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Hong Joon-pyo declares presidential bid
Hong Joon-pyo, the former mayor of Daegu, officially announced his candidacy for president on Monday, joining a rapidly consolidating field of contenders in the upcoming early election triggered by the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Declaring his presidential bid, Hong framed the upcoming election as a “binary choice” between himself and Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung. In a statement posted on Facebook, Hong positioned himself as the only viable candidate to “hold Lee acco
April 14, 2025 -
Korea-US tariff talks imminent, says acting president
Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo appears to be emerging as a central figure in the presidential race in the wake of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's removal. Han, the 75-year-old who served as the prime minister of the country throughout Yoon's three-year term, has yet to map out his presidential bid ahead of the June 3 election. At a Cabinet meeting he presided over Monday, Han said he would stay committed to "fulfilling the last mission" assigned to him and Cabinet ministers, r
April 14, 2025 -
Online hate surged after Dec. 3 martial law in Korea, driven by far-right forums
South Korea saw a sharp spike in illegal and harmful online content in the three months following former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Dec. 3 martial law declaration, with government data showing nearly 3,600 posts flagged for removal across major internet platforms. According to data submitted by the Korea Communications Standards Commission to Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Lee Jung-heon, 3,576 posts were subject to takedown requests between Dec. 4, 2024 and Feb. 29, 2025. Most were from Naver (3,
April 14, 2025 -
Lee Jae-myung calls for state-led AI investment in 1st campaign outing
Rep. Lee Jae-myung of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, the leading presidential contender, emphasized the need for government-led investment in the artificial intelligence industry during a Monday visit to FuriosaAI. The visit to the local AI chipmaker marked Lee's first public appearance since declaring his candidacy last week. “For me, my biggest concern is how can we make it so that many people can live better lives in better circumstances? And when it comes to jobs, artificial
April 14, 2025 -
Hong Joon-pyo mocks top rivals on 'SNL' ahead of June presidential election
South Korean presidential contender Hong Joon-pyo, a senior figure in the conservative People Power Party, has drawn fresh attention with a sharp-tongued, satirical appearance on "SNL Korea," taking direct aim at top rivals Lee Jae-myung and Han Dong-hoon ahead of the country’s critical June 3 election. In Saturday's episode of the comedy sketch show in its seventh season, via streaming platform Coupang Play, the former Daegu mayor appears dressed as a convenience store job applicant. The segmen
April 14, 2025 -
Acting president says to 'fulfill final calling' amid presidential rumors
Acting President Han Duck-soo said Monday he will fulfill his "final calling" by tackling the US tariff crisis, apparently dismissing rumors of a presidential bid in the upcoming June election. Han has emerged as a possible contender in the June 3 presidential election following the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law bid in December. Despite no mention of a presidential run from Han, he has appeared in recent public opinion surveys on the most favored presidential cand
April 14, 2025 -
Ex-President Yoon arrives at court to attend criminal trial
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived at a Seoul court Monday to attend his trial on insurrection charges related to his attempt to impose martial law last December. Yoon arrived at the Seoul Central District Court via the underground parking ahead of the first hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. The former president was removed from office on April 4 after the Constitutional Court upheld his impeachment over his Dec. 3 imposition of martial law. (Yonhap)
April 14, 2025 -
PPP begins registration of candidates for presidential primary
The People Power Party on Monday began a two-day registration period for candidates entering the conservative party's primary to select its candidate for the June 3 presidential election. Several prominent figures are expected to participate in the party's primary, including former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo, former PPP Chairman Han Dong-hoon and PPP lawmakers Ahn Cheol-soo and Na Kyung-won, who have officially announced their bids. Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo plans to officially declare h
April 14, 2025 -
Former DP leader Lee leads presidential election poll
A former leader of the Democratic Party, Rep. Lee Jae-myung, is leading the race for the presidency of South Korea with nearly 49 percent support, a poll showed Monday. South Korea will hold a presidential election on June 3 as the Constitutional Court removed former President Yoon Suk Yeol from office over his failed martial law bid. According to the survey conducted by Realmeter on 1,506 adults aged over 18 from Wednesday to Friday, Lee topped the list with 48.8 percent. Former Labor Minister
April 14, 2025 -
Former four-term lawmaker opts out of conservative party primary
Former four-term conservative lawmaker Yoo Seong-min declared Sunday he would opt out of the presidential primaries with the conservative People Power Party — with which impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol is affiliated — leaving him the option to run for president as an independent candidate or with another political party. Yoo, considered a center-right figure, blasted the conservative party for "refusing to feel remorseful and start anew," even after the party had a second president impe
April 13, 2025 -
Parties gear up for presidential primaries
The ruling and opposition parties are quickly gearing up for presidential primaries to nominate their respective candidates in early May, as with candidacy registrations starting Monday. The conservative People Power Party will register candidates on Monday and Tuesday. They will be narrowed down to four by April 22, with the party's presidential primary to be held on May 3. The liberal Democratic Party of Korea will also start receiving candidacy registrations on Monday, in hopes of an ultimate
April 13, 2025 -
Kim Kyoung-soo enters race championing Roh's Sejong-centered vision
Kim Kyoung-soo, former governor of South Gyeongsang Province, announced his presidential bid on Sunday in Sejong — the de facto administrative capital of South Korea — in a symbolic gesture, becoming the fourth contender from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Kim stressed the need for political and institutional reforms to prevent the recurrence of presidential overreach, citing disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 last year, which led to h
April 13, 2025 -
Ex-DP leader Lee poised to compete with 3 candidates in presidential primary
The presidential primary of the Democratic Party is shaping up to be a four-way race, with former party leader Lee Jae-myung expected to dominate given his strong grip on the party leadership, experts said Sunday. Last week, Lee officially declared his candidacy for the June 3 presidential election, following the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol after his martial law declaration. Lee is expected to compete against three candidates in the party primary -- former lawmaker and Interior Mini
April 13, 2025 -
Ex-President Yoon faces criminal trial on insurrection charges Monday
The first criminal trial for former President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled for this week, 10 days after he was removed from office over his short-lived martial law declaration in December, according to court officials Sunday. The Seoul Central District Court is set to open the hearing on Yoon's insurrection charges at 10 a.m. Monday. As the defendant, Yoon must attend the trial. Yoon will be the fifth former president to stand criminal trial. He will be allowed to enter the court via an undergroun
April 13, 2025 -
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon opts out of presidential race
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced Saturday he will not enter South Korea's presidential race, contrary to widespread expectations that he would seek the nation's highest post following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's removal from office. Speaking at a press conference at People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Oh expressed his commitment to continue serving as mayor instead of pursuing the presidency in the June 3 election. "While driving forward is certainly a virtue for any politici
April 12, 2025