President Moon Jae-in on Monday stressed the importance of SMEs and startups in the Korean economy, continuing to place emphasis on economic issues. Moon dedicated much of his New Year’s message to economic issues, and one of his first engagements of the year was a visit to Maker Space, a shared industrial facility that provides equipment to its users.  President Moon Jae-in speaks at the meeting with businesspeople running SMEs and startups at the presidential office in Seoul on Monday. YonhapS

President Moon Jae-in may replace some of his top aides, including his chief of staff. as early as Tuesday.According to reports citing unnamed sources, Cheong Wa Dae is nearing the end of its selection process, and the new presidential aides are likely to attend Moon’s New Year press conference on Thursday.  South Korean Ambassador to China Noh Young-min (left), Ambassador to the US Cho Yoon-je (center) and former Minister of Culture and Tourism Jung Dong-chae. YonhapIt is speculated that South

South Korean Ambassador to China Noh Young-min may replace Im Jong-seok as President Moon Jae-in’s chief of staff in a presidential secretariat reshuffle some time before the Lunar New Year, local media reported Friday. According to reports citing unnamed sources, Cheong Wa Dae is preparing for a reshuffle including a replacement of the chief of staff.  South Korean Ambassador to China Noh Young-min (left), Ambassador to the US Cho Yoon-je (center) and former Minister of Culture and Tourism Jung

Investigators looking into allegations against a former Cheong Wa Dae inspector secured documents and at least one computer hard drive from the suspect’s office, the prosecution revealed Friday. According to investigators of the Suwon District Prosecutors Office looking into allegations surrounding Kim Tae-woo, the suspect’s office at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office was raided on Dec. 31. Kim Tae-woo appears for questioning at the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors` Office on Thurs

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday revealed that he received a “great letter” from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Trump said that he received a letter from Kim, and reiterated his belief that North Korea is seeking real changes, and once again stressed his part in North Korea-related developments. US President Donald Trump holds up the letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the White House on Wednesday. YonhapClaiming that his meeting with Kim in Singa

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday once again stressed the importance of peace on the peninsula, saying peace will lay the foundations for economic expansion for South Korea. “The peace that we have now is a tentative peace. In the new year, (I) will do my best to make the flow of peace an irreversible wave,” Moon said in his New Year’s speech at the Korea Federation of SMEs in Seoul.  President Moon Jae-in (Yonhap)Saying that once peace and complete denuclearization are achieved, an era in whic

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday vowed to establish “irreversible peace” on the Korean Peninsula and to improve quality of life for the Korean people.“(I) will make peace irreversible so that peace can be of help to the lives of each and every one,” Moon said in a New Year’s message that he posted on social media, saying it was the people who had cleared the path toward peace that he had followed.  President Moon Jae-in addresses the people gathered to see the sunrise on Namsan in Seoul on Tuesd

For South Korea, 2019 is likely to be a year full of difficult tasks, involving issues ranging from diplomacy and North Korea to economic, social and political matters. The goals of achieving denuclearization in North Korea and peace on the Korean Peninsula also face critical events in the coming months.The most critical will be the second US-North Korea summit.  (Yonhap)US President Donald Trump has stated a number of times that he plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for a second time

An alleged blacklist of state-run organizations’ chiefs is stirring up the political arena, with the main opposition announcing plans to file criminal complaints against former and incumbent officials of Cheong Wa Dae and the Environment Ministry. According to the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, the Ministry of Environment compiled intelligence reports on former ministry officials and chiefs of state-run organizations under the ministry.  Rep. Kim Do-eup (center), the chief of Liberty Korea

Investigators looking into allegations surrounding a former inspector with the presidential office on Wednesday searched related Cheong Wa Dae facilities.According to the presidential office, investigators from the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office conducted the search as part of an investigation in response to a criminal complaint filed by the main opposition Liberty Korea Party. (Yonhap)“Today, Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office prosecutors and investigators executed a search

North Korean media on Sunday slammed South Korea for supporting the UN resolution on North Korean human rights, accusing Seoul of duplicity.The UN passed the resolution at a Dec. 17 meeting of the UN General Assembly. In the latest resolution, the 14th to be passed in as many consecutive years, the UN criticized the “long-standing and ongoing systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights” by the North. (Yonhap)On Sunday, Uriminzokkiri, the North’s propaganda website, condemned the

The Ministry of National Defense will speed up military reform and the process of easing military tension with North Korea in the coming year, the ministry reported to President Moon Jae-in on Thursday. During the annual policy objective briefing, the Defense Ministry said it will begin preparations for the transfer of wartime operational control from the US in 2019.  President Moon Jae-in attends the Ministry of National Defense`s briefing in Seoul on Thursday. YonhapAt the briefing, Moon said

Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday filed a criminal complaint against Kim Tae-woo, accusing the former investigator with the presidential office of raising false accusations and spreading information gained as part of his official duties.  Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kim Eui-kyeom. YonhapKim Tae-woo was removed from the Cheong Wa Dae post last month and sent back to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, from which he had been dispatched, for allegedly violating regulations. Kim was found to have attempted to

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered the halt of ongoing casino-related projects, under pressure from Beijing, Radio Free Asia reported Tuesday. Citing unnamed Chinese sources with connections to North Korea, RFA reported that Kim halted the construction of a hotel, the plans for which include a casino, in Sinuiju, North Pyongang Province, due to Beijing’s disapproval. The hotel, which would be 30 stories once completed, currently stands incomplete at about 20 stories, according to reports. S

Cheong Wa Dae on Monday hit back at a former investigator of the special inspection team, requesting the Ministry of Justice take further action against the individual.In the latest response to claims made by Kim Tae-woo, a former member of Cheong Wa Dae’s special inspection team, Cheong Wa Dae said he is spreading false information and breaking security regulations by revealing intelligence reports.  Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kim Eui-kyeom. Yonhap“(Kim) disclosing intelligence reports he compi