The government decided Friday to raise the private gathering size limit to eight people for the capital area and 10 for elsewhere before the country shifts to a "living with COVID-19" scheme next month, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said. Under the renewed plan that will go into effect Monday, the greater Seoul area will remain under the toughest social distancing of Level 4, while the rest of the country will be under Level 3, Kim said during an interagency meeting on the government's

Former South Korean Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo died Thursday after battling blood cancer, officials here said. He was 71. Lee served as prime minister shortly between February and April in 2015 under then President Park Geun-hye before stepping down over bribery allegations. Considered a political heavyweight in Chungcheong Province, Lee entered politics in 1995 after working as a provincial police commissioner. He served three terms as a lawmaker for the conservative New Party Korea, United

SUWON -- Police referred Rep. Jung Chan-min of the main opposition People Power Party to the prosecution Thursday on charges of taking bribes from a construction company when he was mayor of Yongin, south of Seoul. Jung was arrested last week on suspicions of accepting 460 million won ($387,000) worth of bribes by receiving discounts on plots of land purchased by his family and friends from the construction company in exchange for business favors. Jung allegedly promised to help the company wi

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday called on financial authorities to closely monitor banks to ensure a smooth supply of loans for "jeonse" home rentals. Moon made the remarks after financial authorities decided to ease some restrictions on loans taken out for home rentals as part of efforts to protect people in actual need of borrowing money, according to presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee. Jeonse is a home rental system unique to South Korea in which tenants pay a large sum

Former South Korean Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo died Thursday after battling blood cancer, officials here said. He was 71. Lee served as prime minister shortly between February and April in 2015 under then President Park Geun-hye before stepping down over bribery allegations. Considered a political heavyweight in Chungcheong Province, Lee entered politics in 1995 after working as a provincial police commissioner. He served three terms as a lawmaker for the conservative New Party Korea, United

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Thursday the government is determined to improve the quality of meals for military service members following heavy criticism that troops are poorly fed. "Recent soldier meal issues are something that should not have happened, but at the same time, it showed that our military food system has reached its limit," Kim said during a state affairs coordination meeting in Sejong, some 120 kilometers south of Seoul. The prime minister said that military foo

A Seoul court was to question a key suspect at the center of a snowballing regional development corruption scandal on Thursday to determine whether to issue an arrest warrant for him on bribery and other charges. Prosecutors sought the warrant to arrest Kim Man-bae on Tuesday on charges in connection with how his previously little-known firm, Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Management, reaped massive profits from a 2015 development project in the city of Seongnam, south of Seoul. The former journalist al

Officials from more than 30 countries, including South Korea, will discuss ways to counter ransomware attacks from countries, including Russia and North Korea, in a US-led virtual meeting this week, a US official said. The virtual meeting, to be held Wednesday and Thursday, comes after a series of recent ransomware attacks on US businesses and government offices from perpetrators believed to be based in other countries, including China, Russia and North Korea. “While the United States is

Ruling party rejects appeal against primary results, request for runoff

The ruling Democratic Party (DP)'s top decision-making body was set to meet Wednesday to discuss an appeal against the party's choice of Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung as its presidential nominee amid widespread indications that the decision is unlikely to change. The DP party affairs committee was scheduled to meet later in the day after former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, the runner-up in the primary, demanded the panel convene to discuss whether the votes in the primary were counted according to

South Korea will consider introducing a "vaccine pass" for people's gradual return to normal life, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Wednesday, as the country prepares to adopt a "living with COVID-19" scheme. Kim hinted at easing virus prevention measures under the new scheme, which is expected to begin Nov. 9, but he stressed that does not mean that the country should let its guard down against the virus. Under the scheme, COVID-19 will be treated as an infectious respirat

The minor progressive Justice Party on Tuesday chose four-term lawmaker Sim Sang-jeung as its candidate for the March presidential election. Sim won a runoff against former party leader Lee Jeong-mi, with 51.12 percent of the vote, the party said. The 62-year-old is a household name within the progressive camp and has made three previous bids for president. In the last presidential election in 2017, Sim earned 6.17 percent of the vote, the most ever for a progressive candidate. In accepting

National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug asked for Egypt’s help in engaging with North Korea, and for the push to officially end the 1950-53 Korean War, in his meeting with Egypt’s President of the Senate Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Razeq and Speaker of the House of Representatives Hanafy Ali El Gebali. Park, who is current on an official visit to Egypt, is the first National Assembly speaker to visit Egypt since Speaker Lee Man-seop in 2002. The meeting with his Egyptian counterparts wa

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday ordered a thorough probe into a snowballing corruption scandal involving a close aide to the ruling Democratic Party's presidential nominee. Cheong Wa Dae spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee told reporters Moon instructed the prosecution and the police to "actively cooperate and do their utmost to uncover the factual truth through a swift and thorough investigation."This is the first time Moon has commented on the scandal that centers on allegations that the a

President Moon Jae-in, clad in traditional Korean attire hanbok, presided over a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, in a move to raise awareness among the public over the traditional outfit. The move came as the culture ministry designated Oct. 11-17 as the "Week of Autumn Hanbok Culture" to promote the traditional Korean dress, which features large sleeves and wide trousers. Moon said hanbok has gained international attention due to its unique beauty and styles. Oxford English Dictionary has