Defense minister calls S. Korean observer team dispatch to Ukraine military's 'obvious' task

Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said Wednesday that the dispatch of a South Korean team of observers or analysts to Ukraine would be the South Korean military's "obvious" task, as he stressed there would be lessons to be learned. Kim made the remarks, saying that if such a team is not sent to Ukraine, it would constitute a "dereliction of duty." "Throughout the history in many different wars, including the Iraq war, there have been many cases where we have sent monit

PoliticsOct. 31, 2024

S. Korean, US defense chiefs condemn N.K. troop dispatch to Russia in 'strongest' terms 'with one voice'

The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States condemned North Korea's troop deployment to Russia in the "strongest" terms with "one voice" as they held the allies' annual defense talks at the Pentagon on Wednesday. Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued the condemnation at the 56th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) as Seoul and Washington have confirmed the troop deployment, which is feared to escalate Russia'

PoliticsOct. 31, 2024

N. Korea launches suspected ICBM on lofted trajectory: JCS

North Korea fired a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile on a lofted trajectory toward the East Sea on Wednesday, South Korea's military said, hours after the defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States jointly condemned the North's troop deployment to Russia. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the launch at about 7:10 a.m. from the North's Pyongyang area. "North Korea's ballistic missile appears to be an ICBM fired on a lofted trajectory," t

North KoreaOct. 31, 2024

N. Korea fires ballistic missile toward East Sea: JCS

North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Thursday, South Korea's military said. The Joint Chiefs of Staff gave no further details, saying an analysis is under way. The launch came just hours after the defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States condemned North Korea's troop deployment to Russia with "one voice" in the "strongest" terms during the allies' annual defense talks at the Pentagon on Wednesday. North Korea last fired multipl

North KoreaOct. 31, 2024

[Graphic News] ‘Gimjang’ cabbage prices set to exceed 5,000 won

Cabbage prices during the traditional kimchi-making - or “gimjang” - season before winter are expected to surpass 5,000 won ($3.63) per head for the first time, driven by a supply shortage due to this year’s lengthy heat wave. The Korea Price Research Center forecasts that the average retail price of one cabbage in November will be 22.5 percent more than last year. Based on trends in cabbage supply and cost-of-living surveys, they estimate that cabbage will sell at an average

Social AffairsOct. 31, 2024

Seoul on alert for possible Russia-backed North Korean cyber attacks

The military cyber security authorities in Seoul said Wednessday they are on the lookout for North Korea possibly colluding with Russia in its cyber attacks against pro-Ukraine countries. According to Rep. Lee Seong-kweon, who was briefed by the Cyber Operations Command, North Korean attempts to infiltrate institutions affiliated with the South Korean military have increased significantly in the past couple of years. The military’s cyber security authorities are “on alert” for

PoliticsOct. 30, 2024

N. Korea, Russia's foreign ministers to hold strategic consultations in Moscow: report

North Korea's foreign minister will hold strategic consultations with her Russian counterpart in Moscow, a news report showed Wednesday, amid concerns that the North's troops deployed to Russia may soon join combat in its war against Ukraine. Choe Son-hui, the North's top diplomat, will arrive in Moscow to hold talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Russia's TASS news agency reported, citing a spokesperson at the foreign ministry. Other details, including the da

North KoreaOct. 30, 2024

Top security adviser calls N. Korea 'worst rogue group' over troop dispatch to Russia

National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik on Wednesday lambasted North Korea as the "worst rogue group" for dispatching its troops to Russia, vowing to come up with "all possible" response measures based on South Korea's alliance with the United States. Shin made the remark during a conference in Seoul as South Korea has confirmed some North Korean forces have arrived in western Russia, near the border with Ukraine, raising concerns they could soon join combat in the Russia

North KoreaOct. 30, 2024

N. Korea's 8,400-strong hacking group escalates attacks on S. Korea

North Korea's state-sponsored cyberunit, comprising some 8,400 hackers, has mounted over 10,000 attacks against South Korea this year, South Korea's cyber operation command said Wednesday. The Cyber Operations Command revealed these findings during a parliamentary audit session, according to Rep. Lee Seong-kweun of the ruling People Power Party and Park Sun-won of the main opposition Democratic Party. The North Korean hacking group has intensified its cyberattacks on South Korea's

North KoreaOct. 30, 2024

Ex-union official charged with using claimed labor connections to swindle

A retired labor union member at a prominent company in Ulsan has been arrested for fraud, police said Wednesday, after he allegedly convinced others to pay him in exchange for getting jobs for their children at the company. Officials of the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency had the suspect, in his 60s, arrested and forwarded his case to the prosecution for fraud. He is accused of swindling a total of 500 million won ($363,000) from three acquaintances from March 2017 to January 2024, promising to

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

Doctors group to vote for impeachment of embattled chief

South Korea's largest doctors' association is set to hold a vote of confidence against its controversy-ridden president, who has been at the center of controversy for his comments and actions, as well as bribery allegations. The operating committee of the Korean Medical Association held an emergency meeting Tuesday evening and decided on an assembly of representatives on Nov. 10 at 2 p.m., with a motion of no confidence in KMA chief Lim Hyun-taek included in the agenda. They will als

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

Han says controversies surrounding first lady must be resolved in November

Ruling People Power Party Chair Han Dong-hoon on Wednesday said that the controversies surrounding first lady Kim Keon Hee must be resolved by the end of next month, as he stressed the need to regain public trust in the conservative bloc. Han’s remarks made at a press conference marking his first 100 days in office came as a widening rift is observed within the ruling party over how to deal with multiple allegations regarding the president's wife, including her alleged involvement in

PoliticsOct. 30, 2024

From 'superstars' to 'privileged and spoiled': Doctors fight souring image

It used to be that when Park Ji-sun, a 45-year-old office worker, thought of a Korean doctor, it was the 2020 tvN drama series "Hospital Playlist" that first came to her mind. The series became an instant hit in South Korea, depicting the lives of five doctors battling to save lives together. It was so successful that it was renewed for a second season, which is rare for a Korean drama. "They were heroes with white gowns during the day, sometimes sacrificing their private lives in

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

Cousin marriage ban poised to lose effect

Marriages between third cousins or closer relatives are prohibited in South Korea, with the ban enforced by nullifying the effects of such unions when they are discovered. However, the ban on consanguineous marriages within the eighth degree of kinship looks set to lose its effectiveness, as a legal article governing the annulment of such unions will expire at the end of this year, with no substitute measures drafted or prepared to date. Of the two Civil Act articles on consanguineous marriage

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

Seoul weighs monitoring team in Ukraine, affirms no artillery shell supply plans

South Korea on Wednesday acknowledged the need to send a "monitoring team" to the Ukraine battlefield, but it denied allegations that it was considering supplying 155 mm artillery shells upon Ukraine's request. "We are obliged to look into, analyze and monitor North Korean armed forces' activities (in the Russia-Ukraine war) while taking a defensive posture," an official of the presidential office said on condition of anonymity Wednesday. "We feel the need to create and

PoliticsOct. 30, 2024

Why one man's move is shaking Korea: Child rapist’s relocation sparks controversy, fear

Cho Doo-soon, notorious for one of the most shocking crimes in South Korean history, has once again sparked public outrage and concern after his recent move to a new residence. Cho, who was released from prison in December 2020 after serving 12 years for raping an 8-year-old girl, has relocated from his previous home in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, to a nearby neighborhood. His move to a new residence, located just 2 kilometers away from his previous home, has stoked fears and controversy among nea

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

North Korea prepared for nuclear test, possibly before US election: Seoul defense intel agency

The Defense Intelligence Agency in Seoul said Wednesday that North Korea may conduct its first nuclear weapons test in seven years ahead of the US presidential election, in what would be its seventh such test. In a closed-door briefing to the National Assembly intelligence committee, the Defense Intelligence Agency said North Korea will attempt to draw Washington’s attention by staging a major provocation such as a nuclear test ahead of the election that is less than a week away. “No

PoliticsOct. 30, 2024

Koreans prefer animated videos that are 20-29 minutes long: report

South Koreans' most preferred length for an animated video is between 20 and 29 minutes, a report by a state-run content industry agency showed Wednesday. The Korea Creative Content Agency released the 2024 Animation Industry White Paper, in which they surveyed 3,500 Koreans between the age of 10 and 69 who watched an animated video regularly -- at least once in two to three months -- in the past year. When asked what was their most preferred length of an animation, 33.6 percent of the resp

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

Celebrity revelations raise issue of marital sexual abuse

After a series of recent revelations of unwanted sexual behavior within marriages surrounding South Korean celebrity couples came to light, these allegations have raised issues about the accountability of spouses in cases of marital sexual abuse. FT Island's Choi Min-hwan is at the center of a controversy after his ex-wife, Yul-hee, opened up in a 37-minute YouTube video posted on Oct. 24 that he would allegedly "fold cash in half and place it in my cleavage in front of family members&

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

Half of schools have sex offenders living nearby

Roughly half of public educational institutes across South Korea have at least one convicted sex offender living within a 1-kilometer radius, data showed Wednesday. Over half of the day care centers and high schools in the country -- 59 percent and 53 percent, respectively -- have one or more sex offenders living within 1 kilometer, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family data submitted to Rep. Baek Seung-a of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Some 51 percent of ki

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024