Former journalist Park Bo-gyoon appointed as first culture minister for Yoon

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Sunday named Park Bo-gyoon to become his administration‘s first minister of culture, sports and tourism. Park, a former journalist and vice president of the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper, was the president of Korea News Editors’ Association in 2011. After he joined the People’s Power Party in July 2021, Park played a role as a special adviser in the party’s election committee and election headquarters. In March, Park became the special advis

PoliticsApril 10, 2022

Economics professor tapped for controversial Gender Equality Ministry

Kim Hyun-sook, a former lawmaker and economics professor at Soongsil University, who was named to head the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, expressed her determination to assist the president-elect to smoothly carry out the abolition of the ministry on Sunday. Kim was a proportionate representative at the 19th parliament for the then Saenuri Party, predecessor of the People Power Party, and also served as the chief secretary on employment and welfare for the Park Geun-hye administratio

PoliticsApril 10, 2022

Song Young-gil prepared to lose in Seoul mayoral race

Rep. Song Young-gil, former Democratic Party of Korea chairman, defended his intent to run for Seoul mayor in the June 1 local elections, citing his party’s need for a heavyweight willing to sacrifice and contribute after the disappointing defeat in the presidential race. The five-term lawmaker said in a press briefing Sunday that he intends to officially start his campaign for the Seoul mayoral post in the following week, saying he is willing to give up his remaining two years of his leg

PoliticsApril 10, 2022

‘Smarter, more elaborate’ gender policies needed says PPP women lawmakers

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s pledge to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family was a divisive one, raising ire from opponents who say it is a signal that Korea was about to backslide on women’s rights. But female lawmakers of the People Power Party, the conservative party to which Yoon is a member, say that efforts to promote women’s rights and policies related to family and youth -- which are currently handled by the Gender Equality Ministry -- will not be dis

PoliticsApril 10, 2022

S. Korea’s COVID-19 cases continue downward trend, govt. may lower infectious disease level soon

S. Korea’s daily COVID-19 infections remained below 200,000 for the second straight day as of midnight Saturday. As the omicron wave shows a clear downward trend, the government noted it will soon announce a post-omicron scheme, along with a decision on downgrading the infectious disease level of COVID-19. 　 According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency‘s report Sunday, the country added 164,481 new COVID-19 infections during the 24 hours of Saturday, bringing the to

Social AffairsApril 10, 2022

China warns that US-led sanctions campaign could add ‘fuel to fire’

China’s top nuclear envoy criticized the US-led initiative to use UN sanctions as a tool to hold North Korea responsible for continuing banned ballistic missile launches, warning that it could be “adding fuel to the fire.” Liu Xiaoming, special representative of the Chinese government on Korean Peninsula affairs, voiced opposition in a series of talks with the US senior officials over the situation on the Korean Peninsula during a rare trip to Washington between April 4 to 7.

North KoreaApril 10, 2022

Yoon makes first eight picks for Cabinet

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol announced Sunday the first eight minister nominees for his incoming Cabinet, each of whom will undergo parliamentary confirmation hearings before final appointment. “The criteria for the personnel appointments was nothing more than whether the person would be the best suited to lead their designated fields,” Yoon said during a press briefing at the presidential transition committee headquarters in Seoul. For the first deputy prime minister and minis

PoliticsApril 10, 2022

S. Korea to launch first homegrown spy satellite atop SpaceX rocket in 2023

South Korea plans to launch its first homegrown spy satellite in 2023 atop a rocket from US commercial space firm SpaceX under a project to place five such satellites into orbit by 2025, Seoul officials said Sunday. The state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute and Agency for Defense Development have signed contracts with the firm to use its SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for the first 800-kilogram satellite launch in the US in 2023 and for the remainder by the target year, according to the officials

DefenseApril 10, 2022

Parties contemplate next leadership picks

South Korea’s two major political parties are gearing up for leadership change after the local elections and the start of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. Inside the Democratic Party of Korea, the battle is between supporters of Lee Jae-myung, the former presidential nominee of the liberal party, and those supporting President Moon Jae-in, whose five-year term has only around a month left. Lee has been widely expected to run for the chairman seat at the party’s general convention

PoliticsApril 10, 2022

S. Korea unveils radar prototype of L-SAM interception system

Hanwha Systems, a South Korean defense firm, has unveiled a radar prototype for the long-range surface-to-air missile (L-SAM) interception system under development, in a sign of progress in the country's missile defense technology. The company revealed to reporters the prototype of the multi-function radar (MFR) at its research center in Yongin, just south of Seoul, on Wednesday, amid Seoul's stepped-up push to counter North Korea's evolving missile threats. The radar is a core component of the

DefenseApril 10, 2022

3rd body retrieved in Taiwan identified as missing S. Korean crew member

The third body retrieved in a search and rescue operation of six South Koreans who went missing in waters west of Taiwan has been identified as one of the missing crew members, Seoul's foreign ministry said Sunday. According to ministry, the remains of the missing crew member of the Kyoto 1 were found in the waters southeast of Penghu, Taiwan, at around 1 p.m. Saturday. The body has been moved to a nearby hospital in Taiwan. On Thursday, Taiwanese maritime authorities received a distress call

Social AffairsApril 10, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 200,000 for 2nd day amid slowdown in omicron wave

South Korea's daily COVID-19 cases fell below 200,000 for the second straight day Sunday amid a downtrend in the virus curve, as the country is poised to further relax antivirus curbs in efforts to return to normalcy. The country added 164,481 new COVID-19 infections, including 27 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 15,333,670 out of the 52 million population, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The daily count has trended in or below the 200,000 range in the p

Social AffairsApril 10, 2022

3.4 magnitude earthquake hits off S. Korea's east coast

A 3.4 magnitude earthquake struck off South Korea's east coast Sunday, the weather agency said, but there were no reports of damage. The quake occurred in waters 23 kilometers east of the southeastern coastal county of Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang Province, at 2:45 a.m. with a depth of 18 km, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). According to officials, a 3 magnitude tremor was apparently noticed throughout the province, with fire authorities having received around 10 report

Social AffairsApril 10, 2022

[KH Explains] Defining political ideologies in South Korea

The ideological divide between liberalism and conservatism is apparent in South Korea just as it is in most democratic countries, but here it is slightly different from what is visible in other places. It does not fit the textbook definition, and that is largely because South Korea’s unique geographical and historical background play a role in shaping unique political ideologies. Through research article excerpts and expert opinions, we delve into what constitutes being conservative or

PoliticsApril 9, 2022

New COVID-19 cases fall below 200,000 in 5 days amid downward trend

South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 200,000 on Saturday as the spread of the omicron variant slowed down after peaking last month. The country reported 185,566 new COVID-19 infections, including 40 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 15,169,189, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Daily infections have been on the decline in recent weeks after reporting an all-time high of over 620,000 on March 17. Authorities are expected to lower the pandem

NationalApril 9, 2022

Search under way for missing ship carrying six S. Koreans in waters off Taiwan: ministry

South Korea has dispatched a patrol ship to carry out search and rescue operation for six South Koreans that went missing in waters west of Taiwan after their vessel sent a distress call, Seoul‘s foreign ministry said Friday. 　 　The 3,000-ton patrol ship dispatched by the Coast Guard will begin the search operation immediately after arriving in Taiwan at around 11 a.m. Saturday, an official at the ministry said. 　 　Along with the patrol ship, a diving support ship was also dispatched to

Social AffairsApril 8, 2022

Korea considers boosters for people who had breakthrough COVID-19

South Korea may start recommending a third COVID-19 vaccination for people who have recovered from a breakthrough infection to prepare for any future variants and ensuing waves, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The national health protection agency told reporters Friday that a review by the advisory committee on immunization practices was underway, the agency said. Distributing third doses to people with a history of a breakthrough infection is now being considere

Social AffairsApril 8, 2022

Ex-president Park endorses Daegu mayor hopeful

Impeached President Park Geun-hye on Friday endorsed her close aide Yoo Young-ha, who seeks to run for Daegu mayor in the June elections, making her first political move after being freed from prison in December. “I believe that the dream I wanted to achieve will come true by Yoo in Daegu that is my hometown and Yoo’s,” the former leader said in a five-minute video released via Yoo’s YouTube channel. Park, who was ousted from power in 2017 after a corruption scandal i

PoliticsApril 8, 2022

Education Ministry takes step back, looks into allowing confirmed students to take midterms

Taking a step back from its initial decision to ban COVID-19-confirmed students from taking midterms, the Ministry of Education is now looking into allowing them to sit for the exams. The Education Ministry said it is currently reviewing the possibilities of having students with active coronavirus cases take the tests later this month. “We have not decided to allow students who have been ordered into isolation from the disease control authorities to take the midterm exams,“ the m

Social AffairsApril 8, 2022

Rep. Kweon Seong-dong elected as new floor leader for People Power Party

South Korea’s conservative People Power Party on Friday elected Rep. Kweon Seong-dong as its new floor leader. He is expected to face a steep uphill battle at the parliament and is tasked with closely cooperating with the incoming Yoon Suk-yeol administration. Kweon, one of the figures closest to Yoon, was up against Rep. Cho Hae-jin, who essentially has no ties to the president-elect. Kweon, a four-term legislator, was widely expected to win the internal election due to the belief of man

PoliticsApril 8, 2022