Most Popular
-
1
[Exclusive] Korean adoptee sisters meet for the first time in 39 years
-
2
Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
-
3
Rose's 'Apt.' redefines K-pop's global appeal
-
4
Yoon calls for measures to protect Koreans amid escalating Iran-Israel conflicts
-
5
Two years on, thousands mourn Itaewon tragedy, calling for accountability
-
6
Civil servant’s death linked to workplace bullying
-
7
[Weekender] Walk around Korea to really get to know the country
-
8
N. Korea slams Seoul-Washington joint air exercise
-
9
[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
-
10
[Herald Interview] K-pop’s 'best years are ahead of us': Spotify’s general manager for Asia Pacific
-
Lawmaker eyes tougher penalties for public officials' land speculation based on inside info
A progressive lawmaker said Monday she will push for a law revision in collaboration with two civic groups to toughen punishment of public officials who use inside information to speculate on land that is under review or chosen for a state housing project. Rep. Sim Sang-jeung, former head of the minor opposition Justice Party, and two civic groups -- People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy and Lawyers for a Democratic Society -- announced the plan to revise the Special Act on Public Ho
PoliticsMarch 8, 2021
-
S. Korea tipped to OK AstraZeneca vaccine for over-65s
South Korea's health authorities are likely to approve AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine for people aged 65 and older this week following the publication of new data overseas showing effectiveness. An independent panel under the health ministry has concluded that the AstraZeneca vaccine is OK for older people, following in the footsteps of several European countries that reversed decisions on the two-dose regimen developed by British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and Oxford University f
Social AffairsMarch 8, 2021
-
Korea, US reach accord on troop cost sharing
South Korea and the US have reached an agreement on how much Seoul should shoulder for hosting US troops here, both countries announced Monday, ending years of standoff over the thorny issue. A major breakthrough to the talks on renewing the Special Measures Agreement, the pact that governs the upkeep of US Forces Korea, came amid three days of face-to-face meetings on Sunday in Washington, led by Jeong Eun-bo, Seoul’s chief negotiator, and his US counterpart, Donna Welton. &nb
Foreign AffairsMarch 8, 2021
-
S. Korea confirms 20 more cases of COVID-19 variants, total now at 182
South Korea has confirmed 20 more cases of contagious variants of the new coronavirus, bringing the total to 182, according to health authorities Monday amid concerns that the variants may worsen the country's virus battle. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the 20 people were confirmed to have been infected with three kinds of variants that are known to be more transmissible over the past week. Of them, nine people were local infections, all South Korean nationals, an
Social AffairsMarch 8, 2021
-
Yoon’s approval rating jumps after resignation
A year before the next presidential election, former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl’s approval rating as a potential presidential candidate has soared following his resignation last week. According to a survey of 1,123 citizens aged 18 or older conducted on Friday, Yoon has the highest support of possible presidential candidates with 32.4 percent. Yoon’s approval rating jumped 17.8 percentage points in just six weeks compared to 14.6 percent on Jan. 22. Gyeonggi Province Gov.
PoliticsMarch 8, 2021
-
[Newsmaker] Polls show opposition only has chance if Seoul mayoral vote is two-horse race
Survey results released by two pollsters Monday showed that the opposition could win the Seoul mayoral election next month, but only if they unify their candidacies. The same day People Power Party’s Oh Se-hoon and minor opposition People’s Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo revealed they had begun talks on doing so. Oh and Ahn said in radio interviews Monday morning that they met Sunday night over beer and agreed that unifying the candidacy was a must, and that it should be done before o
Social AffairsMarch 8, 2021
-
50 employees of livestock meat facility additionally diagnosed with COVID-19
ANSEONG -- More than 50 employees from a livestock meat processing and auction facility south of Seoul have tested positive for the coronavirus, officials said Monday, becoming the latest in a recent string of mass infections at industrial workplaces. According to the municipality of Anseong, 77 kilometers from Seoul, 50 employees of the Anseong Livestock Product Joint Market were additionally confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 after two others first tested positive for the virus Saturday.
Social AffairsMarch 8, 2021
-
Moon vows efforts to reduce 'career interruptions' of Korean women
President Moon Jae-in pledged Monday to redouble efforts to create a world where women can play the "role of leaders with equal rights" in every field. He issued the message on the occasion of International Women's Day. "When more women can work in a greater variety of positions without career interruptions, an inclusive recovery and leap forward will also accelerate," he wrote on his social messaging accounts. Even amid the difficulties caused by COVID-19, women have been
PoliticsMarch 8, 2021
-
85,000 foreign workers in Gyeonggi ordered to take COVID-19 test before March 22
All foreign workers in Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, were ordered Monday to take the coronavirus test before March 22, as part of authorities' efforts to cope with a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in foreigner-dense areas and workplaces. The latest administrative order from the provincial government of Gyeonggi was delivered to about 85,000 foreign workers in the nation's most populous province via their employers, officials said. Under the order, the migrant workers hired by some
Social AffairsMarch 8, 2021
-
S. Korea calls on NK to take 'wise, flexible' approach toward military exercise with US
The unification ministry urged North Korea to take a "wise and flexible" approach toward a springtime combined military exercise that South Korea and the United States kicked off in a scaled-back manner Monday. North Korea has long demanded an end to the joint military drills between the two allies, denouncing them as a rehearsal for invasion. During a rare party congress in January, leader Kim Jong-un repeated such calls, citing it as a crucial matter to improve inter-Korean ties.
DefenseMarch 8, 2021
-
[Newsmaker] Another delivery worker dies from apparent overwork
Another parcel delivery worker was found dead from apparent overwork last weekend, a labor union said Monday. The 48-year-old man, surnamed Lee, was found dead by police at his "gosiwon," a low-cost accommodation facility, in southeastern Seoul on Saturday afternoon, according to the Taekbae Union, which represents couriers here. Lee, who was employed by Coupang Corp., the country's leading e-commerce operator, is the latest delivery worker to die from apparent overwork. Last year, 1
Social AffairsMarch 8, 2021
-
Monthly average of foreign arrivals below 10,000 from April to Dec. last year
Fewer than 10,000 foreign tourists visited South Korea a month last year after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, official data showed Monday. According to the state-run Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), the average number of foreign travelers here was only 9,722 per month from April to December last year, illustrating the drastic impact COVID-19 had on the local tourism sector. The number of inbound tourists has yet to recover from the coronavirus crisis after hitting an annual low in
Social AffairsMarch 8, 2021
-
Military reports 3 additional virus cases, total exceeds 600
Two Army soldiers and a Marine have tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections reported among the military population to 601, the defense ministry said Monday. The full-time reserve Marine in Ganghwa, west of Seoul, was found to have contracted COVID-19 after a family member was confirmed infected, according to the ministry. An Army enlistee in the northeastern county of Hwacheon tested positive after a vacation, while an officer in Yangpyeong, some 55 ki
DefenseMarch 8, 2021
-
Main opposition leads ruling party in Seoul in opinion poll ahead of mayoral by-election
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is leading the ruling Democratic Party (DP) in public approval in Seoul, the latest opinion poll showed Monday, a month before a mayoral by-election in the capital. The poll conducted on 2,006 voters nationwide from Tuesday to Friday by Realmeter showed the PPP scored 34.2 percent of the support in Seoul while the DP had 29.6 percent. The PPP retook the lead after the DP was 1.8 percentage point ahead in the previous survey by the same pollster.
PoliticsMarch 8, 2021
-
Yoon Seok-youl's support rate shoots up after resignation to lead polls on presidential race
Public support for Yoon Seok-youl has bounced back sharply to take the lead over other potential presidential candidates in South Korea, a poll showed Monday, following his resignation from the post of prosecutor general last week. The Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI) said he has garnered 32.4 percent in the survey of 1,023 likely voters nationwide. Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) ranked second with 24.1 percent followed by the party's leader Lee
PoliticsMarch 8, 2021
-
[Graphic News] Nearly one-third of South Koreans experienced online violence last year
Over 30 percent of South Koreans experienced online violence either as a victim or an abuser last year, according to a survey by the country‘s media regulator. The Korea Communications Commission said 32.7 percent responded that they had experienced online violence last year in a survey of 7,458 people, down 0.8 percentage point from 2019. The survey found that experience in online violence as a victim last year reached 29.7 percent, compared with that as an abuser at 16.8 percent,
NationalMarch 8, 2021
-
2 American soldiers in Dongducheon test positive for coronavirus
Two American soldiers based in South Korea have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the US Forces Korea (USFK) has said. The soldiers at Camp Hovey in Dongducheon, 40 kilometers north of Seoul, were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 on Thursday and Friday through the US military's surveillance testing program, according to the USFK. USFK recently restricted its members from off-post dining in Dongducheon, and banned travel to and from the city except for approved mission essential act
Social AffairsMarch 8, 2021
-
New virus cases under 400 on less testing; potential resurgence
South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell back below 400 on Monday apparently due to less testing over the weekend, but health authorities remained wary of a potential resurgence as outdoor activity increases due to warmer weather. The country reported 346 more COVID-19 cases, including 335 local infections, raising the total caseload to 92,817, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Daily infections had been above 400 for two consecutive days, with 418 cases Saturda
Social AffairsMarch 8, 2021
-
S. Korea, US kick off scaled-back combined exercise
South Korea and the United States on Monday kicked off a springtime combined military exercise in a scaled-back manner amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The computer-simulated Combined Command Post Training (CCPT), set to continue until March 18, involves a "minimum level of troops" compared with previous ones given the coronavirus situation, and no outdoor drills will take place, according to the military. "The training is to maintain our joint r
DefenseMarch 8, 2021
-
S. Korea, US reach defense cost-sharing agreement: Seoul
WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States have reached an agreement on Seoul's share of the burden in maintaining US troops on the Korean Peninsula, Seoul's foreign ministry said Sunday. The agreement came in their latest negotiations held in Washington. "In the first in-person meeting to be held in almost a year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, negotiators from South Korea and the United States held talks on the 11th South Korea-US Special Measures Agreement (SMA) based on their discuss
DefenseMarch 8, 2021