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Justice minister vows legal action against opposition lawmaker over luxury party allegations

Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon speaks during a parliamentary inspection of his ministry at the National Assembly in Seoul, Oct. 24. YonhapJustice Minister Han Dong-hoon said Tuesday he will take legal action against Rep. Kim Eui-kyeom of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea and a YouTube channel for spreading what he calls groundless allegations about a controversial drinking party.Han said in a personal statement that Kim, YouTube channel "Citizen Press The Tamsa TV" and its officials will be held "criminally and civilly" liable for spreading obviously false information on him via YouTube and other methods.Kim alleged in a parliamentary inspection of the justice ministry the previous day that Han had a late-night drinking party at a luxury bar in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, on July 19 and 20 with President Yoon Suk-yeol and 30 lawyers from Kim ＆ Chang, the country's top law firm.Citizen Press The Tamsa TV, which is now under police investigation for tailing Han for nearly a month on the minister's way home from work, raised the same allegations on the day.Han categorica

Oct 25, 2022
Justice minister vows legal action against opposition lawmaker over luxury party allegations

Yoon calls for stronger social safety net amid opposition boycott

President Yoon Suk-yeol delivers his speech to call for bipartisan support for the government's budget proposal for next year at the National Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooPresident Yoon Suk-yeol stressed Tuesday that the government will prioritize fiscal soundness and support for the socially disadvantaged and underprivileged, as well as future preparedness.In his speech at the National Assembly detailing his administration's 2023 budget, Yoon vowed to bolster the social safety net for vulnerable and low-income groups by unveiling a set of measures to protect them while promoting fiscal consolidation.But the majority of seats in the Assembly were empty as members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) boycotted the speech to protest the president's “suppression of the opposition through investigation,” amid an intensifying investigation by prosecutors into people close to DPK leader Lee Jae-myung. During his speech, Yoon said that the circumstances surrounding South Korea are “very challenging” as several factors, i

Oct 25, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Yoon calls for stronger social safety net amid opposition boycott

Ruling party selects 5-term lawmaker Chung Woo-taik as deputy assembly speaker candidate

Rep. Chung Woo-taik of the ruling People Power Party speaks in a general meeting of party lawmakers at the National Assembly in western Seoul, Oct. 25. YonhapThe ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday held a general meeting of its lawmakers and selected five-term Rep. Chung Woo-taik as a deputy National Assembly speaker candidate.The nomination was made to replace Rep. Chung Jin-suk, who offered to step down from the post after taking the helm of the PPP's emergency leadership committee last month. Rep. Chung Woo-taik will serve as deputy assembly speaker until the current parliament dissolves on May 29, 2024, if his appointment motion passes through a plenary session vote."I will work to fulfill my role and become a strong deputy assembly speaker," he said. The parliament appoints two deputy speakers each from the ruling and main opposition parties.Currently, Rep. Kim Jin-pyo and Rep. Kim Young-joo of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea are serving as National Assembly speaker and deputy speaker, respectively. (Yonhap)

Oct 25, 2022
Ruling party selects 5-term lawmaker Chung Woo-taik as deputy assembly speaker candidate

Main opposition party boycotts Yoon's budget speech

Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Jae-myung speaks during a general meeting of lawmakers at the National Assembly, Oct. 25. Yonhap The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) boycotted President Yoon Suk-yeol's budget speech Tuesday in protest of what it calls suppression of the opposition, marking the first such boycott in Korea's history.DPK lawmakers did not attend the 10 a.m. session and instead held a silent protest upon Yoon's arrival at the National Assembly. DPK leaders also stayed away from a meeting Yoon held with the National Assembly speaker and other key figures ahead of the speech.It marked the first opposition boycott of a budget speech the president has delivered in person, though opposition lawmakers have a record of boycotting a budget speech read by the prime minister on behalf of the president."We condemn Yoon Suk-yeol government for neglecting people's livelihood and suppressing the opposition," DPK lawmakers shouted in front of the

Oct 25, 2022
Main opposition party boycotts Yoon's budget speech

Yoon calls for bipartisan cooperation as opposition boycotts budget speech

President Yoon Suk-yeol delivers a budget speech at the National Assembly in Seoul, Oct. 25. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol called Tuesday for bipartisan cooperation to cope with threats from North Korea and economic difficulties as he explained his administration's first budget proposal in a parliamentary speech boycotted by the opposition party.Yoon outlined the details of the 639 trillion won ($443 billion) proposal in a half-empty National Assembly hall as lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) refused to listen in protest of the prosecution's recent raid of its headquarters and other actions it described as suppression of the opposition.The opposition's boycott of the budget speech was unprecedented, though in the past lawmakers have sometimes held up signs or used other means to express their grievances during budget speeches."In order to overcome the grave economic and security situation, there can be no separation between the ruling and opposition parties," Yoon said in his address. "We desperately need the cooperation of the National Assembly."The 20

Oct 25, 2022
Yoon calls for bipartisan cooperation as opposition boycotts budget speech

Yoon calls for war against drug crimes

Deputy presidential spokesperson Lee Jae-myoung gives a press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul, Oct. 24. YonhapPresident Yoon Suk-yeol called Monday for special measures to address drug crimes, saying they must be stopped before they become a national-level threat.Yoon gave the instructions during a weekly meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo at his office, leading the government to plan comprehensive measures against drug crimes, according to deputy presidential spokesperson Lee Jae-myoung."President Yoon emphasized that we desperately need to wage war against drugs as a society before drugs spread beyond the manageable critical level to a national-level risk," Lee said."Regarding the sharp increase in young drug offenders online and beyond, he called for coming up with special measures with a sense of duty that we must protect our future generations," he added. (Yonhap)

Oct 24, 2022
Yoon calls for war against drug crimes

Yoon's office says N. Korea's provocations will only deepen its isolation

North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, center, oversees a military striking drill of long-range artillery sub-units on the front and flying corps of the Korean People's Army (KPA), carried out to check and assess the war deterrent and nuclear counterattack capability of the country, amid ongoing joint military exercises involving US and South Korean forces in the waters near the Korean Peninsula, Oct 10. EPA-YonhapThe office of President Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday that North Korea's repeated provocations will only deepen its isolation, after a North Korean vessel crossed the sea border and prompted an exchange of fire between the two Koreas.The exchange took place early Monday morning after the merchant ship violated the Northern Limit Line, the de facto maritime border in the West Sea, according to the South Korean military.The North later claimed its artillery shots were in response to a South Korean warship's violation of the western sea border.The exchange added to already-high tensions on the Korean Peninsula following a string of ballistic missile tests by the North."North Kor

Oct 24, 2022
Yoon's office says N. Korea's provocations will only deepen its isolation

Gangwon governor slammed for triggering 'Legoland shock'

Legoland Korea resort in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province / YonhapBy Nam Hyun-wooGangwon Province Governor Kim Jin-tae has been facing criticism from both the ruling and opposition parties for his “hasty” decision not to fulfill a payment guarantee for the developer of Legoland Korea, creating a liquidity crunch in the nation's corporate bond and commercial paper markets. During the ruling People Power Party's (PPP) emergency committee meeting, floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young blamed Gangwon Governor Kim Jin-tae and warned of a butterfly effect.“The Gangwon governor's announcement not to fulfil the payment guarantee, despite its capability, has sowed distrust and created a big stir in the market,” Joo said.Gangwon Province Governor Kim Jin-tae speaks during a semiconductor forum at the National Assembly in Seoul, Saturday. Courtesy of Gangwon ProvinceHe was also critical of Kim's predecessor, former Gangwon Province Governor Choi Moon-soon of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), saying Choi pursued the Legoland project “without considering the f

Oct 24, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Gangwon governor slammed for triggering 'Legoland shock'

Yoon snubs opposition's call for apology before Assembly speech

President Yoon Suk-yeol enters the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Monday. Joint Press CorpsBy Nam Hyun-wooPresident Yoon Suk-yeol on Monday dismissed the Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) calls that he accept DPK leader Lee Jae-myung's proposal to introduce a special counsel to investigate allegations related to the Daejang-dong land development project in Seongnam, as well as to commit to ending politically biased investigations. The DPK also said that Yoon should apologize for his use of a profanity that was caught on a hot mic last month during his trip to New York ― which the presidential office afterwards said referred to Korea's opposition party rather than the U.S. Congress ― as well as for suggesting that the opposition are a “pro-North Korea Jucheist faction” at a luncheon and to reporters last week.Yoon dismissed the DPK's demands, saying that he has never heard of conditions being attached to a presidential speech in the legislature. “The Constitution guarantees the president's right to speak in the National Assembly. The National Assembl

Oct 24, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Yoon snubs opposition's call for apology before Assembly speech

Tearful opposition leader cries foul over prosecution raid

Lee Jae-myung, head of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), pauses while speaking to reporters in front of the DPK headquarters in Seoul, Oct. 24. Yonhap An apparently tearful opposition leader Lee Jae-myung cried foul Monday after prosecutors raided the headquarters of his Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) in a corruption investigation that is zeroing in on him after the arrest of one of his closest aides.Investigators made their way into the DPK headquarters to search the office of Kim Yong, a longtime confidant of Lee, over allegations that he took 847 million won ($591,000) from property developers in the suburban city of Seongnam in violation of the political fund law.Kim, who was arrested Saturday, is deputy head of the DPK-affiliated Institute for Democracy think tank. It was the second attempt to raid the DPK headquarters after an earlier attempt fell through due to protests from party officials."The central headquarters building of the opposit

Oct 24, 2022
Tearful opposition leader cries foul over prosecution raid
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