Six in 10 South Koreans think Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo taking hefty salaries during his stint at a law firm following his public service retirement is inappropriate, a poll showed Monday. In the Korea Society Opinion Institute survey of 1,013 adults, 63.2 percent said it is inappropriate for high-ranking government officials like Han to serve as outside directors or advisers to private companies after their retirement from public service. Only 17.6 percent said such a practice is appr

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Busan Mayor Park Hyeong-joon and North Gyeongsang Gov. Lee Cheol-woo were nominated for reelection in June's local elections, the People Power Party (PPP) said Monday. Park and Lee were the only candidates for nomination in their respective districts. Three applied for nomination for Seoul mayor, including Oh, and the party selected Oh for reelection, the PPP's nomination committee said. Oh and Park took office after winning last year's local by-elections. (Yonhap)

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Sunday named Park Bo-gyoon to become his administration‘s first minister of culture, sports and tourism. Park, a former journalist and vice president of the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper, was the president of Korea News Editors’ Association in 2011. After he joined the People’s Power Party in July 2021, Park played a role as a special adviser in the party’s election committee and election headquarters. In March, Park became the special advis

Kim Hyun-sook, a former lawmaker and economics professor at Soongsil University, who was named to head the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, expressed her determination to assist the president-elect to smoothly carry out the abolition of the ministry on Sunday. Kim was a proportionate representative at the 19th parliament for the then Saenuri Party, predecessor of the People Power Party, and also served as the chief secretary on employment and welfare for the Park Geun-hye administratio

Though Democratic Party not welcome in capital, Song says his bid needed anyways

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s pledge to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family was a divisive one, raising ire from opponents who say it is a signal that Korea was about to backslide on women’s rights. But female lawmakers of the People Power Party, the conservative party to which Yoon is a member, say that efforts to promote women’s rights and policies related to family and youth -- which are currently handled by the Gender Equality Ministry -- will not be dis

Yoon’s first picks focused on economy

Preparing for elections, next presidential race key to decision

Dividing line growing more complex and flexible in recent years

Impeached President Park Geun-hye on Friday endorsed her close aide Yoo Young-ha, who seeks to run for Daegu mayor in the June elections, making her first political move after being freed from prison in December. “I believe that the dream I wanted to achieve will come true by Yoo in Daegu that is my hometown and Yoo’s,” the former leader said in a five-minute video released via Yoo’s YouTube channel. Park, who was ousted from power in 2017 after a corruption scandal i

Close aide to Yoon Suk-yeol faces steep uphill battle in Assembly

President Moon Jae-in on Friday expressed deep condolences after two Coast Guard officials were killed in a helicopter crash earlier in the day, Moon's spokesperson said. Moon also called for utmost efforts to find one missing crew member of the helicopter and wished for the recovery of another crew member who was rescued, presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee said in a statement. Four people were aboard the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter when it went down in waters 370 kilometers southwest of Mara

Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo said Friday he will explain the allegations of conflicts of interest related to his home in the upcoming confirmation hearing. "I submitted explanatory materials and data (on personal assets). All of my explanations may not be accepted but I think (confirmation hearing) members will understand it well if I faithfully explain," Han told reporters on his way to the office. Han's conflict of interest allegations center on his house being rented to local

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol will embark on a national tour next week, starting with a trip to the southeastern region of Daegu where a visit with former President Park Geun-hye is under consideration, his spokesperson said Friday. During the visits to Daegu and the surrounding North Gyeongsang Province, Yoon will thank the people for his election victory and gather opinions on ways to achieve balanced growth across regions, a task he has repeatedly highlighted, Bae Hyun-jin said during a press

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol will hold a phone call with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Friday, Yoon's spokesperson said. It will mark the first time Yoon will be speaking with the chief of an international organization since his election last month. During the call, Yoon plans to express his gratitude to Bach for sending a congratulatory letter on his election and discuss cooperation in South Korea's planned hosting of the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games, Yoon's spoke