Ship with 6 Korean crewmen goes missing near Taiwan

A ship with six Koreans aboard has been reported missing off the waters of Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Friday. “Taiwanese authorities have informed the Korean government that they received distress signals from Kyoto 1 near the waters of Taiwan at 9:50 a.m. on Thursday,” the Foreign Ministry said, adding the six crew members who were on the Kyoto 1 are all of Korean nationality. The boat was on its way to Indonesia’s Port of Batam from Busan, while tow

Social AffairsApril 8, 2022

Defense ministry begins relocation for presidential office

South Korea's defense ministry set in motion phased relocation work Friday to empty its main building in the central Seoul district of Yongsan for use as the country's new presidential office starting in May. President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol has decided to move the presidential office to the compound from Cheong Wa Dae in the northern part of the capital. "The relocation work for the fifth story (of the building) and higher got underway in earnest this morning," a ministry official said.

DefenseApril 8, 2022

S. Korean FM joins NATO meeting on Ukraine, reaffirms support for Ukraine

South Korea's top diplomat told NATO members that Seoul plans to provide Ukraine with humanitarian aid worth a total of $40 million and will consider an additional package. Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong was attending a foreign ministerial session of NATO members and four Asia-Pacific partners in Brussels Thursday (local time), according to his ministry. He became the first South Korean foreign minister to be present at such a high-profile NATO meeting. During the session, Chung made public his

Foreign AffairsApril 8, 2022

PM nominee vows to clarify conflict of interest allegations

Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo said Friday he will explain the allegations of conflicts of interest related to his home in the upcoming confirmation hearing. "I submitted explanatory materials and data (on personal assets). All of my explanations may not be accepted but I think (confirmation hearing) members will understand it well if I faithfully explain," Han told reporters on his way to the office. Han's conflict of interest allegations center on his house being rented to local

PoliticsApril 8, 2022

Yoon to visit Daegu next week amid speculation about meeting with ex-President Park

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol will embark on a national tour next week, starting with a trip to the southeastern region of Daegu where a visit with former President Park Geun-hye is under consideration, his spokesperson said Friday. During the visits to Daegu and the surrounding North Gyeongsang Province, Yoon will thank the people for his election victory and gather opinions on ways to achieve balanced growth across regions, a task he has repeatedly highlighted, Bae Hyun-jin said during a press

PoliticsApril 8, 2022

Yoon to hold phone call with IOC chief

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol will hold a phone call with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Friday, Yoon's spokesperson said. It will mark the first time Yoon will be speaking with the chief of an international organization since his election last month. During the call, Yoon plans to express his gratitude to Bach for sending a congratulatory letter on his election and discuss cooperation in South Korea's planned hosting of the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games, Yoon's spoke

PoliticsApril 8, 2022

OECD Korean office to begin mediation over Chanel Korea's alleged labor rules violation

The Korean branch of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said Friday it has decided to begin mediation procedures between Chanel Korea's labor union and management over the company's alleged violation of labor acts and human rights. In December last year, employees of the French luxury brand's cosmetics counters at department stores and duty-free shops filed a complaint with the OECD's Korean National Contact Point (KNCP) against the company, claiming it did not pay

Social AffairsApril 8, 2022

Woman turns herself in after killing 2 sons due to economic hardship: police

A 40-year-old woman has turned herself in after strangling her two sons to death, saying she also attempted to take her own life after killing the sons due to economic hardship, according to police Friday. The woman, whose identity was withheld, killed the sons, aged 8 and 7, at their home in Seoul's southwestern district of Geumcheon on Tuesday night and turned herself in to police on Thursday, officials said. She was raising her children alone after separating from her husband because of his g

Social AffairsApril 8, 2022

Govt. to finalize decision on downgrading disease level of COVID-19: PM

The government will finalize a decision on adjusting the infectious disease level of COVID-19 as virus cases are clearly on a downward trend, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday. The novel coronavirus is currently classified as "Class 1 infectious disease," the highest in the four-tier classification that falls under the same category with diseases like the Ebola virus and the Middle East respiratory syndrome, and the government is considering downgrading it by one notch. The move

PoliticsApril 8, 2022

Restoration work ongoing at N.Korea's nuclear test site: report

North Korea appears to be continuing restoration work at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, including the construction of a tunnel entrance, a new report said, amid concerns that the secretive state may be pushing for another nuclear experiment. Commercial satellite imagery taken between March 24 and April 6 indicates continued activity at the site's Tunnel 3, such as new spoil piles and a newly uncovered entrance, according to the report released by the Vienna-based Open Nuclear Network. "T

North KoreaApril 8, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases stay in 200,000s for 4th day

South Korea's new coronavirus cases remained in the 200,000s for the fourth consecutive day Friday in a downward trend that could cause health officials to lower the infectious disease level of COVID-19 amid eased social distancing rules. The country reported 205,333 new COVID-19 infections, including 31 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 14,983,694, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The public health agency reported 373 new COVID-19 deaths Friday, u

Social AffairsApril 8, 2022

Seoul to push for summit between President-elect Yoon and Biden at early date: delegation

WASHINGTON -- South Korea's incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol will seek to hold summit talks with US President Joe Biden at an early date, the head of Yoon's delegation said Thursday, adding the Biden administration also understands the need for an early meeting between them. Rep. Park Jin of the People Power Party said the exact date and other details of a Yoon-Biden summit will be discussed through diplomatic channels. Yoon is set to take office May 10. "Every person we have met in the U

Foreign AffairsApril 8, 2022

Ex-President Park endorses key aide for Daegu mayor

Former President Park Geun-hye openly endorsed a key aide for mayor of her hometown of Daegu in June's local elections Friday, in her first political move since returning to her hometown last month following a presidential pardon. Park, who was pardoned in December after spending four years and nine months in prison on a 22-year sentence for corruption, appeared in a YouTube video to declare her support to lawyer Yoo Yeong-ha of the People Power Party (PPP), who is considered her closest aide. &

PoliticsApril 8, 2022

2 dead, 1 missing after Coast Guard helicopter crashes in waters off Mara Island

INCHEON/JEJU -- A Coast Guard helicopter crashed in waters off South Korea's southernmost island of Mara on Friday, leaving two crewmen dead and another missing, officials said. Four people were aboard the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter when it went down in waters 370 kilometers southwest of Mara Island at 1:32 a.m., officials said. Of them, a co-pilot, identified by his surname Chung, 51, and a vessel radar operator, surnamed Hwang, 28, were killed, and a mechanic, surnamed Cha, 42, went missing. Its

Social AffairsApril 8, 2022

Kim Yo-jong statement a choreographed move to create tension: US intelligence official

WASHINGTON -- North Korea's recent missile provocations and statement from leader Kim Jong-un's sister about the possible use of nuclear weapons are highly "choreographed" tactics to create an acquiescent South Korea, a US intelligence official said Thursday. Sydney Seiler, national intelligence officer for North Korea at the National Intelligence Council, also said the North uses US-South Korea joint military drills as a pretext for its provocations while it continues to conduct much

Foreign AffairsApril 8, 2022

Complete, verifiable denuclearization of N. Korea difficult but must achieve goal: Goldberg

WASHINGTON -- The United States and its allies must resolutely pursue a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization (CVID) of North Korea, the nominee for US ambassador to South Korea said Thursday. Philip Goldberg also said North Korea may stage additional provocations amid suspicions that Pyongyang may be preparing to conduct a nuclear test. "Comprehensive, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization -- those are difficult goals, but they fit very well with our non-proliferation

Foreign AffairsApril 8, 2022

Chinese envoy says S. Korea, China can overcome differences over THAAD

South Korea and China can overcome their differences over the former's hosting of a US THAAD anti-missile system, Beijing's top envoy here said Thursday, noting the thorny issue has hurt public sentiment in both countries. Amb. Xing Haiming made the remarks during a forum amid concerns the THAAD issue could resurface as a thorn in bilateral ties, as South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol advocated for the deployment of additional THAAD units during his campaign. "As bilateral ties hav

Foreign AffairsApril 7, 2022

Jim Rogers hopes for open inter-Korean border

US investor Jim Rogers is in the city of Paju, Gyeonggi Province, which includes a portion of the Demilitarized Zone that divides North and South Korea, where he was previously tapped to become an inter-Korean project cooperation adviser. Rogers arrived in South Korea on Tuesday and was scheduled to sign the related agreement the following day. In an email interview Wednesday, Rogers expressed hopes for possible peace and exchanges despite the ongoing tug-of-war between the two countries, in

North KoreaApril 7, 2022

[KH Explains] The collapse of press-prosecution conspiracy narrative

Han Dong-hoon, a high-ranking prosecutor and a close associate of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, was cleared Wednesday of accusations of collusion with members of the press. The findings come after two years of investigation into the claim that Han conspired with two reporters to threaten a news source into making a false accusation against a key Democrati Party of Korea ally, Rhyu Si-min. The two reporters at Channel A, a broadcast owned by Dong-A Ilbo, one of the country’s mo

Social AffairsApril 7, 2022

[From the scene] Incheon Airport readies for return of air travelers

As South Koreans push to break free of the pandemic’s long grip, Incheon Airport, the country’s main international gateway, is gearing up for the long-awaited return of air travelers. Although not quite to pre-pandemic levels yet, passengers were seen forming lines in front of certain airline counters on Wednesday, including South Korean flag carrier Asiana Airlines. However, many were unattended, with no flights scheduled. On Wednesday, usually one of the quietest days of th

Social AffairsApril 7, 2022