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Korea Herald
4 hours ago
- General
- Korea Herald
Unlisted sealed records of ex-President Yoon spark dispute
After President Lee Jae-myung criticized his predecessor for a lack of transition instructions for the incoming administration, it was revealed Thursday that 218,000 records from Yoon Suk Yeol's presidency have been sealed for 15 years without an inventory list. According to the Presidential Archives under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, this accounts for 1.6 percent of the Yoon administration's state-designated records. Such protected records cannot be accessed for up to 15 years due to a potential threat to national security or economic stability. Sealing the presidential records is justified under the Act on Management of Presidential Archives, but the lack of listing has been subject to criticism. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Thursday accused Yoon of failing to carry out a proper transition to his successor. The sealed presidential records could be revealed under consent from two-thirds of the National Assembly, or with a warrant issued by the head of a high court. But without a list, it would be difficult to pinpoint which records should be revealed. Not having the list of sealed records could hinder the ongoing investigations and trials connected with Yoon. The former president, then-Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and other high-ranking military and police officials are on trial for their part in the alleged insurrection and abuse of power related to the Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, which led to Yoon's impeachment and eventual expulsion in April. Another potential issue is the probe related to the military's 2023 investigation into the death of a Marine, which Yoon has been accused of interfering with. Revealing the list of presidential state-designated records is a legally grey issue as it is not specified in the law. But Article 8 of the Official Information Disclosure Act says public institutions shall prepare and keep a list of information they possess and manage.
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Voter turnout exceeds 18% as of 11 a.m., higher than 2022 election
More than 18 percent of eligible voters had cast their ballots as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, 2.3 percent higher than the previous election held in 2022, according to the National Election Commission. Polling stations opened at 6 a.m. and will remain open until 8 p.m. — two hours longer than usual — as this is an early election. The June 3 election was held to fill the leadership vacuum triggered by the impeachment and removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, following his controversial declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. The 11 a.m. turnout figure does not include early voting, which took place last Thursday and Friday. A total of 15,423,607 people, or 34.74 percent of eligible voters, cast their ballots early — the second-highest early turnout ever recorded for a presidential race, just behind the 36.93 percent logged in the 2017 election. This year, 44,391,871 people are eligible to vote, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the NEC. Once polls close at 8 p.m., ballot boxes will be transported to counting centers, where vote counting will begin immediately. Attention has been paid to whether this election could surpass previous turnout records. Between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m., turnout was slightly higher than during the same window in the 2022 presidential election. Among regions, Daegu recorded the highest early turnout with 23.1 percent, while South Jeolla Province saw the lowest with 12.5 percent. Seoul reported 17.1 percent. The highest turnout ever recorded in a South Korean presidential election was 80.7 percent in 1997 when opposition leader Kim Dae-jung defeated ruling party candidate Lee Hoi-chang. The NEC projects that 70 to 80 percent of votes will be counted by midnight, likely providing a clear indication of the winner. In the closely contested 2022 election, Yoon Suk Yeol emerged as the frontrunner around 2 a.m. the next day. In the 2017 election, Moon Jae-in's lead was evident as early as 10 p.m. on election night. Turnout updates are available in real time on the NEC's official website:
Korea Herald
20-05-2025
- Health
- Korea Herald
More foreigners eligible for health insurance, while number of Korean subscribers falls
Increase in foreign residents required to sign up to the state program in 2024 is accelerating An increasing number of foreign nationals are required to join South Korea's state-run health insurance program between 2020 and 2024, reflecting the growing population of longer-term foreign residents. The number of Koreans who are signed up, however, is decreasing due to the country's record-low birth rate. According to data from the National Health Insurance Service submitted to Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the People Power Party, 59,662 Vietnamese and 56,425 Chinese nationals were newly added to the National Health Insurance system in 2024. This represents a sharp rise from 2020, when 13,714 Vietnamese and 30,129 Chinese nationals were added. According to an October report by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, there were 1.93 million foreign nationals residing in Korea for at least three months as of 2023. It marked the highest figure since the governmental tally began in 2006, and was up 10.4 percent from the year before. Vietnamese and Chinese nationals were the two biggest groups of foreigners living here. The Korean population in the country have been declining since 51.82 million in 2020, marking 51.17 million as of April of this year. "The number of Koreans eligible for the health insurance is shrinking due to issues like low fertility, yet the foreigners are rising. There needs to be a comprehensive measure to account for the changing situation," Rep. Kim said. Korean law states that foreign nationals who have resided here for at least six months are required to subscribe to the state-run health insurance program, with few exceptions granted to those with F-6 marriage migrant visa. Rep. Kim stressed that the new administration to be formed after the June 3 presidential election must consider adopting a "reciprocal" health care policy for foreigners. She, in January, along with 25 other lawmakers, proposed a revision to the law that would make foreign nationals from countries that do not offer health care benefits equivalent to Korea's ineligible to enroll in Korea's health insurance or be registered as a beneficiary. The proposal said this was to prevent foreign nationals from briefly visiting Korea for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the insurance coverage. However a law passed under the Moon administration required a minimum stay of 6 months for independent subscribers, and legislation passed under the Yoon administration closed a loophole for dependents. It said that Chinese nationals in 2023 received 874.3 billion won ($624.3 million) in benefits while paying in 810.3 billion won in subscription fees. In 2024, 17,087 foreign nationals unlawfully received benefits from the state insurance program, garnering 2.55 billion won in total. However other data shows foreign subscribers to be net contributors to the system. In 2023, foreign subscribers paid 2.04 trillion won ($1.47 billion) in fees, while receiving 1.27 trillion won in benefits, according to National Health Insurance Service data released last year by Rep. Nam In-soon of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea.
Korea Herald
08-05-2025
- General
- Korea Herald
Restoring cultural heritage destroyed by wildfires to cost 48.8b won
State, city and provincial government to support restoration of 36 government-designated treasures, cultural heritage sites The restoration of government-designated cultural heritage sites damaged by the wildfires that ravaged across southeastern South Korea in March is expected to cost about 48.8 billion won ($34.9 million), the Korea Heritage Service said Thursday. A joint investigation conducted by the agency and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety confirmed 36 instances of damage to cultural assets. Among these, 13 items and structures were state-designated national treasures, heritage sites or state-recognized cultural properties. The remaining cases involved heritage designated by municipal and provincial governments. This included near-complete destruction of the 7th-century Buddhist temple Gounsa in Uiseong-gun, the epicenter of the Uiseong-Andong fires. which was by far the biggest wildfire in South Korea's recorded history. Nine of the temple's 30 buildings were destroyed, along with national treasures Gaun-ru, a pavillion, and Yeonsu-jeon, a hall, while another treasure Stone Seated Buddha statue sustained damage. The fires also destroyed several centuries-old buildings, such as the Sanam House in Cheongsong-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, thought to have been built in late 18th century. The state heritage agency said the restoration will be conducted in phases, beginning with urgent tasks such as securing structural components of the destroyed buildings, preserving partially damaged structures, and mapping out detailed restoration plans within this year. The prioritization of work will be based on the severity of the damage inflicted, and the extent to which the value of each item or structure has been compromised. The budgets of both the central and regional governments will be used for the restoration, along with state lottery funds and donations. This includes 1 billion won donated by K-pop agency Hybe to the KHS-affiliated agency last month. "Administrative and financial supports will be made so that the state heritage damaged by the fire can be restored to its original value," KHS chief Choi Eung-chon said. The string of wildfires tore across the Gyeongsang provinces in the span of two weeks since mid-March, burning over 100,000 hectares of land while killing 33 and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands living in the area. They inflicted more casualties and larger property damage than any other wildfire in the country's history.
Korea Herald
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
3 Indonesian wildfire heroes granted long-term residency visas
The government said Sunday that three Indonesian sailors who helped other residents evacuate from the recent wildfires in the southeastern region were granted F-2-16 long-term residency visas, issued to individuals who made a special contribution to the country. "It has been decided to grant long-term residency based on special contributions to three people of Indonesian nationality who helped senior citizens to safety during the recent wildfires... We offer sincere gratitude to those who saved the lives of neighbors with no regard to their own," said Lee Han-kyung, deputy chief of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Officials said the Ministry of Justice notified them of the decision on Saturday. It was reported last week that the Justice Ministry was reviewing granting an F-2 visa to 31-year-old sailor Sugianto, a resident of Yeongdeok-gun, North Gyeongsang Province who carried some 60 of his neighbors on his back to safety when the fire spread to his village at around 10 p.m. March 25. The village chief who helped evacuate the residents with Sugianto told local media outlets that he was a "kind young man," who would frequently help older residents carry heavy bags and fix household appliances. Two other Indonesian sailors, one from Yeongdeok-gun and the other from Uljin-gun of the same province, were also granted the same long-term residence visa. The wildfires that ravaged across the southeastern region left 31 dead and 51 injured, according to the officials, Sunday. The largest wildfires in the country's history are thought to have consumed over 45,000 hectares in the northern North Gyeongsang Province alone, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents in the area.
