Shorter workweek touted as means to boost balance, productivity if not introduced abruptly

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), has come under fire after saying he may consider adopting a cap on the number of restaurants in the country to curb excessive competition. Lee made the remarks Wednesday during his campaigning at a traditional market in Seoul where he listened to self-employed people suffering from the pandemic. He said the competition in the restaurant business is like "an ant lion pit," and that he has an idea of running a

South Korea and the United States may have "somewhat different perspectives" on the issue of declaring a formal end to the Korean War, but the perspectives should not be seen as a "difference of views," a senior Cheong Wa Dae official said Thursday. Park Soo-hyun, senior Cheong Wa Dae secretary for public communication, made the remark in response to speculation that Washington is reluctant to support President Moon Jae-in's vision for an end-of-war declaration that would ju

The top Chinese envoy here expressed condolences Thursday over the death of former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo, who formally established diplomatic ties between the two nations during his presidency. Ambassador Xing Haiming said Roh is "an old friend" of China who changed the regional security dynamic by establishing relations with China in 1992 and deciding to sever South Korea's ties with Taiwan. "(We) won't forget that (Roh) made a big decision to forge diplomatic rela

The Constitutional Court was set to rule Thursday on whether to accept the National Assembly's impeachment of a judge, now retired, accused of meddling in politically sensitive trials chaired by other judges during the previous administration. The National Assembly voted on Feb. 4 to impeach Lim Seong-geun, then a judge at the Busan High Court, for allegedly meddling in several sensitive cases in the past, most notably a libel case filed by the former Park Geun-hye government against a Japanese

President Moon Jae-in was set to leave for Italy on Thursday for a meeting with Pope Francis and a G20 summit with other global leaders expected to focus on tackling climate crisis and helping the world end the COVID-19 pandemic. On Friday, Moon will meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican to discuss peace on the Korean Peninsula and efforts to end the pandemic. Moon and Pope Francis are expected to exchange their wisdom to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula and resolve pending global issues,

Roh expresses remorse in last words relayed by family

The government plans to pay about 960 billion won ($820 million) to the victims of the bloody 1948-1954 suppression of a civilian uprising on Jeju Island, the interior ministry said Wednesday, marking the largest state compensation for civilian victims connected to past tragedies. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said the government has finalized the plan to pay compensation of 90 million won per person to 10,101 victims of the so-called Jeju April 3 incident. If the individual compensati

Former President Roh Tae-woo used his last will to ask for forgiveness from victims of the military's brutal crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising in the southwestern city of Gwangju in 1980, his son said Wednesday. Roh Jae-heon unveiled the will of his father, who died Tuesday of chronic illness at age 88, to reporters at a funeral altar for the late president in Seoul. "He thought he had infinite responsibility for all things that happened, whether it is good or bad, because he cared a

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday expressed his condolences to late former President Roh Tae-woo, crediting the deceased with foreign policy achievements but also describing his involvement in a coup and the brutal crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising as "faults." The measured message by Moon, which came a day after Roh died at age 88, suggested that soul-searching had taken place to determine the right balance between paying respect to a late predecessor and public sentiment critic

PM says Roh’s achievements will be honored with people

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the government's pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 2018 levels by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The pledge, which was passed at a Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, represents a significant raise in the country's previous greenhouse gas reduction target of 26.3 percent. President Moon Jae-in plans to introduce the country's vision globally in person at the 26th United Nations Climate Change C

The government will hold a Cabinet meeting Wednesday to discuss whether to hold a state funeral for late former President Roh Tae-woo, the country's last general-turned-president accused of deep involvement in a coup and the bloody crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising. The Cabinet meeting is aimed at holding discussions on a state funeral proposal but tabling the proposal at a Cabinet meeting itself raised views that the government was close to deciding to hold a state funeral for him. Presid

The office of President Moon Jae-in was mulling how much courtesy to extend to late former President Roh Tae-woo, including whether to hold a state funeral for the country's last general-turned-president accused of deep involvement in a coup and the bloody crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising. Moon has not issued any message yet since Roh died Tuesday at age 88, suggesting that soul-searching is under way to determine the right balance between paying respect to a late predecessor and public se

The news of former President Roh Tae-woo’s death on Tuesday was met with mixed reactions. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea expressed condolences, but also pointed to his part in military regimes. Saying that the party wishes for Roh to rest in peace, Democratic Party spokesperson Rep. Lee Yong-bin said the late ex-president extended military rule despite being elected democratically, and that he was a “criminal in history” for his part in crushing the 1980 Gwangju Democ