President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating fell below the 40 percent mark in two months since he took office, a poll showed Monday, reflecting the negative sentiment amid an ongoing power struggle at the ruling party. In the poll of 2,525 voters nationwide conducted by Realmeter from Monday to Friday last week, only 37 percent gave a positive assessment of his performance, while 57 percent disapproved of Yoon's handling of state affairs. It is the first time Yoon's approval rating

Party leader refuses to accept penalization, tries to gather support

President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday expressed condolences over the death of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was fatally shot by a gunman during a campaign event. 　 　“I express condolences and consolation to the bereaved family and the Japanese people over the death of the longest-serving prime minister in Japan‘s constitutional history who was a respected politician,” Yoon said in a message to Abe’s wife Akie Abe. 　 　Abe was pronounced dead in the afternoon,

The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan held a trilateral meeting in Indonesia on Friday, with their security cooperation against North Korea‘s nuclear and missile threat high on the agenda. 　 　The trilateral session, between South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, took place on the resort island of Bali on the margins of the Group of 20 meeting that was held from Thursday to Frid

Political landscape set to undergo phase of chaos with ethics panel‘s Friday ruling

Chairman warns to fight the ruling in court

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has defended his remarks that led to a resignation offer by the head of the Korea Development Institute (KDI), a state-run think tank, who was appointed by the previous Moon Jae-in administration. KDI President Hong Jang-pyo, an architect of the income-led growth policy under the Moon government, tendered his resignation earlier this week, days after Han called for Hong to step down, saying the government and KDI should be on the same page when it comes to policies an

Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon has tested positive for COVID-19 following his trip to the United States, his ministry said Friday. Han took a polymerase chain reaction test late Thursday upon arrival at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, and the result came back positive early Friday morning, according to the justice ministry. The minister will work from home until Wednesday in compliance with the mandatory seven-day self quarantine for those with COVID-19. Han visited Washington and

Yoon orders ministries to conduct thorough investigation of public sector assets

Presidential office’s explanation does little to douse fire

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) was set to hold an ethics committee meeting Thursday to discuss a sexual bribery scandal involving leader Lee Jun-seok amid speculation over whether he will be ousted as the leader. The PPP's ethics committee is scheduled to meet at the National Assembly at 7 p.m. to determine whether and how to discipline Lee over the allegations that he received sexual services paid for by a businessman as a bribe in 2013 and attempted to cover up the case. Lee, who has

National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo has met with a visiting delegation of the US House of Representatives and discussed various issues from investment to human rights, his office said Thursday. During the meeting held Wednesday, Kim called for US Congress to help foreign firms, such as South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co., to benefit from the CHIPS Act aimed at bolstering the US chip industry by offering grants to chipmakers. "Many South Koreans were deeply impressed with US Pr

Presidential office says ‘nothing wrong’ in process

Ethics panel could penalize Lee over sexual bribery allegations Thursday

President Yoon Suk-yeol holds a baby doll in a sling from a woman-owned baby product maker on display at the Korean Federation of Small and Medium Business headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on Tuesday before attending a ceremony to encourage female entrepreneurs. The president and first lady Kim Keon-hee have no child. (Yonhap)