[Photo News] Cold wave hits nation once again

Chonnam National University, just north of Gwangju, is covered in white after another cold wave gripped the country. A citizen walks down a snowy path on the campus. In subzero weather, pigeons walk on the frozen lake on the campus of Chonnam National University. Jeju Island, one of the warmest areas of South Korea, could not avoid the cold this time. A person walks through a blizzard as white snow falls from the sky.  Yet there are signs of spring -- flowers are beginning to bloom even

Social AffairsFeb. 18, 2021

Defense chief apologizes over border security breach

South Korea’s Defense Minister Suh Wook on Wednesday apologized for the latest lapse in border security after a North Korean man swam across the eastern maritime border unnoticed. The man, who was taken into custody Tuesday hours after being spotted by military surveillance personnel, is believed to be a civilian in his 20s seeking to defect. He was captured walking along the road on the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas. “Commanders and the rank an

DefenseFeb. 18, 2021

Top economic advisers of Seoul, Washington open new hotline

A new instant line of communications has been launched between Seoul and Washington to further boost cooperation on economic, trade and other global issues such as climate change, Cheong Wa Dae announced Wednesday. Though the allies already have a long-established hotline to discuss security issues, this is the first time they have set up a separate line for direct communications to address economic and policy issues. The new communications line followed the first phone call between Kim San

PoliticsFeb. 18, 2021

English education should start at earlier age: lawmaker

A South Korean lawmaker serving on the education committee said the nation needs to change the paradigm of English education by providing it at an earlier age and abolishing test-focused, cram-style education. “Preschoolers are building up a considerable level of English skills through private education. Students who first encounter English in the third grade of elementary school have a different starting line than students who learn earlier through private education.” Rep. Kim By

Social AffairsFeb. 18, 2021

Advocates welcome plan for birth registration system for Korea-born foreign children

Children’s rights activists welcomed a move by the Ministry of Justice toward the establishment of a birth registration system for non-Korean children born in South Korea, as a means to ensure that every child has legal status regardless of nationality. A network of advocacy groups said in a statement Wednesday that the ministry’s decision would help Korea better track all children and protect them from mistreatment. It is expected that more than 20,000 unregistered foreign children

Social AffairsFeb. 18, 2021

Progressive South Korean lawmaker listed among Time's top 100 emerging leaders

Jang Hye-young, a novice female lawmaker with the progressive minor Justice Party, has been listed among the Time magazine's "100 Next" emerging leaders for 2021. The 34-year-old lawmaker made the annual Time list in the advocates category, out of the total five categories that also include artists and leaders. She was the only South Korean on the list featuring "100 emerging leaders who are shaping the future," according to the magazine's website on Wednesday. "Jang

PoliticsFeb. 18, 2021

UN begins to refer to NK leader as 'president,' not 'chairman'

The United Nations has started referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as "president" instead of his previous title "chairman," a change apparently made at the request of Pyongyang, a unification ministry official said Thursday. State media had mostly used "chairman" of the State Affairs Commission (SAC) in describing the leader, but since early this month, "president" has replaced the previous title in what experts see as intended to rev up his stat

North KoreaFeb. 18, 2021

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

South Korea said Thursday it is investigating two suspected cases of highly pathogenic bird flu, with the country's total confirmed caseload approaching close to 100. The latest suspected cases of the H5N8 strain of bird flu were reported from the provinces of North Chungcheong and Gyeonggi, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. South Korea has so far identified 97 farm-linked cases. The country reported its first seriously contagious avian influenza from poultry f

Social AffairsFeb. 18, 2021

[Newsmaker] Independence fighter grandson ends archive donation talks with Harvard over professor's comfort women claim

A grandson of a renowned Korean independence fighter said Thursday that he had sent a letter to Harvard University's president to end any discussions about donating his historical archives due to a professor's article depicting Japan's wartime sexual slavery as voluntary prostitution. In an email and phone interview with Yonhap News Agency, Philip Ahn Cuddy, the grandson of Ahn Chang-ho who fiercely fought against Japan's 1910-45 colonization, revealed that he wrote the letter to President Lawr

Social AffairsFeb. 18, 2021

Army officer tests positive for COVID-19

An Army officer in Pocheon, north of Seoul, has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Thursday. The officer was confirmed to have contracted the virus after developing symptoms, according to the ministry. It was not known how he got the virus. The case raised the total number of infections reported among the military population to 563. Of them, 554 patients have been fully cured while the other nine are under treatment. Nationwide, South Korea reported 621 new

DefenseFeb. 18, 2021

New COVID-19 cases over 600 for 2nd day, virus fight struggling with cluster infections

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed in the 600s for a second consecutive day on Thursday as infections at a slew of manufacturing plants and hospitals surged, prompting authorities to guard against a potential virus resurgence. The country reported 621 more COVID-19 cases, including 590 local infections, raising the total caseload to 85,567, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The country added six more deaths, raising the total to 1,544. The daily caselo

Social AffairsFeb. 18, 2021

Remains of Korean War soldier identified 12 years after excavation

South Korea has identified the remains of a soldier killed in the 1950-53 Korean War through DNA analysis, 12 years after they were recovered from a former battle site, the defense ministry said Thursday. The identification of the remains of Pfc. Son Joong-chul was possible as his 73-year-old son, Son Tae-gyu, registered his DNA sample with the government in 2019, according to the ministry. The late Son's remains were excavated in the southeastern city of Pohang in 2009. The identification mar

Social AffairsFeb. 18, 2021

US review of N. Korea policy will address cyber threats: Price

The ongoing review of US policy toward North Korea will also take into account cyber threats posed by the country, a spokesperson for the US State Department said Wednesday. Ned Price said the US is well aware of "disruptive cyber attacks" committed by the North. "Of course, most frequently we speak of North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile program, but, of course, it's malicious cyber activity is something we are carefully evaluating and looking at as well," the press

North KoreaFeb. 18, 2021

US indicts 3 N. Korean hackers in attempted theft of $1.3b

The United States has indicted three North Korean hackers on charges of criminal cyber activities aimed at stealing $1.3 billion, the Department of Justice said Wednesday. The indictment filed in the US District Court in Los Angeles identified the three North Korean suspects as Jon Chang-hyok (31), Kim Il (27) and Park Jin-hyock (36). They were "members of units of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, a military intelligence agency of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which

North KoreaFeb. 18, 2021

Arrest warrant issued for SK Networks chairman over alleged slush fund

An arrest warrant was granted on Wednesday for Choi Shin-won, the chairman of SK Networks Co., a general trading company, on suspicion of setting up a slush fund. Choi is facing charges of embezzlement and breach of trust related to the alleged illicit fund, which has been under investigation by the anti-corruption unit of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office. "There are convincing reasons to suspect the suspect committed the crimes, and there are also concerns that he can destr

Social AffairsFeb. 17, 2021

Seoul National University doctor tests positive for COVID-19

A doctor at Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) tested positive for the new coronavirus Wednesday, hospital officials said. The pediatric anesthesiologist working at its children's hospital took the coronavirus test after a family member was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Wednesday morning. SNUH is one of the nation's top general hospitals. So far, 20 hospital workers and four patients have been confirmed to have been in contact with the physician, and all of them wore masks, officials s

Social AffairsFeb. 17, 2021

Korea’s fourth, possibly worst wave yet of COVID-19 is advancing fast

COVID-19 cases are on the rise again in South Korea after a brief respite from the winter resurgence, and experts warn that the country may be heading toward what may be its largest wave yet of the pandemic -- and sooner than anticipated. Just two days after social distancing regulations were eased, the number of daily cases rose to 621 on Wednesday, the highest since mid-January in the immediate aftermath of Korea’s third wave of COVID-19, which sickened over 35,000 and

Social AffairsFeb. 17, 2021

Suwon sets example in policies against COVID-19

The population of Suwon City is 1.23 million, the largest among Gyeonggi Province’s 31 cities and counties, but its number of confirmed COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people is third from last. The achievement was thanks to the dedication of citizens, health center employees, public officials and medical workers, who followed the quarantine rules despite the inconvenience and economic losses. Suwon City took rapid countermeasures whenever there was an outbreak of the new coronavirus. In wh

Social AffairsFeb. 17, 2021

Suwon mayor fights for local government power

Suwon Mayor Yeom Tae-young’s “Special City Operation” was a success. Yeom’s quest to make Suwon a designated “special city” began when he was the first of 226 local government leaders to be elected as the supreme council member of the ruling Democratic Party last year. As a supreme council member, it placed Yeom in a position to reflect the small voices of local governments across the country, and they were attentively listened to by Korea’s political

Social AffairsFeb. 17, 2021

Stellar rise of NK leader’s close aide

Jo Yong-won, newly appointed secretary of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party in North Korea, was in the spotlight during the latest key party meeting, which ended last week. 　 The 64-year-old strongly rebuked senior officials -- some of whom are older than him -- for their “passiveness and self-protectionism” in setting policy goals, and warned that the party will not tolerate those who neglect their duties, according to the party’s official newspaper Ro

North KoreaFeb. 17, 2021