President Yoon Suk Yeol approved the motion to arrest the Democratic Party of Korea's leader and his former presidential opponent, Lee Jae-myung. Lee’s fate -- whether he will become the first prominent opposition leader to be arrested -- will be decided by an anonymous vote of lawmakers on Monday. “The motion for Lee’s arrest was received yesterday (Feb. 20) and approved by the president,” the presidential office said in a written statement early in the morning. &ld

Politics Feb. 21, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol said Wednesday that the government would freeze public utility fees controlled by the central government, including highway tolls, postal and railroad fees, in the first half of this year, while asking municipalities and private companies to join the efforts to contain steep increases in transportation and communications charges. He also urged banks to return their profits to the people suffering from high interest rates. “The government will focus all policies on

Politics Feb. 15, 2023

The presidential office said Tuesday the opposition party was spreading “fake news” concerning first lady Kim Keon Hee's involvement in a stock manipulation scheme, saying her accounts were not deliberately used for the price inflation of Deutsche Motors stock and she was not the figure behind the scheme. “In the course of the investigations and trials, dozens of people were intensively investigated, but not a single person stated that they had been in contact with or

Politics Feb. 14, 2023

South Korea will send a second group of rescuers to quake-hit Turkey on Thursday, as well as a separate group of 29 medical staff within a week. Korea will also establish a separate unit within state ministries to organize relief and fundraising activities to support Turkish people who lost homes and families, the presidential office said Monday. The 29 medical staff are a part of 372 people who signed up for the medical treatment mission to Turkey, presidential spokesperson Lee Do-hoon said, ad

Politics Feb. 13, 2023

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been under growing pressure from allies in the West to provide arms support to Ukraine in its war against the invader Russia, particularly after his attendance at the NATO summit last year and a visit by the US-led military alliance in Europe to Seoul last month. In a speech at the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies in Seoul on Jan. 30, hours before the two met, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg urged Yoon to “step up” to meet Ukraine’s p

Foreign Affairs Feb. 13, 2023

The South Korean government on Tuesday decided to provide $5 million in emergency humanitarian aid, dispatch rescue personnel and provide emergency medical supplies to support Turkey, which is suffering from massive casualties after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Monday. President Yoon Suk Yeol also sent a message to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to express his special condolences and promise that "all possible assistance" would be provided for a speedy recovery. &ldquo

Politics Feb. 7, 2023

Ahn Cheol-soo, who merged his presidential candidacy with Yoon Suk Yeol last year, has distanced himself from the president ahead of a March election that picks the new leader of the ruling People Power Party, after the presidential office blasted him for using the term "Yoon-Ahn solidarity" for the race. Yoon has warned Ahn not to use the term "solidarity," with presidential aides calling it "wrong" and "inappropriate," drawing a clear line that the two

Politics Feb. 6, 2023

Former journalist Lee Do-woon was appointed as President Yoon Suk Yeol’s new spokesperson after the position had been left empty for five months, the presidential office said Sunday. The position has been vacant since early September after former spokesperson Kang In-sun moved to the role of public relations secretary for the foreign press. Lee graduated from Yonsei University’s political science and diplomacy department and began his career as a reporter at the daily newspaper Seoul

Politics Feb. 5, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee invited 14-year-old Aok Rotha from Cambodia, who underwent heart surgery in Korea, to the presidential office on Tuesday. “President Yoon met with Aok Rotha, who was preparing to return home after successfully completing heart surgery, at the presidential office this afternoon,” said Yoon’s chief of public relations Kim Eun-hye in a press briefing on the day. Yoon gave Rotha a soccer ball after learning that he had never playe

Politics Jan. 31, 2023

The presidential office has sued the main opposition Democratic Party spokesperson for defaming first lady Kim Keon Hee over her alleged involvement in stock manipulation. Spokesperson Kim Eui-kyeom earlier claimed that the first lady was involved in a so-called "pump and dump" scam involving Woori Technology shares listed on Kosdaq, South Korea's tech-heavy secondary bourse, in addition to her alleged involvement in stock manipulation of Deutsche Motors. "Pump-and-dump&quo

Politics Jan. 30, 2023

The government decided Thursday to expand support for low income families struggling to pay gas bills by offering energy vouchers and discounts as rapidly growing energy costs have become the center of political debate. President Yoon Suk Yeol’s economic secretary Choi Sang-mok said the value of energy vouchers given to 1.17 million households classified as economically vulnerable would be doubled to 304,000 won ($246). The range of discounts for gas bills will also be doubled to 18,000 w

Politics Jan. 26, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol said Wednesday that South Korea should conform its labor and regulatory policies to global standards in order to survive in the competitive global market. “Unless we align our system with global standards (in regard to) regulation and labor, (global companies) will not invest in our country and it will be difficult for Korean companies to compete in the global market,” Yoon told his ministers at the meeting on Wednesday. The remark came at the meeting held aft

Politics Jan. 25, 2023

DAVOS, Switzerland -- President Yoon Suk Yeol wrapped up his eight-day visit to the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland by seeking to boost the economy by drawing massive investments and encouraging global entrepreneurs to invest in Korea. His foreign policy moves, however, have been tainted by a diplomatic spat with Iran after calling the country "the UAE's enemy." Iran went further and raised issue with its frozen funds in Seoul as well as Yoon's recent remarks on nucl

Foreign Affairs Jan. 20, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol stressed global cooperation and solidarity to overcome multiple global crises, and reaffirmed his willingness to return to nuclear power policies that his predecessor sought to scrap during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday. This year’s Davos forum, under the theme of “Cooperation in a Fragmented World,” was marked by the absence of leaders of major economies, including US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi

Politics Jan. 19, 2023

DAVOS, Switzerland -- Vestas announced plans to invest $300 million in Korea at a ceremony held Wednesday at a hotel in Davos, Switzerland, with President Yoon Suk Yeol attending, according to the presidential office Thursday. Yoon attended the investment declaration ceremony of wind turbine manufacturer Vestas in Switzerland. Vestas is a Danish company that ranks first in the world in terms of wind power installation. Vestas plans to establish a large-scale turbine parts production plant in K

Foreign Affairs Jan. 19, 2023