S. Korea to provide W2.3b to repair bridge near DMZ

South Korea decided Thursday to spend 2.3 billion won ($2.1 million) of inter-Korean cooperation funds to repair a flood-damaged bridge near the border with North Korea, the unification ministry said. A civilian-government committee on inter-Korean exchanges approved the decision to use the funds to rebuild the "Bima Bridge," a sole path toward the Arrowhead Ridge on the border with North Korea in Cheorwon, some 90 kilometers northeast of Seoul. The bridge was destroyed by heavy down

North KoreaApril 8, 2021

Arms procurement agency on alert over series of COVID-19 infections

A military officer working for the arms procurement agency tested positive for the new coronavirus, the latest in a series of confirmed cases there, the defense ministry said Thursday. The officer of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has been in isolation after coming into close contact with his colleague who earlier tested positive, according to the ministry. Since last week, the agency has reported six COVID-19 cases, including the latest one. All of them worked at a same

DefenseApril 8, 2021

N. Korea calls on 'cell secretaries' not to overlook misconduct of members

North Korea urged the grassroots leaders of the ruling Workers' Party not to overlook "wrong deeds" of their members, state media said Thursday, as the country steps up efforts to carry out economic development and other goals put forward earlier this year. A conference of the party's "cell secretaries" has been under way in the North since Tuesday. The meeting came as the country is striving to drum up support for goals and policy directions put forth during the eighth part

North KoreaApril 8, 2021

New virus cases most in 3 months; AstraZeneca jabs rollout set to resume

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases hit the highest in three months Thursday as the country pushes for the resumption of AstraZeneca vaccine rollout amid lingering woes over its safety. The country reported 700 more COVID-19 cases, including 674 local infections, raising the total caseload to 107,598, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. It marked the highest level since 870 cases on Jan. 7 and a rise from 668 on Wednesday. The country added two more deaths from C

Social AffairsApril 8, 2021

White House denies ongoing discussions with allies to boycott Beijing Olympics

The White House on Wednesday denied any discussions with US allies to jointly boycott the 2022 Winter Olympic Games to be held in Beijing as part of efforts to hold China accountable for its suppression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the United States will work closely with allies for their shared interests but reiterated "no discussion" is under way. "Our position on the 2022 Olympics has not changed. We have not discussed and are not discussing

Foreign AffairsApril 8, 2021

Military training important to protecting US interest on Korean Peninsula: Pentagon

WASHINGTON -- Defense readiness is especially crucial on the Korean Peninsula, a Pentagon spokesman said Wednesday, highlighting the importance of military exercises there. John Kirby said the US goal remains the denuclearization of North Korea. "Training is important on the peninsula. We have to make sure that the alliance is sound and solid and ready to, obviously, defend our interests and the interests of our Korean allies on any given day," he said at a press briefing. South Kor

Foreign AffairsApril 8, 2021

US prepared for diplomacy for denuclearization of N. Korea: White House spokeswoman

WASHINGTON -- The United States is prepared to engage in some form of diplomacy with North Korea if it will lead to denuclearization on the peninsula, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Wednesday. She said the US remains committed to denuclearization of North Korea. "We have a clear objective as it relates to North Korea, which is denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula," the spokeswoman said at a daily press briefing. "We are, of course, continuing to enforce sanctions. We are

Foreign AffairsApril 8, 2021

Ruling party suffers mayoral election debacle in Seoul, Busan

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea suffered an election debacle Thursday in the Seoul and Busan mayoral race regarded by many as a litmus test for next year's presidential electionon.  Oh Se-hoon, a former mayor and the sole candidate from the main opposition People Power Party, won the by-election for Seoul mayor by a landslide. Oh of the main opposition People Power Party defeated his rival from the DP, Park Young-sun, 57.5 percent to 39 percent to claim the Seoul mayor

PoliticsApril 8, 2021

Ruling party suffers crushing defeat in bellwether by-elections

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) suffered a crushing defeat in mayoral by-elections in Seoul and Busan Wednesday, seen as a critical bellwether for next year's presidential poll. Oh Se-hoon of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) defeated his rival from the DP, Park Young-sun, 57.5 percent to 39 percent to claim the Seoul mayoral seat, according to the final vote tally released by the National Election Commission. The mayoral seat in Busan, the country's second-largest city, also went

PoliticsApril 8, 2021

6.45 million voters rush to cast ballots for mayoral by-elections

Some 6.45 million voters rushed to polling stations Wednesday to cast their ballots for the mayor of Seoul and Busan, the two largest municipalities in South Korea. According to preliminary data from the National Election Commission, 56.8 percent of 12.16 million eligible voters cast their votes during the two-day-long early voting period and from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the day of the election. Some 58.2 percent of 8.43 million eligible voters cast their ballots to choose the next mayor of Seoul.

PoliticsApril 7, 2021

South Korea pauses AstraZeneca vaccinations for people under 60

South Korea has paused AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccinations for people younger than 60 following a third case of blood clotting in a recipient. The latest case was a previously healthy medical worker in her 20s who came down with blood clots in her lung and her leg about two weeks after her vaccination, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency told reporters in a closed door briefing. The decision to withhold the vaccine’s use for younger populations will likely strike a blow to the

Social AffairsApril 7, 2021

Korea finds third blood-clotting case among AstraZeneca vaccine recipients

A medical worker in her 20s developed blood clots in the lungs and a leg after getting a first dose of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, Korean health authorities said Wednesday. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency told reporters in a closed door briefing that the previously healthy woman started experiencing breathlessness roughly 12 days after she was inoculated with the AstraZeneca shot on March 17. She was diagnosed with pulmonary embolism, or blood clots in the lung, and

Social AffairsApril 7, 2021

S. Korean, EU defense chiefs affirm cooperation on NK

The South Korean and European Union defense chiefs agreed to cooperate on Seoul’s initiative to engage North Korea in talks to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, at a face-to-face meeting in Seoul on Wednesday. Defense Minister Suh Wook and Gen. Claudio Graziano, chairman of the EU Military Committee, discussed expanding ties to deal with security concerns on the Korean Peninsula and in the surrounding regions. Graziano, who represents the defense chiefs of the 27-member EU, reports t

DefenseApril 7, 2021

N. Korea highlights role of WHO amid coronavirus pandemic

North Korea's Cabinet newspaper called Wednesday for strengthening the role of the World Health Organization, saying the country should work closely with the organization to improve the health of its people. The Minju Joson paper made the case in a commentary published on the occasion of World Health Day, saying that billions of people around the world lack access to basic medical services despite big progress in medicine and science technology. "As the COVID-19 swept across the world rec

North KoreaApril 7, 2021

Ex-top justice claims innocence in trial over alleged judiciary power abuse

Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae on Wednesday denied his alleged role in a judiciary power abuse scandal during the conservative administration of Park Geun-hye, who was impeached. Yang, who headed the top court from 2011-17, is accused of having pressed his officials at the National Court Administration, the top court's governing body, to devise plans to influence politically sensitive trials for Park, who is now jailed over corruption charges. "The gale that blows in the

PoliticsApril 7, 2021

[#WeFACE] ‘Seoul needs more forests, parks’

While politicians make real estate development in Seoul their top priority, environmental campaigners say the next mayor must pay more attention to climate and environmental issues for the sake of future generations.　 “The direction we’ve been running so far has been to create added value by building more properties, roads and cars. I think it is time that we can turn around a little,” said Kim Dong-eon, eco-city team leader at the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement,

Social AffairsApril 7, 2021

Elections plagued with tons of unrecyclable plastic waste

Concerns over the environmental impact of elections are once again rising in the wake of Wednesday’s by-elections in Seoul and Busan, with rival election campaigns producing tons of trash. Only a fraction is likely to be recycled. Environmentalists are seeking legislative changes to prevent the use of nonrecyclable banners and placards as voters flock to online channels when making their political choices. The move could help the country become more eco-friendly and could make campaigns

Social AffairsApril 7, 2021

S. Korea approves Janssen's COVID-19 vaccine

South Korea's drug safety agency on Wednesday approved the COVID-19 vaccine by Johnson & Johnson's Janssen as it showed around 66 percent efficacy against the new coronavirus, becoming the third vaccine approved here. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety authorized the use of Janssen's one-shot regimen as the vaccine is effective in preventing moderate to severe COVID-19 infections among adults aged 18 and older. It marked the third COVID-19 vaccine approved by South Korean authorities fol

Social AffairsApril 7, 2021

[Newsmaker] US law students ask Biden to engage in ‘comfort women’ issue

Asian students in 15 US law schools including Harvard asked the White House to engage in the “comfort women” issue ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s US visit. The Harvard Asian Pacific American Law Students Association said Tuesday that they sent a letter, co-signed by the Asian law student associations of 14 other universities such as Columbia, Stanford and Yale, requesting US President Joe Biden to raise the issue of Japan’s wartime sex slavery during h

Foreign AffairsApril 7, 2021

Main opposition crushes ruling bloc in by-elections

Oh Se-hoon, a former mayor and the sole candidate from the main opposition People Power Party, won the by-election for Seoul mayor by a landslide. Oh won the race, taking 57.5 percent of the votes, compared to former SMEs minister Park Young-sun's 38.18 percent.  Exits poll results showed that Oh received 59 percent of the votes while Park Young-sun, former minister of SMEs and startups and the sole candidate from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, received 37.7 percent of the votes i

PoliticsApril 7, 2021