The head of South Korea's antitrust watchdog said Wednesday that he will do his best to protect social and corporate underdogs in a way to enhance fair market competition."The competition law is aimed at protecting competition in the market, but society is calling on the Fair Trade Commission (
Rival parties failed Monday to adopt reports on the results of parliamentary confirmation hearings for President Moon Jae-in's top government and judicial nominees, casting clouds over his efforts to swiftly form his government.The ruling Democratic Party sought to adopt the reports on Fair Trad
President Moon Jae-in called for swift action by the parliament to create an extra budget Monday, saying the budget may not be enough to solve all the problems facing the nation but the country may soon face a crisis without it."Economy requires (the right measures) at the right time," the preside
Three major parties agreed Monday to deliberate on a 11.2 trillion won (US$9.9 billion) extra budget bill, aimed at creating jobs for youth, party officials said, amid a lingering controversy over its legality.The agreement came during a meeting involving National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun and
Prosecutors were set to question the daughter of former President Park Geun-hye's longtime friend Monday as part of a probe into a massive influence-peddling scandal that led to Park's removal from office.Chung Yoo-ra has been summoned to appear at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors'
President Moon Jae-in on Sunday named five new ministers, including a new vice prime minister and minister for education, and a new defense minister.Kim Sang-kon, a former school superintendent of Gyeonggi Province, has been tapped as the new education minister, who will double as a vice prime minis
South Korea's former foreign ministers have come out in support of Kang Kyung-hwa, a beleaguered diplomat nominated by President Moon Jae-in to be his first foreign minister.Ten former top diplomats, who served as foreign ministers in the preceding conservative and liberal governments, issued a
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Saturday that he won't let democracy falter or backtrack in honor of those who risked their lives to safeguard it.During an address to mark the 30th anniversary of the pro-democracy uprising in June, he said, "Under the Moon Jae-in government, democracy w
U.S. Under Secretary of State Thomas Shannon will visit South Korea next week for talks on the alliance between the two countries, North Korea and other issues, the State Department announced Friday.Shannon will be in Seoul from Tuesday to Thursday to "meet with senior Korean officials to discuss t
A local court issued an arrest warrant on Friday for a daughter of a late businessman who controlled the operator of a sunken ferry that killed hundreds of passengers in 2014.The Incheon District Court issued the warrant for Yoo Sum-na, the daughter of Yoo Byung-eun, the de facto owner of Cheonghaej
President Moon Jae-in met with top leaders of the ruling Democratic Party on Friday, officials said, to discuss ways to overcome the apparent impasse in the opposition-led parliament over his picks for new ministers.The meeting, a 7 p.m. dinner at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, came as oppos
The National Assembly on Friday endorsed President Moon Jae-in's pick for deputy prime minister for economic affairs following a confirmation hearing this week.Kim Dong-yeon, who was tapped to double as finance minister, was approved by the parliamentary strategy and finance committee, paving th
President Moon Jae-in on Friday pleaded with the opposition-led parliament for its approval of his nominee for the new foreign minister, claiming the nominee and her credentials have long been approved and praised by the international community.The president's appeal for Kang Kyung-hwa came two
A former health minister was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in jail Thursday on charges of abuse of power in connection with a massive corruption scandal that removed former President Park Geun-hye from office.The Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence to Moon Hyung-pyo, who served as healt
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has convened a meeting of the National Security Council on Thursday to discuss possible measures against North Korea's repeated rocket and missile launches, the presidential office said.The first NSC meeting to be chaired by the president will be held at 2 p.m.
South Korea urged North Korea on Wednesday to accept local aid groups' move to visit the North for inter-Korean exchanges as Pyongyang has rejected their offers, citing Seoul's support of fresh U.N. sanctions.North Korea on Monday spurned South Korean civic and religious groups' move to
Constitutional Court Chief nominee Kim Yi-su apologized Wednesday over the allegation that he was at the forefront of judicial punishments for protesters against the military-backed government in the 1980s.During his parliamentary confirmation hearing, Kim also vowed to contribute to addressing the
South Korea should play a more "active" and "leading" role as a stake holder in handling North Korea's nuclear problem, President Moon Jae-in's pick for foreign minister said Wednesday.Kang Kyung-wha told a confirmation hearing that she will "sternly" deal with any provocation by the N
The daughter of a late businessman blamed for the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster has been arrested, as France extradited her three years after she fled to avoid arrest on embezzlement charges, officials said Wednesday.The Incheon District Prosecutors' Office said they apprehended Yoo Sum-na, the daug
President Moon Jae-in named five new vice ministers Tuesday while telling an incumbent vice foreign minister to remain in the latest move to form what will truly be his first administration. Lim Sung-nam, the incumbent first vice minister at the foreign ministry, has been asked to continue serving i