Jihyoung Son

Seoul

Social Affairs Reporter at The Korea Herald

Reporter at @TheKoreaHerald. Bylines in [email protected]

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Articles

Turnout for early voting falls short of 2022 at 34.74%

1 week ago | koreaherald.com | Jihyoung Son

Some 15.4 million South Korean voters went to the polls to cast their votes for the next president during the two-day period for early voting. But the number of those voting before Tuesday's election leveled off on the second day, reversing earlier anticipation for a new record of early votes this year. Voter turnout for the two days of in-person voting at 3,568 designated polling stations nationwide recorded 34.74 percent, according to the National Election Commission.
20 Korean financial institutions adopt ID verification for foreign customers

1 week ago | koreaherald.com | Jihyoung Son

A total of 20 Korean financial institutions, including banks, savings banks, securities brokerage firms and a credit card company, have adopted the government's identity verification service for foreign residents, according to the Justice Ministry on Friday.
Millions flock to early voting; record-high turnout expected

1 week ago | koreaherald.com | Jihyoung Son

Two days of early voting for South Korea's next president kicked off, as millions of people -- along with presidential candidates themselves -- cast their votes Thursday, with the advance voting turnout numbers projected to be higher than in any previous election. According to the National Election Commission, voter turnout on the first day of voting came to 14.05 percent as of 3 p.m. Thursday, with 3,568 polling stations having opened nationwide at 6 a.m. Thursday.
Lee Jae-myung floats expansion of Gender Ministry

1 week ago | koreaherald.com | Jihyoung Son

Liberal presidential front-runner Rep. Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea floated the idea of empowering the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on Wednesday, pledging a U-turn from the former Yoon Suk Yeol administration's bid to phase out the ministry. Describing the Yoon administration's move as a "regression," Lee pledged to expand the role of the Gender Ministry in a way that promotes equal opportunities.
Spotlight wanes: Viewership for presidential debates drops sharply

1 week ago | koreaherald.com | Jihyoung Son

After debate viewership half that of 2022, candidates clash in final round Tuesday over politics, foreign affairsThe early presidential election is now less than a week away, with the promise of reshaping the course of domestic politics in the aftermath of the martial law crisis that erupted in December.
Lee Jae-myung says inter-Korean talks 'difficult,' floats civil control of armed forces

1 week ago | koreaherald.com | Jihyoung Son |Jung Min-Kyung

Kim Moon-soo meanwhile calls for unification, pushes nuclear subsLiberal presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung on Monday said that holding an inter-Korean summit would be “very difficult” under the current conditions, even as he emphasized the need to restore strained ties with North Korea if elected. "It's not a matter of whether we are planning for it or not — it's something we have to do," Lee told reporters during a campaign stop in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.
Lee Jae-myung signals hesitation on attending NATO summit if elected

2 weeks ago | koreaherald.com | Jihyoung Son

Liberal Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Rep. Lee Jae-myung on Sunday expressed doubts over whether he would attend the upcoming NATO summit scheduled for June 24-26 in the Netherlands. While not a definitive reversal, Lee’s remarks hint at a potentially more cautious approach compared to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's stance on developing South Korea's relationship with NATO member countries.
Korea, Africa can be woven into 'rope of unity'

2 weeks ago | koreaherald.com | Jihyoung Son

A high-ranking South Korean diplomat said Wednesday that South Korea and Africa can join hands to tackle global geopolitical rivalries and supply chain disruptions together, like strands woven into a rope.
Policy Watch: Kim Moon-soo vows to downsize parliament by 10%

2 weeks ago | koreaherald.com | Jihyoung Son

The conservative People Power Party's presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo vowed on Thursday to implement a major political reform, in part by reducing the number of lawmakers in the National Assembly by 10 percent to 270, to create momentum for broader public sector reform. Kim also promised to repeal lawmakers' immunity to arrest and to prevent officials who are impeached by parliament from being immediately suspended before a final ruling.
Policy Watch: Lee Jae-myung pledges to enhance safety net

2 weeks ago | koreaherald.com | Jihyoung Son

The liberal Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate Rep. Lee Jae-myung on Thursday promised to strengthen the safety net for the underprivileged, blasting the current welfare system for allowing inequality due to people's unequal access to opportunities and resources. Lee said the government and the private sector should shoulder more of the burden of housing, medical services, care services, education and public services.