South Korea National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo is heading to Turkey on Wednesday for the eighth MIKTA parliamentary speakers’ meeting. MIKTA is the informal grouping of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia. In a release on Tuesday, the National Assembly speaker’s office said that at the MIKTA meeting, Kim would “seek joint responses at the parliamentary level” on issues such a...

South Korean opposition lawmakers on Tuesday signed a statement welcoming the re-introduction of the US House of Representatives bill calling for efforts to achieve a formal end to the Korean War. “We, 166 lawmakers of South Korea, thank the members of the US Congress for their insight on and dedication to building peace on the Korean Peninsula,” the South Korean lawmakers from the main oppositi...

President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to meet with his Japanese and US counterparts as early as next week and next month, respectively, as the South Korean leader seeks stronger three-way ties he says are required to counter global challenges, the biggest of which involves containing North Korea. For a summit with Japan, Yoon’s office has yet to reveal the exact date, saying it was “closely looking at ...

The government on Monday unveiled a set of plans to revise the current 52-hour workweek to give workers greater flexibility in their working hours. The current system, introduced in 2018, limits workers to working up to 52 hours a week. The new plan will allow them to manage the time they work not only on a weekly basis but also on a monthly, quarterly and yearly basis, giving them the option t...

The government announced a set of measures on Monday to reform the controversial 52-hour workweek system by giving more flexibility and choice in work hours. Under the system introduced in 2018, employers must limit overtime work to 12 hours per week to ensure the total number of hours worked remains at 52. The revision, however, will allow companies to manage overtime not only weekly but on a ...

President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating has stayed over 40 percent for a third straight week on the back of strengthened efforts to handle economic and livelihood matters, a poll showed Monday. In the poll of 2,006 adults conducted by Realmeter from Monday to Friday last week, the positive assessment of Yoon's performance rose 2.5 percentage points from a week earlier to 42.9 percent. Yoon's ...

The race to be the new chairperson of the ruling People Power Party is turning into a contest between candidates who have President Yoon Suk Yeol’s apparent backing and those who do not. Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, the three-time presidential contender who is now vying to lead the People Power Party, said Sunday he was competing on an “uneven playing field,” citing the latest allegations of the presiden...

Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Jae-myung denied charges of violating election law during the presidential election campaign in 2021 during a court appearance Friday. It was Lee's first court appearance since he was narrowly defeated by President Yoon Suk Yeol in March 2022 election and later was voted chair of the opposition party that controls the National Assembly with ...

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung appeared in court Friday to stand trial on charges of violating the election law by making false statements during his presidential campaign in 2021. In his first court appearance as the chair of the main opposition Democratic Party, Lee arrived at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul at about 10:30 a.m. to attend his trial over the allegations that ...

Prosecutors cleared Covana Contents, an exhibition agency run by first lady Kim Kun Hee, of allegations that it received bribes disguised as sponsorships from companies on Thursday. The Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office said that it has dismissed Kim's bribery charges for lack of evidence. As CEO of Covana Contents, Kim has curated several art exhibitions, including an exhibition of ar...

Ex-Moon officials indicted for forcibly returning defector hopefuls to North Korea

President Yoon tries to put behind historical disputes, highlights cooperation on NK, economy

Opposition leader due to appear in court in yet another criminal case

Ending dispute over forced labor a work in progress amid Japan’s reluctance

Enhancing the role of a government body to support Korean diaspora was President Yoon's campaign promise in 2022. The revision was proposed by 115 lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party in October 2022 following the government's declaration to do so. With the revision, meanwhile, an upgrade to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to have a full-fledged ministry status will come into...