[Newsmaker] Probe underway into teenager's death after vaccination

South Korea's health authorities said Saturday that they are looking into the case of a teenager who died after vaccination. According to the authorities, a third-grade high schooler was inoculated with the Pfizer vaccine on Aug. 13 and died on September 27. The teenager had no underlying conditions. It marks the first reported death of a vaccinated teenager. Since mid-July, high school seniors and those who will take the national college entrance exam slated for Nov. 18 have been vaccinated

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2021

S. Korea bids farewell to late former President Roh

South Korea bid farewell to late former President Roh Tae-woo on Saturday, marking the end of a five-day state funeral for a leader who drew both criticism and praise for his role in staging a coup and then embracing democracy. The funeral ceremony for Roh, who died Tuesday at age 88, began at 11 a.m. at the Peace Plaza at Olympic Park in eastern Seoul, a symbolic venue for him as it was there that the 1988 Summer Olympics were held successfully during his five-year term. His body was brough

PoliticsOct. 30, 2021

New virus cases over 2,100 for 3rd day ahead of lifting of virus curbs

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed above 2,100 for the third straight day on Saturday, amid jitters over a possible spike as the country is about to relax antivirus measures for a return to normalcy.   The country added 2,104 new COVID-19 cases, including 2,089 local infections, raising the total caseload to 362,639, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.   The virus curve had appeared to be flattening over the past few weeks, dipping to 1,190 on

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2021

S. Korea, US envoys hold phone talks on N.K. nukes, end-of-war declaration

  The top nuclear envoys of South Korea and the United States had phone talks Friday on stalled nuclear negotiations with North Korea and Seoul's proposal for an end-of-war declaration, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, and his American counterpart, Sung Kim, agreed on the need to "stably manage the situation" on the peninsula, the ministry said. "They held constructive consultations

North KoreaOct. 29, 2021

Moon asks Pope Francis to visit N. Korea

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday asked Pope Francis to visit North Korea to bring peace on the Korean Peninsula, and the pope positively reacted to the offer, saying he is willing to do so if he receives an invitation from the North, an official said.   Moon made the offer during a meeting with the pope at the Vatican earlier in the day, saying a papal visit to North Korea will serve as momentum for bringing peace on the Korean Peninsula.  "If the pontiff visits

North KoreaOct. 29, 2021

Military to ease social distancing rules, offer booster shots to all troops

South Korea's military plans to ease its social distancing restrictions, including curbs on off-base trips, in phases and administer booster shots for all service members by early next year, the defense ministry said Friday. Defense Minister Suh Wook finalized the plan at a video-linked meeting with top military commanders, as the government plans to enforce eased anti-COVID-19 rules starting next month for a gradual return to normal life. Set to take effect Monday, the military's plan includ

DefenseOct. 29, 2021

Korea moves on from its ‘pandemic success formula’, bets on vaccinations

More than a year and nine months into the COVID-19 crisis, Korea is set to gradually move on from its touted success formula in containing the pandemic. The government’s COVID-19 response headquarters reiterated on Friday that from Nov. 1, Korea would push ahead with its plan to get back to normal over three phases, each lasting four to six weeks. Minister of Health and Welfare Kwon Deok-cheol told the news briefing that a high public compliance has allowed Korea to clear its goal of

Social AffairsOct. 29, 2021

Moon invites pope to NK again in peace efforts

President Moon Jae-in invited Pope Francis to North Korea again as he made another effort to reopen nuclear talks, at a meeting at the Vatican on Friday. The meeting was the first official stop on his trip to attend a Group of 20 summit over the weekend and a UN climate meeting that ends Tuesday. “Your visit to North Korea would be the new momentum for peace on the Korean Peninsula. South Koreans are looking forward to it,” Moon said, repeating an invitation from North Korean leade

PoliticsOct. 29, 2021

65% of S. Koreans support special prosecutor probe into Seongnam development scandal: poll

Sixty-five percent of South Koreans support an independent counsel investigation into a corruption-laden urban development scandal engulfing South Korean politics while 25 percent are against it, a survey showed Friday. The Gallup Korea poll of 1,000 adults conducted between Tuesday and Thursday also showed 55 percent suspect that Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), played a part in the development project in Seongnam, south of Seoul, with a purpose to g

PoliticsOct. 29, 2021

Teenager riding e-scooter without helmet dies after running into utility pole

A teenager riding an e-scooter without a helmet has died after ramming into a utility pole while racing downhill in Seoul, police said Friday. The 17-year-old high-school student crashed into the telephone pole at 8:26 p.m. Thursday on a road in Seoul's northern district of Nowon, police said. After sustaining injuries to the head, he was given cardiopulmonary resuscitation and rushed to a nearby hospital but died, according to the police. A police probe found he lost control of the personal

Social AffairsOct. 29, 2021

N. Korea demands sanctions relief before discussing end-of-war declaration: NIS

North Korea demanded UN sanctions relief and the suspension of South Korea-US military exercises as preconditions for talks on an end-of-war declaration, the South Korean spy agency said on Thursday. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirmed Pyongyang’s position on the issue in a closed-door briefing at the parliamentary audit, Rep. Kim Byung-kee of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Rep. Ha Tae-keung of the main opposition People Party told a press conference. North Korea

North KoreaOct. 29, 2021

School principal arrested for allegedly installing hidden camera in women's bathroom

ANYANG -- An elementary school principal in Anyang was placed under emergency arrest Friday for allegedly installing a hidden camera inside a bathroom of the school's female faculty. The Anyang Dongan Police Station said it was questioning the 57-year-old principal, who is alleged to have placed a 2-4 centimeter-long camera near a toilet inside the women's bathroom at his school in the city 23 kilometers south of Seoul. A teacher reportedly discovered the camera and reported it to school autho

Social AffairsOct. 29, 2021

US Marine commander posthumously named Korean War hero of month

South Korea's veterans ministry said Friday it has named late Gen. Oliver Prince Smith of the US Marine Corps as the Korean War hero of the month for his role in a major evacuation mission during the 1950-53 conflict. Under his leadership, the 1st Marine Division of the US fought their way against Chinese forces at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, which is considered one of the fiercest battles of the war. The 1950 battle enabled the famous Hungnam evacuation, in which UN troops helped evacuate

DefenseOct. 29, 2021

Schools to begin transition to normal from Nov. 22

South Korean schools will implement measures to live with the pandemic late next month, schools beginning a full transition to in-person classes from Nov. 22. The Ministry of Education announced Friday that for kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools, a return to regular classes will be implemented step by step from Nov. 22 after a three-week preparation period. Social distancing rules will be lifted from the day, and full school attendance will be allowed in all regions. For ki

Social AffairsOct. 29, 2021

Ex-UN chief Ban Ki-moon re-elected as GGGI chair

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was re-elected as the head of a Seoul-based international organization on green growth for a third term to serve until 2023, officials said Friday. On Thursday, the 40 members of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) unanimously approved the appointment of Ban as president of the institute, according to the GGGI officials. The institute was launched in 2012 to support developing countries' efforts for transition to environmentally-sustainable economic

Foreign AffairsOct. 29, 2021

S. Korea to fully resume in-person school classes from Nov. 22: ministry

South Korea will fully resume in-person school classes next month in line with the government's "living with COVID-19" scheme, the education ministry said Friday. In-person attendance at kindergarten, elementary, middle and high schools will resume nationwide on Nov. 22, following this year's College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), a state-run university entrance exam, on Nov. 18, according to the ministry. The plan is part of the government's "living with COVID-19" scheme

PoliticsOct. 29, 2021

S. Korea to secure oral COVID-19 medications for 404,000 patients

South Korea plans to secure enough oral COVID-19 medications to treat some 404,000 infected patients from global drugmakers and distribute them starting in the first quarter of next year, the government said Friday. The government said it signed a pre-purchase contract with US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. this month to buy enough medications to prescribe to 70,000 patients, an official from the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters said. Last month, the government also

Social AffairsOct. 29, 2021

UN committee approves draft resolutions calling for N. Korea to give up nukes

A UN General Assembly committee has approved three draft resolutions concerning North Korea, including one reaffirming the Assembly's commitment to the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" abandonment of Pyongyang's nuclear program, its website showed Friday. On Wednesday, the First Committee in charge of disarmament and security affairs approved 25 resolutions and decisions, including those related to the North, amid reports that the recalcitrant regime has been doubling down on i

North KoreaOct. 29, 2021

Nationality requirements on flights between S. Korea, EU to be lifted in Nov.

Airlines of South Korea and European Union member states will be allowed to operate without restrictions on their nationality requirements starting next month under a new aviation accord, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. South Korea and 22 EU member states signed a horizontal aviation agreement in June 2020, which goes into effect Monday, the foreign ministry said. The horizontal accord will ease nationality requirements for airlines to allow any EU member states to operate on the routes

Foreign AffairsOct. 29, 2021

117 suspected breakthrough COVID-19 infections reported at psychiatric ward in Changwon

CHANGWON -- A total of 117 coronavirus cases were reported in just two days at the psychiatric ward of a hospital in the southern city of Changwon, all believed to be breakthrough infections, officials said Friday. According to city government officials, three COVID-19 cases were first reported on Thursday and tests on other people at the ward showed that an additional 114 people were infected. Of them, 110 were patients at the ward and the seven others were hospital employees. All reported

Social AffairsOct. 29, 2021