Most Popular
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Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
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[Exclusive] Korean adoptee sisters meet for the first time in 39 years
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Rose's 'Apt.' redefines K-pop's global appeal
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Two years on, thousands mourn Itaewon tragedy, calling for accountability
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Yoon calls for measures to protect Koreans amid escalating Iran-Israel conflicts
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Civil servant’s death linked to workplace bullying
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[Weekender] Walk around Korea to really get to know the country
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[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
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Hanwha, HD Hyundai vie for Poland’s $2.7b submarine program
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First lady’s controversies to top agenda at meeting of party leaders
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S. Korea seeks to tackle demographic cliff amid low birthrate, rapid aging
South Korea said Wednesday it plans to launch a task force on population policy next month in an effort to preemptively tackle a demographic cliff amid the country's chronic low birthrate and rapid aging. The third pan-governmental task force will set sail in February to deal with major demographic risks, including a fall in the population and preparation for a super-aged society, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Last year, the number of deaths surpassed that of newborns for t
Social AffairsJan. 27, 2021
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Preemptive COVID-19 tests ordered for missionary schools, as cluster infections top 300
A Christian missionary society has been ordered or advised to conduct coronavirus tests for people at all of its affiliated schools and facilities in South Korea, government officials said Wednesday, as a cluster of COVID-19 infections tied to a subsidiary school has so far infected more than 320. According to the Central Disaster Management Headquarters, a government agency, the number of infected people in the latest virus cluster traced to the International English Mission (IEM) School in th
Social AffairsJan. 27, 2021
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[News Focus] Bill to assist self-employed faces budgetary, political hurdles
The South Korean government and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea are pushing for a legislation to compensate the self-employed and small-business owners for losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the move faces budgetary constraints and criticism from opposition parties, which say the ruling camp is using the plan to boost its ratings ahead of the April 7 mayoral by-elections. The Democratic Party is internally discussing a bill that it hopes will pass during the provisional ses
PoliticsJan. 27, 2021
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[Newsmaker] N. Korea touts nicotine replacement supplements
For many smokers, quitting smoking might be on top of their list of new year’s resolutions, and it appears that North Korea is also no exception. An article titled, “Anti-smoking and our lives” was published on Meari, one of North Korea’s propaganda media websites, on Monday, promoting the nation’s anti-smoking activities, campaigns and research centers specializing in treatments to stop smoking. Since the enactment of an anti-smoking law on Nov. 4. last year that
North KoreaJan. 27, 2021
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Prosecutors intensify probe into travel ban on ex-vice justice minister
Prosecutors have raided the office of the anti-corruption team at the Supreme Prosecutors Office, intensifying an investigation into an allegedly illegal ban on a former vice justice minister from leaving the country two years ago. The Suwon District Prosecutors Office, in charge of the probe, sent prosecutors and police investigators to the team's office in southern Seoul on Tuesday afternoon to secure documents and data compiled when the justice ministry issued an urgent overseas travel ban o
Social AffairsJan. 27, 2021
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Sexually harassed lawmaker says civic group’s criminal complaint ‘regrettable’
Rep. Jang Hye-young of minor progressive opposition Justice Party has expressed her “regret” that a civic group filed a criminal complaint against former party leader who had sexually harassed her. She says recalling the damage again during an unwanted investigation “is a hindrance to her return to daily life.” Jang’s remarks on her social media comes after conservative civic group Hwalbindan said Tuesday it would file a complaint with the Seoul Southern District
PoliticsJan. 27, 2021
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Childbirths in S. Korea hit record low, deaths at near 4-decade high in Nov.
The number of babies born in South Korea hit a new record low in November last year, data showed Wednesday, underscoring the country's chronic low birth rate. The number of deaths rose to the highest in 37 years, leading to the population declining for the 13th straight month, according to Statistics Korea. The data showed that 20,085 babies were born in November, down 15.3 percent from a year earlier. It marked a record low for the month of November since 1981, when the statistics agency beg
Social AffairsJan. 27, 2021
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Xi expresses support for Korean denuclearization in phone talks with Moon: Cheong Wa Dae
Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed his active support for Seoul's initiative to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, calling the efforts in line with the common interests of both countries, according to Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday. It said Xi delivered the comments during his phone talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday. During the talks, Moon said he hopes Seoul and Beijing can work together to open a trilateral summit between the two countries along with Japan. Xi repl
Foreign AffairsJan. 27, 2021
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FM, Blinken agree in phone talks that NK nuke issue urgent matter for Biden administration
SEOUL/WASHINGTON -- Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and new US Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed Wednesday that the North Korean nuclear issue is an urgent matter that the two countries should work closely to resolve. They shared the understanding in their first phone talks that came just hours after Blinken officially took office as the country's top diplomat following the Senate confirmation on his nomination. "The two ministers shared the understanding that the North Korean nucl
North KoreaJan. 27, 2021
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Deputy nuke envoys of S. Korea, Russia discuss North Korea issues by phone
The deputy nuke envoys of South Korea and Russia held phone talks to discuss the latest developments on North Korea, including the recent key party congress, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday. Lee Moon-hee, director-general for North Korean nuclear affairs at Seoul's foreign ministry, and his Russian counterpart, Oleg Burmistrov, shared assessments on the recent situation on the Korean Peninsula, including the eighth congress of the Workers' Party that ended earlier this month, the minist
North KoreaJan. 27, 2021
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[Newsmaker] NK paper stresses importance of admitting flaws along path to economic progress
North Korea's official newspaper on Wednesday stressed the importance of admitting flaws and fixing them at the right time as the country steps up efforts to carry out key policy goals unveiled in a rare party meeting earlier this month. "Revolutionaries must strictly stay away from praising one's own accomplishments and drifting into indolence, which is equal to giving up their struggle for the revolution," the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling party, said i
North KoreaJan. 27, 2021
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Constitutional petition filed against alternative military service law
A conscientious objector, now carrying out his alternative military service as a prison staff member under the current law after refusing to enlist for religious reasons, has filed a constitutional appeal contending that the alternative military service law is unconstitutional due to its punitive nature, judicial officials said Wednesday. By law, all able-bodied South Korean men must carry out military service for 18 to 22 months. But the National Assembly passed the Act on the Assignment and P
PoliticsJan. 27, 2021
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PM urges vigilance as missionary training school outbreaks crop up in multiple regions
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Wednesday urged health authorities to remain vigilant against new virus outbreaks linked to unregistered regional schools operated by a Christian missionary group with a vast national network. "The number of daily cases has risen back to above 500. We've confirmed a mass outbreak at an unauthorized school owned by the Gwangju branch of IM missionary society," Chung said during an interagency meeting on the COVID-19 response held at the government compl
PoliticsJan. 27, 2021
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New infections up over 500 on flare-up in religious community infections
South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases soared over 500 for the first time in 10 days Wednesday as infections at religious educational facilities flared up this week. The country added 559 more COVID-19 cases, including 516 locally transmitted infections, raising the total caseload to 76,429, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The figure was sharply up from 354 on Tuesday and 437 on Monday. The sharp rise in cases of locally transmitted infections came from
Social AffairsJan. 27, 2021
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[Graphic News] Number of NK defectors plunges in 2020 amid border closure
The number of North Koreans defecting to South Korea dropped sharply last year apparently due to the North’s border closure to prevent an outbreak of the coronavirus, government data showed. According to the data provided by the Unification Ministry, a total of 229 North Koreans settled down in South Korea last year. The number was far fewer than the 1,047 tallied a year earlier and 1,137 registered in 2018. During the first quarter, 135 North Koreans defected to the South. The
North KoreaJan. 27, 2021
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S. Korea to invest W45b to develop new technologies to monitor space objects
South Korea will invest 45 billion won ($41 million) in the next five years to develop next-generation technologies to track and monitor space objects, a state-run research center said Wednesday. The new laser-based technologies are aimed at better monitoring objects that fly over the Korean Peninsula amid an increase in the use of satellites for military purposes, according to the Defense Industry Technology Center. Hanwha Systems Co. will lead the research project that will be joined by a nu
DefenseJan. 27, 2021
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S. Korea investigating 4 suspected cases of bird flu, extends disinfection operations
South Korea's agricultural ministry said Wednesday it is looking into four suspected cases of highly pathogenic bird flu as it extended the daily disinfection operations at all poultry farms for another two-week period. Since late November, South Korea has reported 73 cases of the H5N8 strain of avian influenza from local farms, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The country has been carrying out daily disinfection operations at all farms since last week. All fou
Social AffairsJan. 27, 2021
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S. Korea to host intl. conference on veterans affairs with 22 UN 'Sending States'
South Korea plans to host an international conference this year involving veterans affairs ministers from countries that participated in the 1950-53 Korean War, officials said Wednesday. The peace conference, to be held either in Seoul or the southern city of Busan in December, will bring together the ministers from 22 countries, including the United States, Britain, Canada and Turkey, to discuss ways to develop their friendly relationships and promote peace, according to the Ministry of Patrio
Foreign AffairsJan. 27, 2021
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Xi expresses hope for early visit to S. Korea in phone talks with Moon: Cheong Wa Dae
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed hope for an "early visit" to South Korea, as soon as conditions are created, during his phone talks with President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday night, Cheong Wa Dae said. Moon told Xi that he expects the two countries to continue communication for the Chinese leader's trip here once the COVID-19 situation is stabilized. Xi responded positively, saying he is looking forward to traveling to South Korea and meeting with Moon at an early date as soon as c
PoliticsJan. 27, 2021
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NK paper calls for heightened alert against pandemic as global cases exceed 100m
North Korea's official newspaper on Wednesday urged the people to keep their guard up against the coronavirus pandemic as the number of global COVID-19 cases has exceeded 100 million. "The cases of the new coronavirus have now exceeded 100 million with the death toll rising well over 2.14 million," said the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North's ruling party. "We need to keep alert and ramp up emergency antivirus efforts more than ever." The paper called on the people to c
North KoreaJan. 27, 2021