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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[Newsmaker] Top prosecutor to fight suspension in court
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl is taking legal action to overturn his two-month suspension from office, which took effect Wednesday night upon receiving presidential approval. Lee Wank-kyu, a legal representative for the prosecutor general, told reporters in a statement Thursday that Yoon’s defense would file for an injunction from the Seoul Administrative Court to halt the suspension order. The injunction request will be submitted electronically after working hours as it is impossibl
Dec. 17, 2020
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Top prosecutor seeks court injunction against disciplinary measure
South Korea's chief prosecutor will file for an injunction in a Seoul court Thursday to halt the two-month suspension of his duty, his lawyer said. Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl is protesting against the justice ministry's disciplinary measure, sanctioned by President Moon Jae-in, in connection with multiple accounts of "ethical and legal misdeeds." Yoon plans to lodge a suit with the Seoul Administrative Court "within today," calling for the withdrawal of the punishmen
Dec. 17, 2020
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Seoul reports record-high daily COVID-19 cases
The number of new daily coronavirus patients in Seoul rose by an all-time high of 423 on Wednesday, its deputy mayor said Thursday. Kim Woo-young disclosed the capital's latest data on a CBS Radio talk show, saying the nation's daily caseload also reached 1,014 the same day. Seoul's previous record for new daily COVID-19 cases was set on Dec. 12, when 399 more people tested positive. As the spread of the coronavirus accelerated from early this month, the capital's top 15 daily caseload recor
Dec. 17, 2020
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Blue House officiates 2-month suspension for top prosecutor, Justice Minister seeks to resign
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl has been officially suspended from his post for the next two months following an executive order from President Moon Jae-in, the Blue House announced Wednesday night. Chung Man-ho, senior secretary for public communication at the Blue House, said in a press briefing that Moon approved Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae’s recommendation to levy the penalization on Yoon that the ministry’s disciplinary committee decided early Wednesday morning. The order ca
Dec. 16, 2020
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NIS chief vows never to meddle in domestic politics
The head of South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) vowed Wednesday never to meddle in domestic politics after the National Assembly passed a reform bill centering on transferring the agency's anti-communist investigation duties to police. "Reform of the NIS has been finally completed after unsuccessful attempts by previous governments," NIS Director Park Jie-won said. "Organizations suspected of getting involved in domestic politics have been dismantled and cannot be r
Dec. 16, 2020
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Senior officials vow to complete reform of prosecution, spy agency, police
Senior government officials vowed Wednesday to complete the reform of the prosecution, state spy agency and police in line with a set of newly passed contentious laws. Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Park Jie-won and Interior and Safety Minister Chin Young held a joint press briefing to mark the passage of three bills aimed at breaking up the powers of the three state institutions. The bills were passed at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday after winning app
Dec. 16, 2020
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Cheong Wa Dae checks cybersecurity amid growing non-contact activities
Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday it has reviewed South Korea's cybersecurity posture during a high-level interagency meeting, as non-contact activities have sharply increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Suh Hoon, director of national security at the presidential office, pointed out that the importance of cybersecurity has been highlighted more this year than at any other time. He cited the spread of contactless activities, such as online classes and working from home. Speaking at the annual &qu
Dec. 16, 2020
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PM urges govt. steps against economic impact from possible lifting of distancing rules
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun called Wednesday for thorough measures to minimize the negative impact on the economy and the people's livelihoods in case of tougher anti-coronavirus social distancing restrictions. "(We) can't rule out (the possibility of) a decision to raise (the rule) to Level 3," while the government is making all-out efforts to curb the COVID-19 spread without using the "last means," he stressed during a daily interagency meeting on the pandemic. Currentl
Dec. 16, 2020
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Top prosecutor vows to fight ‘illegal and unfair’ suspension
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl is to be removed from duty for two months following a vote by a Justice Ministry disciplinary committee that met amid an unprecedented conflict between the heads of the prosecution and the ministry. The disciplinary panel voted to suspend Yoon from his post early Wednesday morning, deeming him responsible for four of the six allegations brought against him. There are five possible levels of punishment, with dismissal the heaviest and a reprimand the lightest.
Dec. 16, 2020
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S. Korea aims to acquire COVID-19 vaccines starting in Q1 2021: PM
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Tuesday that the government plans to start acquiring new coronavirus vaccines in the first quarter of 2021. During a vaccine procurement-related government meeting, Chung said that authorities will establish a meticulous plan to allow prepurchased vaccines to be "acquired properly from the first quarter of next year" so that they can be administered according to plan. The pan-ministerial meeting at the government complex in Seoul was attended by the
Dec. 15, 2020
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Justice Ministry kicks off second disciplinary committee hearing against prosecutor general
The long-simmering conflict between Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl and Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae continued Tuesday with the second meeting of the ministry’s disciplinary committee. Yoon once again was absent from the meeting, which started at around 10:30 a.m. at the Gwacheon Government Complex. The meeting was held to determine whether Yoon is subject to disciplinary action over allegations that Choo raised against him last month. The chief prosecutor is accused of ethical and lega
Dec. 15, 2020
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Moon sends congratulatory letter to Biden, expresses hope for cooperation on Korean peace
President Moon Jae-in sent a formal letter to Joe Biden on Tuesday, congratulating him on being elected US president, Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday. The move came after the American Electoral College officially affirmed the former vice president's win in last month's presidential election. In the letter, Moon congratulated Biden on winning the election with the largest number of votes in U.S. history, and said he anticipates working together to denuclearize and establish lasting peace on the Kore
Dec. 15, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Moon pins high hopes on new probe unit to fight corruption
President Moon Jae-in expressed high hopes Tuesday for the imminent launch of a new investigative body that will be tasked with looking into corruption among high-level government officials, such as prosecutors and presidents. Setting up the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, independent from the state prosecution office, is one of Moon’s main campaign pledges and is key to his reform push to fight corruption. Last week, parliament approved a bill on expediting i
Dec. 15, 2020
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Moon highlights importance of anti-corruption investigation agency for prosecution reform
President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday that the envisioned launch of a powerful corruption investigation agency is very meaningful as it can serve as a systemic tool to keep the prosecution in check. "The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) is highly significant, as it can serve as a tool to democratically regulate the prosecution," Moon said during a weekly Cabinet meeting held at the government complex in Seoul. He presided over the meeting from Cheong Wa Da
Dec. 15, 2020
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Main opposition leader apologizes for two ex-presidents' corruption convictions
The interim leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) offered an official apology Tuesday for two former presidents affiliated with the conservative party, who were convicted of corruption. Kim Chong-in made the public apology during a press conference at the National Assembly, holding the party accountable for failing to keep the convicted former Presidents Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak in check. "Two former presidents of South Korea are simultaneously in a state of impris
Dec. 15, 2020
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Moon to stress OECD's role in global economic recovery, vow Seoul's contribution
President Moon Jae-in will deliver a video message to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) convention and reaffirm South Korea's resolve to help develop multilateralism, Cheong Wa Dae said Monday. Joining the official event to be held online later in the day in celebration of the occasion, Moon is to note the OECD's role so far as a signature body in the global economic field, it said. The OECD was founded in 1961
Dec. 14, 2020
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Moon says govt. to focus on protecting 'vulnerable' people amid virus crisis
President Moon Jae-in stressed the urgency Monday of supporting owners of small businesses and self-employed people hit hard by the drawn-out COVID-19 pandemic. He also called for the speedy use of next year's budgets earmarked for the creation of more than 1 million "emergency jobs" for the vulnerable. "Protecting people who suffer difficulties, first and foremost," would be the "starting point" of the government's related efforts, he said, speaking at the outset
Dec. 14, 2020
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Spy agency to lose power to probe cases involving N. Korea
The National Intelligence Service will not be able to investigate activities related to North Korea or gather domestic intelligence from 2024, when a law passed Sunday takes effect. The law also makes it explicit that the NIS must avoid involvement in politics. Police will assume the power to probe cases involving North Korea after the three-year grace period. The change in responsibility marks a major turning point in the agency’s 63-year history. In his election campaign President M
Dec. 14, 2020
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Civic groups call for mobilization of private hospitals for COVID-19 patients
Civic and labor groups on Monday urged the government to mobilize more beds and medical personnel from large private hospitals to cope with the worsening hospital bed shortage caused by a recent surge in coronavirus infections. Public hospitals have received most local COVID-19 patients but have now reached the saturation point, as the number of newly confirmed cases hovers around 1,000 per day. Indeed, the number of available hospital beds in the greater Seoul area dedicated to severely ill co
Dec. 14, 2020
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PM says 'cautious deliberation' required in elevating distancing scheme to top level
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Monday that implementing the toughest social distancing scheme requires careful examination despite increasing calls from experts and the public to raise the level to curb the fast growth of COVID-19 cases. "(Implementing) the Level 3 social distancing scheme is the last resort that we can choose, and it requires cautious deliberation, as it calls for confidence and social consensus on its effectiveness," Chung said during a government meeting of top
Dec. 14, 2020