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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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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[Photo News] Rallying against LGBTQ+
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Hundreds of cafe owners file lawsuit against govt. over COVID-19 losses
Hundreds of cafe owners filed a lawsuit against the government on Thursday seeking compensation for losses suffered under COVID-19 business restrictions. An association of cafe owners said the suit, which was lodged with the Seoul Central District Court, calls for around 1.8 billion won ($1.64 million) in damages, or 5 million won for each of the 358 plaintiffs. "The inconsistent and unfair antivirus regulations have led us to resort to legal action," the association said in a statem
Social AffairsJan. 14, 2021
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Seoul to fund survey on separated families
The Ministry of Unification on Thursday said it will spend 800 million won ($727,000) to carry out a survey of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, to check their status and to prepare for possible future family reunions. The ministry decided to conduct the survey of around 50,000 members of divided families during a meeting of a civilian-government committee on inter-Korean exchanges, presided over by Unification Minister Lee In-young. The survey, which will run from April to Oc
North KoreaJan. 14, 2021
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[Contribution] The boys and the frogs: How can Biden stop NK from being ‘stoned’
The presidency of the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden, will begin soon. It’s a relief. During Trump’s four years in office, the world witnessed what lay behind the organizational facade of the US. The Trump administration’s slogan, “Make America Great Again,” rather sounded like “Make America Greedy Again” to me. I am confident that the Biden government will not repeat the same mistakes made under the greedy “America First” pol
Foreign AffairsJan. 14, 2021
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S. Korea to raise guard against ASF over winter
South Korea' agricultural ministry said Thursday it will raise its guard against African swine fever (ASF) over the winter as the number of infections among wild boars continued to grow at an alarming rate. The country has reported 941 ASF cases linked to wild boars since 2019 from inter-Korean border regions, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs. "Currently, the country has around 4.1 wild boars for every square kilometer. We plan to reduce the figure to two,
Social AffairsJan. 14, 2021
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Pressure mounts for Moon to decide on pardons
With Thursday’s final verdict delivered on former President Park Geun-hye, President Moon Jae-in is now under increased pressure to clarify his stance on possible pardons for the two former jailed presidents. Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court upheld a 20-year prison term for Park in an influence-peddling trial that started more than three years ago. Now Park will have to serve a total of 22 years in prison, including a two-year prison term for her 2018 conviction in illegal meddlin
PoliticsJan. 14, 2021
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Incoming Biden administration understands 'urgency' of NK nuke issues: Seoul official
The incoming US administration of Joe Biden is fully aware of the "urgency" of North Korea's nuclear issues, and South Korea is ready to closely work with Washington to draw up the "most effective" countermeasures as soon as the new government takes office, a Seoul official said Thursday. North Korea recently ramped up its push to strengthen its nuclear arsenal in its recent key party gathering in what appears aimed at upping the ante ahead of the inauguration of President-e
North KoreaJan. 14, 2021
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Supreme Court confirms 20 years in prison for ex-president Park
The highest court upheld a 20-year prison term for former President Park Geun-hye, closing the final chapter in one of the greatest political scandals in South Korea to date. The Supreme Court on Thursday confirmed the lower court’s decision to sentence Park to 20 years in prison and levy an 18 billion won ($16.37 million) fine for her part in a corruption case that cost her the presidency in 2017. The court also confirmed an additional forfeiture of 3.5 billion won. In July, the Seoul H
PoliticsJan. 14, 2021
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Controversial travel ban on ex-vice minister backfires
The prosecution is stepping up the investigation into alleged irregularities regarding an overseas travel ban on a former vice justice minister last year, which has emerged as yet another point of contention for the Moon Jae-in administration. The nation’s civil rights watchdog recently received a complaint from a whistleblower that the Justice Ministry and a fact-finding team of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office had illegally banned Kim Hak-eui from leaving the country in March last
Social AffairsJan. 14, 2021
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Daily virus cases in the 500s for 3rd straight day
The daily number of confirmed coronavirus cases in South Korea stayed in the 500s for a third consecutive day, officials said Thursday, hinting at a possible extension of tough social distancing measures to prevent a resurgence. The government’s central response team said the number of new COVID-19 cases increased by 524 to 77,728 as of midnight. The third wave, which began in mid-November, has seen a gradual decline in the new year. Of the new confirmed cases, 496 were locally transmit
Social AffairsJan. 14, 2021
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Blood reserves’ alert-level goes back to normal
South Korea’s blood reserves, which had been in a sharp decline due to the lingering third COVID-19 wave, have begun to stabilize. The Korean Red Cross’ National Blood Institute of Daejeon-Sejong-Chungnam, issued an alert over the shortage of blood reserves in mid-December. However, the Institute announced that as of Thursday, the country had recovered to the average supply amount needed, maintaining a little over four days’ worth of blood reserves. At the alert-stage of ca
Social AffairsJan. 14, 2021
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3 in 10 Koreans want COVID-19 shots as soon as possible: poll
Only 3 out of 10 South Koreans said they plan to get vaccinated for COVID- 19 as soon as possible, while the rest said they want to take a wait-and-see approach, a survey showed Thursday. According to a survey of 1,094 adults from Jan. 8-10 by the Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health, 67.7 percent of the respondents said they will wait and see how the coronavirus vaccine is working for others before getting the shots themselves. Only 28.6 percent said they want to get va
Social AffairsJan. 14, 2021
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S. Korea confirms 3 more cases of highly pathogenic bird flu
South Korea said Thursday it has confirmed three more cases of highly pathogenic bird flu from a local poultry farm, with more suspected infections currently under investigation. Authorities said they have found two cases of the H5N8 strain of avian influenza at farms each in North and South Chungcheong Province, raising the total caseload to 60, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Earlier in the day, the country also confirmed another case in Muan, South Jeolla P
Social AffairsJan. 14, 2021
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S. Korea to boost capabilities to counter NK missile threats: defense ministry
South Korea will further boost its military capabilities to counter North Korea's short-range missile threats, the defense ministry said Wednesday, after Pyongyang vowed to bolster its nuclear arsenal amid a deadlock in negotiations with the United States. Wrapping up an eight-day congress of the ruling Workers' Party on Tuesday, the North's leader Kim Jong-un called for enhancing the country's "nuclear war deterrent" and building "the most powerful military strength." Aske
North KoreaJan. 14, 2021
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2 Army members in Suwon test positive for new coronavirus
An enlisted soldier and a civilian official of an Army unit in the metropolitan city of Suwon tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Thursday. They underwent COVID-19 tests after coming into close contact with another enlisted soldier confirmed to be infected with the virus earlier this week, according to the ministry. The latest cases brought the total number of virus cases among the military population to 526. Currently, 337 service members are in isolation in ac
DefenseJan. 14, 2021
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PM warns of strong measures against virus response interference amid church outbreak
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Thursday warned of stern measures against those who interfere with the government's antivirus measures, amid growing concerns over a recent COVID-19 outbreak at a church facility spreading throughout the country. "While most religious facilities are actively participating in state antivirus measures, the public has become alarmed after an outbreak at BTJ Center for All Nations has spread throughout the country," Chung said during an interagency meeting
PoliticsJan. 14, 2021
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[Newsmaker] Vice FM calls for Qatar's support for release of seized S. Korean ship, crew
First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun called for Qatar's support for the swift release of a South Korean ship and its crew detained by Iran during his meetings with top Doha officials this week, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday. Choi made the appeal when he met separately with Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, deputy prime minister and foreign minister, and Soltan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, minister of state for foreign affairs, to discuss bilateral issues in Doha on Wednesday
Foreign AffairsJan. 14, 2021
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New virus cases in 500s for 3rd day in sign of letup in infections
The number of new coronavirus cases in South Korea stayed in the 500s for the third consecutive day Thursday, in yet another sign that the third wave of the pandemic has passed a peak on the back of tighter virus restrictions. The country added 524 more COVID-19 cases, including 496 local infections, raising the total caseload to 70,728, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It marked a slight drop from 562 posted Wednesday. The country, touted as one of the mos
Social AffairsJan. 14, 2021
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Kurt Campbell picked to guide Biden's Asia policy: report
US President-elect Joe Biden has picked Kurt Campbell, an assistant secretary of state under former President Barack Obama's administration, to lead his Asia policy, including strategy on China, according to a media report on Thursday. The spokesperson of Biden's transition team confirmed Wednesday that Campbell, the former top diplomat for East Asia policy, will be the "coordinator for the Indo-Pacific" on the White House National Security Council, Reuters reported. Campbell is know
Foreign AffairsJan. 14, 2021
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Govt. to lift development restrictions on military installation protection zones
The government will lift restrictions on development in some 100 million square meters of land near military installations, the defense ministry said Thursday. The combined area to be lifted Tuesday is roughly 35 times larger than the size of the financial district of Yeouido in Seoul. It also marks a 31 percent increase from 77 million square meters of land that were freed from restrictions last year, according to the ministry. Under the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act, dev
DefenseJan. 14, 2021
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Most Koreans adopt wait-and-see attitude toward coronavirus vaccination: poll
Nearly two-thirds of South Koreans think they will wait to see how the coronavirus vaccine is working for other people before getting the jab, a poll showed Thursday. A survey of 1,094 adult Koreans across the nation, taken by Seoul National University, showed 67.7 percent of respondents taking a wait-and-see attitude toward COVID-19 vaccination. Only 28.6 percent of them replied that they want to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The findings also showed 42 percent of the surveyed predicti
Social AffairsJan. 14, 2021