A district court on Friday delivered a not-guilty verdict to Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon indicted on charges of making a false statement in the run-up to last year's by-election, citing the lack of evidence. Park was indicted for denying news reports that he was involved in the National Intelligence Service (NIS)'s surveillance of environmentalists campaigning against a major river restoration project in 2009, when he was the public relations chief for then President Lee Myung-bak. How

DAEJEON -- Prosecutors on Friday raided the Presidential Archives as part of their investigations into possible illegalities in the controversial decision by the preceding Moon Jae-in government to close an aging nuclear reactor earlier than its legal expiration date. The Daejeon District Prosecutors Office sent prosecutors and investigators to the Presidential Archives in the central administrative city of Sejong to search for documents related to the early closure decision for the Wolsong 1 re

The presidential office expressed regret Friday over the "rude" remarks of the North Korean leader's sister on President Yoon Suk-yeol's offer of economic aid in exchange for denuclearization steps. Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a scathing commentary earlier in the day, calling Yoon's initiative "the height of absurdity" and lambasting the president by name. "We consider it very regrettable that North Korea continues to

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Friday called on the government to launch negotiations with the United States to get South Korean-made electric vehicles eligible for tax benefits under the newly legislated Inflation Reduction Act. Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, PPP's floor leader, said that Korea-made electric cars should enjoy equal tax benefits as those produced in North America in accordance with the free trade agreement between Seoul and Washington. The $430 billion bill, signed into law

Lee Won-seok, deputy chief prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, was nominated on Thursday for the post of prosecutor general, ending a monthslong leadership vacuum. The nomination, which is a de-facto appointment, makes Lee the first prosecutor general of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. Lee had been linked to the top post for some time, as he has been leading the organization for three months as acting prosecutor general. In announcing Lee’s nomination, the presidentia

The presidential office on Thursday announced plans to add a senior secretary position to the secretariat in a move apparently aimed at strengthening the office‘s policy coordination capabilities. 　 “As there has been problems of communication with civil affairs and policy agendas, there needs to be a post that helps the presidential office, Cabinet and people to communicate with each other,” President Yoon Suk-yeol’s Chief of Staff Kim Dae-ki said during a press brief

The interim leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) apologized Thursday for turmoil from the party's leadership transition, vowing to win back people's support through "reform" and "unity." "The party sincerely apologizes to the people and our supporters and is reflecting on itself for failing to resolve the internal conflict and division and allowing the situation to evolve into a legal fight," Rep. Joo Ho-young told the first meeting of the PPP

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Thursday his press conference held the previous day to mark his first 100 days in office was intended to show that he will closely listen to the people's voices. "The purpose of yesterday's press conference was that I will closely look into and honor the people's words," he said as he arrived at the presidential office. The press conference was held as Yoon's image has been badly in need of a makeover following weeks of falling approval

Lee Jun-seok, the disgraced former leader of the ruling People Power Party, has launched a string of attacks on President Yoon Suk-yeol and his “pro-Yoon” rivals. Lee was unceremoniously dismissed as the party leader on Tuesday, as an interim leadership was sworn in. Lee, who was already suspended from the party by an intraparty ethics committee over a month ago, has made sure not to stay silent. Speaking to reporters outside Seoul’s eastern district court Wednesday, Lee sa

Yoon looks for ways to compensate forced laborers while stressing future relations with Japan

Prosecutors on Wednesday searched the Korea Coast Guard in the expanding probe into allegations surrounding the 2020 killing of a South Korean civil servant by North Korean soldiers. 　 Officials from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors‘ Office searched the Coast Guard building in Incheon, and secured related documents from the Coast Guard’s security department, which first investigated the case. Electronic documents and messenger data from other departments has been also secured.

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Wednesday that South Korea cannot provide North Korea with security guarantees, but he does not want the status quo changed "unreasonably or by force." The remark, made in a press conference marking his 100 days in office, was seen as yet another olive branch to Pyongyang, days after he unveiled what he described as an "audacious" offer to rebuild the North's economy if the regime takes substantial steps toward denuclearization. "Guaranteeing

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) was set Wednesday to endorse a revision to its charter aimed at raising the bar for party membership suspension for those facing criminal charges amid criticism it is aimed at shielding former presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung. The party's national convention preparatory committee adopted the envisioned revision a day earlier to state that only those convicted in the first trial would have their party membership suspended. Under the current chart

A Seoul court is set to hold a hearing Wednesday to review an injunction filed by the former chairman of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), Lee Jun-seok, against the party's leadership switch. The hearing comes a day after the PPP endorsed members of its emergency leadership committee, completing the leadership transition that removes then suspended party chief Lee Jun-seok from office. Five-time Rep. Joo Ho-young was named the committee's chief. Protesting the transition, Lee filed

South Korean prosecutors searched the houses of Park Jie-won, Suh Hoon and Suh Wook in an investigation into allegations surrounding the death of a South Korean civil servant. 　Park served as the head of the National Intelligence Service, Suh Wook was the defense minister, and Suh Hoon was the head of the presidential National Security Council at the time of the civil servant’s death in 2020. The civil servant, 47-year old Lee Dae-jun, was killed by North Korean soldiers on Sept. 22, 202