Ruling party chief meets with sexual slavery victim

The leader of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) met with a victim of Japan's wartime sexual slavery on Tuesday and discussed her calls for bringing the issue to a United Nations committee. Rep. Song Young-gil, chairman of the DP, said he met with Lee Yong-soo, one of the 13 registered surviving South Korean victims of sexual slavery, and discussed ways to bring Japan's wartime sexual slavery case to the United Nations Committee Against Torture (CAT). The UN body, comprising 10 experts, monitors

Nov. 2, 2021

Prosecutor linked to opposition's political meddling scandal questioned

A sitting prosecutor was questioned Tuesday over allegations of conspiring with the main opposition party to investigate key ruling camp officials last year when Prosecutor-General Yoon Seok-youl, now a leading opposition presidential contender, was in office. Prosecutor Son Jun-sung appeared for questioning at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) for allegedly asking Kim Woong, a prosecutor-turned-lawmaker of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), to lodg

Nov. 2, 2021

Justice ministry acknowledges rights violation at detention center for illegal immigrants

The justice ministry acknowledged Monday that human rights violations occurred at a detention center for illegal immigrants in June after an investigation into allegations that an inmate suffered torture-like treatment. The investigation came after the inmate from Morocco in his 30s filed a petition with the national human rights watchdog, claiming he was maltreated while being detained in June at an immigration processing center in Hwaseong, about 40 kilometers south of Seoul. He accused offi

Nov. 1, 2021

Prosecutors seek arrest warrants for 3 key figures in Seongnam development scandal

Prosecutors sought arrest warrants Monday for three key figures in an urban development scandal on charges of breach of trust and bribery in connection with a lucrative project in Seongnam, south of Seoul. Prosecutors have been looking into suspicions over how a previously unheard-of asset management company, Hwacheon Daeyu, and its seven affiliates reaped astronomical profits from a 2015 project to develop the Daejang-dong district in Seongnam into an apartment complex. The Seoul Central Dist

Nov. 1, 2021

Ahn declares third bid for presidency, vows to create a technology-oriented Korea

Ahn Cheol-soo, head of the minor opposition People’s Party, officially declared his third bid for presidency on Monday, vowing to transform South Korea into a science and technology-oriented state. Whether Ahn will unify with the main opposition People Power Party candidate will be a major variable in the upcoming election. Announcing his candidacy at the National Assembly in Seoul, Ahn said, “I will become a president who pursues national growth engines with the power of advance

Nov. 1, 2021

Main opposition party enters final stretch of presidential primary with polling

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) kicked off the final week of its presidential primary Monday as the two front-runners appeared to be locked in a tight race for the nomination. The party's standard-bearer is scheduled to be determined and announced at a national convention Friday after four days of polling party members and the general public on their most favored candidate. The four candidates are former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, PPP Rep. Hong Joon-pyo, former Rep. Yoo Se

Nov. 1, 2021

Moon says Pope Francis stated intent to visit N. Korea

President Moon Jae-in said Monday that Pope Francis stated his intention to visit North Korea during their meeting at the Vatican last week. Moon and the pope met Friday on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Rome. Moon said at the meeting that a papal visit to North Korea would foster peace on the Korean Peninsula and the pope responded positively, according to Cheong Wa Dae. "Pope Francis prayed as always for peace on the Korean Peninsula and stated his intention to visit North K

Nov. 1, 2021

Moon arrives in Glasgow for UN summit on climate change

GLASGOW, Scotland -- President Moon Jae-in arrived in Britain on Sunday for a UN summit on climate change where he is expected to urge the world to urgently tackle the climate crisis and highlight South Korea's role in combating climate change. The UN summit, also known as the COP26 summit, is set to bring together more than 100 heads of state, including Moon, US. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in Glasgow, Scotland's biggest city.  World leaders are expec

Nov. 1, 2021

Moon asks Merkel to pay attention to peace on Korean Peninsula, bilateral ties

ROME -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in asked the outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel to pay attention to peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula and bilateral relations between the two countries after she steps down. Moon and Merkel, who will soon step down after 16 years in office, met one-on-one on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in the Italian capital. Moon thanked Merkel for her efforts to improve bilateral relations since 2005, saying that bilateral ties between South Korea and Ge

Nov. 1, 2021

Ahn Cheol-soo to announce 3rd presidential run

Minor opposition People’s Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo will announce his third presidential bid Monday as he looks to make next year’s presidential election a four-way race. Ahn is slated to meet the press Monday at the National Assembly to announce his run. It will be Ahn’s third attempt at the presidency. The entrepreneur-turned-politician withdrew from the presidential race less than a month before the presidential election in November 2012 and declared his support for Moon

Oct. 31, 2021

DP presidential nominee vows to launch real estate supervisory service

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the ruling Democratic Party, has said that, if elected, he will launch a real estate supervisory service in an effort to root out corruption in the property market. Lee made the remark during an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Friday, saying he would give the service powers to conduct investigations into any irregularities that arise in the real estate market. The pledge comes as Lee has been accused of involvement in a massive corruption scandal

Oct. 31, 2021

Ahn Cheol-soo to declare third presidential bid this week

Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the minor opposition People's Party, will declare his third presidential run this week, the party said Sunday, shaping next March's election as a four-way race. Ahn will hold a ceremony at the National Assembly on Monday to declare his bid, the party said. It will be the third time for the former medical doctor and software entrepreneur to run for president. In November 2012, Ahn withdrew from the race less than a month before the election, giving his support for Moon

Oct. 31, 2021

S. Korea bids farewell to late former President Roh

South Korea bid farewell to late former President Roh Tae-woo on Saturday, marking the end of a five-day state funeral for a leader who drew both criticism and praise for his role in staging a coup and then embracing democracy. The funeral ceremony for Roh, who died Tuesday at age 88, began at 11 a.m. at the Peace Plaza at Olympic Park in eastern Seoul, a symbolic venue for him as it was there that the 1988 Summer Olympics were held successfully during his five-year term. His body was brough

Oct. 30, 2021

Moon invites pope to NK again in peace efforts

President Moon Jae-in invited Pope Francis to North Korea again as he made another effort to reopen nuclear talks, at a meeting at the Vatican on Friday. The meeting was the first official stop on his trip to attend a Group of 20 summit over the weekend and a UN climate meeting that ends Tuesday. “Your visit to North Korea would be the new momentum for peace on the Korean Peninsula. South Koreans are looking forward to it,” Moon said, repeating an invitation from North Korean leade

Oct. 29, 2021

65% of S. Koreans support special prosecutor probe into Seongnam development scandal: poll

Sixty-five percent of South Koreans support an independent counsel investigation into a corruption-laden urban development scandal engulfing South Korean politics while 25 percent are against it, a survey showed Friday. The Gallup Korea poll of 1,000 adults conducted between Tuesday and Thursday also showed 55 percent suspect that Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), played a part in the development project in Seongnam, south of Seoul, with a purpose to g

Oct. 29, 2021

S. Korea to fully resume in-person school classes from Nov. 22: ministry

South Korea will fully resume in-person school classes next month in line with the government's "living with COVID-19" scheme, the education ministry said Friday. In-person attendance at kindergarten, elementary, middle and high schools will resume nationwide on Nov. 22, following this year's College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), a state-run university entrance exam, on Nov. 18, according to the ministry. The plan is part of the government's "living with COVID-19" scheme

Oct. 29, 2021

Moon set to meet Pope Francis at Vatican

ROME -- President Moon Jae-in was set to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday to discuss peace on the Korean Peninsula and efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic, the presidential office said. The Friday meeting will take place as Moon visited Rome to attend the Group of 20 Leaders' Summit over the weekend before traveling to Glasgow to join the global summit of the COP26 climate change gathering. It will be Moon's second meeting with Pope Francis since October 2018. Moon and Pope

Oct. 29, 2021

Lee behind both Yoon, Hong in presidential race: poll

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), is trailing both leading opposition contenders in hypothetical two-way matchups, a survey showed Thursday. Lee earned 38.9 percent against 44.4 percent for Rep. Hong Joon-pyo of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), according to the survey of 2,035 adults conducted Monday and Tuesday by Realmeter. In a matchup with PPP contender Yoon Seok-youl, Lee garnered 40.9 percent against Yoon's 45.3 percent. The differ

Oct. 28, 2021

Four-day workweek pledges resurface

The ruling party's presidential nominee is reviewing whether to include a four-day workweek as a major campaign promise, sparking debate as to whether the pledge is realistic for South Korea. Former Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, presidential nominee for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, said in an interview with JTBC that he is contemplating a promise to bring in a four-day workweek in a step-by-step manner to improve welfare and employment for South Korean workers. "Introduci

Oct. 28, 2021

DP presidential candidate slammed over 'restaurant quota system' remarks

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), has come under fire after saying he may consider adopting a cap on the number of restaurants in the country to curb excessive competition. Lee made the remarks Wednesday during his campaigning at a traditional market in Seoul where he listened to self-employed people suffering from the pandemic. He said the competition in the restaurant business is like "an ant lion pit," and that he has an idea of running a

Oct. 28, 2021