Season's coldest weather to grip S. Korea this weekend

South Korea will come under the grip of the season's coldest weather later this week, with the morning lows dipping to minus 9 C in Seoul and minus 15 C in some inland areas, the state weather agency said Thursday. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said that the freezing temperatures will be accompanied by snow, which is forecast to begin in central and western coastal areas Friday and spread to the greater Seoul area and almost all central regions over the weekend. It did not rule

Social AffairsDec. 16, 2021

Moon apologizes for restoring tough social distancing measures

President Moon Jae-in apologized to the nation Thursday for restoring tough social distancing measures following a spike in coronavirus cases and deaths. Moon issued the apology shortly after the government announced new measures to reduce the maximum private gathering size to four people and restore a 9 p.m. curfew on restaurant and cafe business hours. "I am sorry that we have had to once again strengthen antivirus measures," Moon was quoted as saying by his spokesperson Park Kyung

PoliticsDec. 16, 2021

Mudslinging in full swing for two main presidential contenders and their families

Controversies surrounding the families of the two leading presidential candidates are emerging one after another, threatening to overshadow the election itself -- and fanning questions about their moral aptness for the job. Former Prosecutor General Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential nominee for the main opposition People Power Party, has been swept in fierce criticism over his wife Kim Keon-hee allegedly falsifying her credentials when applying for a teaching job in 2007. Outside her office Wedn

PoliticsDec. 16, 2021

[Newsmaker] Schools to reduce attendance, reintroduce online classes

Schools will return to a mix of online and offline classes from Monday, as the country reinstates stricter social distancing measures due to rising cases of COVID-19. The Ministry of Education announced Thursday that schools in Korea will reduce student density to prevent classroom transmissions starting Monday, less than a month after schools returned to in-person classes on Nov. 22. The ministry said as the rate of transmission in schools is not high, they will continue to have in-person cl

Social AffairsDec. 16, 2021

Supreme Court rules in favor of Hyundai Heavy workers in ordinary wage suit

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of workers at Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., who have fought the company for nine years demanding that regular periodic bonuses be counted as part of their "ordinary wage." The top court ruled in favor of 10 employees who filed the appeal on behalf of some 30,000 workers at the shipbuilding conglomerate and sent the case back to the Busan High Court for a retrial. The suit was launched by workers asking the company to recognize regular bonu

Social AffairsDec. 16, 2021

Military reports 26 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Thursday reported 26 additional COVID-19 cases, including 22 breakthrough infections, raising the total caseload among its personnel to 2,848. Of the new cases, 18 people are from the Army, two from the Air Force, two from the Navy, one from the Marine Corps, and three from units under the direct control of the defense ministry, officials said. Currently, 328 military personnel are under treatment. Of the total military caseload, 1,079 are breakthrough cases. (Yonhap)

DefenseDec. 16, 2021

S. Korea, US to discuss 'trusted' 5G network at upcoming dialogue: Washington diplomat

South Korea and the US plan to discuss cooperation on "trusted" 5G networks, global supply chains and other key issues in their upcoming economic talks, a senior US diplomat said Thursday, amid an intensifying America-China rivalry. Jose W. Fernandez, the undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, said he expects to talk about a number of "positive" economic issues during the sixth Senior Economic Dialogue (SED) slated for Friday, noting coopera

Foreign AffairsDec. 16, 2021

Critically ill COVID-19 cases near 1,000; tighter virus curbs to take effect

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 7,000 for the second consecutive day Thursday and the number of critically ill COVID-19 patients rose close to 1,000 as the country prepares to bring back tougher virus curbs to stem the spread of the virus. The country added 7,622 more COVID-19 cases, including 7,591 local infections, bringing the cumulative total to 544,117, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Among them, the public health agency reported 20 omicron v

Social AffairsDec. 16, 2021

N. Korea in commemorative mood ahead of 10th anniv. of ex-leader's passing

North Korea is holding a series of events memorializing late leader Kim Jong-il ahead of the 10th anniversary of his passing this week, Pyongyang's state media said Thursday. Kim, the father of current leader Kim Jong-un, 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. In Pyongyang, young workers and students held a meeting to remember the late leader, and an art exhibition opened with works depicting his

North KoreaDec. 16, 2021

US committed to Singapore Declaration, open to dialogue with N. Korea: Lambert

WASHINGTON -- The United States is committed to the Singapore Declaration that calls for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and normalization of US-North Korea relations, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Japan and Korea Mark Lambert said Wednesday. Lambert also reiterated the US' willingness to meet with North Korea at any time without preconditions. "We're committed to the framework that was laid out in Singapore," he said, referring to former President Don

Foreign AffairsDec. 16, 2021

Marriages down 43%, births 64% in Seoul over 20 years

In the past 20 years, the number of marriages in Seoul has decreased by 43 percent and the number of births by 64 percent, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday. Marriage registrations in the capital city hit a 20-year low of 44,746 in 2020, down 43.2 percent from 78,745 tallied in 2000. From a year ago, the 2020 figure also represented a drop of 7.3 percent. The average age of first marriages last year was 33.61 for men and 31.6 for women, up 3.96 years and 4.35 years

Social AffairsDec. 16, 2021

‘Living with COVID-19’ plan halts, gatherings limited to 4 people nationwide

The government has halted the measure for phased daily recovery as infections continue to surge. From Saturday, the number of people allowed to attend private gatherings will be reduced to four and entertainment facilities, restaurants, and cafes will only be open until 9 p.m. nationwide. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum announced the new measure at the COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters on Thursday morning. He said a meeting was held earlier than scheduled because &ld

Social AffairsDec. 16, 2021

Kim Jong-un regime ‘strategically’ continuing public executions in isolated areas: NGO

North Korea has continued public executions in isolated areas under the Kim Jong-un regime, in an apparent strategic move to prevent the leakage of inside information and avoid international monitoring, a human rights nongovernmental organization said in a report. The Seoul-based Transitional Justice Working Group on Wednesday released the report “Mapping Killings Under Kim Jong-un: North Korea’s Response to International Pressure” based on interviews with hundreds of North K

North KoreaDec. 15, 2021

How much are you willing to pay for green spaces?

In Seoul’s affluent neighborhood of Hannam-dong, where top celebrities and corporate big shots live, a bleak and desolate 28,197-square-meter plot of land lies barren and untouched. Fenced off with barbed wires, the land -- the size of four soccer fields -- has been off limits to residents for decades. Records dating back to the 1940s show authorities reserved the land for a public park. In reality, the dusty plot stands as a legacy of the turbulent times Korea has been through, with

Social AffairsDec. 15, 2021

The pandemic effect: more Koreans obese

The loss of routines in lives of South Korean people caused by COVID-19 appeared to have affected their physical states, including growing muffin top. More than half of South Koreans in their 30s and 40s were found to be obese last year, according to data compiled by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The prevalence of obesity was 48 percent for men in 2020, a sharp increase compared to 41.8 percent a year earlier, the data released Monday showed. The rate among women rose 2.7

Social AffairsDec. 15, 2021

[Newsmaker] In Suneung, half a percent has big implications

Nearly a month of trouble over a two-point question on this year’s college entrance test was settled in court on Wednesday, highlighting once again the weight the annual test carries in Korean society. On Wednesday, the Seoul Administrative Court ruled that a question in the bioscience part of the recent college scholastic ability test was inaccurate, and ordered the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation to cancel its designated answer. “There is not a distinguished diff

Social AffairsDec. 15, 2021

KLES CEO proposes labor-management relations as key to overcome the ongoing crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has prolonged a global economic recession, accompanied by disruptions in global supply chains that jeopardize many work environments.　 Chung Hyoung-Woo, secretary-general and CEO of the Korea Labor and Employment Service, said the ongoing economic difficulties could potentially escalate conflicts between labor and management over a wide range of matters, including wages, layoffs, safety, work hours and unionization. “The outbreak of the COVID-19 variant has cast un

Social AffairsDec. 15, 2021

Top officials implore parents to vaccinate children

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum on Wednesday held an offline meeting with parents and students to reassure the safety of vaccination for children, amid a growing backlash against the government’s inoculation policy for the adolescent population. Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae and Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong also joined the meeting held in central Seoul, where some 20 students and parents also participated. “The government has carefully r

Social AffairsDec. 15, 2021

Election campaigns raise concerns for COVID-19

The election campaigns of presidential candidates are raising concerns for further fanning the pandemic, as large crowds flock to candidates’ public appearances. On Wednesday, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung tested negative for COVID-19, after having come into contact with an infected person over the weekend. Lee had called off scheduled activities on the previous day. He visited Boramae Medical Center, where COVID-19 patients are treate

PoliticsDec. 15, 2021

Spy agency warns of increased hacking attempts ahead of presidential election

South Korea's spy agency warned Wednesday of a possible rise in the number of hacking attempts to glean information on the country's diplomatic and security affairs ahead of the March presidential election. In a document on cybersecurity, the National Intelligence Service said state-backed hackers could beef up attempts to steal information on Seoul's North Korea policy and other security issues as a new administration is set to be launched in the South in May next year. This year, South Korea

Social AffairsDec. 15, 2021