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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[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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4 in 10 young South Koreans take up 'irregular' jobs: data
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SM founder Lee Soo-man is back with A2O Entertainment
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[Newsmaker] Democratic Party to bring opposition lawmaker to ethics panel for swearing
Democratic Party Floor Leader Lee In-young said Tuesday the ruling party will refer an opposition lawmaker to the parliamentary ethics committee for alleged intervention in ongoing probes and the use of abusive language. Rep. Yeo Sang-kyoo of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, who chairs the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, said Monday the prosecution should not deal with the case of a physical standoff in parliament, in which he was involved.In April, Liberty
Oct. 8, 2019
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Moon urges speedy prosecution reform
President Moon Jae-in on Monday urged the National Assembly to process bills concerning the reform of the public prosecutors’ office. Speaking at a weekly meeting with his top aides, Moon said the public is calling for prosecution reform, despite holding differing views on related issues. “Even among the various opinions, the will of the people that comes together is that the need for prosecution reform is as urgent as guaranteeing the prosecution’s political neutrality,&r
Oct. 7, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Cho Kuk probe takes center stage at parliamentary audit of prosecutors’ office
An audit of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office at the National Assembly saw a heated confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties Monday. The prosecutors in Seoul are leading a probe into corruption allegations surrounding Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s family, even as he has refused to quit.Ruling Democratic Party lawmakers accused the prosecution of conducting a “politically charged” and “biased” probe and of colluding with a main oppositi
Oct. 7, 2019
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Moon asks Koreans abroad to support 2032 peace Olympics bid
President Moon Jae-in expressed hope Saturday that Koreans residing in foreign countries continue to support Seoul's peace efforts, especially its bid to host the 2032 Olympic Games together with Pyongyang.Addressing the 13th World Korean Day event at a Seoul hotel, he recalled their contributions to the successful hosting of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics early last year."I request compatriots once again to work together for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula," Moon said. &
Oct. 5, 2019
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Prosecution grills justice minister's wife again over alleged family corruption
Prosecutors on Saturday questioned Justice Minister Cho Kuk's wife for the second time this week as part of a sprawling investigation into corruption allegations surrounding his family.Cho's wife, a university professor surnamed Chung, is suspected of inappropriately helping her daughter gain admission to medical school, as well as being involved in a dubious private equity fund investment.Chung appears to have used the basement parking area to enter the Seoul Central District Prosecutors'
Oct. 5, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Security adviser under fire for domineering manner
A South Korean diplomat to the United Nations was required to kneel down in front of National Security Office Second Deputy Chief Kim Hyun-chong over a mistake that led to a missed engagement, a lawmaker said Thursday. An error by a first secretary-level diplomat left Kim unable to attend a summit between Korean President Moon Jae-in and Polish President Andrzej Duda in New York on Sept. 23, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Rep. Chung Jin-suk of the Liberty Korea Party disclose
Oct. 4, 2019
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Main opposition ratchets up political attacks over justice minister following massive rally
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party called for a probe into the justice minister over corruption allegations on Friday, one day after conservatives held a massive rally to demand his dismissal.The conservative party ratcheted up its political attacks on Justice Minister Cho Kuk and the ruling party, apparently buoyed by Thursday's rally in downtown Seoul, in which the party claimed around 3 million people took part.Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans took to the streets in downtown Seoul,
Oct. 4, 2019
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Justice minister's wife grilled over alleged family corruption
Prosecutors on Thursday questioned Justice Minister Cho Kuk's wife for the first time as part of a widening probe into corruption allegations surrounding the family.Cho's wife, a university professor surnamed Chung, is suspected of inappropriately helping the couple's daughter gain admission to medical school, as well as being involved in a dubious private equity fund investment.Chung showed up for the questioning at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul at around 9 a.m
Oct. 3, 2019
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Subway, railway workers in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province plan strikes starting next week
Subway workers in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province are expected to go on a series of strikes starting Monday, affecting more than 8 million commuters.The four public transport unions affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions announced Wednesday that they would start separate strikes beginning next week. Unionized workers of Seoul Subway Line No. 9 will go on a preliminary strike on Monday with the actual strike scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.The labor union of Seoul Metro, which o
Oct. 3, 2019
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Prosecutors summon justice minister’s wife for questioning
Prosecutors in Seoul on Thursday grilled Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s wife for eight hours on various corruption allegations involving her family. The questioning stopped at around 5 p.m. at her request, citing health concerns.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said Chung Kyung-shim was summoned at around 9 a.m. for questioning regarding allegations of manipulating her daughter’s college and medical school applications and shady investment in a private equity fund, as
Oct. 3, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Democratic Party pushes to review college admissions of children of senior public officials
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea is pushing for special legislation to look into possible irregularities into the college admissions of the children of lawmakers and senior public officials.The minor opposition Justice Party and Bareunmirae Party and ruling Democratic Party Chairman Lee Hae-chan had earlier proposed an inquiry into how all legislators’ children obtained their university admissions, to which the main opposition Liberty Korea Party agreed.The rival parties had difference
Oct. 2, 2019
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Opposition leader appears at prosecution office over 'fast-track' bills row
The leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party voluntarily appeared at a district prosecutors office on Tuesday over the party's involvement in the political bickering over the passage of so-called fast-track bills.Hwang Kyo-ahn arrived around 2 p.m. at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office. According to an official of the party, Hwang made the appearance in lieu of its lawmakers, to whom the prosecution has sent notifications asking them to appear for questioning as part of its
Oct. 1, 2019
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S. Korean parliament adopts resolution against use of imperial
South Korea's National Assembly adopted a resolution Monday urging Japan to ban the use of its imperial-era flag during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The statement calls on the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to ban spectators from carrying the Rising Sun Flag or wearing uniforms that feature its image at the Games. Koreans view the flag as a symbol of Japan's militarism in the first half of the 20th century.The resolution, approved in a 196-3 vote, also calls on t
Sept. 30, 2019
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Moon reaffirms prosecution reform with collective responsibility
South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in on Monday stressed the need for prosecution reform again, calling on the Ministry of Justice and the prosecutors’ office to cooperate with each other. Speaking at an official briefing, Moon said that the two organizations must cooperate and fulfill the people’s expectations. At the briefing session, attended by Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, the president also asked Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl to quickly draw up reform plans. Moon s
Sept. 30, 2019
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Moon orders prosecution to draw up its own reform plan
President Moon Jae-in instructed South Korea's prosecution Monday to map out its own reform measures at an early date.He issued the order on receiving a report from Justice Minister Cho Kuk on ways to reform the prosecution, according to Cheong Wa Dae.Moon's move came after a massive street candlelight vigil on the weekend calling for prosecution reform, one of Moon's key campaign pledges.Moon stressed that state prosecutors should actively join the reform drive on their own, urging them to pres
Sept. 30, 2019
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Ruling party proposes agency to probe education privilege for lawmakers' children
The ruling Democratic Party on Monday proposed setting up a special agency under parliament to probe into whether children of lawmakers received undue preferential treatment in gaining admission to colleges.DP floor leader Lee In-young said he wants bipartisan agreement to his party's proposal to establish a joint agency involving the private and public sectors to look into possible educational privileges for lawmakers' children.The DP proposed such a probe last week, and the main opposition Lib
Sept. 30, 2019
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Top prosecutor reaffirms commitment to reform
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl said Sunday that the prosecution would fully comply with the Moon Jae-in administration’s push for prosecutorial reform. This is the first official statement from the top prosecutor since the prosecution launched probe into corruption allegations surrounding Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s family in August.The statement, released by the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Yoon’s name, said the prosecution will “d
Sept. 29, 2019
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National Assembly to launch annual audit of govt. agencies
The National Assembly is scheduled to kick off its annual audit of government agencies this week, officials said Sunday, with a row over corruption scandals involving the justice minister's family likely to come under scrutiny.This year's audit of more than 700 government organizations will start on Wednesday and run until Oct. 21.The House Steering Committee will examine the performance of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Nov. 1. The Intelligence Committee will audit the National Intell
Sept. 29, 2019
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Cho Kuk scandal brings forth ideological clash
The political ideological clash in South Korea appears have heightened following the alleged impropriety of Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s family with rival groups set to hold simultaneous rallies in Seoul on Saturday. The joint action of people supporting the government’s efforts to fight judicial injustice said they will hold their seventh candlelight vigil on 6 p.m. in front of the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul.On the same day, protesters demanding his resignation w
Sept. 27, 2019
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Moon warns prosecution not to abuse its authority over justice minister probe
President Moon Jae-in stressed the need Friday for far-reaching reform of South Korea's prosecution, responding to a heated political controversy over the way state prosecutors are investigating a fraud and corruption scandal involving Justice Minister Cho Kuk's family.The prosecution has been intensifying a probe into the case, highlighted by a raid on the minister's house earlier this week.Critics of Cho and the Moon administration say that the minister is unqualified and that he should immedi
Sept. 27, 2019