경향신문

People gather again to remember victims of Sewol ferry disaster and for safer society

On April 16, the 11th anniversary of the Sewol ferry disaster, memorial events were held across Korea to honor the 304 lives lost. Citizens paid tribute to each victim, offered comfort to the bereaved families, and reaffirmed their collective hope and determination for a safer society.The official remembrance ceremony began at 3 p.m. at Hwarang Park in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. Organized by the April 16 Foundation and the April 16 Sewol Families for Truth and A Safer Society, the event b...

2025.04.17 17:48

‘A prosecutor can make or kill a president’: Familiar faces come to mind while watching film ‘Yadang: The Snitch’

“A prosecutor in Korea can make a president, or kill one!”This line, which now feels almost self-evident, is shouted by Goo Gwan-hee (played by Yoo Hae-jin), a seasoned prosecutor trying to shed his long-standing label as a mere rank-and-file and climb higher up the ladder. And he says it in front of the drug-addicted son of a presidential candidate who was once the head of the Special Investigation Division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.The film “Yadang: The Snit...

2025.04.17 17:43

Election fraud allegations fueled by Yoon Suk-yeol: Was there ever any real evidence?

“There is overwhelming evidence of election fraud in our country.”In a handwritten letter made public after his arrest in January this year, former President Yoon Suk-yeol cited suspicions of election fraud as a justification for declaring martial law on December 3 last year. Even the democratically elected president was stimulated by conspiracy theories, shaking the very foundation of democracy. The upcoming presidential election on June 3 has left Korean society with the task of puttin...

2025.04.16 18:01

‘The truth must not be buried’: Bereaved families of Sewol ferry disaster return to square after martial law declaration

After former President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law on December 3 last year, weekly rallies calling for Yoon’s impeachment were held every Saturday in Seoul for four months, until the Constitutional Court officially removed him from office. In a yellow tent at one side of the square where the rallies were held, there were always 1,500 rice balls in thermo containers waiting for the citizens. These rice balls were handmade by Sewol ferry disaster victims’ families and volunteers, prepar...

2025.04.16 17:55

Economist Ha-Joon Chang warns: “Pleasing Trump won’t help… Korea could suffer by leaning on the U.S.”

As the world reels from U.S. President Donald Trump's “tariff war,” Ha-Joon Chang, professor of economics at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in the U.K., advised that Korea needs to develop a "strategy to get away from the U.S.”In video and phone interviews with the Kyunghyang Shinmun on April 4 and 11, Chang said, “The U.S. measures, such as reciprocal tariffs, will make other countries think of a ‘global economy without the U.S.’ in the long run.” Despite Trump announ...

2025.04.15 18:02

[Editorial] Court prioritizes Yoon Suk-yeol's human rights, but what about public's right to know?

The Seoul High Court has accepted a request from former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s legal defense team to allow him to appear via the underground parking lot for his first trial on insurrection charges, scheduled for April 14. It is an unprecedented move for a criminal defendant to appear in court through an underground parking lot. Meanwhile, the Seoul Central District Court in charge of Yoon’s insurrection case, denied a media request to film inside the courtroom during the first trial. These ...

2025.04.14 17:26

11th anniversary rally honors Sewol ferry victims, demands truth and justice

A memorial rally was held in the center of Seoul over the weekend ahead of the 11th anniversary of the Sewol ferry disaster. Citizens gathered in a plaza in the spring rain chanted, “We will not forget the tragedy.”The April 16 Sewol Families for Truth and A Safer Society and the April 16 Coalition on the Sewol Ferry Disaster held the “Memorial Rally Commemorating the 11th Anniversary of Sewol Ferry Disaster” near Gyeongbokgung Palace in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on April 12. According to organize...

2025.04.14 17:24

Residents and shop owners gripped by fear after tunnel collapse

“I’ve returned home for now, but I can't help but feel uneasy.”This is what Mr. A, a nearby resident in his 40s, said on April 13 in front of a collapsed subway construction site for the Sinansan Line in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province. Nearby, there is an apartment complex with around 600 households. Mr. A and other residents were urgently evacuated to nearby schools and other facilities on the 11th, the day of the collapse, due to concerns over a potential secondary collapse.Behind th...

2025.04.14 17:21

French musical ‘Don Juan’ returns to Korea after 19 years

Don Juan is an aristocratic young man who lives as he pleases, following his heart and his desires wherever they lead. Arrogant and full of confidence, he lives a hedonistic life, chasing only physical pleasure. . Despite the heartfelt advice of his friends and father, he refuses to change his way of life and instead laughs at others. “Whether it’s a flower of evil or a lily, they both wither all the same,” he sings, “Pleasure, that’s all I want.”In pursuit of the daughter of a respected k...

2025.04.11 18:33

Mayors and governors are on leave to run for president

Following the impeachment of the former President Yoon Suk-yeol, sitting metropolitan and provincial leaders have been declaring their candidacy in the early presidential election on June 3. They will use up their annual leave to travel back and forth between local governments and the political hub of Yeouido in Seoul. Of course, they will continue to receive salaries and allowances during this period.There is little risk in losing a presidential primary race within their parties. They can...

2025.04.11 18:29