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Koreans to vote this week in local elections, Assembly by-elections

An election official is seen at National Election Commission in Gwacheon, May 29. YonhapKoreans will vote this week in local elections and National Assembly by-elections amid expectations that the results will boost or weaken the mandate of the new government of President Yoon Suk-yeol. Up for grabs in Wednesday's elections are posts for 17 metropolitan mayors and provincial governors, 226 lower-level council heads, as well as 779 seats in provincial and metropolitan councils, and 2,602 in lower-level local councils.Also at stake will be seven National Assembly seats in by-elections.Voting will kick off at 6:00 a.m. Wednesday and run until 6:00 p.m. at 14,465 polling centers nationwide, according to the National Election Commission (NEC). COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine will be allowed to vote between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Eligible voters total 44.3 million, but 9.13 million of them have already cast their ballots during the two days of early voting last week.Turnout for the advance voting came to 20.62 percent, the highest for any local elections, the NEC said. It expect

May 30, 2022
Koreans to vote this week in local elections, Assembly by-elections

President Yoon says he's late learner on gender equality

gettyimagesbankHe admits pitfalls of meritocracy in a society where gender inequality still persists By Kang Hyun-kyungPresident Yoon Suk-yeol's nominations of two women on May 26 to fill the remaining two Cabinet minister positions ― in the education and health ministries ― out of 18 Cabinet posts were announced a day after his dinner with the outgoing National Assembly speaker and vice speakers. During a dinner hosted by the president to acknowledge the Assembly leaders' service ahead of the end of their two-year tenures on May 29, Vice Speaker Kim Sang-hee confronted Yoon by addressing the thorny issue of gender that has been pitting young men and women against each other in Korea. She said that some candidates had tried to play the gender card to their advantage during the presidential election, creating “an unnecessary tension” between women and men. She then advised President Yoon to take the issue seriously, noting that he is now the president, not a presidential candidate. In response, Yoon shared wisdom of the pitfalls of meritocracy in a society where gender ine

May 30, 2022By Kang Hyun-kyung
President Yoon says he's late learner on gender equality

Opposition lawmakers reject 'foul-mouthed' health minister nominee

In this Oct. 4, 2019, file photo, Rep. Kim Seung-hee speaks during her parliamentary inspection at the National Assembly in Seoul. Kim, who was named as the nominee for health minister post, has become a prime target of main opposition party lawmakers who accuse her of being “foul-mouthed” and “unethical.” YonhapBy Jung Min-hoLess than a week after then Health Minister nominee Chung Ho-young withdrew from consideration, his replacement, Kim Seung-hee, has now become a prime target of main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmakers who accuse her of being “foul-mouthed” and “unethical.”“Many people remember her as a foul-mouthed politician, as she once said former President Moon Jae-in was showing early signs of dementia,” lawmakers of the DPK said in a joint statement. “For stirring up hatred and using foul language, she was brought to the National Assembly's ethics committee and for that reason, she did not even get the opportunity to compete in the last general election as a candidate for the United Future

May 29, 2022By Jung Min-ho
Opposition lawmakers reject 'foul-mouthed' health minister nominee

Candidates cause stir with vow to 'relocate' Gimpo airport

Lee Jae-myung, second from right, running in Incheon's Gyeyang District B by-election on the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea's ticket, announces his campaign pledge to spur development in the region west of Seoul, Friday. Second from left is DPK Seoul mayoral candidate Song Young-gil, who teamed up with Lee on the pledge. YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yooGimpo International Airport, the only commercial airport in Seoul, is becoming a heated issue in the June 1 local elections as Lee Jae-myung, the main opposition liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate running in a by-election for Incheon's Gyeyang District B, has pledged to “relocate” the airport in order to lift development restrictions for the region west of Seoul.Originally built as a military airport in the 1930s during the Japanese colonial period, Gimpo International Airport served as Korea's main air gateway until Incheon International Airport opened in 2001. Currently, the airport is mainly used for domestic flights and some short- and medium-distance international flights due to its proximity to Seoul. I

May 29, 2022By Kwon Mee-yoo
Candidates cause stir with vow to 'relocate' Gimpo airport

Lee In-sil named new patent office chief

By Jung Min-hoLee In-silAnother woman has been appointed to lead a key government office as President Yoon Suk-yeol appears to be coping with criticism that his administration is too male-dominated.The presidential office said Sunday that Lee In-sil will be the next commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), a government agency responsible for administering intellectual property rights including patents, utility models and designs.Lee, chief of Korea Women Investors Association, has worked in the field for more than 30 years after becoming only the third female patent agent in the country. “Not only has she worked to protect the national interest in the battlefield of the international patent war, she has helped other women engage in economic activities by supporting them through various organizations over the past 20 years,” the office said in a statement.KIPO added that she has been an inspiration for women seeking to make their marks in many male-dominated career fields.Just three days earlier, in a surprising announcement, Yoon said women will lea

May 29, 2022By Jung Min-ho
Lee In-sil named new patent office chief

First lady drops by Yoon's office with pet dogs

President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee spend time with their dogs on the lawn of the presidential office in Seoul, May 29. Screencapture from a Facebook account of first lady Kim Keon-hee's supportersFirst lady Kim Keon-hee dropped by the office of President Yoon Suk-yeol on two consecutive days last week, photos from her fan club showed Sunday.President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee spend time with their dogs at the presidential office in Seoul, May 29. Screencapture from a Facebook account of first lady Kim Keon-hee's supportersKim first visited the office Friday after she and Yoon cast their ballots in early voting for the local elections. She came back Saturday together with their pet dogs, according to the photos released on the Facebook page of her fan club.President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee spend time with their dogs at the presidential office in Seoul, May 29. Screencapture from a Facebook account of first lady Kim Keon-hee's supportersOne photo showed a casually-dressed Kim sitting on a chair with a dog in her arms at Yoon's office,

May 29, 2022
First lady drops by Yoon's office with pet dogs

Ruling party ahead of main opposition in pre-local elections surveys

Incumbent Seoul mayor Oh Se-hoon, second from right, who is seeking reelection on the People Power Party's ticket, takes a picture with his supporters after canvassing at Seoul Forest in the city's Seongdong District, Saturday. YonhapPolls find PPP candidates leading comfortably in 9 elections, DPK 4, and remaining 4 are battlegrounds By Ko Dong-hwanWith only a few days remaining until the country's local elections which are to be held June 1, less than a month after President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol was inaugurated on May 10, the conservative ruling People Power Party (PPP) is ahead of the main opposition party, according to public opinion surveys.It remains uncertain whether that trend will be continued until Wednesday when voters will elect mayors, governors, city council members and education superintendents. On the same day, voters in some regions will also select eight National Assembly lawmakers in by-elections. The PPP candidates are leading in nine elections out of 17 to select mayors and governors of metropolitan cities and provinces, whereas the main opposition Democratic Part

May 29, 2022By Ko Dong-hwan
Ruling party ahead of main opposition in pre-local elections surveys

National Assembly passes 62 trillion won extra budget bill ahead of local elections

Lawmakers pass the extra budget bill during a plenary session at the National Assembly, Seoul, Sunday. Joint Press CorpsThe National Assembly on Sunday passed a 62 trillion-won ($49.4 billion) extra budget bill to support small merchants affected by the pandemic, just three days before the local elections.The bill was approved in a 246-1 vote with five abstentions in a plenary session after the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) agreed to add 2.6 trillion won to the 59.4 trillion won proposed by the government.The largest-ever extra budget ― the first under the Yoon Suk-yeol government and the eighth during the pandemic ― calls for a 39 trillion won spending plan, including cash handouts to small merchants, and 23 trillion won in grants to regional governments. Under the agreement, some 3.71 million merchants and micro business owners will be eligible for cash handouts of between 6 million won and 10 million won each.The PPP and the DPK also agreed to provide 2 million won to freelance workers and artists, up from 1 million won in

May 29, 2022
National Assembly passes 62 trillion won extra budget bill ahead of local elections

Early voting for local elections ends with 20.62% turnout

Election officials clad in protective gear await COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine at a polling station in Seoul, May 28, the final day of two days of early voting for the June 1 local elections. YonhapTwo days of early voting for next week's local elections ended with a turnout of 20.62 percent, Saturday, the highest for any local elections, the election watchdog said.More than 9.13 million of the country's 44.3 million eligible voters cast their ballots during early voting for the June 1 elections, according to the National Election Commission (NEC).The turnout was the highest early voting for any local elections, and the fourth-highest for any nationwide election. Early voting turnout for the June 13 local elections in 2018 was 20.1 percent.But the recent turnout was far lower than a record 36.93 percent in early voting turnout for the March 9 presidential election.Up for grabs are 17 metropolitan mayoralties and provincial governorships, 226 lower-level council leadership positions, as well as 779 seats in provincial and metropolitan councils and 2,602 in lower-level loca

May 28, 2022
Early voting for local elections ends with 20.62% turnout

Plenary session for extra budget canceled, expected to be held Sunday

A plenary parliamentary session is in progress on May 27. YonhapThe ruling and main opposition parties agreed Saturday to cancel a National Assembly plenary session initially expected to be held later in the day to deal with the new government's extra budget bill.The ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) tentatively agreed to instead hold the session at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.The PPP and the DPK have been at loggerheads for weeks over the size of the supplementary budget for compensating small businesses hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the PPP backed the government's original proposal of 36.4 trillion won ($29 billion), the DPK proposed spending of over 50 trillion won for small merchants, which includes a budget for retroactive coverage of their losses and emergency loan programs.The two sides appear to have decided to open the session later amid failed attempts in closed discussions to narrow their differences. Earlier, the floor leaders of both parties had tentatively agreed to hold the session at 8 p.m. Saturday as they agreed to ma

May 28, 2022
Plenary session for extra budget canceled, expected to be held Sunday
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