The clash over a state budget information leak involving an opposition lawmaker appears set to escalate, raising concerns the National Assembly may again grind to a halt while a series of interpellation sessions are scheduled from Monday. The presidential office and the Finance Ministry have pressed charges against five-term lawmaker Rep. Shim Jae-cheol of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party and his aides for accessing and leaking confidential government data on the state budget. Rep. Shim,

Politics Sept. 30, 2018

The prosecution enforced search and seizures into the car of former Supreme Court Chief Yang Sung-tae and homes and offices of former top court justices on Sunday, closing in on figures at the center of the judiciary power abuse scandal. It is the first time the court has granted warrants requested by the prosecution against the former top court figures since the prosecutorial investigation kicked off in June, amid public calls for thorough investigation into the judiciary.　 Protestors hold sign

Social Affairs Sept. 30, 2018

President Moon Jae-in’s approval rating in South Korea has jumped into the 60 percent range since the recent inter-Korean Summit in Pyongyang with the North’s leader, Kim Jong-un. According to a local poll conducted by Realmeter on Monday, Moon’s approval rating was 61.9 percent, up 8.8 percentage points from a week earlier. The weekly surveys involved 2,507 adults and were carried out throughout the nation from Sept. 17 through Friday. (Yonhap)Only 32.3 percent of respondents answered that Moon

Politics Sept. 24, 2018

Burglary rates tend to increase increase during national holidays, when many homes and farm buildings are empty, said Rep. Son Kum-ju in a recent statement, citing data from the National Police Agency. A total of 5,682 home burglaries took place during the Lunar New Year’s holidays from 2013 through 2018. Another 362 burglaries targeted farms and agricultural goods. (Yonhap)Of all the home burglaries during that timeframe, 1,223 took place in Seoul, the prime target for holiday home burglars. Th

Social Affairs Sept. 24, 2018

A naval academy cadet was found to have installed a secret camera inside a women’s bathroom in a dormitory, the state naval academy said Thursday. The camera was first discovered by another cadet who was cleaning the women’s toilet. She found a smartphone wrapped in paper and reported it to the disciplinary office on Sept. 11, according to the naval academy. (Yonhap)The smartphone was hidden behind the toilet in a piece of A4 paper with a hole to expose the device’s camera. “If you report it, I

Defense Sept. 21, 2018

The Justice Ministry on Thursday refuted a news report that detained former President Park Geun-hye is in declining health and has been skipping meals.In a statement, the Ministry of Justice said that Park exercises at an allotted time every day, except Sundays, and has been taking a standard amount of food, without skipping meals. (Yonhap)The former president has been held at Seoul Detention Center since March 31, 2017.On Wednesday, Korean media outlet Chosun Ilbo reported that Park has shut he

Politics Sept. 20, 2018

Theatrical director Lee Youn-taek was sentenced to six years in prison Wednesday for abusing his occupational authority to sexually harass or assault subordinate members of his drama troupe.The Seoul Central Court handed down the sentence, which also included 80 hours of treatment for sexual offenders. It additionally banned Lee from working at institutes related to child and teenagers for 10 years.Lee Youn-taek (Yonhap)“The defendant unfairly wielded his authority, exploited the victims’ status

Social Affairs Sept. 19, 2018

Political parties on Wednesday reacted to the Pyongyang Declaration along partisan lines. Liberal parties welcomed the joint declaration, while conservative opposition parties denounced the joint statement, pointing out that it shows no progress from previous agreements.The ruling Democratic Party of Korea praised the declaration announced by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, saying it has opened the way for peace on the Korean Peninsula. (Yonha

Politics Sept. 19, 2018

The chiefs of three South Korean political parties met with North Korean parliamentary leader Kim Yong-nam in Pyongyang on Wednesday. The meeting was originally scheduled to take place Tuesday, but it was rescheduled after the South Korean party leaders failed to show.Lee Hae-chan of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, Chung Dong-young of the center-left Party for Democracy and Peace and Lee Jeong-mi of the progressive opposition Justice Party, who are in Pyongyang with President Moon Jae-in,

Politics Sept. 19, 2018

A tough confirmation hearing is expected Wednesday for Education Minister nominee Rep. Yoo Eun-hae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, as a series of reports have revealed irregularities. On Monday, Korean broadcaster SBS reported that Yoo had nominated one of her supporters as a member of the Goyang City Council. According to the broadcaster, the supporter donated 5 million won ($4,450) -- the maximum amount an individual supporter can give a lawmaker -- to Yoo in August 2016. A year and e

Politics Sept. 18, 2018

Following recent reports of violence and medical malpractice in operating rooms at hospitals across the country, Gyeonggi Province announced Monday it will install surveillance cameras in operating rooms. Gyeonggi Province said in a statement that surveillance cameras will be installed inside surgery rooms at the Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center Ansung Hospital on Oct. 1. It will mark the first time that surveillance cameras are being placed inside operating rooms at a public medical institute

Social Affairs Sept. 17, 2018

Two contrasting rallies, in support of and opposition to the Refugee Act, took place across from each other in Jongno in central Seoul on Sunday. The movements came two days after the Justice Ministry granted one-year humanitarian stay permits to 23 Yemeni asylum seekers.Under the rain, some 200 rallygoers demanded the government grant greater legal refugee status to more asylum seekers, and called for efforts to reduce discriminations against asylum seekers, in front of Bosingak.Just across the

Social Affairs Sept. 16, 2018

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will invite 22 reporters and influencers from around the world to introduce the city’s touristic charms, it said Sunday. The city government said it has planned a five-day program beginning Monday to offer foreign guests the chance to experience diverse attractions of the city and show its city development policy.  This photo shows part of the transformed flyover Seoullo 7017, which is open year-round and free for pedestrians. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)The

Social Affairs Sept. 16, 2018

Kyung Hee University will hold Peace BAR Festival 2018 to celebrate the 37th anniversary of the International Day of Peace and gather academia, nongovernmental organizations and business partnerships to examine the Korean Peninsula and find values to contribute to the global peace movement.The two-day festival will be held from Tuesday to Thursday under the theme “The Korean Peninsula in an Age of Transformative Civilization: Values and Philosophy” at the Grand Peace Hall and Lobby of the Univer

Social Affairs Sept. 16, 2018

A Seoul court on Wednesday handed down a one-year prison term for a former Korean ambassador for sex offenses against subordinate workers by abusing his occupational authority, when he was stationed in Ethiopia.Seoul Central District Court sentenced former Ambassador to Ethiopia Kim Moon-hwan to one year in jail and ordered him to undergo 40 hours of treatment for sex offenders. The court also prohibited Kim from working at children-related institutes for three years. Kim was detained immediatel

Social Affairs Sept. 12, 2018