Most Popular
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Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
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[Exclusive] Korean adoptee sisters meet for the first time in 39 years
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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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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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First lady’s controversies to top agenda at meeting of party leaders
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[Photo News] Rallying against LGBTQ+
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28 lawmakers indicted over parliament brawl
The prosecution on Thursday filed charges against 28 lawmakers from rival parties and main opposition Liberty Korea Party chief Hwang Kyo-ahn, in connection with a mass brawl that broke out inside the National Assembly in April 2019 over a set of reform bills. The Seoul Nambu District Prosecutors’ Office indicted, without physical detention, Hwang and 23 lawmakers from the Liberty Korea Party and five from the ruling Democratic Party for obstructing justice, breaching parliamentary law and
Jan. 2, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Ahn announces comeback to politics, says Korea stuck in past
Former presidential contender Ahn Cheol-soo on Thursday announced his plans to return to politics, sending ripples through the political arena as parties gear up for the general elections. “The world is changing at the speed of light toward the future. Unfortunately, seen from outside, the country remains in the past. A country that does not think about the future has no future,” Ahn wrote on his social media account. Ahn went on to say that Korean politics have deteriorated sin
Jan. 2, 2020
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President Moon vows more reforms to achieve ‘shared prosperity’
President Moon Jae-in on Thursday pledged to continue his reform drive to achieve the goal of “shared prosperity,” naming prosecution overhaul as one of his top priorities. “The new leap that we must achieve in the new year is (the) ‘leap of shared prosperity,” Moon said, addressing a meeting of business leaders and representatives from various fields held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in central Seoul. Listing changes and developments from 2019
Jan. 2, 2020
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Moon cites prosecution reform, fair society as top policy agenda in 2020
President Moon Jae-in made a commitment Thursday to complete prosecution reform and other measures aimed at promoting social justice this year, addressing a meeting with business leaders and representatives from various fields.He vowed "clear change" for South Korea on the basis of what he says is a number of achievements made during his presidency that began in May 2017."'The reform of powerful institutions' and 'fair society reform' are the beginning (of the process)," he s
Jan. 2, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Ahn declares plan to resume political activity following year of hiatus
With around 100 days left before the April parliamentary elections, Ahn Cheol-soo, a co-founder of the minor Bareunmirae Party, announced his plan to resume political activity Thursday, following about one year of a hiatus.Ahn, former leader of the party, declared his plan to retreat from the political scene for a while in July 2018 after his defeat in the Seoul mayoral race the previous month. He left South Korea for overseas studies."After I return (to politics), I'll consider how to chan
Jan. 2, 2020
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Moon appoints Choo Mi-ae as new justice minister
President Moon Jae-in appointed Choo Mi-ae, a judge-turned-politician, as justice minister Thursday, Cheong Wa Dae announced.The move came more than two months after Cho Kuk stepped down from the post amid prosecutors' probe into a scandal involving family investment and university admissions for his children. Cho was later indicted on multiple charges, including bribery.Moon nominated Choo, a five-term lawmaker who led the ruling Democratic Party, as justice minister on Dec. 5, 2019.She went th
Jan. 2, 2020
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[Newsmaker] PM Lee Nak-yon’s return to parliament may signal changes to come
Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon’s imminent return to the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and the path along which his political career progresses are likely to be deciding factors for the country’s political arena for the coming year and further down the road. Lee served four National Assembly terms from 2000 to 2014 for the Hampyeong-Younggwang constituency in South Jeolla Province. In 2014, during his fourth term, he ran and won the race for South Jeolla Province governorship. From the
Jan. 1, 2020
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Parties gear up for April general elections
Rival political parties on Wednesday ushered in 2020 with renewed commitment to win over voters in the general elections this year. During events celebrating the new year, the leaders of the ruling Democratic Party and main opposition Liberty Korea Party shared their visions and plans for the April 15 general elections, which will take place under the newly revised electoral law. Democratic Party chief Lee Hae-chan underscored that the results of the elections will be a turning point. &ldqu
Jan. 1, 2020
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[News Focus] 5 ministries enjoy ‘Seoul-area stay’ thanks to law
SEJONG -- Sejong is expanding most quickly among the eight major cities and nine provinces in South Korea. The city is absorbing households from Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, Daejeon and the South and North Chungcheong provinces.The special self-governing city -- which was founded on July 1, 2012 northwest of Daejeon -- saw its population reach 338,647 as of November 2019, compared to 148,151 five years earlier in November 2014.The construction of apartments, government complexes and government agen
Jan. 1, 2020
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Court rejects arrest warrant request for Ulsan vice mayor over election-meddling allegations
A court rejected an arrest warrant request for an Ulsan vice mayor suspected of illegally intervening in the 2018 mayoral election in his city late Tuesday.At about seven minutes to midnight, the Seoul Central District Court said it turned down prosecution's request from last Friday to detain Song Byung-gi, Ulsan's vice mayor for economic affairs, on charges of conspiring with several presidential aides to influence the city's mayoral poll last year in violation of the Public Official Election A
Jan. 1, 2020
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Moon vows results from reform drive in new year
President Moon Jae-in assured the people here Tuesday that his reform measures will bear fruit in the coming year.In a brief social media message posted on New Year's Eve, he thanked them for efforts to promote social justice on the basis of "warm love of neighbors." He said he would make 2020 a year to "repay" them, citing the "buds of change" that opened amid difficulties."(I) will make it flower and bear fruit with clear achievement," Moon said, adding
Dec. 31, 2019
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South Korean President criticizes indictment of former minister
South Korea’s presidential office criticized prosecutors’ decision to indict the country’s former justice minister, pushing back against a scandal that has damaged the ruling party ahead of parliamentary elections.A spokesman for President Moon Jae-in said the indictment Tuesday of ex-Justice Minister Cho Kuk raised questions about the prosecutors’ motivation. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Cho on 12 charges in all, including bribery and obs
Dec. 31, 2019
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Prime minister thanks Kuwait for partnering with Seoul hospital
South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on Tuesday expressed his gratitude to Kuwaiti leaders for selecting a Seoul-based university hospital to run a landmark hospital in the Middle Eastern country."A local news report (said) ... Kuwait has appointed Seoul National University Hospital as the official operator of the ambitiously built New Jahra Hospital," Lee wrote in a tweet, thanking Kuwaiti leaders for the decision. He also mentioned how they warmly greeted him during his visit to t
Dec. 31, 2019
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Top prosecutor vows ceaseless efforts for prosecution reform
South Korea's top prosecutor vowed Tuesday to push for ceaseless internal reform in his first public message after the National Assembly passed a bill on establishing a non-prosecution unit specializing in looking into corruption among high-ranking government officials, including senior prosecutors.Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl's pledge came as the government's drive to revamp the prosecution is expected to gain traction with the lawmakers' move."As the prosecution for the people, let's
Dec. 31, 2019
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Conservative bloc fumes over new probe agency
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party on Tuesday ratcheted up tension with the ruling camp over Monday’s passage of a bill on a new agency to investigate corruption by senior public officials. It said all 108 lawmakers of the party would resign from the National Assembly in protest of the “unilateral” handling of the motion. “All the (Liberty Korea Party) lawmakers cannot hold their anger at the latest railroading of the bill following two bills that were rammed through
Dec. 31, 2019
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Moon asks for confirmation hearing report of justice minister nominee by Wed.
President Moon Jae-in asked the National Assembly on Tuesday to send him a confirmation hearing report of the justice minister nominee by a day later, in a move seen as accelerating his prosecution reform drive.Moon has asked the National Assembly to send the hearing report on his pick for justice minister, Choo Mi-ae, by Wednesday, according to his office.If the National Assembly fails to adopt a confirmation hearing report by the proposed deadline, the president can appoint Choo to the post as
Dec. 31, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Parliament passes corruption probe unit bill amid opposition lawmakers' protest
The National Assembly passed a controversial bill to set up a separate unit to probe corruption by high-ranking public officials Monday, lending support to President Moon Jae-in's bid to reform the prosecution.A parliamentary vote came about eight months after the ruling party-led bloc placed related prosecution reform bills on a legislative fast track in late April, along with an electoral reform bill.The establishment of the proposed corruption probe unit is aimed at overhauling the prosecutio
Dec. 31, 2019
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Parliament passes corruption probe unit bill amid opposition lawmakers' protest
The National Assembly passed a controversial bill to set up a separate unit to probe corruption by high-ranking public officials Monday, lending support to President Moon Jae-in's bid to reform the prosecution. A parliamentary vote came about eight months after the ruling party-led bloc placed related prosecution reform bills on a legislative fast track in late April, along with an electoral reform bill. The establishment of the proposed corruption probe unit is aimed at
Dec. 30, 2019
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National Assembly to vote on controversial bill to set up corruption probe unit
The National Assembly is set to vote on a contentious bill to set up a separate unit to probe corruption by high-ranking public officials Monday, amid protests from lawmakers of the main opposition party.A plenary session for a parliamentary vote is scheduled at 6 p.m.The vote comes about eight months after the ruling party-led bloc placed related prosecution reform bills on a legislative fast track in late April, along with an electoral reform bill.The establishment of the proposed corruption p
Dec. 30, 2019
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Parties lock horns as ruling party vows to pass contentious bills
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) vowed Saturday to pass additional contentious "fast track" bills through the National Assembly next week while the main opposition party condemned the move as "railroading," deepening partisan rows."The DP will overcome the resistance and obstruction of the Liberty Korea Party and the prosecution in order to pass prosecution reform bills, as we passed an electoral reform bill through parliament," DP spokesperson, Rep. Hong Ihk-pyo sa
Dec. 28, 2019