National Assembly shuts down on virus alert

The National Assembly and its separate Members' Office Building were placed under quarantine at 6 p.m. Monday, after a person infected with COVID-19 was found to have taken part in an event held at the Office Building the previous week. The plenary session was called off and lawmakers who attended the event, including Floor Leader Shim Jae-cheol of the main opposition United Future Party, took COVID-19 tests. Health authorities disinfected the two buildings and sealed them off for the 24-hour

Feb. 24, 2020

Ruling party, government mull W10tr to tackle COVID-19

The ruling party and government are considering a supplementary budget of more than 10 trillion won ($8.2 billion) to contain the COVID-19 novel coronavirus. “Due to the emergency situation, we are formulating an extra budget plan in the first quarter, which is rare. … Over 10 trillion won would be a ‘super supplementary budget,’” an official of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea told Yonhap News. During the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in 2003

Feb. 24, 2020

Three minor parties merge ahead of April elections

Three minor parties based in the southwestern region merged on Monday to launch a new middle-of-the-road party ahead of the April 15 parliamentary elections. The leaders of the Bareunmirae Party (BP), the Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP) and the New Alternative Party (NAP) declared their union, vowing to "end the nation's antagonistic politics stemming from dominance by the two major parties." "The united centrist party takes its first step in the support of the people,"

Feb. 24, 2020

Ruling party calls for extra budget to fight against COVID-19

The ruling Democratic Party asked the government Sunday to draw up a supplementary budget for use in efforts to contain the novel coronavirus that has been gaining force in South Korea. Rep. Lee In-young, floor leader of the party, also said the National Assembly would hold a plenary session on Monday to discuss "extraordinary" measures including the establishment of a special parliamentary committee on the COVID-19 pandemic. "(We) request that the government draft a supplement

Feb. 23, 2020

Opposition party leader urges govt. to raise virus alert level

The head of South Korea's main opposition party called on the government Sunday to raise the country's COVID-19 alert level to "serious" and designate Daegu, a city with many confirmed cases, a "special disaster zone."  The call by Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the conservative United Front Party, came as the country reported 123 additional cases and the fourth death from the illness.  The total number of people infected with the virus was tallied at 556 as of Sunday

Feb. 23, 2020

[News Focus] Will President Moon change major foreign and economic policies during remaining 2 years?

SEJONG -- The next presidential election will take place in two years, possibly on March 9, 2022. After that, there will be a two-month period in which a president-elect leads a transition committee before President Moon Jae-in’s term expires at midnight May 9. That means Moon has about 24 months to determine what his legacy will be, political commentators say. The Moon administration came to power on the strength of massive candlelight vigils in late 2016, when former President Park Ge

Feb. 23, 2020

Moon to receive emergency report on virus response

President Moon Jae-in will be briefed Friday on South Korea's response to the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, Cheong Wa Dae said, as the number of confirmed cases in the country more than tripled over the past two days. The virus has begun to spread locally at a rapid pace, putting the quarantine authorities on high alert. Moon plans to receive the "emergency" report at Cheong Wa Dae with Interior and Safety Minister Chin Young and Health and We

Feb. 21, 2020

Moon, Xi agree to closely cooperate against coronavirus

South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed in his telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday to strengthen cooperation between the neighboring countries in a desperate fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to Cheong Wa Dae. They also agreed to share relevant clinical experiences of their countries, in addition to close partnership between their quarantine authorities, Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kang Min-seok said in a press briefing. Xi proposed the

Feb. 20, 2020

NSC discusses coronavirus response

South Korea's National Security Council convened Thursday and  discussed the coronavirus outbreak, as the country reported the first death of an infected person. In its weekly standing committee meeting, top national security officials checked the "seriousness of the situations at home and abroad and the international community's moves and reviewed ways the government will respond going forward," according to Cheong Wa Dae. South Korea announced 53 new confirmed COVID-19 cas

Feb. 20, 2020

Parliamentary panel passes 3 quarantine-related bills over new coronavirus

A parliamentary committee passed a set of three bills aimed at beefing up the quarantine response to contagious diseases Thursday as South Korea seeks to contain the rapid spread of the new coronavirus. The parliamentary health panel approved the three measures -- proposals to revise the quarantine act, the infectious disease control and prevention act and the medical service act. They will be put forward for review by the legislation committee soon. As early as next week, the bills could be

Feb. 20, 2020

Conservative merger fails to boost support

Three conservative parties have formed a unified front to challenge the ruling Democratic Party of Korea in the upcoming general elections, but the latest survey shows their merger has not boosted public support. The governing Democratic Party of Korea still takes the lead with 41.1 percent of support, according to a Realmeter poll Thursday, conducted between Monday and Wednesday, after the launch of the United Future Party, The new party garnered support from 32.7 percent of respondents --

Feb. 20, 2020

Moon's renewed economy drive hit by fast virus spread

President Moon Jae-in's campaign to block the economic effects of the COVID-19 outbreak has suffered a heavy blow from the faster-than-expected spread of the virus in South Korea this week. Having for weeks placed his No. 1 priority on countering the novel coronavirus outbreak, first confirmed here on Jan. 20, Moon has shifted the focus to reviving the momentum for economic recovery. In the early phase of the outbreak, he visited public hospitals and quarantine facilities for South Koreans w

Feb. 20, 2020

North Korean defectors seek to create political party

North Korean defectors living here are pushing to create a political party that protects their rights and interests. On Tuesday, some 200 defectors launched a preparatory committee for establishment of the tentatively named Inter-Korean Reunification Party during a conference of party promoters at the Federation of Korean Industries building. “We are trying to create a political party that can represent the equivalence and difference between South and North Korean people,” the

Feb. 18, 2020

[News Focus] Recruitment of new faces remains key task for merged conservative party

After three years of disarray, conservatives managed to forge a united front to counter the main liberal force of the ruling party, boosting their chances in the upcoming general elections. The question, however, remains. Will the newly formed Party for Future Integration be able to recruit new talent and extend its support base beyond diehard conservative voters? The new bloc was born Monday through the merger of the largest opposition Liberty Korea Party, the New Conservative Party and

Feb. 18, 2020

New party woos soldiers with longer vacation pledge

The newly formed main opposition United Future Party on Tuesday unveiled an election pledge to offer soldiers longer vacations, extended tenures and higher pay. It was the fledging party’s first campaign promise for the April general elections. The conservative group was launched the day before following the merger of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party and two minor parties. On average, conscripted soldiers take vacation every 1 1/2 months and can spend only one night out before re

Feb. 18, 2020

Moon calls for ‘extraordinary measures’ to shore up economy

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday again called on the government to do all it can to deal with the economic fallout of the coronavirus outbreak. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Moon said the outbreak has created an “emergency economic situation” that calls for extraordinary measures, and stressed the need to cooperate with neighboring countries. “Extraordinary situations need extraordinary measures. Preemptive response and special measures for both the people’s safety a

Feb. 18, 2020

Moon urges 'special' economic policy measures against virus-caused 'emergency situations'

President Moon Jae-in ordered his Cabinet on Tuesday to mobilize all available "special" means to handle the "emergency economic situations" attributable to the continued spread of the novel coronavirus. "Emergency situations require an emergency prescription. The current situation is much more serious than (we) thought," he said in his opening remarks during a weekly Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae. The president stressed that, "It is the time when specia

Feb. 18, 2020

Moon calls on government to focus on reducing economic impact of virus

President Moon Jae-in on Monday called for close cooperation among economy-related government bodies in reviving the economy and dealing with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. “Economic ministries have the important task for realizing clear changes in people’s livelihoods and the economy. (Their) shoulders have become heavier due to the COVID-19 situation,” Moon said at the annual operations briefing by economy-related government organizations. The bodies that held t

Feb. 17, 2020

Main opposition, 2 minor parties launch new merged party for April elections

The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and two minor parties officially launched their new merged party Monday, a move to integrate conservatives ahead of the April parliamentary elections. The tentatively named Party for Future Integration set sail as the LKP approved a move to unify with the New Conservative Party and Onward for Future 4.0 last week. Its official English name has yet to be chosen. The move is aimed at mustering conservatives to challenge the liberal Moon Jae-in gover

Feb. 17, 2020

Proposed merger among 3 minor parties hits snag

A proposal to merge three minor parties hit a snag Monday as the chief of the opposition Bareunmirae Party (BP) suspended the review of its approval, claiming that the move could deepen regionalism. The BP, the Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP) and the New Alternative Party jointly announced a plan Friday to unite for the April 15 parliamentary elections, eyeing becoming the third-largest political bloc sharing support bases in the southwestern provinces of North and South Jeolla. But BP ch

Feb. 17, 2020