President Yoon Suk-yeol is taking a cautious stance in meeting with newly elected Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung, which could be portrayed as a meeting between an unpopular president and a fresh opposition leader riding high on popularity. However, critics say the meeting could help Yoon create new momentum in state affairs and secure opposition support ahead of the regular sessio...

Only three days are left before the start of the first regular session of the National Assembly since President Yoon Suk-yeol took office, but the ruling People Power Party shows no sign of ending its internal feud. In the morning, the party’s all eight emergency committee members agreed to entrust Floor Leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong to the position of acting leader of the committee and also all ...

Billiard player-turned-politician Cha Yu-ram apologized on behalf of her husband, writer Lee Ji-sung, for making inappropriate remarks at a banquet with lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party. Cha said on her Facebook page on Thursday, “I apologize for the inappropriate remarks made by my husband, Lee Ji-sung. The remarks were inappropriate, and I couldn‘t agree with them at all.” Earlier...

President Yoon Suk-yeol is expected to meet with US President Joe Biden next month in New York on the occasion of 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The White House said on Thursday (local time) that Biden plans to visit New York for three days from Sept. 18 to attend the UN General Assembly. He is expected to attend the conference during Sept. 19-20 and meet with leaders of th...

South Korea’s state-run nuclear power company Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power won a project to build a nuclear power plant in Egypt, the presidential office confirmed on Thursday. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power signed a contract with Russian nuclear technology company Atomstroyexport, or ASE, over the field of nuclear power plant equipment and turbine construction of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant in...

The process of appointing a special inspector to check for misconduct by President Yoon Suk-yeol’s family and senior secretaries is being dragged out, bogged down by bipartisan wrangling. The presidential office, meanwhile, appears more interested in inspecting public officials, in what is seen as an attempt to grab more power. A special inspector is responsible for examining the misconduct of ...

President Yoon Suk-yeol’s schedule has been leaked through a fan club supporting first lady Kim Keon-hee, raising another security concern. On Tuesday, a user of “Keon-hee Sarang” revealed Yoon’s official schedule set on Friday through her fan club, specifying the date and place. The user said, “We’re announcing (that) President Yoon Suk-yeol is visiting Daegu Seomun Market at 12:00 (noon) on A...

The internal feud within the ruling People Power Party appears to be escalating following a petition submitted to the court by suspended party leader Lee Jun-seok. The petition‘s release comes amid the ruling party’s launch of an emergency committee to seek the party’s normalization and the Yoon administration‘s carrying out of partial reforms to regain public trust. Lee compared President Yoon ...

Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming said relations between South Korea and China are declining, but that they could be solved by developing a mature, independent and stable relationship while preserving the core interests of the two. “The current situation is complex and serious. Relations between China and South Korea have entered a new phase,” Xing said at a forum on Tuesday to cele...

Lee Won-seok, deputy chief prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, was nominated on Thursday for the post of prosecutor general, ending a monthslong leadership vacuum. The nomination, which is a de-facto appointment, makes Lee the first prosecutor general of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. Lee had been linked to the top post for some time, as he has been leading the organization for thr...

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Wednesday that the South Korean government does not back the use of force in bringing about changes in North Korea, but that guaranteeing regime security is not an element of his “audacious initiative.” Yoon also said that he sees dialogue with the North as “necessary,” but it should not be political showmanship. “Guaranteeing regime security is not something the So...

President Yoon Suk-yeol hinted at reorganizing the presidential office, saying he intends to “make changes” meticulously and substantially for the people as his approval ratings show no sign of rebounding. It was once expected that a full personnel reshuffle would take place ahead of the 100th day of his office’s inauguration, but Yoon is likely to reorganize his office in a way that reinforces ...

Since the turn of the 21st century, South Korean pop culture has grown in prominence to become a major export driver in entertainment, music, TV dramas and movies, strengthening its soft power and cultural diplomacy in addition to economic gains. On Netflix, a string of original Korean-produced content such as “Squid Game,” “Hellbound” and “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” have become megahits. The ...

President Yoon Suk-yeol is likely to exclude politicians, including former President Lee Myung-bak, from the list of special pardons for National Liberation Day on Aug. 15, apparently because he is mindful of public opposition to the pardon of politicians amid low approval ratings. Yoon has hinted at a possible pardon for former Lee since taking office. In early June, he told reporters during a ...

Service has been restored to all sections of Line Nos. 1 through 8. The Ui New Line and Sillim Line are also operating normally as of this morning. Subway Line No. 9 resumed the operation at 2 p.m. Major roads were blocked by heavy rains in the Seoul metropolitan area beginning Tuesday morning, causing severe traffic congestion in various places. Some urban highways and bridges are under control...