[Photo News] Early voting turnout for by-elections

Early voting for next week’s by-elections finished Saturday with a turnout of 20.54 percent, the highest in South Korea’s by-election history, according to election authorities. During the two-day advance voting period that ended at 6 p.m. on the day, 2.49 million of the total 12.16 million eligible voters cast their ballots, according to the National Election Commission. The previous record high of 19.40 percent was posted in the Oct. 29 by-elections in 2014. (Yonhap)  Presi

PoliticsApril 4, 2021

[News Focus] Gyeonggi Province’s population falls for 1st time since 1980s

SEJONG -- Gyeonggi Province saw the number of its residents decline last month after posting continuous population growth since the early 1990s. According to the Ministry of Interior and Safety, the population of Gyeonggi -- the most populous of South Korea’s 17 provinces and major cities -- fell by 5,921 (200 men and 5,721 women) in March to record 13.46 million people. Its monthly decline is noteworthy, given that Gyeonggi -- alongside Sejong -- had maintained a steady increase in its

Social AffairsApril 4, 2021

[Newsmaker] Poll shows increase in conservatives among S. Koreans for 3rd straight year

A poll released by a state research body on Sunday showed an increase in conservatives among South Koreans for a third consecutive year. The Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA) also said the number of those who consider themselves liberals fell for the second straight year. KIPA polled 8,336 South Koreans, aged 19 and over, from September to October last year on their political leanings. The results showed that 25.7 percent of the polled said they are conservatives, up 1 percentage

PoliticsApril 4, 2021

New virus cases above 500 for 5th day, another potential wave worrisome

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases exceeded 500 for the fifth straight day on Sunday, putting health authorities on alert over another potential wave of virus infections amid spring weather. The country reported 543 more COVID-19 cases, including 514 local infections, raising the total caseload to 105,279, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The country added four more deaths from COVID-19, increasing the total to 1,744. The daily virus cases have stayed above

Social AffairsApril 4, 2021

Early voting turnout for by-elections hits record high of 20.54%

Early voting for next week's by-elections finished Saturday with a turnout of 20.54 percent, the highest in South Korea's by-election history, according to election authorities. During the two-day advance voting period that ended at 6 p.m. on the day, 2.49 million of the total 12.16 million eligible voters cast their ballots, according to the National Election Commission. The previous record high of 19.40 percent was posted in the Oct. 29 by-elections in 2014. Voters will choose new mayors of

PoliticsApril 4, 2021

[Newsmaker] After 2 years into 5G world, smartphone users still hungry for wider coverage, faster speeds

When 5G networks were first rolled out in South Korea in April 2019, telecom operators claimed that their ultrafast mobile speeds and low latency would usher in a new era for smartphone users and even power future technologies from autonomous vehicles to virtual reality (VR) content to cloud gaming. Fast forward to 2021, self-driving cars are still a way off and cloud games still work on previous 4G LTE networks. The next-generation networks have instead faced user disappointment due to slower

Social AffairsApril 3, 2021

Wang says S. Korea, China will seek 'political' resolution process for Korean Peninsula issue

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday that China and South Korea will seek a process for a "political" resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue, raising prospects of joint efforts to resume dialogue with North Korea. Wang made the remarks during talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen, as Seoul seeks to enlist cooperation from Beijing and other countries to move forward its stalled agenda for lasting peace on the peni

Foreign AffairsApril 3, 2021

Moon vows continued push for honor of Jeju April 3 incident victims

President Moon Jae-in assured Jeju residents and others Saturday that the government will faithfully implement a revised special law on compensating the victims and bereaved families of the April 3 massacre seven decades ago. He described the legislation as a "blueprint for building a house of history" related to the tragedy, speaking at a memorial ceremony held on the southern island. "(The government) promises to elaborate the blueprint and faithfully implement it," he sa

PoliticsApril 3, 2021

S. Korea, Japan, US agree on need to quickly resume dialogue with N. Korea

South Korea, Japan and the United States have agreed on the need to peacefully resolve the North Korean nuclear issue as they reaffirmed their joint efforts to quickly resume denuclearization talks with Pyongyang, South Korea's national security adviser Suh Hoon said Friday. "South Korea, the US and Japan agreed on the urgency of the North Korean nuclear issue and need for a diplomatic solution to the issue," Suh told reporters after a three-way meeting with his US and Japanese counte

Foreign AffairsApril 3, 2021

New COVID-19 cases hit over 500 for 4th day, raising warning of possible further hike

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases surpassed 500 for the fourth day in a row on Saturday, ringing an alarm bell over a possible resurgence across the nation in the midst of the spring season. The country reported 543 more COVID-19 cases, including 521 local infections, raising the total caseload to 104,736, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The country added three more deaths from COVID-19, increasing the total to 1,740. The daily number has stayed over 500 s

Social AffairsApril 3, 2021

Iran likely to release seized S. Korean tanker, captain as early as next week: source

Iran is likely to release a seized South Korean oil tanker and its captain as early as next week, a diplomatic source said Friday, noting "considerable progress" in the negotiations to end nearly three months of the seizure. In early January, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps seized the vessel, MT Hankuk Chemi, and its 20-member crew over alleged oil pollution. In February, the Iranian authorities agreed to set free all sailors except for the captain for the ship's management.

Foreign AffairsApril 2, 2021

Cheong Wa Dae seeks Moon-Biden summit in April: sources

South Korean President Moon Jae-in may hold his first face-to-face summit talks with US President Joe Biden as early as this month, an informed source here said Friday. Moon and Biden plan to attend a Group of Seven (G-7) summit to be held in Britain in June, which would set the stage for their meeting. But the two sides are "in close consultations" to arrange the first Moon-Biden summit ahead of the G-7 session, according to the source privy to the matter. If agreed, chances are hi

Foreign AffairsApril 2, 2021

Over 70% of S. Koreans willing to receive COVID-19 vaccine shots: poll

Over 7 out of 10 South Koreans are willing to receive coronavirus vaccine shots, a poll showed Friday. In a survey on 1,000 people aged 18 and above conducted on Wednesday and Thursday by Gallup Korea, 71 percent said they would like to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Among them, 50 percent said they will "definitely" receive vaccine shots. Only 23 percent were not willing to join the nationwide inoculation campaign, with 8 percent of them saying they will "never" get vacci

Social AffairsApril 2, 2021

Yoon casts early ballot, fans speculations of political career

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl on Friday cast his ballot in the by-election for Seoul mayor, fanning speculations that he may enter politics himself. Yoon’s plans to cast his ballot Friday – the first day of two days of early voting – was made known Thursday. The decision to reveal his voting plans fanned speculations that he may make some form of announcement on the day, or use the early voting to signal the start of his own political career. Yoon, however, did no

PoliticsApril 2, 2021

[Newsmaker] Moon's approval rating drops to another record low of 32%: Gallup

President Moon Jae-in's approval rating has fallen for the third consecutive week, reaching an all-time low of 32 percent, due mainly to his government's unpopular housing policy, a poll showed Friday. In Gallup Korea's survey of 1,000 adults nationwide conducted from Tuesday through Thursday, only 32 percent gave a positive assessment of Moon's presidency, down 2 percentage points from the previous week and the lowest since his inauguration in 2017. But 58 percent negatively assessed Moon's p

PoliticsApril 2, 2021

S. Korea reports 3 additional avian influenza cases from wild birds

South Korea's agriculture ministry said Friday that three additional avian influenza cases tied to wild birds have been reported in the country over the past seven days amid signs of a possible letup in the transmission of the disease among local farms. Since October last year, the country has reported a total of 232 cases of the H5N8 strain of bird flu from wild birds, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. By region, Gangwon Province accounted for 62 cases, followe

Social AffairsApril 2, 2021

Police seek to arrest ex-Gyeonggi Province official for alleged land speculation

Police sought an arrest warrant on Friday for a former public servant at the Gyeonggi provincial government over suspicions that he bought a piece of land for speculative purposes using undisclosed information. The Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency asked a court to issue the warrant for a former senior official at the investment promotion team of the government. It also requested the issuance of an order to ban him from selling his land pending investigation into the allegation. The man, whose name

Social AffairsApril 2, 2021

Govt. reverses decision on fresh probe into deadly Cheonan ship sinking

A presidential commission decided Friday not to reinvestigate the 2010 deadly sinking of a South Korean warship by North Korea, overturning an earlier decision amid outrage among surviving crew and bereaved family members. In December last year, the Presidential Truth Commission on Deaths in the Military decided to revisit the case in which the warship Cheonan went down near the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de facto maritime border between the two Koreas, on March 26, 2010, killing 46 sailor

Social AffairsApril 2, 2021

FM Chung departs for China for talks with Wang

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong arrived in China on Friday for talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, to discuss bilateral ties, the Korean Peninsula situation and regional and global issues, his office said. The ministers are set to hold their first in-person meeting in their current capacities in the southeastern city of Xiamen on Saturday, amid renewed tensions caused by North Korea's recent missile launches and an escalating Sino-US rivalry. The talks come after Chung met separately

Foreign AffairsApril 2, 2021

N. Korea demands Japan's apology, compensation for wartime atrocities

A North Korean organization on Friday demanded Japan apologize and provide compensation for its colonial-era atrocities, and called on the withdrawal of hostile policies against Pyongyang. The Association of Korean Victims of Forcible Drafting and Their Bereaved Families, a North Korean organization, urged Japan to "apologize and compensate our past victims and bereaved families at an early date" in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency. "We will never forget Jap

North KoreaApril 2, 2021