[Newsmaker] Opposition party files complaint against CIO over alleged illegal raid

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Saturday filed a complaint with the prosecution over what it called an illegal raid against one of its lawmakers in a snowballing political meddling scandal. The complaint accuses Kim Jin-wook, chief of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), and five investigators of abuse of power and an illegal raid on the office of PPP Rep. Kim Woong on Friday. Rep. Jun Joo-hyae, a PPP spokeswoman, delivered the complaint to the

Sept. 11, 2021

Former chief prosecutor booked on multiple charges in political meddling probe

The state anti-corruption investigative body has formally booked ex-Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl on multiples charges, including abuse of power, in its widening probe into a political meddling scandal, officials said Friday, dealing a blow to his presidential bid. An official at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) in charge of the probe told reporters, "(The office) booked ex-Prosecutor General Yoon yesterday." Yoon is facing four difference char

Sept. 10, 2021

Moon to receive W166.9m annual pension after retirement

President Moon Jae-in will receive an annual pension of 166.9 million won ($142,500) along with other benefits after his retirement in May next year, according to the government’s budget plan for 2022 on Thursday. Under the Honorable Treatment of Ex-Presidents Act, a former president is entitled to a pension worth 95 percent of presidential salary. Based on his current salary of over 175.56 million won this year, his monthly payment after retirement will be 13.9 million won. Moon is expe

Sept. 9, 2021

Yoon Seok-youl denies alleged political meddling

Presidential hopeful Yoon Seok-youl on Wednesday denied involvement in snowballing allegations that he had tried to meddle in politics. Speculation has swirled around him for a week after online news outlet Newsverse reported on Sept. 2 that Yoon ordered Rep. Kim Woong of the main opposition People Power Party to file a complaint with the prosecution against politicians and journalists linked to the ruling Democratic Party of Korea ahead of last year’s general elections. In a press bri

Sept. 8, 2021

Ex-Finance Minister Kim officially declares presidential bid as independent

Former Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon officially announced Wednesday he will run in the presidential election slated for March as an independent. "We can create a nation where opportunities flow like a river if we can collect our strength with the people," Kim said in a pre-recorded speech announcing his presidential candidacy uploaded on YouTube. Calling for a change of today's political and power establishments, the former career bureaucrat stressed the need to completely overhaul

Sept. 8, 2021

Hong Joon-pyo rises to break Yoon’s grip on party primary

Rep. Hong Joon-pyo of the main opposition People Power Party is quickly gaining support, rising as a potential contender for next year’s presidential election that has been largely dominated by two prominent figures from each side. A poll of 1,003 eligible voters from the Korea Society Opinion Institute showed Monday that Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party was the most favored candidate with 28 percent. Gov. Lee’s lead was followed by former Prosecut

Sept. 7, 2021

S. Korea to more than double solar, wind energy facilities by 2025: Moon

President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday that South Korea will scale up its solar and wind energy production facilities by more than twofold within four years as part of the government's new carbon neutrality policy. "By 2025, we will expand the scale of solar and wind-related facilities by more than twofold compared to now," Moon said in a pre-recorded speech celebrating the second UN-designated International Day of Clean Air for blue skies. Cheong Wa Dae explained that Moon reiterated th

Sept. 7, 2021

PM asks metro unions to cancel planned walkout against restructuring measure

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum on Tuesday asked subway unions of Seoul and four other major cities to refrain from staging a planned walkout next week, saying it will seriously disrupt the public transportation service. "The people will likely experience great inconvenience and disruption if subways' operation gets interrupted ahead of the fall harvest Chuseok holiday," Kim said during a Cabinet meeting held at the government office complex in Seoul. This year's Chuseok holiday is set f

Sept. 7, 2021

[Us and Them] Lee Jun-seok and the rise of anti-feminism

At 36, Lee Jun-seok made history by becoming the youngest-ever leader of the main opposition People Power Party. His success has fanned hopes for significant changes in the political arena, but an uglier side of South Korean society has ascended along with him. Two months before he was elected party chairman, the party won the Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections. Although the candidates were favored across age groups, young male voters showed overwhelming support. Post-election analyses s

Sept. 6, 2021

[Herald Interview] Basic income a key policy: Yeoju mayor

Being mayor of a city in Gyeonggi Province with a little over 110,000 residents means putting people first, says Yeoju Mayor Lee Hang-jin, and a universal basic income for farmers is one way to do that. Yeoju was the first city in the province to provide an annual allowance to farmers, who make up a third of the city’s population, beginning last year. This year, the city is partnering with the province to provide farmers with a universal basic income, and five other cities in the provinc

Sept. 6, 2021

PPP's Rep. Hong advances to 3rd spot in new presidential hopefuls' poll

Rep. Hong Joon-pyo of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) climbed to third place among contenders vying for next year's presidential election, a poll showed Monday. In the two-day poll on 1,003 voters nationwide conducted by the Korea Society Opinion Institute from Friday, Hong garnered approval of 13.6 percent, up 4.2 percentage points from a week ago. Hong, widely considered an underdog contender, managed to overtake Rep. Lee Nak-yon, the former head of the ruling Democratic Party (

Sept. 6, 2021

Gyeonggi Gov. Lee confirms lead in ruling party primary race

Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung achieved a landslide victory in the ruling Democratic Party’s first and second round of primaries for the presidential election, solidifying his standing as the front-running contender for the next presidency. According to the ruling party on Sunday, Gov. Lee finished the second round of Democratic Party’s national presidential primary elections of Sejong and North Chungcheong Province by winning 54.54 percent of all cased votes. Rep. Lee Nak-yo

Sept. 5, 2021

Moon asks new parliament to support budget bill

President Moon Jae-in on Friday asked the parliament to support the bill to determine next year’s budget, during a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae with the National Assembly’s leaders and the chairs of its standing committees.  The meeting was arranged to congratulate the new deputy speaker and seven committee chairs, who are all from the main opposition People Power Party. “With it, the government is looking for a full recovery and a leap forward. I hope the National Assembly

Sept. 3, 2021

Probe ordered into allegation that Yoon's prosecution requested complaints filed against ruling party figures

Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo on Thursday ordered an investigation into allegations that a prosecutor asked the main opposition People Power Party to file a complaint against three ruling bloc figures when Kim's predecessor Yoon Seok-youl, now a leading opposition presidential contender, was in office. In a text message to reporters, the Supreme Prosecutors Office said Kim instructed its inspection department to look into the allegations. Earlier Thursday, online news outlet Newsverse rep

Sept. 2, 2021

Mobility, biohealth areas to be added to regulatory sandbox program: gov't

The government plans to expand its regulatory sandbox program to include testing of innovations in the areas of mobility and biohealth, and present innovative deregulation road maps for the autonomous shipping and bio industries, officials said Thursday. The government announced the plan to newly add the two areas into the regulatory sandbox program in an inter-agency state affairs review and coordination meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum. The regulatory sandbox program, first int

Sept. 2, 2021

Ruling party lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19

Rep. Lim Jong-seong of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Wednesday tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the fourth sitting legislator to be infected with the virus, parliamentary officials said.  "Following Lim's positive results, we're conducting measures to disinfect assembly facilities and contact tracing," one of the officials told Yonhap News Agency by phone. Officials did not completely rule out the possibility of further infection cases inside the assembly connected

Sept. 1, 2021

Last regular legislative session under Moon's term kicks off for 100-day run

The National Assembly is poised to open its 100-day regular session Wednesday, the last such gathering under President Moon Jae-in's five-year term. The regular session will start off with an opening ceremony scheduled for 2 p.m. to process the 2022 state budget bill of a record high 604.4 trillion won ($521.8 billion), as well as other controversial legislative bills down the road. The unicameral South Korean parliament opens its regular session on Sept. 1 every year for a 100-day run. Th

Sept. 1, 2021

Nat'l Assembly endorses bill requiring surveillance cameras inside hospital operating rooms

The National Assembly on Tuesday approved a contentious bill requiring surveillance cameras in hospital operating rooms in a bid to step up protection for patients against medical negligence or malpractice. The bill was passed about six years after related parliamentary discussions on its necessity first emerged, in the face of stiff objection from doctors' groups. The revision to the Medical Service Act mandates installing closed-circuit TV cameras in hospital operation rooms and recording

Aug. 31, 2021

Controversial ‘fake news’ bill to be revised and voted on next month

The controversial “fake news” bill has been put on hold, with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea taking a step back Tuesday in the face of fierce criticism from opposition parties and the media. Floor leaders of the Democratic Party and main opposition People Power Party announced Tuesday that a committee would be set up to discuss and revise details of the bill, which would increase the penalties that media outlets and journalists could face for spreading misinformation with &ld

Aug. 31, 2021

Moon stresses aggressive fiscal spending for inclusive recovery

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday rolled out his administration’s last budget plan worth 604.4 trillion won ($519 billion) that aims to cement the economic recovery, reduce deepening income disparity and prepare for post-pandemic policy initiatives. The big spending plan for 2022, up 8.3 percent from this year’s 558 trillion won, is set to be submitted to the National Assembly on Friday for approval. “At a time when the coronavirus crisis has greatly dampened the private sect

Aug. 31, 2021