JCS head stresses readiness against enemy drones in Seoul skies

The head of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, Kim Myung-soo, on Tuesday visited the Capital Defense Command to assess readiness against enemy uncrewed aerial vehicles, or UAVs, infiltrating Seoul's airspace. The JCS chairman called for thorough preparations for countering possible enemy threats that could arise in Seoul and nearby areas, especially in the skies. Over his visit to the command force in the capital, he said close coordination among the military, police and government

Dec. 5, 2023

6 outgoing ministers ‘strong candidates’ for general elections: ruling party

Six soon-to-be ex-ministers from President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Cabinet have been identified as “strong candidates” to represent the ruling party in the 2024 general elections, a party spokesperson said Tuesday. “The six soon-to-be ex-ministers, including Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, are currently being considered as strong candidates to represent our party for the parliamentary elections slated for April next year,” a spokesperson for

Dec. 5, 2023

Rival parties call for measures after China halts urea exports

The rival parties called Monday for the government to come up with countermeasures against Beijing's recent halt in urea exports to South Korea, voicing concerns it could lead to another urea crisis. On Sunday, government and industry officials said that China has recently halted customs procedures for urea exports to South Korea and has yet to respond to Seoul's request for an explanation. Sources have said the government assumes the Chinese action was not a formal export control meas

Dec. 4, 2023

Former ambassador to Vietnam tapped SMEs minister

Oh Young-ju, formerly ambassador to Vietnam, has been nominated as the new minister of SMEs and startups, the presidential office said Monday. The 60-year-old is an international relations expert who has worked as the nation’s first female second vice minister of the Foreign Ministry since July this year. Before that, Oh served as Korea’s ambassador to Vietnam. Oh majored in political science and international relations at Ewha Womans University. “These days when our economy

Dec. 4, 2023

Ocean specialist tapped as maritime affairs minister

Kang Do-hyung, president of the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, has been nominated as the new minister of maritime affairs and fisheries, according to the presidential office Monday. Born in 1970 on Jeju Island, Kang studied ocean science at Inha University. He earned his doctor’s and doctorate degrees in maritime life science at Jeju National University. Kang initiated his professional career at KIOST, a private oceanography research organization based in Busan, as a seni

Dec. 4, 2023

Korean War veteran’s daughter named veterans affairs minister

The descendant of a veteran who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War was tapped on Monday to head the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office nominated Kang Jung-ai, a 66-year-old business professor and the former president of Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul, to replace Park Min-shik, who has been handling affairs related to veterans and their families since 2022. If her appointment is confirmed, she would be the second to lead the government age

Dec. 4, 2023

Rural development expert nominated as agriculture minister

Song Mi-ryung, former deputy director of the Korea Rural Economic Institute, has been nominated as the new minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, the presidential office said Monday. Born in 1967, Song studied political science at Ewha Womans University. She earned her master’s degree in urban design and planning and her doctorate in public administration at Seoul National University. Having started her professional career at the KREI in 1997, she has devoted almost 30 years to t

Dec. 4, 2023

Yoon replaces 6 ministers ahead of his 3rd year, general election

President Yoon Suk Yeol replaced six ministers on Monday, in an apparent move to set free current Cabinet members seeking to run in the April general elections and to seek fresh momentum in his leadership. It was the biggest reshuffle of the Cabinet since Yoon's term began in May 2022, with economic affairs firmly in focus. Yoon named Choi Sang-mok, former senior presidential secretary for economic affairs, to succeed Choo Kyung-ho as the new deputy prime minister and minister of finance. Choi,

Dec. 4, 2023

Bills, budget plan left in limbo ahead of elections

Several key bills aimed to provide stronger social safety nets and confirm next year’s budget plan were stuck in limbo as of Monday, as rival parties continued to lock horns ahead of the general elections in April. With less than a week remaining for the plenary session of the 21st National Assembly, observers expressed concern that the bills could be scrapped altogether, with the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea remaining in a standoff. "We

Dec. 4, 2023

Another search targets opposition leader in corruption probe

Prosecutors searched an office in Gyeonggi Province on Monday as part of a criminal investigation surrounding the province's former governor and the current chairperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, Rep. Lee Jae-myung. The main opposition chief’s spouse, Kim Hye-kyung, and at least one of his close aides are accused of having misappropriated the province’s public funds while he was serving as governor. Prosecutors in Suwon in Gyeonggi Province said they seized records of pay

Dec. 4, 2023

[Bills in Focus] Removing elevated railways, deferring taxation on inherited shares

Proposed bill: Special Act on the Transition of Elevated Metro Lines Including Line 1 of Seoul to Underground Lines Proposed by Rep. Lee In-young (Democratic Party of Korea) ● Elevated railways, such as Seoul Subway Line 1, are perceived to be the cause of noise pollution and safety issues. This bill aims to facilitate the implementation of projects to transform elevated railways into underground railways by establishing a dedicated organization and offering subsidies, loans and other incentives

Dec. 4, 2023

Yoon's approval rating inches down to 37.6%

President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating inched down to 37.6 percent, falling for the first time in three weeks, according to a poll released Monday. The survey, conducted by the polling agency Realmeter, showed that the positive assessment of Yoon's performance inched down by 0.5 percentage point from the previous week. Yoon's approval rating had previously rebounded from 34.7 percent to 35.6 percent and then to 38.1 percent, lingering in the high 30 percent range. By region, re

Dec. 4, 2023

Yoon expected to shake up Cabinet as early as Monday

President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to reshuffle his Cabinet as early as Monday, with up to 10 out of 19 ministers subject to replacement, sources said. Yoon has widely been expected to shake up his Cabinet in the coming days as a number of ministers are reportedly planning to run for parliament in next April's general elections. The ministers likely to be replaced are those for finance, land, SMEs, oceans, science, agriculture and labor. Industry Minister Bang Moon-kyu could be added to

Dec. 3, 2023

Grace period sought for workplace safety law at small businesses

South Korea’s ruling party is seeking an amendment to laws that punish employers for serious industrial accidents that would give workplaces with fewer than 50 employees an exemption for another two years. In a statement issued after a high-level meeting with the concerned ministries on Sunday, the People Power Party said that smaller workplaces were not yet prepared to keep up with the laws enacted in January 2021. The party said that applying the laws indiscriminately could lead to closu

Dec. 3, 2023

Yoon's unification secretary named presidential spokesperson

Kim Soo-kyung, President Yoon Suk Yeol's unification secretary, will serve as the new presidential spokesperson starting from Monday, according to Yoon's office on Sunday. Kim will replace Lee Do-woon, who was nominated to be senior presidential secretary for public relations. She joined the presidential office as the unification secretary in July. Born in Seoul, the 47-year-old was formerly a journalist at the Dong-A Ilbo vernacular and a researcher at the Korea Institute for National

Dec. 3, 2023

S. Korea, Japan to resume high-level economic talks

South Korea and Japan are expected to resume high-level economic talks later this month after nearly eight years of suspension due to tensions over wartime sexual slavery and other rows, diplomatic sources said Sunday. The resumption of the Korea-Japan High-Level Economic Consultation is the latest in a series of measures the two countries have taken amid warming relations in the wake of the resolution of the wartime forced labor issue earlier this year. During a summit in Lithuania's Vilni

Dec. 3, 2023

Yoon vetoes contentious pro-labor, broadcasting bills

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday vetoed a new pro-labor bill and three broadcasting law revisions passed by parliament last month. Yoon's decision came mere hours after the Cabinet officially filed a request for him to reject the bills that were unilaterally passed by the National Assembly on Nov. 9, despite the ruling People Power Party’s strong opposition. The opposition parties, including the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, currently holds the controlling majority of se

Dec. 1, 2023

Yoon accepts broadcasting watchdog chief's resignation ahead of impeachment motion

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday granted his approval for the resignation offered by the state broadcasting watchdog chief, effectively derailing the main opposition party's plans to proceed with an impeachment motion originally scheduled for later in the day. Yoon's approval followed a surprising turn of events, when Korea Communications Commission Chairman Lee Dong-kwan reportedly submitted his resignation to Yoon late Thursday. "President Yoon has approved KCC Chairman Lee Don

Dec. 1, 2023

Extra Cabinet meeting set for Friday over veto against contentious bills

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will preside over an extraordinary Cabinet meeting this week over proposals requesting President Yoon Suk Yeol exercise his veto power against four contentious bills unilaterally passed by opposition parties earlier this month, his office said Thursday. The meeting, scheduled for Friday, is expected to handle the motions asking Yoon to reject a pro-labor bill, commonly known as the "yellow envelope bill," and three other bills on broadcasting laws. The &

Nov. 30, 2023

FM Park says 'govt. gave its best' after failure to host 2030 World Expo

Foreign Minister Park Jin on Thursday said South Korea "gave its best" in its campaign to host the 2030 World Expo, after the southeastern city of Busan lost to Saudi Arabia's Riyadh in a vote earlier this week. Park made the remarks responding to reporters at the 5th International Conference on Action with Women and Peace in Seoul amid speculation he could be replaced in an upcoming reshuffle. "The government gave its best," Park said when asked whether he had heard any

Nov. 30, 2023