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Partisan divide deepens over gender equality, education minister nominees
Rival political parties on Saturday clashed again over key Cabinet nominees, particularly scandal-hit gender equality and education minister picks, following the conclusion of parliamentary confirmation hearings this week. The ruling Democratic Party urged the main opposition People Power Party to cooperate in completing the Cabinet lineup proposed by President Lee Jae Myung, warning that continued delays could hinder efforts to revive the economy and address public concerns. "It is urgent to fi
July 19, 2025 -
Ex-FM Cho summoned for questioning in martial law probe
Former Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul was summoned for questioning Saturday by a special counsel team responsible for the investigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol's attempt to impose martial law. "We are questioning Cho," the team said in a brief statement released to the media. Cho was summoned as a person of interest, not a suspect, for questioning regarding circumstances surrounding a Cabinet meeting held shortly before Yoon declared martial law on Dec. 3. He was among select Cabinet m
July 19, 2025 -
Korean court rejects ex-leader Yoon's request to be freed
A court on Friday dismissed former President Yoon Suk Yeol's petition against his arrest, keeping him in custody over his failed attempt to impose martial law. The Seoul Central District Court issued the ruling hours after concluding a hearing that reviewed the legality of Yoon's arrest and whether it should remain in place. "Based on the results of our questioning of the suspect and the case records, it was recognized that the request was without reason and dismissed," the bench said. The ouste
July 18, 2025 -
Unification Church, ex-PPP floor leader’s offices raided in Kim Keon Hee probe
The special counsel team investigating various allegations against former first lady Kim Keon Hee on Friday conducted search and seizure operations of the Unification Church’s facilities and offices of former People Power Party floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong. The raids were carried out in connection with Kim’s alleged acceptance of a diamond necklace made by Graff worth some 60 million won ($43,000), and Chanel bags worth a combined 20 million won from a high-ranking church official surnamed
July 18, 2025 -
Lee's approval rating edges up to 64 %
President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating rebounded to 64 percent, a survey showed Friday. In the Gallup Korea survey of 1,001 adults conducted between Tuesday and Thursday, positive assessment of Lee's performance added 1 percentage point from the previous week while negative assessment of Lee remained unchanged at 23 percent. Lee's approval rating stood at 64 percent in the first Gallup poll conducted three weeks into his term in office, before edging up to 65 percent in the first week of July
July 18, 2025 -
Handset subsidy ban to be lifted next week
The decade-long controversial ban on handset subsidies will be lifted starting next week as part of efforts to lower the financial burden on consumers for communications service, the science ministry said Thursday. The Mobile Device Distribution Improvement Act, which currently prohibits mobile carriers from providing excessive discounts or illegal subsidies to customers, will be nullified beginning July 22, according to the ministry. The National Assembly passed a motion to scrap the act late l
July 17, 2025 -
Former Doosan Group chair to lead delegation of special envoys to US
Park Yong-maan, a seasoned entrepreneur who formerly chaired South Korea's energy-to-heavy industry conglomerate Doosan Group, was named as the head of a group of special envoys to the United States, according to the presidential office Thursday. The 70-year-old Park, who also formerly led the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will be accompanied by Reps. Han Jun-ho and Kim Woo-young of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, said Woo Sang-ho, senior presidential secretary for political affa
July 17, 2025 -
Lee Jae Myung promises to back amendment to Constitution
Marking the 77th anniversary of the South Korea's Constitution on Thursday, President Lee Jae Myung expressed his commitment to a new amendment to the Constitution, stressing that it must be "citizen-centered." In a Facebook post, Lee said a newly amended Constitution, which would uphold the spirit of the Gwangju Uprising in May 1980 and encompass the greater fundamental rights of each citizen, the greater local autonomy and the curtailment of power through reforms, "must be a compass to lead th
July 17, 2025 -
Speaker's gavel buried in Assembly yard as reminder of Dec. 3 martial law
Speaker Woo Won-shik on Thursday buried a "time capsule" in the front yard of the National Assembly. In it, was the gavel he used when he announced the passage of a resolution overturning former President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. The time capsule containing memorabilia of the night of martial law, to mark the 77th anniversary of the Constitution Day, will be opened 100 years from this day. At the ceremony attended by Woo and other parliamentary leaders, includi
July 17, 2025 -
Drone operations commander summoned over Yoon's alleged NK drone order
South Korea’s special counsel on Thursday summoned Drone Operations Command head Maj. Gen. Kim Yong-dae as part of its investigation into insurrection and treason charges against former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Led by Special Counsel Cho Eun-suk, the probe is examining whether Yoon ordered a drone operation into North Korea in October 2024 to create a pretext for declaring martial law in December last year. The investigation into Kim reportedly stems from testimonies within the military, which c
July 17, 2025 -
Lee orders forming new investigation team into 2022 crowd crush
President Lee Jae Myung has ordered to form a joint investigation team composed of police and prosecutors to uncover the full truth behind the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush, the presidential office said Thursday. Lee made the promise during Wednesday's meeting with the bereaved families of various social disasters, including the Itaewon tragedy, which claimed 159 lives during Halloween festivities in 2022. "When it comes to the Itaewon tragedy, the truth of the incident has not been properly revealed
July 17, 2025 -
Pollster once inflated Lee's support to consolidate votes for Yoon in 2022 race: report
With the prosecution investigating allegations that pre-election polls related to ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol were rigged, reports of new evidence suggest that the surveys were also manipulated to make it appear that Yoon had less support than his main rival and incumbent President Lee Jae Myung. The special counsel team led by Min Joung-ki has found that Myung Tae-kyun manipulated the results of one survey conducted ahead of the 2022 presidential vote, according to a report Thursday by local bro
July 17, 2025 -
Lee says time to discuss amending Constitution led by National Assembly
President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday it is time to discuss an amendment to the nation's Constitution, urging the National Assembly to take the lead in the potential amendment process. In a Facebook message marking the 77th anniversary of Constitution Day, Lee emphasized the importance of "people-centered constitutional amendment" and pledged to work alongside the legislature to ensure the people's will is fully reflected in the revision process. Lee praised the nation's democratic resilience th
July 17, 2025 -
Lee extends apology to bereaved families of major disasters
President Lee Jae Myung extended an apology to the families of those who lost their lives in what the presidential office called the four major disasters of the past decade. Lee told the families that previous administrations had failed to admit the state's liability in the deadly incidents and promised to properly compensate the victims and families left behind. "As the head of state, I extend my formal apology on behalf of the government, because the government failed to fulfill its responsibi
July 16, 2025 -
Justice nominee reaffirms Lee's prosecution reform drive
President Lee Jae Myung's pick for justice minister, Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Jung Sung-ho, said Wednesday that taking away the public prosecution service's authority to investigate is inevitable. Speaking at a National Assembly hearing on his nomination, Jung said, "Reforming the prosecution service is the call of the times." "To ensure the prosecution service remains politically neutral, and to keep its excessive powers in check, reforming the prosecution is the path that cannot be chang
July 16, 2025