[KH Explains] Who’s who in local elections

With less than a month left until the local elections, South Korea’s two major political parties finished drawing their lineups for 17 metropolitan mayoral and gubernatorial elections. South Korea’s conservative People Power Party is hoping to win at least 10 of the 17 posts, putting forward some well-known candidates. The party is looking to score another win following its success in the presidential election in March and in the Seoul and Busan mayoral by-elections in April 2021.

PoliticsMay 2, 2022

PM, foreign minister nominees besieged over scandals at hearing

The prime minister and foreign minister nominees on Monday were grilled by ruling party lawmakers over personal and family allegations at a confirmation hearing. Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo, whose confirmation hearing resumed Monday after a boycott by the Democratic Party of Korea, responded head on to the allegations. Lawmakers of the Democratic Party and the Justice Party bombarded him with questions about whether it was appropriate for him to work at major law firm Kim & Cha

PoliticsMay 2, 2022

[Newsmaker] Evacuations under way in Mariupol; Pelosi visits Ukraine

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine -- A long-awaited evacuation of civilians from a besieged steel plant in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol was under way Sunday, as US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi revealed that she visited Ukraine's president to show unflinching American support for the country's defense against Russia's invasion. Video posted online by Ukrainian forces showed elderly women and mothers with small children bundled in winter clothing being helped as they climbed a steep pile of debris from the sp

Foreign AffairsMay 2, 2022

China’s top nuclear envoy to discuss political solutions to NK issues on Seoul visit

China’s top nuclear envoy is set to discuss political solutions with South Korean officials amid a continuing tug of war among countries over how to respond to a series of advanced weapons tests by North Korea. Liu Xiaoming, special representative of the Chinese government on Korean Peninsula affairs, arrived in South Korea on Sunday. Liu’s first visit to Seoul after his appointment in April 2021 comes at a critical juncture when North Korea has ratcheted up tension on the Korean

North KoreaMay 2, 2022

H.eco Forum to share ocean warnings

Our oceans, which play a pivotal role in supporting life on Earth, are at risk. Covering up 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, oceans hold about 96.5 percent of Earth’s water. All living organisms on Earth depend their lives on the sustainability of the oceans. The oceans, however, are at a breaking point, consistently pushed to the brink by environmental threats, such as global warming, overfishing, pollution, marine litter and more. In light of the oceans at risk, this year&

Social AffairsMay 2, 2022

[Herald Interview] WFC a chance to share Korea’s unique reforestation tale, KFS chief says

South Korea’s state-run forest authority is keen on sharing its tale of successful reforestation as South Korea hosts its first World Forestry Congress and becomes the third country in Asia to host the largest gathering of the global forestry sector. The WFC, held every six years under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, is seeing its 15th iteration held in Seoul from Monday to Friday. It is the first time in 44 years that the congress is being hel

Social AffairsMay 2, 2022

S. Korea's icebreaker returning home from over 6-month Antarctic mission

South Korea's icebreaker is on its way to the southeastern port of Busan after completing a 195-day international exploration mission in the Antarctic Ocean, the oceans ministry said Monday. The Araon, South Korea's first ice breaking vessel, kicked off its mission to the South Pole on Oct. 20 last year and will return to Busan on Tuesday, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said. The 7,487-ton research ship explored the sea under the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf, one of the biggest ice shelves i

Social AffairsMay 2, 2022

S. Korea finds descendants of 6 Hawaii-based independence fighters

South Korea has identified descendants of six independence activists who supported the nation's fight against Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule from Hawaii, the veterans affairs ministry said Monday. The identification was an outcome of the project that the ministry launched in December to locate descendants of the activists, who operated in the U.S. territory, and properly honor them with state benefits, according to officials. Among the four descendants were George Blair McCun, the grandson of Geo

Social AffairsMay 2, 2022

Moon pledges forest conservation efforts

President Moon Jae-in pledged Monday to work together with the international community to conserve forests. Moon made the remark in a keynote speech at the opening of the 15th World Forestry Congress in Seoul, saying South Korea experienced forest destruction during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea and the 1950-53 Korean War. "Based on our experience of restoring forests through solidarity and cooperation, we will actively participate in the international community's efforts to conser

PoliticsMay 2, 2022

S. Korea, Norway begin defense industry cooperation talks in Seoul

South Korea and Norway kicked off annual three-day talks on defense industry cooperation in Seoul on Monday, the state arms procurement agency here said, as Seoul seeks to support local companies' efforts to tap into the European country's market. The two sides began the ninth session of their joint committee on arms industry cooperation, with their agenda including South Korea's bid to export K-2 tanks to Norway, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). Kim Saeng, chi

Foreign AffairsMay 2, 2022

More than 50% of S. Koreans oppose pardoning ex-President Lee: poll

More than half of South Koreans oppose granting a pardon to former President Lee Myung-bak, a poll showed Monday, amid rising speculation outgoing President Moon Jae-in may use his clemency powers to set Lee free before he leaves office. The Korea Society Opinion Institute survey of 1,012 adults, conducted between Friday and Saturday, showed 51.7 percent of respondents are against pardoning Lee, while 40.4 percent are in support of amnesty for the former president. Lee's pardon has emerged as a

PoliticsMay 2, 2022

Police raid Seongnam City Hall over corporate donation allegations

Police on Monday raided Seongnam City Hall over allegations that former ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung took hefty donations from companies via the city's football club while serving as mayor of the city. Investigators from the Bundang Police Station searched five divisions of the city government, including the city planning and policy planning divisions, to seize materials related to the allegations, according to officials. Lee, who unsuccessfully ran for the presidential elec

Social AffairsMay 2, 2022

New COVID-19 cases dip to around 20,000; outdoor mask mandate lifted

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell to around 20,000 on Monday, marking the lowest level in nearly three months, as the country lifted the outdoor mask mandate in a major step toward regaining normalcy. The country reported 20,084 new COVID-19 infections, including 26 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 17,295,733, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Monday's tally is a marked drop from the previous day's 37,771, and it is the first time since early February

Social AffairsMay 2, 2022

[Graphic News] Foreign residents in S. Korea to rise to 4.3% of population in 2040: report

　South Korea’s total population has started to decline amid low childbirths, but the number of foreigners here is forecast to continue to increase to make up of 4.3 percent of the population in 2040, a report showed. 　After peaking at 51.84 million in 2020, the country’s total population started to decline in 2021 and will likely further fall to 50.19 million in 2040, according to the report from Statistics Korea. 　Despite a fall in Korean nationals, the number of foreigners who r

NationalMay 2, 2022

S. Korean embassy officials return to Kyiv: ministry

South Korea's top envoy to Ukraine and some other embassy staff have returned to Kyiv to restart operations there, according to Seoul's foreign ministry. South Korean embassy officials had evacuated from the capital and worked at a temporary office in the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi since March following Russia's invasion of the country. Amb. Kim Hyung-tae and some embassy staff have returned to Kyiv in preparation for work there starting Monday (Ukraine time), the ministry said, adding it is c

Foreign AffairsMay 2, 2022

NK leader praises youth for their role in recent military parade

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un praised students and young workers who participated in a massive military parade for demonstrating ardent patriotism like no other country, state media reported Monday. At the photo session held Sunday, Kim noted the "rosy future" of "our-style socialism" belongs to the youth and urged them to hasten their efforts toward this "sacred patriotic cause," according to the official Korean Central News Agency. "Our youths have regarded

North KoreaMay 2, 2022

Top Chinese nuclear envoy arrives for talks in Seoul

China's top nuclear envoy on Sunday arrived in Seoul for talks with his South Korean counterpart, amid lingering tensions caused by North Korean missile launches and hardening rhetoric. Liu Xiaoming, special representative on Korean Peninsula affairs, told reporters that he will meet officials of the incumbent and incoming Korean governments to discuss "political solutions" for Korean peninsula issues. Touching on pending issues related to North Korea, the envoy said that said tha

Foreign AffairsMay 1, 2022

How Democratic Party of Korea-led prosecution reforms fail victims

Victim services and attorneys say victims of sexual violence would be among those most hurt by the controversial prosecution reform bills that were partly passed by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea-majority parliament Saturday. One way the reforms hurt the underprivileged is the “massive reduction in the role of third-party reporting,” said Kim Ye-won, president and chief attorney of Disability Rights Advocate Center, which offers free legal services to people with disabilitie

Social AffairsMay 1, 2022

World Forestry Congress kicks off its 5-day run in Seoul

The World Forestry Congress, the world‘s largest gathering of foresters, kicked off its five-day run in Seoul on Monday. The 15th edition of the WFC will be running from Monday through Friday at Coex in Gangnam. The WFC is the most influential global forestry gathering, held every six years under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. It’s the first time the WFC has been held in South Korea, and it is also the first time in 44 years that the

Foreign AffairsMay 1, 2022

S. Korea goes unmasked amid remaining concerns

The government policy to lift the outdoor face mask mandate was to officially in Monday, with some raising concern about the new measure’s potential effects on spreading of COVID-19 infections. Starting Monday, masks are only mandated indoors and during outdoor activities of events that carry a high risk of infection, such as gatherings of 50 or more people, concerts and sports games. All forms of public transportation and enclosed facilities require masks, but locations like above-ground

Social AffairsMay 1, 2022