S. Korean labor groups condemn Japan for denying wartime forced labor

South Korean labor and civic organizations on Tuesday denounced Japan for formally denying mobilizing Korean people for wartime forced labor. The Japanese Cabinet last week sent a lawmaker its decision that Japan's recruitment, placement and conscription of Korean workers during its colonial rule (1910-45) did not constitute forced labor. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and a coalition of NGOs campaigning for forced labor victims held a news conf

Social AffairsMay 4, 2021

S. Korea, US, Japan to hold FM talks at G-7 meeting in London

The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold trilateral talks on the margins of a Group of Seven (G-7) gathering in London later this week, a source said Tuesday, as Washington eyes a thaw in strained ties between its Asian allies. The meeting between Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, and his US and Japanese counterparts, Antony Blinken and Toshimitsu Motegi, respectively, is set to take place Wednesday, as they gathered in the British capital for the session of G-7 fo

Foreign AffairsMay 4, 2021

Korea stops first-dose appointments amid COVID-19 vaccine supply shortage

A shortage of COVID-19 vaccines has forced South Korea to halt new vaccinations for about a month, as the Ministry of Health and Welfare said it would opt to prioritize second doses until additional supply becomes available. The ministry said as of Tuesday, the remaining AstraZeneca vaccine stockpile in the country was only 332,140 doses, with 471,150 doses of Pfizer’s vaccine. The amount left can together cover around 400,000 people, as both vaccines require two doses for maximum prote

Social AffairsMay 4, 2021

Chief prosecutor nominee stresses ‘organizational stability’

New Prosecutor General nominee Kim Oh-soo stressed the organizational stability of the prosecution as his top priority on Tuesday as he prepares for a parliamentary confirmation hearing to succeed Yoon Seok-youl, who rose to political stardom by defying his bosses. “If I am appointed as prosecutor general, I think stabilizing the organization is the most important thing,” Kim told reporters as he arrived for work Tuesday morning. “I will communicate and make efforts to harmon

Social AffairsMay 4, 2021

Science minister nominee draws heat for alleged ethical lapses

Science Minister nominee Lim Hye-sook drew heat from opposition lawmakers during a parliamentary confirmation hearing Tuesday for alleged ethical lapses. Lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) bombarded Lim with a barrage of allegations of ethical lapses and demanded she withdraw from the nomination during the parliamentary session. Lim, a professor of electronic and electrical engineering at Ewha Womans University and the chair of the National Research Council of Science &

PoliticsMay 4, 2021

S. Korea grapples with rising variant cases, total now at 632

South Korea has confirmed 97 more cases of contagious variants of the new coronavirus, adding to concerns that the country's virus battle may be exacerbated by the more transmissible viruses. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said 75 case were local infections and 22 imported cases, bringing the total to 632. Of them, 87 cases were the Britain-originated variant, followed by 10 from South Africa, according to the KDCA. The authorities have said they remain vigilant agains

Social AffairsMay 4, 2021

[News Focus] Seoul’s population share in Korea falls sharply

SEJONG -- About three decades ago, nearly 1 out of every 4 South Koreans were residing in Seoul. But it has been found that less than 1 in 5 today are Seoulites. The population of Seoul peaked at 10.969 million in 1992, accounting for 24.6 percent of the entire population of 44.503 million, according to unofficial demographic statistics held by the government. Data from the Ministry of Interior and Safety showed that the share of residents in Seoul of the population of Korea fell to

Social AffairsMay 4, 2021

S. Korea to wait for N. Korea's final decision on World Cup qualifiers: official

South Korea will wait for North Korea's final decision on whether to play a World Cup qualifier set to take place in the South next month, an official said Tuesday, after Asia's soccer governing body asked Pyongyang to reconsider its decision not to play the game. Earlier, the South's Korea Football Association (KFA) said its North Korean counterpart, known as the DPR Korea Football Association, sent an official document to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) last Friday to declare its inten

North KoreaMay 4, 2021

Pfizer vaccines for 218,000 people to arrive in S. Korea on Wednesday

Another batch of Pfizer Inc.'s COVID-19 vaccines for around 218,000 members of the general public aged 75 and over, and other virus-vulnerable groups will arrive in South Korea later this week, health authorities said Tuesday. The products are part of a direct contract for 3.3 million people between the US pharmaceutical firm and the Seoul government, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. So far, Pfizer vaccines, under the direct contract, for 1 million people have alrea

Social AffairsMay 4, 2021

[Seoul Struggles 6] Seoul not so welcoming to newcomers when it comes to housing

For 28-year-old Hong Seong-kyun, buying a home in Seoul has been near the top of his bucket list for years, even before he started worrying about getting a job in the city. Born and raised in Seoul, he thought owning an apartment, however small it might be, was not a far-fetched dream. But years later, he has come to know otherwise. Hong now has about 15 million won ($13,370) sitting in his savings account, which guarantees nothing when it comes to housing. The 28-year-old spends about eight h

Social AffairsMay 4, 2021

NK propaganda outlets slam S. Korea's court ruling in favor of Japan against 'comfort women'

North Korean propaganda outlets on Tuesday denounced a South Korean court's decision to dismiss a lawsuit by wartime sexual slavery victims against the Japanese government as "a disregard for conscience and justice" and an act of subservience to Japan. Last month, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed the case brought by 20 plaintiffs, including surviving victims forced to work in front-line brothels for Japanese soldiers during World War II, citing sovereign immunity, a legal do

North KoreaMay 4, 2021

More than 170 Koreans return home from virus-hit India via special flight

More than 170 South Korean residents in virus-hit India returned home on Tuesday via a special flight, and more people will come home this week, health authorities said. A flight operated by Indian air carrier Vistara landed at Incheon International Airport around 10:17 a.m. with 172 passengers, including workers of Hyundai Motor Co., after departing from Chennai International Airport in southern India. India has been a virus hotspot in recent months, with a COVID-19 variant strain also posin

Social AffairsMay 4, 2021

Over 40 foreigners found infected with COVID-19 in Gangneung's preemptive testing

GANGNEUNG -- More than 40 foreign migrant workers in the east coast city of Gangneung tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday after preemptive coronavirus testing, municipal officials said. The municipality of Gangneung, 240 kilometers east of Seoul, has so far conducted the preemptive testing on 743 migrant workers and 43 of them were diagnosed with the new coronavirus, the officials said. By nationality, Russians accounted for 36 of the confirmed cases, with the others from Central Asian nat

Social AffairsMay 4, 2021

7 soldiers test positive for virus in another cluster infection

Seven soldiers at an Army base in Yangju, just north of Seoul, have tested positive for the new coronavirus in another cluster infection reported in barracks, the defense ministry said Tuesday. One of the soldiers first tested positive upon returning from vacation after a family member was found to have contracted COVID-19, according to the ministry. In subsequent tests conducted on 50 people who had direct contact with the soldier, six tested positive, while 12 are awaiting their results. The

DefenseMay 4, 2021

CIO's authority over indictments faces backlash from prosecutors

The new corruption investigative body's policy to supersede the prosecution has triggered an escalating backlash, offering a potential flash point between the two powerful agencies. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) announced Monday its rules on investigation, including superseding power over indictment in certain cases. The CIO, which began operation in January, is authorized to investigate and prosecute former and current public officials for corruption, in

PoliticsMay 4, 2021

[Graphic News] Cyberbullying sharply increases as classes go online: survey

　Cases of cyberbullying involving elementary to high school students increased sharply last year as the new coronavirus pandemic turned many classes online, a survey showed. 　According to the survey released by the Blue Tree Foundation, cyberbullying accounted for 16.3 percent of all school bullying cases experienced by respondents last year, up more than threefold from 5.3 percent in 2019. 　The survey canvassed 6,230 students attending elementary, middle and high schools in 17 cities and

NationalMay 4, 2021

New cases bounce back to 500s; variants emerging as another drag

South Korea's daily new virus cases bounced back to the 500s on Tuesday amid growing fears that rising cases of COVID-19 variants could become another challenge to the country's virus battle. The country reported 541 more COVID-19 cases, including 514 local infections, raising the total caseload to 124,269, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The country added six more deaths, raising the death toll to 1,840. The daily caseload had been in the 600s since Wednesday, b

Social AffairsMay 4, 2021

NK paper says coronavirus vaccines 'far from a panacea' amid delay in securing supplies

North Korea's official newspaper on Tuesday urged people to brace for a prolonged fight against the coronavirus pandemic, saying that vaccines are not a cure-all solution, amid the country's apparent failure to secure supplies. "The situations in many countries prove that vaccines are far from a panacea," the Rodong Sinmun said. "Some vaccines, which had been considered highly effective, caused severe side effects, including even death, leading many countries to stop their use.&q

North KoreaMay 4, 2021

Biden raises ceiling for refugees to US amid COVID-19 pandemic, Myanmar unrest

US President Joe Biden on Monday signed an executive order to sharply increase the number of refugees to be admitted into the United States this year, citing "grave humanitarian concerns." The executive order raises to 62,500 from 15,000 the number of refugees to be allowed into the US in fiscal year 2021. The fiscal year ends Sept. 30. "Given the ongoing unforeseen emergency refugee situation, I now determine, consistent with my Administration's prior consultation with the Cong

Foreign AffairsMay 4, 2021

New N. Korea policy does not affect US defense posture in S. Korea: Pentagon

The new US policy toward North Korea does not affect the United States' alliance with South Korea or its defense commitment on the Korean Peninsula, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday. John Kirby made the remark when asked if the outcome of the recently concluded North Korea policy review may affect the US defense posture on the Korean Peninsula. "We also have concomitant alliance requirements on the peninsula with our South Korean allies to continue to make sure we are, as the saying goes,

Foreign AffairsMay 4, 2021