Most Popular
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[Exclusive] Korean adoptee sisters meet for the first time in 39 years
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Yoon calls for measures to protect Koreans amid escalating Iran-Israel conflicts
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Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
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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] K-pop’s 'best years are ahead of us': Spotify’s general manager for Asia Pacific
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[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
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[Newsmaker] Moon pays respect to late cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk
President Moon Jae-in paid respect to the late cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, former archbishop of Seoul, on Thursday. Moon visited Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul, together with first lady Kim Jung-sook, to pay his last respects to Cheong. He passed away Tuesday at age 89, having suffered an unspecified illness. His funeral will be held at the cathedral on Saturday. Moon wrote on his social messaging accounts Wednesday that, "He left us a teaching on sharing and coexistence&quo
April 29, 2021
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FM Chung discusses bilateral ties, regional issues with new Vietnamese counterpart
Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong spoke by phone with his Vietnamese counterpart on Wednesday and discussed bilateral relations and regional issues, including Japan‘s planned release of radioactive Fukushima water. In the phone talks with Bui Thanh Son, Chung asked for Vietnam’s close cooperation in strengthening the economic and other ties between South Korea and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the five Mekong countries -- Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Ca
April 28, 2021
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Cheong Wa Dae rules out pardon for Samsung chief
President Moon Jae-in has maintained a prudent approach to issuing pardons, and no exception is expected for Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who is serving jail time on bribery charges. “We never discussed the issue and have no plans to do so for now,” a Cheong Wa Dae official flatly told reporters Tuesday in response to a petition filed by the nation’s major business lobby groups seeking a pardon for Lee. Former presidents often issued pardons for chaebol
April 28, 2021
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Moon mourns passing of Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk
President Moon Jae-in expressed his condolences Wednesday over the death of Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, a former Catholic archbishop of Seoul. Moon described Cheong as a "big hill" of South Korea's Catholic community and a "guru of the nation." "The passing of Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, who delivered peace not only to Catholics but also to all of the people throughout his life, is deeply regrettable," Moon wrote on his social media accounts. "He
April 28, 2021
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Court issues arrest warrant for Eastar Jet founder
A court issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday for the founder of cash-strapped budget carrier Eastar Jet on charges of embezzlement and breach of trust. Lee Sang-jik, an independent lawmaker, is suspected of colluding with a senior company official who was indicted in February for causing about 43 billion won ($38.47 million) in financial damage to the airline by paying off long-term loans early and underselling company shares to a specific subsidiary. Judge Kim Seung-gon of the Jeonju Distric
April 28, 2021
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Moon, Novavax CEO agree to expand vaccine partnership
President Moon Jae-in and Novavax CEO Stanley Erck have agreed to expand the current partnership on the local production of the US drugmaker’s new vaccine, including the possible extension of a licensing deal to share manufacturing technology, according to Cheong Wa Dae sources Tuesday. The two held a face-to-face meeting at the presidential office earlier in the day. In their first video conversation in January, the South Korean government secured 40 million doses of the new Novavax va
April 27, 2021
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Seoul mayor says he will continue restructuring of Gwanghwamun Square
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Tuesday he will continue the expansion of Gwanghwamun Square despite opposition from some citizens and simultaneously seek improvements to the landmark structure. Oh said at a press briefing that the remodeling project, which began in November before he took office, is already 34 percent complete and has incurred a cost of 25 billion won ($22.5 million). "Following a careful review and debate, the city of Seoul has decided to continue the restructuring of Gwang
April 27, 2021
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Moon sends condolence letter to Indonesian leader over sub sinking tragedy
South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a condolence letter to his Indonesian counterpart, Joko Widodo, over the deadly sinking of the country's naval submarine, Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday. Moon expressed regret about the deaths of 53 crew members and delivered a message of condolences and sympathy to the Indonesian people, according to presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee. He hoped that the Indonesian people will overcome grief from the tragic accident at an early date, she added. Indone
April 27, 2021
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Moon's disapproval reaches highest point: Realmeter
President Moon Jae-in's public disapproval rating hit an all-time high, a poll showed Monday, as the ruling bloc continues to struggle with fallout from its recent crushing defeat in local by-elections. In the five-day Realmeter survey conducted through last Friday, Moon's disapproval rating hit 63 percent, up 1.5 percentage points from a week earlier. The latest poll canvassed 2,532 people, aged 18 or older, nationwide. This marks Moon's highest disapproval rating since he took office in May
April 26, 2021
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Moon urges halt to 'politicization' of COVID-19 vaccine issue
President Moon Jae-in asked South Koreans on Monday not to "politicize" the COVID-19 vaccine issue, as his government is striving to assure them that the country has already secured deals for enough supply of doses and that the overall inoculation program is on track. Doubts have grown over the government's stated scheme to get at least 12 million people here vaccinated in the first half of this year for the sake of achieving herd immunity by November. "If you watch (the situati
April 26, 2021
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Moon to meet Novavax CEO on vaccine production
President Moon Jae-in is expected to hold a face-to-face meeting with Novavax CEO Stanley Erck on Tuesday amid the pending production of the US drugmaker's new COVID-19 vaccine here, according to Cheong Wa Dae on Monday. “The president will exchange opinions on the expansion of the vaccine production partnership with Novavax and discuss ways to advance the adoption, including an earlier regulatory approval,” presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee said. Moon and Erck held
April 26, 2021
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City of Seoul seizes cryptocurrencies from tax delinquents
The Seoul metropolitan government said Friday it has seized the cryptocurrencies of hundreds of top tax delinquents who hid their assets in digital form, becoming the country's first local government to do so. The city government said its tax collection department found the cryptocurrencies of 1,566 individuals and heads of companies in three cryptocurrency exchanges and seized more than 25 billion won ($22 million) in virtual assets from 676 of them. These 676 owed the government 28.4 billion
April 23, 2021
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Moon raises carbon-cutting target as Biden resumes climate diplomacy
President Moon Jae-in on Thursday set more drastic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 than previously revealed to achieve a carbon-neutral Korea by 2050, at a two-day virtual climate summit ending Friday. The Leaders Summit on Climate, joined by 40 world leaders and hosted by US President Joe Biden seeking to restore US leadership on the carbon-cutting commitment, marks Washington’s return to the climate dialogue that the Donald Trump administration abandoned after withdrawing from
April 22, 2021
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Gov't committee to screen new prosecutor general candidates next week
The justice ministry said Thursday it will convene a special committee next week to review a list of recommended candidates to be the next prosecutor general. The prosector general candidate recommendation committee will gather on April 29 to review the eligibility of the candidates the ministry received since April 15. The nine-member committee headed by former Justice Minister Park Sang-ki is expected to produce a shortlist of three to four candidates to recommend to the justice min
April 22, 2021
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[Newsmaker] New mayor of Seoul promises to make city 'leap again'
New Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon promised Thursday to bring hope and vitality to a city plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic and matters of people's livelihoods. Oh said he would make five pledges to the nation's capital of 10 million during a virtual inauguration ceremony held two weeks after he took office. Those promises, he implied, are based on the failures of the Moon Jae-in administration to address the plight of small business owners in a pandemic and fix a turbulent housing market. "The R
April 22, 2021
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Moon still holds hope of Pyongyang joining Tokyo Olympics
President Moon Jae-in is not ruling out the possibility of North Korea participating in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, which he said could pave the way for the two Koreas to co-host the 2032 Olympics, according to a senior Cheong Wa Dae official on Wednesday. “It remains to be seen whether North Korea will participate in the Tokyo Olympics. North Korea tends to make a big decision at the last minute,” the president reportedly said during a luncheon with the new mayors of Seoul and B
April 21, 2021
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Parliament lifts arrest immunity of independent lawmaker at center of Easter Jet probe
The National Assembly on Wednesday passed a motion that allows prosecutors to arrest Rep. Lee Sang-jik, the founder of the cash-strapped budget carrier Eastar Jet under investigation on charges of embezzlement and breach of trust. The motion to allow the arrest of Lee was passed in a 206-38 vote at a plenary session of the National Assembly. Eleven people abstained from voting. Lee is currently under criminal investigation for allegedly colluding with a senior company official, who was indicte
April 21, 2021
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Assembly speaker calls for vaccine cooperation from Europe
National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug held talks with European Parliament President David Sassoli on Tuesday to discuss pending issues such as the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, Japan‘s wastewater release and peace process on the Korean Peninsula, among others. During the dialogue via video link, Park asked for Sassoli’s attention and cooperation from the European Parliament to allow vaccines produced in Europe to be introduced to Korea in a timely manner. Korea’s vaccin
April 21, 2021
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Acting PM urges public to trust govt. virus response amid vaccine procurement woes
Acting Prime Minister Hong Nam-ki on Wednesday asked the public to have faith in the government's overall COVID-19 response amid a steadfast growth of new virus patients and concerns over South Korea's vaccine procurement capacity. "We ask that each individual remain alert and attentive in the current situation but also have faith in our test and medical capabilities, and trust our vaccine administration plan," Hong said during a daily interagency meeting on the coronavirus response.
April 21, 2021
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Moon says public consensus needed for granting pardons to two jailed ex-presidents
President Moon Jae-in reaffirmed his prudent approach Wednesday toward the issue of whether to grant special pardons to two imprisoned former presidents, Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye. He emphasized the need to consider public consensus on the politically sensitive matter and its possible impact on national unity during his luncheon meeting with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon at Cheong Wa Dae. Moon was responding to a proposal from the Busan mayor that Moon take the m
April 21, 2021