PM apologizes over private gathering rule violation

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum apologized Friday for violating social distancing rules when he met with his college alumni last week. "I am deeply sorry," Kim said at the start of a state affairs coordination meeting. "I promise that I will look after myself thoroughly so that this kind of incident never happens again." Kim came under fire after media reported that a total of 11 people, including Kim himself, had a luncheon at the prime minister's residence in Seoul last Sat

Nov. 12, 2021

Moon appoints new senior secretary for economic affairs

President Moon Jae-in has appointed a new secretary in charge of economic affairs, the presidential office said Thursday. Park Won-joo, a career economic bureaucrat who previously served as head of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, will replace An Il-hwan as the senior presidential economic secretary. An had tendered his resignation for health reasons, a presidential official said. With half a year in office remaining, Moon has vowed do everything possible for a complete return to norm

Nov. 11, 2021

Ruling party presidential candidate pledges to delay taxation of virtual assets

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the ruling Democratic Party, on Thursday promised to delay taxation of virtual assets and increase its deduction limits, a move that is seen as targeting young voters in the upcoming presidential election. "The foundation of taxation is trust, and we need to make a taxation system which people can trust," Lee wrote on his Facebook page. "Rushed taxation without preparation cannot earn justification, and could cause tax resistance and co

Nov. 11, 2021

Woman draws 22-year jail term for killing daughter after domestic dispute

A woman who was convicted of killing her own eight-year-old daughter out of anger over discord with her live-in partner was sentenced to 22 years in prison by an appellate court Thursday. The 44-year-old woman, whose name was withheld, was arrested early this year for murdering her daughter, who was sleeping at their home in Incheon, west of Seoul, by blocking her nose and mouth on Jan. 8. The girl's body was found by the woman's common-law partner one week later. The woman reportedly told pol

Nov. 11, 2021

Moon urges APEC business leaders to show solidarity on carbon neutrality

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday called for business leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to show an act of solidarity to help the world achieve carbon neutrality, warning humanity's future hinges on today's actions. "Coal and oil can no longer be sustained as energy sources," Moon told the virtual APEC CEO Summit in a keynote speech. "We must lead a great transformation of civilization to new energy solutions." Achieving carbon neutrality and combating

Nov. 11, 2021

Yoon vows to improve relations with Japan upon taking office

Main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl said Thursday he will improve the deeply frayed relations between South Korea and Japan as soon as he takes office if he is elected on March 9. Yoon made the promise on his Facebook page, saying he was in the southwestern city of Mokpo to visit a museum dedicated to late former President Kim Dae-jung and happened to see the news of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's reelection Wednesday. "The issues between the two countries are n

Nov. 11, 2021

Moon to send orchids of congratulations to main opposition presidential candidate

President Moon Jae-in plans to send a pot of orchids to the main opposition People Power Party's presidential candidate, Yoon Seok-youl, early next week to congratulate him on his nomination, a presidential spokesperson said Thursday. The orchids will be delivered by Lee Cheol-hee, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, during a meeting between Lee and Yoon on Monday, presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee said. Also on Monday, Moon will send orchids of congratulations to Kim

Nov. 11, 2021

Supreme Court upholds 34-year, 15-year prison sentences for 2 online sex abuse ring operators

The Supreme Court on Thursday finalized prison sentences of 34 years and 15 years, respectively, for two people convicted in a notorious online sex abuse ring case. The court confirmed the 34-year sentence for Moon Hyung-wook, 24, for coercing 21 women and girls into sharing nearly 3,800 sexually explicit videos of themselves for distribution on a sexual exploitation chat room called Nth Room on Telegram. It also confirmed the 15-year sentence for Kang Hun, 20, for coercing 18 women and girls

Nov. 11, 2021

Ex-presidential spokesman indicted for allegedly assaulting firefighter

A former Cheong Wa Dae spokesman has been indicted for allegedly assaulting a firefighter while drunk, according to legal sources Thursday. Jeong Yeon-guk, who served as the presidential office spokesman under former President Park Geun-hye, was indicted without physical detention on Oct. 20 by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office for alleged violation of the basic fire service act. The 60-year-old is suspected of slapping the firefighter in the face while under the influence of alcoh

Nov. 11, 2021

S. Korea to spare no efforts to make farming industry more competitive: Moon

South Korea will spare no efforts to help the agricultural industry become more competitive as farms were affected by climate change and a crunch of the global supply chain, President Moon Jae-in said Thursday. "Although climate change and a supply chain crisis have affected the farming industry, the government will make its utmost efforts to further increase competitiveness of our farming industry," Moon said in a message marking the 26th Farmers' Day. To cope with a drive for car

Nov. 11, 2021

Govt. to place emergency controls, cut tariffs on urea solution: PM

South Korea will cut tariffs and place emergency controls on the production and provision of urea solution, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Thursday, to ease the ongoing supply crunch of the material used to reduce emissions in diesel vehicles. Kim unveiled the plans during an extraordinary Cabinet meeting called to discuss measures to address urea shortages. During the meeting, the Cabinet was set to approve a government notice that allows authorities to control production, shipments and sale

Nov. 11, 2021

Yoon apologizes for defending ex-President Chun on visit to Gwangju

Main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl traveled to the liberal stronghold of Gwangju on Wednesday and apologized in person for remarks seen as praising a former authoritarian president accused of bloodily quelling a democracy uprising in the southwestern city. Yoon of the conservative People Power Party was met by protesters as he arrived to pay his respects to victims of the 1980 massacre at the May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju, 329 kilometers south of Seoul. Blocked by th

Nov. 10, 2021

Ruling party candidate questions security alliance with Japan

Lee Jae-myung, presidential nominee for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, expressed caution toward forming a military alliance among South Korea, the United States and Japan, voicing concerns over Japan being an ally on trust issues. The presidential nominee of the ruling party said in a press conference in Jung-gu, central Seoul, that Japan should be questioned as a trustworthy partner for alliance, citing the historical importance of keeping the Dokdo islets under South Korean sovereignty

Nov. 10, 2021

Parties contemplate Seoul by-election picks

With Seoul by-elections set to take place on the sidelines of the presidential election on March 9, the two main parties are looking to use their candidate selections to boost their chances in the main event. Two Assembly seats are up for grabs in Seoul, and political heavyweights who fell in the presidential primaries are being eyed as possible candidates there, as party unity becomes a priority. The two seats have been vacant since their lawmakers -- one from each of the two main parties --

Nov. 10, 2021

Key presidential candidates promise cash, but govt. calls both plans unfeasible

As key presidential candidates competitively promise pandemic relief funds to win over voters, the government is saying the pledges are unfeasible. Other candidates accuse them of populism and of trying to buy support. The ruling Democratic Party presidential candidate, Lee Jae-myung, is seeking to provide additional national disaster support funds to overcome the difficulties caused by the pandemic. His contender Yoon Seok-youl of the main opposition People Power Party has a plan to invest

Nov. 10, 2021

Lee says he is open to independent counsel probe into Seongnam development scandal

Ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung said Wednesday he is open to an independent counsel investigation into a massive corruption scandal implicating one of his former aides. Lee of the ruling Democratic Party has previously rejected the main opposition People Power Party's calls for a special counsel probe into allegations that the former aide colluded with a private investor to reap astronomical profits from an apartment development project undertaken in Seongnam, south of Seoul,

Nov. 10, 2021

Moon to hold TV town hall meeting Sunday

President Moon Jae-in plans to hold a televised town hall meeting Sunday evening, in which he will discuss virus containment measures and people's livelihoods, a presidential spokesperson said Wednesday. The town hall meeting, which will be broadcast live on KBS TV from 7:10 p.m. for 100 minutes Sunday, marks Moon's second appearance on a TV talk show since 2019. "President Moon Jae-in plans to have candid discussions with the public on the subjects of containment to overcome the coronavi

Nov. 10, 2021

Police offer prime minister-level protection to Lee and Yoon

Police will begin providing prime minister-level security services to the presidential candidates of the ruling and main opposition parties this week, officials at the National Police Agency (NPA) said Wednesday. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party, and Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential nominee of the main opposition People Power Party, will receive the same level of police protection as the prime minister, the National Assembly speaker and the Supreme Court

Nov. 10, 2021

Yoon to visit Gwangju to apologize for defending ex-President Chun

Main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl was set to visit the liberal stronghold of Gwangju on Wednesday to apologize for remarks seen as praising a former authoritarian president accused of bloodily quelling a democracy uprising in the southwestern city. The two-day visit to Gwangju, 329 kilometers south of Seoul, comes about three weeks after Yoon raised the ire of voters there by claiming many people believe former President Chun Doo-hwan did well in politics, except for his blo

Nov. 10, 2021

LH employee acquitted in land speculation case involving insider information

ANSAN -- An employee of the scandal-ridden state housing developer Korea Land & Housing Corp. (LH) was acquitted Tuesday of land speculation using insider information. The LH employee was indicted on charges of having purchased about 17,000 square meters of land in Gwangmyeong, just south of Seoul, at 2.5 billion won ($2.1 million) in March 2017 after obtaining insider information while working on an urban development project. But the Suwon District Court cleared the employee, whose ident

Nov. 9, 2021