Series

Who in conservative bloc will embrace Han Duck-soo candidacy?

The entry of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in South Korea’s June 3 presidential race is emerging as a pivotal development for the conservative bloc, potentially redrawing the People Power Party’s strategy in its bid to defeat liberal front-runner Lee Jae-myung. Han, who declared his candidacy Friday, is widely viewed as a credible conservative figure and a potential unifying alternative. But his late entrance has complicated the ongoing primary for the biggest conservative party, which has

Han Duck-soo declares presidential bid pledging constitutional reform, early resignation

Now-former Prime Minister and acting President Han Duck-soo on Friday officially declared his bid for president, pledging to amend the Constitution, saying that such efforts have lost momentum into the past because all other politicians were only focused on taking power, unlike him, who is a career civil servant. Han's official announcement, made the morning after his resignation from his post, included a pledge to step down in the third year of his presidency — if elected — should he succeed in

People Power Party kicks off final round of its presidential primary

The conservative People Power Party began voting Thursday to determine its final presidential candidate for the June 3 election, with former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo and former party Chair Han Dong-hoon competing in the final round of the party primary. Voting will be conducted over two days, Thursday and Friday, and the final nominee will be decided through a 50-50 weighting of party member ballots and public opinion polls. The winner will be announced during the party’s convention on Saturd

Han Duck-soo resigns ‘to take on bigger responsibility’

Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo resigned Thursday citing his need “to take on bigger responsibility,” amid expectations that he would soon announce his intention to run in the presidential election on June 3. “Respected citizens, I stand here to deliver my decision on an issue that I’ve been deeply deliberating. I have decided to step down from my roles as acting president and prime minister,” Han said in a televised public speech aired in the afternoon. Though Han did not direc

Policy Watch: Lee Jae-myung vows to raise retirement age

Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential front-runner of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea, pledged Thursday to raise the retirement age beyond the current limit of 60, aligning the announcement with South Korea's May 1 Labor Day Lee emphasized the need to close the gap between the retirement age and the pension age. Under current rules, Koreans born between 1957 and 1960 can start receiving the national pension from the age of 62, with the threshold gradually increasing to 65 for those born in

Policy Watch: Lee Jun-seok pledges property tax cuts tied to life stages

Rep. Lee Jun-seok, a presidential contender from the minor conservative New Reform Party, vowed Thursday to cut property-related taxes in line with homebuyers’ life stages, aiming to better reflect changing housing needs over time. Under his proposal, newlywed couples would pay a reduced acquisition tax when purchasing a 59-square-meter home -- the typically preferred size for those starting a family -- or smaller. If they later move to a larger home due to the birth of a child, capital gains ta

Policy Watch: Han Dong-hoon vows support for seniors

Conservative presidential hopeful Han Dong-hoon's camp offered a range of support measures for older adults Thursday to address the demands of a super-aged society. Among the campaign pledges unveiled Thursday are incentives for builders to add senior-friendly design features, increased spending on research related to senior-care technologies and adding more jobs for seniors and allowing them to defer retirement, among others. Han was chair of the major conservative People Power Party, and is no

PPP presidential finalists differ on merger with Han Duck-soo

Kim Moon-soo and Han Dong-hoon, the two finalists in the People Power Party’s presidential primary, expressed differing views Wednesday on a potential merger with acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who is widely expected to resign this week to announce his presidential bid. During a televised debate aired by TV Chosun, the candidates were asked whether possible integration with Han should take place immediately after the party’s convention. Kim said yes, adding, “We can only discu

[Exclusive] Ex-domestic intelligence agent of NIS joining 'Han Duck-soo campaign': Democratic Party of Korea

A former National Intelligence Service official who is reportedly aiding acting President Han Duck-soo's supposed bid for the June 3 presidential election was a top-level domestic intelligence agent, according to a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker. The Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Korea Herald on Thursday that the former NIS agent was a "seasoned domestic intelligence officer" who is "well-versed" in the workings of elections. According to the la

Policy Watch: Lee Jae-myung forms committee for his soft power initiative

The Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate, Rep. Lee Jae-myung, launched a committee dedicated to promoting South Korean popular culture content, his campaign office said Monday. Lee's campaign said the committee will be headed by Yoo Hong-jun, who served as the director of the Cultural Heritage Administration, a Ministry of Culture-affiliated agency for managing the country's cultural assets. Expanding Korea's soft power is one of Lee's key policy pledges. "I want to help turn South

Policy Watch: Lee Jun-seok vows shorter military service for officers

Rep. Lee Jun-seok, a presidential hopeful from the New Reform Party, proposed cutting junior military officer service from three years to under two. To address troop shortages from low birth rates, Lee plans to unify recruitment and basic training for officers and enlisted soldiers. Top recruits would advance to commissioned or noncommissioned roles, serving one year and seven months, with optional extensions of up to six months. Scholarships would also be offered based on service duration.

After primary defeat, Hong Joon-pyo quits politics

Hong Joon-pyo, former mayor of Daegu and a former five-term lawmaker, announced his retirement from politics Tuesday after being eliminated in the conservative People Power Party’s second-round presidential primary. At a press conference held in his campaign headquaters in Seoul's Yeouido, the conservative politician said, "My role in this presidential race ends here. I thank the people and party members who supported me over the past 30 years." He added he would return to life as an ordinary ci

Kim Moon-soo, Han Dong-hoon to compete in final round of PPP primary

The conservative People Power Party on Tuesday named former Chair Han Dong-hoon and ex-Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo as the two finalists who will compete in the final round of its primary to be the party's candidate in the June 3 presidential election. Of the four contenders that competed throughout the second round, People Power Party Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo and former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo failed to make the cut. There were originally eight contenders at the start of the primary. The results for

Lee Jun-seok vows to lead S. Korea's charge in digital innovation

Rep. Lee Jun-seok, a presidential contender from the minor opposition New Reform Party, on Monday vowed to bolster international cooperation to strengthen the country's technological edge. The Harvard graduate said he would drive South Korea to "emerge as a global leader" in digital innovation and artificial intelligence, citing his academic background in engineering. "In particular, I will focus on fostering advanced technologies and nurturing talent," so that South Korea can lead global compet

Lee vows tax benefits, special law for chip industry

Rep. Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate for the Democratic Party of Korea, said Monday he seeks to expand tax benefits and push the National Assembly to pass the “semiconductor special bill” to bolster the nation’s chip industry. But he likely referred to the latest version of the bill drafted by the Democratic Party, which does not include the most debated section, which would exempt the chip industry from the country's legally mandated maximum workweek of 40 hours plus 12 hours of overtime.