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Ex-interior minister questioned overnight in martial law probe
Former Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min returned home Saturday after an overnight police interrogation over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law late last year. The former minister appeared before a special police investigation team at around 2 p.m. Friday as a suspect in the ongoing probe. He was released about 18 hours later at approximately 7:40 a.m. Saturday. He is suspected of directing the National Fire Agency to cut off power
April 19, 2025 -
Acting president calls for unity on anniv. of 1960 pro-democracy uprising
Acting President Han Duck-soo on Saturday called for national unity to overcome economic and social crises as he marked the anniversary of a 1960 pro-democracy civil uprising that led to the ouster of South Korea's first President Rhee Syng-man. Han issued the call during an anniversary event at the April 19th National Cemetery in northern Seoul, which holds the remains of those killed in the uprising, saying the "people's successful revolution" became the foundation for the nation's democracy b
April 19, 2025 -
DP contenders call for national unity through political reform, coalition governance
Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the leading presidential contender from the Democratic Party of Korea, emphasized that fostering national unity should be the nation’s top political priority, citing growing ideological divisions within the country. “The role of a president is to bring together a nation torn by conflict,” Lee said during a televised primary debate aired on MBC’s “100-Minute Debate” on Friday. Referring to recent unrest, he added, “Had firearms been allowed, the situation could have turned dea
April 18, 2025 -
Lee Jae-myung backs one-shot, package deal with Trump
Lee Jae-myung, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea and a top contender in the party's presidential primary, said Friday he would seek a comprehensive package deal with US President Donald Trump if elected, embracing Trump’s one-shot negotiation strategy. "Trump’s strategy is quite bold — to the point that it is even referred to as the so-called 'madman theory,'" Lee said when asked about his negotiation strategy against Trump during the first TV debate among the three presidential con
April 18, 2025 -
Police quiz ex-interior minister in martial law probe
Police on Friday questioned former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law late last year. Lee is suspected of attempting to cut off power and water supplies to media outlets critical of the president following Yoon's declaration of martial law on Dec. 3. The police's special investigation team summoned Lee for questioning as a suspect in the case. In February, investigators raided Lee's residence and two off
April 18, 2025 -
Plan to give CIO authority to investigate insurrection could become Lee campaign pledge
The Growth and Cohesion policy think tank, launched Wednesday to support Democratic Party of Korea presidential hopeful Rep. Lee Jae-myung, is pushing to expand the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials' authority to investigate insurrection charges an official campaign pledge — advancing Lee’s broader plans for prosecution reform that separates the authority to investigate and prosecute. A judicial reform subcommittee under Growth and Cohesion recently submitted a proposal
April 18, 2025 -
Kim Doo-kwan exits race, setting stage for three-way Democratic Party race
Kim Doo-kwan, a former Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker and long-time presidential aspirant, announced Friday that he would not run for president and would instead lend his support to the party’s victory in the early election on June 3. Kim’s official exit has clarified the main liberal party's presidential contest, clearing up speculation that he might break away from the Democratic Party of Korea to run as an independent and streamlining the party’s primary into a three-person contest. “Kim
April 18, 2025 -
Policy Watch: Hong Joon-pyo pledges to resume executions, rejects antidiscrimination law
Hong Joon-pyo, former Daegu mayor and a presidential contender in the conservative People Power Party’s primary, pledged to resume executions under capital punishment for violent criminals if elected, as stated in a press release Friday. While South Korea maintains the death penalty system, it has not carried out an execution since 1997. Hong further vowed to root out corrupt politicians and what he called “legal cartels” as part of efforts to restore the rule of law. The pledge is part of his “
April 18, 2025 -
Yoon Suk Yeol's ex-lawyers drop ‘Yoon Again’ political party idea amid backlash
Two lawyers who represented former President Yoon Suk Yeol in his impeachment trial abruptly canceled a press conference Thursday, just hours after announcing plans to launch a new political party under the slogan “Yoon Again,” named after the disgraced ex-president. Attorneys Kim Gye-ri and Bae Ui-cheol — who had served on Yoon’s impeachment defense team — initially notified the press that they would hold a press briefing Friday in Yeouido, Seoul, to introduce the “Yoon Again” political party.
April 18, 2025 -
Lee Jae-myung leads with 38% support; three runners-up tied at 7% each: poll
Front-runner Rep. Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea has increased his lead among the field of potential presidential candidates, shows a poll released Friday. According to a survey by Gallup Korea, Lee garnered 38 percent support — his highest rating this year and a figure that puts him comfortably ahead of all other contenders. Tied for second place were former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, both from the conservative People Power Party, a
April 18, 2025 -
Policy Watch: Lee Jae-myung targets conservative bastion Yeongnam with development pledges
Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the leading presidential contender from the center-left Democratic Party of Korea, on Friday rolled out a series of campaign pledges aimed at boosting development in the Yeongnam region, a traditional conservative stronghold in southeastern South Korea. Lee said he would relocate the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries from Sejong in South Chungcheong Province to Busan, a major port city in the region, to "elevate Korea into a leading maritime country and implement field-oriente
April 18, 2025 -
Policy Watch: Lee Jae-myung to double Korean culture industry revenue, exports in 7 years
Liberal Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate front-runner Rep. Lee Jae-myung said he would work to support Korea's content industries related to arts and culture, which he said could annually generate a total of 300 trillion won ($211 billion) in sales and 50 trillion won in exports by 2030. According to the latest government estimate unveiled in March, South Korea's content industries in 2023 generated a total revenue of 154.2 trillion won, while total exports stood at $13.3 billion
April 18, 2025 -
Acting president calls for swift passage of extra budget proposal without 'political considerations'
Prime Minister and acting President Han Duck-soo called on the National Assembly on Friday to swiftly pass the government's extra budget proposal without "political considerations." Han issued the call during an extraordinary Cabinet meeting held to review the 12.2 trillion-won ($8.6 billion) supplementary budget proposal aimed at protecting people from natural disasters and supporting businesses hit by an escalating trade war. "I earnestly plead with the National Assembly to hold broad-minded d
April 18, 2025 -
Ex-Democratic Party leader vows to boost support for arts, culture sector
Former Democratic Party leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung on Friday vowed to make South Korea one of the world's top five "soft power" countries, pledging to boost exports in the culture sector to 50 trillion won ($35.2 billion). Lee, who declared his presidential bid last week and is leading opinion polls for the June 3 presidential election, made the pledge ahead of his visit to the southeastern city of Daegu to attend a roundtable meeting on promoting webtoons. "Our national budget on culture current
April 18, 2025 -
People Power Party presidential aspirant urges Yoon Suk Yeol to leave party
A presidential hopeful from the People Power Party, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, on Friday urged former President Yoon Suk Yeol to leave the party, saying his departure is essential for the party to reform and win the upcoming presidential election. Ahn is the first contender in the conservative party to openly demand the former president's exit ahead of the June 3 election, which was triggered by Yoon's ouster over his failed martial law bid last December. "Yoon's departure would be the starting point f
April 18, 2025