Articles by Son Ji-hyoung
Son Ji-hyoung
consnow@heraldcorp.com-
Ukraine envoy to travel to S. Korea as Yoon, Zelenskyy vow strategic cooperation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will appoint a special envoy to South Korea following talks held with President Yoon Suk Yeol over the phone pledging strategic cooperation in a bid to counter North Korean troops in Russia, according to the presidential office Tuesday. Yoon and Zelenskyy "denounced the illicit military cooperation between North Korea and Russia with the strongest language possible," as the two countries agreed to seek strategic countermeasures, Yoon's offic
Politics Oct. 29, 2024
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Selected NK troops, generals may be deployed to front lines: NIS
A contingent of North Korean troops, including high-ranking generals, deployed to Russia may now be positioned on the front lines of the Ukraine war, South Korea’s spy agency reported Tuesday, adding that the Kim Jong-un regime appears to be clamping down on information about the troop dispatch internationally. "Troop movements between Russia and North Korea have been assessed as underway, with the agency examining the potential relocation of certain personnel, including high-ranking
Foreign Affairs Oct. 29, 2024
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S. Korea marks 2nd anniversary of Itaewon tragedy
President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed his condolences as South Korea on Tuesday marked the second anniversary of the Itaewon crowd crush that claimed 159 lives in October 2022. "Today marks the second anniversary of the Itaewon tragedy," Yoon said at a Cabinet meeting he presided over at his office. "I feel sorry for those who tragically lost their lives and I express my condolences for the bereaved families who live in sorrow." Yoon said that making people feel safe in everyday
Politics Oct. 29, 2024
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Yoon's national security adviser in Washington for three-way talks: Seoul
Shin Won-sik, national security adviser for President Yoon Suk Yeol, is scheduled to attend a trilateral meeting of the top national security aides representing South Korea, the United States and Japan, according to the presidential office on Friday. "Shin is on a trip to the US to attend the meeting there scheduled on Friday," an official of the presidential office said on condition of anonymity. The three-way meeting is meant to discuss "ways to maintain continuity in the cooper
Politics Oct. 25, 2024
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Yoon's approval rating matches all-time low: Gallup Korea
President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating fell 2 percentage points to 20 percent in the fourth week of October, matching the record-low previously recorded in the second week of September, according to a weekly estimate by Gallup Korea on Friday. Additionally, the number of South Koreans who disapproved of the job Yoon was doing hit 70 percent -- an all-time high. The pollster's survey conducted Tuesday to Thursday on 1,001 respondents indicated that issues surrounding Yoon's wife
Politics Oct. 25, 2024
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Yoon says S. Korean-made arms will safeguard Poland
President Yoon Suk Yeol said weapons manufactured in South Korea will safeguard Poland's national security, as Yoon hosted a state dinner for Polish President Andrzej Duda Thursday, according to Yoon's office on Friday. Yoon was quoted by his office as saying that South Korea and Poland recognize the significance of national security, adding he was confident that South Korean-made arms will protect the land and air of Poland, and Polish-made drones will safeguard South Korea's lan
Politics Oct. 25, 2024
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Yoon, Duda seek stronger defense ties
President Yoon Suk Yeol and Polish President Andrzej Duda agreed to strengthen their bilateral partnership in the fields of defense equipment, carbon-free energy and technology, as Yoon on Thursday received the Polish leader on a state visit to South Korea. Yoon conveyed Seoul's intention to complete negotiations over the second batch of South Korea's K2 tank exports during a joint press conference after the summit in his office in Seoul. "The two countries will actively support t
Politics Oct. 24, 2024
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Han intensifies call for Kim Keon Hee special probe
Han Dong-hoon, chief of the ruling People Power Party, reiterated his call for an independent inspector general's probe into first lady Kim Keon Hee in a party meeting Wednesday, saying such a probe is a crucial step for the ruling bloc to restore public trust. Han's proposal, however, immediately prompted opposition from within the ruling conservative party. "We have promised the people that we will start working to recommend candidates for a special inspector general," Han
Politics Oct. 23, 2024
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[ASEAN Plus Korea] 'Restrictive immigration may dampen Southeast Asian interest in Korea'
South Korea's attempts to make its immigration rules more restrictive to reduce the number of unregistered immigrants here could easily backfire, a veteran diplomat said, adding that the current popularity of the Korean Wave is far from everlasting. Kim Jae-shin, secretary-general of the ASEAN-Korea Center, noted much interest among people in Southeast Asia in learning about South Korea and its culture. However, he cautioned that making immigration procedures for citizens of the 10 countrie
Foreign Affairs Oct. 22, 2024
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Yoon says will reshuffle aides if 'misdeeds' emerge
President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed to implement a staff shakeup at his office if issues involving his aides emerge, while promising that his wife Kim Keon Hee will limit her public role, according to Yoon's office on Tuesday. Yoon’s remarks followed a highly sensitive meeting with Han Dong-hoon, leader of the ruling People Power Party and his estranged political protege. Han, the former justice minister, urged Yoon to address the growing controversies surrounding First Lady Kim, as politic
Politics Oct. 22, 2024
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Yoon meets Han amid escalating tension within ruling party
President Yoon Suk Yeol met with People Power Party Chair Han Dong-hoon at the presidential office amid escalating tensions with the ruling party over allegations of state meddling involving his wife, on the same day his approval rating hit yet another low. The meeting, requested by the ruling party chair and former justice minister, was expected to focus on recent allegations surrounding first lady Kim Keon Hee. Han, a longtime colleague of Yoon from their days as prosecutors, urged a significa
Politics Oct. 21, 2024
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Evidence points to NK's looming troop deployment in Ukraine war
More reported evidence points to North Korean troops' presence in Russia's Far East region, as intelligence authorities of Seoul and Kyiv claim that North Korea is preparing to deploy soldiers to the front line in Ukraine in what could be Pyongyang's first major intervention in an international conflict. Ukraine's Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security on Saturday released a video via its official X account showing what it claimed were North Korean soldie
Politics Oct. 20, 2024
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First lady cleared of stock manipulation allegations
The South Korean prosecution on Thursday announced it would not indict first lady Kim Keon Hee for her alleged involvement in a 63.6 billion won ($46.6 million) investment fraud case, effectively clearing her remaining legal risks. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said in a press release it would not pursue charges against the first lady as there was a lack of evidence that Kim had been aware of what was found to be a pump-and-dump scheme when trading stocks of the targeted compani
Politics Oct. 17, 2024
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Jeju Island plans to expedite screening of cruise passengers
The government plans to spend 5.2 billion won ($3.8 million) to set up an automated security screening system next year to expedite the embarking and disembarking process for foreign cruise ship passengers at sea ports on South Korea's southern Jeju Island. According to Bae Sang-up, commissioner of the Korea Immigration Service under the Ministry of Justice, the automated security checkpoints will be set up by October next year at two ports -- Jeju International Passenger Terminal and Seogw
Politics Oct. 15, 2024
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Yoon floats plan for tertiary hospital on Jeju Island
South Korea's southern Jeju Island could have its first tertiary hospital in 2027. President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday that the government is considering easing policy hurdles for the self-governing province to have an accredited general hospital, which currently requires a population of 1 million in the region. The island is home to nearly 700,000, remaining far short of the requirement, but Yoon said such a "policy hurdle" needed to be addressed as part of a medical reform driv
Politics Oct. 15, 2024
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