Lee launches new committee with ex-PM Lee Nak-yon

Ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung on Monday launched a new committee with former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon in a display of internal unity ahead of the March presidential election. The Democratic Party presidential nominee has sought to add the former prime minister to his campaign in order to heal an internal rift that followed their bitter primary battle and rally the support of voters in the southwestern Honam region, where Lee Nak-yon is popular. The two met last week and a

PoliticsDec. 27, 2021

[Hwang’s China and the World] Tough diplomatic security environment waiting to greet the next administration

Korea’s national security can be mainly divided into the policy toward North Korea and toward the others. Since last week’s interview with the president of KINU (Korea Institute of National Unification) covered Korea’s policies toward North Korea, the interview this week is about Korea’s overall national security. Kim Ki-jung, the president of the Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS), has shared his views on the Moon Jae-in administration’s national sec

Foreign AffairsDec. 27, 2021

Minor presidential candidate Ahn shrugs off possible alliance with ruling party's Lee

Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition People's Party, on Monday shrugged off a possible alliance with the ruling Democratic Party (DP) presidential nominee Lee Jae-myung, saying he is not interested in anyone's offer. Ahn dismissed the DP Chairman Song Young-gil's view that he can "integrate" with Lee. Song earlier said in a Yonhap News Agency interview that Ahn is essential for national development and he is the most meaningful candidate from the oppositi

PoliticsDec. 27, 2021

Military reports 33 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Monday reported 33 additional COVID-19 cases, including 31 breakthrough infections, raising the total caseload among its personnel to 3,153. Of the new cases, 11 are from the Navy, nine from the Army, eight from the Air Force, and five from units under the direct control of the defense ministry. Currently, 278 military personnel are under treatment. Of the total military caseload, 1,358 are breakthrough cases. (Yonhap)

DefenseDec. 27, 2021

S. Korea inks deal to mass-produce advanced ground communication devices

South Korea has signed a contract to mass-produce ground communication devices for joint operations with the military's new satellite launched last year, the arms procurement agency said Monday. Under the deal, two local defense firms -- LIG Nex1 Co. and Hanwha Systems Co. -- will produce eight different ground-based communication devices through 2025 with a budget of 888.5 billion won ($748.5 million), according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). The military launched i

DefenseDec. 27, 2021

New COVID-19 cases below 5,000 for 1st time in 20 days; critical cases remain high

South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 5,000 for the first time in 20 days Monday due partly to antivirus restrictions and fewer tests over the weekend, but the number of critical cases remained high. The country added 4,207 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total caseload to 611,670, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The figure marked the first time daily cases fell below 5,000 since Dec. 7, and represented a sharp decline from a daily record high

Social AffairsDec. 27, 2021

[Graphic News] Suicides, traffic deaths decrease in 2020 amid pandemic-induced social restrictions

　The numbers for suicides as well as traffic and crime-related deaths fell in 2020 due largely to various social distancing schemes imposed over concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government said. 　According to the Interior Ministry, the combined number of deaths connected to traffic accidents, crimes and suicides stood at 16,439 in 2020, down from 17,350 a year earlier. 　In terms of types, traffic deaths fell 15.9 percent to 2,858, and those connected to five major crimes, such as murder

NationalDec. 27, 2021

N. Korea expands online education for workers: state media

North Korea is spurring online education at major universities as part of efforts to train "intellectual-type workers" with science and technology expertise, according to its state media Monday. The North's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, said around 100,000 workers are currently enrolled for online classes across the country, including 10,000 newly registered this year. North Korea has been highlighting its efforts to develop the remote education system as a tool to help workers

North KoreaDec. 27, 2021

Polls show Yoon, Lee in very tight presidential race

South Korea's two leading presidential candidates are in a very tight race, with one opinion poll putting the main opposition's Yoon Suk-yeol ahead of the ruling party's Lee Jae-myung and another survey showing contrary results. Yoon of the People Power Party (PPP) had 40.4 percent, down 4 percentage points from a week ago, while Lee of the Democratic Party (DP) posted 39.7 percent, up 1.7 percentage points from a week earlier, according to a Realmeter poll conducted on 3,090 adults between Sun

PoliticsDec. 27, 2021

[Newsmaker] Yoon’s wife apologizes in public over false career allegation

People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol’s spouse Kim Keon-hee apologized in public Sunday for causing controversy with the allegations that she had made false claims about her career history. “There were my faults in the process of working and studying together,” Kim said with her head bowed as she read out a statement at a press conference in Seoul. “I inflated my career to look good and wrote it (resumes) wrong. I shouldn’t have done that, but lo

PoliticsDec. 26, 2021

Cold wave hits nation with heavy snow

Over the Christmas weekend, extreme cold with heavy snowfall hit large parts of Korea, with temperatures dropping to as low as minus 25.4 degrees Celsius in some regions and heavy snow leading to flight cancellations. With the mercury beginning to fall from Saturday afternoon, the capital city’s Sunday morning low reached minus 16 C, the coldest temperature in December in nearly 41 years. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Seoul in December was minus 16.2 C on Dec. 29, 1980. The c

Social AffairsDec. 26, 2021

Military reports 31 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Sunday reported 31 additional COVID-19 cases, including 30 breakthrough infections, raising the total caseload among its personnel to 3,120. Of the new cases, 22 are from the Army, six from the Navy and three from units under the direct control of the defense ministry. Currently, 278 military personnel are under treatment. Of the total military caseload, 1,327 are breakthrough cases. (Yonhap)

Social AffairsDec. 26, 2021

Yoon's wife publicly apologizes over allegations of falsifying resumes

The wife of Yoon Suk-yeol, presidential candidate of South Korea's main opposition party, apologized Sunday over allegations of past misdeeds that have continued to plague Yoon's campaign for the March 9 election. Kim Keon-hee, wife of Yoon who is running in the election as candidate of the People Power Party, has faced allegations that she falsified her credentials when applying for teaching positions at two local universities in 2007 and 2013. "I shouldn't have done it. In retrospect, i

PoliticsDec. 26, 2021

Moon Jae-in to meet with Samsung, LG chiefs to discuss youth employment

  President Moon Jae-in will meet with leaders of South Korean conglomerates, including Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong, to thank them for their efforts in participating in government-led job creation projects for young people and discuss implementation plans on Monday, Cheong Wa Dae confirmed Sunday. The meeting will be attended by Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Euisun, SK Chairman Chey Tae-won, LG Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Posco Chairman C

PoliticsDec. 26, 2021

Ruling party, satellite party announce merger deal

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the splinter minor Open Democratic Party announced their merger agreement Sunday, in a move meant to strengthen unity in the liberal political bloc ahead of the March 9 presidential election. DP leader Song Young-gil and Choe Kang-wook, the head of the satellite party, signed the agreement, including a decision to use the ruling party's name as that of the merged party, along with a set of political and social reform goals. The agreement came as Lee Jae-myu

PoliticsDec. 26, 2021

Moon stresses need for defense capabilities befitting S. Korea's geopolitical position

President Moon Jae-in has pointed out the need for South Korea to have defense capabilities not only to deter North Korean threats but also to cope with its geopolitical position "stuck between great powers," his aide said Sunday. Moon made the remarks during a meeting with his secretaries last month while commenting on the country's project to acquire a light aircraft carrier by 2033, Park Soo-hyun, his chief secretary for public communication, wrote on Facebook. "Our defense c

PoliticsDec. 26, 2021

New infections below 6,000 for 2nd day; critical cases at 1,081

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed below 6,000 for the second straight day Sunday following fewer tests on Christmas Day but critical cases remained high. The country added 5,419 more COVID-19 cases, including 5,339 local infections, bringing the cumulative total to 607,463, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Sunday's tally fell from 5,842 cases on Saturday, 6,233 on Friday and 6,917 on Thursday, apparently helped by antivirus restrictions. The number of crit

Social AffairsDec. 26, 2021

[From the scene] Will this be last Christmas of pandemic?

INCHEON -- The second Christmas of COVID-19 has passed as South Korea battles its worst surge in the pandemic yet. 　 Just ahead of Christmas last year, the third big wave of COVID-19 had mainly swept across nursing homes. This Christmas, said Dr. Eom Joong-sik, an infectious disease doctor at Gachon University Medical Center, was “even more brutal” than the last. About half of the patients in the COVID-19 intensive care unit rooms of the hospital in Incheon had traveled from far-of

Social AffairsDec. 25, 2021

[Eye Plus] Smart shelters to stay before your bus arrives

A decade ago, Seoulites were exposed to all of the elements of climate alongside automobile exhaust while waiting for the next bus to come. Today, the city has adopted digitally renovated bus stops that alert passengers of incoming vehicles, protect them from weather changes and help them better respond to medical emergencies.  Known as “smart shelters,” these tech-savvy bus stops are equipped with screen doors for safety, smartphone chargers, Wi-Fi internet access, air-condi

Social AffairsDec. 25, 2021

[Photo News] Medical workers dress up as Santa Claus at a COVID-19 testing center

Medical workers on Wednesday dressed up as Santa Claus at a COVID-19 testing center in Gwangju.  To celebrate the upcoming Christmas, doctors and nurses at the testing center conducted COVID-19 tests in Santa Claus outfits. The number of COVID-19 cases rapidly increased this month, with some 7,000 cases reported each day. Amid the worsening COVID-19 situation, medical workers turned into Santa Claus to light up the atmosphere of the testing center.  The Santa Claus outfit that worke

Social AffairsDec. 25, 2021