Articles by Son Ji-hyoung
Son Ji-hyoung
consnow@heraldcorp.com-
Yoon vetos bill for special probe into young Marine's death
President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday vetoed the controversial bill calling for a special counsel investigation into allegations of government interference in a probe of the circumstances surrounding the death of a young Marine last July. It became the 10th bill that Yoon has vetoed during his two years of presidency since May 2022. The veto came shortly after Prime Minister Han Duck-soo had passed a motion urging Yoon to do so in a Cabinet meeting he presided over at the Government Complex Seoul o
Politics May 21, 2024
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AI Seoul Summit to discuss ways to make AI equitable in Global South
The AI Seoul Summit may serve as a platform to discuss ways to make artificial intelligence technology equitable in marginalized countries in the so-called "Global South," according to the presidential office on Monday. From the perspective of AI's inclusivity -- one of the three pillars of the global AI governance suggested in the upcoming event along with safety and innovation -- developed countries taking part in the AI Seoul Summit are to discuss AI's expansion in the Global South,
Politics May 20, 2024
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Opposition leaders urge Yoon to stop using veto power
President Yoon Suk Yeol is facing calls from multiple opposition leaders to stop vetoing bills, as the fate of a bill mandating a special counsel to probe alleged state interference in an investigation into the death of a young Marine is to be determined later this week. Yoon, who has just passed two years in office, has already used the presidential power to veto nine times, only the second-most of all South Korean presidents since President Syngman Rhee took office in 1948. The main opposition
Politics May 20, 2024
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Seoul halts plan for cross-border shopping limits
South Korea on Sunday withdrew its plan to ban foreign businesses from selling goods for cross-border shopping without South Korea's safety certifications just three days after the government mapped out the plan to protect its consumers. Lee Jeong-won, second vice minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, said in a briefing in Seoul on Sunday that it is not true that the government was seeking a "preemptive all-out ban on cross-border shopping of 80 items," adding the
Politics May 19, 2024
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Seoul City to open 'hotel' on river bridge
The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sunday unveiled plans to open a detached, private lodging facility on a bridge of Han River that will offer guests stunning views of the river and city skyline through its windows. According to the municipal government, the planned structure, referred to as a "scenic hotel," is slated to open in July and will claim the title of the world's first lodging facility built on a river bridge. Inside the self-contained structure, which used to be a co
Social Affairs May 19, 2024
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Yoon, first lady celebrate return of Buddhist relics after century
President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee on Sunday celebrated the return of 14th-century Buddhist relics that Seoul believes were illegally removed from the country about a century ago during the Japanese colonial era. In his opening remarks, Yoon praised the relics as a "precious national heritage symbolizing the authenticity and spiritual lineage of Korean Buddhism," emphasizing that the improving ties between the allies were instrumental in achieving their return. "I
Politics May 19, 2024
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S. Korea, Cambodia forge strategic partnership
South Korea and Cambodia officially elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership on Thursday at a summit of President Yoon Suk Yeol and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Manet in Seoul. The announcement came "with full confidence in the future of the bilateral partnership" as the two countries acknowledged that their diplomatic ties have grown stronger over the past few decades, according to a joint statement released Thursday. "Since the reestablishment of relations in 1997
Politics May 16, 2024
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Yoon proposes new law for gig, freelance workers
President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday his government has proposed a law to protect the rights of what he called "underprivileged workers" in South Korea. Yoon referred to gig workers, independent contractors and freelancers who are often temporarily employed and do not have the job security, standard four basic insurances, paid annual leave or severance guaranteed to regular employees under the country's Labor Standards Act. The proposed legislation will protect the rights of such
Politics May 14, 2024
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Seoul vows action over Naver's Line, Yahoo dispute
President Yoon Suk Yeol's office vowed Monday to pull out all the stops to address the cybersecurity problems surrounding internet giant Naver, which jointly controls the Japanese firm operating messenger app Line and web portal Yahoo. The remark from the presidential office came amid mounting pressure on Naver by Japanese authorities to divest its stake in the company that exercises control over leading internet services in Japan. "The interests of South Korean citizens and companies
Politics May 13, 2024
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Yoon to set up new office to address low birth rate
President Yoon Suk Yeol's office is working to set up a new office and hire a new senior secretary to address the matter of South Korea's low birth rate, doubling down on the president's pledge to prioritize his policy focus on the potential population crisis. Yoon ordered his aides in a closed-door meeting Monday in his office in Seoul to establish a new senior secretary office dedicated to low birth rate, Yoon's spokesperson Kim Soo-kyung told reporters in a briefing. According to Yoon's offic
Politics May 13, 2024
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Yoon interacts with public for 1st time since election defeat
President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday interacted directly with the public for the first time in a month since the ruling bloc's general election defeat in April. Yoon visited a Korean restaurant in Jung-gu, Seoul, with his aides to interact with the South Korean citizens during lunchtime. The president had lunch there and discussed the soaring price of dining out, according to spokesperson Kim Soo-kyung. After lunch, Yoon spent time at the Cheonggyecheon, a stream that runs through central Seoul. Th
Politics May 10, 2024
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[From the Scene] At 1st press conference in 631 days, Yoon seeks to mend media ties
Just as President Yoon Suk Yeol entered the briefing room filled with some 150 reporters in his office in Seoul on Thursday, for the first time in 631 days, one of the reporters asked Yoon to hold more frequent news conferences and boost communication with the public. "I will," Yoon replied. After this, Yoon took 20 questions during the 73-minute press conference. The questions centered around politics, foreign policy, the economy and social affairs. He took more questions than
Politics May 9, 2024
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[News Analysis] Yoon's first 2 years marked by intense confrontations, lack of leadership
President Yoon Suk Yeol spent his first two years in office facing persistent and intense political confrontations, public censure over his unilateral approach to communication, and controversies surrounding his wife that have cast a shadow over his policy initiatives and foreign affairs activities. Having been elected to South Korea's most powerful office only six months after entering politics, the 63-year-old former prosecutor has remained unpopular domestically for the past two years, w
Politics May 9, 2024
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Yoon apologizes for first lady Dior bag scandal, calls push for special probe ‘political’
President Yoon Suk Yeol apologized Thursday for first lady Kim Keon Hee’s alleged acceptance of a Dior bag as a gift, while dismissing the continued calls for a special probe into the controversy as a political attack by the opposition. In a press conference marking his two years in office, the president said he “offers a deep apology to the South Korean people for causing concern due to (his) wife’s unwise conduct.” In undercover camera footage released last year on a Yo
Politics May 9, 2024
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Yoon revives civil affairs office as first lady faces investigation
President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday named former prosecutor Kim Joo-hyun as the new senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, a position he abolished two years ago to curb accusations that it meddles in probes by the prosecution and the police. The revival of the senior presidential secretary immediately prompted speculation that Yoon's office might use the new senior secretary position to deal with legal issues potentially involving him and his family, given that the position traditionall
Politics May 7, 2024
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