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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Rose's 'Apt.' redefines K-pop's global appeal
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Two years on, thousands mourn Itaewon tragedy, calling for accountability
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Yoon calls for measures to protect Koreans amid escalating Iran-Israel conflicts
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Civil servant’s death linked to workplace bullying
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[Weekender] Walk around Korea to really get to know the country
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[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
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Hanwha, HD Hyundai vie for Poland’s $2.7b submarine program
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[Photo News] Rallying against LGBTQ+
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Govt. to offer 'tailored' financial support for vulnerable people, PM says
South Korea is planning for "tailored" support for some of the country's households and self-employed hit especially hard by the COVID-19 outbreak, top government and ruling party officials said Sunday. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun made public the scheme in his opening remarks during a meeting with the leaders of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and senior Cheong Wa Dae officials. The session was intended for discussions on detailed plans for a second round of cash handouts, called
Sept. 6, 2020
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National Assembly resumes operations after all test negative for COVID-19
The National Assembly resumed operations on Saturday after a brief shutdown caused by a main opposition party official testing positive for the new coronavirus. "Everyone who had been selectively checked has turned out not to have been infected with the coronavirus. A no-entry restriction on the main building, the members' office building and an annex building will be lifted from 10 a.m.," the assembly's secretariat said in a notice. The National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul,
Sept. 5, 2020
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Ratio of female lawmakers, ministers in S. Korea hits record high
The proportion of female lawmakers in South Korea's parliament, as well as that of female ministers in the Cabinet, has reached an all-time high, data showed Saturday. According to the gender equality ministry and Statistics Korea, 57 women were elected in the April 15 general elections, accounting for 19 percent of the total 300 members in the National Assembly. Four years earlier, 51 women were elected. The number of female heads of government ministries has increased to six, or 33.3 perc
Sept. 5, 2020
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Moon's adviser calls for 'six-party security summit' to discuss N.K. nuclear issue
SEOUL (Yonhap) --A special security adviser to President Moon Jae-in on Friday suggested reviving the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program in the form of a six-way summit, saying the issue is not a matter only between Washington and Pyongyang. Moon Chung-in, special adviser for diplomatic and security affairs, made the remark during a security forum hosted by the Korea Institute for National Unification, stressing the importance of a "top-down approach" in ef
Sept. 4, 2020
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Moon hails govt.-doctors deal to end strike, hopes for chance to improve medical system
President Moon Jae-in expressed hope Friday that the government and the medical community will join forces to overcome the current grave COVID-19 situation, responding to the bilateral deal on the return of striking doctors to work. Thanks to doctors' dedication and hard work, South Korea has been able to be successful so far in anti-virus efforts, protecting the lives and health of the people, Moon said, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok. The president added that he believes
Sept. 4, 2020
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Seoul NSC eyes progress in Japan ties after Tokyo's power transition
South Korea's top national security officials on Thursday agreed to push for advancement of stalled diplomacy with Japan after the power transition in Tokyo is finalized. In a meeting at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, the standing committee of the National Security Council (NSC) agreed to make efforts toward negotiations on pending issues with Japan as soon as Tokyo's political situation stabilizes, Cheong Wa Dae said. The meeting was presided over by Suh Hoon, director of national s
Sept. 4, 2020
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Moon stresses finance in Korean New Deal
President Moon Jae-in on Thursday announced that the government will roll out financial policies to support the Korean New Deal program, including a 20 trillion won ($16.8 billion) “New Deal Fund.” Speaking at the first Korean New Deal strategy meeting with financial industry leaders, Moon said that the Korean New Deal is critical to overcoming the economic crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, and in deciding the economic future of the country. The Korean New Deal is a
Sept. 3, 2020
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Moon slammed for thanking nurses amid doctors’ strike
Opposition politicians continued to blast President Moon Jae-in for his social media post Wednesday, in which he thanked nurses for their efforts without mentioning doctors, who are currently taking industrial action against proposed health care reforms. Thousands of medical interns and resident trainee doctors have been on strike since last month, calling on the government to scrap its plan to increase the quota of students admitted to medical schools and open a new public medical school to b
Sept. 3, 2020
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Main opposition repeats demand for legislation committee chairship
The main opposition United Future Party will not renegotiate allocation of parliamentary committee chair posts unless the Legislation and Judiciary Committee chair is included, Floor Leader Rep. Joo Ho-young said Wednesday. Speaking in a radio interview, the main opposition floor leader said that while the issue will be discussed with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s Floor Leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon, his party will not accept changes that do not include the legislation committee.
Sept. 2, 2020
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[News Focus] Democratic Party leader vows to speed up fourth extra budget plan
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Nak-yon said Wednesday his party will speed up discussions with the government for the nation’s fourth extra budget this year to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. “(We) will soon wrap up talks with the government and draw up a supplementary budget plan so we can get it executed as soon as possible,” Lee said at the party’s supreme council meeting Wednesday morning. “(We) must be able to ease the burden on the self-emplo
Sept. 2, 2020
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UN human rights office in Seoul calls on NK to clarify 316 cases of missing people
The Seoul office of the UN human rights body has called on North Korea to clarify the fate of 316 cases of missing people, including South Korean and Japanese nationals, on the occasion of the International Day of the Disappeared. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Seoul made the call in a tweet Sunday, noting 11 passengers and crew members from South Korea who disappeared in the North's 1969 hijacking of a Korean Air flight and 12 Japanese nationals abducted in
Sept. 2, 2020
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PM says this week is crucial in antivirus fight, requests people's patience
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun stressed Wednesday this week marks a "crucial watershed" in South Korea's fight against the new coronavirus and asked the people to have patience over strict social distancing rules. "This week, in particular, (the government) appeals (to the public) for having patience and joining the fight against COVID-19," he said during a daily inter-agency meeting on efforts to contain the virus spread. He said this week will be a "crucial watershed
Sept. 2, 2020
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Scholars concerned over Sino-US rivalry's impact on global cooperation in post-pandemic era
Leading scholars from South Korea and abroad voiced concerns Tuesday that a growing Sino-US geopolitical rivalry may blunt the momentum for international cooperation in the post-coronavirus era, despite the pandemic raising the need for greater global solidarity. During the opening day sessions of the annual Seoul Defense Dialogue, some experts stressed the role of middle-power states, like South Korea, and multilateral institutions in fostering cooperation to tackle shared challenges, such as
Sept. 1, 2020
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Another foreign ministry employee tests positive for coronavirus
Another case of the new coronavirus was confirmed at the foreign ministry building in central Seoul on Monday, officials said. A ministry employee tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the day after visiting a guesthouse in the southern resort island of Jeju last week, where a cluster infection has been reported. About 10 people who came into contact with the patient went into self-quarantine, and the 9th floor of the building where the employee works was disinfected. The case raised the n
Aug. 31, 2020
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Main opposition party to change name to People’s Power
The main opposition United Future Party filed an application with the National Election Commission on Monday, seeking to rename itself as part of a rebranding effort. The new name is “People’s Power.” The name change came just six months after the Liberty Korea Party merged with minor conservative parties in February to form the United Future Party. The new name won an endorsement at the party’s general meeting, held online earlier in the day. It was one of three na
Aug. 31, 2020
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Moon, ruling party’s approval ratings rebound
The ruling Democratic Party’s approval rating has bounced back to the 40 percent-level for the first time in nine weeks, widening the gap with the main opposition United Future Party to over 10 percentage points, a survey showed Monday. According to the opinion poll conducted by Realmeter, the ruling party’s support increased 0.7 percentage points from a week ago to 40.4 percent, while that of the main opposition party dipped 5.0 percentage points to 30.1 percent. The survey w
Aug. 31, 2020
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Moon continues reshuffle, creates youth policy secretary’s post
President Moon Jae-in on Monday replaced five secretaries and created a new secretarial post on issues concerning young people, continuing the reshuffle of the presidential secretariat. The six will begin their duties on Tuesday, according to Cheong Wa Dae. Moon named former Democratic Party lawmaker Bae Jae-jeung as his new political affairs secretary, and Chang Yong-seok, researcher at the Institute for National Security Strategy, as secretary for security strategy. Noh Kyu-duk, who serv
Aug. 31, 2020
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[News Focus] Daunting challenges await new ruling party chief Lee Nak-yon
Former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon’s victory as the new leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea paves the way for his bid in the 2022 presidential race, but daunting challenges await him as the country battles a resurgence of coronavirus infections and soaring housing prices. Lee took the helm of the party in a landslide vote Saturday, claiming 60.77 percent of the votes, beating former Interior Minister Kim Boo-kyum and two-term lawmaker Rep. Park Ju-min, who won 21.37 percent a
Aug. 30, 2020
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Presidential hopeful Lee Nak-yon elected new ruling party chief
Rep. Lee Nak-yon, former prime minister and one of the leading presidential candidates for 2022, was elected the new chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Saturday. The party elected its new leadership at its headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul, during an unprecedented virtual convention attended by only a minimal number of party officials at the site, due to recent surge of the new coronavirus cases here. The 67-year-old five-term lawmaker overwhelmingly won 60.77
Aug. 29, 2020
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[Newsmaker] National Assembly shuts down after reporter tested positive
The National Assembly shut down its facilities and canceled all meetings scheduled for Thursday following a positive COVID-19 test by a beat reporter. According to the National Assembly Secretariat, a photo reporter who covered a meeting of the Supreme Council of the ruling Democratic Party Korea on Wednesday morning received a positive test result later in the day. Some 50 people including lawmakers, key party officials and journalists attended the meeting. Leaders of the Democratic pa
Aug. 27, 2020