Mayoral candidates vow greater welfare, review of ‘show-off’ projectsSeoul is set for a major shift in policy priorities, after five years under a conservative mayor who favored large construction projects aimed at giving the capital a modern makeover, while opposing universal welfare. Be they conse

Hundreds of environmentalists from the Asia-Pacific region will gather in Incheon this week for a four-day meeting to discuss and prepare a roadmap for a larger gathering to be held in Korea next year, organizers said Sunday. Members of the International Union of Conservation of Nature will hold a R

Businessman claims to have given money to ex-vice culture ministerAnother of President Lee Myung-bak’s close confidants has become embroiled in a graft scandal, on top of two already under a prosecutorial probe for taking bribes. Shin Jae-min, a former vice culture minister and election campaigner f

Lawyer Na most likely to win GNP ticket to Oct. 26 mayoral by-electionConservatives’ attempt to form a united front in the Seoul mayoral by-election hit a snag Tuesday, after Lee Seog-yeon, a lawyer backed by right-leaning civil groups, decided to run independently. Some 200 conservative civic activ

Na expected to announce bid around Thursday; DP starts nomination raceThe ruling Grand National Party is racking its brain over who would be its best shot at the forthcoming Seoul mayoral by-election, after a lawyer it wooed as its candidate against a powerful opposition contender turned out not so

Prosecutors plan to summon for questioning next week Kim Doo-woo, a senior presidential aide, on suspicion that he had shady ties with an arrested lobbyist hired by a corruption-ridden mutual savings bank. “He is likely to be questioned next week,” an official at the Central Investigation Unit at th

Park closer to becoming opposition flag bearer; ruling party still searching for candidateHan Myeong-sook, a former prime minister, said Tuesday that she would not run for Seoul mayor. “I have decided not to run in the Oct. 26 by-election for Seoul mayor,” Han, who was considered one of the stronges

Jailed professor claims money given to Seoul education chief was not bribeThe election graft scandal involving Seoul’s education chief Kwak No-hyun took a twist Thursday, after a professor under arrest for taking bribes from Kwak claimed that the money he received was not a bribe.Speaking through hi

After two days of interrogation, prosecutors sought warrant to arrest Kwak No-hyun, Seoul’s education superintendent, Wednesday on allegations that he bought a rival candidate out of last year’s election. Investigators at the Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office were said to have reached a conclusion t

Interrogation focuses on source of 200 million won paid to ParkSeoul’s education chief Kwak No-hyun faced a second day of interrogation by prosecutors Tuesday on allegations that he bribed a rival candidate out of the race during last year’s education election. Following the interrogation, prosecuto

Interrogation focuses on whether 200 million won was bribeKwak No-hyun, Seoul’s embattled education chief, faced interrogation from city prosecutors on allegations that he paid a rival candidate to quit last year’s election. An expressionless Kwak arrived at the lobby of the Seoul Central Prosecutor

By Lee Sun-youngSeoul’s education superintendent Kwak No-hyun will present himself before prosecutors Monday to face questioning over allegations that he bought a rival candidate out of the race in last year’s election, his spokesperson said Friday. “The superintendent plans to comply with the summo

By Lee Sun-youngKwak No-hyun, Seoul’s education chief embroiled in an election corruption scandal, said Thursday he would keep his post, resisting mounting calls for him to resign.Kwak, elected last June as superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, is accused of bribing a fellow

Some fear backpedaling on education autonomy, others see elections wasting taxpayers’ moneyThe election corruption scandal involving Kwak No-hyun, Seoul’s education superintendent, has many Koreans questioning whether a direct popular vote is the best way to select education chiefs. The city’s first

Seoul education chief uspected of bribing former election rivalSeoul’s education chief Kwak No-hyun may face subpoena as early as Wednesday in an intensifying probe into allegations that he bought a rival candidate out of race during last year’s election, sources at the prosecution said Tuesday. The

Prosecution secures statements from professor on agreed financial compensationPublic prosecutors investigating election corruption involving Seoul’s education chief Kwak No-hyun said Monday they had secured statements that Kwak had promised to pay off a rival candidate during last year’s election ca

Public prosecutors investigating election corruption involving Seoul’s education chief Kwak No-hyun said Monday they had secured statements that Kwak had promised to pay off a rival candidate during last year’s election campaign. According to sources at the Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office, which l

With Oh Se-hoon expected to step down as Seoul mayor, rival political camps were pondering Thursday over who among their members has the best shot at winning the post, which some say is second most influential in Korea after the president. In media reports, a handful of names are being floated as po

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s ambitious yet controversial, projects to beautify the capital city face an uncertain future as he is expected to quit after Wednesday’s failed referendum. For the past five years in office, the conservative mayor has single-handedly pushed some costly works in Seoul, defying

The conservatives’ defeat in Wednesday’s school meals referendum in Seoul is expected to have a sizable impact on national politics in the run-up to major elections next year, political analysts said.  Hong Joon-pyo (left), chairman of the ruling Grand National Party, holds a press conference a