The rival parties are expected to engage in an intensified tug-of-war starting Monday, as they failed to come to a consensus on the passage of the 2024 government budget and pending bills. The ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Thursday agreed to kick off an extraordinary session on Monday, which will include two plenary meetings scheduled on Dec. 20 and 28, respectively. The Dec. 20 meeting will address next year’s budget plan, which parliament

Politics Dec. 10, 2023

The South Korean ruling party’s reform committee announced its early disbandment on Thursday, with its head saying that it saw it as “50 percent successful” in laying out its vision. The People Power Party’s committee, which was formed on Oct. 26 to lay out a vision for realigning the party for the 2024 general election, decided to disband in a largely expected move. The disbandment came some two weeks before the committee's initial plan to disband by Dec. 24. The co

Politics Dec. 7, 2023

South Korea has reached a point where accepting more immigrants under a solid policy is no longer a choice, but a necessity because the country could face extinction without it, the justice minister said Wednesday. “We have already surpassed the phase of contemplating whether or not to adopt immigration policies,” Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon said during a ruling party policy meeting held at the National Assembly. “Korea faces the fate of becoming extinct due to a population

Social Affairs Dec. 6, 2023

Several passengers commuting on a subway line connecting Seoul with its western satellite city of Gimpo expressed concern after they detected a burning smell on Wednesday. The subway lines’ operator, Seoul Metro, said it had received a total of three complaints of a burning smell between Pungmu Station and Gimpo International Airport Station at around 7:50 a.m. The operator said it immediately launched an investigation into the matter. A passenger told local media that “a burning rub

Social Affairs Dec. 6, 2023

Six soon-to-be ex-ministers from President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Cabinet have been identified as “strong candidates” to represent the ruling party in the 2024 general elections, a party spokesperson said Tuesday. “The six soon-to-be ex-ministers, including Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, are currently being considered as strong candidates to represent our party for the parliamentary elections slated for April next year,” a spokesperson for

Politics Dec. 5, 2023

Several key bills aimed to provide stronger social safety nets and confirm next year’s budget plan were stuck in limbo as of Monday, as rival parties continued to lock horns ahead of the general elections in April. With less than a week remaining for the plenary session of the 21st National Assembly, observers expressed concern that the bills could be scrapped altogether, with the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea remaining in a standoff. "We

Politics Dec. 4, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday vetoed a new pro-labor bill and three broadcasting law revisions passed by parliament last month. Yoon's decision came mere hours after the Cabinet officially filed a request for him to reject the bills that were unilaterally passed by the National Assembly on Nov. 9, despite the ruling People Power Party’s strong opposition. The opposition parties, including the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, currently holds the controlling majority of se

Politics Dec. 1, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday granted his approval for the resignation offered by the state broadcasting watchdog chief, effectively derailing the main opposition party's plans to proceed with an impeachment motion originally scheduled for later in the day. Yoon's approval followed a surprising turn of events, when Korea Communications Commission Chairman Lee Dong-kwan reportedly submitted his resignation to Yoon late Thursday. "President Yoon has approved KCC Chairman Lee Don

Politics Dec. 1, 2023

A 4.0 magnitude earthquake hit the southeastern city of Gyeongju at 4:55 a.m. on Thursday, the state weather agency said, prompting mobile phones across Korea to blare en masse from the emergency text alert. No damage has been reported as of Thursday afternoon. The second-strongest quake to hit Korea this year struck the historical city of Gyeongju, located 277 kilometers southeast of Seoul in the wee hours of the morning. The quake's depth was measured at a shallow 12 kilometers and it was

Social Affairs Nov. 30, 2023

Two major umbrella unions in South Korea on Tuesday criticized the government’s latest efforts to bring more foreign workers into the country, saying that it should prioritize the “employment of Korean citizens.” The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, which have an estimated 110,000 members combined, released separate statements protesting the government’s plan to increase the quota or E-9 visas for unskilled foreign workers. &

Social Affairs Nov. 28, 2023

Unskilled foreign workers will be allowed to work in restaurants across South Korea starting next year, as the government plans to increase the quota for E-9 visas, officials said Monday. The plan, however, will remain in test trial until further confirmation. “Korean restaurants in 100 areas across the country (including Seoul, Busan, Daegu and Incheon) will be allowed to hire unskilled foreign workers as employees (starting next year) as a test trial,” Ministry of Employment and La

Social Affairs Nov. 27, 2023

South Korea stopped assigning numbers to its national treasures a few years ago, but for many, the expression National Treasure No. 1 still remains synonymous with Namdaemun, or Sungnyemun by its official name. So when this gate from the 14th century burned down one night in 2008, the shock was indescribable, akin to what the French people might have gone through during the 2019 blaze at Notre Dame Cathedral. Koreans watched helplessly on TV as the wooden pagoda atop the arch-shaped stone gate b

Social Affairs Nov. 23, 2023

Cemeteries and columbariums in South Korea evoke images of sorrowful families and friends mourning the loss of loved ones. With their rows of urns in glass cabinets, columbariums, in particular, are the last place anyone wishes to visit unless compelled to by the loss of someone dear to them. Called “memorial parks,” the solemn atmosphere of these facilities makes them an unwanted addition to a neighborhood in South Korea, where property prices are a key concern. But from about a dec

Culture Nov. 21, 2023

Min Byoung-chul, widely known as a multicultural educator and for his practical English teaching, released his autobiography on Tuesday. Written in Korean, the book, “Solid Success Comes from a Chance Encounter," describes over 60 chapters how crossing paths with strangers in life led him to new opportunities. It expands on his interview in January this year on tvN talk show “You Quiz on the Block,” hosted by comedian duo Yoo Jae-suk and Jo Se-ho. The last chapter of t

Books Nov. 14, 2023

A total of five campers were found dead in South Korea over the weekend, apparently due to carbon monoxide poisoning, as they fell victim to an invisible killer lurking when camping in winter, officials said Monday. The dead bodies of two separate families were discovered at different campsites with signs of having used charcoal grills or heaters inside zipped-up tents, according to the emergency authorities. The first group of victims consisted of a 63-year-old man, his 58-year-old wife and t

Social Affairs Nov. 13, 2023