‘Ridiculous’: Experts slam Seoul’s testing mandate for all foreign workers

Medical experts are baffled by the Seoul city government’s decision to mandate coronavirus tests for all foreign workers in the city, saying it is discriminatory, scientifically unjustifiable and may even violate human rights. The Seoul Metropolitan Government issued an administrative order on Tuesday requiring all foreign workers in the city to undergo diagnostic tests March 17-31 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Fines of up to 2 million won ($1,778) will be imposed if they f

Social AffairsMarch 18, 2021

Cherry blossom season begins on Jeju Island, in southern region

JEJU/CHANGWON -- Cherry blossoms on the southern resort island of Jeju have just bloomed this year, about a week faster than in the previous years, the local weather agency said Thursday. The Jeju Provincial Meteorological Administration said hotter than normal temperatures on the island this month appear to have advanced the blooming of cherry blossoms by up to eight days. Jeju's average temperature in March is 11.5 C, two degrees higher than last year and three degrees higher than normal, th

Social AffairsMarch 18, 2021

Number of marriages hits new low in 2020

SEJONG -- The number of South Koreans getting married fell at a double-digit rate to an all-time low in 2020 amid young people's changing attitude toward marriage and the negative impact of the coronarvirus pandemic, government data showed Thursday The number of couples tying the knot in Asia's fourth-largest economy reached 214,000 last year, down 10.7 percent from the previous year, according to the data from Statistics Korea. The figure is the lowest since 1970, when the statistical agenc

Social AffairsMarch 18, 2021

Pentagon chief says wartime operational control transition will take more time

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Thursday that the envisioned transition of the wartime operational control (OPCON) will take more time, though the two sides will continue to work toward the goal.    The two sides are pushing for the conditions-based OPCON transition of South Korean troops from Washington to Seoul. Though it is not time-based, Seoul hopes to take it back within the term of the current Moon Jae-in administration that ends in May 2022. "While meeti

Foreign AffairsMarch 18, 2021

[Newsmaker] DP apologizes again to victim of alleged sexual harassment by ex-Seoul mayor

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Thursday once again apologized to the victim of alleged sexual harassment by late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, pledging its full support to help her return to normal life. "On behalf of the DP, I once again give my sincere apology to the victim," floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon, who is acting as the party chairman, said during a party meeting. "(The DP) will take full responsibility in helping the victim return normally to her everyday

PoliticsMarch 18, 2021

Military closely following activities at NK missile facilities: defense ministry

The military is closely monitoring movements at North Korea's missile facilities but no unusual signs have been detected as of now, the defense ministry said Thursday. On Tuesday, Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander of US Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, said Pyongyang may resume its long-range missile testing to check the capability of a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) unveiled at an October military parade. "There is no unusual movement detected as

DefenseMarch 18, 2021

S. Korea finds 123 new marine species since 2017

South Korea's oceans ministry said Thursday it has identified 123 new underwater species during a four-year investigation project aimed at building a detailed database of marine resources. The number covers 54 species that were discovered for the first time in the world, along with 69 that were previously reported in other countries, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. South Korea carried out investigations into its waters from 2017 to 2020 to build the database of marine creatu

Social AffairsMarch 18, 2021

3 Army officers test positive for virus

Three Army officers have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Thursday. An officer in Hwaseong, 43 kilometers south of Seoul, tested positive after developing symptoms, and another officer at the same base was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 following contact with the first officer, according to the ministry. In the eastern coastal city of Sokcho, an officer tested positive after a family member was confirmed to be infected. The latest cases raised the tota

Social AffairsMarch 18, 2021

New infections in 400s for 2nd day, upturn in virus curve worrisome

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases remained in the 400s for a second straight day Thursday as cluster infections and untraceable cases continued to rise, raising concerns that the country may be on the verge of another resurgence in virus cases. The country reported 445 more COVID-19 cases, including 427 local infections, raising the total caseload to 97,294, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The daily caseload was slightly down from 469 on Wednesday. Due to

Social AffairsMarch 18, 2021

N. Korea says will ignore contact from US unless Washington withdraws hostile policies

North Korea said Thursday that it will continue to ignore any contact from the United States unless Washington withdraws its hostile policies toward Pyongyang. North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui also confirmed in a statement that the US reached out to Pyongyang even the day before its combined exercises with South Korea from a "third country." The statement came as the top US diplomat and the defense chief are in Seoul for talks with their South Korean counterparts

North KoreaMarch 18, 2021

S. Korea, US set to wrap up springtime combined exercise amid COVID-19, NK protest

South Korea and the United States were set Thursday to wrap up their nine-day springtime combined military exercise staged in a scaled-back manner due to the coronavirus pandemic and peace efforts with North Korea, officials said. The computer-simulated Combined Command Post Training (CCPT), which began on March 8, involved a "minimum level" of troops compared with previous ones, and no outdoor drills took place, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). "We are to wrap up t

DefenseMarch 18, 2021

Blinken stresses China's 'clear self-interest,' 'critical' role in NK denuclearization

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that China has a "clear self-interest" and a "critical" role to play in persuading North Korea to denuclearize, stressing Beijing's obligation to "fully" enforce anti-Pyongyang sanctions. Blinken made the remarks during a press conference after the "two plus two" talks in Seoul that involved Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Seoul's Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and Defense Minister Suh Wook. Blinken an

Foreign AffairsMarch 18, 2021

N. Korean threats topic of US-China talks in Alaska: White House

WASHINGTON -- The United States will discuss ways to mitigate possible military threats from North Korea when its top foreign and national security officials meet their Chinese counterparts this week, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Wednesday. She stressed the importance of all countries working together when it came to reducing threats from the North. "I will say that part of our strategy, as it relates to the denuclearization of North Korea, is of course to lead with diplomacy an

North KoreaMarch 18, 2021

Human rights at 'forefront' of US diplomacy: State Dept.

Human rights are at the forefront of US diplomacy even when it comes to efforts to denuclearize North Korea, a State Department spokesperson said Wednesday, one day after Secretary Antony Blinken accused Pyongyang of violating the rights of its own people. Jalina Porter, however, said the US also remains concerned about North Korea's nuclear and missile activities. "Broadly speaking, we always center human rights at the forefront of our foreign policy and national security goals," sa

Foreign AffairsMarch 18, 2021

US reels in S. Korea to push back against N. Korea, China

The alliance between the US and South Korea is key to addressing North Korea and a rising China, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday at his first in-person talks with South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook in Seoul. “Given the unprecedented challenges posed by both the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and China, the US-ROK alliance has never been more important,” Austin said, referring to Seoul’s official name, Republic of Korea. DPRK is Pyongyang&rsquo

DefenseMarch 17, 2021

US reaffirms alliance with Seoul in countering Beijing, Pyongyang

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with their respective counterparts in Seoul on Wednesday and reaffirmed their alliance as a bulwark against unprecedented challenges posed by Beijing and Pyongyang.  The pair arrived in Seoul after a two-day visit in Tokyo, in the first overseas trip by top members of President Joe Biden’s cabinet since his inauguration in January.  The high-profile trip in the region is seen as Washington&rsquo

Foreign AffairsMarch 17, 2021

Justice minister exercises investigation command in ex-prime minister's bribery case

Justice Minister Park Beom-kye on Wednesday exercised his investigation command authority over a case involving Han Myeong-sook, a former prime minister convicted of taking bribes. The move came as the statute of limitations is set to expire on Monday in an alleged perjury case, in which prosecutors are suspected of forcing inmates who spent time in prison together with the man who bribed Han to make false testimonies against her in 2011. Earlier this month, the Supreme Prosecutors Office (SPO

PoliticsMarch 17, 2021

NK propaganda outlet carries poster depicting S. Korea-US alliance crushed

A North Korean media outlet on Wednesday unveiled a propaganda poster depicting a club hammer smashing the alliance between South Korea and the United States, as the top US diplomat and the defense chief visited here for discussions on the North and other alliance issues. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin were set to hold one-on-one meetings later in the day with their South Korean counterparts. North Korea is expected to top the agenda during their meet

North KoreaMarch 17, 2021

US top diplomat, defense chief visit Seoul amid fresh warnings from Pyongyang

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Seoul Wednesday, a day after North Korea issued a fresh warning over a joint military drill currently conducted by the two allies. The two senior US officials plan to hold multiple meetings with their South Korean counterparts, including a courtesy call on President Moon Jae-in Thursday afternoon, during their two-day stay. They also visited Japan earlier this week in their first overseas trip since the Biden

Foreign AffairsMarch 17, 2021

Austin stresses alliance with S. Korea against 'unprecedented challenges' from NK, China

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Wednesday the alliance with South Korea has "never been more important" given "unprecedented challenges" from North Korea and China, as he reaffirmed Washington's security commitment to the South. Austin made the remark at the start of his first in-person talks with South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook in Seoul, calling their alliance a "linchpin" for peace, security and prosperity for Northeast Asia, and their military r

Foreign AffairsMarch 17, 2021