PM calls for virus rules cooperation amid backlash from small merchants

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Tuesday asked for the public's cooperation with the government's antivirus measures amid a backlash from small business owners in the greater Seoul area over stricter rules imposed on them than those in other regions. "We ask for your participation in the spirit of the greater good and cooperation. We understand the underlying emotions, but it is a decision reached under comprehensive consideration of the transmission risk and social receptiveness," Ch

Feb. 9, 2021

Arrest warrant denied for ex-industry minister over reactor shutdown controversy

DAEJEON -- A court rejected the issuance of an arrest warrant Tuesday for a former industry and energy minister in connection with the controversial closure of an aging nuclear reactor. The Daejeon District Court denied the warrant sought by prosecutors against Paik Un-gyu on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of business, citing lack of reason and need to arrest him. "The prosecutors' arguments are not sufficient vindication of Paik's alleged criminality," the court said. &qu

Feb. 9, 2021

Moon says govt. to seek 'bold, sufficient' fiscal steps against coronavirus crisis

President Moon Jae-in said Monday his administration will push for "bold and sufficient" ways to tackle the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. "The government will do its best to come up with sufficient measures in a bold manner, without losing an opportunity, to overcome the crisis within a range that finance can afford," he said at the start of a weekly meeting with senior Cheong Wa Dae aides. His remarks came amid a brewing controversy over the proposed fourth ba

Feb. 8, 2021

Moon-Biden summit going virtual?

After an official phone call last week, Cheong Wa Dae is pushing for an early summit between President Moon Jae-in and his US counterpart, Joe Biden, in an attempt to breathe life back into the Korean Peninsula peace negotiations, with a virtual meeting emerging as one possibility to advance the date. During the 32-minute conversation early Thursday morning, the two leaders agreed to hold summit talks as soon as possible once the COVID-19 situation has stabilized, according to Seoul’s re

Feb. 8, 2021

Seoul city to test pet cats, dogs for COVID-19

The Seoul metropolitan government will test pet cats and dogs for COVID-19 if they show symptoms, an official said Monday. The new program will start the same day, several weeks after the country reported its first COVID-19 case involving a pet in a kitten in the southeastern city of Jinju. Park Yoo-mi, a disease control official at the city government, said during a virtual press briefing that the tests will be conducted near the animal's home by a team of health workers, including a veterina

Feb. 8, 2021

Restaurants, gyms outside metropolitan area to be open until 10 p.m.

Restaurants, cafes and sporting facilities located outside the greater Seoul area will be allowed to stay open until 10 p.m. starting Monday, as the government decided to ease restrictions on their operating hours. Under the current social distancing scheme, businesses are required to close at 9 p.m., but the government decided Saturday to ease the rule for those in the provincial regions amid growing complaints over the prolonged virus curbs. The greater Seoul area is currently under Level 2.5

Feb. 7, 2021

DP urges finance minister to make 'bold decision' on virus handouts amid policy disagreement

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Friday pressed Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki to make a "bold decision" in providing a new round of COVID-19 relief payments amid an ongoing policy disagreement between the party and the ministry. "(The government) should further intensify its fiscal role so that it safeguards the lives of the people and the economy with a desperate attitude that befits a crisis situation," DP floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon said in a party leadership meetin

Feb. 5, 2021

Moon pledges full support for new sea wind energy project

President Moon Jae-in said Friday his government won't spare support for a project to create the world's biggest offshore wind power generation complex in southwestern South Korea, declaring a vision for turning the nation into one of the top five powerhouses in the field. He was attending the signing ceremony of a relevant investment deal, worth 48 trillion won ($43 billion), in Sinan, South Jeolla Province, about 400 kilometers south of Seoul, where the facilities with a maximum capacity of 8

Feb. 5, 2021

Inter-Korean ties, pandemic should be considered in planning joint military exercise: FM nominee

Foreign Minister nominee Chung Eui-yong said Friday that inter-Korean ties and the COVID-19 pandemic should be taken into account in planning this year's military exercises between South Korea and the United States, though he noted the need for a "proper" level of the drills. During a parliamentary confirmation hearing, Chung stressed "various implications" of large-scale exercises between the allies, in an apparent show of concern that such military maneuvers could provoke

Feb. 5, 2021

Vice FM meets German envoy to discuss bilateral ties, pandemic, peninsula peace

First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun met with Germany's top envoy here Thursday to discuss joint efforts to deepen bilateral ties and cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, the foreign ministry said. During their talks, Choi and Ambassador Michael Reiffenstuel agreed to continue communication at each government level to jointly address global challenges, including the pandemic, and explore ways to cooperate in securing COVID-19 vaccines. They also agreed to work

Feb. 4, 2021

Arrest warrant sought for ex-industry minister over reactor shutdown controversy

The prosecution filed for a warrant to arrest a former industry and energy minister Thursday as part of a probe into the controversial closure of an aging nuclear reactor. The Daejeon District Prosecutors Office asked a court to issue the warrant for Paik Un-gyu on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of business. Paik has been under probe over allegations that he abused his power in the viability assessment of Wolsong-1, the nation's second-oldest nuclear reactor, before the government d

Feb. 4, 2021

[Newsmaker] National Assembly impeaches judge accused of power abuse

South Korea on Thursday impeached a sitting judge for the first time in its history, as lawmakers voted to remove Lim Seong-geun, a senior judge at the Busan High Court for meddling in a number of politically controversial trials during the Park Geun-hye administration. During the extraordinary session of the National Assembly, 179 lawmakers voted to impeach Lim while 102 voted against it, marking the first time a judge has been removed from the post while in service. There were two motions in

Feb. 4, 2021

[Newsmaker] Supreme Court chief justice in hot water over judge impeachment

Supreme Court Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su acknowledged that he had considered politicians’ plans to impeach Lim Seong-geun, a senior judge at the Busan High Court, when he refused to accept Lim’s resignation in May. Kim said in a statement to reporters Thursday that he regretted making the erroneous claim that he had never mentioned anything about impeachment during the conversation he had with Lim at the time. “I apologize for responding falsely based on uncertain memories o

Feb. 4, 2021

DP aims to draft extra budget with both selective, universal virus handout plans

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) plans to swiftly draw up an extra budget that includes plans for both targeted and universal pandemic relief packages, the party's head of policy said Thursday, in spite of fiscal concerns raised by the finance ministry. "The party and the government will draw up an extra budget at the earliest date through active consultations. We intend to include a firm amount of targeted support together with a universal handout program," Rep. Hong Ik-pyo, DP's hea

Feb. 4, 2021

Moon vows speedier deregulation for AI sector

President Moon Jae-in said Thursday his government will accelerate its drive for the introduction of legislation and deregulatory measures to foster the artificial intelligence (AI) sector. He was speaking in his video message for a ceremony held in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, to kick off a major project to create a "national AI complex." A total of 620 billion won ($550 million) will be spent over the coming four years, with more than 1,200 jobs expected to be created. N

Feb. 4, 2021

PM instructs changes to virus distancing rules to address negative opinions

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Thursday instructed officials to revamp the nation's social distancing scheme against COVID-19 once again to allow better public receptiveness, citing negative opinions toward its coercive aspects. In an interagency meeting on the COVID-19 response held at the government complex in Seoul, Chung told authorities to reorganize the current distancing rules under the assumption that "the public is involved" in the process. South Korea first adopted a thre

Feb. 4, 2021

Minor party will not compete in mayoral by-elections amid sexual harassment scandal

The minor progressive Justice Party decided Wednesday not to field candidates in the April mayoral by-elections in the wake of a sexual abuse scandal that led to the expulsion of its leader. Kim Jong-cheol resigned as head of the party on Jan. 25 after admitting to sexually harassing a female lawmaker of the same party. He was expelled from the party Thursday. At a meeting of its national committee, the party decided not to nominate candidates in the by-elections as a way of "abiding by t

Feb. 3, 2021

Opposition advises lawmakers to focus on ‘sexual assaults’

The main opposition party instructed its lawmakers to focus on the topic of sexual assaults among others when they shoot questions at the government during a series of interpellation sessions beginning Thursday. In an internal document revealed Tuesday, the People Power Party advised 12 participating legislators to concentrate on framing the government and the ruling party as “anti-corporation, anti-market economy, anti-rule of law and (prone to) sexual assaults.” An administrativ

Feb. 3, 2021

Main opposition leader proposes bipartisan consultative body on COVID-19 relief

Rep. Joo Ho-young, the floor leader of the main opposition party, proposed Wednesday the ruling party and the government form a consultative body with it to coordinate COVID-19 relief measures. "I propose that concerned officials of the ruling and the main opposition parties and the government form a consultative body to enable the speedy and practical provision of assistance to victims reeling from (antivirus business restrictions)," the floor leader of the People Power Party (PPP) s

Feb. 3, 2021

PM asks for Protestant community's cooperation amid church-linked virus outbreaks

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun has called for Protestant churches' cooperation with state antivirus measures amid a string of outbreaks tied to churches throughout the country. On Tuesday, Chung met with leading members of the United Christian Churches of Korea and the National Council of Churches in Korea at the government complex in Seoul and asked for their help in containing the new coronavirus pandemic. "Last week, COVID-19 cases spiked again after showing a decrease," Chung said

Feb. 3, 2021