Political parties remain in conflict over Yoon administration’s extra budget proposal

South Korea’s political circle is yet to reach a compromise over the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s supplementary budget proposal made earlier this month, with prospects remaining unclear whether the proposal will pass the final vote at the National Assembly this month. Floor leaders of the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea announced Friday that the two failed to reach a deal on the budget proposal despite holding a two-hour discussion over

PoliticsMay 27, 2022

Election for Seoul’s education head remains murky

The outlook of the election for Seoul’s education superintendent remains blurry for the conservative bloc, as candidates have failed to form a merger while continuing to attack each other. With less than a week left to the local elections, Cho Hee-yeon, the current superintendent of education for Seoul, and Kang Shin-man, who are considered liberal-leaning candidates, announced they have formed a merger Thursday. “Seeing some candidates demonize and assault certain groups for t

Social AffairsMay 27, 2022

China, Russia veto sanctions on North Korea; US-China rivalry growing into bloc competition

China and Russia vetoed a resolution to toughen sanctions against a rule-breaking North Korea at the United Nations Security Council vote on Thursday, teaming up to block the US-drafted resolution which all remaining Council members supported. Signs are becoming more clear that the US-China rivalry is growing into a team competition, and possible conflicts may be centered in the East Asia region with the US, backed by South Korea and Japan, and China with North Korea and Russia, according to

Foreign AffairsMay 27, 2022

Early voting starts for June 1 elections

Early voting started for the 8th local elections and parliamentary by-elections Friday, as South Korea carries out its fourth public official election during the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Election Commission on Friday opened early voting at 3,551 polling stations across the country, and voters have been rushing to nearby voting booths to cast their ballots in a fierce two-way battle between the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Polling stations

PoliticsMay 27, 2022

Yoon appoints his first spy chief

President Yoon Suk-yeol appointed Kim Kyou-hyun, a former deputy national security adviser and career diplomat, as his first spy chief Friday. Yoon presented Kim with a letter of appointment a day after the National Assembly approved him as director of the National Intelligence Service. Kim takes over at a time when tensions run high in the wake of a series of weapons tests by North Korea. During his confirmation hearing Wednesday, the director vowed to reinforce the country's intelligence

PoliticsMay 27, 2022

China supplied over 2,800 tons of refined oil to N. Korea in March, April: UN report

China exported around 2,838 tons of refined oil to North Korea in March and April this year, according to data that the country provided to the UN Security Council (UNSC). Beijing supplied Pyongyang with 15,947 barrels, equivalent to 1,914 tons, in March and exported another 7,695 barrels, or 923.8 tons, last month, showed a related update posted on the UNSC's sanctions committee on North Korea. The total figure represents about 5 percent of the volume of refined oil it can supply to the No

North KoreaMay 27, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 20,000 for 2nd day as omicron wave ebbs

South Korea reported fewer than 20,000 COVID-19 cases for the second consecutive day Friday as the pandemic's grip on the country appears to be loosening. The country added 16,584 new infections, including 49 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,053,287, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The daily tally fell to a 17-week low for a Friday and declined around 34 percent from a week earlier, as the virus curve has turned downward since mid-March. So

Social AffairsMay 27, 2022

Govt. vows swift prescription of COVID-19 pills for high-risk patients: PM

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Friday that the government will encourage doctors to prescribe COVID-19 treatment pills for high-risk patients on the day their infections are confirmed. "For high-risk COVID-19 groups, including people aged 60 or older, test, treatment and prescription of medicine will be carried out in one day," Han told a virus response meeting. The government will also allow high-risk patients to swiftly be admitted to hospitals responsible for COVID-19 treatment, H

PoliticsMay 27, 2022

N. Korea reports one new death amid COVID-19 outbreak

North Korea reported over 100,000 new suspected COVID-19 cases and one additional death Friday. More than 100,460 people showed symptoms of fever and one death was reported over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters. The total number of fever cases since late April came to more than 3.27 million as of 6 p.m. Thursday, of which more than 3.03 million have recovered

North KoreaMay 27, 2022

US, China must work together on N. Korea, other global issues: Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday urged Beijing to work with the US on global issues, including North Korea, as he laid out US policy toward China and its intensifying power competition. The top US diplomat insisted the two powers must cooperate on vital global issues including North Korea despite their differences. "On non-proliferation and arms control, it's in all of our interests to uphold the rules, the norms, the treaties that help reduce the spread of weapons of m

North KoreaMay 27, 2022

US, S. Korea working to find right strategy for dealing with N. Korea: US official

The United States and South Korea are working to find the "right mix" of tools to address the North Korean issue, a senior White House official said Thursday. Edgard Kagan, special assistant to President Joe Biden and senior director for East Asia and Oceania at the National Security Council, also said the countries have no illusions that there is a magic solution to the challenges posed by North Korea. "We have no illusions that there is a magic sort of solution to any of this,&q

North KoreaMay 27, 2022

Azerbaijan marks Independence Day

The Azerbaijan Embassy in Seoul on Tuesday celebrated Independence Day, ahead of the national holiday on May 28, and the 30th anniversary of Azerbaijan-Korea diplomatic relations at Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. Delivering opening remarks, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Korea Ramzi Teymurov discussed Azerbaijan Independence Day, the history of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and significant achievements made during the period. Outlining his country’s recent history -- from becoming the first d

Diplomatic CircuitMay 26, 2022

[H.eco Forum ] ‘Without the oceans, no one will survive’

The third session of this year‘s H.eco Forum focused on plastic pollution in the oceans, as well as the ongoing efforts in the private sector to address this issue. In the session, Na Kyung-soo, CEO of SK Geo Centric, stressed the importance of business efforts to counter plastic pollution in the oceans. Na said that measures to counter plastic pollution should be taken immediately worldwide, and businesses should join the efforts. “Due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the amo

Social AffairsMay 26, 2022

US continues to support COVID-19 aid to N. Korea despite ‘escalatory actions’

The Biden administration continues to support providing COVID-19-related humanitarian assistance to North Korea despite the country’s continued ballistic missile launches and its “escalatory actions,” a senior official at the US State Department said Wednesday. Mark Lambert, deputy assistant secretary of state for Japan and South Korea, said the US is “alarmed by the serious outbreak of COVID-19” in North Korea during a press briefing. The Biden administration i

North KoreaMay 26, 2022

Yoon picks two women for remaining Cabinet seats

President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday nominated two female experts to fill remaining Cabinet seats after being criticized for a lack of female representation. Yoon also appointed a female expert to co-head the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Yoon nominated Seoul National University professor Park Soon-ae for education minister and former lawmaker Kim Seung-hee as health minister. He also nominated Seoul National University professor Oh Yu-Kyoung as vice minister of food and drug safety. Wit

PoliticsMay 26, 2022

[H.eco Forum] Humanity must step up to better protect marine ecosystems, experts say

At this year’s H.eco Forum, experts took a moment to highlight the ongoing and expected changes to marine ecosystems due to climate change and discuss what efforts are needed to protect the environment and prevent socioeconomic disasters and challenges from occurring. Chun Seung-soo, professor emeritus of Chonnam National University, started the session speaking about how the marine and coastal environments have been changing abruptly and discussed ways to mitigate and adapt to coastal di

Social AffairsMay 26, 2022

UN to vote on US proposal for tougher sanctions on North Korea

The United Nations Security Council is set to vote on a US-proposed resolution on Thursday in the US, aimed at imposing additional sanctions on North Korea in response to the regime’s recent intercontinental ballistic missile launch. According to diplomats cited by media reports in the United States, the US has scheduled the vote for the late afternoon. Washington holds the Security Council presidency for May. The vote comes after Pyongyang test-fired three missiles on Wednesday, one o

Foreign AffairsMay 26, 2022

[H.eco Forum] To stop climate change, save marine life

Climate crisis is an ocean crisis, said Sylvia Earle, marine biologist and National Geographic explorer-in-residence, during a forum Thursday in Seoul. “It took time for climate scientists to recognize the inextricable connection between the atmosphere and the ocean, between climate and the ocean, between Earth’s living systems and climate. Now we know that the climate crisis is an ocean crisis,” she said. Earle, who spent “thousands of hours” over five decades o

Social AffairsMay 26, 2022

[Herald Interview] Gangwon Province should move past regulations for development says opposition hopeful

Gangwon Province has been underdeveloped, limited by heavy regulations, says Lee Kwang-jae, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea’s Gangwon Province candidate for governor. Lee, who held the post of Gangwon Province governor for a short period in 2010 before he was removed due to involvement in a large political scandal, believes a new future awaits the province. According to Lee, the new Special Act on the Establishment of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, likely to p

PoliticsMay 26, 2022

[H.eco Forum] Heed warnings of rising sea levels

Increasing temperatures and rapidly rising sea levels pose a grave threat to humanity, experts warned Thursday. Speaking during the first session of H.Eco Forum on rising sea levels, experts warned that the oceans are headed for irreparable damage. Professor Axel Timmermann, the director of the IBS Center for Climate Physics at Pusan National University, was the first speaker and gave a speech titled, “Using basic science to avert climate changes.”  Timmermann reviewed th

Social AffairsMay 26, 2022