About 43,000 young Scouts from 158 countries are set to begin full participation in educational and cultural exchange programs of the 25th World Scout Jamboree on Wednesday, with the opening ceremony taking place in the Saemangeum Reclaimed Area on the southwestern South Korean coast in the evening. Amid a scorching heat wave sweeping across the nation, the opening ceremony is set to start at 8 p.m. at the jamboree campground, about 180 km south of Seoul, featuring welcome and opening speeches b

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held a meeting with Belize's Prime Minister John Briceno on Tuesday and requested the Central American country's support for South Korea's bid to bring the 2030 World Expo to its southern port city of Busan, the presidential office said. During the meeting held at the presidential office in Seoul, Yoon also expressed hope for increased exchanges between the two countries, noting that a growing number of Korean tourists are visiting Belize, pres

Restoration of teachers' authority, shoddy construction practices, heinous crime prevention top Yoon's policy agenda

Amid swirling controversies surrounding his eligibility, Lee Dong-kwan, special adviser for external relations to President Yoon Suk Yeol and nominee to head the Korea Communications Commission, commenced preparations on Tuesday for a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly. Lee arrived Tuesday morning at a temporary office set up in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, located within minutes of the state broadcasting watchdog’s headquarters. His appearance comes four days after the official

Proposed bill: Partial Amendment to the Labor Standards Act Proposed by Rep. Kim Ju-young (Democratic Party of Korea) ● With the expanding diversity of employment types, there has been a notable increase in cases of discrimination based on employment type. This amendment prohibits discrimination based on employment type and stipulates that work requiring the same or similar technologies, labor intensity and work conditions has equal value. Proposed bill: Partial Amendment to the Act on the Con

Prosecutors sought arrest warrants for two lawmakers for a second time Tuesday over a cash-for-votes scandal surrounding the main opposition Democratic Party's 2021 leadership election, after the National Assembly refused to consent to their arrests earlier this year. Reps. Youn Kwan-suk and Lee Sung-man, now independents after quitting the Democratic Party, are accused of involvement in distributing cash envelopes, each containing 3 million won, to 20 Democratic Party lawmakers as part of

President Yoon Suk Yeol pledged to eradicate "cartels" with vested interests in the construction industry on Tuesday, citing them as a reason behind shoddy construction practices revealed at apartment underground parking lots. Yoon made the remark during a Cabinet meeting following revelations that not enough reinforcing rods were used in building underground parking lots at a number of apartment complexes across the country to cut costs and speed up construction. "Cartels with ve

South Korean Rep. Ji Seong-ho, who fled North Korea in 2006, proposed a bill that protects North Korean escapees from having their cash assistance taken away by “brokers.” The bill, which seeks an amendment to the existing laws on the protection and resettlement of North Korean escapees, would allow them to open bank accounts for cash assistance that cannot be seized by a third party. The South Korean government has been providing financial assistance to people on basic income suppor

Leaders likely to discuss N. Korea’s threats, Fukushima wastewater release

Cabinet reshuffle could follow president's 1st out-of-town recess

The older brother of Lee Dae-jun, a fisheries official killed by North Korean troops at sea in September 2020, is on a two-day trip to Japan from Friday to meet with families of Japanese who were abducted by North Korea. The brother, Lee Rae-jin, told The Korea Herald on Friday that he hoped the meeting with Japanese families would be a new opportunity for a joint response to human rights violations perpetrated by North Korea. “In Korea and Japan the pain the families (of victims) shares i

At least 36 in charge of response sought in formal investigation

The top diplomats of South Korea and Austria held consultations to discuss cooperation on supply chain issues and other areas of mutual interest, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. In the meeting held in Salzburg on Thursday, Foreign Minister Park Jin and his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg, agreed to closely cooperate in promoting bilateral trade and investment in the fields of batteries, electric vehicles and semiconductors. The two sides also agreed to work closely to ens

President Yoon Suk Yeol lauded the sacrifices and bravery of the United Nations forces as the foundation of contemporary South Korea during a ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice. Speaking at the ceremony held at the Busan Cinema Center on Thursday, President Yoon expressed gratitude to the countries and veterans who participated in the Korean War and emphasized the enduring significance of the UN forces in preserving peace on the Korean Peninsula. "Toda

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service believes the mobile device pictured next to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un earlier this month is likely a Chinese product, according to the state agency’s assessment obtained by the National Assembly on Thursday. In its assessment, the NIS said the foldable smartphone is believed to be a Chinese product smuggled in by rail after the cross-border freight train operations between North Korea and China resumed in September last year. The NIS