South Korea’s Personnel Ministry expressed support for personnel reform initiatives pursued by Uzbekistan on Tuesday. Seoul’s Ministry of Personnel Management and Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations signed a memorandum of cooperation on Nov. 23 to promote exchanges and cooperation in the field of personnel administration and mutual development, according to the ministry.  (Yonhap)“Following the recent signing of the memorandum, Korea will assist Uzbekistan with its successful

Foreign Affairs Dec. 12, 2017

Democratization in North Korea should be earned by North Koreans, just like the people in the South achieved economic development and democracy, said Thae Yong-ho, a high-profile North Korean defector, in his acceptance speech for a human rights award at the National Assembly on Monday.  Thae Yong-ho. YonhapThe KNA Human Rights Forum and Korean Parliamentary League on International Parliamentarians’ Coalition for Asian Human Rights presented the Human Rights Activist award to Thae, the former de

Politics Dec. 11, 2017

Former presidential aide Cho Yoon-sun appeared at the prosecutor’s office on Sunday to be questioned over bribery involving the nation’s spy agency during the Park Geun-hye administration. “I will earnestly do my part in the questioning,” she told reporters as she appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office at around 9 a.m. Former presidential secretary Cho Yoon-sun appears in front of Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office to be questioned over bribery allegations, in Seoul o

Social Affairs Dec. 10, 2017

The National Assembly passed next year‘s government budget proposal of 428.8 trillion won ($394.5 billion) Wednesday, amid objections from the main opposition party which had demanded the reduction of new public service jobs to be created.Main opposition party lawmakers protest the Assembly's unilateral passage of the revision of the corporate tax law on Wednesday. (Yonhap)In the plenary session, 160 of the 178 Assembly members voted in favor of the budget bill, with 15 lawmakers against and 3 a

Politics Dec. 6, 2017

It is a cliche in Korean soap operas for the vicious and disapproving mother of the male lead to pressure the female lead to “remove” the baby she’s expecting. She soon disappears, struggles through life as a single mom, and later by chance reunites with the man who, after finding out she didn’t give up the baby despite stigma and obstacles, falls back in love with her. All of this is as if abortion were a valid option for women in South Korea. Pro-choice activists hold up banners and images of

Social Affairs Dec. 3, 2017

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry sent a chartered airplane to Indonesia on Thursday to bring home hundreds of Korean nationals stranded there after airports in Bali were closed due to an imminent volcanic eruption.The Asiana Airline’s passenger carrier that departed from Incheon Airport at 3 p.m. will pick up 276 South Koreans from Juanda International Airport near Surabaya, Indonesia. Asiana Airlines flight attendants bound for Bali, Indonesia, wait to board the aircraft on a special mission to b

Social Affairs Nov. 30, 2017

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday ordered the Foreign Ministry to consider sending chartered planes to rescue hundreds of South Korean nationals stranded on Bali, as the Indonesian resort island has closed its international airport due to a possible volcano eruption.“Take measures to securely escort Korean residents and travelers in Bali, and review plans such as sending chartered planes,” President Moon said at an emergency meeting of the National Security Council, according to his chief press

Social Affairs Nov. 29, 2017

South Korea’s Catholic Church refuted the presidential office on Tuesday, saying it has misinterpreted Pope Francis’ words and strategically used it to back its stance on abortion.A Life Committee under Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea claimed that the pope had never spoken about the need to “find a new balance” on the issue of abortion, as suggested by Cheong Wa Dae’s statement released Sunday.  Pope Francis (Yonhap)It released a Korean translation of the pope’s interview with an Italian C

Social Affairs Nov. 28, 2017

The South Korean government must take on a firmer stance on North Korea, according to Ahn Cheol-soo, the chairman of the minor opposition People’s Party. Ahn, who ran against President Moon Jae-in in the presidential election in May, also criticizes the Moon administration of “inaction” with regards to North Korea’s recent violation of the armistice agreement of the Korean War.Ahn Cheol-soo, the chairman of the minor opposition People’s Party, speaks during an interview with The Korea Heraldon T

Politics Nov. 26, 2017

From a slain dictator’s covert hideout to a forgotten subway station, secret bunkers have been lying for decades underneath the bustling city of Seoul. Recently, some of these spaces were unveiled to the public for the first time under a special one-month tour program. Although city-run tours of the “ghost station” in Sinseol-dong and the air-raid shelter underneath Gyeonghuigung Palace are to end this weekend, one underneath Yeouido, turned into a museum, will remain open for visitors. (Shot by

North Korea Nov. 24, 2017

North Korea is highly likely to launch different types of ballistic missiles before the end of this year to underline its nuclear threats, South Korea’s spy agency said Monday. Active movements are continuously being spotted around the missile development institutes in North Korea and it has also conducted engine tests for missiles, the National Intelligence Service told lawmakers in a closed-door parliamentary meeting. Hwang Pyong-so (left) and Kim Won-hong (Yonhap)“While there has not been any

Politics Nov. 20, 2017

Two former National Intelligence Service chiefs of the Park Geun-hye administration were arrested Friday in the expanding probe into allegations that several billion won of NIS funds were funneled to the presidential office.The Seoul District Court approved arrest warrants for the two former NIS chiefs Nam Jae-joon and Lee Byung-kee over separate charges of embezzlement and bribery. Former NIS chiefs Nam Jae-joon (left), Lee Byung-kee (Yonhap)Prosecutors had sought warrants for the two and anoth

Politics Nov. 17, 2017

Jun Byung-hun, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, tendered his resignation on Thursday, in the wake of a rare corruption investigation into an incumbent senior presidential aide. It is the first time for a presidential aide to resign under the Moon Jae-in administration that came into office in May.The 59-year-old political affairs secretary is under the allegation of laundering a corporate donation of 300 million won in return for business favors, when he was sitting as the ho

Politics Nov. 16, 2017

Over 10,000 private security guards at apartment blocks and buildings are at risk of losing their jobs due to a spike in the minimum wage next year, civic groups claimed Wednesday. An association of civic groups and labor unions warned of the looming massive layoffs of custodians and guards at residential buildings, after conducting a survey on over 5,300 of them in Seoul. It called on the government to come up with measures to deal with the problem.  Members of civic groups advocating the right

Social Affairs Nov. 15, 2017

Nearly six months after the May presidential election, the fortunes of its five main candidates have seen some twists and turns. But three of them are now finding themselves back in a familiar race against one another, this time as leaders of their respective parties. With Rep. Yoo Seong-min elected Monday to helm the Bareun Party, the three leaders -- Yoo, Hong Joon-pyo of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party and Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor People’s Party -- will vie to gain a foothold at the

Politics Nov. 14, 2017