Political parties press Tokyo further over Fukushima water discharge decision

South Korea's political parties on Wednesday continued to express firm oppositions to Japan's decision to release radiation-tainted water into the sea from its wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant. Tokyo announced Tuesday that it plans to start releasing massive amounts of radioactive water, which has been stored in tanks at the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, in two years. South Korea has expressed strong opposition towards Japan's controversial decision and pledged to take necessary measu

PoliticsApril 14, 2021

Moon to Japan's envoy: There's 'great concern' over plan to release contaminated water

South Korean President Moon Jae-in delivered a message of "great concern" Wednesday over Japan's decision to dump a huge amount of contaminated wastewater from a crippled nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean. Speaking directly to Japan's new ambassador here, Koichi Aiboshi, the president said that there is great concern among South Koreans, as the two nations are geographically close to each other and share the sea, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok. He asked the env

PoliticsApril 14, 2021

KIS Jeju students to advance to top-tier universities globally as school enters 10th year

Korea International School, Jeju Campus, has achieved a high level of excellence in its 10th year with the vast majority of its senior students earning admission to prestigious global universities. The school announced Wednesday that students from this year’s graduating class -- KIS Jeju’s sixth -- had been admitted to top-tier universities in the United States, including Ivy League schools such as Columbia University and Cornell University, as well as Johns Hopkins University, Wash

Social AffairsApril 14, 2021

S. Korea again marks world's lowest birthrate: UN report

South Korea continues to have the lowest birthrate in the world this year amid fast growth of its elderly population, a United Nations report showed Tuesday. The country's total fertility rate per woman amounted to 1.1 in 2021, unchanged from a year earlier, according to the report from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). The fertility rate refers to the average number of children each woman is expected to give birth to over her lifetime. South Korea's rate is the lowest among all 198 countries s

Social AffairsApril 14, 2021

[Newsmaker] Moon orders probe into alleged corruption by Cheong Wa Dae secretary

President Moon Jae-in instructed Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday to look immediately and thoroughly into allegations of corruption involving his secretary for culture. The move came after a news report that a local company established in 2004 by the secretary, Jun Hyo-gwan, won a dozen contracts, worth a total of 5.1 billion won ($4.5 million), with the Seoul metropolitan government on culture-related projects while he was serving as a senior official in charge of innovation planning affairs at City

PoliticsApril 14, 2021

Navy officer, 3 Army soldiers test positive for COVID-19

A Navy officer and three Army soldiers have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Wednesday. The Navy officer in Incheon, west of Seoul, was found to have contracted COVID-19 while in quarantine after a family member was confirmed infected, according to the ministry. The Army soldiers -- one each in the central city of Nonsan; Goyang, just north of Seoul; and Namyangju, northeast of the capital -- were infected with the virus after vacation. The latest cases rais

DefenseApril 14, 2021

NK propaganda outlet decries S. Korea's mayoral elections as 'backward' politics

A North Korean propaganda outlet on Wednesday criticized South Korea's recent mayoral elections as an example of "backward" politics, saying the races were marred by mudslinging and negative campaigning. Last week's mayoral by-elections in Seoul and the southeastern city of Busan ended with the ruling Democratic Party's crushing defeat after the campaigns were dominated by alleged real estate speculation and criticism of the Moon Jae-in administration's real estate policy. Tongil Voi

North KoreaApril 14, 2021

NK propaganda website denounces S. Korea's weapon purchase plan as preparation for invasion

A North Korean propaganda outlet on Wednesday denounced South Korea's recent decision to deploy new attack helicopters and destroyers as part of preparations for a long-sought invasion of the North. Last month, South Korea announced that it will import around 36 large combat choppers by 2028 and build next-generation Aegis-equipped destroyers as part of efforts to beef up its national defense capability. "The South Korean military is focused recklessly on strengthening its armed forces no

North KoreaApril 14, 2021

Unseasonable cold snap grips South Korea

Mid-April's warm spring weather suddenly turned back into early winter across South Korea on Wednesday, as the state weather agency said temperatures dived more than 10 degrees from the previous day. The morning low plummeted below zero in many parts of the country, with the Mount Seorak area in Gangwon Province logging a low of minus 7.8 C, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The KMA issued a cold wave advisory for parts of central and southern provinces, including the

Social AffairsApril 14, 2021

New virus cases back over 700 as fourth wave of pandemic looms

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases rebounded to over 700 on Wednesday, the most in over three months, as health authorities are looking at the option of raising social distancing rules to contain the virus resurgence. The country reported 731 more COVID-19 cases, including 714 local infections, raising the total caseload to 111,419, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Wednesday's daily caseload was the highest since Jan. 7, when 869 new cases were confirmed. The

Social AffairsApril 14, 2021

USFK suspends administering J&J vaccine amid blood clot concerns

US Forces Korea (USFK) said Wednesday it is suspending the administration of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine to its members following US health authorities' recommendation to pause its use amid concerns over blood clot cases. "Following some rare instances of blood clotting in USA based individuals who recently received the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine -- and out of an abundance of caution to protect the force based on a joint recommendation by the US FDA and CDC, and D

DefenseApril 14, 2021

US climate envoy Kerry to visit China, South Korea

WASHINGTON -- US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry will visit China and South Korea this week, the State Department said, ahead of a US-hosted climate summit of world leaders, including South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Kerry plans to travel to Shanghai and Seoul from Wednesday through Saturday on a mission aimed at "raising global climate ambition" ahead of the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate slated to take place on April 22 and 23, the department said. The depar

Foreign AffairsApril 14, 2021

N. Korea may be considering resumption of nuclear testing this year: US report

WASHINGTON -- North Korea may be considering whether it should resume its nuclear and long-range missile testing this year as it seeks to deal with the new US administration on its own terms, a US intelligence report said Tuesday. The report from the Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) also noted North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may take a "number of aggressive" actions. "Kim may be considering whether to resume long-range missile or nuclear testing this year to tr

North KoreaApril 14, 2021

FM Chung discusses bilateral, regional cooperation with Singaporean counterpart

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong spoke by phone with his Singaporean counterpart on Tuesday and discussed joint efforts to enhance bilateral and regional cooperation, his office said. In the conversation, Chung and Vivian Balakrishnan noted that the two countries have maintained substantive cooperation in such areas as infrastructure and the digital economy, the ministry said in a release. In that vein, the ministers held out hopes that the suspended expedited entry system agreed upon between

Foreign AffairsApril 13, 2021

S. Korea to ramp up safety measures amid looming Fukushima water release

South Korea plans to beef up its inspections of radiation levels of local and imported Japanese seafood products, as Japan decided to release massive amounts of radioactive water into the sea, the ocean ministry said Tuesday. Earlier in the day, the Japanese government said it will release into the sea the radioactive water, which has been stored in tanks at the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, in two years, despite South Korea's repeated protest. An estimated 1.25 million tons of such water a

Foreign AffairsApril 13, 2021

Moon orders new Marine Corps chief to protect fishermen near border

President Moon Jae-in issued a special order Tuesday for the new top commander of South Korea's Marine Corps to redouble efforts for the protection of the country's fishermen in the Yellow Sea. In particular, the waters close to the sea border with North Korea are regarded as a flashpoint. Chinese fishing boats have frequented there as well. After receiving a promotion report from Lt. Gen. Kim Tae-sung, commandant of the Marine Corps, at Cheong Wa Dae, Moon told him to pay special attention to

PoliticsApril 13, 2021

No fireworks as Moon, Oh hold first Cabinet meeting

President Moon Jae-in presided over a weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, with newly-elected Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon – the only participant from the opposition conservative bloc – in attendance for the first time.  The first encounter between Moon and Oh drew keen attention as it came after the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's loss in last week’s mayoral by-elections in Seoul and Busan, dealing a crushing blow to the president and his administration.  “Unlike

PoliticsApril 13, 2021

[News Focus] US nationals overtake Chinese in inbound visitors

SEJONG – Chinese travelers were the largest group of foreign visitors to South Korea by nationality before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. But state data shows that the rankings in foreign visitor numbers have changed in recent months: The US accounted for the largest portion of inbound visitors among foreign nationals. According to the Korea Immigration Service, the number of inbound travelers from China was 20,938 (including 6,095 ethnic Koreans residing in China) during the January-Februa

Social AffairsApril 13, 2021

NK could up the ante in time for founder’s birthday

Speculation is rising that Pyongyang could up the ante with further military provocations this week as it marks a major national holiday, following up on its recent missile launches, experts say. 　 Thursday marks the birthday of Kim Il-sung, the country’s founder and the late grandfather of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Known in the North as the Day of the Sun, it is one of the country’s most important national holidays. Military parades and cultural events are typically held fo

North KoreaApril 13, 2021

Korea condemns Japan’s decision to release water from Fukushima

South Korea on Tuesday strongly condemned Japan's decision to release more than 1 million tons of contaminated water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant, saying the radioactive water threatens the safety of neighboring countries and their marine environments. The government expressed strong regret over the Japanese government's "unilateral" choice to release the radioactive water, saying the decision was made without discussions or negotiations with Korea. "This dec

Foreign AffairsApril 13, 2021