The first outside recruit to join the ruling party's presidential election campaign committee resigned from her post just days after being appointed, over allegations surrounding a past marriage. Cho Dong-youn, a professor of military studies at Seokyeong University, hinted late Thursday that she would resign from her post as a co-chair of the election campaign committee for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's presidential nominee Lee Jae-myung. She said she was marred by accusations and de

Politics Dec. 3, 2021

The presidential candidate for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Thursday requested increased investments from foreign firms here, promising to return the favor by lifting regulations and enhancing the business environment for them as part of his vision to revitalize the local economy through "transition." In a meeting with representatives from the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, presidential nominee Lee Jae-myung requested foreign firms to increase investments and create

Politics Dec. 2, 2021

Chaos is growing in the main opposition People Power Party with conflict between its chairman and the election campaign committee appearing to deepen. People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok reportedly left for Busan with his aides Tuesday and held meetings with officials there without any prior notice. He is believed to be avoiding the press for the time being and continuing his schedule without public notice. Lee's scheduled meeting with Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, the party’s secretary-g

Politics Dec. 1, 2021

The race to the presidency has turned into a mudslinging contest, with the two leading candidates appearing to focus mainly on dragging each other down with accusations. The two-way race between Lee Jae-myung of the ruling party and his main opposition counterpart, Yoon Suk-yeol, has consisted largely of remarks questioning each other’s fitness for the chief post. The main opposition People Power Party on Monday called on Lee to accept a special counsel probe concerning a controversial l

Politics Nov. 29, 2021

With just 100 days left for South Korea to pick its next president, the question comes down to what significance the race holds and how the landscape could change as voters prepare to cast their ballots on March 9. The candidates are new, and so is the theme of the race. The voters have changed, and what they look for is unique to Korea's political history. What candidates offer and how they present their views are critical at this point, with their ratings shifting every day. The Korea Heral

Politics Nov. 28, 2021

The presidential candidate for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea is facing growing criticism for defending a nephew who brutally killed two women and for later downplaying the case, with the opposition questioning his fitness to hold office. Lee Jae-myung is a qualified lawyer in South Korea, having passed the bar exam in 1986, and he served as a defense attorney for his nephew when he was accused of murdering his girlfriend and her mother in 2006. But the fact that Lee defended his nephew

Politics Nov. 28, 2021

The presidential nominee for South Korea’s ruling party called for increased intervention and monitoring of the military as it continues to report sexual assault cases and raises the need for extensive reforms internally. Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea said in a meeting with female reserve service members Thursday that the country's military should be able to allow the civilian sector to actively engage in monitoring the human rights issues within the "close-mi

Politics Nov. 25, 2021

The presidential race is heating up, with contenders from the two largest parties -- Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea and Yoon Seok-youl of the People Power Party -- dominating the news. However, there are four candidates backed by parties with a presence in the National Assembly. In addition to the two leading candidates, Sim Sang-jung of the Justice Party and Ahn Cheol-soo of the People’s Party are in the running. Following is a close look at the four party-backed candi

Politics Nov. 24, 2021

Former President Chun Doo-hwan, one of the most controversial figures in South Korea’s recent history, died Tuesday at the age of 90. Chun, who died after suffering from multiple myeloma in his later years, leaves behind a bloody and troublesome legacy largely due to a 1979 military coup that led to a bloody crackdown on the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising. The Army general-turned-politician was born as the fourth son of 10 children in Hapcheon County, South Gyeongsang Province, in 193

Politics Nov. 23, 2021

The presidential nominees of the ruling and main opposition blocs on Monday avowed fairness and growth, with the two widely differing in how they would go about approaching the goals. Lee Jae-myung, presidential nominee for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, said Monday at a forum held by TV Chosun that he envisions a South Korea where there is fair competition and where ample opportunities exist for those in need. "The divide and conflict in our society are extreme, especially those f

Politics Nov. 22, 2021

South Korea could stop its return to normal, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday as the country continued to see a sharp rise in the number of critically ill COVID-19 patients, placing a strain on the supply of medical resources. Kim said in a meeting Friday that hospital beds across the country must be efficiently managed as they are quickly being filled, impeding a swift medical response for COVID-19 patients. Setting aside more hospital beds and medical resources is a priority for the go

Social Affairs Nov. 19, 2021

South Korea saw the first successful birth of quintuplets in 34 years, with help from dozens of doctors and nurses on the night of the delivery. Seoul National University Hospital said Friday that the four girls and one boy were born there at around 10 p.m. Thursday. Twenty doctors and 10 nurses assisted in the cesarean section delivery. The surgery was done under the lead of Dr. Jun Jong-kwan, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the hospital and an expert in multiple births. The child

Social Affairs Nov. 19, 2021

Kim Chong-in, a veteran election campaigner often referred to as "kingmaker," is once again at the center of attention in the political arena, with the conservatives betting on him to help them win next year’s presidential election. In recent weeks, the main opposition People Power Party has been openly reaching out to Kim to head Yoon Seok-youl's election campaign and wrest power from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea in the March presidential election. "We hope

Politics Nov. 16, 2021

Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung’s proposal for another round of emergency relief funds looks set to ignite another fierce battle between rival parties as lawmakers work to prepare plans for next year’s budget. The presidential nominee for the ruling Democratic Party has proposed handing out more relief funds to all South Korean citizens, as he believes additional compensation is needed for those who have undergone economic struggles from the COVID-19 pandemic a

Politics Nov. 15, 2021

Ruling party lawmakers are gearing up to adjust details of South Korea’s capital gains taxation program to match the rising price level of housing units and thereby make up for their continued losses in public support. The National Assembly's Strategy and Finance Committee is on track to hold a sub-committee meeting Monday to discuss details of a bill aimed at revising the guidelines on imposing capital gains tax for real estate properties. The bill was proposed by Rep. Yoo Dong-soo of t

Politics Nov. 14, 2021