Lee says son denies prostitution allegations

Ruling Democratic Party (DP) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung said Friday his elder son has denied allegations he visited a massage parlor for sex. The allegations were raised against Lee's 29-year-old son after he was found to have left a comment on an online poker forum that advised people against visiting a spa in Seongnam, south of Seoul, because it did not keep its massaging hours. "I also checked, but he says there was no sex trafficking," Lee told reporters after a party m

PoliticsDec. 17, 2021

Among Seoul’s subway lines, No. 1 has worst fine dust in air: data

  Seoul’s Subway Line No. 1 posted the highest concentration of fine dust among all eight lines operated by Seoul Metro this year, data showed Thursday.  Subway Line No. 1 recorded an annual average of 74 micrograms per cubic meter of dust particles smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter, or PM10. The reading was higher than last year’s 66.6 micrograms, data from the operator of the eight subway lines in the Seoul metropolitan area showed. Line No. 4 came next at 70.

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2021

South Korea to inject W4.3tr to support struggling small business owners

South Korea will inject 4.3 trillion won ($3.6 billion) in subsidies to support owners of small businesses and self-employed people struggling from social distancing rules necessitated by the pandemic, top officials said Friday. The support measures come a day after the government decided to reimpose restrictions due to a surge in infections. Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki said at a joint government briefing on the day, “If a sales decline is confirmed, the government will pay 1 million

PoliticsDec. 17, 2021

Air Force officer gets 9-year prison term over sexual harassment

A noncommissioned Air Force officer was sentenced to nine years of imprisonment Friday for sexually abusing a female colleague who later took her own life, according to a military court. The master sergeant, surnamed Jang, was accused of groping the victim of the same rank inside a car in March. He also blackmailed her not to report the case to the authorities while sending threatening text messages. The ruling by the General Military Court in Seoul came seven months after the victim took her

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2021

N. Korea urges 'absolute trust' in its leader, marking his father's death anniversary

North Korea's state media called for "absolute trust" in leader Kim Jong-un, as the country marked 10 years since the death of former leader Kim Jong-il on Friday. Kim died on Dec. 17, 2011, after having ruled the reclusive regime since the death of his father and national founder, Kim Il-sung, in 1994. Kim Jong-un, the third son of the late leader, took over the helm of the North in another hereditary succession of power. In a front-page editorial, the North's main newspaper, the Ro

North KoreaDec. 17, 2021

S. Korea mulls shipment of booster doses to overseas units amid omicron concerns

South Korea is considering sending COVID-19 vaccines for booster shots to its troops abroad, officials said Friday, amid concerns over breakthrough infections and the omicron variant. It initially sought the local supply of additional vaccines needed for booster jabs. But it has begun consultations with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the direct provision of vaccines, as they may not be readily available in some areas and there may be shortage of medical facilities, they said

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2021

Britain names new ambassador to North Korea

David Ellis, a former British deputy head of mission in Tokyo, has been appointed as the country's new ambassador to North Korea, London's foreign ministry has said. Effective immediately, Ellis will temporarily work from London to replace Colin Crooks who will serve as the new ambassador to South Korea starting next year. "I am delighted to have been appointed British Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," Ellis wrote on his Twitter account, referring to the North

North KoreaDec. 17, 2021

New COVID-19 cases above 7,400 for 3rd day ahead of restoring tougher virus curbs

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 7,400 for the third consecutive day Friday, with the country set to restore tight social distancing and other virus curbs to contain the fast spread of the virus. The country added 7,435 more COVID-19 cases, including 7,400 local infections, bringing the cumulative total to 551,551, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Friday's tally is down from the previous day's 7,622 and the record high of 7,850 reported Wednesday, bu

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2021

S. Korea, US set to hold senior-level economic talks in Seoul

Senior diplomats of South Korea and the United States are set to hold annual economic talks in Seoul on Friday to discuss bilateral cooperation on global supply chains, energy, infrastructure and technology, Seoul officials said. Second Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-moon and Jose Fernandez, US undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, will lead the sixth Senior Economic Dialogue (SED), as a Sino-US rivalry intensifies on technological leadership, trade and secur

Foreign AffairsDec. 17, 2021

[Graphic News] Life expectancy of S. Koreans rises to 83.5 years in 2020

　The average life expectancy of South Korean babies born last year reached 83.5 years, more than seven years longer than two decades ago, data showed, amid improved public awareness about health and a better medical system. 　The average life expectancy at birth in 2020 was 2.4 months longer than a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. 　Compared with 10 and 20 years ago, the average life expectancy became 3.2 years and 7.5 years longer, respectively. 　The reading a

NationalDec. 17, 2021

3.2 magnitude aftershock reported 3 days after Jeju earthquake

A 3.2 magnitude earthquake struck near South Korea's southern island of Jeju on Friday in the 18th aftershock following a 4.9 magnitude quake earlier this week, officials said. The aftershock occurred at 6:22 a.m. in waters about 38 kilometers off the island's southwestern city of Seogwipo, near the epicenter of Tuesday's quake, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Officials said the quake was the 18th and the biggest aftershock of Tuesday's earthquake. Local fire authori

Social AffairsDec. 17, 2021

N. Korea Embassy in China holds memorial service to mark 10th year since ex-leader's death

The North Korean Embassy in China held a memorial service to commemorate former leader Kim Jong-il on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of his death, Pyongyang's state media reported Friday, highlighting close ties between the two countries. Wang Chen, vice chairman of the standing committee of the Chinese National People's Congress, attended the ceremony Thursday and asked North Korean Ambassador Ri Ryong-nam to convey Chinese President Xi Jinping's "warm greetings and best wishes"

NationalDec. 17, 2021

Defense minister to visit Thailand, Singapore next week

Defense Minister Suh Wook will visit Thailand and Singapore next week for talks with senior officials there on bilateral defense cooperation, his ministry said Thursday. On Sunday, Suh will visit Thailand for a four-day visit at the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who doubles as defense minister. They plan to discuss the security situations on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, and discuss arms industry cooperation between Seoul and Bangkok, according to the ministry.

DefenseDec. 16, 2021

What’s the fuss about Jeju quake?

After a rare 4.9 magnitude earthquake rattled the southern island of Jeju on Tuesday, social media is abuzz with what some say could have been Mother Nature’s warnings of the incoming quake. Photos of purported “earthquake clouds,” allegedly taken hours and minutes before the quake struck at 5:19 p.m. Tuesday, have gone viral, prompting the weather agency to clarify them as just regular “cirrocumulus” clouds.  “Such clouds are spotted everywhere. There

Social AffairsDec. 16, 2021

New Navy chief vows to press ahead with light aircraft carrier project

South Korea's new Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Kim Jung-soo vowed Thursday to forge ahead with the Navy's long-cherished project to secure a light aircraft carrier, as he took the helm of the armed service. Kim made the remarks amid expectations that the Navy will embark on the project to acquire the coveted vessel by 2033 next year, as the National Assembly passed a 7.2 billion won ($6.08 million) budget earlier this month to begin a process for its basic design. "Given that a light ai

DefenseDec. 16, 2021

Yoon's poll lead over Lee narrowed to 42.3 vs. 38.4

The main opposition People Power Party's presidential candidate, Yoon Suk-yeol, saw his lead over ruling Democratic Party rival, Lee Jae-myung, narrowed to a margin of 3.9 percentage points, an opinion poll showed Thursday. Yoon was leading Lee 42.3 percent to 38.4 percent in the survey by RnSearch, commissioned by Maeil Business Newspaper and its affiliated broadcaster MBN. The 3.9 percentage point gap is smaller than a 5.4 percentage point margin in favor of Yoon seen in the previous survey

PoliticsDec. 16, 2021

World body of police commanders opens Asia-Pacific office in Seoul

The world's largest and most influential professional association for police leaders opened its Asia-Pacific office in South Korea on Thursday, the National Police Agency (NPA) said. The Asia-Pacific World Regional Office of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) began its operations at the NPA in central Seoul, the agency said. The United States-headquartered IACP is the world's largest nonprofit organization of police commanders and currently has about 31,500 members in 168

PoliticsDec. 16, 2021

Govt. discloses personal info of 342 men accused of draft dodging

South Korea's military recruitment agency on Thursday disclosed personal information about 342 people accused of dodging mandatory military service. The disclosure of their names, ages, addresses and other details came as part of the efforts by the Manpower Administration to pressure them to fulfill their service and prevent potential draft dodgers, officials said. The list included 92 men who apparently dodged their service as active-duty soldiers and 30 others who attempted to evade their al

DefenseDec. 16, 2021

S. Korea reintroduces toughened social distancing rules, dining curfews

South Korea has decided to reinstate toughened social distancing rules and a 9 p.m. curfew for restaurants and cafes to combat record-high surges of COVID-19 infections, top officials said Thursday. During the 16-day period between Saturday and Jan. 2, private gatherings will be capped at four people nationwide -- if they are fully vaccinated. People who are not vaccinated will only be able to dine out alone, or use takeout or delivery services, according to the reintroduced social distancing

Social AffairsDec. 16, 2021

UNSC members urge resuming open discussion on N.Korean human rights

Six UN Security Council members and Japan called for publicly discussing North Korea’s human rights situation, after a four-year hiatus in holding an open session at the Security Council. The seven urged other member countries on the 15-member UNSC to resume a public discussion on the subject by issuing a joint statement highlighting human rights violations and abuses by the Kim Jong-un regime. Wednesday’s joint statement was issued after UNSC members had a closed-door consultatio

North KoreaDec. 16, 2021