However, he needs approval from the National Assembly

“I will use my power 100% and form an all-party cabinet,” disclosed newly appointed Prime Minister Kim Byong-joon at an informal meeting with reporters yesterday. According to Korean-language newspapers this morning (Nov. 4, 2016), including Hankyoreh, Kim stated that he will wield to the fullest possible extent all the power bestowed upon him as the prime minister under the provisions of the Constitutional Law.

He said, “In particular, I expect that I would be able to take full charge of the affairs of the state, especially where they are related with the economic and social areas.”He hinted that he wants to take full charge of the all other affairs of the state with the exception of diplomacy and national security, which properly belong to the President.

However, there are reports that as long as President Park Geun-hye does not specifically transfer the control of actual power to the prime minister, Kim will continue to remain a titular head of cabinet.
Even if President Park actually delegates power to Kim later, the opposition camp is expected to offer resistance against the appointment of Kim and furthermore it is not clear if the National Assembly will ratify the appointment of Kim as prime minister.

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KBS (http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/)

President to Address Choi Soon-Sil Scandal

President Park Geun-hye will hold a news conference at 10:30 Friday morning to address the influence-peddling scandal involving her friend Choi Soon-sil.

Democratic Party Dismisses Kim's Remarks as Meaningless, Rejects Nomination

Political opponents of President Park Geun-hye had harsh words Thursday for President Park's Prime Minister-designate, Kim Byong-joon, and vowed to block his confirmation.

2nd Yeongdong Expressway to Open November 11

Drivers headed to and from future winter Olympic venues can soon look forward to a much shorter trip.

Gov't to Scrap or Improve Over 900 Regulations

South Korea says it's planning to cut through a lot of the red tape that inconveniences ordinary people.

Assembly Ratifies Paris Deal a Day Before It Takes Effect

South Korea has ratified a major global agreement on climate change.

The Paris Agreement is part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC).

KOSPI, KOSDAQ Close Higher on Thursday

After taking a brutal fall the day before, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index(KOSPI) on Thursday managed to rise four-point-86 points, or zero-point-25 percent, to close at one-thousand-983-point-eight.

S. Korea's Foreign Reserves Fall for First Time in 4 Months

South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves have dropped for the first time in four months.

According to the Bank of Korea(BOK) on Thursday, South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves amounted to 375-point-17 billion dollars at the end of October, down by two-point-six billion dollars from the end of September.

Daunting Tasks Ahead for New Finance Minister

Anchor: Concerns are rising over a possible vacuum in governmental leadership as the Choi Soon-sil scandal grows.

Our Kim In-kyung reports on the tasks ahead for finance minister nominee Yim Jong-yong amid the drawn-out slump in the economy.

Average S. Korean Lives 11 Years Longer than N. Korean

A new report finds that an average South Korean lives eleven years more than an average North Korean.

RFA: China Likely to Supply Electricity to N. Korea via Direct Route

Radio Free Asia reported Thursday it is likely that China will directly provide electricity to North Korea’s Rason Special Economic Zone.

Foreign Ministry: Making Preparations for Trilateral Summit

South Korea has accepted a Japanese proposal to hold a three-way summit with China within the year.

Ex-Aide Ahn Points to President for Fundraising Suspicions

Former presidential secretary Ahn Jong-beom is said to have told the prosecution that the Mir and K-Sports foundations were established in line with President Park Geun-hye's instructions.

President's Friend Choi Soon-sil Arrested

The prosecution has put the president's controversial friend Choi Soon-sil behind bars after investigating her under a 48-hour emergency custody.

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Yonhap (http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr)

U.S.-Korea alliance to function effectively despite political scandal: Russel

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Despite the massive political scandal rocking South Korea, the U.S. alliance with the Asian ally will "continue to function effectively" and deter threats from North Korea, the top U.S. diplomat handling East Asian affairs said Thursday.

Sung Kim sworn in as new U.S. ambassador to Philippines

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- Amb. Sung Kim was officially sworn in as new U.S. ambassador to the Philippines on Wednesday, saying he is confident the close friendship and alliance between the U.S. and its oldest ally in Asia will continue.

Court issues warrant for arrest of woman at center of scandal

SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- A local court on Thursday night issued a warrant to formally arrest a confidante of President Park Geun-hye over alleged abuse of authority and other irregularities in a scandal that has threatened the incumbent administration.

Park to deliver another address over confidante scandal

SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- President Park Geun-hye will deliver another address to the nation Friday over a burgeoning corruption scandal involving her longtime confidante, the presidential office said.

Park appoints new chief of staff, senior secretary

SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- President Park Geun-hye on Thursday appointed her new chief of staff and a senior political adviser in a follow-up reshuffle of her top secretarial staff aimed at allaying seething public criticism over the growing corruption scandal involving her longtime confidante.

N.K. names new envoy to Britain following senior diplomat's defection

SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has named Choe Il as its new ambassador to Britain, Pyongyang's state media said Thursday, following the latest defection to South Korea by a top diplomat stationed in London.

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The Korea Herald (http://www.koreaherald.com)

Park can be probed for scandal

President Park Geun-hye can be investigated over the Choi Soon-sil scandal despite conflicting constitutional interpretations, Prime Minister nominee Kim Byung-joon said Thursday, adding that all people are “equal before the law.”

Arrest warrant issued for Choi

A formal arrest warrant has been issued Thursday for Choi Soon-sil, President Park Geun-hye’s longtime confidante, accused of collaborating with a presidential aide to abuse power and attempting to commit fraud.

Park appoints ex-opposition figure as new chief of staff

President Park Geun-hye on Thursday named her new chief of staff and senior political adviser, wrapping up the extensive shake-up of her secretariat aimed at defusing protest over the corruption scandal involving her confidante Choi Soon-sil.

Korea unveils measures to deter property speculation

To curb the excessive rise of real estate prices, the South Korean government Thursday released a set of anti-speculation plans that include an extended ban on the transfer of home purchasing rights in affluent areas.

Designer talks about Choi Soon-sil’s attitude

A designer of traditional Korean dress, known as hanbok, revealed Thursday that Choi Soon-sil, at the center of a widening government scandal and a longtime confidante of President Park Geun-hye, had visited her store ahead of the president’s inauguration ceremony in 2013.

NK names new envoy to Britain following senior diplomat's defection

North Korea has named Choe Il as its new ambassador to Britain, Pyongyang's state media said Thursday, following the latest defection to South Korea by a top diplomat stationed in London.

Samsung to unveil Tizen for IoT early next year

Samsung Electronics is set to unveil its Tizen operating system for the Internet of Things as early as the end of this year, a source said Friday.

Volvo CEO confident about Korean market

Hakan Samuelsson, president and CEO of Swedish carmaker Volvo Cars Group, emphasized the importance and potential of the Korean market for the company’s growth in Seoul on Thursday.

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The Korea Times (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr)

South Korean President to offer 2nd public apology over Choi Soon-sil scandal Friday

President Park Geun-hye plans to address the nation, today, to possibly express her willingness to face questioning as well as offer another apology over the ever expanding scandal involving her longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil, according to Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday.

President unlikely to avoid questioning

President Park Geun-hye may go down in Korean history as the first incumbent head of state ever to be investigated.

Court issues arrest warrant for Choi Soon-sil

A local court on Friday issued a warrant to formally arrest a confidante of President Park Geun-hye over alleged abuse of authority and other irregularities in a scandal that has threatened the incumbent administration.

Round-up of Choi Soon-sil scandal

As the nation's unprecedented influence-peddling scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil deepens, new allegations involving lawmakers, business entities and others from high-powered circles continue to emerge. To keep you up with the latest, the Digital News team will provide a daily round-up of events. ― ED.

Did Choi Soon-sil kill Hanjin Shipping?

Did scandal-mired Choi Soon-sil play a role in sinking Hanjin Shipping?

Rumors are rife that the shadowy confidant of President Park Geun-hye was an "invisible hand" blocking creditors' financial aid to the troubled shipping company.

Flame of anti-president rally ignited in US

Koreans living in major U.S. states are calling on President Park Geun-hye to step down over the political scandal involving her confidant Choi Soon-sil.

Visual arts director key suspect in Choi scandal

Calls are mounting for the investigative authorities to locate visual arts director Cha Eun-taek, one of the key figures in the influence-peddling scandal involving Choi Soon-sil, a close confidant of President Park Geun-hye.

Jeju airport battles garbage dumped by Chinese

Jeju airport is grappling with overflowing garbage from Chinese tourists.

Gates for international flights on the third floor of Jeju International Airport are teeming with rubbish from duty free goods purchased by Chinese tourists, according to Jeju newspaper Jemin Ilbo.

Aides turning backs on Park to avoid fallout

President Park Geun-hye's aides are trying to distance themselves from their embattled leader in what is seen as a move to avoid responsibility for the scandal surrounding her longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil.

Samsung executive questioned over Choi Soon-sil scandal

Prosecutors on Thursday questioned an executive director at South Korea's largest conglomerate Samsung Group over allegations that a close friend of President Park Geun-hye pressured local companies to donate some tens of billions of won to two nonprofit foundations.

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Dong-A Ilbo (http://english.donga.com)

U.S. presidential race remains neck and neck

With four days left before the U.S. presidential elections, unpredictability persists, as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are having neck-and-neck races in an increasing number of states.

Hyundai’s new Grandeur sedan clinches record preorders

Hyundai Motor’s sixth-generation Grandeur midsized passenger sedan, also known as Azera in North America, received a record number of preorders in the company’s history. This is a welcome turn of events for Korea’s largest automaker that had been dogged by slumping domestic sales, production disruptions caused by a strike and flooding, and controversies over quality issues involving the company’s Theta-II engine.

Chicago Cubs break ‘curse of the Billy Goat’ to win World Series

The curse that lasted for a longest period in the history of professional sports has been broken.

Painter Kim Ki-rin holds private exhibition in central Seoul

The 80-year-old painter Kim Ki-rin's private exhibition will be held at Gallery Hyundai in Jongno-gu, Seoul until Nov. 27, showcasing his 30-most famous paintings since 1960s.

N. Korea’s rice imports from China surge in September

North Korea imported the largest amount of rice from China on a monthly basis in September since the launch of the Kim Jong Un regime, the Voice of America reported on Thursday.

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