Seoul, June 9 (IANS) South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said on Tuesday he seriously takes the shocking shortage of ballot papers at dozens of polling stations in last week’s nationwide local elections, stressing that suffrage is the foundation of democracy. Kim made the remark at the start of a youth policy meeting with related ministers, saying he was ashamed of the incident.”We should have been more sensitive to such issues and should’ve responded more quickly to come up with solutions,…
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Vienna, June 8 (IANS) South Korea’s planned nuclear-powered submarine program should not raise proliferation concerns, given that a solid and specific safeguards arrangement will be concluded with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the agency’s chief said Monday.IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi noted Seoul and the IAEA have already begun such discussions, though they are still in a preliminary stage, due largely to the lack of specific details for Seoul’s envisioned submarine prog…
Seoul, June 8 (IANS) The rival parties in South Korea each submitted a request Monday for a parliamentary investigation into an unprecedented shortage of ballots in last week’s local elections, both calling for a thorough probe into what caused the incident but differing over its scope. The ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) separately filed their requests at the National Assembly’s bills division but said they will hold follow-up discussions to narrow …
Seoul, June 8 (IANS) Hundreds of protesters rallied for a fourth straight day Monday outside a vote-counting facility in Seoul, South Korea, demanding a new election over ballot shortages during last week’s local elections. As of 9:30 a.m., approximately 950 protesters surrounded the SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Songpa Ward, according to an unofficial police estimate. Protesters blocked the stadium’s 10 entrances to prevent the removal of ballot boxes.It marked a sharp drop in the number of …
Seoul, June 7 (IANS) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday expressed deep regret over ballot shortages that disrupted last week’s local elections and ordered the launch of a thorough joint investigation by prosecutors and police into the matter. “The people’s right to vote is a constitutional right that must not be restricted or infringed upon for any reason, and this is a serious issue that undermines the foundation of popular sovereignty,” Lee wrote in a message on X, formerly Twitter…
Seoul, June 7 (IANS) Thousands of protesters continued to stage a rally near a vote-counting facility in eastern Seoul in South Korea for the third day Sunday, claiming last week’s local elections were fraudulent and demanding a new election. According to an unofficial police estimate, approximately 3,000 people surrounded SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Songpa Ward as of noon. Police estimated a crowd of 30,000 had gathered the previous day.Protesters are currently gathered at each of the eigh…
Seoul, June 5 (IANS) Seoul shares traded nearly 4 per cent lower on Friday as investors locked in profits from a recent tech-led rally while monitoring uncertainty over US-Iran peace negotiations.After opening 3.44 percent lower, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 334.97 points, or 3.88 percent, to 8,304.44 as of 11:20 a.m., recovering some of its earlier losses after plunging as much as 6.88 percent.The Korea Exchange suspended program trading for the KOSPI for five minutes at a…
Seoul, June 4 (IANS) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday he would “humbly” accept the public sentiment reflected in the results of the recent local elections, pledging to cooperate actively with newly elected local governments regardless of political affiliation. Lee made the remarks during a meeting with senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae, a day after local elections and parliamentary by-elections in which his ruling Democratic Party (DP) won the majority of the seats up for grabs.The…
Seoul, June 4 (IANS) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited a newly launched nuclear material production facility, vowing to “exponentially” strengthen the country’s nuclear arsenal, state media reported on Thursday.Kim made the visit the previous day, accompanied by key party officials, reports Yonhap, quoting the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), without disclosing the facility’s location or other details.Seoul’s defence ministry said in a press briefing that it assessed the newly reveal…
Seoul, June 4 (IANS) South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party (DP) clinched a resounding victory in the local elections and parliamentary by-elections, winning the key mayoralty in the traditional conservative stronghold of Busan, while the main opposition party retained the Seoul mayoral seat. The DP won 12 out of the 16 key mayoral and gubernatorial seats up for grabs, including in Busan, where Jeon Jae-soo was elected mayor, while the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) took four seats, inc…