Outgoing National Assembly Speaker Rep. Kim Jin-pyo said Wednesday that he plans to hold a revote on the vetoed bill mandating a special counsel investigation into alleged state interference in a probe into the death of a young Marine next week. Kim, who is to step down from his current position at the end of this month, said that an extraordinary plenary meeting for the revote will be held on May 28, regardless of the two largest political parties’ different stances towards the vetoed bil

Politics May 22, 2024

A hand grenade explosion killed one recruit and severely wounded a noncommissioned officer during a training session held at an Army boot camp in the administrative city of Sejong, officials said Tuesday. “Around 9:50 a.m. on Tuesday, an accident involving a hand grenade explosion occurred during grenade throwing training at (the Army's 32nd Infantry Division) in South Chungcheong Province,” the Republic of Korea Army said in a statement released via text message to reporters. &

Defense May 21, 2024

Cho Kuk, leader of the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party on Friday called for a constitutional reform through the incoming parliament, including the adoption of a two-term, four-year US-style presidential term limit, instead of the current single-term, five-year system. Cho remarks are in line with the main opposition Democratic Party’s earlier proposal to adopt the US-style system, but observers said it was an attempt to cut back President Yoon Suk Yeol’s remaining three years

Politics May 17, 2024

A rift opened up Friday between supporters of the new National Assembly speaker candidate and Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Woo Won-shik and those close to main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung. The “pro-Lee” faction of the opposition party took issue with a party vote held the previous day, in which Woo was elected the sole candidate for the next Assembly speaker. In the process, Woo, who is known to have relatively moderate political views, defeated Rep. Choo Mi-ae, a six-term lawm

Politics May 17, 2024

The new chief of the Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office on Thursday pledged to take “all necessary measures” to carry on its ongoing probe into the luxury bag scandal involving first lady Kim Keon Hee, disregarding criticism from the opposition party regarding his appointment. The latest vow comes a few days after the Justice Ministry’s surprise personnel reshuffle announcement on Monday, which replaced the now-former chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Off

Politics May 16, 2024

The latest surprise reshuffle of senior prosecutors announced by the Yoon Suk Yeol administration sparked fierce debate among the main rival parties Tuesday with the opposition calling the move an attempt to hinder the ongoing probe into the luxury Dior bag scandal involving first lady Kim Keon Hee. On Monday, the Justice Ministry named Lee Chang-soo, head of the Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office, who is viewed as a close aide to Yoon, as the new chief of the Seoul Central District Prose

Politics May 14, 2024

A Korean American pastor accused of gifting a luxury Christian Dior handbag valued at 3 million won ($2,210) to first lady Kim Keon Hee in September 2022 was summoned and questioned by prosecutors for the first time Monday. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office sought to investigate the motive behind Choi Jae-young’s decision to hand the luxury bag to Kim, while using a spy cam to secretly film the meeting, according to officials. Whether Choi violated the nation’s Improper S

Politics May 13, 2024

The ruling party’s new interim leader on Sunday named members of the emergency leadership committee, who will be joining him in helping the incoming lawmakers prepare for the start of the new parliament on May 30. Hwang Woo-yea, former deputy prime minister-turned-ruling party interim leader, named incumbent People Power Party Reps. Yoo Sang-bum, Jun Joo-hyae, and Eom Tae-young alongside incoming lawmaker Kim Yong-tae, as the new members of the emergency leadership committee, according to

Politics May 12, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday rejected the main opposition's proposal to pass a bill that mandates a special independent counsel investigation into stock manipulation allegations and anti-graft law violation suspicions surrounding his wife. While apologizing for first lady Kim Keon Hee’s “unwise conduct” in accepting a luxury bag from a Korean American pastor in 2022, Yoon stressed that such in-depth probes should only be launched when the outcome of an official prosecuto

Politics May 9, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol’s mother-in-law, who is currently serving a one-year jail sentence for forgery, will be released some two months early, said the Justice Ministry on Wednesday. Choi Eun-soon, the 77-year-old mother of first lady Kim Keon Hee, will be released 10 a.m. on May 14, a day ahead of Buddha’s birthday, considering various factors including her age, health condition and good behavior while incarcerated, according to the ministry’s nine-member Probation and Parole

Social Affairs May 8, 2024

Police said late Tuesday they plan to seek an arrest warrant for a medical school student in his 20s accused of killing his girlfriend on a building rooftop near Gangnam Station in southern Seoul. The Seoul Seocho Police Station said the suspect, whom the authorities only identified as a student at one of the top medical schools here, was detained after allegedly stabbing his girlfriend multiple times and murdering her on the rooftop around 5 p.m. on Monday. The suspect later admitted to his cri

Social Affairs May 8, 2024

A high-profile probe zeroing in on first lady Kim Keon Hee is set to begin as the top prosecutor pledged Tuesday to carry out a "speedy and strict" investigation into accusations that she illegally received a luxury Christian Dior bag as a gift from a Korean American pastor in 2022. “The prosecution plans to conduct a speedy and strict investigation (into the allegations against the first lady) based solely on existing evidence and legal principles,” Prosecutor General Lee

Politics May 7, 2024

The rival parties appointed new leadership roles on Friday, with the main opposition electing its new floor leader, while an ex-deputy minister took the helm of the ruling party, as they brace for the next parliament. The Democratic Party of Korea elected Rep. Park Chan-dae, a current two-term lawmaker reelected for another term in the April 10 parliamentary elections and a close aide of main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, as its new floor leader at an intra-party general meeting held around n

Politics May 3, 2024

  The opposition-led National Assembly unilaterally passed a special bill on Thursday to open an investigation into suspicions that the Yoon Suk Yeol administration abused its power to disrupt a probe into the death of a young Marine last year. Of the current total 296 members of the single-chamber National Assembly, all 168 who participated in the vote moved in favor of passing the bill, which seeks to launch an investigation into suspicions that the Yoon administration coerced an investig

Politics May 2, 2024

The rival parties clashed on Tuesday over the possibility of adopting a new state pension reform plan, which pushes for an increase in contributions for a bigger future benefit. The new pension reform plan is based on a survey conducted and released by the parliamentary special committee on pension reform on April 21. The survey, which involved 500 respondents across the country aged 18 or older, showed that 56 percent preferred to pay significantly larger contributions to the National Pension S

Politics April 30, 2024