[KH Explains] Why Yoon golfing is so controversial

When reports surfaced that President Yoon Suk Yeol had played golf at a course in northeastern Seoul on Saturday, opposition politicians saw it as an opportunity to pounce. Playing golf has become close to a taboo for politicians in Korea. The exclusive and expensive nature of the sport here means that it is seen as an elite indulgence, rather than a way to unwind or a pastime for ordinary people. As such, public officials who golf are often accused of being out of touch with the general public

Nov. 13, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Korea, don't repeat Hong Kong's mistakes on foreign caregivers'

Fifty-one years ago, during Hong Kong's "golden era" of social reform, then-Gov. Murray MacLehose established a framework to bring in low-wage foreign workers for domestic and care work. This policy aimed to encourage educated, upper- and middle-class local women to enter the workforce — a rationale similar to that of the Seoul city government's foreign caregiver pilot program today. Though now facing different socioeconomic conditions, some South Korean politicians and

Nov. 13, 2024

Court decides against live broadcast of Lee's sentencing trial

A court on Wednesday decided not to permit a live broadcast for the upcoming sentencing trial of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung in his alleged election law violation case. The Seoul Central District Court said it will not allow real-time filming or broadcast of Lee's sentencing trial, slated for Friday, "in comprehensive consideration of the relevant legal interests." The court is set to make its judgment on Lee's charges of violating the election law by making false stateme

Nov. 13, 2024

Unification council official says N. Korea would not open dialogue with US while being paid by Russia

The secretary general of South Korea's presidential advisory body on unification said Tuesday that North Korea would not engage in dialogue with the US as long as it is being paid by Russia for its troop deployment and other forms of military cooperation. Tae Yong-ho, the secretary general of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, made the remarks amid expectations that US President-elect Donald Trump could revive his personal diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after he ta

Nov. 13, 2024

Yoon may meet Trump on way back from APEC, G20 summits

President Yoon Suk Yeol could stop by the United States to hold talks with US President-elect Donald Trump after two series of multilateral summits in South American countries he heads to later this week. When asked about the possibility of Yoon meeting Trump on the occasion of his upcoming trip to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru and the Group of 20 summit in Brazil, an official of the presidential office said Tuesday, "We are closely communicating with representatives

Nov. 12, 2024

Courts to make key verdicts on main opposition leader, his wife

The political future of Democratic Party of Korea Chair Rep. Lee Jae-myung is likely to be decided this month, as South Korean courts are expected to deliver several court rulings that could potentially bar the main opposition leader from running for president. The Seoul Central District Court is set to deliver rulings in two separate cases against Lee on Friday and Nov. 25, marking the first decisions in his four ongoing criminal cases. On Friday, the Seoul court is expected to deliver a verdic

Nov. 12, 2024

PM calls for effective measures to prepare for Trump administration

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Tuesday called for officials to come up with effective measures to prepare for potential policy changes in the United States under President-elect Donald Trump. Han made the call during a Cabinet meeting, anticipating "considerable policy shifts" in the US across foreign affairs, security, trade and industry after Trump takes office in January. "The government should ensure the close security cooperation framework between South Korea and the US opera

Nov. 12, 2024

Arrest warrant sought for political broker, ex-lawmaker in growing candidate nomination scandal linked to Yoon

Prosecutors on Monday requested an arrest warrant for Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed power broker, over allegations of interfering in candidate nominations in the 2022 parliamentary by-elections through his ties with then presidential candidate Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife. They also filed warrants for Kim Young-sun, a former lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party, and two ex-candidates in the June 2022 local elections, citing risk of destruction of evidence, according to the Changwon Dist

Nov. 11, 2024

Yoon practices golf in preparation for potential game with Trump

As Donald Trump is set to return to the White House for the second time, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is honing an unconventional diplomatic skill: his golf game. Senior officials familiar with the matter said Monday that the president has picked up golf again after a break of several years, in case it helps him build a rapport with the next US leader. President-elect Trump's affinity for golf is well-documented. Personally owning about 15 golf courses in the US and elsewhere, his

Nov. 11, 2024

[From the Scene] Naming of Jeju Olle course marks evolving ties of Korea, ASEAN

JEJU ISLAND -- As South Korea's relationship with ASEAN marked a new high in its 35th year of dialogue relations by signing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, South Korea on Friday unveiled a new concrete bench near the shoreline of the southern part of Jeju Island. The structure sits in the middle of Jeju Olle Trail No. 8 in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, where trekkers come across tourist attractions such as Jusangjeollidae -- a cliff formed by volcanic rocks -- and where those staying in large

Nov. 11, 2024

[Herald Interview] Actor Ryu Seung-ryong says ASEAN-Korea trail could be new Hallyu highlight

JEJU ISLAND -- There was a surprise guest at Friday's dedication ceremony for a segment of the Jeju Olle Trail named in honor of newly elevated ties between South Korea and ASEAN this year. Describing himself as an avid trekker on the Jeju Olle Trail for more than 10 years, Korean actor Ryu Seung-ryong was in attendance. Ryu, who starred in megahits like the comedy film "Extreme Job," said he hopes to see many Hallyu enthusiasts coming to the new Olle trail, adding that it could b

Nov. 11, 2024

Push for Seoul getting own nuclear arms gains steam after Trump win

Former US President Donald Trump’s return to the White House has South Korean conservatives pushing to secure nuclear capabilities to deter the threat posed by North Korea. Rep. Yu Yong-weon, who sits on the National Assembly defense committee, on Monday hosted a seminar attended by some dozen ruling party lawmakers to discuss Korean Peninsula nuclear policy against the backdrop of a second Trump presidency. Speaking at the seminar, Han Dong-hoon, the People Power Party chair, said Trump w

Nov. 11, 2024

Ruling party head calls for fair trial for main opposition leader

With a Seoul court scheduled to deliver a verdict later this week on charges that the main opposition leader violated the Public Official Election Act, ruling People Power Party Chair Han Dong-hoon on Monday called for the judicial authorities to carry out a fair trial, saying that “the nature of the crime is very severe.” “I request South Korea’s judicial authorities to make judgments in accordance with the law, no more nor no less, than how it does with the ordinary cit

Nov. 11, 2024

[Bills in Focus] Aligning retirement with pension eligibility, enhancing urban growth

Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act Proposed by Rep. Kim Jae-sub (People Power Party) ● This amendment expands the Act's regulatory scope to cover distribution systems involving atypical securities, paving the way for innovative solutions in fractional investing, such as "investing in bits and pieces" or "fractional share trading." It establishes legal grounds for security tokens, creates an issuer's account

Nov. 11, 2024

DP to submit revised special counsel bill targeting first lady

The main opposition Democratic Party said Monday it will submit a revised special counsel bill focused on allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee, which narrows the scope of the probe and allows a third party to recommend a special prosecutor. DP spokesperson Han Min-soo said the party will submit the revised proposal focused on Kim's alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scheme and allegations of interference in election nominations during a plenary session of the National Asse

Nov. 11, 2024

Yoon struggles amid lowest approval rating

As President Yoon Suk Yeol hit the halfway mark of his five-year term Sunday, he faced pressure from a record-low approval rate coupled with growing threats from the opposition to approve a bill mandating a special counsel investigation into the first lady. Yoon's approval rating fell to 17 percent, according to a Gallup Korea poll released Friday, marking an all-time low since the president took office in May 2022. An unnamed official from the local pollster explained the recently surfaced

Nov. 10, 2024

Sought by prosecutors: Key man in Yoon presidential couple’s political drama

Myeong Tae-kyun, the self-proclaimed power broker that many South Koreans had never heard of until two months ago, made a public appearance Friday as he arrived for questioning by prosecutors. He is the man driving the spiraling election drama surrounding the presidential couple and some of the most influential power players of the ruling People Power Party. The little-known man in mainstream Seoul circles apparently blew the whistle on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s wife Kim Keon Hee, claiming

Nov. 8, 2024

First lady to keep low profile as Yoon’s ratings hit new low

First Lady Kim Keon Hee will not accompany President Yoon Suk Yeol on his planned state trips this month, a senior Yoon official told reporters Friday. The official said whether she would travel with the president in the future would be decided on a “case-by-case basis.” The decision follows the press conference by Yoon on Thursday where he said that the scope of his wife’s public role and appearances would depend on how South Koreans feel about it. “If the people like it

Nov. 8, 2024

South Korean opposition head hails Trump for Korean Peninsula peace efforts

Democratic Party of Korea leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung on Friday praised US President-elect Donald Trump’s summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his first term as a “historic contribution to peace in the Korean Peninsula.” “The first Trump administration made a historic move of holding the first-ever summit with North Korea and contributed to peace in the Korean Peninsula,” he told a meeting of the party leadership. He said that as Trump won a seco

Nov. 8, 2024

Yoon’s approval rating drops to new low

President Yoon Suk Yeol’s approval rating has fallen to a new low in the latest Gallup Korea poll released Friday, coming in at a record 17 percent. The results, however, do not reflect reactions to Thursday’s press conference, which was met with mixed reactions. The poll, conducted between Nov. 5 and 7, indicated that public sentiment has further deteriorated, with only 17 percent rating Yoon’s performance positively -- 2 percentage points lower than two weeks ago. Over the sa

Nov. 8, 2024