Most Popular
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Now is no time to add pressure on businesses: top executives
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CJ CheilJedang to spur overseas growth with new Hungary, US plants
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Seoul to host winter festival from Dec. 13
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Blackpink's solo journeys: Complementary paths, not competition
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Nationwide rail disruptions feared as union plans strike from Dec. 5
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Korean Air offers special flights for mileage users
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N. Korea, Russia court softer image: From animal diplomacy to tourism
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[Today’s K-pop] Blackpink’s Jennie, Lisa invited to Coachella as solo acts
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Smugglers caught disguising 230 tons of Chinese black beans as diesel exhaust fluid
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Russia sent 'anti-air' missiles to Pyongyang, Yoon's aide says
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Govt. to set up new investigative body for industrial disasters
The Ministry of Employment and Labor on Monday announced a decision to establish a new government body in charge of investigating fatal and serious industrial disasters, ahead of the enforcement of a new law aimed at increasing the punishment of business owners for on-duty deaths and employee injuries. In a report to the National Assembly, the ministry said it will establish the Occupational Safety and Health Headquarters within its organization this year before spinning it off as an independen
PoliticsFeb. 22, 2021
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Conservative groups plan anti-Moon rally on March 1
Conservative groups known for organizing mass political rallies last year said Monday they plan to hold a similar event denouncing President Moon Jae-in on March 1 Independence Movement Day. At a press conference near Cheong Wa Dae, the activists said the rally will be held at Gwanghwamun Square but stopped short of revealing details. "We hope that your resolve, which filled Gwanghwamun Square on Aug. 15, will once again manifest itself," Kim Kyung-jae, a former leader of the Korea F
Social AffairsFeb. 22, 2021
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Less than half of S. Koreans willing to receive COVID-19 vaccine shots immediately: poll
Less than half of South Koreans are willing to receive COVID-19 vaccine shots immediately, without waiting for further reports on those vaccines' effects, an opinion poll showed Monday. In the survey conducted on 1,020 people aged 18 or over by the Korea Society Opinion Institute from last Friday to Saturday, only 45.8 percent said they are willing to be vaccinated "right away" when their turn for COVID-19 vaccine shots comes. Another 45.7 percent responded they will delay their vacc
Social AffairsFeb. 22, 2021
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[Newsmaker] Lawmakers condemn Myanmar military coup, call for democracy
South Korean lawmakers on Monday called for a restoration of democracy in Myanmar and raised concerns about atrocities against ethnic minorities, after the military junta took control in a coup. Myanmar’s military on Feb. 1 overthrew the country’s democratically elected government and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. A state of emergency was declared, rolling back efforts to end more than 50 years of military dictatorship and establish a democratic government through the
PoliticsFeb. 22, 2021
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[News Focus] Doctors protest bill to strip convicts of medical licenses
Doctors are once again in conflict with the government, this time over a legislative revision on the revocation of medical licenses, and are threatening industrial action that could disrupt the country’s COVID-19 vaccination program. The conflict, if unresolved, could cause delays and disruptions to the operations of hospitals, as well as to the nationwide COVID-19 inoculation program slated to start Friday. The Korean Medical Association announced Sunday that it would stage a general st
Social AffairsFeb. 22, 2021
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Foreign ministry calls in Japanese diplomat over Tokyo's renewed Dokdo claims
The foreign ministry called in a Japanese diplomat in Seoul on Monday to lodge a protest over Japan's renewed claims to South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo. Kim Jung-han, the ministry's director general for Asian Pacific affairs, expressed regrets to Hirohisa Soma, deputy head of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, after the Japanese prefecture of Shimane held an annual event to publicize Japan's claim to the rocky outcroppings in the East Sea. The latest flare-up of tensions came
Foreign AffairsFeb. 22, 2021
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Wildfires sweep area the size of 357 soccer fields
Forest fires that began in Andong and Yecheon in North Gyeongsang Province on Sunday swept an area the size of 357 soccer fields, fire and local authorities said Monday, as dry weather and strong winds continue. Over 2,600 personnel including civil servants, expert fire fighters, dozens of helicopters and fire trucks were mobilized as firefighting work resumed early Monday. No casualties have been reported, but residents in the area were told to evacuate. As of 7 a.m. Monday, about 30 percent
Social AffairsFeb. 22, 2021
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Moon's senior secretary entrusts decision on his resignation offer to the president: Cheong Wa Dae
President Moon Jae-in's senior secretary for civil affairs and justice is likely to stay in the job at least for the time being despite his resignation offer that has grabbed public attention, according to Cheong Wa Dae on Monday. Having returned from a four-day leave, Shin Hyun-soo has "entrusted" a decision on his letter of resignation to the president, Chung Man-ho, Moon's senior secretary for public communication, told reporters. Shin was quoted as saying that he would do his bes
PoliticsFeb. 22, 2021
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Unification ministry says defectors' testimonies 'valuable records' on NK human rights situation
The unification ministry said Monday that testimonies of North Korean defectors are "valuable records" that shed light on the human rights situation in their reclusive home country. On Sunday, four North Korean defectors said they will file a lawsuit against Unification Minister Lee In-young for defamation over his recent remarks casting doubt over what defectors said about human rights situations in the North. They claim that Lee has deemed defectors' testimonies as "untrustwor
North KoreaFeb. 22, 2021
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Eight foreigners, 1 Korean test positive for COVID-19 after party at USFK member's home
SEOUL/PYEONGTAEK -- Eight foreigners and one South Korean have tested positive for the new coronavirus after attending a party at a US Forces Korea (USFK) service member's home, officials said Monday. The party was held Feb. 13 near Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, and attended by 19 foreigners and two South Koreans, according to officials at the Pyeongtaek city government. The service member works on the base. Police have been asked to locate two of the attendees, wh
Social AffairsFeb. 22, 2021
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Army officer in Seoul tests positive for coronavirus
An Army officer based in Seoul has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Monday. The soldier was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 after a family member was found infected, according to the ministry. The case brought the total number of infections reported among the military population to 568, of which 556 have been fully cured and 12 are under treatment. Nationwide, South Korea reported 332 additional virus cases, raising the total caseload to 87,324. (Yonhap
Social AffairsFeb. 22, 2021
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NK paper stresses 'respect for economic officials' to achieve new objectives
North Korea's official newspaper on Monday stressed the importance of respecting government officials in the economic sector as the country strives to achieve a recently unveiled five-year economic development scheme. "We must respect economic officials in the administration and establish an orderly administrative system ... so that administrative orders can be delivered down and accurately implemented without hesitation," the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Worker
North KoreaFeb. 22, 2021
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Nordic Talks to look at public-private partnerships, innovation for greener economy
The embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden in South Korea will co-host a webinar on Thursday to share their experiences of long-term public-private partnerships that can accelerate the decarbonization of industries for a more sustainable economy. Titled “Nordic Talks Korea: Innovation for a Green Transition,” the event will bring together experts from Korea and the Nordic region to discuss how the public sector, the private sector and the rest of society can collaborate t
Diplomatic CircuitFeb. 22, 2021
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[Newsmaker] Blazes tear through forests in southeastern cities of Andong, Yecheon
Wildfires have reduced huge swaths of forests in the southeastern cities of Andong and Yecheon to ash, fire authorities said Monday. The fires that broke out Sunday engulfed the mountain areas of Andong and Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province, and burned around 255 hectares of land, equivalent to 357 football fields. The cities' governments resumed containment operations early Monday, deploying around 2,000 public servants and scores of fire equipment, and put out the remaining flames by around
Social AffairsFeb. 22, 2021
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New virus cases in 300s again on fewer tests; cluster infections worrisome
South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases dipped below 400 on Monday due to fewer tests over the weekend, but a series of cluster infections at plants and hospitals continued to pile up. The country reported 332 more COVID-19 cases, including 313 local infections, raising the total caseload to 87,324, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Monday's daily caseload marks the lowest in a week. The country added five more deaths, raising the total to 1,562. The fatali
Social AffairsFeb. 22, 2021
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Doctors' association threatens strike over bill on licenses
South Korea's largest association of doctors said Sunday it will stage a general strike if parliament passes a revised bill on revoking the licenses of medical professionals convicted of serious crimes. The threat by the Korean Medical Association, which represents about 130,000 doctors, comes only five days before South Korea is scheduled to begin COVID-19 inoculation program with AstraZeneca's vaccines. It fueled concerns that the vaccination program will be adversely affected before it even
Social AffairsFeb. 21, 2021
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Will ‘social bubble’ strategy work for Korea?
South Korean health authorities are expected to announce a revised roadmap for social distancing that will give more freedom to businesses, while restricting people’s behaviors more strictly, to combat COVID-19. “So far Korea has restricted opening of businesses and public places without necessarily limiting movement of people or other individual behaviors,” said Health Ministry spokesperson Son Youg-rae during a news briefing last week. “From now on, closures
Social AffairsFeb. 21, 2021
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US generals warn against rush for OPCON transfer
South Korea’s push to take over its wartime operational command from the US, which has been responsible for it since the 1953 Korean War armistice, has taken a more serious hit after a former US commander openly challenged the plan. Retired Gen. Burwell Bell, who headed the joint forces from 2006 to 2008, withdrew his previous support for the transition, saying the change would have a devastating fallout. “If the United States places restrictions on the employment of its troops i
DefenseFeb. 21, 2021
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[News Focus] Koreans’ life expectancy to be 85.5 years by 2040
SEJONG -- South Korea ranked No. 10 in people’s life expectancy at birth among the 37 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in its 2019 comparison. The Paris-based organization defined life expectancy at birth as how long, on average, a newborn can expect to live, if current death rates do not change. Korean newborns are estimated to live 82.7 years on average. Though Korea saw the average life span has become quite longer compared to 1970-1980s, the figur
Social AffairsFeb. 21, 2021
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S. Korea to start administering 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine on Feb. 27: PM
South Korea will begin administering 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines to medical staff on Saturday as the vaccines are expected to arrive in the country later this week, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Sunday. "On Feb. 26, 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines will arrive in the country and the vaccines will be administered to medical staff treating coronavirus patients starting on Feb. 27," Chung said during a meeting on the COVID-19 response held at the government complex in Seoul.
PoliticsFeb. 21, 2021