Moon hails cooperative movement's role in promoting social responsibility

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday lauded the cooperative movement's role in promoting social responsibility on a range of issues, including environment and society. "The spirit of corporate federations, which has become an important axis of the global economy, must become a value of our society and the world," Moon said at the opening ceremony of the 33rd World Cooperative Congress. Moon said the competitiveness of coexistence and cooperation will be strengthened when socially res

PoliticsDec. 1, 2021

'Runaway’ police officers dismissed

　A police officer accused of fleeing a crime scene and leaving two victims alone with a knife-wielding attacker in Incheon last month has been dismissed, police said Wednesday. 　The punishment, decided at a disciplinary committee held a day earlier, is the second most severe that can be handed down to a public servant, after removal with pension stripped from the person. 　The fired officer was a 20-something woman with about six months on the job. She was dispatched to the scene on Nov. 15 al

Social AffairsDec. 1, 2021

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 Wednesday, 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 read

Social AffairsDec. 1, 2021

Natl. security adviser to visit China amid push to declare formal end to Korean War

National security adviser Suh Hoon will visit China this week to meet with Beijing's top diplomat, Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday, as Seoul pushes to declare a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War. Suh will visit the northeastern port city of Tianjin on Thursday and Friday at the invitation of Chinese Communist Party foreign affairs chief Yang Jiechi, the presidential office said. The two plan to meet Thursday and "exchange opinions on issues of mutual concern, such as South Korea-China rel

PoliticsDec. 1, 2021

S. Korea's Marine Corps launches aircraft group

South Korea's Marine Corps launched an aircraft group Wednesday to bolster the defense of border islands and wartime capabilities for landing operations, its officials said. The launch of the Marine Aircraft Group came as the armed service had sought to secure a separate air unit after its earlier unit, formed following the 1950-53 Korean War, was incorporated into the Navy in 1973. The launch ceremony took place at the newly minted group in Pohang, 370 kilometers southeast of Seoul, with the

DefenseDec. 1, 2021

Court questions ex-lawmaker to determine arrest over bribery in development scandal

A Seoul court questioned a former opposition lawmaker Wednesday to determine whether to approve an arrest warrant for him on charges of accepting bribes in the form of severance pay for his son from an asset firm at the center of a massive development corruption scandal. Kwak Sang-do quit the main opposition People Power Party and ultimately gave up his parliamentary seat following revelations that his son received 5 billion won ($4.2 million) in severance pay from Hwacheon Daeyu Asset Manageme

PoliticsDec. 1, 2021

Military reports 38 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military reported 38 additional COVID-19 cases Wednesday, including cluster infections at an Army unit in Gangwon Province, bringing the total caseload among its personnel to 2,366. Ten Army conscripts stationed at a base in Hwacheon, 118 kilometers northeast of Seoul, tested positive after a fellow was infected at their base. All of the newly added patients from the base were fully vaccinated. The military added it is carrying out COVID-19 tests on around 300 troops on the base.

DefenseDec. 1, 2021

Seoul's new daily COVID-19 cases exceed 2,000 for 1st time

The number of new daily COVID-19 cases in Seoul surpassed 2,000 for the first time, officials said Wednesday. The capital logged an all-time daily high of 2,222 COVID-19 patients Tuesday, according to the Central Disease Control Headquarters. Only 10 of the city's total were from overseas. The latest daily tally broke Seoul's previous daily record of 1,888 set only four days ago. It also marked an increase of 1,036 from 1,186 the previous day and an increase of 488 from 1,734 a week earlier.

Social AffairsDec. 1, 2021

S. Korea, 5 Central Asian nations discuss post-pandemic recovery

Top diplomats of South Korea and five Central Asian nations gathered at a regional forum held in Tajikistan to explore ways on expanding cooperation for the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday. Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong attended the 14th Korea-Central Asia Forum held in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe on Tuesday, which was joined by representatives from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. In a key note speech, C

Foreign AffairsDec. 1, 2021

Korea’s COVID-19 cases exceed 5,000 in one day for first time

South Korea hit another ominous pandemic milestone as new cases of COVID-19 topped 5,000 for the first time on Wednesday. After a monthlong surge in hospitalizations, intensive care unit doctors at the country’s top hospitals warned Korea may soon be forced to choose which patients get life-saving treatment. The Korean Society of Critical Care Medicine held an emergency press conference on this day and warned the country was fast approaching a point of rationing ICU spots as the return

Social AffairsDec. 1, 2021

N. Korea kicks up commemorative mood for late leader Kim Jong-il

North Korea's main newspaper on Wednesday published a series of stories lauding late leader Kim Jong-il ahead of the 10th anniversary of his death this month. Kim Jong-il, father of current leader Kim Jong-un, died on Dec. 17, 2011, 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 an editorial, the North's Rodon

North KoreaDec. 1, 2021

Daily virus cases expected to surpass 5,000

South Korea's new coronavirus cases are expected to breach the 5,000 mark for the first time Wednesday and the number of critically ill patients is also predicted to hit a fresh high amid concerns over the global spread of the new virus variant. The country is expected to report over 5,000 new COVID-19 cases, Interior Minister Jeon Hae-cheol told a pan-government meeting on the virus response. The number of critically ill patients is also expected to reach an all-time high of over 700, accordi

Social AffairsDec. 1, 2021

Pentagon chief due in Seoul for annual security talks on N. Korea, alliance

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is set to arrive in Seoul on Wednesday for annual security talks with his South Korean counterpart on the envisioned wartime operational control (OPCON) transfer, North Korean threats and the bilateral alliance, Seoul officials said. Austin is scheduled to land at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, in the afternoon, for a three-day trip on the eve of the 53rd Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) at the defense ministry here. This year's

DefenseDec. 1, 2021

Moon orders stricter immigration measures to block omicron

President Moon Jae-in ordered the government to immediately implement stricter immigration quarantine measures to block the inflow of the omicron variant after receiving a report that a suspected case was found here, officials said Tuesday. Authorities said on the day that a Korean couple, who visited Nigeria, was suspected of having the omicron variant, and is currently conducting a genome test. The results will be confirmed later on Wednesday evening. “The analysis of the new variant

Social AffairsNov. 30, 2021

Korea reports first COVID-19 child death

A South Korean child died of COVID-19 on Sunday, marking the country’s first pediatric death from the disease, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Tuesday. The KDCA did not make public the child’s age or gender for privacy reasons, but sources familiar with the matter told The Korea Herald that the 5-year-old girl was dead on arrival. When she was brought into the hospital’s emergency service’s isolation unit on Sunday, her heart had already stopped.

Social AffairsNov. 30, 2021

‘It will be patients who take the hardest fall’: Doctors slam across-the-board COVID-19 home care

South Korea’s decision to make at-home care the default for all COVID-19 patients could cost savable lives, experts warn, as the country adheres to route back to normal amid the largest surge since the pandemic began. On Monday, the government announced that all patients will be treated at home unless they get very sick, without bringing back measures to slow the spread. With Monday’s announcement, Korea made its departure from one of the three pillars of its touted pandemic suc

Social AffairsNov. 30, 2021

69 foreign students investigated for statutory rape of teenager

Close to 70 study-abroad students in South Korea are under police investigation for alleged statutory rape of a teenager. News reports said Monday that police investigators in Gangwon Province are investigating 69 foreign university students and graduates in the province after it was alleged that they had unlawful sexual intercourse with the victim on nearly 100 occasions since last December. The police said the group of foreign students had sex with the victim despite being aware of the fact

Social AffairsNov. 30, 2021

National Assembly eases capital gains tax exemption limit on home sales

The National Assembly on Tuesday approved a revision to the Income Tax Act that calls for easing a threshold of capital gains tax exemption on real estate sales for those with only one home. The bottom limit of the assessed value of real estate properties subject to capital gains tax will be raised from 900 million won ($756,000) to 1.2 billion won for owners of only one home following approval from the parliament's strategy and finance committee. The limit was set at 900 million won since 200

PoliticsNov. 30, 2021

Pentagon calls for enhancing alliance to deter China, NK in review

The US Defense Department on Monday called for enhanced cooperation with allies, including South Korea, to deter challenges posed by China and North Korea and to sustain stability in the Indo-Pacific region in its global posture review, or GPR. After a nearly 10-month review, the Joe Biden administration released its first GPR since taking office, although most details remain classified. The review shows the assessment of the US posture across major regions outside the US, such as overseas fo

DefenseNov. 30, 2021

Seongnam Mayor Eun Soo-mi indicted on graft, corruption charges

Prosecutors on Tuesday indicted the mayor of Seongnam, south of Seoul, on charges of providing special favors to a police officer in return for receiving insider information about a police investigation into her alleged violation of the Political Funds Act. Seongnam Mayor Eun Soo-mi is accused of giving a 450 million won ($379,000) streetlight replacement project to an unidentified company in October 2018 at the request of the police officer who was in charge of a police probe into her case. A

PoliticsNov. 30, 2021