidelines on imposing capital gains tax for real estate properties. The bill was proposed by Rep. Yoo Dong-soo of t

Nov. 14, 2021

Could Korea get teenage lawmakers?

South Korea’s political circles are seemingly in agreement over lowering the age bar for people to run for office, a measure discussed from both ruling and opposition parties as a means to match the global trend and assure better representation and diversity in local politics. The idea has been a traditional ask from the liberal bloc demanding rights for younger generations to actively participate in politics, the latest effort of which came last week with a bill proposed by Rep. Noh Woon

Nov. 14, 2021

Seoul can provide economic support if N. Korea move to denuclearize: Yoon

Presidential hopeful Yoon Seok-youl on Friday said he is open to providing economic support in return for Pyongyang’s progress toward denuclearization, while pledging to change the current “master-servant” relationship between the two Koreas. Yoon, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party, elucidated his camp’s approach to North Korea and foreign and security policies at a news conference hosted by the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club.

Nov. 12, 2021

Lee says US played part in Japan's forced annexation of Korea

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), said Friday the United States played a part in Korea losing its sovereignty to Japan, as it consented to the colonization in a 1905 secret deal with Japan. Lee made the remarks during a meeting with Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), referring to the Taft-Katsura Agreement between then US Secretary of War William Howard Taft and Japanese Prime Minister Katsura Taro in which the US condoned Japanese rule over Korea at that time.

Nov. 12, 2021

Moon to discuss pandemic recovery at APEC summit

President Moon Jae-in is set to attend this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit Friday to meet with 20 other Pacific Rim leaders and discuss a path to recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. APEC members from Pacific Rim nations including New Zealand, Russia, the US and Chile meet annually to ease trade barriers and expand growth. Their economies account for nearly 40 percent of the world’s population and about 60 percent of its gross domestic product. But for a second

Nov. 12, 2021

Partisan clashes over special probe into land development scandal intensify

The ruling and opposition parties continue to clash over an independent counsel investigation into the Daejang-dong land development scandal, even after presidential hopeful Lee Jae-myung said he is open to the probe on conditions. The partisan collision over the timing and scope of the special prosecutor’s probe intensifies, with less than four months until the March 9 presidential elections. The main opposition People Power Party has reiterated that a special probe led by an independ

Nov. 12, 2021

Yoon says firm S. Korea-US alliance ever more important

Main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl met with the top US diplomat for East Asia and a US senator Friday, saying a firm alliance between the two countries has become ever more important. The meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink and US Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) was held at the People Power Party's headquarters as part of their separate visits to Seoul. "I can't stress enough the importance of the South Korea-US alli

Nov. 12, 2021

Moon emphasizes independence, political neutrality of state auditors

President Moon Jae-in on Friday emphasized independence and political neutrality of state auditors as he appointed a new head of the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI). The appointment of Choe Jae-hae, a former senior official at the BAI, came about two months after Moon nominated him to lead the key state agency. During an appointment ceremony, Moon stressed the importance of independence and political neutrality of the audit agency and asked Choe to ensure the discipline of public officia

Nov. 12, 2021

Seoul mayor admitted to ER over acute stomachache

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon was admitted to an emergency room Friday due to a sudden acute stomachache, officials said. Oh moved to the hospital at 11:30 a.m. after experiencing pain while on the way to an event organized by the Korea Senior Citizens Association in Seoul, city officials said. The mayor canceled all scheduled public events for the rest of the day, officials said. Oh had been scheduled to attend a foreign investment consultation meeting organized by Seoul City Hall in the afternoon.

Nov. 12, 2021

Lee's camp releases ambulance CCTV images showing wife under his care

The campaign of ruling party presidential nominee Lee Jae-myung on Friday released photos of Lee holding his wife's hand as she was taken to a hospital in an ambulance earlier this week. Kim Hye-kyung, the wife of the Democratic Party nominee, was admitted to a hospital in Seongnam, south of Seoul, on Tuesday after sustaining injuries from a fall at their home, according to the party. Lee canceled his campaign activities that day, saying he wanted to be by her side. "This shows Lee Jae-m

Nov. 12, 2021