Ahn Cheol-soo, a former presidential candidate and former leader of an opposition party, announced Wednesday his bid to run in the Seoul mayoral election in June. Ahn is currently the recruitment chief of the center-right Bareunmirae Party, which has been struggling with low support ratings and difficulties finding competent candidates to run in the local and gubernatorial elections slated for June 13. Ahn Cheol-soo (Yonhap)“With the belief that South Korea will change when Seoul changes, I aim

The main opposition Liberty Korea Party on Tuesday announced its proposal for a constitutional amendment that seeks to redistribute presidential powers, hinting at a difficult negotiating process with the ruling party.The conservative party also outlined its preferred timeline to bring to the table an amendment bill at the National Assembly in June and put it to a national referendum by September.Floor leader Rep. Kim Sung-tae of main opposition Liberty Korea Party (Yonhap)The main opposition’s

In front of the Hyoja community service center, just 200 meters away from the presidential office in Seoul, some 3,000 parents and volunteer workers took to the streets to demand support for people with developmental disabilities on Monday. During the rally organized by Korean Parents’ Network for People with Disabilities, 209 parents and activists also shaved their heads, in the hopes that their pleadings will be better heard and seen by the government.“We are parents who have to take care of o

Korean parents’ emphasis on education, in particular their keen interest in early English language education, are well-known. Teaching children a foreign language while they are still learning their first language may raise concerns. However, Stacy Molnar, the head of the elementary school at St. Johnsbury Academy on Jeju Island, said it is crucial to build a foundation for children’s mother tongue in order for them to more effectively learn another language.St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju Elementary

Recent comments by the presidential office on the website Ilbe Storehouse indicate that it may be possible to abolish the website if the majority of its contents are unlawful. On Friday, presidential secretary for legal affairs Kim Hyung-yeon explained that the Korea Communications Commission could order the deletion or a halt to the distribution of illegal content, in response to an online petition calling for the abolishment of the website. “When more than 70 percent of the uploaded content is

As fine dust reached its highest level for March -- rising three to four times higher than the average recorded since 2015 -- over the weekend, the Environment Ministry issued warnings and the government announced measures in response to the situation Sunday. The Ministry of Environment issued emergency pollution measures and convened an emergency situation room to monitor the air quality. It also asked local governments to take appropriate measures against the increase of fine dust in the atmos

With Cheong Wa Dae set to table its constitutional amendment proposal Monday, parties are struggling to narrow their differences in an effort to come up with their own revision plan.The government’s proposal includes plans to change the current five-year single term presidency to a four-year term with the possibility of re-election. It will be discussed in a Cabinet meeting Monday morning before it is passed on to President Moon Jae-in for approval to be submitted to the National Assembly.The Li

The courts on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for former President Lee Myung-bak, who is suspected of a string of allegations including bribery, embezzlement and power abuse. Ex-President Lee Myung-bak waves to his supporters before being taken to a Seoul detention house on Thursday night. (Yonhap)The allegations against him include bribery of some 11 billion won ($10.3 million) from the state spy agency, individuals and conglomerates, such as Samsung. The former president, who was in office f

South Korea is well-known for its society’s great fervor toward education, but activists say that the country must break away from its relentless focus on credentials. More than 98 percent of the teenage population graduates from high school, and in 2017, 68.9 percent of those in the 18 to 21 age group advanced to college, according to the Education Ministry. The figures are among the highest in the OECD.  Lee Ki-woo (Korean Council for University College Education)However, this fervor for educa

Eighteen students from Dwight School Seoul joined 240 students from Dwight campuses around the world to perform at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 13, in honor of their Chancellor Stephen Spahn, the longest-serving head of school in the United States. Dubbed “A Sky Full of Music,” the largest concert in the school’s 146-year history featured several pieces of classic, jazz, traditional Korean and Chinese tunes with a celestial theme. All tickets were sold out at the Carnegie Hall’s iconic 2,800-seat Stern

Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday revealed the final part of the government’s constitutional amendment bill that seeks to introduce a presidential system that allows two consecutive four-year terms.In addition, the proposed bill includes measures to distribute the power of the president and lower the voting age.  Cho Guk, the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs (center), announces the government proposal on constitutional reform at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday. (Yonhap)Cho Kuk, senior president

China’s contribution to South Korea’s fine dust problem has been scientifically proven for the first time, a metrology institute said Tuesday.According to findings by the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, the rise of the fine dust level to the range of 50 to 100 micrograms per cubic meter in Korea in spring is partly due to the large amount of fireworks used in China for its spring festival celebrating the Lunar New Year. The World Health Organization announce the daily average

Political parties clashed Tuesday over a constitutional revision plan, while the government presented elements of its amendment proposal to the public. The government is expected to present the bill to the National Assembly on Monday.While the move to revise the basic law was initiated by the National Assembly early last year, lawmakers across the aisle are struggling to narrow their differences to draw up an amendment bill. The Moon Jae-in administration presented its own bill Tuesday to push i

Prosecutors on Monday requested an arrest warrant for former President Lee Myung-bak, who is suspected of 20 criminal charges including bribery, embezzlement and power abuse. As Lee has denied most of the allegations against him, the prosecution viewed him as at risk of destroying evidence. The allegations against him include bribery of some 11 billion won ($10.3 million) from the state spy agency, individuals and conglomerates, such as Samsung.  Lee Myung-bak (Yonhap)The former president, who w

Former President Lee Myung-bak admitted to receiving $100,000 from the state spy agency through his former presidential aide while in office, but refused to disclose how the money was used, according to the prosecution.Lee denied other corruption allegations against him and returned home in the early hours of Thursday, after a marathon overnight interrogation by the prosecution that had begun the previous morning.Lee Myung-bak (Yonhap)The prosecution suspects the National Intelligence Service se