Yoon set for weeklong vacation in Geoje

President Yoon Suk Yeol is looking to go on a weeklong vacation at a presidential vacation home in early August, according to the presidential office on Monday. Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee are to go to the presidential retreat of Cheonghaedae in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, from Wednesday to Aug. 8. This, however, would not mean they will stay out of touch, leaving open possibilities for them to make public appearances during the vacation, through events like visiting remote areas of S

July 31, 2023

Brother of man slain by North Korea to meet with families of Japanese abductees

The older brother of Lee Dae-jun, a fisheries official killed by North Korean troops at sea in September 2020, is on a two-day trip to Japan from Friday to meet with families of Japanese who were abducted by North Korea. The brother, Lee Rae-jin, told The Korea Herald on Friday that he hoped the meeting with Japanese families would be a new opportunity for a joint response to human rights violations perpetrated by North Korea. “In Korea and Japan the pain the families (of victims) shares i

July 28, 2023

Deadly underpass flooding ‘could have been prevented,’ official inquiry finds

An official inquiry concluded on Friday that the flooding in an underpass that led to 14 deaths earlier this month was a preventable tragedy. The Office for Government Policy Coordination in a press briefing said its 10-day inquiry found a failure to respond to the flooding across the police and fire departments as well as the respective municipal offices. The underpass in Osong, a city near the government complex in North Chungcheong Province, was completely submerged in the morning of July 15

July 28, 2023

S. Korean, Austrian FMs hold talks on trade, supply chain cooperation

The top diplomats of South Korea and Austria held consultations to discuss cooperation on supply chain issues and other areas of mutual interest, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. In the meeting held in Salzburg on Thursday, Foreign Minister Park Jin and his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg, agreed to closely cooperate in promoting bilateral trade and investment in the fields of batteries, electric vehicles and semiconductors. The two sides also agreed to work closely to ens

July 28, 2023

Yoon commemorates 70th anniversary of Korean War armistice, honors UN forces for sacrifice

President Yoon Suk Yeol lauded the sacrifices and bravery of the United Nations forces as the foundation of contemporary South Korea during a ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice. Speaking at the ceremony held at the Busan Cinema Center on Thursday, President Yoon expressed gratitude to the countries and veterans who participated in the Korean War and emphasized the enduring significance of the UN forces in preserving peace on the Korean Peninsula. "Toda

July 27, 2023

[Exclusive] Foldable smartphone pictured with Kim Jong-un likely Chinese product: NIS

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service believes the mobile device pictured next to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un earlier this month is likely a Chinese product, according to the state agency’s assessment obtained by the National Assembly on Thursday. In its assessment, the NIS said the foldable smartphone is believed to be a Chinese product smuggled in by rail after the cross-border freight train operations between North Korea and China resumed in September last year. The NIS

July 27, 2023

Another ex-Assembly aide accused of leaking state secrets

People Power Party lawmakers on Thursday asked the Democratic Party of Korea to apologize after a former aide for one of its lawmakers, Rep. Sul Hoon, came under investigation over suspicion of leaking secrets obtained through the Assembly office. The former Democratic Party aide, who worked for Sul for nearly three years until March, is being investigated by the National Intelligence Service on suspicion of using the security clearance granted to some Assembly staff to access and leak classifie

July 27, 2023

Two Koreas mark 70 years of armistice amid growing tension

South Korea and North Korea on Thursday marked the 70th anniversary of the cease-fire to the Korean War, a three-year conflict that left the Korean Peninsula divided, still with no formal peace treaty in sight, amid growing tension in the region. President Yoon Suk Yeol paid respects to soldiers who fought for the US-led United Nations Command in the 1950-53 war at the UN Memorial Cemetery in Busan, the only place in the world dedicated to fallen UN soldiers. The visit, the first for a sitting K

July 27, 2023

S. Korea adopting 'strictest' method of detecting radiation in Japanese seafood

The government is adopting the strictest method possible to detect possible radiation in seafood imports from Japan to ensure that not a single trace of hazardous material will be allowed, a senior official said Thursday. "The government once again reiterates that the people need not worry about the safety of seafood on our table," Park Ku-yeon, the first deputy chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, said during a daily briefing on the Fukushima issue. Park explained t

July 27, 2023

Prosecutors raid ex-head of regional biz lobby in probe into cash-for-vote scandal

Prosecutors raided the home and office of a former regional business lobby leader Thursday in connection with a cash-for-vote scandal involving the opposition Democratic Party's 2021 leadership election. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office sent investigators to the home and office of Park Yong-ha, a former head of the Yeosu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and 13 other locations to seize evidence. The scandal centers on allegations that Song Young-gil's campaign distributed

July 27, 2023

US, S. Korea Working Group holds meeting on N. Korean cyber threat

The United States and South Korea held a working group meeting on North Korea's cyber threat this week, the state department said Wednesday, amid their joint efforts to cut off illicit funds from being funneled into the North's illegal weapons development programs. The working group meeting was held in South Korea on Wednesday, led by US Deputy Special Representative for North Korea Jung Pak and her South Korean counterpart, Lee Jun-il, according to the state department. "The Repu

July 27, 2023

PPP ethics committee suspends Daegu mayor's party membership for 10 months over controversial golf outing

The ethics committee of the ruling People Power Party on Wednesday decided to suspend Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo's party membership for 10 months over his controversial golf outing when the country was struggling with damage from heavy downpours. Hong played golf for one hour on July 15. Though play was suspended due to rain, critics say it was inappropriate for a public servant to play golf at a time when the country was struggling with massive damage caused by the heavy rains that claimed

July 26, 2023

Bullying of teachers enters policy dialogue in Korea

The recent suicide of a newly employed teacher, who is believed to have suffered from bullying by parents as well as overwork, has sparked a dialogue in Korea to come up with policies to respond to the widespread bullying of teachers in public schools. Leading officials from the ruling People Power Party met with Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho on Wednesday to discuss measures to protect teachers from harassment and violence perpetrated by both parents and students. “At our public schools,

July 26, 2023

Yoon names new ambassador to Russia

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday tapped a former vice foreign minister as South Korea's new ambassador to Russia, his office said. Lee Do-hoon, who served as second vice foreign minister for about a year until last month, was tapped to succeed Chang Ho-jin, who was appointed first vice foreign minister earlier this year. Lee also previously served as Seoul's top nuclear envoy. (Yonhap)

July 26, 2023

Ruling party ethics committee to decide disciplinary measures against Daegu mayor

The ethics committee of the ruling People Power Party was set to meet Wednesday to decide the level of disciplinary measures against Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo over his controversial golf outing when the country was struggling with damage from heavy downpours. Hong played golf for one hour on July 15. Though play was suspended due to rain, critics say it was inappropriate for a public servant to play golf at a time when the country was struggling with massive damage caused by the heavy rains that

July 26, 2023

Justice Ministry to create bureau to deal with ISDS cases

The Ministry of Justice said Wednesday it will create a new organization dedicated to responding to international investment disputes involving foreign capital firms. The ministry unveiled its plan to establish the tentatively titled International Legal Affairs Bureau as part of an upcoming organizational change, according to the official gazette. The new bureau will play a role in preventing investor-state dispute settlement cases and strengthening the government's capabilities to deal wit

July 26, 2023

Yoon meets with Luxembourgish veteran of Korean War

President Yoon Suk Yeol met with a Luxembourgish veteran of the Korean War on Tuesday as part of commemorations for the 70th anniversary of the armistice signing. Leon Moyen, a veteran who fought for South Korea under the UN flag during the 1950-53 conflict, was invited by the government ahead of the July 27 anniversary. During their meeting at the presidential office, Yoon thanked Moyen for his dedication during the war, referring to the veteran's courage in returning to South Korea even a

July 25, 2023

[Exclusive] North Korea calling South Korea by its official name ‘intended to offend’: intelligence authorities

Recent statements by Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea, show a “clear intention to be offensive,” according to South Korean national intelligence authorities. In a series of statements issued earlier this month, Kim Yo-jong referred to South Korea as the Republic of Korea, in a rare move which some -- including defector-turned-lawmaker Rep. Tae Yong-ho -- have interpreted as North Korea rec

July 25, 2023

Nearly 1 in 3 lawmakers have criminal records: report

Nearly a third of Korean legislators, or 94 out of 283 sitting lawmakers, have a criminal record, according to a report by a nongovernmental organization. The Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice presented its findings in a press conference Tuesday, detailing the 94 lawmakers' 150 recorded offenses. The report distinguishes between political and non-political crimes, with the former mainly associated with activism during military dictatorship. Excluding political offenses, the numb

July 25, 2023

Yoon calls to revise student rights ordinance to protect teachers

Amid growing concerns over recent cases of teacher abuse by students and parents, the government announced Monday that it would revise a student rights ordinance to safeguard teachers’ rights and enhance their authority in classrooms. The ordinance -- adopted in 2011 for schools in Gyeonggi Province and in 2012 in Seoul by progressive education superintendents -- is a set of legally binding guidelines that bans corporal punishment by teachers; discrimination against LGBT and pregnant stude

July 24, 2023