Opposition demands abandonment of growth-first policy, says more welfare needed The ruling party geared up its policy drive for the working class a day after President Lee Myung-bak trotted out a new socioeconomic vision for compassionate capitalism. Opposition politicians called on Lee to start with dropping his own growth-first economic policies. The governing Grand National Party vowed to i...

Latest bout of friction with political circles presses conglomerates to assume more social responsibility When asked what word first comes to mind when large corporations are mentioned during a TV interview in July, Grand National Party Chairman Hong Joon-pyo gave an answer that left his interviewer and audience taken aback: “Exploitation.” At the end of the interview, Hong came back to the que...

Seoul mayor lambasts attempts to discourage voting in referendum on Aug. 24 Rival parties campaigned for and against Seoul City’s upcoming poll on a controversial free school meal program on the national holiday Monday, striving to sway citizens’ oppinions less than 10 days before rare referendum on the issue. The Seoul city government is set to hold the vote on Aug. 24, asking residents whethe...

President Lee Myung-bak's address for on the 66th anniversary of liberation Fellow citizens, decorated patriots who fought for the nation’s independence, distinguished guests from home and abroad, our brethren in the North and seven million compatriots residing overseas, I join all Koreans in celebrating the 66th anniversary of liberation today. Liberation has allowed us to breathe in the air o...

President Lee Myung-bak on Monday urged Japan to teach history as it was to the young generation, while championing “ecosystemic” development as Korea’s new path for growth that creates jobs, reduces income gaps and preserves the environment. “Japan has a responsibility to teach its young generation the truth about what happened in the past,” Lee said during his annual national address marking L...

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s promise not to run for president to avoid political conflict over a controversial city plan is anticipated to bring about subtle changes in the political landscape ahead of next year’s elections, officials and analysts say. In an apparent attempt to end speculation he is pushing ahead with the costly referendum on Seoul City’s free school lunch program to gain popularity...

Politicians, citizens call for stronger action on Japan’s territorial claims The leader of Korea’s ruling Grand National Party said Sunday that he has asked the government to station Marines on Dokdo to strengthen the country’s sovereignty of the set of rokcy islets claimed by Japan. Rep. Hong Joon-pyo, the GNP chairman, also urged the government to drop its “quiet diplomacy” and instead strong...