South Korean trade chief Yoo Myung-hee’s run for the World Trade Organization director general post will face its next decision Tuesday in Switzerland, with the second round of the selection process coming to a close. The second round will see two candidates selected for the final round, the timeline for which has not yet been decided. As the race heads to a close, Yoo appeared to be in with a good chance, with the European Union choosing to back Yoo and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria&ls

Foreign Affairs Oct. 7, 2020

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday offered his condolences to the son of the civil servant killed by North Korean soldiers in response to the son’s letter addressed to the president. “I understand the sentiments of a son who has lost his father. My heart also aches,” Moon was quoted as saying by Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kang Min-seok. “As the Coast Guard is investigating the situation, let’s wait for the results of the Coast Guard’s investigation and sear

Politics Oct. 6, 2020

Talks of a Cabinet reshuffle are rising, following a series of controversies surrounding high-profile ministers of the Moon Jae-in administration. Controversies about Cabinet members and nominees have dogged President Moon Jae-in throughout his term, but this time talks of a reshuffle are rising from within the ranks of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. Ministers linked to a possible reshuffle include Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha and Ministe

Politics Oct. 6, 2020

Unverified accusations and false information are flooding the country’s political arena and online communities, prompted by the scandal surrounding Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae and her son. Choo faces allegations that she used her position as a ruling Democratic Party of Korea leader to give preferential treatment to her son, identified by the surname Seo, during his service with the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army from 2016 to 2018. Unverified information about governm

Politics Sept. 30, 2020

A South Korean civil servant killed by North Korean soldiers was probably attempting to defect to the North, the Coast Guard concluded Tuesday, based on analysis of information gathered by the South’s military. According to the Coast Guard, the South Korean military’s information showed that the civil servant expressed his intent to defect to North Korean soldiers who discovered and later killed him in North Korean waters on Sept. 22. The Coast Guard also said the North Koreans wer

Social Affairs Sept. 29, 2020

The five-day Chuseok holiday begins Wednesday and health authorities remain on high alert as the nation begins its first major national holiday amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The recent resurgence of coronavirus in Seoul and surrounding regions appears to be stabilizing, but health authorities warn the situation is still precarious, as there are likely to be a large number of undetected virus carriers. The country added 38 new virus cases on Tuesday, the lowest daily increase since Aug.11, bri

Social Affairs Sept. 29, 2020

A North Korean defector who collected information for North Korean authorities after being blackmailed has been given a suspended sentence. The defector, identified by the surname Han, was sentenced to an eight-month prison term suspended for two years for violating the National Security Act. The Seoul Central District Court ruled that Han’s actions represented a clear danger of damaging South Korea’s democratic order and national security, as the information Han provided is lik

North Korea Sept. 28, 2020

President Moon Jae-in on Monday offered an apology to the people of South Korea in response to the shock and fury caused by the killing of a South Korean government official last week by North Korea, his office said Monday. He also expressed his condolences to the family of the civil servant who was shot dead on Sept. 22 by the North’s troops after drifting into the country’s waters. “The shock and rage the public felt can easily be expected. The government, which should d

Politics Sept. 28, 2020

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Friday apologized for the developments surrounding a South Korean civil servant who was allegedly killed and incinerated by the North Korean military. The North’s Unification Front Department on Friday sent a communique addressed to Seoul’s presidential office outlining the events and including an expression of regret from Kim. “I have apologetic thoughts to President Moon Jae-in and compatriots of the South for the unfortunate incident tha

North Korea Sept. 25, 2020

President Moon Jae-in was briefed on four occasions between Tuesday and Thursday on developments concerning the South Korean civil servant killed by the North Korean military, Cheong Wa Dae said. According to the presidential office, Moon was first briefed on the matter at 6:36 p.m. on Tuesday in the form of a written report. The report was made about three hours after the South’s military obtained intelligence that the civil servant was spotted by the North Korean military. At 10:30

Politics Sept. 25, 2020

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday called on the Japanese government to work together with South Korea to seek a solution to the issue of wartime forced labor. In his first telephone conversation with the new Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Moon said that the two countries are each other‘s closest neighbors and that the issue should be resolved, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kang Min-seok. “It is true that the two countries have differences on the forced labor i

Foreign Affairs Sept. 24, 2020

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday again stressed the need to declare the end of the Korean War, and requested the UN’s support. Addressing the UN General Assembly in the early hours of Wednesday in Korea time, Moon said the time has come to formally end the war and that the move will ensure peace in the region. “Time has come to remove the tragedy lingering on the Korean Peninsula. The war must end, completely and for good,” Moon said in his speech. “Peace on the

North Korea Sept. 23, 2020

President Moon Jae-in on Monday called for the fair distribution to all countries of vaccines and therapeutics against COVID-19, stressing that “solidarity and cooperation” will prevail against the virus. Addressing the high-level meeting commemorating the 75th anniversary of the United Nations via satellite link, Moon said the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to undermine the multilateralism embodied by the UN and proposed three ideas for overcoming the crisis. Stressing the efforts

Foreign Affairs Sept. 22, 2020

Rival parties on Tuesday agreed to process the fourth supplementary budget bill. The bill was set to be put to the parliamentary Special Committee on Budget and Accounts later in the day. The 7.8 trillion won ($6.7 billion) supplementary budget bill was put to the National Assembly on Sept. 11. The agreement was made at a meeting between the floor leaders of the ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition People Power Party, where a number of changes were made to the bill proposed by th

Politics Sept. 22, 2020

Former South Korean National Assembly speakers are urging Seoul and Tokyo to mend ties, saying that allowing bilateral relations to remain in their current state is detrimental to both countries. In an interview with a local diplomacy journal, four former National Assembly speakers -- Chung Ui-hwa, Moon Hee-sang, Lim Chae-jung and Kim Hyung-o, who served in the role between 2004 and 2020 -- said Korea-Japan relations must not be allowed to continue on their current course and proposed ways to

Foreign Affairs Sept. 17, 2020