Discord between Yoon and Kim comes to the fore

Polarization may grow between the greater Seoul area and elsewhere, experts say

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday instructed his aides to make utmost efforts to contain the spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant, as health authorities warned that omicron is likely to soon replace the delta variant as the dominant strain in South Korea. Moon also called for officials to spare no efforts to provide compensation to small merchants and self-employed people who were hit by the government's imposing of tighter virus curbs. "The government should make utmost effo

Ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung said Tuesday he believes it will be possible to draw up a supplementary budget of up to 30 trillion won ($25 billion) before the end of January to support pandemic-hit small businesses. Lee of the Democratic Party made the remark during a New Year's press conference, referring to his party's push to create an extra budget to help small merchants affected by the government's COVID-19 business restrictions. "I think it's certainly possible b

Main opposition party campaign leaders resign in hope for turnaround

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Monday promised a sweeping overhaul of its campaign committee and shed a feminist politician unpopular among young male voters as the party scrambled to stop the declining support of its presidential nominee Yoon Suk-yeol. The party's floor leader, Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, and its chief policymaker, Rep. Kim Do-eup, also offered to leave their positions in a demonstration of their commitment to overhauling the campaign plagued by factional feuding. The

President hopes for election of unity rather hostility, hatred and division

Prime Minister Kim Boo-Kyum on Monday called on public servants to keep political neutrality and discipline as the country prepares for the presidential and local elections this year. "Please restrain from any activity that can be misinterpreted ahead of elections," Kim said at the government's new year kick-off ceremony in Seoul. "We will strictly deal with activities regarding producing or providing government policy data in an unofficial way." South Korea is scheduled

The next president, to be elected in March and take office in May, will have a host of urgent issues. Korea’s economy has been hit hard by the prolonged pandemic. Millions of small business owners and self-employed people are burdened with mounting debts. Housing prices have soared. The deepening US-China rivalry is posing a tricky policy challenge. Relations with the North and with Japan have turned sour. Whoever becomes a new president, their top priority will, above all, be respondin

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, will accept cryptocurrency for campaign donations, his party said on Sunday, amid growing interest in virtual assets among young voters. According to Lee’s election committee, it will issue nonfungible tokens as receipts to those who donate virtual currencies to support the presidential nominee, starting from mid-January. Bitcoin, Ethereum and up to three other cryptocurrencies are under review. The committ

President Moon Jae-in said Saturday he expects the upcoming presidential election to bring hope for the future, with people expected to vote in a tight race in March between two main candidates.  "An election to pick a new president lies ahead," Moon said in a New Year's message posted on social media, adding he "expects an election that assures hope for the future together with people."  The presidential election will be held on March 9, and recent polls showed

The conservative opposition People Power Party‘s presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl asked the rhetorical question on Wednesday if he is an “idiot” to take part in a TV debate with his liberal rival Lee Jae-myung. His remark has now become a viral meme in online communities. At a campaign event on Wednesday in Andong, a conservative stronghold, Yoon dismissed a proposal by the candidate from the ruling Democratic Party to debate him. “The Democratic Party candidate w

Main opposition presidential nominee Yoon Suk-yeol stressed Friday that his investigation of former President Park Geun-hye was carried out in the line of duty as a senior prosecutor amid speculation her release from prison could hurt his election chances. Park became a free woman at midnight under a presidential pardon after serving nearly five years in prison. Her release puts Yoon of the People Power Party (PPP) in an awkward position as he headed the investigation of Park's corruption scand

The National Assembly on Friday passed a bill that lowers the age of candidacy for parliament and local elections from 25 to 18. Under the bill, which is expected to be endorsed by the Cabinet next month, anyone aged 18 and above can run for a seat in the National Assembly starting with the by-elections slated for March 9, when the presidential election will be held simultaneously. At least five seats will be up for grabs in the 300-seat Assembly. The bill passed 204-12, with 10 abstentions.

Anti-corruption agency chief claims checking phone logs of main opposition party lawmakers done via legitimate processes