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Yoon appoints first, second vice ministers for health

This compilation image shows new First Vice Health Minister Lee Ki-il, left, and Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol on Monday appointed the first and second vice ministers for health, his office said.Lee Ki-il, the current second vice minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, was named first vice minister, while Park Min-soo, presidential secretary for health and welfare, was named second vice minister.Lee has served in various senior positions in the ministry, including as spokesperson and chief of the Office for Healthcare Policy.Park served as chief of the ministry's Office for Planning and Coordination before being appointed presidential secretary at the start of the Yoon administration. (Yonhap)

Oct 24, 2022
Yoon appoints first, second vice ministers for health

Yoon dismisses opposition's conditions for budget speech

President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks to reporters as he arrives at the presidential office in Seoul, Oct. 24. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday no conditions should be attached to his parliamentary budget speech scheduled for this week, as the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea threatens to boycott it unless Yoon apologizes for what the party calls suppression of the opposition.The DPK is also demanding that Yoon agree to an independent counsel probe into a corruption scandal that prosecutors have been investigating and that led to the arrest of a key confidant of DPK leader Lee Jae-myung, before Yoon delivers the budget speech at the National Assembly on Tuesday."The Constitution guarantees the president's right to speak at the National Assembly, and the National Assembly Act requires parliament to listen to the budget speech when a budget proposal is submitted," Yoon told reporters as he arrived for work, adding the rival parties had agreed on Tuesday as the date."Adding some sort of additional conditions to that is something I don't think I've heard of in the history of o

Oct 24, 2022
Yoon dismisses opposition's conditions for budget speech

Prosecution raids DPK headquarters over illegal political funds probe

Vehicles of the prosecution are parked in front of the headquarters of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea in western Seoul, Oct. 24. YonhapProsecutors on Monday raided the headquarters of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) as part of an investigation into bribery allegations involving a close confidant of party leader Lee Jae-myung.The Seoul Central Prosecutors Office is probing Kim Yong, deputy head of the DPK-affiliated Institute for Democracy think tank, on suspicion of receiving a total of 847 million won ($591,000) from property developers in the city of Seongnam, just south of Seoul, in violation of the political fund law. Amid intense resistance and protest by party officials and lawmakers, prosecutors searched Kim's office in the DPK headquarters to seize relevant documents.Kim, who was arrested over the weekend, is under suspicion of taking the funds between April and August last year ahead of the party's primary election to pick the candidate to run for this year's presidential election. Prosecutors suspect the money was used to help fund Lee's c

Oct 24, 2022
Prosecution raids DPK headquarters over illegal political funds probe

Main opposition goes all-out to defend Lee Jae-myung

Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung speaks during his visit to an accident site in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. Joint Press CorpsDPK calls for president's apology, threatens boycott of his National Assembly speechBy Nam Hyun-wooThe main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is striving to protect Chairman Lee Jae-myung, who is in the crosshairs of prosecutors' investigation of a land development scandal in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, threatening to boycott President Yoon Suk-yeol's scheduled administrative speech this week if there is no apology for, in the DPK's words, “the suppression of the main opposition party.” “We urge President Yoon to apologize to the public and the National Assembly for his suppression of the main opposition party,” DPK floor leader Park Hong-keun said during a press conference, Sunday. “If there isn't at least an apology to rebuild trust, the DPK will not be able to tolerate Yoon's administrative speech.”Yoon is scheduled to deliver his administrative speech at the Assembly, Tuesday, which

Oct 23, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Main opposition goes all-out to defend Lee Jae-myung

New logo of Korea's presidential office unveiled

This image provided by Korea's presidential office shows its new emblem. YonhapKorea's presidential office made public its new emblem Sunday, more than five months after Yoon Suk-yeol began his term at the Yongsan office in central Seoul.He moved the country's presidential office to the Yongsan compound from Cheong Wa Dae in a northern part of the capital.The new logo features a phoenix symbolizing the nation's president and its national flower, the Rose of Sharon, against the backdrop of the building that contains the presidential office in Yongsan.It "symbolizes freedom, peace, and prosperity in the Republic of Korea," Yoon's office said.The emblem reflects a wish for peace and freedom based on stability and harmony, the office added.It will be used in earnest starting in November, appearing on the official website of the presidential office as well as on various goods and PR materials. (Yonhap)

Oct 23, 2022
New logo of Korea's presidential office unveiled

Large political rallies held in downtown Seoul

Tens of thousands of conservative and progressive activists staged large rallies in downtown Seoul, Oct. 22, causing traffic disruptions. YonhapTens of thousands of conservative and progressive activists staged large-scale rallies in downtown Seoul on Saturday, chanting opposing slogans about sensitive political issues. The demonstrations ended without clashes.Right-wing activists, including members of the far-right Liberty Unification Party, held a rally in Gwanghwamun against what they call pro-North Korea sympathizers.Police estimated about 32,000 activists participated in the event.Progressive activists also held an anti-government protest on nearby streets, with police projecting about 16,000 people joined the rally.The massive rallies caused severe traffic disruptions surrounding main roads spanning from Gwanghwamun to City Hall in central Seoul.This photo, taken Oct. 22, shows police mobilized to prevent possible clashes among conservative and progressive activists, as they held respective large-scale rallies in downtown Seoul. YonhapBoth sides expressed contrasting voices abo

Oct 22, 2022
Large political rallies held in downtown Seoul

Arrest warrant issued for close aide of opposition leader on illegal political funds charges

Kim Yong, deputy head of the Democratic Party of Korea-affiliated Institute for Democracy / Korea Times fileA court on Saturday issued an arrest warrant for a close confidant of Lee Jae-myung, the chairperson of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), on charges of taking illegal political funds from real estate developers. The Seoul Central District Court issued the warrant for Kim Yong, deputy head of the DPK-affiliated Institute for Democracy think tank, on suspicion of receiving a total of 847 million won ($593,552) from property developers in the city of Seongnam in violation of the political fund law.He allegedly took the funds between April and August last year ahead of the party's primary election to pick the candidate to run for this year's presidential election. Lee won the party's presidential nomination but was defeated by a narrow margin by President Yoon Suk-yeol in the March election.Kim served as a high-level aide in charge of fundraising on the primary election campaign for Lee. The real estate developers in question are key suspects in a corruption case

Oct 22, 2022
Arrest warrant issued for close aide of opposition leader on illegal political funds charges

Yoon to make budget speech at National Assembly next week

President Yoon Suk-yeol delivers a congratulatory speech at a ceremony to mark the 77th Police Day at a convention center in Incheon, west of Seoul, on Oct. 21. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol plans to give a budget speech at the National Assembly next week, outlining his government's spending plan for next year, the presidential office said Friday. In the address set for next Tuesday, Yoon is expected to ask for bipartisan support for the 2023 budget plan, according to Yoon's office. It would be Yoon's second budget speech. On May 16, or just six days after since his inauguration, Yoon made a speech at the National Assembly on an extra budget. Next week's speech comes amid worsening political conditions, as Lee Jae-myung, the head of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) called for an independent counsel investigation into a corruption scandal that led to an arrest warrant request for one of his closest aides. Lee urged Yoon and the ruling People Power Party to agree to a special prosecutor investigation into the development corruption scandal in Seongnam, including allegations of

Oct 21, 2022
Yoon to make budget speech at National Assembly next week

Court holds hearings to decide on ex-defense chief's arrest over slain fisheries official

Former Defense Minister Suh Wook enters the Seoul Central District Court on Oct. 21. YonhapFormer Defense Minister Suh Wook and former Coast Guard Commissioner General Kim Hong-hee attended court hearings held Friday to determine whether they should be arrested over the previous administration's mishandling of the 2020 death of a fisheries official at the hands of North Korea.Neither of them answered any questions from reporters when entering the Seoul Central District Court for the hearings. A decision on whether to approve their arrest is expected to come late Friday night or early Saturday.The two are facing various charges, including dereliction of duty, abuse of power and creating false official documents, in connection with the former government's conclusion without sufficient evidence that the fisheries official was killed while attempting to defect to the North.Critics have accused the Moon administration of drawing the conclusion to curry favor with Pyongyang.Prosecutors suspect Suh deliberately erased intelligence reports that suggest the official, Lee Dae-jun, did not inte

Oct 21, 2022
Court holds hearings to decide on ex-defense chief's arrest over slain fisheries official

Opposition leader proposes special counsel probe into Seongnam development scandal

Main opposition Democratic Party Chair Lee Jae-myung adjusts his glasses on Oct. 21. YonhapOpposition leader Lee Jae-myung called Friday for an independent counsel investigation into a corruption scandal that led to an arrest warrant request for one of his closest aides, claiming his innocence as a prosecution probe closes in on him. Lee of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea made the remark after prosecutors sought the warrant for Kim Yong, a longtime confidant of Lee, for allegedly receiving 847 million won ($593,552) in illegal political funds from real estate developers involved in a corruption-laden project in the city of Seongnam. Prosecutors suspect the money was used to help finance Lee's presidential campaign. "I didn't receive even a piece of candy, let alone presidential campaign funds," Lee said. Lee urged President Yoon Suk-yeol and the ruling People Power Party to agree to a special prosecutor investigation into the development corruption scandal in Seongnam, including allegations of irregularities involving Yoon. "I officially ask the president and the ruling

Oct 21, 2022
Opposition leader proposes special counsel probe into Seongnam development scandal
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