Floor leader of main opposition party voices disappointment at Yoon's budget speech

The floor leader of the main opposition party on Tuesday voiced his disappointment at President Yoon Suk Yeol's budget speech, saying next year's state budget lacks funds needed to prepare for the future and support vulnerable people. Rep. Hong Ihk-pyo of the Democratic Party made the assessment, as Yoon delivered a budget speech earlier in the day pledging to put the top priority on stabilizing inflation and people's livelihoods. "(The speech) was very disappointing. There w

Oct. 31, 2023

Yoon doubles down on cutting national debt in 2024 budget speech

President Yoon Suk Yeol cited reducing the national debt and stabilizing prices as his top priorities in an address to the National Assembly on Tuesday. “The approach our government is taking in managing our finances is to avoid passing on unaffordable debts to the country’s future generations,” the president said in a budget speech delivered before the members of the Assembly. “A sound fiscal policy is crucial to stabilizing prices in the long run and protecting our econ

Oct. 31, 2023

Yoon pledges to put top priority on stabilizing prices, livelihoods amid global economic challenges

President Yoon Suk Yeol pledged Tuesday to put the top priority on stabilizing prices and people's livelihoods amid global economic difficulties as he delivered a budget speech centered largely on economic and domestic issues. Despite such difficulties, Yoon also vowed to stick to a sound fiscal policy next year in order not to pass debts on to future generations, as he called for bipartisan support for passing the government's 657 trillion-won ($487 billion) budget proposal. "The

Oct. 31, 2023

Yoon urges ministers to act on rental scam, pension reform

President Yook Suk Yeol on Monday instructed his ministers to do everything possible to hold responsible those who allegedly scammed young Koreans seeking home rentals, and pledged to have the government’s pension reform proposal reach a “social consensus,” without offering further details. “The majority of (those affected by) this ‘jeonse’ scam are young Koreans. This is an egregious crime that hurts our next generation,” Yoon said at the weekly Cabinet

Oct. 30, 2023

Yoon, Kishida receive JFK award for mending stalled ties

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Sunday were honored with the special International Profile in Courage Award from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation for their efforts in improving relations between the countries, despite historical issues and domestic opposition. “I am honored to receive this year’s “Profile in Courage Award,” a symbol of John F. Kennedy’s New Frontier,” Yoon said in a prerecorded acceptance

Oct. 30, 2023

[Bills in Focus] Fighting trade theft, reinforcing depositor protection

Proposed bill: Partial Amendment to the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act Proposed by Rep. Lee Yong-bin (Democratic Party of Korea) ● This bill aims to reinforce trade secret protection and prevent potential economic losses by offering monetary rewards to individuals who report activities that leak trade secrets to foreign countries. Such activities include employing a trade secret in a foreign country or knowingly leaking a trade secret for use in a foreign country.

Oct. 30, 2023

Yoon's approval rating rebounds to 35.7 pct

President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating rebounded for the first time in three weeks, reaching 35.7 percent, a poll showed Monday. The survey, conducted by the polling agency Realmeter, showed the positive assessment of Yoon's performance increased by 3.2 percentage points from the previous week, while 61.9 percent of respondents disapproved of his performance, down 2.2 percentage points. Yoon's approval rating had seen a consecutive two-week decline, dropping from 37.7 percent t

Oct. 30, 2023

Navy provides humanitarian aid to NK ship near East Sea border

The South Korean Navy detected a North Korean ship requesting rescue near the Northern Limit Line in the East Sea and temporarily crossed the NLL to provide humanitarian assistance, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sunday. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said on the same day the military dispatched a patrol ship at 2:16 p.m. after capturing an unknown ship that was being held in waters 200 kilometers east of Jejin in the East Sea and about 3 kilometers north of the NLL. “A patrol vessel

Oct. 29, 2023

Vice Adm. Kim Myung-soo named chair of Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff

In a surprising move that underscores the growing importance of naval defense, Naval Operations Commander Vice Adm. Kim Myung-soo has been named the new chairperson of Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Ministry of National Defense announced Sunday. Kim was promoted to four-star general in the military personnel reshuffle to replace incumbent JCS Chairperson Gen. Kim Seung-kyum, according to the ministry. The appointment marks a significant shift from the traditionally Army-dominated role a

Oct. 29, 2023

[Exclusive] South Korean lawmakers to join international alliance taking on China

A delegation of South Korean lawmakers is joining an alliance of politicians challenging what it sees as China’s ambitions to change global norms to advance its interests. The Inter-parliamentary Alliance on China will have its first delegation of South Korean lawmakers since launching on the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre in June 2020. One of the South Korean lawmakers to be accepted by the IPAC is Rep. Ji Seong-ho, a North Korean defector and human rights activist who

Oct. 29, 2023

Yoon commits to safer Korea on anniversary of Itaewon tragedy

  Marking the first anniversary of the Itaewon crowd crush, President Yoon Suk Yeol solemnly vowed to bolster national safety, expressing his condolences and making a commitment for change during a ceremony at Yeongam Church in Seoul on Sunday. Yoon expressed his sympathies to the victims of the disaster and their families, describing the day of the tragedy as “one of the most sorrowful moments" of his life, which is a sentiment he believes is shared by the entire nation. In his

Oct. 29, 2023

North Korean hackers tricking users with ‘copycat apps’ disguised as South Korean: NIS

North Korean hackers are hiding malware in “copycat applications” that look like they are South Korean to steal personal information of users and other sensitive data, the national spy agency said Friday. The National Intelligence Service busted the apps, which were made and distributed by a North Korean hacker ring and “nearly identical” in designs and features to a popular South Korean site. The spy agency only identified the site imitated in the North Korean phishing a

Oct. 27, 2023

Yoon seeks to promote local regions on visit to Andong

President Yoon Suk Yeol visited the southeastern city of Andong on Friday as part of an effort to promote the economies and sustainability of local regions. Yoon traveled to the city, 192 kilometers southeast of Seoul, for a visit that some viewed as aimed at rallying the support of conservatives ahead of next April's parliamentary elections, as the southeastern Gyeongsang provinces, where Andong is located, have traditionally been a conservative stronghold. The speculation was backed by Yo

Oct. 27, 2023

Ruling party committee to recommend amnesty for ex-leader Lee

The innovation committee of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) decided Friday to recommend the lifting of a membership suspension imposed on former party leader Lee Jun-seok and Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo as part of efforts to bring the party together. The committee reached the decision to recommend a "grand amnesty" for the two and former three-term lawmaker Kim Jae-won during its inaugural meeting presided over by Chairman Ihn Yohan, according to committee member Kim Kyung-jin. The t

Oct. 27, 2023

Opposition lawmakers allege celebrity drug scandals are part of government coverup

While South Korean celebrities’ drug allegations continue to dominate headlines, the main opposition party claimed on Friday that the ongoing investigation into such drug scandals may have been premeditated to divert public attention from current political issues that are unfavorable to the ruling party and the government. In a radio interview with the news channel YTN on Thursday, Rep. An Min-suk of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea said a series of drug scandals involving big

Oct. 27, 2023

‘NIS meddling in politics with claims of election hacking’: Democratic Party of Korea

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Thursday downplayed the National Intelligence Service findings that the country’s election infrastructure is vulnerable to cyberattacks, claiming that the spy agency was trying to get involved in politics. The Democratic Party linked the accusations of cybersecurity vulnerabilities by the NIS with the Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s “attack on democracy.” The party also alleged that the spy agency was seeking access to the e

Oct. 26, 2023

Yoon meets Park, honors father in gesture of conservative unity

President Yoon Suk Yeol met former President Park Geun-hye on Thursday at an event commemorating the anniversary of Park's father's death, in an apparent move to unite a conservative bloc reeling from low support ahead of the general elections in April. Yoon is the first Korean president to attend the memorial service to honor Park Chung-hee, who was assassinated in 1979 after a dictatorship spanning nearly two decades. The ceremony was held at 11 a.m. at the Seoul National Cemetery, where the f

Oct. 26, 2023

Ruling party to appoint innovation committee members

The ruling People Power Party is set to appoint members of its innovation committee Thursday, four days after the surprise appointment of doctor Ihn Yohan of American descent as its chair. Political watchers expect the committee to consist of members representing voters less favorable to the People Power Party, such as those from capital areas or young moderate voters, to reflect Ihn's pledge to promote national unity and change within the People Power Party. The People Power Party began th

Oct. 26, 2023

Yoon attends opening of Korean pavilion at Horticultural Expo in Qatar

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol attended the opening of the Korean pavilion at the 2023 International Horticultural Exposition in Doha on Tuesday. Titled "Green Desert, Better Environment," the expo is the first such event to be held in a desert area, with the participation of more than 80 countries, including the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Japan, according to the presidential office. South Korea's pavilion features an outdoor garden with Korean themes and a smart farming

Oct. 25, 2023

Yoon pitches S. Korea's investment appeal to Middle East

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday pitched his country's appeal as an investment and business partner for the Middle East. In a speech during the Future Investment Initiative forum in Riyadh, dubbed "Davos in the Desert," Yoon said South Korea can be trusted, has cutting-edge industries, and aims for mutual growth through solidarity. In particular, he cited the hard work of South Korean companies and workers during the construction of a highway in Saudi Arabia in the 1970s

Oct. 25, 2023