U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s six-day trip in South Korea would have been just a routine visit by the world’s top diplomat to his home state -- if not for the growing anticipation on his potential run in the 2017 presidential election Instead, Ban found himself at the center of national attention. Ever since the 71-year-old diplomat hinted on Wednesday at the possibility of his foray into politics, following his previous 10-year tenure, his every step has been interpreted to take on a pol

After visiting U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon indicated potentially joining next year’s presidential race, frenzied debate was sparked in political circles on its implications for the current political landscape and whether he stands a chance.The 71-year-old diplomat said Wednesday evening that he would “contemplate” what he would do as a South Korean citizen when his term ends in December 2016 in response to widespread speculation of him becoming a presidential candidate for the ruling Saen

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon began a six-day visit in South Korea on Wednesday with a series of meetings with government officials and senior politicians, amid widening speculation that he might run in next year’s presidential election. Ban arrived at Jejudo Island to attend the Jeju Forum alongside foreign head of state and local politicians. He is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Thursday before leaving for the G7 Summit in Japan. Following the two-day event, he wil

The ruling Saenuri Party’s factional leaders have chosen to serve in a parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and inter-Korea relations in the upcoming National Assembly, a move seen to solidify their positions as presidential candidates. The Saenuri Party’s former leader Rep. Kim Moo-sung and former Financial Minister Choi Kyung-hwan have applied for positions at the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, according to party sources Tuesday. Kim leads the faction that challenges loyalist

The government and lawmakers are stepping up moves to legislate preventive measures and stronger punishment against hate crimes, following the murder of a 23-year-old woman in Gangnam last week.Although the police reiterated that they view the case as a random crime committed by a mentally-ill person, politicians have come to the fore to identify it as a hate crime, calling for the need to stiffen penalties for crimes motivated by prejudice. The suspect had testified that he committed the murder

KUWAIT CITY -- Fifteen years since the end of the Gulf War, it is hard to see any remnants of the devastation in Kuwait City, the capital of Kuwait that was invaded by Iraq in 1991 by its then-leader Saddam Hussein. But there is one place that provides a rare glimpse of the war. Located downtown, the Center for Research and Studies on Kuwait holds millions of documents found during the war -- including secret documents written by the Iraqi Force to order its army to march toward the border.An em

A debate over possible political realignment is growing as signs of partisan split continue to loom large at the ruling Saenuri Party and moderate bigwig politicians volunteer to lead the new wave.At the center of the talks are independent veterans originating from mainstream parties. They suggest that new political entities are needed to overhaul factional strife and reform-minded moderates should rally behind the move.Fomenting such an atmosphere is the aggravating internal feud at the ruling

A total of 135 bills cleared the National Assembly on Thursday in the final plenary session of the incumbent legislature. All of them were bills considered “undisputed,” leaving their successors in the next Assembly with the task of finalizing contentious agendas.The bills dealing with disputed issues, such as labor reform, business deregulation and compensation for victims of toxic humidifier disinfectant and the Sewol tragedy, are expected to be resubmitted and discussed in the next Assembly s

The last time President Park Geun-hye visited the May 18 ceremony was in 2013, soon after her inauguration. Since then, she has not attended the event for various reasons, such as a meeting with Iranian vice president that had coincided Wednesday’s ceremony.The move has been widely seen as a gesture to avoid political conflict. Since its commemorative song “March for our Beloved” was made unofficial in 2009, the ceremony has been at the center of ideological debate.But from the perspective of fo

South Korea’s former president Chun Doo-hwan claimed that he had never ordered the Army to shoot at protesters during the pro-democracy uprising in Gwnangju in 1980, denying his responsibility for the most violent crackdown in the nation’s modern history. According to the report published on Tuesday by monthly news magazine Shindonga, the 85-year-old former Army general said in the interview last month that it was “a ridiculous allegation” that he ordered the shooting against the protesters.“Who

Over the past decade, South Korea has faced ideological debates every May over the song “March for Our Beloved” -- whether it should be an official song during a ceremony to honor the victims of the pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju and whether it should be left up to the participants to sing-along.The dispute is likely to be repeated this year -- and perhaps even intensified -- in the run-up to the May 18 ceremony as the government on Monday rejected a call to designate the controversial song a

With less than two weeks remaining until the closure of the current National Assembly, rival parties are making their eleventh-hour struggles to have contentious bills passed before a final plenary session slated for Thursday.But the prospects of significant progress remain slim despite the lawmakers’ recent reiterations for bilateral cooperation over the bills. Nearly 10,000 pending bills are likely to be scrapped unless they manage to receive final parliamentary approval by May 29.At the heart

The ruling Saenuri Party on Monday appointed its whip Chung Jin-suk as an interim leader, giving him the task of steering the party until new leadership is elected. Chung, who now doubles as chairman of the emergency committee and floor leader, will lead the party through the upcoming National Assembly regular session until a national convention selects new leadership. The party has yet to schedule the convention, but it is widely expected to take place between late July and early August. Saenur

　The annual salary for the newly elected lawmakers is expected to be around 138 million won ($118,000), the National Assembly said Monday.　According to the document published by the National Assembly secretariat, the scheduled annual payment is similar to that of the lawmakers of the 19th Assembly. The last time the government raised the salary was 2013 and the payment has remained the same since then. 　Taking into account extra payment for business expenses such as the cost of running the offic

With the impending start of the new National Assembly session, political parties are counting on their newly elected floor leaders to join forces and add momentum to the long-stalled legislature.　The new whips -- Chung Jin-suk of the ruling Saenuri Party, Rep. Woo Sang-ho of The Minjoo Party of Korea and Rep. Park Jie-won of the People’s Party -- vowed to achieve “coordinated governance,” claiming that their professional and personal ties would be of help.From left: The Saenuri Party floor leade

An activist-turned-politician Rep. Woo Sang-ho was elected as a floor leader of the main opposition party on Wednesday in a race against five to spearhead the party’s legislative negotiations in the new parliament opening later this month. With Woo’s election, floor leaders of all three major parties have now been settled, as they face the joint challenge of regaining public trust in politics and seizing the lead in the legislative battle toward next year’s presidential race.Rep. Woo Sang-ho, a

The ruling Saenuri Party elected Chung Jin-suk, a journalist-turned-politican, as its floor leader on Tuesday. The new floor leader will be responsible for spearheading the party’s legislative drive in the upcoming National Assembly against the opposition parties that have combined majority seats.Lawmaker-elect Chung Jin-suk beat Rep. Na Kyung-won and Rep. Yoo Ki-joon, 69 to 43 and 9, respectively, in the vote of 119 attending party members. His running mate Rep. Kim Kwang-lim will become the ch

Debate ensued Monday over comments made by opposition party leader Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, who reportedly said that the government should “get rid of” the Education Ministry during a closed-door party meeting.Ahn immediately rebutted that his words were taken out of context and said it was meant to emphasize the need to overhaul the nation’s education policy centered on college admission and minimize government intervention.In the meeting with his aides and party staff, the People’s Party cochairman

Tension rose between the governments of Seoul and Tokyo this week as they countered each other’s interpretation of the sex slavery deal’s mandate over the removal of a statue in Seoul symbolizing the victims.Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hagiuda Koichi said in a press briefing on Wednesday that the removal was part of the bilateral deal reached between Seoul and Tokyo last December to resolve the comfort women issue once and for all.Yonhap“I acknowledge that removing the statue could be

The government is considering granting an extra day off on May 6, a day after the national holiday Children’s Day, designating it as a temporary holiday in hopes of boosting consumer spending.　The plan will be discussed at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting and is “most likely” to be endorsed, said officials from Cheong Wa Dae and relevant ministries. If the motion is passed, public workers will have a four-day holiday weekend, running until May 8. Employees from private companies, however, are able to