The floor leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Monday pressured the widely unpopular health minister nominee, Chung Ho-young, to step down amid concerns that his appointment could hinder the party's chances in the upcoming local elections. "I listened to many lawmakers in the party, and many of them showed objections to Chung's appointment," PPP floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong told reporters after the party's election committee meeting. "He needs to d

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Monday he will make utmost efforts for national unity, while pledging swift implementation of an extra budget aimed at compensating small merchants hit by losses caused by stricter virus curbs. "I will take the lead in national unity and cooperation of politics to resolve matters of people's livelihood, economic recovery, sustainable growth and materialize the safety of people," Han said in his inauguration speech. Han said the government is prepared to

President Yoon Suk-yeol congratulated Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean attacker Son Heung-min on Monday on becoming the first Asian player to win the scoring title in the Premier League. Son scored twice in Tottenham's 5-0 rout of Norwich City at Carrow Road in Norwich, England, on Sunday (local time), and finished the 2021-2022 season with a career-high 23 goals. The player shared the Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah of Liverpool, who scored late in his team's 3-1 win over Wolverha

More than 52 percent of South Koreans gave a positive assessment of President Yoon Suk-yeol's handling of state affairs in the first poll on Yoon's approval rating since he took office on May 10, the pollster Realmeter said Monday. In the poll of 2,528 people aged 18 or above nationwide conducted from Monday to Friday of last week, 52.1 percent said Yoon did a good job, while 40.6 percent said he did not. Yoon's approval rating was high among the ruling People Power Party (PPP) su

In meeting with first lady Kim Keon-hee for the first time this past weekend, US President Joe Biden had a few good words to say, according to sources Monday. Biden was greeted by first lady Kim Keon-hee when he arrived at the National Museum of Korea for a state dinner Saturday. He told President Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim the two men had something in common: Both had "married up." Kim said she hoped to see him again soon, and Biden replied that he hoped to meet her when she visited the Un

Oh Se-hoon, the Seoul mayoral candidate of the ruling People Power Party, says he will strive for more foreign investment and will transform Seoul into a “leading Asian financial center” if elected for the fourth time as Seoul mayor. “Seoul, the capital city of South Korea, is the heart and engine of the country, and managing the city’s affairs is no less significant than running the country,” Oh said during an interview with The Korea Herald on May 17. Oh, who

Yoon administration’s early progress helps ratings for conservative party

President Yoon Suk-yeol officially appointed Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Saturday after an opposition-controlled National Assembly confirmed him the previous day following nearly 50 days of partisan wrangling over his suitability. Yoon conferred an appointment certificate on Han in the morning at the presidential office in Seoul. Han took the country's No. 2 government post for the second time. The 72-year-old previously served as prime minister during the liberal Roh Moo-hyun administrati

The National Assembly on Friday approved the appointment of Han Duck-soo as the new prime minister, with the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea deciding to vote for the appointment at a meeting held late in the afternoon. The president can appoint ministers without parliamentary approval with the exception of the prime minister. The Democratic Party had expressed discontent with Han as a prime minister pick citing the unusually high salary he drew while working in the private sector,

Outcome likely to reflect sentiment on Yoon administration

Official campaigning for local elections and parliamentary by-elections kicked off Thursday with the ruling and opposition parties looking to expand their presence from the start of President Yoon Suk-yeol's new government. The 13-day campaign period will last until the eve of the June 1 elections. A total of 7,616 candidates are vying for 17 metropolitan mayors and provincial governors, and 226 heads of lower-level administrative units in the upcoming elections. Also up for grabs are 779 s

First conservative president to enter through Door of Democracy, calls movement’s values ‘cornerstone of national unity’

Democratic Party fiercely opposes PM nominee, but chances remain

President Yoon Suk-yeol and some 100 lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) traveled to the southwestern city of Gwangju on Wednesday for a ceremony marking the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in an unprecedented outreach to the home turf of the main opposition party. The civil revolt, in which Gwangju citizens rose up against the then military junta led by late former President Chun Doo-hwan, has long been associated with the liberal opposition Democratic Party (DP), and the conservativ

Opposition party accuses Yoon of ‘ignoring communication’; PM approval may face bumpy road