The presidential transition team’s vice spokesperson on Wednesday denied a report that President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s wife, Kim Keon-hee, might lead an art exhibition at Cheong Wa Dae. It refuted a Yonhap report on Wednesday which quoted an aide to Kim saying that the incoming first lady could categorize artworks owned by Cheong Wa Dae and introduce them to the public. “It’s only a natural ide...

People Power Party looks to fight with filibuster citing negative public opinion

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol will meet separately with World Economic Forum (WEF) Chairman Klaus Schwab and US think tank Heritage Foundation founder Edwin Feulner on Wednesday to discuss cooperation in economic and security issues, his spokesperson said. With Schwab, Yoon is expected to exchange views on the Fourth Industrial Revolution and plans regarding the upcoming WEF Forum in Davos, Swit...

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's spokesperson hit back at President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday for criticizing Yoon's plan to relocate the presidential office out of Cheong Wa Dae, saying the outgoing president should focus on his duties in the little time he has left in office. Moon voiced his concern during an interview with JTBC that aired Tuesday, saying he personally did not think it was "appr...

Seven politician-turned-ministers in the outgoing Moon Jae-in administration are likely to step down on May 9, a day before incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol is inaugurated, a political source said Wednesday. The seven ministers, including Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae, Justice Minister Park Beom-kye and Interior Minister Jeon Hae-cheol, have agreed to resign on the day that Moon's term ends, ac...

The parliamentary confirmation hearing for Prime Minister nominee Han Duk-soo has been rescheduled to next week, after the hearing fell apart due to a boycott from the liberal bloc on Tuesday. On the second day of the two-day confirmation hearing, the special committee members for the hearing from the the Democratic Party of Korea and minor opposition Justice Party were absent, as they had been ...

Moon contemplates as calls from business, religious groups rise

Tension continues after People Power Party steps back from bipartisan compromise

Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the minor opposition Justice Party boycotted the confirmation hearing for Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo for the second day Tuesday, citing Han's failure to submit requested information. Although a legal deadline for the National Assembly to complete Han's confirmation hearing passed without a decision, the DP and the Justice Party asked t...

TOKYO -- A South Korean delegation sent by President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol had a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday, during which it appears to have delivered the incoming president's personal letter. The meeting was held at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, two days after the seven-member team, led by Rep. Chung Jin-suk of Yoon's conservative People Powe...

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the remaining 13.6 billion won ($10.9 million) in reserve government funds for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's plan to relocate the presidential office. The spending was approved about three weeks after the first 36 billion won was approved following the orders of outgoing President Moon Jae-in, who endorsed the plan after initially opposing it over concerns a hur...

Nationwide strikes by unionized city bus drivers were withdrawn or postponed in last-minute negotiations held just hours before and after the deadline on Tuesday. In Seoul, Busan and three other regions, unions of bus drivers and their employers reached deals on wage hikes at the last minute prior to the suspension of city bus services. Unionized drivers in Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Se...

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol has said he will "positively review" South Korea's joining of Quad, a US-led anti-China security partnership, if invited, according to a report. Yoon made the remark in a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal on Monday (US time), saying he does not expect South Korea to receive an invitation any time soon, but if approached, "will positively review joining."...

Parties wrangle over review materials

Moon says proposed changes moving in right direction