The Yoon Suk-yeol administration's first parliamentary audit kicked off Tuesday, with the ruling and opposition parties clashing head-on over controversies and allegations as people’s livelihoods were put on the back burner. The ruling People Power Party focused on examining various allegations raised during the former Moon Jae-in administration, and the judicial risks of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea’s leader Lee Jae-myung. The Democratic Party brought up mu

Politics Oct. 4, 2022

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea has strongly opposed the state inspection agency’s attempt to investigate former President Moon Jae-in, calling it “political retaliation." In September 2020, a South Korean official was shot dead by North Korean soldiers. At the time, the Moon administration defined him as a South Korean defector to North Korea. But in June 2022, the Yoon Suk-yeol administration reversed the decision, saying there was no evidence to prove that the

Politics Oct. 3, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol expressed concerns on Thursday to US Vice President Kamala Harris, who is in Seoul, about the Inflation Reduction Act that could damage Korean automakers. Harris replied that she would come up with measures to address Korean worries in the process of enforcing the act. It is the first time in 4 1/2 years for a sitting US vice president to visit Korea since the PyeongChang Olympics in February 2018, when former Vice President Mike Pence came here. In the 85-minute closed

Politics Sept. 29, 2022

The presidential office and the ruling party are ratcheting up the pressure on local broadcaster MBC over its reporting on President Yoon Suk-yeol’s controversial use of vulgar language, against rising accusations of attempts at censorship of the press. The presidential office said Tuesday night it sent an official letter to MBC President Park Sung-je asking for clarification on the matter. The letter asked the broadcaster to answer on what grounds it wrote the subtitles for Yoon’s

Politics Sept. 28, 2022

The controversy surrounding President Yoon Suk-yeol's possible use of vulgar language during his recent US trip continues, despite numerous attempts from the presidential office and the ruling party to downplay the issue. While the ruling and opposition blocs clash head on, the Yoon administration has put the blame on local media, saying that “untrue” reports could damage South Korea’s alliance with the US and put people “at risk.” However, experts say the

Politics Sept. 27, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol has denied the controversy surrounding his use of vulgar language during his recent US trip, saying the incorrect reports damage South Korea's alliance with the US and put people in danger. On his way to work on Monday morning, Yoon responded to the controversy, “Damaging the alliance with reports that are different from the facts is putting the people at risk." He added, "The rest of the related stories should be clarified more clearly first, such

Politics Sept. 26, 2022

The meeting between President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly after much controversy and led to few immediate results. While Seoul's presidential office touted the meeting as “meaningful,” some critics say the bilateral meeting was unnecessary and that it has put Yoon in a more difficult position. Yoon told reporters on the way to his office Monday morning that Seoul-Tokyo relations were a complicat

Politics Sept. 26, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol is scheduled to hold a summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday in Ottawa, Canada, during the last stop of his five-night, seven-day trip, with a focus on strengthening economic cooperation. The bilateral summit is the first since President Yoon's inauguration at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Madrid, Spain, in late June. The two countries' leaders will discuss ways to strengthen economic cooperation, including key mineral s

Politics Sept. 23, 2022

Yoon Suk-yeol's multilateral diplomacy is overshadowed by multiple controversies, with his approval dropping again on Friday. Yoon's five-day overseas trip is coming to the end, with a summit with Canada still remaining. He has been mired in a number of controversies during his trip, including failing to visit the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London, holding summits with the US and Japan that failed to meet expectations, and being caught on a hot mic insulting the US Congre

Politics Sept. 23, 2022

  President Yoon Suk-yeol met with his US and Japanese counterparts on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, but only after complications -- what the opposition party here has referred to as a debacle -- and without tangible results. The presidential office said on Wednesday in New York that Yoon and US President Joe Biden met at a reception hosted by King Charles III in London on Sunday, the seventh financial pledge meeting of the Global Fund in New York on Wednesday and at

Politics Sept. 22, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for the first time in New York on Wednesday, where the two agreed on the need to improve relations by resolving pending issues between the two countries. The presidential office said in the afternoon, "President Yoon had a brief meeting with Prime Minister Kishida at a conference building near the United Nations General Assembly for 30 minutes from 12:23 p.m." It is the first meeting between the leaders of So

Politics Sept. 22, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol left North Korea out of his first UN speech, an unusual move for a South Korean leader speaking at a multinational event, in what watchers say is likely to be a calculated move. On Tuesday afternoon in New York, Yoon delivered his first speech at the UN General Assembly, expressing his willingness to take a leading role in international cooperation to protect the international order based on freedom, human rights and the rule of law. He vowed to actively participate i

Politics Sept. 21, 2022

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol expressed his willingness to take a leading role in international cooperation to protect the international order based on freedom, human rights and the rule of law in a speech the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday. He vowed to actively participate in the international community's efforts to promote peace and prosperity for future generations. He made no mention of North Korea in his speech. Yoon stood on the stage on Tuesday afternoo

Politics Sept. 21, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who arrived in New York on Monday afternoon there, was to deliver his first address at the 77th United Nations General Assembly under the theme of “freedom and solidarity,” hold bilateral talks with the US and Japan separately on the sidelines and carry out multiple economic-related schedules in New York. Yoon's speech was set for the first session of the first day, as he was scheduled to stand on the stage on Tuesday afternoon -- between 1:30 a.m. a

Foreign Affairs Sept. 20, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol has begun a five-day overseas trip to London, New York and Ottawa, Ontario, beginning with an event hosted by the new king of Britain. He canceled the plan to visit Westminster Hall in London, where the queen's coffin was enshrined, due to traffic issues, but intends to attend the queen's funeral as scheduled. President Yoon and first lady Kim Keon-hee arrived at Stansted Airport north of London on Sunday afternoon and immediately headed to a reception hos

Politics Sept. 19, 2022