S. Korea to kick off unmanned surveillance vehicle development in earnest

South Korea will push for the development of a state-of-the-art unmanned surveillance vehicle in earnest after years of preliminary research into the project, the arms procurement agency said Thursday. According to the Defense Acquisition Administration (DAPA), it successfully wrapped up the exploratory development of the robotic vehicle for surveillance purposes, which began in 2018 in cooperation with the Agency for Defense Development and local defense firms. The novel platform will be equi

DefenseApril 22, 2021

NK leader sends third congratulatory message to Cuba's new president

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent his third congratulatory message to Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel this week alone, expressing hope that relations between the two countries will "grow stronger," according to state media Thursday. The latest message, delivered Tuesday to mark the Cuban leader's birthday, came after Kim already sent two congratulatory messages earlier this week on his recent election as the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba. North Korea conside

North KoreaApril 22, 2021

New virus cases in 700s for 2nd day; vaccinations set to top 2m

South Korea reported more than 700 new virus cases for the second straight day on Thursday amid lingering woes over another wave of the pandemic as the country's vaccination campaign gathers pace, with vaccinations set to top 2 million. The country identified 735 more COVID-19 cases, including 715 local infections, raising the total caseload to 116,661, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The figure was the highest since Jan. 7 when the country reported 869 cases. It

Social AffairsApril 22, 2021

US focused on vaccinating Americans, but may help others later: Price

The United States is currently focused on vaccinating its own people for the COVID-19 pandemic but may be able to help other countries in the future, a State Department spokesman said Wednesday. Ned Price made the remark after South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong said his country was in "earnest discussion" with the United States to borrow COVID-19 vaccines in what he called a "vaccine swap" arrangement. The department spokesman said he will not get into the details

Foreign AffairsApril 22, 2021

N. Korea seeking to defeat US missile defenses: CRS report

North Korea appears to be working to develop capabilities that can degrade or even defeat US missile defense systems deployed in its region, a congressional report suggested. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) report also noted the North's efforts to develop weapons may be more than just a political statement. "The recent advances in North Korea's ballistic missile test program appear to be directed at developing capabilities to defeat or degrade the effectiveness of missile defense

North KoreaApril 22, 2021

COVID-19 vaccines are coming, government tells pandemic-weary Koreans

South Korean officials are struggling to put herd immunity anxieties to rest, as COVID-19 vaccinations have hit bumpy ground here amid a sluggish rollout and supply shortages. With only about 3 percent of the 51 million population at least partially vaccinated to date, doubts are setting in over the administration’s proclaimed goal of having herd immunity by November. The administration estimates vaccination coverage of 70 percent would be required to reach that threshold. Still, achi

Social AffairsApril 21, 2021

Moon still holds hope of Pyongyang joining Tokyo Olympics

President Moon Jae-in is not ruling out the possibility of North Korea participating in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, which he said could pave the way for the two Koreas to co-host the 2032 Olympics, according to a senior Cheong Wa Dae official on Wednesday. “It remains to be seen whether North Korea will participate in the Tokyo Olympics. North Korea tends to make a big decision at the last minute,” the president reportedly said during a luncheon with the new mayors of Seoul and B

PoliticsApril 21, 2021

Parliament lifts arrest immunity of independent lawmaker at center of Easter Jet probe

The National Assembly on Wednesday passed a motion that allows prosecutors to arrest Rep. Lee Sang-jik, the founder of the cash-strapped budget carrier Eastar Jet under investigation on charges of embezzlement and breach of trust. The motion to allow the arrest of Lee was passed in a 206-38 vote at a plenary session of the National Assembly. Eleven people abstained from voting. Lee is currently under criminal investigation for allegedly colluding with a senior company official, who was indicte

PoliticsApril 21, 2021

S. Korea voices deep disappointment over Suga's offering to Yasukuni war shrine

South Korea voiced "deep disappointment and regrets" on Wednesday over Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's ritual offering to a war shrine seen as a symbol of Japan's past militarism. Suga sent a "masasaki" tree to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on the occasion of an annual spring festival. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid his respects in person. "The government expresses deep disappointment and regrets that the Japanese government and its parliam

Foreign AffairsApril 21, 2021

Soongsil University team wins government project on AI security

A Soongsil University team has been selected for a government-funded project developing information technology security, the university said Wednesday. The team, led by professor Choi Dae-seon of Soongsil University’s Department of Software, will receive 3.75 billion won ($3.35 million) over the course of six years in a program sponsored by the Ministry of Science and ICT’s Institute for Information and Communications. The team will focus on analyzing security threats against edge

Social AffairsApril 21, 2021

Navy reaffirms commitment to aircraft carrier project

An aircraft carrier will strengthen South Korea’s naval power at a relatively affordable price, the Navy said Wednesday, amid controversy surrounding its 2 trillion-won ($1.8 billion) project to build the first aircraft carrier by 2033. “The homegrown weapon will rein in North Korea’s aggression and will put us at advantage in the event of conflict. It will help advance our interests in peacetime,” a senior Navy official said at a briefing. The official said Seoul needs

DefenseApril 21, 2021

[News Focus] Achievement gaps widen as remote learning continues amid COVID-19

Classrooms centered on remote learning are interfering with learning and compounding existing achievement gaps among students in South Korea, a report has found. The report released Tuesday showed that the achievement gap among middle school students grew faster in 2020 than in previous years. The authors asked the educational authorities to improve online learning systems and interaction among students and teachers. According to a study by the Seoul Education Research and Information Institut

Social AffairsApril 21, 2021

Assembly speaker calls for vaccine cooperation from Europe

National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug held talks with European Parliament President David Sassoli on Tuesday to discuss pending issues such as the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, Japan‘s wastewater release and peace process on the Korean Peninsula, among others. During the dialogue via video link, Park asked for Sassoli’s attention and cooperation from the European Parliament to allow vaccines produced in Europe to be introduced to Korea in a timely manner. Korea’s vaccin

PoliticsApril 21, 2021

S. Korea reelected to WFP's executive board for 2022-24

South Korea has been reelected to the executive board of the World Food Programme (WFP) for the 2022-24 period, the foreign ministry said Wednesday. The decision was made at a UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) meeting on Tuesday. South Korea has been on the 36-member governing body of the WEF since 2019. The executive board is in charge of instructing the UN food assistance body with policy directions and the supervision of its overall activities. "The government will actively t

Foreign AffairsApril 21, 2021

Court says Japan can't be forced to pay former sex slaves' legal fees

A local court has determined that Japan cannot be forced to pay the legal fees of former South Korean sex slaves in a recent landmark case due to a potential conflict with international law, judicial sources said Wednesday. The Seoul Central District Court made the determination on March 29, almost three months after it ordered the Japanese government to pay reparations of 100 million won ($89,600) each to 12 South Korean "comfort women" who were forced to provide sex for Japanese tro

Foreign AffairsApril 21, 2021

FM Chung hopes US will help S. Korea with 'vaccine difficulties'

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong expressed hopes Wednesday that the United States will help South Korea address coronavirus vaccine shortages, just as Seoul helped the US last year by providing test kits and face masks when it was struggling with the pandemic. Chung made the comment in a forum with local journalists, a day after he revealed in a parliamentary session that Seoul is seriously discussing a "vaccine swap" arrangement with Washington. He did not elaborate on what that swap

Foreign AffairsApril 21, 2021

Schools to tighten COVID-19 rules with rise in new cases

The Ministry of Education on Wednesday declared a three-week intensive period for checking COVID-19 rules for all schools, universities and private educational facilities nationwide, responding to a recent spike in in-school transmissions of the coronavirus. The declaration came as the number of COVID-19 infections among students and teachers has recently exceeded 2,000 in one and a half months after the spring semester began in early March. During the special period, students, teachers and sc

Social AffairsApril 21, 2021

'Comfort women' loses lawsuit against Tokyo over wartime sexual slavery

South Korean victims of wartime sexual slavery lost their second lawsuit against the Japanese government Wednesday, suffering a setback in their efforts to hold Tokyo accountable for war crimes. 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 doctrine that allows a state to be immune from a civil suit in foreign courts. &q

Foreign AffairsApril 21, 2021

Military reports 5 new COVID-19 cases

Four service members and a civilian worker for the military have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the latest in a series of infections across the nation, the defense ministry said Wednesday. One Marine in the city of Hwaseong, south of Seoul, and one soldier in the county of Hongcheon, east of Seoul, were confirmed to have been infected following their recent vacations, according to the ministry. One Army officer in the central city of Icheon contracted the virus after coming into cl

DefenseApril 21, 2021

Acting PM urges public to trust govt. virus response amid vaccine procurement woes

Acting Prime Minister Hong Nam-ki on Wednesday asked the public to have faith in the government's overall COVID-19 response amid a steadfast growth of new virus patients and concerns over South Korea's vaccine procurement capacity. "We ask that each individual remain alert and attentive in the current situation but also have faith in our test and medical capabilities, and trust our vaccine administration plan," Hong said during a daily interagency meeting on the coronavirus response.

PoliticsApril 21, 2021