Kim may try to reignite 'bromance' with Trump if he returns to White House: ex-Trump official

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may try to rekindle his "bromance" with former President Donald Trump if he returns to the White House, a former US official said Monday, predicting Kim could propose a deal to limit his regime's nuclear program in return for American troops' pullout from South Korea. H.R. McMaster, who served as national security advisor for Trump from 2017-2018, made the remarks amid speculation that the GOP presidential nominee, if reelected, could seek dire

North KoreaJuly 23, 2024

[Herald Inteview] Tajikistan's hydropower, mining opportunities: state committee chair

Sulton Rahimzoda, Tajikistan's chairman of the State Committee on Investments and State Property Management, encouraged South Korean companies to invest in Tajikistan’s green energy and mining sectors in an interview with The Korea Herald. Tajikistan intends to build a green economy by 2037 and accelerate industrialization for sustainable development and job opportunities. Tajikistan offers opportunities to Korean companies to "green" their investments, according to Rahimzod

Foreign AffairsJuly 22, 2024

Defense chiefs of South Korea, US, Japan to meet in Tokyo to discuss NK threats

SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- The defense chiefs of South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold talks in Tokyo next week to discuss issues such as strengthening their trilateral security cooperation in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, the South's defense ministry said Monday. The gathering scheduled for Sunday comes amid tensions on the Korean Peninsula over North Korea's repeated launches of trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea in a tit-for-tat r

DefenseJuly 22, 2024

Parliamentary committee passes pro-labor 'yellow envelope bill'

A parliamentary committee unilaterally passed a pro-labor bill Monday that aims to limit companies from making claims for damages against legitimate labor union disputes. Lawmakers affiliated with the main opposition Democratic Party and other progressive parties passed the revision to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act, nicknamed the yellow envelop bill, during a plenary session of the parliamentary environment and labor committee. In protest, the ruling People Power Party left

PoliticsJuly 22, 2024

Anti-corruption agency raises meal expense cap for public officials

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission announced on Monday that it has decided to raise the meal expense limit for public officials from 30,000 won ($22) to 50,000 won, citing the need to reflect the country's steep inflation since the limit was set. This proposal came eight years after the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, also known as the "Kim Young-ran law," was implemented. The antigraft act, named after the former Supreme Court justice who was then head of the co

Social AffairsJuly 22, 2024

Korea, Albania discuss ways for stronger cooperation on security, new techs

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met with his Albanian counterpart, Igli Hasani, on Monday and discussed ways of enhancing cooperation on security, new technologies and the overall economy, Seoul's foreign ministry said. During the meeting in Seoul, Cho expressed hope for stronger relations with Albania on a wide range of issues, such as cyber security, artificial intelligence and other advanced technology sectors, as South Korea is working to boost cooperation with major European

Foreign AffairsJuly 22, 2024

People Power Party leader candidates diverge on Trump

As South Korea’s ruling People Power Party counts down to the national convention set for Tuesday, Han Dong-hoon -- the leading candidate for the party’s top post -- was seen promoting his views on former US President Donald Trump in a last-minute move to set himself apart from his main challengers. Han on Sunday posted to Facebook saying, “The South Korea-US alliance is at the core of our country’s progress in diplomacy, defense, economy and science, as well as peace in

PoliticsJuly 22, 2024

Employment rates, wages drop once women become mothers: study

The employment rates and wages of South Korea's female workers significantly dropped after they become mothers, with about one in two mothers leaving their jobs after giving birth, a recent study showed Monday. According to a report released by the Korea Development Institute, women's employment rates decreased by 47.1 percent in the short term -- defined as within four years after childbirth -- and by 43.4 percent in the long term -- defined as five to 10 years after childbirth. Simil

Social AffairsJuly 22, 2024

Biden steps down, Harris steps up: What's next for alliance, beyond?

US President Joe Biden's seismic decision to drop out of the presidential race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee on Sunday has rattled South Korea. The tectonic political shift raises critical questions about whether the steadfast South Korea-US alliance, exemplified by the Washington Declaration and the crucial trilateral cooperation with Japan highlighted at the Camp David summit, will endure despite Biden’s withdrawal. Hours after Biden withdrew fro

Foreign AffairsJuly 22, 2024

Democrats promise 'orderly process' to replace Biden, where Harris is favored but questions remain

WASHINGTON (AP) — Shortly after President Joe Biden announced Sunday that he would drop his reelection campaign , Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison had a message: There would be no automatic coronation for his replacement. “In the coming days, the party will undertake a transparent and orderly process to move forward,” Harrison said in a statement. “This process will be governed by established rules and procedures of the party. Our delegates are prepare

Foreign AffairsJuly 22, 2024

Biden bows out, endorses Harris

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, ending his bid for reelection after a disastrous debate with Donald Trump that raised doubts about the incumbent's fitness for office. The unprecedented announcement, delivered less than four months before the election, immediately upended a campaign that both political parties view as the most consequential in generations. The president — intent on serving out the remainder of hi

Foreign AffairsJuly 22, 2024

Kamala Harris, trailblazer eying America's last glass ceiling

WASHINGTON (AFP) - For years Kamala Harris faced criticism that she was not up to the job of being a heartbeat away from the US presidency. Now, she finds herself feted by Democrats as their best hope to stop Donald Trump's comeback. Despite blazing a trail as the first woman, Black and South Asian vice president in the nation's history, the 59-year-old Democrat long struggled with approval ratings as bad or worse than President Joe Biden's. The last 12 months, however, have revea

Foreign AffairsJuly 22, 2024

Prosecution in disarray over first lady investigation

Prosecutor General Lee One-seok on Monday apologized for the prosecution's secretive questioning of first lady Kim Keon Hee over the weekend, saying that investigation principles were neglected while interrogating her. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office questioned Kim as a suspect at an undisclosed venue believed to be somewhere other than a prosecutors' office. The prosecution general, whose Supreme Prosecutors Office oversees the Seoul office, said he was not briefed

PoliticsJuly 22, 2024

What's driving Seoul back to DMZ loudspeaker broadcasts?

South Korea entered its second day of renewed loudspeaker broadcasts along its border with North Korea on Monday, a retaliatory response to Pyongyang's recent barrage of trash-laden balloons sent southward. Hours after North Korea floated hundreds of balloons toward the South, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that "full-scale" broadcasting began Sunday afternoon and would continue on Monday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. As of 8 a.m., Monday, the South Korean military iden

PoliticsJuly 22, 2024

Occasional rain showers to hit Greater Seoul until Wed.

While South Korea’s southern regions were hit with heat wave warnings, the Korea Meteorological Administration reported on Monday that the Greater Seoul region and Gangwon Province will see heavy rain showers on an occasional basis until Wednesday. On Monday, the Greater Seoul area, which consists of Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, expected to see 20 to 60 millimeters of rain, with heavily hit regions seeing up to 80 mm. Specifically, the KMA added that the Greater Seoul area will al

Social AffairsJuly 22, 2024

Drunk drivers' online community stirs controversy

An online community dealing with information about administrative actions related to drunk driving has sparked debate, with many decrying the forum members for sharing know-how to obtain leniency after being caught in the crime. The webpage on Naver, South Korea's largest search engine, has well over 80,000 members as of Monday. People in the group are sharing personal experiences related to drunk driving, hit-and-run incidents and other violations of the Road Traffic Act. Categories of t

Social AffairsJuly 22, 2024

Police set to launch intensive drug crackdown at clubs

Starting from Aug. 1, police will launch an intensive crackdown on drugs for three months, with their main focus on targeting drug use in clubs to combat narcotics circulation via entertainment venues. The Korean National Police Agency's National Office of Investigation on Monday said the action comes amid concerns that drugs could be widely distributed and used in clubs at popular vacation spots across the nation. Under the scheme, officials plan to intensify their efforts in collecting de

Social AffairsJuly 22, 2024

[Bills in Focus] Vehicle recording mandates, chip incentives

Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Motor Vehicle Management Act Proposed by Rep. Lee Hun-seung (People Power Party) ● Recently, nine people have lost their lives in front of Seoul City Hall due to an acceleration accident with an unclear cause. The driver attributed the incident to a sudden unintended acceleration, but there are no definitive means to support this claim or to prove driver error. In the Fair Trade Commission’s Status Research Report on the Operation of the Product Liab

PoliticsJuly 22, 2024

N. Korea slams US-S. Korea joint military drills ahead of 71st anniversary of armistice signing

North Korea said Monday the United States and South Korea have never stopped their joint military drills against the North since the signing of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War, claiming that they are crossing a red line of a new nuclear war. The Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper, raised public awareness against the US ahead of the 71st anniversary of the signing of the armistice on July 27, celebrated as Victory Day in North Korea. "The enemies' madness of

North KoreaJuly 22, 2024

Hospitals set to begin hiring trainee doctors as med professors warn of boycotting training programs

Hospitals were set to begin hiring about 7,700 trainee doctors on Monday, although medical professors have warned of boycotting their training programs in protest of the government's push for accepting the resignations of striking trainees. Monthslong standoffs with trainee doctors over the medical school admission quota hikes have shown no end in sight, as trainee doctors have been unresponsive to the government's appeasement steps, including a plan to abandon all punitive steps again

Social AffairsJuly 22, 2024