USFK live-fire exercise suspended amid residents' complaints

A planned live-fire exercise involving Apache attack helicopters of the US Forces Korea has been suspended following noise and other complaints from residents near the firing range in the southeastern city of Pohang, officials said. The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission said the drill, which had been scheduled to begin on Tuesday and continue until next month, will be suspended while a mediation procedure is under way with residents near the Suseong firing range in Pohang. "As t

DefenseFeb. 9, 2021

[Newsmaker] Arrest warrant denied for ex-energy minister on nuclear reactor closure

A local court on Tuesday rejected an arrest warrant for former Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Paik Un-gyu for his role in the controversial closure of South Korea’s second-oldest nuclear reactor. The Daejeon District Court on Tuesday denied the prosecution’s request for an arrest warrant made Thursday against Paik on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of business. The court said the prosecution’s arguments are insufficient to prove Paik’s criminal involve

Social AffairsFeb. 9, 2021

Ministry hopes for early resumption of Kaesong complex as it marks anniversary of shutdown

The unification ministry on Tuesday expressed hope for the early reopening of a now-shuttered industrial complex in North Korea's border town of Kaesong as it marks the fifth anniversary of its closure amid chilled inter-Korean relations. South Korea closed the Kaesong Industrial Complex in February 2016 in retaliation against the North's nuclear and missile provocations. The Kaesong complex had been considered one of the most tangible symbols of inter-Korean reconciliation. "The governme

PoliticsFeb. 9, 2021

N. Korea continues wintertime drills, no unusual moves ahead of late leader's birthday: JCS

North Korea has been conducting regular wintertime military drills without showing any unusual moves ahead of the birthday of late leader Kim Jong-il, the South Korean military said Tuesday. North Korea celebrated the 73rd anniversary Monday of the foundation of its army and has another key national holiday coming up, which is the Feb. 16 birthday of its late leader, the father of current leader Kim Jong-un. "North Korea's military is continuing wintertime exercises and has not shown any

North KoreaFeb. 9, 2021

S. Korea implements tougher rules on animal abuse, pet owners

South Korea said Tuesday it plans to implement revised rules on animal abuse this week that center on tougher punishment and more regulations on pet owners. Starting Friday, those who slaughter animals cruelly will face imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of 30 million won ($26,840), according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It compares with the previous ceiling of two years. Owners of fierce dogs are obligated to purchase insurance packages, and violators will

Social AffairsFeb. 9, 2021

PM calls for virus rules cooperation amid backlash from small merchants

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Tuesday asked for the public's cooperation with the government's antivirus measures amid a backlash from small business owners in the greater Seoul area over stricter rules imposed on them than those in other regions. "We ask for your participation in the spirit of the greater good and cooperation. We understand the underlying emotions, but it is a decision reached under comprehensive consideration of the transmission risk and social receptiveness," Ch

PoliticsFeb. 9, 2021

[Graphic News] Number of cattle in S. Korea grows 3.9% in Q4

　The number of cattle in South Korea rose nearly 4 percent in the fourth quarter of the year on increased beef consumption, government data showed. 　Asia‘s fourth-largest economy had 3.36 million cattle, including Korean-breed cattle known as “hanwoo,“ as of Dec. 1, up 3.9 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from Statistics Korea. 　It represents the largest-ever fourth-quarter tally since the statistical agency began tracking related data in 1983. 　The fou

NationalFeb. 9, 2021

S. Korea to start COVID-19 vaccinations on Feb. 26

South Korea will start vaccinating its population against COVID-19 on Feb. 26 if final approval for the use of AstraZeneca's vaccine for elderly people is made this week, health authorities said Tuesday. The announcement by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency came as the nation reported a slight rise in daily coronavirus cases, with authorities still on high alert ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. It was the first time that the KDCA set a start date for the vaccinations, rais

Social AffairsFeb. 9, 2021

Seoul's calls for concessions to N. Korea may create tension with US: CRS

WASHINGTON -- South Korea's push for concessions to North Korea may continue to create tension in US-South Korea relations, a US congressional report said. The updated Congressional Research Service (CRS) report on South Korea noted policy coordination between Seoul and Washington had been "inconsistent" under former US President Donald Trump. President Joe Biden, on the other hand, is "reinvigorating the alliance, suggesting he would abandon President Trump's repeated use of pu

North KoreaFeb. 9, 2021

Arrest warrant denied for ex-industry minister over reactor shutdown controversy

DAEJEON -- A court rejected the issuance of an arrest warrant Tuesday for a former industry and energy minister in connection with the controversial closure of an aging nuclear reactor. The Daejeon District Court denied the warrant sought by prosecutors against Paik Un-gyu on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of business, citing lack of reason and need to arrest him. "The prosecutors' arguments are not sufficient vindication of Paik's alleged criminality," the court said. &qu

PoliticsFeb. 9, 2021

US remains committed to peace, stability of Indo-Pacific: Pentagon

The United States continues to be committed to the peace and security of its allies in the Indo-Pacific region, a Pentagon official said Monday. The remarks come amid an ongoing review of the US defense posture that the Pentagon official said will determine where more US troops are needed or less. "We will continue to maintain our security commitments to our allies and partners there," Press Secretary John Kirby said when asked if the ongoing defense posture review would lead to an i

Foreign AffairsFeb. 9, 2021

NK leader raps economic agencies for 'passive, self-protecting tendencies'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un rapped economic agencies for "passive and self-protecting tendencies" as he held a Workers' Party meeting to finalize this year's plans to carry out policy goals set forth at last month's rare party congress, state media said Tuesday. The North unveiled a new five-year economic development plan at the eighth congress of the party last month, with a focus on self-reliance in the face of the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and global sanctions on its

North KoreaFeb. 9, 2021

AstraZeneca to start supplying COVID-19 vaccines from Feb. 24

AstraZeneca will start delivering the first batch of its COVID-19 vaccine to South Korea starting from Feb. 24, South Korean health authorities said Monday.  The virus response control tower said in a statement that AstraZeneca's vaccine will be supplied in phases from Feb. 24 over the following several days, without elaborating on the amount of doses and other details. The announcement came after Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said in a parliamentary meeting that he expects the first phas

Social AffairsFeb. 8, 2021

Korean students at Harvard demand professor's apology over controversial claims on comfort women

Korean students at Harvard University have strongly criticized a professor over his controversial claim that Japan's wartime sexual slavery was actually voluntary prostitution, demanding its immediate withdrawal and his official apology to victims. Harvard Korean Society made the demand in a statement on its website after Harvard Law School Japanese legal studies professor J. Mark Ramseyer caused controversy with his recently published paper titled "Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War.&

Foreign AffairsFeb. 8, 2021

COVID-19 variants strengthen calls to tighten borders

New COVID-19 variants pose an imminent threat to South Korea’s efforts in curbing the pandemic with a vaccine rollout still weeks away, health authorities say, as experts urged for tighter border restrictions to prevent their arrival here. Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency chief Jung Eun-kyeong voiced concerns over these variants, which appear to be more transmissible, saying they are “threatening Korea’s progress in the pandemic.” “Increasingly more c

Social AffairsFeb. 8, 2021

Ruling party to seek parliamentary resolution condemning military coup in Myanmar

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) will seek the passage of a parliamentary resolution condemning the recent military coup in Myanmar, the party's floor leader said Monday. DP floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon also expressed deep regret and concerns over the coup d'etat that took place a week earlier, while disclosing the plan for the parliamentary resolution during a top party council meeting. "The coup by the Myanmarese military is an act of serious provocation that fundamentally threatens

Foreign AffairsFeb. 8, 2021

FM Kang leaves office after years of daunting diplomatic tasks

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha left office Monday after nearly four years at the helm of South Korea's diplomacy grappling with a host of daunting challenges ranging from North Korea's nuclear quandary to historical spats with Japan and an escalating Sino-USrivalry. Having led the ministry since June 2017, Kang described her stint as the nation's first female foreign minister as "most honorable" in her work life and voiced hope that her successor, Chung Eui-yong, will reinvigorate th

Foreign AffairsFeb. 8, 2021

Sungkyunkwan’s business school ranks 35th in world

Sungkyunkwan University’s Graduate School of Business has ranked No. 35 in the world in the 2021 Financial Times Global MBA Ranking. In Asia, the institution ranked seventh, as it maintained the top spot for Korea. The Financial Times Global MBA Ranking is an annual indicator of business schools’ overall status and quality. Unlike other rankings centered on US MBA programs, the FT ranking is global and assesses business schools around the world. Sungkyunkwan University Graduate Sc

Social AffairsFeb. 8, 2021

Moon says govt. to seek 'bold, sufficient' fiscal steps against coronavirus crisis

President Moon Jae-in said Monday his administration will push for "bold and sufficient" ways to tackle the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. "The government will do its best to come up with sufficient measures in a bold manner, without losing an opportunity, to overcome the crisis within a range that finance can afford," he said at the start of a weekly meeting with senior Cheong Wa Dae aides. His remarks came amid a brewing controversy over the proposed fourth ba

PoliticsFeb. 8, 2021

Moon appoints new foreign minister

President Moon Jae-in appointed Chung Eui-yong as his new foreign minister on Monday, Cheong Wa Dae announced.   　 Chung, former director of national security at Cheong Wa Dae, will begin his tenure Tuesday. He replaces Kang Kyung-wha, the nation’s first female foreign minister and the longest-serving minister in Moon’s Cabinet.   　 Earlier in the day, the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee of the National Assembly, in which the ruling Democratic Party holds a maj

Foreign AffairsFeb. 8, 2021