N. Korea could stage nuclear test this month: US State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- North Korea may be preparing to stage a nuclear test as early as this month, a state department spokesperson said Friday. Jalina Porter said the US has also shared the information with allies and partners. “The United States assesses that the DPRK is preparing its Punggye-ri test site and could be ready to conduct a test there as early as this month, which would be its seventh test,” the principal deputy spokesperson said in a telephonic press briefing. DPRK stands

North KoreaMay 7, 2022

S. Korea reports 39,600 new COVID-19 cases amid eased antivirus curbs

South Korea reported nearly 40,000 new COVID-19 cases Saturday, marking a gradual decrease in infections, amid eased social distancing rules designed to return the country to normalcy. The country added 39,600 new COVID-19 infections, including 26 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 17,504,334, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Saturday‘s figure is up from the previous day’s 26,714, but it marked a 13-week low for Saturdays. Dail

Social AffairsMay 7, 2022

15th World Forestry Congress concluded, adopts Seoul Forest Declaration

The 15th World Forestry Congress concluded with the closing ceremony on Friday in Seoul, adopting the Seoul Forest Declaration. The five-day congress is hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization and held every six years to share worldwide forest-related and environmental problems, like climate change, biodiversity loss and desertification, and devise solutions through forests. The closing ceremony started with the announcement of outcomes across the five days, followed by commen

Social AffairsMay 6, 2022

Moon admin congratulates self at last COVID-19 meeting

At the last meeting of Moon Jae-in administration’s COVID-19 headquarters top officials applauded South Korea’s handling of the pandemic over the years. Presiding over the meeting Friday, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum warned against “disparaging the country’s success in combatting COVID-19 without any evidence” in a message to critics. “There have some criticisms that compared to other countries, Korea was late in returning to normal life. But based on statis

Social AffairsMay 6, 2022

Chinese President’s right-hand man to attend Yoon’s inauguration

China’s Vice President Wang Qishan, who is widely known as Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s right-hand man, will attend the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, Yoon’s inaugural committee said on Friday. Wang is the highest-level Chinese government official dispatched for a South Korean presidential inauguration, given that the country previously sent vice premier-level officials as special envoys. Then-Vice Premier Liu Yandong of the State Council and then-St

Foreign AffairsMay 6, 2022

Biden will reaffirm ‘ironclad’ defense commitment to S.Korea, Japan against N.Korea on Asia trip

US President Joe Biden will reaffirm the US’ “ironclad” commitment to defend South Korea and Japan against North Korea’s “destabilizing actions” during his first trip to Asia, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at a televised briefing on Thursday. President Biden is set to visit South Korea and Japan from May 20 to 24. He is scheduled for a summit with South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on May 21 in Seoul, before heading to Tokyo for a meetin

Foreign AffairsMay 6, 2022

S. Korea extends mandate of dog meat task force

South Korea's government-civilian consultative body on dog meat consumption decided Friday to extend its operations for two more months for further discussions on the sensitive issue in the country. The 21-member task force was launched in December to come up with compromise policy recommendations on dog meat consumption in order for the incoming government to take measures to deliver them, including related law revisions. "Members have found common ground that an end to dog meat consumptio

Social AffairsMay 6, 2022

DP selects ex-presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung as candidate for parliamentary by-election

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Friday selected its former presidential nominee Lee Jae-myung as a candidate for parliamentary by-elections that will be held concurrently with the June 1 local elections. Lee, who lost to now President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol only by 0.73 percentage point in the March 9 presidential election, will run for a National Assembly seat representing a constituency in Gyeyang, Incheon, the DP said. "Our leadership recently asked Lee to run in a by-election for our e

PoliticsMay 6, 2022

S. Korea experienced second warmest April on record

Last month ranked as the second warmest April on record in the nation, the weather agency said Friday. Data compiled by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) showed the average temperature last month was 13.8 C, the second highest for April since nationwide record-keeping began in 1973. It was 1.7 degrees above the 30-year average of 12.1 C. The average daytime high was 20.4 C, the fourth highest ever, and the average overnight low was 7.5 C, the third highest on record. The warm weather

Social AffairsMay 6, 2022

Chinese VP known as Xi's right-hand man to attend Yoon's inauguration

Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan, considered one of the closest aides to Chinese President Xi Jinping, will be among the foreign guests attending incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration ceremony next week, the organizing committee said Friday. Wang will be the highest-ranking Chinese official ever to attend a South Korean president's inauguration, indicating Xi's desire to foster good relations with the incoming government in Seoul. Other high-level guests at the May 10 ceremony will

PoliticsMay 6, 2022

Unification ministry to hold cultural events for N. Korean defectors next week

South Korea's unification ministry said Friday its inter-Korean culture center will hold a series of events next week as part of efforts to boost a rapport between South Koreans and North Korean defectors living in the country. The Inter-Korean Cultural Integration Center, located in western Seoul, plans to host various events to be attended by defectors, such as plays, concerts and exhibitions, from Monday to Saturday on the occasion of the 2nd anniversary of the center's opening, according to

North KoreaMay 6, 2022

Confiscated narcotics hit record high in 2021: data

The amount of illegal narcotics confiscated in South Korea reached an all time high last year, with an increase of foreign and juvenile drug offenders, government data showed Friday. According to the data compiled by the Supreme Prosecutors Office (SPO), a total of 1,295.7 kilograms of illegal drugs were confiscated in 2021, more than a threefold jump from a year earlier. Noticeably, the amount of major illegal drugs -- including methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana -- soared more than five ti

Social AffairsMay 6, 2022

PM says current government's antivirus measures deserve recognition

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday the current government's antivirus measures should be recognized as "successful" as he thanked people for their cooperation in the virus fight in his last COVID-19 response meeting before leaving office. "Some people say our return to normal was late compared with other countries, but if you look at objective data, our virus preventive measures deserve to be called successful," Kim said. "Until the crisis is completely over, we sho

PoliticsMay 6, 2022

Moon accepts prosecutor general’s resignation

President Moon Jae-in accepted the resignation of Prosecutor-General Kim Oh-soo. In a written briefing Friday, Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Kyung-mi said, “President Moon accepted the resignation as it is difficult to procrastinate.“  Moon rejected the resignation of the prosecutor general once, but Kim expressed his resignation again to “take responsibility”, the presidential office said. Kim submitted his resignation after failing to block the passage of bil

PoliticsMay 6, 2022

New COVID-19 cases fall to 20,000s amid efforts to regain normalcy

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell to the 20,000 level Friday from above 40,000 the previous day amid eased antivirus restrictions designed to return the nation to normalcy. The country added 26,714 new COVID-19 infections, including 28 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 17,464,782, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Friday's tally is a marked decrease from 42,296 reported the previous day and a sharp down from 50,556 reported a week earlie

Social AffairsMay 6, 2022

Woori Bank employee referred to prosecution for embezzling W60b

Police on Friday referred an employee of Woori Bank, one of South Korea's largest commercial banks, and his brother to the prosecution on charges of embezzling more than 60 billion won ($47 million), officials said. The employee is suspected of having embezzled a total of 61.4 billion won through three occasions, in 2012, 2015 and 2018. He turned himself in last week after learning the bank determined him as a suspect and filed a complaint against him. Most of the stolen money was found to

Social AffairsMay 6, 2022

Biden will reaffirm US commitment to defense of S. Korea, Japan through Asia tour: Psaki

WASHINGTON -- US President Joe Biden will reaffirm US commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan when he visits Seoul and Tokyo later this month, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday. The spokesperson said Biden will also reaffirm his commitment to providing "extended deterrence" to the US allies. "While he's there in South Korea and Japan, the president will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts -- newly elected president of the Republic of Korea an

Foreign AffairsMay 6, 2022

US Senate unanimously approves Goldberg as new ambassador to S. Korea

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- The US Senate on Thursday voted unanimously to approve the nomination of Philip Goldberg, a career diplomat, as new US ambassador to South Korea. The confirmation came as Seoul and Washington seek to reinforce their alliance for stronger deterrence against North Korea's evolving military threats -- an issue likely to figure prominently in the upcoming summit between President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and President Joe Biden slated for May 21. Goldberg, who had served as ambassad

Foreign AffairsMay 6, 2022

Secretary Austin reaffirms US extended deterrence to S. Korea

WASHINGTON -- US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday reaffirmed the US' commitment to help defend South Korea, using the "full range of US military capabilities" including extended deterrence. Austin made the remarks in a phone conversation with South Korea's Defense Minister Suh Wook, according to defense department spokesperson John Kirby. "Secretary Austin reaffirmed the ironclad US commitment to (the) defense of the ROK, leveraging the full range of US military capabili

Foreign AffairsMay 6, 2022

US working with allies to pass new UNSC resolution on N. Korea: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States is working closely with its allies and partners to have the UN Security Council (UNSC) send a strong signal to North Korea over its recent missile provocations with a new UNSC resolution, a state department spokesperson said Thursday. Ned Price also highlighted the importance of holding North Korea accountable for its missile launches, which the US has repeatedly condemned as serious violations of UNSC resolutions. "This is something that we are discussing wi

Foreign AffairsMay 6, 2022