Diplomats of S. Korea, U.S. discuss resumption of dialogue with N. Korea

Diplomats of South Korea and the United States have held talks in Washington to discuss joint efforts to resume dialogue with North Korea, the foreign ministry said Thursday. Wednesday's talks between Rim Kap-soo, director general at the ministry's peninsula peace regime bureau, and Jung Pak, the deputy U.S. special representative for North Korea, came as last week's restoration of inter-Korean communication lines fueled hopes for the resumption of nuclear diplomacy with Pyongyang. "The

Foreign AffairsAug. 5, 2021

Korea doubles down on November herd immunity pledge, but prospects dim

South Korean political and health leaders are standing firm on their goal of getting to COVID-19 herd immunity in November, which has been marked as a point of return to normalcy, after reaching a vaccination threshold of 70 percent of the population. So far the term herd immunity has been loosely thrown around by those in political circles and public health offices alike. But the concept has been largely understood as some degree of a return to normal life and retirement from the excruc

Social AffairsAug. 5, 2021

Korea vows own vaccine by next year

The Korean government on Thursday pledged to inject 2.2 trillion won ($1.92 billion) over the next five years into development and production of COVID-19 vaccines, designating vaccines one of the nation’s three key strategic technology areas along with semiconductors and batteries. The planned investment will be launched later this year with aims to debut the nation’s first locally developed COVID-19 vaccine by the first half of 2022 and to make the country one of the world’s

PoliticsAug. 5, 2021

8 in 10 job seekers in favor of four-day workweek: survey

The idea of implementing a four-day workweek is gaining favorable views among South Koreans, reflecting the heightened perception of work-life balance and diverse work patterns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, data showed Thursday, In a survey of 4,155 job seekers by human resources service Saramin, 83.6 percent of respondents said they have a positive view of a four-day workweek. The top reason for favoring a four-day workweek was work-life balance (72.4 percent). The idea of work-life balance

Social AffairsAug. 5, 2021

More than 100 nations gather in Rome for food futures

SEJONG -- The Pre-Summit of the United Nations Food Systems Summit was held in Rome from July 26-28, in preparation for the UN Food Systems Summit 2021, slated for this September in New York. The pre-summit was held to coordinate and elaborate on ideas discussed and raised over the past two years to transform food systems, said the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of Korea. Heads of state and ministers from more than 100 countries and executive directors of the UN agencies part

Social AffairsAug. 5, 2021

Korea wavers on carbon neutrality

The Presidential Committee on Carbon Neutrality unveiled Thursday three options for reducing carbon emissions by 2050, but only one of them achieves carbon neutrality. Depending on which road map the country decides to follow, net emissions in 2050 could vary from zero to 25.4 million metric tons. “The committee established the vision of a safe and sustainable carbon neutral society from the climate crisis and reviewed the scenarios based on five principles: accountability, inclusivene

Social AffairsAug. 5, 2021

Moon nominates new human rights watchdog chief

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday nominated Song Doo-hwan, a former Constitutional Court justice, as the new chief of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, Cheong Wa Dae said. Song, 70, a senior attorney at law firm Hankyul, has devoted himself to human rights issues throughout his career. He served in leadership positions at the Korea Bar Association and Minbyun, an association of lawyers fighting for democracy movements and human rights. Back in 2003, he also led a special counsel

PoliticsAug. 5, 2021

[Newsmaker] Seoul logs 20th tropical night this summer: KMA

Seoul's temperature again remained above 25 C overnight, bringing the total number of tropical nights the city experienced this summer to 20, the state weather agency said Thursday. The capital logged a minimum temperature of 25.6 C between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). A tropical night occurs when the temperature does not fall below 25 C during the nighttime. The nighttime low was 27.4 C on the southern Jeju Island and 26.

Social AffairsAug. 5, 2021

Unification ministry hopes for N. Korea to respond to offer for discussion on virtual conference system

The unification ministry on Thursday expressed hope that North Korea will respond to South Korea's recent offer for discussion on setting up a virtual conference system for inter-Korean talks. South Korea made a proposal to discuss the matter with North Korea days after the two Koreas restored cross-border communication lines last week that had been severed for more than a year after North Korea cut them off in protest of anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent from the South. North Korea has yet to provi

North KoreaAug. 5, 2021

Top court confirms dismissal of request to cancel construction permit of two unfinished nuclear reactors

The Supreme Court said Thursday it has confirmed the appellate court's ruling to dismiss a request to cancel the nuclear watchdog's permit to build nuclear power reactors in the southeastern coastal city of Ulsan. The cancellation request was filed by Greenpeace Korea and some Ulsan residents in September 2016, who claimed that the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) allowed the construction of Shingori No. 5 and Shingori No. 6 reactors "without considering the unique hazards of

Social AffairsAug. 5, 2021

Vice FM Choi holds talks with Iranian counterpart on frozen Tehran assets, JCPOA

First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun and his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, have met in Tehran to discuss an array of issues, including Iranian assets frozen in South Korea under US sanctions, the foreign ministry said Thursday. Choi was in Tehran to attend Thursday's presidential inauguration of Ebrahim Raisi, the former chief justice who won the presidential election in June to succeed Hassan Rouhani. During Wednesday's talks with Abbas, Choi stressed South Korea has been making &

Foreign AffairsAug. 5, 2021

Calls for delaying allied military drills gain traction inside ruling party

Calls for postponing the regular joint summertime military drills between South Korea and the United States were gaining traction inside the ruling party Thursday amid growing hope for the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue. "The atmosphere (here) is that postponing the military exercise might be inevitable despite some potential internal resistance," a high-profile source from the ruling party told Yonhap News Agency a day earlier. Talk of a possible delay or scale-down of the ann

PoliticsAug. 5, 2021

4 soldiers test positive for COVID-19

Four Army soldiers have tested positive for the new coronavirus, raising the total number of infections reported among the military population to 1,513, the defense ministry said Thursday. Three soldiers in Paju, north of Seoul, were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 after coming into contact with a colleague who tested positive earlier, while the other soldier, based in the southeastern city of Daegu, was found to have been infected after a vacation, according to the ministry. Among four

DefenseAug. 5, 2021

Govt. makes next year's minimum wage of 9,160 won official

The Ministry of Employment and Labor on Thursday published an official notice of next year's minimum hourly wage of 9,160 won ($8.00). The Minimum Wage Commission, a tripartite panel composed of representatives of labor, business and the general public, set the rate on July 12 in a 5.1 percent increase from this year. Following a legally mandated period of review, during which three business groups filed objections, the ministry said it rejected the complaints and upheld the commission's decis

Social AffairsAug. 5, 2021

S. Korea, US agree to expand cybersecurity cooperation

South Korea and the United States have agreed to strengthen cooperation in responding to growing global cybersecurity threats as they held a joint defense committee meeting on information and communications technology, the defense ministry said Thursday. During the inaugural session of the US-ROK ICT Cooperation Committee, held via a videoconference Wednesday, they also agreed to set up various information sharing systems to boost combined combat capabilities by securing a better interoperabili

DefenseAug. 5, 2021

20 USFK-affiliated people test positive for COVID-19

Twelve American service members and eight others affiliated with the US Forces Korea (USFK) tested positive for the new coronavirus upon arrival in South Korea from the United States, the US military said Thursday. One service member arrived at Osan Air Base on a US government chartered flight, and eleven service members, four civilians, three family members and one retiree arrived on international commercial flights at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. They arrived here between Jul

DefenseAug. 5, 2021

N. Korea puts major rice-producing areas on high alert against flooding

North Korea has been taking flooding prevention measures in major farming areas in the country's southwest in an effort to minimize damage to grain production amid forecasts of heavy downpours, state media reported Thursday. "Emergency steps have been taken to prevent damage from flooding at cooperative fields in Jaeryong County," the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North's ruling party, said. "Anti-flooding efforts have been seriously undertaken basically to prevent farming area

North KoreaAug. 5, 2021

New cases over 1,700 for 2nd day, toughest virus curbs likely to be extended again

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed in the 1,700s for the second straight day Thursday as the toughest level of virus restrictions in the greater Seoul area is highly likely to be extended again amid little signs of a letup. The country added 1,776 COVID-19 cases, including 1,717 local infections, raising the total caseload to 205,702, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The latest tally marked a sharp rise from 1,219 cases Monday and 1,202 cases T

Social AffairsAug. 5, 2021

Strong US-Korea alliance enables diplomatic engagement with N. Korea: Adm. Aquilino

WASHINGTON -- The strong US-South Korea alliance helps ensure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula while it also allows the allies to engage with the recalcitrant North with strength and confidence, the commander of US Indo-Pacific Command said Wednesday. Adm. John Aquilino noted North Korea was "certainly a security challenge" that faces the US in the region. "The US-ROK alliance is strong and ironclad. Our commitment with that treaty ally has been the foundation for pea

Foreign AffairsAug. 5, 2021

Biden to address discrimination against Asian Americans in meeting with leaders: Psaki

WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden will discuss a range of issues facing Asian American communities in the United States that include the fight against COVID-19 and voting rights, as well as anti-Asian hate incidents, a White House spokeswoman said Wednesday. The president is set to meet with a group of Asian American, Pacific Islander (AAPI) community leaders on Thursday. "The president looks forward to meeting with leaders of the AAPI community tomorrow," spokeswoman Jen Psaki said

Foreign AffairsAug. 5, 2021