Most Popular
-
1
Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
-
2
[Exclusive] Korean adoptee sisters meet for the first time in 39 years
-
3
Rose's 'Apt.' redefines K-pop's global appeal
-
4
Two years on, thousands mourn Itaewon tragedy, calling for accountability
-
5
[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
-
6
Hanwha, HD Hyundai vie for Poland’s $2.7b submarine program
-
7
First lady’s controversies to top agenda at meeting of party leaders
-
8
[Photo News] Rallying against LGBTQ+
-
9
4 in 10 young South Koreans take up 'irregular' jobs: data
-
10
SM founder Lee Soo-man is back with A2O Entertainment
-
Lawmakers from S. Korea, Japan call for summit talks to mend frayed ties
Lawmakers from South Korea and Japan expressed concerns on Friday over the frayed ties between the two countries and called for prompt summit talks to resolve the history and trade tensions.About 150 members of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union adopted a joint statement after the union's annual joint general assembly in Tokyo."The parliaments of the two countries have decided to make more active efforts to resolve the pending issues and call for prompt opening of the two countries' su
Nov. 1, 2019
-
Justice Ministry admits failing to consult media on ‘false story ban’
The Ministry of Justice admitted Friday that it had not properly consulted media and other relevant bodies before announcing its recent directive restricting media access and imposing sanctions on journalists for “false reporting.”On Wednesday, the Justice Ministry issued a set of press guidelines that would expel reporters from the prosecution press corps if they are found to have reported “false stories.” The ministry also said it would bar reporters from speaking direc
Nov. 1, 2019
-
Prosecutors extend detention of ex-justice minister’s wife
On Thursday, prosecutors extended the detention of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s wife, Chung Kyung-shim, for another 10 days. Detained Oct. 23, she was to be in custody until Friday, but will not be released until after Nov. 11. Chung faces 11 charges, including fabricating a document to support her daughter’s university application, obstructing business, insider trading, embezzlement and withholding evidence. Prosecutors have questioned Chung three times since her arrest.
Nov. 1, 2019
-
Parliament passes free high school education bill
South Korea's National Assembly on Thursday passed revised bills that provide the grounds for free high school education.With the passage of the bill, the second and third grades of high school will be free starting in 2020 before being expanded to all grades in 2021. The plan is expected to cover 880,000 students next year and 1.26 million students by 2021.The education ministry in June said it will gradually introduce free education to ease family's financial burden and guarantee the basic rig
Oct. 31, 2019
-
Funeral held for President Moon’s mother
The funeral of President Moon Jae-in’s mother Kang Han-ok was held Thursday. Kang’s remains were interred at a Catholic facility in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province. She died Tuesday evening at the age of 92. Kang was born in Hungnam, South Hamgyong Province, in what is now North Korea. Korean funerals are customarily held over a period of a few days, usually three or five days, with the burial taking place on the final day. The funeral mass at the Namcheon Catholic Cathedral
Oct. 31, 2019
-
Foreign ambassadors visit Moon to mourn death of his mother
The ambassadors of the United States, China, Russia and Japan offered their condolences to President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday over the loss of his mother.Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Qiu Guohong and Russian Ambassador Andrey Kulik arrived at Namcheon Catholic Cathedral in Busan at around 5:10 p.m., according to a pool report.About 10 minutes later, they entered a mourning station for Kang Han-ok, who died from a chronic illness Tuesday at the age of 92.Then, Japanese Ambassador Yasumasa Nak
Oct. 30, 2019
-
Moon mourns mother’s passing
President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday mourned the passing of his mother, and thanked the public for sharing his sorrow. “My mother has passed on. Fortunately, my family and I could watch her go with a peaceful face,” Moon wrote in a Facebook message posted in the early hours of Wednesday. “All her life she missed her home she could not go back to, and experienced hardship as with all the mothers but she left behind the words ‘still, I was happy.’”Moon&rsquo
Oct. 30, 2019
-
Ruling party chief apologizes for Cho Kuk debacle
Democratic Party Chairman Lee Hae-chan on Wednesday apologized for the Cho Kuk controversy that gripped the country for months after President Moon Jae-in tapped him as justice minister in August.During a press conference at the National Assembly, the ruling party leader issued his first formal apology over Cho’s family corruption scandal that erupted following his Cabinet nomination. Cho quit on Oct. 14, after 36 days in office.“The Democratic Party, fixated on the cause of pro
Oct. 30, 2019
-
Liberal pundit claims prosecution probed Cho before nomination
Liberal politician-turned-writer Rhyu Si-min repeated his claim Tuesday that the prosecution secretly investigated Cho Kuk’s family before he was nominated as justice minister.On his YouTube show aired Tuesday evening, Rhyu said that Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl requested a person “who can deliver messages to the president” in mid-August for a meeting with President Moon Jae-in to tell him that Cho shouldn’t be appointed as justice minister.According to Rhyu, Yoon sa
Oct. 30, 2019
-
Moon's mother dies from chronic illness at age 92
Kang Han-ok, mother of President Moon Jae-in, died Tuesday at the age of 92, Cheong Wa Dae announced.She died at a hospital in Busan, the president's hometown located some 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at 7:06 p.m., it said. She had reportedly suffered from an illness for a long time and had been in critical condition in recent days.Moon plans to hold a "calm" family funeral at the wishes of the deceased, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson, Ko Min-jung.No condolence calls or
Oct. 29, 2019
-
Assembly speaker to put reform bills to floor discussion in Dec.
National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang said Tuesday he will put the controversial prosecution reform bills to floor discussion on Dec. 3. Moon’s decision comes as a compromise between the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, which have been divided over when the parliament should deliberate on the four bills fast-tracked in April amid fierce opposition from the Liberty Korea Party. The Democratic Party said the parliament should begin discussing
Oct. 29, 2019
-
Moon vows more support for AI
The government will push for deregulation and expand subsidies to support the development of the country’s artificial intelligence-related industries, and a national AI strategy will be drawn up within the year, President Moon Jae-in said Monday. Speaking at Developers View 2019 -- the largest AI-related industry event held in Korea -- at the Coex exhibition center in Seoul, Moon pledged increased support for the industry, saying that the “era of AI” has arrived. “We
Oct. 28, 2019
-
Parties wrangle over potential referring of key reform bills to plenary session
Political parties on Monday wrangled over whether the parliamentary speaker should refer key prosecution reform bills placed on a fast track to a plenary session set for this week.National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang is mulling whether to present the prosecution reform-related bills for consideration at a plenary meeting scheduled for Tuesday.The bills refer to proposals to set up an independent unit to probe corruption allegations by high-ranking public officials and to give more investigati
Oct. 28, 2019
-
Lee becomes longest-serving prime minister in S. Korea
Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon became the longest-serving prime minister in South Korea on Monday since the country adopted a direct presidential election system in 1987. Lee has served in the post for 881 days since his appointment in May 2017 under the liberal Moon Jae-in government, according his office.The record topped Kim Hwang-sik's 880-day stint as prime minister between October 2010-February 2013 under the conservative Lee Myung-bak administration.Lee, a former journalist and four-term lawm
Oct. 28, 2019
-
Prosecutors may summon ex-Justice Minister Cho this week
Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk will likely face prosecutors later this week for questioning over corruption allegations involving his family. Prosecutors suspect Cho’s influence over his wife’s purchase of shares in battery firm WFM at a lower price than their market value. Cho was a senior secretary to President Moon Jae-in at the time of the purchase. Prosecutors are also looking into dubious bank transfers between Cho and his wife. Cho is also accused of compli
Oct. 27, 2019
-
[Feature] Anti-corruption body now key political battleground
A large group of liberal protesters gathered near the National Assembly in Yeouido on Saturday chanting, “We the people must change the prosecution.” Among their key demands was the creation of an independent body to investigate corruption allegations involving senior government officials. Similar calls also reverberated in front of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho-dong, southern Seoul. Conservatives also held rallies in Yeouido and Seocho-dong, protesting the
Oct. 27, 2019
-
Moon says he ‘will not hurry’ in naming justice minister
President Moon Jae-in said Friday that he will not hurry to name a new justice minister, adding that a nomination could affect the prosecutorial reform process by introducing a new variable. The post of justice minister has been vacant since Cho Kuk stepped down amid criminal investigations into his wife, Chung Kyung-shim, and other members of his family. “Prosecutorial reform measures are being implemented and there is the question of whether bills on the fast-track process will be made i
Oct. 25, 2019
-
Moon calls for 'drastic' change in college entrance exam system
President Moon Jae-in stressed the need Friday to overhaul South Korea's education system, especially in relation to the controversial admission policies of local universities, reaffirming his commitment to addressing one of the toughest social issues here. Promoting fairness has emerged as a key task for the latter half of Moon's five-year presidency.Fierce public criticism of his pick of Cho Kuk as justice minister has served as a catalyst for this. Cho's family has faced intense prosecut
Oct. 25, 2019
-
Moon's approval rating rebounds from record low: poll
President Moon Jae-in's approval rating rebounded this week from a record low, affected by his drive to reform the prosecution, a poll showed Friday. Moon's support reached 41 percent this week, up from the all-time low of 39 percent tallied last week, according to a Gallup Korea poll on 1,001 adults nationwide. The survey was conducted from Tuesday to Thursday.Last week, the approval rating fell to the 30 percent level for the first time since Moon took office in May 2017. Moon was elected pres
Oct. 25, 2019
-
S. Korea decides to give up developing country status at WTO
South Korea said Friday it has decided to give up its developing country status at the World Trade Organization in a concession to the United States over reform of the global trade body.Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said there is little possibility that the international community can recognize South Korea as a developing country in future WTO negotiations and said a delay in South Korea's decision could undermine its negotiating power."We are in a difficult situation to be recognized as a d
Oct. 25, 2019