The Korea Herald

Former top court justice named new Supreme Court chief

Aug 18, 2011

Former Supreme Court Justice Yang Seung-tae was named the new chief justice of the Supreme Court on Thursday, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.Yang, 63, had been a justice at the top court from 2005 to February 2011. His term as the chief justice will also run six years. If approved, Yang
Hanjin boss apologizes for dispute

Aug 18, 2011

Cho Nam-ho, chairman of Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co., apologized multiple times during a parliamentary hearing Thursday over a prolonged labor dispute at the company’s shipyard in Busan. Cho Nam-ho (left), chairman of Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co., reads prepared docu
President Lee lauds Chung for donation

Aug 17, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak lauded ex-ruling party leader Chung Mong-joon’s donation of 200 billion won ($186 million) for charity, which came a day after Lee called for a compassionate market economy.Lee said Chung’s donation was “a very good thing” during a weekly meeting with his aides on Wednesday,
GNP leader calls for family reunions ahead of Chuseok

Aug 17, 2011

The two Koreas should make cooperative efforts on holding another round of reunions of families separated by the Korean War ahead of next month’s Chuseok holiday, chairman of Seoul’s right wing ruling party said Wednesday. Considering the old age of most of these family members, there is a need for
Big firms pressed on social responsibility

Aug 17, 2011

Business lobbying group chief agrees some markets should be only for small firmsLawmakers on Wednesday chided business giants for taking advantage of their dominant status to squeeze out suppliers and muscling in on business that should be run by smaller firms such as coffee shops and restaurants.Th
Ex-lawmaker indicted over savings bank scandal

Aug 16, 2011

Prosecutors said Tuesday they have indicted a former opposition lawmaker on charges of taking illegal political funds from a scandal-ridden savings bank.Suh Gab-won, a former lawmaker with the main opposition Democratic Party, is charged with receiving 30 million won($27,985) from Kim Yang, vice pre
Court rejects ban on free meal vote

Aug 16, 2011

President backs Seoul mayor in opposition to free school meal planA Seoul court on Tuesday dismissed a request to suspend a plebiscite next week on free school lunches, clearing the way for the city to hold the vote as scheduled. The Seoul Administrative Court rejected the appeal made by the city’s
Events to mark anniversary of Kim Dae-jung’s death

Aug 16, 2011

Liberal political circles are holding a series of events to mark the second anniversary of the death of former President Kim Dae-jung, who they have long hailed for his lifelong devotion to promoting democracy and inter-Korean reconciliation.Observers said that such a collective move to mark the lat
Chung’s donation draws attention to his presidential ambitions

Aug 16, 2011

Former Grand National Party chairman and the country’s third-richest man Chung Mong-joon took a major step in his run-up to the presidential election next year by donating 200 billion won for charity.Former Hyundai Group affiliates announced Tuesday that they will set up a 500 billion won ($467 mill
GNP backs Lee’s call for kinder capitalism

Aug 16, 2011

Opposition demands abandonment of growth-first policy, says more welfare neededThe 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
Lawmaker calls for budget hike for East Sea campaign

Aug 16, 2011

South Korea should increase its budget and assign more diplomats to bolster its campaign to change the international community’s name for the waters separating the Korean Peninsula and Japan to the “East Sea,” a ruling party lawmaker said Tuesday.Amid renewed passions over the East Sea name, Rep. Ch
Lee calls for measures to curb expected rise in home rental

Aug 16, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak expressed concern Tuesday that home rental prices are feared to spike in the fall again and instructed the Cabinet to study ways to curb them, his spokesman said.Earlier this year, home rental prices rose sharply, pulling up overall consumer prices. In April alone, rental pri
Chaebol pushed to change their ways

Aug 16, 2011

Latest bout of friction with political circles presses conglomerates to assume more social responsibilityWhen 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
GNP signs cooperation agreement with Vietnam's Communist Party

Aug 15, 2011

South Korea's ruling Grand National Party signed an agreement with Vietnam's Communist Party on Monday to boost exchanges and cooperation between the two sides, an official said.GNP Secretary General Kim Jung-kwon signed the memorandum of understanding with Le Hong Anh, a top official of the Communi
Parties square off over school meals

Aug 15, 2011

Seoul mayor lambasts attempts to discourage voting in referendum on Aug. 24Rival 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