US President Donald Trump’s address to the National Assembly was longer than expected, lasting 33 minutes and punctuated by 22 rounds of applauses and standing ovations at the beginning and end. Hours before he arrived for the much-anticipated speech, originally scheduled for 11 a.m. but delayed by about 20 minutes, the atmosphere in and outside the National Assembly was tense. US President Don...

Since a change of status last year, the IFEZ Global Center in Incheon has seen its role expand, along with the number of expats using its services. The center offers services to foreign residents in the three cities designated as part of the Incheon Free Economic Zone -- Songdo, Yeongjong and Cheongna International City -- from language assistance to cultural experiences. Expats take part in cu...

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump at the state dinner in Cheong Wa Dae (All photos by Yonhap) ( khnews@heraldcorp.com )

US President Donald Trump was served traditional Korean dishes at a state dinner Tuesday, attended by some 120 other guests representing the two countries’ close relationship in the areas of diplomacy, business, culture and security. President Moon Jae-in, first lady Kim Jung-sook, US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump share a toast during a state dinner at Cheong Wa Dae in Seou...

US President Donald Trump expressed anticipation toward his visit to South Korea in a tweet before taking off from Japan on Tuesday. (US President Donald Trump Twitter) “Getting ready to leave for South Korea and meetings with President Moon, a fine gentleman. We will figure it all out!” the president tweeted at 6 a.m. The tweet followed one he posted just before, on his trip in Japan. “My vi...

Nine lawmakers of the minor conservative Bareun Party said Monday they will defect to the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, as the right wing realigns ahead of next year‘s local elections. With the defections, the splinter Bareun Party will lose its status as a parliamentary negotiating bloc, which requires at least 20 seats at the 299-member National Assembly. The number of the remaining l...

(Shot by Park Ju-young / Edited by Park Ju-young) As a kid, Kang Hyeong-uk was a rather unusual boy. Rather than playing with his peers, he preferred spending time with dogs. While his parents ran a puppy mill, he developed a more sympathetic view of the animals in his formative years, and his interest never strayed from his furry friends since, he said. Kang Hyeong-uk speaks during an intervi...

Two minor opposition parties agreed to establish a policy alliance on Friday, amid a parliamentary budget review and plenary sessions that have kicked off this month. From left: Rep. Kim Dong-cheol of the Bareun Party and Rep. Joo Ho-young of the People`s Party (Yonhap) The two floor leaders, Rep. Joo Ho-young of the People’s Party and Rep. Kim Dong-cheol of the minor conservative Bareun Party,...

North Korea appears ready to conduct another nuclear experiment at its Punggye-ri test site “at any time,” despite signs of damage to some facilities there, South Korea’s spy agency said Thursday. There are also signs that the regime may be preparing for another missile launch, the National Intelligence Service told lawmakers during a parliamentary audit, noting active movements spotted around t...

US President Donald Trump will not visit the Demilitarized Zone, the border between the two Koreas, during his two-day state visit to South Korea due to time constraints, a US senior administration official said Tuesday. Instead, he will visit a US military base. “The president is not going to visit the DMZ. There is not enough time in the schedule. It would have had to have been the DMZ or Camp...

The main opposition Liberty Korea Party returned to a parliamentary audit of the government on Monday, ending a two-day boycott in protest of what it called the government‘s attempts to tame the media by appointing “pro-government” personnel to a broadcasting authority. The party boycotted sessions on Thursday and Friday after the Korea Communications Commission announced Thursday the replacemen...

The ashes of a Frenchman who fought during the 1950-53 Korean War will return to the peninsula on Wednesday to be buried in the Demilitarized Zone, the ministry said Monday. According to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the ashes of the late UN veteran Jean Le Houx will arrive at Incheon International Airport at 8 a.m. escorted by a French delegation of 11 people. After a welcoming...

Prosecutors placed a travel ban on a former head of the National Security Council to investigate the alleged manipulation of official documents related to the sinking of a passenger ship three years ago, it confirmed on Friday. The Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office banned Kim Jang-soo, a former defense minister and ambassador to China, from leaving the country over suspicions that he pl...

Part of the money South Korea pays annually for US troops to be stationed here is not being used, reflecting a gap between the cost-sharing agreement and the actual required costs, a lawmaker said Thursday. According to data from the Ministry of Defense revealed by Rep. Kim Jong-dae of the Justice Party, the defense costs allotted for construction related to US Forces Korea that was not used and...

Less than 350 people received treatment for sexual perversion last year, as public concerns continue amid a steady increase in sex crimes, a lawmaker pointed out Thursday. According to government data revealed by Rep. In Jae-keun of the Democratic Party of Korea, only 326 people were treated last year for disorders of sexual preference such as exhibitionism, voyeurism and pedophilia. (Yonhap) ...