N. Korea marks 9th anniversary of Kim Jong-un's leadership with call for loyalty

North Korea urged its people to stay faithful to leader Kim Jong-un as it marked the ninth anniversary of his assumption of top posts of its ruling party and the state amid economic woes from crippling sanctions. It, however, did not have any major events, including the national ceremony, to celebrate the anniversary apparently because of the new coronavirus pandemic and as Pyongyang tends to mark only every fifth or 10th anniversary with large-scale events. "We celebrate the 9th annivers

North KoreaApril 11, 2021

New virus cases in 600s for 3rd day amid extended social distancing scheme

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed in the 600s for the third consecutive day Sunday amid looming concerns over the fourth wave of the pandemic, with authorities struggling to contain sporadic cluster infections nationwide. The country reported 614 more COVID-19 cases, including 594 local infections, raising the total caseload to 109,559, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. South Korea reported 677 new cases Saturday, which marked a slight rise from 671 ta

Social AffairsApril 11, 2021

Man sentenced to 6 years in prison for trafficking marijuana

A man has been sentenced to six years in prison for selling marijuana he smuggled in from the United States using an unmanned parcel locker, judicial sources said Sunday. According to the sources, the Seoul Central District Court recently handed down the prison term to a 29-year-old man, whose identity has been withheld, on charges of violating the Narcotics Act. He is accused of buying marijuana from US-based drug dealers he met on the dark web, an area of the internet that is not accessible

Social AffairsApril 11, 2021

Sea-parting festival in Jindo to be held only online this year

A world-famous sea-parting festival hosted annually by the southwestern South Korean island county of Jindo will be held only as an online event this year, officials said Sunday. The 42nd edition of the Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival, described worldwide as the "Korean version of Moses' miracle," will be held only online from April 27-29, the officials said, in accordance with authorities' campaign for non-face-to-face events to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Around this time of y

Social AffairsApril 11, 2021

[Photo News] The morning after

With the by-elections in Seoul and Busan over, workers get busy cleaning up the remains of the election campaigns.  Thousands of campaign banners and posters were installed throughout both cities during the campaign. After the results are announced, public workers get ready to take them down, signaling an end to the by-elections. Two public servants are hard at work removing campaign banners on the streets near Jamsilsaenae Station and Ihwa-dong in Seoul for disposal. By Gha Hee-sun (li

Social AffairsApril 10, 2021

Military reports 2 more virus cases

The South Korean military added two more novel coronavirus infections, the defense ministry said Saturday, amid growing concerns of another big wave of the pandemic in the country. An Army official in Icheon, 80 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and a soldier in the capital tested positive for COVID-19, according to the ministry. Some 190 people who had contact with the official have all tested negative, it said. The soldier was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 through his family members.

Social AffairsApril 10, 2021

[Newsmaker] Govt. pushes for wider use of encrypted personal numbers on entry logs to protect privacy

The South Korean government has issued revised guidelines on handwritten entry logs required at small businesses like restaurants for contact tracing purposes, as part of efforts to boost the use of encrypted personal numbers. In February, the government rolled out the encrypted data service to better protect privacy, but it has been slow to take off, in part due to lack of public awareness campaigns. The revised guidelines, released earlier this week, strongly recommend that people use their

Social AffairsApril 10, 2021

Moon to preside over meetings on COVID-19, economy next week

President Moon Jae-in is to preside over a string of emergency meetings on pending quarantine and economic issues next week, officials said Saturday, in accordance with his earlier pledge to concentrate on improving people's livelihoods following the ruling party's crushing by-election defeat. Moon will attend a special meeting of COVID-19-related ministers and top officials at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday to inspect vaccine supply plans and government quarantine measures, according to presidential

PoliticsApril 10, 2021

USFK completes COVID-19 vaccination on 47% of its population

The US Forces Korea (USFK) has completed vaccinating nearly half of its population against the novel coronavirus as it also decided to lower its health protection condition (HPCON) level in other regions in the country. "USFK has currently vaccinated more than 47 percent of its affiliated community," USFK said in a press release issued Friday. USFK began the vaccination campaign with the Moderna vaccine in December, starting with health care workers, and received Johnson & John

Social AffairsApril 10, 2021

Buddhist community cancels annual lantern parade amid pandemic

An annual lantern parade celebrating Buddha's birthday will be canceled for a second straight year amid the new coronavirus pandemic, the South Korean Buddhist community said Saturday. The Buddhist community here usually holds a three-day lantern lighting festival, called "Yeondeunghoe" in Korean, ahead of Buddha's birthday. A parade across downtown Seoul is a key event of the festival. But this year, the parade has been canceled along with some other events due to concerns over a re

Social AffairsApril 10, 2021

1 in 4 Seoul citizens reports 'revenge spending' amid pandemic

One in four Seoul citizens turned to "revenge spending" to make up for missed shopping during the coronavirus pandemic, a study has shown. According to a Wednesday report by the Seoul Institute, a think tank for the Seoul metropolitan government, 24.3 percent of those surveyed in the first quarter said they had spent more than usual on certain goods due to pent-up demand during COVID-19 isolation. About a third, or 30.2 percent, said their revenge spending happened in the fourth quar

Social AffairsApril 10, 2021

New virus cases in high 600s for 2nd day amid growing concerns of 4th wave

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed in the high 600s for the second straight day Saturday as health authorities warn that the country may be at the start of a fourth wave of infections. The country reported 677 more COVID-19 cases, including 662 local infections, raising the total caseload to 108,945, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The tally is slightly larger than 671 on Friday but marked a fall from a three-month high of 700 new cases Thursday. Th

Social AffairsApril 10, 2021

Top S. Korean, German diplomats hold phone talks on bilateral ties, Korea peace efforts

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and his German counterpart, Heiko Maas, held phone talks Friday to discuss bilateral ties and Seoul's efforts to foster lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, the foreign ministry said. During the talks, Chung said that South Korea will contribute actively to international discussions on addressing climate change and public health issues when it attends the Group of Seven (G7) summit slated to take place in Britain in June. Chung also explained Seoul's conti

Foreign AffairsApril 9, 2021

S. Korean PM to visit Iran next week amid lingering tension over frozen Tehran funds

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun will visit Iran next week for talks on bilateral ties and other issues, his office said Friday, amid lingering tension over Tehran's call to unlock its funds frozen here under US sanctions. Chung's visit to Iran from Sunday to Tuesday -- the first such trip by a South Korean premier in 44 years -- follows Tehran's release this week of a Korean oil tanker and its captain about three months after its seizure over alleged oil pollution. "Through this visit, Prim

Foreign AffairsApril 9, 2021

[Video] ‘People in Myanmar are like prisoners’

The crisis in Myanmar has continued for over two months since the military coup on Feb. 1. Civilians have carried out mass protests to restore freedom and democracy. The armed forces have responded with brutal crackdowns across the country, leading to hundreds of dead victims including young children. “I want the world to know what is going on in Myanmar is not a war,” said Shwe Moe, a Burma-born writer residing in South Korea. “A war is two sides with weapons. It is just ter

Social AffairsApril 9, 2021

[Newsmaker] Suspect of murdering 3 women unmasked

A man who allegedly intruded into a home and killed three women after stalking one of them was unmasked in front of the press Friday morning, following a rare police decision to disclose his personal details. The Nowon police station in northeastern Seoul sent Kim Tae-hyeon, 24, to the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office on charges of murder, theft, housebreaking, consistent harassment and violation of information and communication network laws. Kim said he felt “guilty for

Social AffairsApril 9, 2021

S. Korea to begin KF-21 fighter production, deploy up to 120 units by 2032: Moon

President Moon Jae-in said Friday that South Korea is set to begin production of the country's next-generation indigenous fighter jet prototype with a goal of deploying up to 120 units for use in real combat by 2032. Moon announced the plan at an unveiling event of the KF-21 Boramae fighter prototype held at the Korea Aerospace Industries headquarters in the southern city of Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province. South Korea began the 8.8 trillion-won ($7.9 billion) program to replace the Air For

PoliticsApril 9, 2021

FM Chung, Indonesia defense chief agree to advance cooperation in joint fighter jet project

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong met with Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto on Friday and agreed to work together to move substantial cooperation between the two countries forward, including an ongoing joint fighter jet development project, the ministry said. The meeting took place as Prabowo was in South Korea to attend the rollout ceremony of a prototype of South Korea's first indigenous fighter jet, named the KF-X in the South and IF-X in Indonesia. "The ministers agreed to m

Foreign AffairsApril 9, 2021

Prosecution seeks arrest warrant for Eastar Jet founder

JEONJU -- The prosecution on Friday sought an arrest warrant for the founder of cash-strapped budget carrier Eastar Jet on charges of embezzlement and breach of trust. Lee Sang-jik, an independent lawmaker, is suspected of colluding with a senior company official, who was indicted in February for causing about 43 billion won ($38.47 million) in financial damage to the airline by paying off long-term loans early and underselling company shares to a specific subsidiary. The prosecution in Jeonju

Social AffairsApril 9, 2021

DP's emergency committee chief vows reform after crushing election defeat

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Friday pledged to carry out a set of thorough reform measures to win back voters, following its crushing by-election defeat earlier this week. "The DP will come out of the trap of 'naeronambul' as soon as possible," Rep. Do Jong-hwan, the head of the DP's emergency response committee, said during its first meeting held at the National Assembly. Naeronambul is a popular saying in South Korea, which criticizes hypocritical behaviors or having double

PoliticsApril 9, 2021