Bill to allow singles to be eligible for full adoptions announced

The justice ministry announced Tuesday it has come up with a law revision to allow capable singles to become eligible for full adoptions. The ministry said it plans to submit the bill to revise the current civil law to allow singles 25 and older capable of supporting the well-being of an adoptee to become eligible for full adoptions. According to the current law, full adoptions, which cuts off all legal ties of an adoptee with the original family, are allowed only for married couples, while s

PoliticsNov. 9, 2021

14 Africans nabbed on suspicions of swindling S. Korean victims in romance scams

A total of 14 African nationals have been apprehended for allegedly defrauding more than a million dollars from South Koreans after building relationships with them online while posing as diplomats, doctors and soldiers, police said Tuesday. The suspects, most of them from Liberia and other African countries, allegedly used such fake identities to befriend 24 victims and swindled a total of 1.67 billion won ($1.4 million) from them in what is known as a "romance scam," according to th

Social AffairsNov. 9, 2021

S. Korea to launch new frigate named after warship torpedoed by N. Korea in 2010

South Korea was set Tuesday to hold a ceremony launching a new frigate named after a warship torpedoed by North Korea in 2010, the Navy and state arms procurement agency said. The ceremony for the 2,800-ton frigate, Cheonan, was scheduled to take place at the shipyard of Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. in Ulsan, some 410 kilometers southeast of Seoul, as the Navy still has potent memories of the North's deadly attack. The 1,200-ton corvette Cheonan sank near the Northern Limit Line, a de facto we

DefenseNov. 9, 2021

N. Korea bristles at EU over UN resolution on human rights

North Korea on Tuesday slammed the European Union (EU) for leading a UN resolution condemning its human rights situation, calling the move an act of hostility based on "false and fabricated" documents. The resolution, drafted by the European countries, was submitted to the United Nations' Third Committee for approval late last month. If passed, it will be put to a vote at the UN General Assembly in mid-December. "We have long rejected this slanderous 'resolution' full of false a

North KoreaNov. 9, 2021

With half-year in office remaining, Moon vows to complete return to normal life

With half year in office remaining, President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday his administration will do everything possible for a complete return to normal life from the COVID-19 pandemic and an economic recovery. South Korea began easing virus curbs this month in its first step of its "living with COVID-19" policy after more than 70 percent of its population were fully vaccinated. Still, health authorities remain on high alert as virus cases could trend back upward again. Moon's single, f

PoliticsNov. 9, 2021

US lawmakers call on Biden to declare formal end to Korean War

WASHINGTON -- A group of US lawmakers sent a letter to President Joe Biden last week, urging his administration to quickly engage with North Korea and discuss declaring a formal end to the Korean War, an activist group said Monday. The letter was also sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to the Korean American Public Action Committee (KAPAC). "We wish to highlight the importance of the United States continuing its efforts to facilitate peace between South Korea and North K

Foreign AffairsNov. 9, 2021

DP presidential candidate cancels campaign schedule after wife's hospitalization

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), has canceled his campaign activities set for Tuesday after his wife was admitted to a hospital for injuries sustained in a fall, his party said. The former Gyeonggi governor had been scheduled to hold meetings with firefighters and young people on virtual assets and attend a convention for women, but all those events were called off after his wife, Kim Hye-kyung, was admitted to a hospital in Gyeonggi Province aroun

PoliticsNov. 9, 2021

Military reports 7 additional COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military reported seven additional COVID-19 cases Tuesday, bringing the total caseload among its personnel to 2,088, the defense ministry said. Among the new cases were five Army conscripts, including two stationed in Yeoncheon, 62 kilometers north of Seoul. An Army officer based in Jangseong, 308 kilometers south of Seoul, tested positive before returning to the base from a vacation. A civilian employee of the Army based in Goyang, north of Seoul, also contracted the virus afte

DefenseNov. 9, 2021

[Graphic News] 93.7% of S. Koreans consider climate crisis ‘serious’: survey

　Nearly 94 percent of South Koreans consider the climate crisis “serious,” but only half believe the issue is connected to human rights, a survey showed. 　According to the survey of 1,500 people commissioned by the National Human Rights Commission, 80.4 percent responded that they are interested in the climate crisis issue. 　Asked how serious the crisis is, 93.7 percent said “serious,” while 79.8 percent said climate change seriously affects people’s lives, acco

NationalNov. 9, 2021

Navy unveils 3D rendering of envisioned light aircraft carrier

South Korea's Navy has unveiled a three-dimensional rendering of an envisioned light aircraft carrier in a show of its resolve to build the warship by 2033 amid lingering doubts over its feasibility and necessity. After five months of preparations, the Navy posted the six-minute clip depicting the carrier strike group on its YouTube channel Monday as part of an annual program to mark the 76th anniversary of its founding, which falls on Thursday. The clip shows the 30,000-ton carrier operating

DefenseNov. 9, 2021

New infections below 2,000 for 2nd day amid eased virus curbs

South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 2,000 for the second straight day Tuesday, but health authorities remain on alert over a possible spike in new infections under eased virus curbs. The country reported 1,715 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload to 383,407, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Last week, South Korea began its "living with COVID-19" scheme as part of a broader plan to gradually lift the virus restrictions by the end of F

Social AffairsNov. 9, 2021

N. Korea calls for heightened anti-coronavirus measures ahead of winter

North Korea has urged its people to stay on high alert against the possible spread of COVID-19, with the winter season just around the corner, according to its state media Tuesday. Medical institutions beefed up campaigns on check-ups and personal hygiene, and set up measures to "find and treat all patients with respiratory diseases, including the cold, without exception," according to the official Korean Central News Agency. The North's radio broadcaster Korean Central Broadcasting

North KoreaNov. 9, 2021

S. Korea's industry minister leaves for US for talks on chips, steel tariffs

South Korea's Industry Minister Moon Sung-wook left for the United States on Tuesday for talks on semiconductor supply chains, steel tariffs and other pending issues, his office said. During a three-day stay in Washington, Moon plans to meet with US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, as well as other government officials and industry experts, to discuss ways to strengthen economic partnership, according to Seoul's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. &q

Foreign AffairsNov. 9, 2021

Moon pledges to open firefighter hospital in 2024

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday pledged to open a hospital for firefighters in 2024 to better safeguard their safety and health. In a message marking the 59th Fire Service Day, Moon also vowed to improve firefighting equipment and provide more personal safety gear. The firefighter hospital, which is under construction as planned, will open in 2024 as the nation "will do its utmost to continue to safeguard firefighters' safety and health," Moon said. "People have always had fai

PoliticsNov. 9, 2021

China can and should help steer N. Korea toward denuclearization: Pentagon spokesman

WASHINGTON -- China has the ability to help steer North Korea toward a diplomatic solution of its nuclear standoff, the Pentagon Press Secretary said Monday. John Kirby insisted one way for China to do so would be to faithfully implement UN Security Council sanctions on the North. "China does have influence in Pyongyang and we all, the international community, would like to see them use that influence in a constructive way to put some bite into the sanctions that are already in place unde

Foreign AffairsNov. 9, 2021

US, S. Korea see 'eye-to-eye' on need to denuclearize Korean Peninsula: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States and South Korea fully agree on the need to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula through diplomacy, a state department spokesperson said Monday, reaffirming US commitment to engage with North Korea. Ned Price, however, declined to comment on whether the US agrees with a Seoul-proposed declaration of an end to the Korean War. "We see eye to eye with our South Korean counterparts that achieving a complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula

Foreign AffairsNov. 9, 2021

Indian Chamber of Commerce and Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to expand cooperation

The Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea and Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry on Oct. 29 signed a memorandum of understanding to support each other in economic, educational, cultural, commercial and industrial activities. The signing ceremony was attended by eight officials, including Indian Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Surinder Bhagat, Indian Chamber of Commerce President Sachin Satpute and Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry affiliated South

Diplomatic CircuitNov. 8, 2021

Military holds meeting of generals, admirals on defense reform, leadership

South Korea's military held an annual meeting of general-grade officers from all armed services via video links Monday to discuss defense reform, inter-service cooperation and other security issues, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. JCS Chairman Gen. Won In-choul and the top brass of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps attended the Mugunghwa Meeting that the military has held since 1973 to discuss national security issues. Mugunghwa, the rose of Sharon in English, is the country's na

DefenseNov. 8, 2021

S. Korea to keep monitoring N. Korean military's moves: ministry

The South Korean government reacted cautiously to a report of North Korea's military having staged an "artillery fire competition," saying it will keep a close watch on related situations. "Rather than prejudging North Korea's intentions, the government will closely monitor relevant moves," the unification ministry's spokesperson Lee Jong-joo told reporters when asked about the issue. The previous day, the North's official KCNA news agency reported the training event had be

North KoreaNov. 8, 2021

[Newsmaker] Moon urges all-out efforts on urea shortages

President Moon Jae-in on Monday instructed his aides to use diplomacy and public reserves to stave off a urea shortage in the private sector, as the country runs low on diesel exhaust fluid after China tightened exports to avert its own power crisis. Urea solutions are used in diesel vehicles to reduce emissions, and about 97 percent of Korea’s imports came from China during the first nine months of the year, according to the Trade Ministry. Seoul has already asked Beijing to ease its exp

PoliticsNov. 8, 2021