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  • Politics

    Lee proposes golf meeting with opposition lawmakers: PPP officials

    President Lee Jae Myung has proposed a golf meeting with senior lawmakers from the People Power Party (PPP) as part of an effort to improve communication with the opposition, PPP officials said Thursday. They said a senior presidential official called three-term PPP lawmaker Shin Sung-bum in mid-June and invited him to join the president for a round of golf. The official said the meeting was intended to give Lee an opportunity to hear candid views and criticism from opposition lawmakers. The presidential office did not confirm the report. Shin, nevertheless, said, "I received a call from a senior Cheong Wa Dae official inviting me to play golf with the president." "The official said the purpose was for the president to meet opposition lawmakers and listen to their criticism," the lawmaker added. Shin said he declined the invitation because he does not play golf, but welcomed the idea. He added that he told the presidential official it would be worthwhile for the president to meet opposition lawmakers and hear their views on pending issues, including concerns over the government's handling

    1 MIN READBy Yi Whan-woo
    Lee proposes golf meeting with opposition lawmakers: PPP officials
  • Education

    Hate speech seeps into Korean classrooms

    3 MIN READBy Bahk Eun-ji
    Hate speech seeps into Korean classrooms
  • Society

    Hanwha Aerospace explosion likely occurred while cleaning explosive waste: police

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Hanwha Aerospace explosion likely occurred while cleaning explosive waste: police
  • Environment & Animals

    Lee orders thorough readiness against heavy rains

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Lee orders thorough readiness against heavy rains
  • Defense

    Marine Corps conducts regular live-fire drills on western border islands

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Marine Corps conducts regular live-fire drills on western border islands
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Politics

Lee's approval rating inches up to 61.9% : poll

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating rose slightly from a week earlier last week, remaining above 60 percent for the fifth consecutive week, a survey showed Monday. Lee's approval rating stood at 61.9 percent, up 0.7 percentage point from the previous week, according to the survey by Realmeter, commissioned by a local business news outlet. Of those surveyed, 32.8 percent said they disapprove of Lee, down 0.5 percentage point from a week earlier. Realmeter partly attributed the rise in approval ratings to a rebound in the local currency and stock market, fueled by expectations of a ceasefire in the United States' war against Iran. The latest survey was conducted on 2,508 adults from Monday through Friday and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points, with a confidence level of 95 percent. In a separate survey conducted by the same pollster on 1,002 individuals aged 18 and over Thursday and Friday, the approval rating for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea gained 0.7 percentage point from a week earlier to 50.6 percent. The approval rating for the main opposition Peop

Apr 13, 2026By Yonhap
Lee's approval rating inches up to 61.9% : poll
Society

Jinju's Seungsan nominated for UN Best Tourism Villages program

The village of Seungsan in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, has been nominated for Best Tourism Villages, a UN Tourism program, Sunday. A total of six villages nationwide were selected as candidates this year, with Seungsan Village the only entry from South Gyeongsang Province. Launched in 2021, the Best Tourism Villages initiative aims to promote the role of tourism in rural development by helping address depopulation and regional imbalances while identifying sustainable growth models. Candidate villages are evaluated based on criteria including cultural and natural resources, heritage preservation and utilization, as well as economic, social and environmental sustainability. The village has strong historical and cultural significance, with the founders of several of Korea's influential conglomerates and companies coming from the area, earning it a reputation as a “hub of K-entrepreneurship.” Tourism infrastructure combining hands-on experience programs with high-quality accommodations is believed to have contributed to the village’s strong evaluation in the selection process. Key

Apr 12, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Jinju's Seungsan nominated for UN Best Tourism Villages program
Global Community

Foreign residents partly eligible for Korea's fuel relief program

Some foreign residents in Korea will be eligible for government cash handouts, ranging from 100,000 won ($67) to 600,000 won, to be distributed later this month under a supplementary budget aimed at offsetting high fuel costs amid the prolonged Middle East conflict, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said Sunday. The ministry said non-Korean nationals are in principle excluded from the subsidy program, but exceptions will be made for those deemed to have "close ties" to Korean citizens. Foreign nationals are eligible if they are listed on a resident registration record alongside at least one Korean citizen and are enrolled in the national health insurance system, either as subscribers or dependents. Entirely foreign households may also qualify if they include permanent residents (F-5 visa holders), marriage migrants (F-6 visa holders) or refugees (F-2-4 visa holders), as long as those members are enrolled in the national health insurance system or are recipients of state medical aid. Korean nationals residing overseas will be eligible if they returned to the country between March 30

Apr 12, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Foreign residents partly eligible for Korea's fuel relief program
Politics

Lee to head new national safety body, bolstering public protection efforts

In a move to underscore its commitment to public safety, the Korean government is establishing a new presidential body led by President Lee Jae Myung to oversee national life and safety policies. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said Sunday it will issue legislative notice on the creation of a national life and safety committee, ahead of the country’s National Safety Day on Thursday. The day is a legally designated national commemoration established in the aftermath of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster, which claimed more than 300 lives, to reaffirm the importance of safety and raise public awareness. The new committee will serve as the government’s top decision-making body on safety policy across ministries. It will coordinate and oversee measures in five key areas: industrial accidents, suicide prevention, natural disasters, traffic accidents and child safety incidents. The body will also monitor and align the implementation of related initiatives across government agencies. Chaired by the president, the committee will include the interior minister and a civilian appointee as v

Apr 12, 2026By Anna J. Park
Lee to head new national safety body, bolstering public protection efforts
Politics

Ruling party rides early momentum as key battlegrounds take shape

With about 50 days remaining until the June 3 local elections, the ruling and opposition parties are moving at different speeds in preparing for the vote. While the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has finalized candidates in key regions and shifted into campaign mode, the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is still working through delays and internal friction in several races. This difference in pace is beginning to define the broader contours of the election, although major battlegrounds remain unsettled. According to sources in political circles, candidates from both major parties have now been confirmed in five of the 16 metropolitan races, including those in Incheon, Gangwon, Ulsan, South Gyeongsang and Busan. In several other regions, nominations are in their final stages, with parties expected to finalize their lists in the coming days. The DPK has taken the lead in this process. It has either confirmed or is close to finalizing candidates in major regions, in some cases opting for single nominations to avoid prolonged primaries. Rep. Choo Mi-ae, the party’s candidate

Apr 12, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
Ruling party rides early momentum as key battlegrounds take shape
Society

Aging candidate pool in superintendent race raises concerns over lack of younger leadership

With the June 3 local elections nearing, the superintendent race is drawing concern for its aging candidate pool, with most contenders aged 60 or older. A total of 75 candidates had registered for superintendent races nationwide as of Friday, with an average age of 63. By age group, those in their 60s accounted for the majority with 53 candidates, or 70.7 percent, followed by 16 candidates in their 50s at 21.3 percent, and six in their 70s at 8 percent. The youngest candidates are two contenders in the Sejong superintendent race, both aged 50, while the oldest candidate, running in Daegu, is 74. In Daegu, Daejeon, Ulsan and South Chungcheong Province, the average age of superintendent candidates exceeded 65 — the typical threshold for senior citizen status. Among them, Daegu recorded the highest average at 68. In South Chungcheong Province, two candidates in their 70s have registered. All regions nationwide except Busan, Sejong and Jeju saw average candidate ages in the 60s. Compared with other local elections, including races for mayors and governors, the aging candidate pool is more p

Apr 12, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Aging candidate pool in superintendent race raises concerns over lack of younger leadership
Society

2 firefighters killed in cold storage warehouse fire

A fire broke out at a cold storage warehouse in a southwestern county Sunday, leaving two firefighters dead as the blaze intensified during rescue operations, authorities said. The fire started at around 8:25 a.m. at a fisheries processing company's warehouse in the county of Wando, South Jeolla Province, prompting authorities to mobilize more than 100 firefighters. It was extinguished after about three hours, according to the Wando Fire Station. Two firefighters became trapped inside the warehouse and were later found dead, it noted. According to fire authorities, the blaze is believed to have started while workers were using a torch to remove paint from the building as part of floor-leveling and repaving work. A fishery company official inhaled smoke and was sent to a nearby hospital, but was not in life-threatening condition. Lee Min-seok, chief of the Wando Fire Station, said the two firefighters were unable to escape after reentering the site to extinguish residual flames following the initial operation. "Oil mist presumed to have been floating near the ceiling exploded," Lee said at

Apr 12, 2026By Yonhap
2 firefighters killed in cold storage warehouse fire
Politics

Lee reiterates commitment to upholding human rights following online exchange with Israel

President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday reaffirmed his stance on respecting universal human rights amid an online diplomatic exchange between Korea and Israel, following his posting of a video linked to Israel. In a post on social media platform X, Lee reiterated his call to uphold human rights, two days after sharing a 2024 video purportedly showing members of the Israel Defense Forces mistreating a Palestinian boy, drawing criticism from Israel. "The sovereignty of each nation and universal human rights must be respected, and wars of aggression must be rejected, which is both the spirit of our Constitution and an international norm," Lee wrote on X. "The principle of putting oneself in others' shoes applies not only to individuals but also to relations between countries. Just as my life and property are precious, so too are those of others. Respect begets respect," he added. On Saturday, Seoul's foreign ministry expressed regret over what it described as a "misunderstanding" by Israel of Lee's remarks, saying his comments reflected "an expression of his convictions regarding universal human

Apr 12, 2026By Yonhap
Lee reiterates commitment to upholding human rights following online exchange with Israel
South Korea

Cheong Wa Dae to hold economic review meeting on response to Mideast crisis

Cheong Wa Dae was set to convene an emergency economic review meeting Sunday with relevant ministries to coordinate responses to potential impacts from persisting tensions in the Middle East. Kim Yong-beom, presidential chief of staff for policy, will preside over the meeting, set to be held at 2 p.m., joined by vice ministers from the finance, foreign affairs, industry, energy and public safety ministries, along with senior presidential aides, according to the presidential office. Participants are expected to discuss ways to swiftly implement the 26.2 trillion-won ($17.7 billion) supplementary budget approved by the Cabinet on Saturday, as well as Korea's response from the fallout from the Middle East conflict amid high-level talks between the United States and Iran.

Apr 12, 2026By Yonhap
Cheong Wa Dae to hold economic review meeting on response to Mideast crisis
Politics

PPP picks incumbent Mayor Park as Busan mayoral candidate

Park Heong-joon, the incumbent mayor of Busan seeking a third term in the June 3 local elections, has been selected as the main opposition People Power Party's (PPP) candidate for mayor of the southeastern port city, the party said Saturday. Park secured a majority of the votes in the primary, defeating first-term lawmaker Rep. Joo Jin-woo, and was confirmed as the party's final candidate, according to Park Duk-hyum, chairman of the party's nomination management committee. Park will face Rep. Jeon Jae-soo, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) candidate for Busan mayor, in the upcoming election. "Now is the time for victory. I will serve as the field commander and vanguard for all PPP candidates," Park said, adding he would block what he described as the DPK's "one-party dominance without checks." Park was first elected Busan mayor in a 2021 by-election and was reelected in July 2022. Last month, he shaved his head to call for the swift passage of the "Special Act on the Development of Busan as a Global Hub City," which aims to transform the southeastern port city into a global hub

Apr 11, 2026By Yonhap
PPP picks incumbent Mayor Park as Busan mayoral candidate
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