Ruling party proposes parliamentary probe into all sitting lawmakers over land speculation scandal

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) proposed Thursday a parliamentary probe into all sitting lawmakers over a widening land speculation scandal, to which the main opposition party responded positively. "The justice and order of our society should be re-established by launching an investigation into all of the employees at state-run institutions, high-level government officials as well as lawmakers," Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon, acting chairman of the DP, said during a party meeting. The proposal

PoliticsMarch 11, 2021

Over 70 more LH employees suspected of land speculation: lawmaker

An opposition lawmaker claimed Thursday that 74 more employees of the state housing corporation are suspected of having purchased land for speculation, the latest in a series of allegations over a growing corruption scandal. Rep. Kwak Sang-do of the main opposition People Power Party said an investigation revealed that 74 people, whose names matched those of Korea Land and Housing Corp. (LH) employees, made 64 land transactions in Gwangmyeong and Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, between early 2018 a

PoliticsMarch 11, 2021

Supreme Court upholds prison terms for producers of Mnet's rigged audition program

The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld prison sentences for two disgraced producers of Mnet, South Korea's leading music channel, for rigging the vote results of a popular audition program. The top court approved lower courts' sentences of two years in prison and forfeiture of 37 million ($32,600) for Ahn Joon-young, the producer of the audition program "Produce," and 20 months in prison for chief producer Kim Yong-beom. The Seoul Central District Court and the Seoul High Court handed

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

Top court dismisses appeal against not-guilty verdict for owner of abusive facility for vagrants from '80s

The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected an appeal filed against a not-guilty verdict for the late owner of a state-run facility for vagrants. The top court ruled the acquittal of an illegal confinement charge handed down in 1989 to Park In-keun, the late owner of Brothers Home, was consistent with the criminal law, dismissing an extraordinary appeal lodged by former Prosecutor General Moon Moo-il. The court also did not accept the prosecution's claims that the verdict from three decades ago sho

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

Ministry vows to keep close communication with int'l community on anti-Pyongyang leaflet ban

The unification ministry on Thursday said it will continue to maintain close communication with the international community on a recently legislated ban on sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea after a UN special rapporteur voiced concerns over South Korea's decision, an official said. Earlier, Special Rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana submitted a report to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), expressing concern that the ban "limits many activities of escapees and civil society org

North KoreaMarch 11, 2021

Ministries to sign MOU on 'green smart' project for overseas diplomatic missions

The ministries of foreign affairs, land and environment, and two public institutes will sign a tentative deal this week on using homegrown green technologies for the renovation and construction of South Korea's overseas diplomatic missions, officials said Thursday. The ministries, the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, and the Korea Authority of Land & Infrastructure Safety are set to ink a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Friday on the "green smart" pr

Foreign AffairsMarch 11, 2021

[Newsmaker] Yun Jung-hee's siblings request guardianship over iconic actress in S. Korean court

Siblings of actress Yun Jung-hee, known to be long suffering from Alzheimer's disease in France, have requested guardianship for their older sister at a South Korean court, according to sources. Yun, 76, is best known outside the country for her lead role in South Korean director Lee Chang-dong's "Poetry," which won best screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival in 2010. She has been long married to renowned pianist Paik Kun-woo. The development is the latest in a legal fight over her g

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

Almost 1% of population vaccinated in S. Korea

South Korea has inoculated almost 1 percent of its population in 13 days after the country launched its long-awaited COVID-19 vaccination campaign, health authorities here said Thursday. On Feb. 26, the country began its inoculation program, with health care workers and patients aged below 65 at long-term care facilities, as well as front-line medical workers, among the first in line to receive their first shots. An accumulated 500,635 people were administered with their first shots as of midn

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

3 draftees, 1 civilian worker for military test positive for COVID-19

Three draftees and a civilian worker for the military have tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections at the barracks to 614, the defense ministry said Thursday. The civilian works at the Army convention center, located inside the defense ministry compound in Seoul, and last visited her workplace on Sunday, according to the ministry. "Contact tracing is under way. We are also conducting virus tests for other center members and those suspected of havin

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

S. Korea investigating 2 suspected cases of highly pathogenic bird flu

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Thursday it is looking into two suspected cases of highly pathogenic bird flu amid growing concerns over a prolonged battle against the animal disease. The latest suspected case of the H5N8 strain of avian influenza was reported in Chungju, 147 kilometers south of Seoul, the previous day, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Authorities are also investigating a separate suspected case at an egg farm in Naju, 355 kilometers s

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

NK newspaper calls for nationwide efforts to boost crop output

North Korea's official newspaper on Thursday urged nationwide efforts to increase grain output, calling it "a crucial matter" in the country's push to achieve key goals unveiled in a rare party meeting early this year. "We need to realize that food insecurity is a crucial matter related to improving our peoples' lives and economic development, and thoroughly implement this year's plans for crop production," the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Workers' Par

North KoreaMarch 11, 2021

New virus cases above 400 for 3rd day, potential resurgence fears growing

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed in the 400s for the third straight day Thursday amid growing concerns over a potential resurgence as a spate of cluster infections and increased untraceable cases put health authorities on edge. The country reported 465 more COVID-19 cases, including 444 local infections, raising the total caseload to 94,198, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The country added four more deaths from COVID-19, raising the total to 1,652.

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

2 Korean War veterans receive French military decoration

Two South Korean veterans who fought during the 1950-53 Korean War in a French battalion of the United Nations forces were to receive a military decoration from France on Thursday, the veterans affairs ministry said. French Ambassador to Seoul Philippe Lefort will deliver the decoration, called La Medaille Militaire, to Park Dong-ha, 93, and Park Moon-jun, 90, who fought alongside French troops in multiple battles on the Korean Peninsula during the war, according to the ministry. The decoratio

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

S. Korea approves AstraZeneca vaccine for over-65s

South Korea will expand the use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to people aged 65 and older to ramp up the vaccine rollout as new overseas studies showed its effectiveness, health authorities said Thursday. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) initially excluded administering vaccines developed by British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and Oxford University to the elderly, citing insufficient clinical data. The inoculation campaign -- launched in late February --

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

Top US diplomat, defense chief to visit Seoul next week

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit Seoul next week for a "two-plus-two" meeting with their South Korean counterparts, the foreign and defense ministries said Wednesday, as the allies seek coordination on North Korea's denuclearization and other issues. Blinken and Austin are set to arrive on Wednesday after a trip to Japan as part of their first Asia swing since the Jan. 20 inauguration of President Joe Biden. A day later, they will atte

Foreign AffairsMarch 11, 2021

N. Korean threat persists amid continued pursuit of weapons: USFK commander

North Korea continues to pose a serious threat to the United States and its ally South Korea as Pyongyang pursues a nuclear arsenal and other weapons of mass destruction, the commander of US Forces Korea (USFK) has said. Gen. Robert Abrams also said Wednesday that the US troops in Korea stand ready to defend South Korea from any threat, noting that the US will deploy two additional "specific" anti-ballistic missile capabilities in South Korea this year. "There have been no inter

DefenseMarch 11, 2021

Iranian funds in S. Korea will not be released until Iran returns to compliance: Blinken

The United States will not ease any of its sanctions on Iran, including the release of Iranian funds blocked in South Korea, until Iran first complies with its obligations under its nuclear deal, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday. "As we've said, if Iran comes back into compliance, with its obligations under the nuclear agreement, we would do the same thing that would involve, if it came to that, if Iran made good on its obligations, sanctions relief pursuant to the agree

Foreign AffairsMarch 11, 2021

Top US envoy, defense chief to visit Korea

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet their South Korean counterparts on March 17-18 to discuss security and global initiatives, in their first senior-level, in-person talks since US President Joe Biden took office, Seoul’s Foreign and Defense ministries said Wednesday. Blinken will discuss inter-Korean affairs and the South Korea-US alliance with Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, while Austin will sit down with Defense Minister Suh Wook to

Foreign AffairsMarch 10, 2021

Seoul’s contribution to US troop costs rises 13.9%

South Korea has agreed to pay 13.9 percent more in its contribution to host American troops here for 2021, the Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday.  Under the new six-year accord, Seoul will pay 1.183 trillion won ($1.04 billion) this year for the upkeep of the 28,500-strong US Forces Korea. The 13.9 percent hike from the previous 2019 deal represents the biggest annual rise for Seoul in nearly two decades.  The six-year agreement is effective until 2025, and also covers last year

Foreign AffairsMarch 10, 2021

‘COVID-19 won’t be the last pandemic of our lifetime’

COVID-19 won’t be the last pandemic of our lifetime, and South Korea must make better investments and preparations for future events, experts said Thursday. On this day last year, March 11, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. Yet another “disease X” -- a currently unknown pathogen with the potential to cause a serious international epidemic -- could be just around the corner, according to epidemiology professor Dr. Chun Byung-chul of Korea Un

Social AffairsMarch 10, 2021