Online platform set up for easier access to old maps of East Asia

A one-stop online platform has been launched to streamline access to thousands of old and modern maps depicting East Asia, according to a South Korean history foundation Tuesday. The East Asian Old Map Collection, a website launched by the state-run Northeast Asian History Foundation, brings together a total of 2,212 maps facilitating easier access to thousands of old maps scattered among different institutions. The maps date as far back as 1592 and users can see how various maps published later

Social AffairsApril 23, 2024

Seoul's top diplomat to meet secretary of Chinese province bordering NK

South Korea's top diplomat is set to meet with Hao Peng, the party secretary of Liaoning province in China, which shares a border with North Korea, on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry announced Tuesday. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Hao will "discuss ways to enhance substantive cooperation" between South Korea and Liaoning province, as well as other topics of mutual interest on the occasion of luncheon, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk said during a televis

Foreign AffairsApril 23, 2024

Uzbekistan to hold Tashkent Investment Forum

Uzbekistan is set to host the third edition of the Tashkent International Investment Forum May 2-3. According to the Uzbekistan Embassy in Seoul, the first edition of the forum in 2022 concluded with contracts and investment agreements worth $7.8 billion, while the second edition signed 164 documents worth $11 billion. “In 2024, (for) the forum (it) is expected that Tashkent will host an even larger number of guests: investors, officials and analysts from all continents of the planet,&rdqu

Diplomatic CircuitApril 23, 2024

Another endangered Siberian tiger dies at Seoul Zoo

A male Siberian tiger named Taebaek died at a zoo in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, officials said Tuesday. According to Seoul Grand Park, the 6-year-old tiger was pronounced dead Friday at its zoo due to critical health conditions suspected to be related to liver disease. Zoo officials said they plan to conduct an autopsy to determine the precise cause of death. Born in May 2018 alongside siblings Baekdu, Halla and Geumgang, Taebaek appeared to be in good health until recently, when a significa

Social AffairsApril 23, 2024

North Korea holds drills simulating nuclear counterattack against enemy

North Korea said Tuesday that its leader Kim Jong-un has overseen the country’s first nuclear drills against a potential attack by an enemy. The Workers’ Party of Korea-owned daily Rodong Sinmun said the live-fire drills involving “new” and “super large” rocket launchers were held a day prior on Monday under Kim’s guidance. According to the report, Monday’s drills are the first demonstration of North Korea‘s central nuclear weapons management

North KoreaApril 23, 2024

Korean, Romanian leaders discuss defense tech, nuclear energy

The leaders of South Korea and Romania agreed to seek bilateral cooperation in diverse fields, particularly with the defense industry and nuclear energy in focus, during a summit held in Seoul on Tuesday. "I hope (Iohannis's visit to Korea) this year could help our discussion related to military equipment and nuclear energy bear fruit," President Yoon Suk Yeol said in the welcoming remarks of the summit. "Today, we can take our bilateral strategic partnership to the next leve

PoliticsApril 23, 2024

S. Korea calls on Japan to confront history amid Yasukuni Shrine visit

The South Korean government on Tuesday expressed regret over the visit of a Japanese minister and more than 90 lawmakers to pay respect at the Yasukuni Shrine, which commemorates those who died in service to Japan over several wars, including war criminals from the World War II period. "The government urges responsible leaders of Japan to squarely face history, and demonstrate through action their humble reflection and sincere remorse for Japan's past," Foreign Ministry spokespers

Foreign AffairsApril 23, 2024

Tension soars as medical professors mull partial strike

Patients in life and limb care are again left to deal with the fallout of the protracted medical standoff as resignations by medical professors due to take effect from Thursday. Concerns over the health care system are also growing as professors were considering reducing work hours and the number of surgeries in a show of protest. Medical professors at eight hospitals affiliated with the Catholic University of Korea’s medical school said Tuesday afternoon that they will submit their resig

Social AffairsApril 23, 2024

Korean woman loses W70m in Elon Musk deepfake scam

A Korean woman was persuaded to invest 70 million won ($50,770) after seeing a deepfake video of what appeared to be Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, according to local reports on Tuesday. Jeong Ji-sun, whom KBS has agreed to refer to by a pseudonym, shared how she became a victim of a romance scam on KBS's "In-Depth 60 Minutes." On the April 19 episode, Jeong opened up about how she first started talking with the con artist, who claimed to be Musk. “I experienced something like

Social AffairsApril 23, 2024

New slogan for DDP unveiled

The Seoul Design Foundation announced Tuesday that it has decided on a new slogan for the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the first rebrand since opening to the public ten years ago. The new slogan, “Amazing Tomorrow,” will replace the DDP's old slogan, “Dream, Design, Play.” According to the Seoul Design Foundation, the new slogan reflects the foundation’s commitment to delivering experiences that will amaze visitors to the DDP through its exhibitions, futuristic bui

Social AffairsApril 23, 2024

[Community Discovery] Eunpyeong-gu rebrands as nature-friendly, healthy district

Eunpyeong-gu in northwestern Seoul has rebranded itself as a nature-friendly district, as it looks to boost its image and foster a healthy, inclusive community. The district has seen a rise in the number of visits to its parks and green spaces by "those who wish to take a break from their busy city lives,” said Kim Me-kyung, head of the Eunpyeong District Office. Eunpyeong-gu is located near Bukhansan, a mountain boasting popular hiking trails, and the Bulgwangcheon also runs through

Social AffairsApril 23, 2024

Seoul studies W100m cash incentive for each child born

In a bid to bolster abysmal birth rates, South Korea is exploring what would be its most generous incentive ever -- 100 million won ($72,500) in cash per baby born. The state-run Anti-Corruption & Civil Rights Commission on Wednesday commenced a survey to gauge public opinion on the idea. "Through this survey, we plan to re-evaluate the country’s birth promotion policies to determine whether direct financial subsidies could be an effective solution,” the commission said in a

Social AffairsApril 23, 2024

Med professors considering taking day off every week amid prolonged doctors' walkout

Medical school professors nationwide are reviewing taking a day off every week as they have been thinly stretched amid the prolonged walkout by trainee doctors, officials said Tuesday, deepening concerns over further disruptions in the country's health care system. The emergency committee for national medical professors will hold a general meeting later in the day and discuss the potential suspension of all surgeries and treatment for outpatients once a week, according to its officials. Det

Social AffairsApril 23, 2024

US decries latest NK missile launches

The United States condemned North Korea's latest round of ballistic missile launches as a violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions, a State Department spokesperson said Monday. Matthew Miller, the spokesperson, also noted that Pyongyang's provocative activities will be on the agenda for talks that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will have during his trip to Shanghai and Beijing from Wednesday to Friday. On Monday, Pyongyang fired multiple projectiles, presumed to be shor

North KoreaApril 23, 2024

[Graphic News] 77% of young Koreans still financially dependent

A recent survey from the employment platform Catch revealed that around 8 out of 10 Koreans in their 20s and 30s were still economically dependent on their parents. According to the survey conducted on 1,903 job-seekers in their 20s and 30s, 77 percent replied that they were still economically dependent on their parents, and only 23 percent replied that they were independent. At a closer look, 43 percent of the participants replied they still live with their parents and 41 percent said they re

Social AffairsApril 23, 2024

Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho puts forward 10 demands for Yoon to follow after general elections

Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk, known for his vocal criticism of President Yoon Suk Yeol, demanded Monday that Yoon accept a special counsel probe into allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee. The demand was among 10 requests that Cho said Yoon should accept in accordance with the public sentiment revealed in this month's parliamentary elections in which Yoon's People Power Party suffered a resounding defeat. "These are the minimum 10 things for President Yoon Suk Yeo

PoliticsApril 22, 2024

FM Cho discusses Mideast crisis with Jordanian counterpart in phone call

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul spoke by phone with his Jordanian counterpart Monday and discussed the situation in the Middle East, including the clash between Israel and Iran and the prolonged conflict in the Gaza Strip, his office said. In the phone talks with Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Hussein Al Safadi, Cho highlighted the need for all parties involved to exercise "restraint" so that the conflict in the Middle East will not escalate any further. Cho stressed that South Kore

Foreign AffairsApril 22, 2024

Minor quake hits off southern island of Jeju

A minor earthquake hit off the southern island of Jeju on Monday, with no damage expected from the tremor in the region, the state weather agency said. The 2.0 magnitude quake occurred at 6:47 p.m. in waters about 51 kilometers off the east of Seogwipo, the southern city on the resort island, the Korea Meteorological Administration said. The epicenter was at a depth of 20 kilometers. The quake is not expected to cause any damage, the KMA said. (Yonhap)

Social AffairsApril 22, 2024

1 killed in car crash at senior welfare center south of Seoul

An elderly woman was killed and three others injured Monday after a car driven by a 91-year-old man rammed into people at a senior community center in a city south of Seoul, police said. The crash happened at around noon at a parking lot in a senior community center in Bundang, when the driver, only identified by his last name Park, was reversing and his vehicle instantly ran over four elderly people who were walking toward the building, the police said. An 80-something-year-old woman was taken

Social AffairsApril 22, 2024

S. Korea, US to initiate early defense cost-sharing talks this week

South Korea and the United States are set to embark on the first round of negotiations for the next defense cost-sharing agreement from Tuesday to Thursday in Honolulu, Hawaii, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul announced Monday. The negotiations will commence nearly 20 months before the current agreement expires in 2025. The upcoming US presidential election in November where President Joe Biden faces a rematch with former President Donald Trump appears to have pushed the two parties toward initiati

Foreign AffairsApril 22, 2024