Most Popular
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[Exclusive] Korean adoptee sisters meet for the first time in 39 years
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Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
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Yoon calls for measures to protect Koreans amid escalating Iran-Israel conflicts
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Rose's 'Apt.' redefines K-pop's global appeal
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Civil servant’s death linked to workplace bullying
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Two years on, thousands mourn Itaewon tragedy, calling for accountability
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[Weekender] Walk around Korea to really get to know the country
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N. Korea slams Seoul-Washington joint air exercise
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[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
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[Herald Interview] K-pop’s 'best years are ahead of us': Spotify’s general manager for Asia Pacific
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DP to enact bill on providing compensation for COVID-19 losses this month
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) pledged Monday to legislate a bill this month to compensate small business owners hit by the country's COVID-19 restrictions. "During the (ongoing provisional) National Assembly session in June, the DP will definitely process the legislation bill on (COVID-19) damage compensation," party floor leader Rep. Yun Ho-jung said at the opening of the party's consultation meeting with the government. "The government should surely be responsible for the
June 7, 2021
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DP to form task force on military crimes amid suicide case of abused female officer
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Monday decided to launch a task force aimed at preventing military crimes and helping better protect victims following the suicide of a sexually harassed female noncommissioned officer and the military's alleged mishandling of the incident. In its supreme council meeting, the DP named Rep. Min Hong-chul, chairman of the National Assembly's defense committee, to head the team aimed at fixing "the overall system in connection to the closed culture of the m
June 7, 2021
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PPP enjoys upward momentum in polls on heated leadership race, new developments on Yoon
The approval rating of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) was seen as displaying upward momentum, according to a new poll Monday, amid its intense leadership race and new developments surrounding the former prosecutor general predicted to join the party to run for president. In the survey conducted by Realmeter on 2,519 people over the age of 18 from May 31 to June 4, the PPP's approval rating was recorded at 38 percent, up 2.4 percentage points from the previous week. The ruling Dem
June 7, 2021
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Public opinion divided over to whom new round of stimulus checks should go: poll
Public opinion appears to be almost evenly divided over to whom the upcoming new round of COVID-19 relief payments should go, an opinion poll showed Monday. According to the poll conducted on 500 voters nationwide Friday by Realmeter, 38 percent said the stimulus checks should be paid to all nationals. Another 33.4 percent, however, responded the relief funds should selectively go to underprivileged people, the poll results showed. A total of 25.3 percent opposed the payment of emergency relie
June 7, 2021
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Ruling party chief hints at Samsung scion's pardon
The chairman of the ruling Democratic Party on Sunday hinted at the potential parole of Lee Jae-yong, the de facto head of Samsung Group. Business conglomerates have recently called for Lee to be pardoned, especially ahead of the Aug. 15 Liberation Day, an anniversary on which South Korea's presidents have often used their right to grant a special pardon as part of efforts for promoting national unity. "(Lee) could possibly be freed on parole, not limited only to a pardon," Re
June 6, 2021
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Will Constitution be revised to allow young president?
Discussions on abolishing the age limit for presidential candidates are gaining traction in the wake of the sensation caused by 36-year-old Lee Jun-seok in the main opposition People Power Party’s leadership race. Under the current Constitution, a candidate must be over 40 years old to run for president. The clause was first introduced in 1962 during the fifth constitutional amendment led by the military regime. In order for the Constitution to be revised, the motion needs the support
June 6, 2021
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[Newsmaker] Moon visits funeral home of sex assault victim in military
President Moon Jae-in on Sunday met with the bereaved families of a female Air Force officer, sexually assaulted by a male colleague, and apologized to them for failing to protect her. Moon headed to her funeral home shortly after attending a national ceremony to mark the 66th Memorial Day. The annual event was held at Seoul National Cemetery. Speaking to the victim's parents at Armed Forces Capital Hospital in Seongnam, just south of the capital, the president said he was sorry that the count
June 6, 2021
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Moon apologizes over 'unjust death' caused by 'evil practice' in barracks during Memorial Day speech
President Moon Jae-in offered a public apology Sunday apparently over the recent death of a female Air Force officer, who had been sexually assaulted by a male colleague. "I am very sorry to the people over such an evil practice in the barracks culture that led to the tragic and unjust death," he said during his Memorial Day speech at the Seoul National Cemetery. The president stopped short of elaborating, but it was clear he was referring to the noncommissioned officer. She was sexu
June 6, 2021
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Ruling party chief to push to visit US to find way for resumption of Kaesong complex
The head of the ruling Democratic Party said Saturday that he would seek a visit to the United States in the near future to explore a "clue" for the resumption of the now-shuttered inter-Korean industrial complex in North Korea's border city of Kaesong. Song Young-gil made the remarks during a meeting with an association of businesses that used to run operations at the complex closed in February 2016 following the North's nuclear and missile tests. The business owners have called fo
June 5, 2021
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Moon visits S. Korea's spy agency for briefing on its reform steps
President Moon Jae-in visited the headquarters of South Korea's state spy agency in southern Seoul and received a briefing on its reform measures Friday. It was Moon's second visit to the National Intelligence Service (NIS) since he took office in May 2017. Reforming the powerful body is one of his major campaign pledges. The NIS was accused of having been a hotbed of deep-rooted evils, including operations to oppress political dissidents. Under a revision to the NIS-related law in late 2020,
June 4, 2021
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Moon accepts Air Force chief's resignation over sex assault case
President Moon Jae-in accepted the resignation of South Korea's Air Force chief Friday over a recent sexual assault case that led to the death of a female victim. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Lee Seong-yong offered to step down to take responsibility for his organization's handling of the incident. The victim, a master sergeant, was found dead in an apparent suicide at her official residence in late May, about three months after suffering unwanted physical touching by a male colleague of the
June 4, 2021
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Lee Jun-seok’s lead in main opposition leadership race cements
Lee Jun-seok’s lead seems to have become cemented in the main opposition People Power Party’s election for its new leader, with chances becoming greater for the conservative party to undergo a huge generational shift ahead of the presidential race next year. A poll of 1,044 adults conducted this week showed Friday that Lee was the most favored among five candidates for the top party post with 46.7 percent support, far surpassing the other four candidates in the race. Lee’s le
June 4, 2021
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[#WeFACE] Carbon neutrality commission to lead S. Korea’s climate action
The Korea Herald is publishing a series of interviews with the lineup of speakers who will discuss solutions to the climate crisis at the H.eco Forum, which is scheduled to be held virtually on June 10 under the theme “We Face the Climate Clock.” -- Ed. South Korea pledged to go carbon-free by 2050 in October last year -- an ambitious goal for the world’s seventh-largest emitter of carbon dioxide. But the question remains: How? To lay out a detailed road map and ensure p
June 3, 2021
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Moon presses military over botched sex crime probe
President Moon Jae-in on Thursday ordered an exhaustive probe into allegations surrounding the suicide of an Air Force master sergeant. The order comes amid public outrage, which prompted the military to expand its waylaid investigation of sex crime allegations made by the deceased. “It truly hurts me to look at the victim, how devastated she must have felt. We need a thorough inquiry into every event leading to her death, and after that. We have to see to what should have been done in
June 3, 2021
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[Newsmaker] Moon orders strict probe into sexual assault victim's death in military
President Moon Jae-in strongly instructed military investigators Thursday to deal strictly with a recent sexual assault case that led to the death of the victim. Moon was referring to the Air Force noncommissioned female officer who was found dead in late May in an apparent suicide. In March, she allegedly suffered unwanted physical touching by a male colleague with the same rank of master sergeant in a vehicle. She reported the incident to her senior officers the following day, but they are ac
June 3, 2021
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Will Moon pardon Samsung chief?
President Moon Jae-in, who has so far excluded businesspeople when exercising his power to pardon criminals, may be mulling an exception for Lee Jae-yong, the imprisoned de facto leader of Samsung Group. According to Cheong Wa Dae sources, a subtle shift in the president’s tone was detected Wednesday at a luncheon meeting at the presidential office with the heads of the nation’s four largest conglomerates -- Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Kim Ki-nam, Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung
June 2, 2021
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Yoon expresses willingness to run for president, lawmaker says
Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl has privately expressed his willingness to run in next year's presidential election, an opposition lawmaker said Wednesday. Yoon is one of two leading potential presidential candidates, according to various opinion polls, though he has yet to declare his intent to run. "(Yoon) suggested that he will take the lead in the change of government with all his heart and soul," Rep. Kwon Seong-dong of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) told a r
June 2, 2021
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Govt. probe team arrests 20 people, refers 529 others to prosecution over property speculation
The government said Wednesday its special probe team has arrested 20 people and reported over 529 others to the prosecution for further investigation after looking into various allegations of real estate speculation for about three months. Announcing an interim result of the probe, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said the team, involving the police, and tax and financial authorities, has so far investigated 646 cases and some 2,800 individuals. It has also seized profits worth some 90.8 billion w
June 2, 2021
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Over half of Koreans agree to lower legal minimum age for presidential candidacy: poll
Over half of South Koreans are in favor of lowering the constitutional minimum age required for someone to run for president, a poll said Wednesday. According to Realmeter's poll of 500 adults nationwide, 50.3 percent consented to the need to revise the Constitution to bring down the minimum age for presidential candidacy currently set at 40. The survey found 44.8 percent of the respondents opposed the revision of the minimum candidacy age, the Seoul-based pollster said. Under the Constitutio
June 2, 2021
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DP chief apologizes over scandal involving former justice minister
The chairman of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) apologized Wednesday over an investment and academic fraud scandal involving the family of a former justice minister, blamed as a major reason for the party's recent landslide by-election defeats. The apology by Rep. Song Young-gil came as the DP is struggling to reclaim voters' confidence following its crushing defeats in the Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections in April, blamed largely on the party and its members' "hypocritical" cond
June 2, 2021