N. Korean leader calls for boosting self-reliance at conference

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for strengthening the country's self-reliance despite "immediate challenges," including economic difficulties, during a conference on a mass movement aimed at developing its ideology, technology and culture, Pyongyang's state media reported Friday. Kim delivered the message in a letter to the participants at the 5th Conference of the Frontrunners of the Three Revolutions that kicked off in Pyongyang on Thursday, according to the Korean Centra

North KoreaNov. 19, 2021

US, Japan reaffirm importance of trilateral cooperation with S. Korea: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- Senior diplomats of the United States and Japan reaffirmed the importance of cooperation with South Korea on Thursday, one day after Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori boycotted a joint press conference over what his US counterpart called an unrelated bilateral issue. Mori and US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman also reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, state department spokesman Ned Price said. "The two also dis

Foreign AffairsNov. 19, 2021

Consideration of socioeconomic interests in public administration for sustainable peace in Afghanistan

One of the key issues on the international agenda is Afghanistan today after the Taliban came to power. It is a central topic of the 2021 Shanghai Cooperation Organization heads of state summit held Sept. 17, 2021, in Dushanbe. Most SCO states share a common border with Afghanistan and directly feel the negative consequences of the unfolding crisis. Achieving peace and stability in Afghanistan is one of the main security goals in the SCO region. The seriousness of the issue and high degree of

Diplomatic CircuitNov. 18, 2021

17 days of normal push Korea’s COVID-19 cases to hit new high

South Korea saw the highest number of new COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic Thursday, just 17 days into its return to normal scheme. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said 3,292 cases were registered in the preceding 24 hours, exceeding the 3,000 mark for the second day in a row. The previous one-day record was 3,270 cases on Sept. 25, in the aftermath of Chuseok holiday season. The new all-time high comes as the country takes its first step toward normal life, wit

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2021

[News Focus] Nonregular jobs increase faster in 5 major cities

SEJONG – Major cities outside the capital have led the increase in the proportion of nonregular jobs in South Korea over the last four years. According to Statistics Korea, 38.4 percent of workers had nonregular status in 2021, an all-time high and up 5.5 percentage points from 32.9 percent in 2017, when President Moon Jae-in took office. Nonregular workers include temporary workers, part-timers and others in underemployed status.   While the situation is causing weakening job secu

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2021

Japan calls off joint news conference over Dokdo dispute with S. Korea

Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori pulled out at the last minute from a joint news conference with his South Korean and US counterparts over a territorial feud with Seoul on the Dokdo islets.  Mori and South Korea’s First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun were scheduled to appear alongside US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman at a press conference scheduled after the three held talks over regional issues, including North Korea’s nuclear program, in Washington on

Foreign AffairsNov. 18, 2021

Beaumax donates 30,000 masks to Myanmar upon high school kid’s request

Cosmetics firm Beaumax donated 30,000 face masks to support disadvantaged children in Myanmar struggling with COVID-19, acting on a high school student’s proposal. The Seoul-based company said Thursday it has donated the masks to Myanmar as part of nonprofit Worldshare’s Disaster Vulnerable Overseas Children’s Project. The donation, made in the name of Beaumax CEO Han Hyun-woo, was suggested by a high school sophomore. The company said Kim Jae-yeon, a student at Cheongshim In

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2021

UN 3rd committee adopts N.Korea human rights resolution, urges timely vaccination

The United Nations on Wednesday passed a draft resolution condemning North Korea‘s dire human rights situation by consensus, urging Pyongyang to cooperate with the international community in delivering and distributing COVID-19 vaccines in a timely manner. The resolution was introduced by the European Union and approved by the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly for the 17th consecutive year since 2005. The resolution, which will be introduced at the upcoming UNGA plenary for fi

North KoreaNov. 18, 2021

Military undaunted as parliament suspends weapon project

The military is more committed than ever to building the first homegrown light aircraft carrier even though the National Assembly decided to cut the budget for a second straight year, saying more studies are needed to determine if the 2 trillion won ($1.8 billion) project is worth the cost. The Navy, which plans to roll out the seagoing air base by 2033 to supplement its air power against North Korea, asked for 10 billion won this year and 7 billion won next year, but was given 100 million and

DefenseNov. 18, 2021

Presidential candidates’ wives under fire

The spouses of key presidential candidates have been making headlines for days and are finding themselves at the center of allegations, rumors and even mockery. Kim Kun-hee, wife of the main opposition People Power Party’s candidate, Yoon Seok-youl, has been mired in allegations of stock price manipulation related to the used car dealership Deutsch Motors. The prosecution arrested Deutsch Motors CEO Kwon Oh-soo on Tuesday. Kwon is suspected of playing a leading role in manipulating th

PoliticsNov. 18, 2021

Lee Jae-myung lashes out at Yoon Seok-youl’s view of national security

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, has strongly criticized his archrival, Yoon Seok-youl of the main opposition People Power Party, for hinting at the possibility of canceling a symbolic inter-Korean military agreement, warning that the idea itself poses a serious threat to national security. On a Facebook post Wednesday titled “Candidate Yoon, please stop pushing in the wrong direction,” Lee lashed out at Yoon’s recent remarks t

PoliticsNov. 18, 2021

Peru hosts seminar on climate and investment opportunities

The Peruvian Embassy hosted a seminar on Climate and Investment Opportunities in Peru on Nov. 11 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Central Seoul. The seminar presented major infrastructure investment projects that Peru offers to public and private companies in Korea. The seminar was held as part of Peruvian government’s efforts to attract companies and investment to Peru. This year’s seminar aimed to introduce Peru government’s foreign direct investment policies and existing fac

Diplomatic CircuitNov. 18, 2021

‘Ready to eat’ Italian pork in Korean market

The Pig Breeders Product Organization (OPAS) is to showcase three of its ready-to-eat products -- bacon tenderloin, bacon tenderloin with herbs and pulled pork -- at Coex Food Week 2021, to be held Nov. 24-27. “Easy to eat” recipes are also to be presented with useful Italian pork product information. OPAS is the largest product organization in Italy, representing 12 percent of Italian pig farming, where they are able to breed heavy and medium-sized pigs by planning and diversify

Diplomatic CircuitNov. 18, 2021

[Photo News] Rogers family in hanbok

(jylee@heraldcorp.com)

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2021

Japan boycotts joint press event with S. Korea, US over Dokdo issue

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeo Mori refused to take part in a joint press conference with his South Korean and US counterparts Wednesday, citing a recent visit by South Korea's top police official to Dokdo. The joint press conference was originally set to follow their trilateral talks in Washington but was instead held alone by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. "We agreed to the US, the host of the trilateral talks, announcing the outcome of the South Korea-US-Japan vice minist

Foreign AffairsNov. 18, 2021

Ruling party, satellite party agree to seek merger

The ruling Democratic Party said Thursday it has agreed with the minor Open Democratic Party to seek their merger, a move that comes less than four months ahead of the presidential election. The agreement was reached during a meeting between DP Chairman Song Young-gil and his Open Democratic Party counterpart, Choe Kang-wook, according to Koh Yong-jin, a senior DP spokesperson. The minor party is considered a "satellite party" of the DP, as it was launched by former DP lawmakers ahea

PoliticsNov. 18, 2021

UN Command to resume Panmunjom tours late this month

The US-led UN Command (UNC) plans to resume a tour program to the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom later this month after a pandemic-driven monthslong hiatus, its officials said Thursday. The UNC will restart the program to the Joint Security Area in Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas on Nov. 30 in line with South Korea's "living with COVID-19" scheme for a gradual return to normal life, they said. The UNC coordinated the date for the tour res

North KoreaNov. 18, 2021

N. Korea underlines past feat from 'three-revolution' movement ahead of related event

North Korea's state-controlled media tried Thursday to shed light on the past progress made by its "three-revolution" movement aimed at developing its ideology, technology and culture, with preparations under way for a major conference on the movement. In a detailed report, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) highlighted the accomplishments of the "spirit and traits of the three-revolution frontrunners in the 1970s" under the movement initiated by Kim Il-sung, late founder

North KoreaNov. 18, 2021

Daily reports of stalking sharply increase after implementation of anti-stalking law: police

The number of stalking complaints filed with police shot up to about 103 cases a day since the anti-stalking law went into effect a month ago from the daily average of 24 cases, police data showed Thursday. A total of 2,774 stalking complaints were filed for four weeks since the law took effect on Oct. 21, compared with 6,939 cases reported for nearly 10 months this year before the law's implementation, according to the data. The anti-stalking law, the first in South Korea to specifically targ

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2021

S. Korea's daily virus cases hit new record high amid relaxed virus curbs

South Korea's new coronavirus cases hit an all-time high on Thursday since the start of the pandemic amid eased social distancing rules, putting health authorities on alert over further upticks. The country reported a record high of 3,292 new daily cases, including 3,272 local infections, raising the total caseload to 406,065, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Thursday's daily caseload marks the highest since the country reported its first COVID-19 case in J

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2021