New cases still hover around 2,000; 4th wave of pandemic yet at peak

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell back below 2,000 on Thursday, but the peak of the current wave of the pandemic has not yet come amid calls for tougher measures to bring virus infections under control and slow vaccinations. The country added 1,987 COVID-19 cases, including 1,947 local infections, raising the total caseload to 218,192, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily caseload was down 236 from 2,223 the previous day, the largest since

Social AffairsAug. 12, 2021

[Graphic News] Nearly 7 in 10 senior citizens want to work until 73: survey

　Nearly 7 in 10 South Korean senior citizens want to keep working until the age of 73 amid a rise in life expectancy, a survey showed. 　The survey by Statistics Korea showed 10 million, or 68.1 percent, of the 14.76 million South Koreans aged between 55 and 79, said in May they want to continue to work in the future, up 0.7 percentage point from a year earlier. 　The elderly said they want to keep working until an average age of 73, unchanged from the previous year. 　As for the main reason

NationalAug. 12, 2021

8 American service members in S. Korea test positive for COVID-19

Eight American service members stationed in South Korea have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Wednesday. 　Seven of them were from Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, and one was from Camp Humphreys in the same city, the U.S. military said. 　The latest cases raised the total number of infections reported among the USFK-affiliated population to 1,201. (Yonhap)

DefenseAug. 11, 2021

[Newsmaker] Internal feud deepens at PPP ahead of primary

The main opposition party has set its primary schedule, but is hit by an internal feud, as some presidential contenders expressed discontent over how it’s going to be done. Former prosecutor general and currently the People Power Party’s strongest presidential hopeful Yoon Seok-youl is unwilling to take part in the first debate among preliminary candidates on Aug. 18. Yoon, who has not yet registered as a preliminary presidential candidate in the party, did not attend events organi

PoliticsAug. 11, 2021

Appellate court upholds 4-year prison term for ex-justice minister's wife

An appellate court on Wednesday upheld a four-year prison sentence for the wife of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk over academic fraud. The Seoul High Court found Chung Kyung-sim, a professor of Dongyang University, guilty of all charges related to the unfair college admission of her daughter and upheld the lower court's sentence of four years. The appellate court, however, lowered her fine from 500 million won ($433,000) to 50 million won and her forfeiture from 140 million won to 10 million

PoliticsAug. 11, 2021

NK warns of ‘serious security crisis,’ upping threats against Seoul, Washington

North Korea on Wednesday stepped up threats against Seoul and Washington, saying that it will give the allies “a serious security crisis” for hosting joint military drills. “(North Korea) will make (Seoul and Washington) feel how close they are to a tremendous security crisis,” Kim Yong-chol, head of the North’s United Front Department handling inter-Korean affairs, said in a statement. Kim, saying that the South has rejected the chance to improve inter-Korean r

North KoreaAug. 11, 2021

Heavy rain pummels northern region of North Korea: state media

Heavy rain battered northern parts of North Korea on Wednesday, the North's state-run broadcaster said, after the country's eastern province was hit with torrential rain earlier this month. The northeastern province of North Hamgyong received more than 100 millimeters of rain from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., with some cities and counties recording up to 50 mm of rainfall per hour, the Korean Central Television reported. Hwadae County in the province received 209 mm of rain from midnight to 8 a.m., with

North KoreaAug. 11, 2021

Moon says S. Korea at critical time in fight against coronavirus

President Moon Jae-in stressed the urgency Wednesday of curbing the spread of COVID-19 as South Korea's daily count of additional cases has exceeded 2,000 for the first time. It is "of great concern" that the number has surpassed 2,000 despite health authorities' efforts and the people's cooperation in social distancing, he said during a meeting with his Cheong Wa Dae aides. Earlier in the day, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced that 2,223 new cases had

PoliticsAug. 11, 2021

Court rules against forced Korean labor victim in suit against Japan's Mitsubishi Materials

A South Korean court on Wednesday ruled against a victim of forced wartime labor in Japan in a damages suit launched against Japan's Mitsubishi Materials Corp. The Seoul Central District Court ruled against the surviving family of the late victim, surnamed Lee, who demanded 100 million won (US$87,000) from Mitsubishi Materials for the late Lee's forced labor in Japanese coal mines from 1941 to 1945. Lee claimed that he was forced to work in Japanese coal mines during those five years. The surv

Foreign AffairsAug. 11, 2021

Senior Japanese diplomat returns home after disparaging remarks against Moon

A senior Japanese diplomat stationed in Seoul returned home Wednesday, about a month after he came under fire for his remarks disparaging South Korean President Moon Jae-in's efforts to improve relations with Tokyo. Hirohisa Soma, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, took a flight home from Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, earlier in the day, according to diplomatic sources. Soma has been criticized after telling a South Korean reporter during a lunch meeting

Foreign AffairsAug. 11, 2021

Korea reports record new cases, 4th wave still not at peak

South Korea’s COVID-19 situation continued to deteriorate Wednesday with 2,223 new cases reported Wednesday. This is the first time Korea’s daily tally has risen above 2,000 since the pandemic began last year. The cases are unlikely to drop anytime soon as highly contagious delta variants have become the dominant strain of the coronavirus in line with holiday season and slow inoculation, experts say. Health Minister Kwon Deok-chul said a meeting on the day, “Although we hav

Social AffairsAug. 11, 2021

8 in 10 S. Koreans want college tuition to be halved: poll

More than 8 out of 10 South Koreans think colleges are too expensive and that tuition should be halved from the current level, a poll showed Wednesday. In the online poll of 1,000 people nationwide released by Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Korea, 83.9 percent of the respondents said college tuition is overpriced. Only 14 percent and 2.1 percent said it is reasonable or low-priced, respectively. Also, 79.7 percent said tuition costs need to be reduced, while 14 percent said it needs

Social AffairsAug. 11, 2021

[Herald Interview] Weirdos change the world: KAIST chief

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology President Lee Kwang-hyung is hoping to put the institution on the global map, by starting with “failures.” KAIST is one of Korea’s leading universities, but its standing on the global stage remains far behind its local reputation. According to the QS Global World Rankings 2022, KAIST came in 41st spot as one of the two Korean schools along with Seoul National University to crack the top 50. KAIST’s standing among t

Social AffairsAug. 11, 2021

Court confirms 4-year jail term for Cho Kuk’s wife

An appellate court on Wednesday upheld a four-year prison term for Chung Kyung-sim, the wife of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, for forging documents to help her daughter gain admission to medical school and for other actions concerning a private equity fund. But the Seoul High Court lowered Chung’s fine to 50 million won ($43,000) and lowered her forfeiture to 10.61 million won. In December the Seoul Central District Court had fined her 500 million won and ordered her to forfeit 140 mil

Social AffairsAug. 11, 2021

Chinese Ambassador Xing calls for concerted efforts for peninsula peace at 'complicated juncture'

Chinese Ambassador to Seoul Xing Haiming called Wednesday for concerted efforts to foster peace on the Korean Peninsula at a "complicated" juncture amid renewed inter-Korean tensions over the ongoing South Korea-US military drills. Xing made the remarks at a forum, after North Korea repeatedly bashed the South and the United States for pressing ahead with their annual drills, calling the maneuvers the "most vivid expression" of the US' hostile policy to it and warning of a &

Foreign AffairsAug. 11, 2021

Military reports 6 more COVID-19 cases

The defense ministry reported six additional coronavirus infections Wednesday, raising the total caseload among the military population to 1,542. The infected individuals include three Army soldiers and a Marine, as well as a Seoul-based officer at the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command and a military civilian employee, according to the ministry. They were all confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 after developing symptoms or coming into contact with an individual who had tested positive.

DefenseAug. 11, 2021

Anti-corruption unit could probe lawmaker for first time

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials is weighing whether to investigate a lawmaker affiliated with the main opposition People Power Party for allegedly receiving illegal political support funds. If conducted, it would be the first official investigation of an incumbent lawmaker by the CIO. Last week the anti-corruption watchdog asked the North Gyeongsang Province branch of the National Election Commission to send over related documents and other data on a main opposit

Social AffairsAug. 11, 2021

Seoul posts record 661 COVID-19 cases Wednesday

Seoul reported 661 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, a daily high that coincided with a record-breaking number of new infections in the country, health authorities said. Seoul added 650 local infections and 11 cases from overseas arrivals, up 24 from the previous record high of 637 on July 13. The country as a whole posted 2,223 new cases, the highest number since the pandemic began, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Seoul and the surrounding area have been under the s

Social AffairsAug. 11, 2021

Military to spend W37.5b for drone purchase next year

South Korea plans to spend 37.5 billion won ($32.6 million) next year to purchase domestic drones for the military as part of efforts to help the local industry have stable demand for growth, the defense ministry said Wednesday. The budget is more than sixfold the amount allocated for this year, which stood at 6.2 billion won, according to the ministry. The plan was unveiled at a committee meeting to discuss the development of the local defense industry in Seoul, jointly headed by Defense Mini

DefenseAug. 11, 2021

N. Korea allows foreigners to visit 22 more facilities in Pyongyang: Russian embassy

North Korea has allowed foreigners to visit 22 more facilities in Pyongyang, Russia's Embassy in Pyongyang said, in an apparent move to ease coronavirus-prompted restrictions for access to public areas. On its Facebook page, the embassy said it has received a notice from the Protocol Department of the North's foreign ministry, saying that 22 facilities were added to the list of 299 cultural, sports, entertainment facilities and retail outlets in Pyongyang that foreigners can visit. Among them

North KoreaAug. 11, 2021