Outgoing chief prosecutor Kim Soo-nam called for self-reflection and self-reformation in his farewell message Monday, as a major overhaul looms for the nation’s powerful law enforcement agency. “I am leaving, but the prosecution has a grave task to restore the public trust. At the core of restoring public trust are principles, self-control and integrity,” said Prosecutor-General Kim during his retirement ceremony at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Seoul.Outgoing chief prosecutor Kim Soo-nam (

Following North Korea's new missile test on Sunday, speculation is growing over its type due to its unusually high flight altitude that observers say hints that the communist state is on course to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).South Korea's military said the North launched the missile at around 5:27 a.m. from a site about 100 kilometers north of Pyongyang, and that it flew some 700 kilometers for half an hour before falling into the East Sea. Japan estimated the missile's

South Korea raised its cybersecurity alert on Sunday amid growing concerns about the WannaCry ransomware cyberattack that has spread across the world. The Korea Internet & Security Agency said four companies have reported to the state computer security agency that they were affected by the malicious software over the weekend.Seven companies have consulted with it for two days and four of them registered official damage reports. The agency said it will provide technical support to them.Private se

President Moon Jae-in picked special envoys to the United States, China, Japan and Russia, a source said Sunday, as he strives to build closer ties with the four major powers amid persistent military threats from a provocative North Korea.The source said that Moon picked Hong Seok-hyun, a former chairman and CEO of the JoongAng Media Network, and former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan as special envoys to the US and China, respectively. This combined file photo shows Hong Seok-hyun (L), a former cha

North Korea's test-firing of a ballistic missile constitutes a "threat to international peace and security" as Pyongyang ratchets up tensions in the region, an EU spokesperson said Sunday."This and previous launches constitute a threat to international peace and  security and further aggravate tensions in the region at a time when  de-escalation is instead needed," the spokesperson said in a statement.The missile was launched early Sunday and flew more than 700 kilometres  (435 miles) before lan

Emmanuel Macron was inaugurated Sunday as France's new president at the Elysee palace in Paris, and immediately launched into his mission to shake up French politics, world economics and the European Union. The 39-year-old Macron is the youngest president in the country's history and the 8th president of France's Fifth Republic, which was created in 1958. A former economy minister with pro-business, pro-European views, Macron is the first French president who doesn't originate from one of the co

As South Korea’s new President Moon Jae-in signals his strong determination to overhaul the state prosecution, eyes are on whether a new investigation entity devoted to probing corruption cases involving senior public servants will finally be established. The creation of the body with independent power to investigate and indict high-ranking officials in the judiciary and civil service as well as their family members is the core of Moon’s pledges to reform the prosecution. His reform plan has rec

South Korea’s new President Moon Jae-in vowed to unite a divided nation and become a president for everyone as he took his oath of office Wednesday. “I will become a president who communicates with people at all times. I will yield the president’s imperial power to people as much as possible,” he said in his inauguration speech. President Moon Jae-in takes the oath of office during his inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly in Seoul on May 10, 2017. (Yonhap)The oath-taking ceremony was h

Thousands of supporters for South Korea’s new President Moon Jae-in gathered in central Seoul on Tuesday night to celebrate the liberal candidate’s landslide victory.With some smiling and shedding tears of joy, South Koreans flocked to Gwanghwamun Square with their families and friends to watch the election results come in on big outdoor screens and celebrate Moon’s win together. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)“I came here to celebrate Moon’s victory because I think it is really a historic mome

As South Koreans head to polls to fill the top office’s vacancy left by ousted President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday, some wonder whether Park herself cast voted. Park, who was removed from power over a series of corruption allegations in March, has remained in detention since her arrest three weeks after falling from power. She is now on trial for abusing her power and receiving bribes from local firms to help her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil’s business interests.(Yonhap)According to local news r

With the nation more politically engaged than ever after months of turmoil, South Koreans turned out in droves to elect their new president Tuesday, pushing voter turnout to the highest level in recent decades. 　At 3 p.m., nine hours after polls opened and with five hours left to vote, turnout had reached 63.7 percent, according to the National Election Commission. 　“We are expecting the final turnout to be around or over 80 percent, with record-high turnouts from previous overseas and early vot

As two-day early voting marked a record high turnout Friday, voters of all ages flooded social media with the latest trend -- taking selfies to celebrate their participation in democracy. It has become fashionable among tech-savvy young voters to share “voting selfies” -- photos of themselves posing in front of the polling booth or of hands or other body parts bearing ballot stamp marks. “I took a selfie and shared it online because I am proud that I had voted. Also, I wanted to encourage others

In this year’s presidential election, there is good news for pet lovers. Presidential hopefuls may differ on their political ideologies, but they have all promised a better life for animals. All major candidates have incorporated animal welfare issues -- from tougher punishment for animal abuse to a cut in medical costs -- into their official platform to woo the growing number of animal lovers in the country. According to government data, 21.8 percent of the South Korean households -- about 10 m

INCHEON/ SEOUL -- As the two-day early voting kicked off Thursday, millions of South Koreans flocked to polling stations across the nation to elect their next president. Instead of voting on the scheduled election day of Tuesday, many chose to cast ballots earlier as they have to work or have other plans, such as a trip to vacation hot spots.People wait in line at Incheon International Airport on May 4, 2017, for early voting for the May 9 presidential election. (Yonhap)When The Korea Herald vis

Former President Park Geun-hye maintained her claim of innocence via attorneys at the first hearing of her trial Tuesday, signaling a tough battle against the corruption charges that brought an end to her presidency in March. The Seoul Central District Court held the preliminary hearing and set May 23 as the start date for a formal trial that Park, who has remained in custody since late March, must attend. She did not appear this time as her attendance was not mandatory. During the hearing, Park

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday he may turn down an invitation by Donald Trump to visit the United States, as he welcomed three Chinese warships to his home town.Duterte, who has loosened the Philippines' long alliance with the United States while strengthening ties with China and Russia, said he could not commit to the American president because of a busy schedule that included a trip to Moscow."I am tied up. I cannot make any definite promise. I am supposed to go to Russia, I

America's CIA director is making an unannounced visit to South Korea, the US Embassy in Seoul confirmed Monday, amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.An embassy official said Mike Pompeo and his wife were in the South Korean capital on Monday, but wouldn't say for how long. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.South Korean media reports said the CIA chief arrived in South Korea over the weekend for meetings with the head of South Korea

With just six days until a French presidential vote that could define Europe's future, far-right leader Marine Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron held high-stakes rallies Monday that overlapped with May Day workers' rights marches, reminding both candidates that jobs are voters' No. 1 concern.The tense presidential campaign interrupted the usual calm of the May Day holiday. Supporters of both candidates took to the streets, airwaves and social media to weigh on an election closely watched by fi

A Thai police probe into a gang that  allegedly procured teenage sex slaves has ensnared at least four officers,  investigators said Monday, the latest scandal to engulf a force with an already  poor reputation.Revelations of a child sex ring first emerged last week when a mother said  her teen daughter had been pimped out for the last year to influential  officials in northern Mae Hong Song province, one of Thailand's poorest regions.Days of lurid headlines followed with allegations that senior

More than half of Korean men have paid for sex at least once in their life, a government report showed Monday.According to the poll of 1,050 men by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, 50.7 percent said they had purchased sex, 6 percentage points down from 2013. Nearly 26 percent of them had engaged prostitutes in the past year and did so 8.46 times per year on average.The majority of men who had paid for sex, or 53.8 percent, first did so when they were aged between 20 and 24, followed b