Assembly to hold vote on two special investigation proposals, one of them into first lady

The National Assembly was set to hold a vote Thursday on two contentious special investigation proposals, one of them into stock manipulation allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee. The main opposition Democratic Party is expected to use its parliamentary majority to railroad the two bills. The ruling People Power Party has strongly opposed them, arguing they are a political ploy ahead of April's general elections. But the DP has argued that no one is untouchable, including the first

Dec. 28, 2023

Yoon to name First Vice FM Chang as national security adviser

President Yoon Suk Yeol plans to name First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin as his new national security adviser, a presidential official said Thursday. Chang, a career diplomat who served as Yoon's first ambassador to Russia, will succeed Cho Tae-yong as director of national security after Cho was nominated last week for chief of the National Intelligence Service. Chang's appointment could be announced later Thursday, the official said. Ambassador to Germany Kim Hong-kyun, who also

Dec. 28, 2023

[Newsmaker] Estranged Lee Jun-seok to launch new party

The estranged ex-leader of the ruling party, Lee Jun-seok, said Wednesday he would launch a new political party of his own, as the new interim party leader made no moves to convince him to stay. "I have decided to leave the People Power Party, leaving all my political assets tied to it behind," the 38-year-old politician announced in a press conference held in the afternoon at a restaurant in Nowon-gu, northeastern Seoul. Lee spent his childhood in Nowon-gu and sought to represent the

Dec. 27, 2023

Seoul to defer workplace safety enforcement by 2 years

The conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration and the ruling People Power Party on Wednesday agreed to defer by two years the enforcement of the controversial Serious Disasters Punishments Act, which can hold executives criminally liable for deadly workplace disasters. The announcement, made at a meeting with Labor Minister Lee Jung-sik and People Power Party lawmakers, is expected to extend the grace period of the rule to 2026 for small enterprises, as the law was initially poised to come into

Dec. 27, 2023

[Bills in Focus] Easing burden on subcontractors, protecting consumer interests

Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Act on Special Measures for Strengthening the Competitiveness of, and Protecting National High-tech Strategic Industries Proposed by Rep. Yang Hyang-ja (Hope of Korea) ● In response to demands to diversify and strengthen government support for specialized complexes and high-tech technologies, this amendment allows the state to directly create industrial infrastructure of specialized complexes, expands support for the creation and operation of specialized

Dec. 27, 2023

Han vows not to run in 2024 general election

Former Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon was officially sworn in as the People Power Party's interim leader on Tuesday, backed by approval from the majority of the ruling party lawmakers. Han took on the role of chairman of the emergency leadership committee, following a mobile phone voting process involving 824 ruling party lawmakers across the country. Of the total, 650 participated in the ballot and some 96.5 percent, or 627, of the participants voted for Han. The 50-year-old interim leader

Dec. 26, 2023

Ex-prime ministers share concerns over DP's deepening divide

Three ex-prime ministers under the previous Moon Jae-in administration have expressed concerns over the deepening divide within the main opposition party and throughout the liberal bloc as of Tuesday. Former Prime Ministers Lee Nak-yon, Chung Se-kyun and Kim Bu-gyeom pointed to the Democratic Party of Korea's current leader Lee Jae-myung's monopolization of power within the party as a major hurdle to party unification ahead of next year's general elections, in two separate meeting

Dec. 26, 2023

Yoon calls for different perspective to boost birthrate

President Yoon Suk Yeol called Tuesday for approaching the issue of the country's surprisingly declining birthrate from a fundamentally different perspective, emphasizing the need to identify its causes and find effective solutions. Yoon made the remark during a Cabinet meeting as South Korea's fertility rate, already the world's lowest, experienced another decline in the latest setback to the government's efforts to boost its declining population. According to the statistics

Dec. 26, 2023

Ex-Justice Minister Han to take over as ruling party leader

Former Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon was set to be sworn in as chief of the ruling People Power Party on Tuesday, taking on the daunting mission of leading the party through April's parliamentary elections. Han will take office as chairman of the PPP's emergency committee after the party's national committee endorsed his nomination through phone voting. His inauguration ceremony is set for 3 p.m., party officials said. Han takes over at a time when the PPP has been struggling to

Dec. 26, 2023

Political parties gear up for crunch election just 100 days away

With about 100 days until April's parliamentary elections, political parties are vying to get a head start in the crucial race that observers say could determine whether President Yoon Suk Yeol will be able to push his agenda forward or end up an early lame duck. Recent public surveys largely suggest a challenging path for the ruling People Power Party amid Yoon's low approval ratings, as shown in the party's crushing defeat in October's local by-election for Seoul's Gan

Dec. 26, 2023

Yoon attends Christmas service at church

President Yoon Suk Yeol attended a Christmas service at a church in Seoul on Monday and vowed efforts to build the state to become a "good gift" to people, his office said. Yoon visited the Chungdong First Methodist Church in central Seoul in the morning to take part in the church service for about an hour, according to the presidential office. In response to a supportive message by an elderly Christian after the service, Yoon said he will make efforts to make the country become a &quo

Dec. 25, 2023

Incoming ruling party chief faces uphill battle

The ruling party interim nominee, former Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon faces an uphill battle as he seeks to lead party reform while tackling opposition proposals for a special investigation into first lady Kim Keon Hee. Han will be elected as the chair of the emergency committee of the ruling People Power Party on Tuesday, following the approval of the party's national committee. An emergency committee led by Han will be launched on Friday. But even prior to the official launch, Han will

Dec. 25, 2023

Yoon wishes joy of blessing on Christmas Eve

President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed hope for a happy and blessed Christmas in a message to the public posted on the eve on Sunday. "It is a Christmas full of love from Jesus ... Today, there are many people around us who practice Jesus' love and grow the embers of hope," Yoon said in a Facebook post. "The government and I will also try harder to make small embers burn with greater love. I hope all of you will enjoy the joy of a happy and blessed Christmas," Yoon said.

Dec. 25, 2023

Presidential office says special probe bills are designed to leave 'scratch' on Yoon administration

The presidential office believes that opposition-led special investigation proposals, including one into allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee, are designed to leave a "scratch" on the Yoon Suk Yeol administration ahead of the general elections, a senior official said Sunday. Lee Kwan-sup, director of national policy at the presidential office, made the remark during his appearance on KBS TV, as the main opposition Democratic Party plans to pass the two investigation proposals

Dec. 24, 2023

[Newsmaker] Hype builds for Yoon’s ‘wingman’ to helm ruling party

Han Dong-hoon, the star prosecutor who was President Yoon Suk Yeol’s first justice minister, is about to make his official debut in politics as the leader of the ruling party. One of the best-known figures in Yoon’s Cabinet, Han surprised Seoul’s political capital Yeouido on Thursday when he accepted an offer to lead the People Power Party, the top seat of which had been left vacant for over a week. Previous party leader Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon stepped down amid an open power struggl

Dec. 22, 2023

S. Korea's fiscal deficit, debt to rise further in 2024: ministry

South Korea's fiscal deficit is projected to rise to nearly 4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) next year, the finance ministry said Thursday. The managed fiscal balance, a key gauge of fiscal health calculated on stricter terms, is expected to post a deficit of 91.6 trillion won ($70.19 billion) in 2024, or 3.9 percent of the country's GDP, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The amount was 400 billion won smaller than what the government expected earlier, as the N

Dec. 21, 2023

Cho Tae-yong: Who is the new pick for South Korea’s spy chief?

Cho Tae-yong was tapped again by President Yoon Suk Yeol earlier this week to head the National Intelligence Service, marking his third presidential nomination under the administration that is less than two years old. Since Yoon took power about a year and a half ago, Cho was made his ambassador to the US and then his national security adviser -- a minister-level role he would be leaving if his appointment as the new leader of the spy agency is finalized. A seasoned diplomat, Cho built a career

Dec. 21, 2023

Rival parties reach deal on 2024 budget, enter full election mode

South Korea’s ruling and main opposition parties on Wednesday agreed to pass the 2024 government budget through the National Assembly, propelling the rival parties into a full-fledged election race, widely expected to serve as a litmus test for the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. The parliament’s special committee for budget settlement and floor leaders of the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea announced they agreed on a budget plan with a reduc

Dec. 20, 2023

[News Analysis] Will justice minister become beacon of hope for Korea’s conservative bloc?

There is currently one man in South Korea who many in the conservative bloc believe is popular enough to win voters' hearts, despite his lack of political experience. The man of the hour is Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon -- President Yoon Suk Yeol’s right-hand man and a strong candidate to lead the ruling People Power Party at its helm into next year’s April general election. A survey conducted by local polling agency Gallup Korea earlier this month showed Han as Korea’s

Dec. 20, 2023

Ex-DP leader Song's arrest rattles party ahead of election

A Seoul court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Song Young-gil, ex-leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, could pose some risks for the liberal bloc ahead of next year’s general election, observers said Tuesday. The Seoul Central District Court on late Monday granted the warrant sought by prosecutors against Song on charges of bribing several of his fellow Democratic Party lawmakers in the time frame leading up to the party’s leadership election in May

Dec. 19, 2023