Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Thursday that South Korea will increase its funding to help developing nations mitigate the impacts of climate change. South Korea "will strongly support developing nations' efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and respond to climate change," Han told a conference on sustainable dialogue in the pan-Pacific region. Han said South Korea will increase its ove...

The government and the ruling People Power Party pledged Wednesday to significantly bolster efforts to tackle ever-growing drug use, officials said. The People Power Party and the government held a policy consultation meeting at the National Assembly and discussed various measures to prevent people from abusing substances and provide help to those suffering from drug addiction. "Our party and t...

President Yoon Suk-yeol voiced regret Wednesday after the main opposition party boycotted his budget speech, saying the party has left a bad precedent that could weaken public confidence in the National Assembly. Yoon delivered a budget speech in a half-empty National Assembly hall Tuesday after the main opposition Democratic Party decided to boycott the session in protest over the prosecution's...

President Yoon Suk-yeol visited the grave of late former President Park Chung-hee on Tuesday to mark the 43rd anniversary of his death, his office said. Park was killed by his spy chief on Oct. 26, 1979, after ruling the country with an iron fist for 18 years. Yoon paid his respects at Park's grave at Seoul National Cemetery a day before the death anniversary, according to his office. He was j...

President Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday addressed the National Assembly amid escalating partisan conflict that led to an unprecedented complete boycott by the main opposition party. Doubling down on defense In the address, Yoon stressed the need to strengthen deterrence against North Korea, saying that another nuclear weapons test by Pyongyang is imminent. “It is judged that North Korea has already...

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Tuesday called for preemptive responses to downside economic risks to cope with rising volatility in financial markets. With major economies jacking up interest rates to deal with red-hot inflation, "concerns are also growing over uncertainties and volatility in our financial market," Han told a Cabinet meeting. "It is time for agile and preemptive risk management...

Prosecution raids Democratic Party think tank; opposition will not attend Yoon's parliamentary speech

President Yoon Suk-yeol on Monday appointed the first and second vice ministers for health, his office said. Lee Ki-il, the current second vice minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, was named first vice minister, while Park Min-soo, presidential secretary for health and welfare, was named second vice minister. Lee has served in various senior positions in the ministry, including as sp...

Prosecutors on Monday raided the headquarters of the main opposition Democratic Party as part of an investigation into bribery allegations involving a close confidant of party leader Lee Jae-myung. The Seoul Central Prosecutors Office is probing Kim Yong, deputy head of the Democratic Party-affiliated Institute for Democracy think tank, on suspicion of receiving a total of 847 million won ($591,...

Democratic Party calls for president's apology, independent probe to clear allegations

A court on Saturday issued an arrest warrant for a close confidant of Lee Jae-myung, the chairperson of the main opposition Democratic Party, on charges of taking illegal political funds from real estate developers. The Seoul Central District Court issued the warrant for Kim Yong, deputy head of the DP-affiliated Institute for Democracy think tank, on suspicion of receiving a total of 847 millio...

Main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung urged President Yoon Suk-yeol and the ruling People Power Party to accept the special prosecution of controversial property development as political tension escalates after the prosecution arrested Lee’s close aide on election violation charges. As the prosecution's investigation into the property development related to Daejang-dong spread to...

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Friday police should uphold the legal order in every sector of society in order to help people fully enjoy safety and freedom. "Only when police protect the lives and property of people and set right the legal order in every sector of society will people enjoy full freedom," Yoon said in a congratulatory message on the 77th Police Day. Yoon said the safety of people...

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung will hold a previously unannounced press conference at 11 a.m., officials said, as a prosecution investigation closes in on him after an arrest warrant was sought for one of his closest aides on charges of taking illegal campaign funds. Kim Yong, a long-time confidant of Lee, is suspected of receiving 847 million won ($593,552) in illegal political funds last year...

A Seoul court is set to hold hearings Friday to decide whether to issue arrest warrants for former Defense Minister Suh Wook and former Coast Guard Commissioner General Kim Hong-hee in connection with the previous administration's handling of the 2020 death of a fisheries official at the hands of North Korea, officials said. The Seoul Central District Court will hold hearings for the two, and th...