Most Popular
-
1
[Exclusive] Korean adoptee sisters meet for the first time in 39 years
-
2
Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
-
3
Yoon calls for measures to protect Koreans amid escalating Iran-Israel conflicts
-
4
Rose's 'Apt.' redefines K-pop's global appeal
-
5
Civil servant’s death linked to workplace bullying
-
6
Two years on, thousands mourn Itaewon tragedy, calling for accountability
-
7
[Weekender] Walk around Korea to really get to know the country
-
8
N. Korea slams Seoul-Washington joint air exercise
-
9
[Herald Interview] K-pop’s 'best years are ahead of us': Spotify’s general manager for Asia Pacific
-
10
[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
-
Corruption case of ex-President Park should never be repeated: Cheong Wa Dae
Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday issued a statement on the Supreme Court sentence of former President Park Geun-hye, stating the corruption scandal that led to imprisonment of an ex-president should never be repeated. Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court upheld a 20-year sentence for Park on bribery and other charges, closing the legal process that gripped the country and ultimately removed her from office in 2017. "Such an incident should never be repeated, through taking the tragic incident o
Jan. 14, 2021
-
Pressure mounts for Moon to decide on pardons
With Thursday’s final verdict delivered on former President Park Geun-hye, President Moon Jae-in is now under increased pressure to clarify his stance on possible pardons for the two former jailed presidents. Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court upheld a 20-year prison term for Park in an influence-peddling trial that started more than three years ago. Now Park will have to serve a total of 22 years in prison, including a two-year prison term for her 2018 conviction in illegal meddlin
Jan. 14, 2021
-
Supreme Court confirms 20 years in prison for ex-president Park
The highest court upheld a 20-year prison term for former President Park Geun-hye, closing the final chapter in one of the greatest political scandals in South Korea to date. The Supreme Court on Thursday confirmed the lower court’s decision to sentence Park to 20 years in prison and levy an 18 billion won ($16.37 million) fine for her part in a corruption case that cost her the presidency in 2017. The court also confirmed an additional forfeiture of 3.5 billion won. In July, the Seoul H
Jan. 14, 2021
-
PM warns of strong measures against virus response interference amid church outbreak
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Thursday warned of stern measures against those who interfere with the government's antivirus measures, amid growing concerns over a recent COVID-19 outbreak at a church facility spreading throughout the country. "While most religious facilities are actively participating in state antivirus measures, the public has become alarmed after an outbreak at BTJ Center for All Nations has spread throughout the country," Chung said during an interagency meeting
Jan. 14, 2021
-
Supreme Court to render final verdict in ex-President Park's corruption case
The Supreme Court on Thursday will render a final ruling in a high-profile corruption case that led to the removal of then-President Park Geun-hye from office in 2017. The country's top court is scheduled to hold a sentencing hearing at 11 a.m. over an appeal filed by prosecutors against a ruling in July that reduced Park's prison term. Park was ousted from Cheong Wa Dae in March 2017 due to her involvement in a massive abuse-of-power and bribery scandal. She was accused of conspiring with he
Jan. 14, 2021
-
NK vows to strengthen nuclear deterrent as party congres closes
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for all-out efforts to strengthen military capabilities, including further modernization of the country’s nuclear deterrent, as he addressed the final session of the rare party congress that concluded Tuesday. “While further strengthening our nuclear war deterrent, we need to do everything to build the strong ccapa apabilities,” Kim was quoted as saying by the state media Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday. “By accelerating
Jan. 13, 2021
-
Former opposition floor leader runs for Seoul mayor
Na Kyung-won, former floor leader of the conservative opposition, on Wednesday announced her bid for Seoul mayor, becoming the latest bigwig challenger to enter the April 7 by-elections. With Na announcing her bid, the battle from the opposition bloc is solidifying into a three-way race with head of the minor opposition People’s Party Ahn Cheol-soo and Oh Se-hoon, who was mayor of Seoul from 2006-2011. Ahn joined the race last month and Oh has vowed to run if Ahn does not join the main o
Jan. 13, 2021
-
[Herald Interview] Ahn gunning for power transition
The post of Seoul mayor is a steppingstone toward taking power from the ruling bloc, according to Ahn Cheol-soo, the Seoul mayoral front-runner and head of the minor opposition People’s Party, saying the government's failures range from its COVID-19 response to its real estate policies. Ahn said the government’s loose quarantine measures have prolonged the coronavirus crisis and put self-employed businesspeople and small business owners under even more pressure. 
Jan. 13, 2021
-
Seoul presses Biden camp on Singapore agreement: report
A local news report said Tuesday that the South Korean government is pressing the incoming Joe Biden administration in the US to recognize the Singapore joint statement signed by US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to pave the way for the possible resumption of the Washington-Pyongyang dialogue. “A message has been delivered to the incoming Biden administration suggesting resuming talks with North Korea by returning to the Singapore spirit,” an unnamed ran
Jan. 12, 2021
-
S. Korea in talks to buy additional vaccines of different platform: PM
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Tuesday that the government is working to purchase additional coronavirus vaccines of a different platform to better ensure the safe inoculation of the public. "The government has been working to purchase an additional quantity of vaccines of another platform and has seen substantial progress," Chung said during an interagency meeting on the COVID-19 response held at the government complex in Sejong, 120 kilometers south of Seoul. Chung said the gov
Jan. 12, 2021
-
Moon reaffirms willingness to talk with NK ‘anytime, anywhere’
President Moon Jae-in reaffirmed his willingness to talk with North Korea in his New Year’s address Monday, saying South Korea is ready to talk “anytime, anywhere and even in a non-face-to-face way.” “Dialogue and win-win cooperation are the key driving forces of the peace process on the Korean Peninsula,” he said in a live broadcast from Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. “Our will to meet (with North Korea) anytime, anywhere, even in a non-face-to-face way, remains
Jan. 11, 2021
-
[Newsmaker] Unfair, ineffective social distancing rules must be revised: PM
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Monday that social distancing rules that are considered either unfair or ineffective must be changed, suggesting that authorities may soon revise the state-mandated distancing scheme to address growing complaints among small business owners. "While mandating strict adherence (of distancing rules) in high-risk areas, bold revisions should be made on measures that are either unfair or ineffective," Chung said during an interagency meeting on the COVID-
Jan. 11, 2021
-
Moon says all S. Koreans will be given free COVID-19 vaccines
President Moon Jae-in said Monday that the government will provide all South Korean people with free-of-charge COVID-19 vaccines in phases starting next month. "(The government) will make sure that all of the people will be inoculated free of charge in accordance with priorities," he said in his New Year's address, assuring that inoculation will begin in February. Having signed contracts with some foreign vaccine makers, South Korea expects the first-batch delivery of products within
Jan. 11, 2021
-
Moon's approval rating dips to 35.5%: Realmeter
President Moon Jae-in's job approval rating has dropped to 35.5 percent, while the proportion of those critical of his leadership has hovered above 60 percent, a poll showed Monday. In the five-day tracking survey by Realmeter of 2,513 voters nationwide from last Monday, his approval rating fell 1.1 percentage point to 35.5 percent from a week earlier. It marked the sixth consecutive week that Moon's approval rating has stayed in the 30 percent range. Furthermore, 60.9 percent of respondents
Jan. 11, 2021
-
WHO chief seeks S. Korea's continued cooperation against coronavirus: Cheong Wa Dae
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has sent a letter to President Moon Jae-in and requested South Korea's continued support for the global fight against COVID-19, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday. In the letter, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the rollout of new vaccines has given hope for the termination of the pandemic, according to Moon's spokesman Kang Min-seok. Tedros was quoted as adding that Moon's support for the COVAX Facility, a pooled procurement mech
Jan. 8, 2021
-
Moon to deliver New Year's address next Monday
President Moon Jae-in will issue his formal New Year's message next week, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday. During the address slated for Monday, he is expected to unveil policy priorities in the fifth year of his presidency, with South Korea locked in a prolonged fight against COVID-19. Moon plans to emphasize that people here will recover their daily lives through "win-win cooperation" and that they will head "with power" toward the goal of making South Korea a "leading cou
Jan. 8, 2021
-
Ex-Cheong Wa Dae inspector gets suspended sentence in official secrets leak case
A former special inspector of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae was sentenced by a local court on Friday to a one-year prison term, suspended for two years, for leaking classified official secrets. The Suwon District Court in Suwon, south of Seoul, handed out the suspended jail sentence to Kim Tae-woo, who worked for Cheong Wa Dae's special inspection team between July 2017 and November 2018, after convicting him on charges of divulgence of official secrets. Kim, who was a prosecution inve
Jan. 8, 2021
-
Cheong Wa Dae denies report on pardons for Park, Lee
Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday flatly denied a report that the presidential office was considering ways to grant pardons to Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak, the two former presidents jailed for abuses of power and corruption offenses. Earlier in the day, the Chosun Ilbo reported that Cheong Wa Dae was considering pardoning Park first while discussing other options like a suspension of prison sentence for Lee, citing unnamed sources from the ruling bloc. Pardons can only be granted by the presid
Jan. 7, 2021
-
Ex-Seoul mayor Oh announces conditional bid to run for reelection
Former two-term Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Thursday announced a conditional bid to run for the seat again in the upcoming by-election. Oh, also a former lawmaker affiliated with the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), said he will run in the Seoul mayor election slated for April 7 unless Ahn Cheol-soo, another main mayor candidate, joins the party. Ahn, head of the minor opposition People's Party, declared his Seoul mayoral bid last month, saying he wants to run as a "unified candida
Jan. 7, 2021
-
Ruling party kicks off review of new round of emergency relief handouts
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) has kicked off a review of a potential fourth round of stimulus checks, with a focus on whether they should be given to all or only business owners hit by the new coronavirus pandemic, officials said Wednesday. The move comes as the government is to start providing some 9.3 trillion won ($8.6 billion) next Monday to small merchants reeling from the COVID-19 outbreak as part of the country's third round of emergency coronavirus response handouts. Including the 1
Jan. 6, 2021