Top diplomats of S. Korea, China discuss response to coronavirus

The top diplomats of South Korea and China discussed over the phone ways to cooperate in dealing with the new strain of coronavirus on Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi had a 30-minute telephone call late Tuesday to discuss ways to protect Korean nationals in China against the outbreak of coronavirus as well as other issues like planned bilateral summit talks, according to the ministry. During the talks, Kang ask

Foreign AffairsJan. 29, 2020

US defense official expresses support for peace declaration with N. Korea

WASHINGTON -- A senior US defense official on Tuesday voiced support for a peace declaration between the United States and North Korea, saying such an agreement would be beneficial to Washington if it can be negotiated. John Rood, under secretary of defense for policy, was commenting on the possibility the administration of US President Donald Trump could offer a peace declaration as part of a denuclearization deal with the North. In particular, he was asked by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) of the Ho

North KoreaJan. 29, 2020

N. Korea's official newspaper calls fight against coronavirus matter of national existence

North Korea's official newspaper called Wednesday for a nationwide drive to stem the spread of the new coronavirus, calling such preventive efforts an "important political matter" that could affect national existence. North Korean media outlets have reported almost daily on the fast-spreading outbreaks of the pneumonia-like illness in China and other nations, and Pyongyang's measures to keep the virus from spreading into the country, though it has not confirmed any case of its own.

North KoreaJan. 29, 2020

Senators urge US to reconsider demands in defense talks with S. Korea

WASHINGTON -- Two influential US senators have written a letter to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US Defense Secretary Mark Esper, urging the administration to reconsider its demands for a hefty increase in South Korea's contributions to shared defense costs. The letter, penned by Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Jack Reed (D-RI), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, underscored concerns that the failure to reach a

Foreign AffairsJan. 29, 2020

State to cover all treatment costs of Wuhan virus-infected patients

South Korea said Wednesday it will foot the bill for fighting the Wuhan coronavirus in the country and treating infected patients. Under the rules on countermeasures for new infectious diseases, the state will pay for all expenses related to the screening of suspected cases and treatment of those infected, which includes costs associated with isolating a person in a negative pressure room, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. "The state will pay for everything from the moment

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2020

S. Korea to send $1 million in aid, delegation to help Australia recover from bushfires

South Korea plans to send $1 million in humanitarian aid and a government delegation to Australia to help the country recover from devastating bushfires, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday. The Seoul government will offer the aid through the Australian Red Cross to help console victims of the fires that killed 33 people and destroyed some 3,000 homes, the ministry said. It also will dispatch the delegation -- consisting of officials from the ministries of foreign affairs and defense and th

Foreign AffairsJan. 28, 2020

Investors eye low-risk assets as Seoul stocks trim losses

South Korean stocks trimmed their losses Tuesday, losing 3 percent on the first trading session after the four-day Lunar New Year’s holiday, as the fast-spreading Wuhan coronavirus outbreak weakened investor sentiments. The local currency closed at 1,176.7 won against the US dollar, up 8 won from the previous session’s close, declining to a two-month low. The benchmark bourse Kospi opened sharply low -- down 53.91 points, or 2.40 percent, from the previous session. The weak start c

MarketJan. 28, 2020

[Graphic News] Average monthly income of wage earners up 3.4%

　The average monthly income of wage earners rose 3.4 percent in 2018 from a year earlier, government data showed. 　South Koreans earned 2.97 million won ($2,550) per month on average in 2018, compared with 2.87 million won in 2017, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. 　The data showed that the average monthly income of male wage earners stood at 3.47 million won in 2018, while that of female workers came to 2.25 million won. (Yonhap)

Social AffairsJan. 28, 2020

NK’s foreign reserves take a dive after sanctions: report

North Korea was holding foreign exchange reserves of between $3 billion and $6.6 billion in 2014, but that dipped heavily after the country came under strict US-led sanctions in 2017, the Bank of Korea said Tuesday in its latest report. The report, which was largely based on estimations and assumptions because analysts lacked data from the isolated country, said the North’s holdings of US dollars may have sharply shrunk since the sanctions -- by an estimated $1 billion each year. The Nor

North KoreaJan. 28, 2020

Samyang sells more overseas than domestically on spicy noodle hit

Samyang Foods, the manufacturer of the globally popular Buldak Spicy Chicken noodles, saw its revenue from overseas surpass domestic sales last year, industry sources said Tuesday. Last year, Samyang Foods recorded total sales of 535 billion won ($455 million), and exports surpassed domestic sales by 5 billion won. It is the second time a South Korean food manufacturer has sold more of its products overseas than in the domestic market, the first being Choco Pie from Orion Corp. The food m

ConsumerJan. 28, 2020

Korea ups monitoring of fake news on Wuhan coronavirus

The Korea Communications Commission is stepping up its efforts to monitor online posts concerning the new Wuhan coronavirus, to counter rapidly spreading falsehoods that could mislead the public.  The agency said late Monday that it was focusing on preventing false information about the virus from spreading online. The existence of a fourth coronavirus patient has been confirmed in South Korea, with 15 suspected cases under investigation. KCC Chairman Han Sang-hyuk visited local broadca

IndustryJan. 28, 2020

[Kim Seong-kon] Clones and drones in era of AI

Recently, Korean universities are busy belatedly preparing for the “Age of Artificial Intelligence,” implementing new curricula and projects in academic departments and graduate schools and hiring experts in AI. It is high time, then, that we should ponder issues related to artificial intelligence with reference to our present predicament. “Oblivion,” a 2013 post-apocalyptic science fiction film set in 2077, well illustrates problems related to AI. In 2017, extraterrest

ViewpointsJan. 28, 2020

[Robert J. Fouser] Reviving economic growth in South Korea

South Korea’s economy grew 2.01 percent in 2019, just over the government goal of 2 percent. The growth rate is the lowest since 2009, when the world economy was reeling from the effects of the 2008 financial crisis. Increased government spending helped offset weak exports and private investment. Government spending may help boost the economy over the short term, but it is not sustainable over the long term. Compared to many advanced nations, 2 percent growth is an admirable achievement.

ViewpointsJan. 28, 2020

[Newsmaker] Will Samsung’s new Galaxy Fold replace Note series?

Amid rumors that the next edition of Galaxy Fold will feature a bigger screen and S Pen, speculations that it could replace the 10-year-old Galaxy Note series are gaining ground, according to industry sources Tuesday. Responding to news reports based on a recent tweet that the Galaxy Fold 2 will feature an 8-inch main display, ultrathin glass and S Pen support, parts suppliers here said they are preparing for mass production of the device scheduled for the second half of the year. However, t

TechnologyJan. 28, 2020

10 students from NLCS Jeju accepted into Oxbridge

Ten students from North London Collegiate School Jeju have been admitted to Oxford University or Cambridge University, setting a record among all Korean schools, the collegiate school said Tuesday. The students from the class of 2020 at NLCS Jeju, which opened on the southern island of Jeju in September 2011, were offered spots for various majors, including politics, history, philosophy and engineering, according to the school. Other students at NLCS Jeju were also accepted into Ivy League c

Social AffairsJan. 28, 2020

S. Korea to bring back citizens from Wuhan

outh Korean nationals in Wuhan, China, will be flown back to the country on four chartered flights this week as part of Seoul’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. “About 700 Koreans in Wuhan have expressed hopes to return, and chartered planes will be sent on Jan. 30 and Jan. 31,” Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Tae-ho said Tuesday. He added that the dates of the flights may be changed, depending on the ongoing negotiations with Beijing. Lee said the decisi

Social AffairsJan. 28, 2020

[News Focus] Regional population disparity continues to widen in S. Korea

SEJONG -- South Korea’s population has increased by about 2 million, or 4.1 percent, over the past decade from 49.77 million. Though the nation’s population -- 51.84 million as of December -- has continued to grow, except for only three months in the 2010s, the disparity in terms of variation among 17 major areas (eight cities and nine provinces) has widened, government data showed. According to the Ministry of Interior and Safety, Jeju Province topped the list in population growt

Social AffairsJan. 28, 2020

Aviation, travel industries count cost of coronavirus outbreak

South Korean aviation and travel industries have been hit hard by refunds and cancellations in response to the new Chinese coronavirus outbreak, according to the industry on Tuesday. Several airlines have suspended the operation of routes to China and fully refunded customers for reservations, without applying the usual surcharge.  The travel authorities and related businesses have also strengthened hygiene guidelines for their employees, such as obligating all cabin crew on flights and

MobilityJan. 28, 2020

Wuhan virus scare spreads in S. Korea

Fears multiplied in South Korea on Tuesday over a deadly coronavirus outbreak in China, with more people wearing masks in public and many calling for a ban on visitors from China, as well as for a delay in the reopening of schools after a monthlong winter vacation. 　 So far, four people in Korea -- three Korean nationals and one Chinese -- have tested positive for the new virus, which originated in Wuhan, central China. China had reported 106 deaths and more than 4,500 cases as of Tuesday afte

Social AffairsJan. 28, 2020