The news of former President Roh Tae-woo’s death on Tuesday was met with mixed reactions. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea expressed condolences, but also pointed to his part in military regimes. Saying that the party wishes for Roh to rest in peace, Democratic Party spokesperson Rep. Lee Yong-bin said the late ex-president extended military rule despite being elected democratically, and that he was a “criminal in history” for his part in crushing the 1980 Gwangju Democ

Politics Oct. 26, 2021

Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung on Monday announced his resignation as governor of Gyeonggi Province, starting his presidential bid in earnest as opposition parties ratcheted up their demands for an independent counsel investigation into the ongoing land development corruption scandal. Lee said he was stepping down effective Tuesday morning, with eight months left in his term. “I feel burdened with a heavy sense of responsibility, but I promise to fulfill

Politics Oct. 25, 2021

Prosecutors on Sunday again summoned key suspects of the high-profile land development scandal for continued questioning amid growing calls for an independent counsel investigation into the case. Kim Man-bae, who is believed to be the founder and a major stakeholder in Hwacheon Daeyu, appeared at the prosecutor‘s office for the fourth round of questioning, which came just three days after a round of questioning on Thursday. Another key figure, Nam Wook, the second-largest stakeholder of

Social Affairs Oct. 24, 2021

Incheon’s Yeonsu-gu will host the fifth International Conference on Learning Cities, which kicks off next week with an aim to reinforce the capacity of city authorities and relevant stakeholders to create, adapt and improve their lifelong learning policies for health education and resilience.  The international event will take place Oct. 27-30 at Songdo Convensia under the theme “From emergency to resilience: Building healthy and resilient cities through learning.” Some

National Oct. 20, 2021

A key figure in a high-profile land development corruption scandal was detained upon his arrival from the US on Monday morning for questioning on bribery and misconduct allegations. Attorney Nam Wook was taken into custody by the prosecution on suspicion of promising to pay a bribe and breach of trust, and transported to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office immediately after he arrived at Incheon International Airport from Los Angeles. Nam has been accused of playing a key ro

Social Affairs Oct. 18, 2021

Prosecutors raided Seongnam City Hall in connection with a land development corruption scandal, Friday, the day after a court dismissed a request for an arrest warrant for the key suspect. A team of prosecutors and investigators searched the offices, seizing documents and other materials. Seongnam City was responsible for licensing and approving various urban development projects in Daejang-dong, a district in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. The city also oversaw the Seongnam Development Corpo

Social Affairs Oct. 15, 2021

The South Korean police are probing into a suspected hacking attack against a matchmaking app that led to a personal data leak. The police on Friday said the investigation has been underway since late September, after the GoldSpoon app, which has 130,000 users, found evidence of unauthorized access to its internal network.  The GoldSpoon, a dating app designed for wealthy and high-income individuals, on Tuesday informed users that the company had suffered cyberattacks, which could be rans

Social Affairs Oct. 15, 2021

A South Korean court on Thursday upheld the Justice Ministry’s disciplinary action against former top prosecutor Yoon Seok-youl during his term and declared that the two-month suspension was a light penalty given his offenses. The Seoul Administrative Court rejected the suit filed by Yoon, who stepped down from the position in March, against then-Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, affirming the legitimacy of his two-month suspension from duty as prosecutor general. Thursday’s ruling cam

Social Affairs Oct. 14, 2021

Former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on Wednesday conceded defeat in the ruling Democratic Party of Korea‘s presidential primary, shortly after the party rejected his claims of unfair vote counting. Lee said he accepted the results of the presidential primary and sent a congratulatory message for Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung’s victory. “I respect the decision of the party affairs committee,” Lee said in a public statement posted on his Facebook. Lee also pledge

Politics Oct. 13, 2021

Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung, the ruling Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, on Tuesday denied allegations surrounding a housing development project and said he would use the parliamentary audit to clarify the issue. Lee has been embroiled in controversy over a corruption scandal surrounding his reelection as mayor of Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province in 2014.  The main opposition People Power Party has accused Lee of giving preferential treatment to asset management company Hwache

Social Affairs Oct. 12, 2021

More than 60 percent of the American public would consent to US troop intervention if North Korea initiated military aggression against South Korea, a survey carried out by a US think tank showed Thursday. In the nationwide poll by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, 63 percent of Americans said they would support using US forces to defend the South if the North invaded. The figure marks the second-highest since 1982, having reached a record high of 64 percent in 2018. An invasion of Sout

Foreign Affairs Oct. 8, 2021

A South Korean court on Thursday ordered a cancellation of the forceful discharge of transgender soldier Byun Hee-soo, who took her own life earlier this year. The Daejeon District Court ruled in favor of Staff Sgt. Byun, who was dismissed from the Army in January of last year, elucidating that the military’s decision was unfair. Although the former tank gunner wanted to continue serving as a woman, her service was cut short two months after having gender reassignment surgery while on l

Defense Oct. 7, 2021