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National Assembly adopts resolution calling for appointment of 9th Constitutional Justice
The opposition-led National Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution calling for the appointment of an additional justice to the Constitutional Court by acting President Choi Sang-mok. The move came as the court had postponed its ruling on the constitutionality of acting President Choi's decision to withhold the appointment of the ninth justice to the bench. Choi appointed two justices to the court in December but held off on the appointment of opposition-recommended Justice Ma Eun-hyuk, citing t
Feb. 14, 2025 -
Trump signs memo to customize reciprocal tariffs based on countries' duties, non-tariff barriers, exchange rates
US President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum Thursday to devise a comprehensive plan to customize "reciprocal" tariffs based on trading partners' duties, non-tariff barriers, exchange rate policies and other elements. The memorandum on the "fair" and "reciprocal" plan tasks Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and the US Trade Representative (USTR) to submit a report with proposed remedies on a country-by-country basis as Trump is pushing to roll out new tariffs on US imports to match
Feb. 14, 2025 -
S. Korea to continue gas field exploration in East Sea: industry minister
South Korea will continue drilling for potential oil and gas reserves off the East Sea despite initial results falling short of commercial viability, the industry minister said Thursday, rejecting claims that the project is a failure. "The government will push for the further exploratory drilling in a consistent and persistent manner," Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun told lawmakers during a National Assembly session. He was responding to a ruling party lawmaker's question about abandoning the exp
Feb. 13, 2025 -
Yoon’s supporters, ruling party ramp up attacks on Constitutional Court judge
Justice's personal phone bombarded by text messages; his high school alumi online community scrutinized for obsecene postings As President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial enters its final stage, his supporters and the ruling People Power Party are intensifying their attacks on acting Constitutional Court President Moon Hyung-bae. Yoon’s supporters have been bombarding Moon with text messages, while the ruling party accuses him of a left-leaning bias and leading the trial proceedings in a way t
Feb. 13, 2025 -
Anti-CCP themes ring through rallies against Yoon's impeachment
Yoon's rhetoric on China resonating with supporters, expert says Animosity toward China, more precisely the Chinese Communist Party, has become a central theme in the recent string of rallies supporting South Korea's suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is currently undergoing his impeachment trial. Outside the Chinese embassy in Seoul on Friday afternoon, a crowd gathered for a rally protesting Yoon's impeachment under the slogans, "Annihilate communism" and "Get the CCP out of Korea." Interm
Feb. 12, 2025 -
FM dispels concerns of Trump recognizing NK as nuclear-armed state
‘Too early’ to discuss Seoul’s possible nuclear armament: Cho Tae-yul South Korea’s foreign minister on Wednesday dispelled concerns of US President Donald Trump recognizing North Korea as a nuclear-armed state ahead of a potential resumption of dialogue with the leader of the reclusive regime. During a National Assembly hearing, Seoul’s Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said Trump “will not recognize” the North as a nuclear-armed state. This came in response to ruling People Power Party Rep. Yoon Sa
Feb. 12, 2025 -
South Korea's controversial 'first kids'
Children of Korean presidents who've received the most public flak Moon Da-hye, 41, daughter of former President Moon Jae-in, has recently found herself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. Last week, she was indicted by the prosecutors without detention, accused of driving under the influence of alcohol in October last year. She was also referred to the prosecution one month later on suspicions of operating an Airbnb on Jeju Island in 2022, without officially registering as a business. Being
Feb. 12, 2025 -
Ruling party calls for thorough probe into stabbing death of student at school
The floor leader of the ruling People Power Party called Wednesday for a thorough investigation after an elementary school teacher allegedly stabbed an 8-year-old student to death earlier this week. Rep. Kweon Seong-dong made the calls at a floor meeting at the National Assembly, saying the People Power Party will "do everything in its power to prevent such a tragedy from happening again in schools." The People Power Party plans to hold consultations with the government to discuss measures to pr
Feb. 12, 2025 -
Yoon offers condolences over alleged stabbing death of student at school
Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol sent his condolences Wednesday over the alleged stabbing death of an 8-year-old student by a teacher at a school in the city of Daejeon. Yoon, who was detained last month on charges of insurrection over his botched martial law bid, offered his condolences via one of his legal representatives. "It is incredibly sad and heartbreaking that such a horrific crime has occurred at a school, a place where children should be able to play safely," Yoon was quoted as sayin
Feb. 12, 2025 -
'IU is a commie.' List of politicians, celebrities spreads online with NewJeans, Han Kang
A handwritten list by an anonymous individual accusing prominent political figures and artist groups of being "China-friendly," "pro-North Korea followers," "communist party" or "commies" is spreading online. Rep. Jung Chung-rae, a four-term lawmaker of the main opposition liberal Democratic Party of Korea, shared a post on Facebook on Monday that his name had been included on the handwritten list totaling 107 names, without clarifying the origin of the list. Jung, who had shared the post of for
Feb. 11, 2025 -
Ruling party apologizes over martial law, slams rival party leader as 'instigator' of political turmoil
Democratic Party head Rep. Lee Jae-myung 'threat to alliance with US' Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, the ruling People Power Party's floor leader, on Tuesday apologized for President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration on Dec. 3 last year and the ensuing fallout. "The People Power Party, as the ruling party, apologizes and accepts responsibility for the crisis following the Dec. 3 declaration of martial law and the president's arrest and indictment," Kweon said in an address to the National Assembly
Feb. 11, 2025 -
Acting president calls for swift pension reform
Acting President and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok on Tuesday called on legislators swiftly to reach a bipartisan compromise on national pension reform, calling it "the most urgent" priority. Without the agreement of both parties, South Korea's universal pension system -- which had 1,185.2 trillion won ($814.4 billion) in its reserve as of November -- will no longer remain sustainable, as South Korea is experiencing population ageing at an unprecedently fast pace, Choi said. "In order to avoid
Feb. 11, 2025 -
Cabinet approves 3 years of combined parental leave
South Korean employees will be eligible to apply for up to three years of shared parental leave beginning on Feb. 23, in the latest move to encourage workers to give birth and help overcome the nation's population crisis. At a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, presided over by acting President and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, the government approved enforcement decrees allowing employees to conditionally take up to 1 1/2 years of parental leave, increased from the current one year. For dual-income
Feb. 11, 2025 -
Seoul vows to nurture 10,000 AI talents annually
The Seoul city government on Tuesday announced policy strategies to promote the artificial intelligence industry, vowing to foster 10,000 AI professionals every year and build an AI technology city where work, living and pleasure are combined. The strategies, unveiled by Mayor Oh Se-hoon during an AI conference at COEX in southern Seoul, call for creating an AI powerhouse based on seven tasks, including nurturing talent, building infrastructure, expanding investment, convergence between industri
Feb. 11, 2025 -
Ex-interior minister, natl. security adviser set to testify at Yoon's impeachment trial
Former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min and National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik are set to testify at President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial Tuesday. The trial has entered its final stretch with only two more scheduled hearings -- on Tuesday and Thursday -- though the Constitutional Court could still designate additional sessions. For the seventh hearing Tuesday, Lee has been called to testify as a witness by both Yoon's side and the National Assembly's legal representatives. The former in
Feb. 11, 2025