The Korea Herald

Mayor Oh’s failed gambit to weigh on political future

Aug 24, 2011

Seoul City’s vote on Wednesday was ostensibly about where to spend taxpayer money, but Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon clearly showed that the vote was more about him when he wiped away tears and kneeled in front of TV cameras last week. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon speaks during a press conference at City Ha
Failed vote to impact national politics

Aug 24, 2011

The conservatives’ defeat in Wednesday’s school meals referendum in Seoul is expected to have a sizable impact on national politics in the run-up to major elections next year, political analysts said. Hong Joon-pyo (left), chairman of the ruling Grand National Party, holds a press conference a
Districts, age groups show turnout disparity

Aug 24, 2011

Voters in Seoul’s three affluent districts ― Seocho, Gangnam and Songpa ― turned out at polling stations in large numbers, but not enough to salvage beleaguered mayor Oh Se-hoon.At Wednesday’s referendum on free school meals, the three districts reported the largest voter turnouts, with Seocho marki
DP boycotts FTA hearing as GNP plans passage

Aug 24, 2011

By Bae Hyun-jungParties are again at odds over the ratification of the Korea-U.S. free trade bill, despite their hard-reached agreement last week to hold a public hearing on the issue.The parliamentary foreign affairs committee held a public hearing on Wednesday on measures to prevent harm to the lo
Korea, Uzbekistan sign gas development deals worth $4.1 billion

Aug 23, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday agreed with Uzbek President Islam Karimov to closely cooperate for the success of joint energy development projects in the Central Asian country during their summit talks in Tashkent. With the two leaders present, a consortium of South Korean companies led by
Seoul goes to polls over free meals

Aug 23, 2011

Voting begins across Seoul on Wednesday for the city’s first-ever plebiscite, which will determine how schoolchildren will be getting their lunches and the fate of Mayor Oh Se-hoon. A total of 2,206 polling stations across the capital will be open between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Some 8.3 million Seoulites
Park Geun-hye hints at warmer ties with N.K.

Aug 22, 2011

Korea should seek to rebuild trust with North Korea, while maintaining an unyielding stance on national security, said Rep. Park Geun-hye the highest-polled presidential hopeful, in a contribution to a journal.Park contributed a 2,500-word paper titled “The New Korea: Building trust between Seoul an
Korea, Mongolia lift ties to comprehensive partnership

Aug 22, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak on Monday agreed with Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj to upgrade the level of bilateral cooperation to a “comprehensive partnership,” portending greater opportunities for Koreans to do business in the mineral-rich country. In addition to expanding ties in developing ene
Seoul residents to vote on free school meals

Aug 22, 2011

Turnout likely to decide winner in city’s first-ever plebiscite, mayor’s fateSeoul’s first-ever plebiscite will take place Wednesday, asking its citizens to decide whether all schoolchildren should be provided with free lunches regardless of their parents’ income. The vote, however, has turned
Lee starts tour of three Central Asian countries

Aug 21, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak on Sunday left for Mongolia, the first stop in his three-nation tour of Central Asia aimed mostly at boosting economic cooperation.Lee is scheduled to hold summit talks with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj in Ulan Bator to discuss ways to promote bilateral cooperati
Sohn proposes unified candidate

Aug 21, 2011

DP leader presses party to revamp candidate nomination systemMain opposition Democratic Party leader Sohn Hak-kyu on Sunday formally proposed that the entire opposition field a single candidate in next year’s presidential election, entering a tight match within the progressive bloc.“By uniting, we w
Seoul mayor vows to stake office on free lunch vote

Aug 21, 2011

SEOUL, Aug. 21 (Yonhap) -- Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon pledged Sunday to stake his mayorship on the results of this week's referendum on the city's free school lunch program, upping the ante in the controversial vote. Oh Se-hoon (Yonhap News)"I will stake my mayorship on the results of Wednesday's refere
Chief justice nominee leans toward right

Aug 19, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak’s nominee for Supreme Court chief justice is expected to bring the court’s political pendulum considerably to the right as he takes over from his liberal predecessor. Yang Sung-tae, who served as justice of the top court from 2005 to 2011 February, was named the new chief lat
Campaign heats up for vote on school meals

Aug 19, 2011

Election commission bans mayor from picketing, probes education board for ‘encouraging’ vote boycottThe nation’s conservative and liberal forces, siding with Seoul government and education authority respectively, exchanged barbs Friday, arguing about whether citizens should participate in the upcomi
Roh ordered attack on Japanese ships near Dokdo: aide

Aug 19, 2011

Former President Roh Moo-hyun had ordered his maritime police to smash into Japanese vessels in 2006 if they approached Dokdo in an attempt to claim the easternmost Korean islets, one of the late leader‘s former aides said. Roh, president from 2003-2008, was known for his hard-line stance on Japan’s