A woman who was convicted of killing her own eight-year-old daughter out of anger over discord with her live-in partner was sentenced to 22 years in prison by an appellate court Thursday. The 44-year-old woman, whose name was withheld, was arrested early this year for murdering her daughter, who was sleeping at their home in Incheon, west of Seoul, by blocking her nose and mouth on Jan. 8. The girl's body was found by the woman's common-law partner one week later. The woman reportedly told pol

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday called for business leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to show an act of solidarity to help the world achieve carbon neutrality, warning humanity's future hinges on today's actions. "Coal and oil can no longer be sustained as energy sources," Moon told the virtual APEC CEO Summit in a keynote speech. "We must lead a great transformation of civilization to new energy solutions." Achieving carbon neutrality and combating

Main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl said Thursday he will improve the deeply frayed relations between South Korea and Japan as soon as he takes office if he is elected on March 9. Yoon made the promise on his Facebook page, saying he was in the southwestern city of Mokpo to visit a museum dedicated to late former President Kim Dae-jung and happened to see the news of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's reelection Wednesday. "The issues between the two countries are n

President Moon Jae-in plans to send a pot of orchids to the main opposition People Power Party's presidential candidate, Yoon Seok-youl, early next week to congratulate him on his nomination, a presidential spokesperson said Thursday. The orchids will be delivered by Lee Cheol-hee, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, during a meeting between Lee and Yoon on Monday, presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee said. Also on Monday, Moon will send orchids of congratulations to Kim

The Supreme Court on Thursday finalized prison sentences of 34 years and 15 years, respectively, for two people convicted in a notorious online sex abuse ring case. The court confirmed the 34-year sentence for Moon Hyung-wook, 24, for coercing 21 women and girls into sharing nearly 3,800 sexually explicit videos of themselves for distribution on a sexual exploitation chat room called Nth Room on Telegram. It also confirmed the 15-year sentence for Kang Hun, 20, for coercing 18 women and girls

A former Cheong Wa Dae spokesman has been indicted for allegedly assaulting a firefighter while drunk, according to legal sources Thursday. Jeong Yeon-guk, who served as the presidential office spokesman under former President Park Geun-hye, was indicted without physical detention on Oct. 20 by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office for alleged violation of the basic fire service act. The 60-year-old is suspected of slapping the firefighter in the face while under the influence of alcoh

South Korea will spare no efforts to help the agricultural industry become more competitive as farms were affected by climate change and a crunch of the global supply chain, President Moon Jae-in said Thursday. "Although climate change and a supply chain crisis have affected the farming industry, the government will make its utmost efforts to further increase competitiveness of our farming industry," Moon said in a message marking the 26th Farmers' Day. To cope with a drive for car

South Korea will cut tariffs and place emergency controls on the production and provision of urea solution, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Thursday, to ease the ongoing supply crunch of the material used to reduce emissions in diesel vehicles. Kim unveiled the plans during an extraordinary Cabinet meeting called to discuss measures to address urea shortages. During the meeting, the Cabinet was set to approve a government notice that allows authorities to control production, shipments and sale

Main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl traveled to the liberal stronghold of Gwangju on Wednesday and apologized in person for remarks seen as praising a former authoritarian president accused of bloodily quelling a democracy uprising in the southwestern city. Yoon of the conservative People Power Party was met by protesters as he arrived to pay his respects to victims of the 1980 massacre at the May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju, 329 kilometers south of Seoul. Blocked by th

Lee Jae-myung, presidential nominee for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, expressed caution toward forming a military alliance among South Korea, the United States and Japan, voicing concerns over Japan being an ally on trust issues. The presidential nominee of the ruling party said in a press conference in Jung-gu, central Seoul, that Japan should be questioned as a trustworthy partner for alliance, citing the historical importance of keeping the Dokdo islets under South Korean sovereignty

Key heavyweights touted to run as parties look to bolster their chances in the presidential race

Lee pledges additional support funds; Yoon offers W50tr compensation for self-employed

Ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung said Wednesday he is open to an independent counsel investigation into a massive corruption scandal implicating one of his former aides. Lee of the ruling Democratic Party has previously rejected the main opposition People Power Party's calls for a special counsel probe into allegations that the former aide colluded with a private investor to reap astronomical profits from an apartment development project undertaken in Seongnam, south of Seoul,

President Moon Jae-in plans to hold a televised town hall meeting Sunday evening, in which he will discuss virus containment measures and people's livelihoods, a presidential spokesperson said Wednesday. The town hall meeting, which will be broadcast live on KBS TV from 7:10 p.m. for 100 minutes Sunday, marks Moon's second appearance on a TV talk show since 2019. "President Moon Jae-in plans to have candid discussions with the public on the subjects of containment to overcome the coronavi

Police will begin providing prime minister-level security services to the presidential candidates of the ruling and main opposition parties this week, officials at the National Police Agency (NPA) said Wednesday. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party, and Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential nominee of the main opposition People Power Party, will receive the same level of police protection as the prime minister, the National Assembly speaker and the Supreme Court