Nearly 70 pct of public say 'living with COVID-19' scheme raised health risk: poll

  Seven out of 10 South Koreans believe the government's "living with COVID-19" campaign has elevated the risk of virus transmission, according to a poll released Saturday. The survey -- commissioned by a research team led by Prof. Yoo Myung-soon of Seoul National University's graduate school of public health -- found that 69 percent of respondents said they saw the public risk related to COVID-19 as having increased after implementation of the scheme aimed at returning to norm

Social AffairsDec. 11, 2021

New cases below 7,000 for 1st time in 4 days; deaths hit daily record high of 80

South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 7,000 for the first time in four days Saturday as the country struggles to tackle the fast spread of infections, including the new omicron variant cases. The country added 6,977 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total caseload to 510,538, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Daily infections soared to a record high of 7,174 cases on Wednesday and remained above 7,000 for the following two days. The number of

Social AffairsDec. 11, 2021

Retired Army lieutenant general Lee Seok-gu appointed as ambassador to UAE

Lee Seok-gu, retired lieutenant general officer of the South Korean Army, has been appointed the country‘s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday. The Foreign Ministry said Lee will be well suited for the position, given his decadeslong experience in the defense industry and military. After graduating from the Korea Military Academy in 1980s, Lee served as the director operations at the Army Headquarters, the commander of Capital Mechanized

Foreign AffairsDec. 10, 2021

At Biden's summit, Moon bills S. Korea as 'exemplary testament' to democracy

President Moon Jae-in said Friday that South Korea is an "exemplary testament" to the value of democracy, citing the Korean people's struggle against authoritarianism and move for peaceful revolutions. Moon made the remarks at a virtual democracy summit of leaders of more than 110 countries hosted by US President Joe Biden. The summit was a campaign promise of Biden, who has prioritized achieving the goal of rallying the nations of the world against the forces of authoritarianism. K

NationalDec. 10, 2021

Moon encourages corporate efforts for carbon neutrality goal

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday lauded the efforts made by companies to cut carbon emissions, and reiterated that the goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 is “must” for the country. In celebration of the first anniversary of the declaration of the country’s 2050 carbon neutral vision, Moon invited company leaders and economic organizations to check on the year’s progress and renew their determination, according to the presidential office. “Car

PoliticsDec. 10, 2021

‘Two men not allowed’

A glamping site near Bukhansan in western Seoul offers caravans for hire on its booking platform. But the booking site says rentals are only offered to a select few. Among a long list of the type of guests that “cannot make bookings,” are groups consisting of two men, or only men. "Under no circumstances can the groups mentioned above book with us -- no exceptions,” the glamping site said on web portal Naver. Kim Ji-hak, who heads nonprofit organization Diversity Korea

Social AffairsDec. 10, 2021

Lee calls for immediately allocating W100tr to virus-hit small businesses

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), called on the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Friday to agree to immediately execute its own proposal to spend 100 trillion won ($85 billion) on compensating small businesses hit by the pandemic. Lee suggested the rival parties jointly pass a supplementary budget through a provisional session of the National Assembly this month to fund the payments. "When it comes to people's livelihoods, there is no

PoliticsDec. 10, 2021

S.Korea’s president, top diplomat attend global summits excluding China

High-profile international meetings attended by the South Korean president and diplomat this week are mainly aimed at countering China's influence, increasing the difficulty of Seoul’s diplomatic balancing act amid the growing US-China rivalry. South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday took part in a global democracy summit hosted by his US counterpart Joe Biden, and Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong is set to join the meeting of G7 foreign ministers this week. The US President hoste

Foreign AffairsDec. 10, 2021

Authorities allow booster shots three months after initial vaccination

South Korea‘s new COVID-19 cases again topped 7,000 on Thursday, remaining in the 7,000s on three consecutive days, government data showed Friday. “As daily cases remained in the 7,000 for three days straight, with seniors aged 60 or older accounting for 35 percent of the confirmed cases, the country’s medical capabilities are being rapidly overwhelmed,” Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said in a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, held

Social AffairsDec. 10, 2021

Suspect in Daejang-dong scandal dies, parties urge special probe

The head of a municipal development company, who was facing prosecutorial questioning for allegedly taking bribes in a massive land development corruption scandal, was found dead in an apparent suicide, police said on Friday. Police discovered the body of Yoo Han-gi, head of the Pocheon Urban Corp., who was reported missing by his family early Friday near his home in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Yoo reportedly left home after leaving behind a will. Earlier this week, prosecutors requested an ar

PoliticsDec. 10, 2021

High-school student files constitutional petition against vaccine pass expansion

A high-school student and others filed a constitutional petition Friday against the government's plan to expand the COVID-19 vaccine pass program to teenagers next year. Starting February, the government plans to require not only adults but also children aged 12 to 18 to present COVID-19 vaccination or negative test certificates at multiuse facilities, including public study rooms and cram schools. The plan was announced last week along with toughened gathering restrictions amid the latest vir

Social AffairsDec. 10, 2021

S. Korea's homegrown guided missile passes key performance test

South Korea has successfully conducted key performance tests of a homegrown ship-based guided missile ahead of its deployment next year, the state-run defense quality assessment agency and Navy officials said Friday. The Defense Agency for Technology and Quality (DTaQ) said that the missile, called the Haegung, hit the intended target in two tests, one conducted on Wednesday and one Friday. Haegung means sea bow in Korean. The missile is designed to intercept incoming missiles or shoot down

DefenseDec. 10, 2021

5-yr prison term sought for ex-high school teacher charged with having sex with student

INCHEON -- Prosecutors sought a five-year prison sentence Friday for a former high school teacher charged with luring one of her students into having sex with her. The former teacher at a high school in Incheon, west of Seoul, was indicted on charges of sexually abusing the student by having sex with him multiple times between 2019 and 2020 when she was the student's homeroom teacher. In April this year, the Incheon District Court sentenced her to 1 1/2 years in prison, suspended for three yea

Social AffairsDec. 10, 2021

[Newsmaker] Dunkin’ Donuts whistleblower forwarded to prosecution

Police on Thursday transferred to the prosecution a man who recorded a video that created a controversy over the unsanitary conditions of a factory baking products for Dunkin’ Donuts. The Anyang Dongan Police Station in Gyeonggi Province has been investigating the worker who took the video of the factory in Anyang for suspicions of business obstruction after BR Korea, an affiliate of the SPC Group, which operates the donut chain, filed a complaint against him. The video stirred public u

Social AffairsDec. 10, 2021

Defense minister stresses political neutrality ahead of 2022 presidential poll

South Korea's Defense Minister Suh Wook instructed senior military officials Friday to "strictly" maintain political neutrality ahead of next year's presidential poll, casting the armed forces as "the last bulwark of national defense." Suh made the remarks during a year-end meeting of top commanders from the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, as the country's political parties are quickening their preparations for the March 9 presidential election. "I emphasize th

DefenseDec. 10, 2021

New Navy chief named in regular reshuffle

South Korea's Vice Chief of Naval Operations Vice Adm. Kim Jung-soo will be promoted to admiral and serve as top commander of the Navy as part of a regular reshuffle of generals and admirals, the defense ministry said Friday. Kim, 59, will replace Adm. Boo Suk-jong, who has led the Navy since April last year, in what is expected to be the last senior-level shakeup under the Moon Jae-in administration whose term is set to end in May. When he officially takes office, Kim is expected to face a s

DefenseDec. 10, 2021

Young S. Koreans suffer greater employment strain during pandemic: report

Young South Koreans suffered more severe employment shock than older people during the pandemic and fresh college and high school graduates faced greater difficulty in finding jobs, a report showed Friday. The employment rate for Koreans aged 15-34 reached 50.5 percent in January, down from 52.8 percent a year earlier, according to the report by the Statistics Korea Institute. The corresponding rate for people aged 35-64 came to 71.2 percent in January, down from 73.6 percent the previous year

Social AffairsDec. 10, 2021

Top court confirms ex-short track coach's 13-yr prison term for sexually assaulting athlete

The Supreme Court on Friday finalized a 13-year prison sentence for a former national short track speed skating coach charged with sexually assaulting an Olympic gold medalist. Cho Jae-beom, 40, was indicted in 2019 on charges of sexually assaulting Shim Suk-hee on 27 occasions at various training facilities from August 2014 to December 2017, only two months before the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics kicked off. Shim, one of the country's most prominent skaters, was 17 years old at the time

Social AffairsDec. 10, 2021

S. Korea issues navigational warning in East Sea over planned firing drills

South Korea has issued a navigational warning for ships off the east coast next week over its routine naval firing drills, officials said Friday. The Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency issued the warning earlier this week as the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced its plan for "regular maritime firing drills" in waters south of Ulleung Island in the East Sea from Monday through Friday, according to the agency officials. The agency said it informed Japan of the updated navigation

DefenseDec. 10, 2021

Top military officials of S. Korea, US discuss timing of OPCON transfer assessment: sources

Top military officials of South Korea and the United States have met to discuss the possibility of conducting an assessment required for the envisioned transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) earlier than the current plan of next fall, sources said Friday. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Won In-choul and Gen. Paul LaCamera, the head of the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command (CFC), held closed-door talks Thursday to discuss the timing of the full operational capability (FOC) asse

DefenseDec. 10, 2021