No plan to deploy new anti-missile assets in S. Korea: USFK

The US Forces Korea (USFK) said Friday its commander's recent remark on a plan to build new missile defense capabilities on the Korean Peninsula does not involve the introduction of new equipment or units. Gen. Robert Abrams said Wednesday that the United States will deploy two "specific" anti-ballistic missile capabilities in South Korea this year in addition to one that is already in place. His remarks raised speculation that the US might be considering bringing in an additional Ter

DefenseMarch 12, 2021

NK's official paper calls for tighter antivirus efforts in time for spring season

North Korea's official paper urged the people not to let their guard down against the new coronavirus, saying laxity is the "greatest enemy" in their ongoing efforts to ward off the highly contagious disease. North Korea has claimed to be coronavirus-free but has taken relatively swift and tough measures against the global pandemic, such as imposing strict border controls since early last year. "Arrogance, carelessness, laxity and negligence are the greatest enemies in our emerg

North KoreaMarch 12, 2021

US soldier at Camp Humphreys tests positive for COVID-19

An American service member stationed at a US military base in South Korea has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the US Forces Korea (USFK) said Friday. The soldier at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 on Tuesday in a virus test conducted prior to a permanent change of station travel to the United States, according to the USFK. The soldier last visited the base Tuesday and Osan Air Base, also in Pyeongtaek, on Sunday, an

DefenseMarch 12, 2021

New virus cases reach 3-week high; virus curbs to be extended

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases remained above 400 for the fourth consecutive day Friday, hitting a three-week high and prompting authorities to extend the current social distancing measures for two weeks. The country reported 488 more COVID-19 cases, including 467 local infections, raising the total caseload to 94,686, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The country added 10 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the total to 1,662. The daily caseload has staye

Social AffairsMarch 12, 2021

Coordinated approach toward China an element of Blinken's trip to Asia: spokesman

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will discuss ways to jointly deal with China when he visits South Korea and Japan next week, the State Department spokesman said Thursday, calling it one of objectives of Blinken's upcoming trip. Ned Price said the secretary's trip will demonstrate the importance the US places on its alliances, as well as its efforts to reinvigorate them. "Of course, a coordinated approach to China is one of the elements that will be on the agenda in both

Foreign AffairsMarch 12, 2021

S. Korea to extend current social distancing measures for 2 weeks: PM

South Korea will extend its current social distancing measures for another two weeks, the prime minister said Friday, as sporadic COVID-19 cluster infections continue to pop up across the country. "The government will extend the current distancing levels, which end March 14, for another two weeks," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a regular COVID-19 response meeting in Seoul. The greater Seoul area, home to around half of the nation's 52-million population, will remain under

Social AffairsMarch 12, 2021

Medical workers share what to expect after COVID-19 vaccination

South Korean health care professionals, who are being offered the country’s first doses of COVID-19 vaccines, on Thursday gave those further down the priority list a heads up on what to expect when they finally get vaccinated. Onetime director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Jung Ki-suck said in a phone call with The Korea Herald Thursday morning that his reaction to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has been mild so far, though “more feisty” than

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

UN official urges Seoul to address NK rights violations

The United Nations investigator of human rights violations in North Korea on Wednesday called on South Korea to address the North’s rights violations in nuclear talks and to seek economic and humanitarian exchanges in a human rights-based framework. Tomas Ojea Quintana, the special rapporteur on North Korea human rights, urged the South Korean government to take action in a report to the UN Human Rights Council. “We are not hesitant to follow up on those recommendations,” a

North KoreaMarch 11, 2021

FM sends solace message to Japanese counterpart over 10th anniv. of East Japan quake

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong has sent a "message of solace" to his Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the massive earthquake on Japan's east coast, his ministry said Thursday. Chung delivered the message Wednesday, as Seoul seeks to mend ties with Tokyo, strained over colonial-era history and trade, amid Washington's calls for stronger trilateral cooperation with its Asian allies to confront shared challenges. "On the occasion

Foreign AffairsMarch 11, 2021

9 USFK-affiliated people test positive for COVID-19

Eight American service members and a contractor for the US Forces Korea (USFK) have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon their arrival here, the US military said Thursday. Four of the service members arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, on US government chartered flights, while the others arrived here on commercial flights, according to the USFK. They have been transferred to isolation facilities for confirmed patients, and the US military has completed disinfection

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

S. Korea newly confirms 75 cases of emerging COVID-19 variants

South Korea has detected a total of 75 cases of "emerging" variants of the novel coronavirus since December, health authorities said Thursday. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said these variants are different from the three most-known mutations from Britain, South Africa and Brazil that are known to be more transmissible. There is no indication yet whether these new strains are more deadly than current circulating variants of the virus, the KDCA said. Of the t

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

Northwestern University Korea Alumni Association supports multicultural families

Northwestern University Korea Alumni Association donated food, children supply, book vouchers and masks to the Yongsan-gu Multicultural Family Support Center on Wednesday. This is the Association’s ongoing efforts to assist marginalized members of society suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-packaged boxes of food, including non-perishable items and masks, were distributed to the Center through in-kind donations by the CEOs of Foosung HDS (Nayeon Kim), Noodle Lovers (Cei Chung), Med

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

US against unlocking Iranian funds in Korea without nuclear compliance

The United States will not release any of the Iranian funds frozen in South Korean banks under the US sanctions until Tehran complies with the 2015 nuclear deal, raising concern that the standoff between Seoul and Tehran over the locked assets may be prolonged. 　 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the remark Wednesday (US time) at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, when he was asked about recent reports that Washington had agreed to release some of the Iranian money held in Kore

Foreign AffairsMarch 11, 2021

Unrest in Myanmar bears similarities to Gwangju Uprising in 1980

The nationwide crackdown and shootings at protesters in Myanmar against the military rulers’ overthrow of an elected government last month are becoming increasingly reminiscent of what happened in Gwangju 41 years ago. Scores of people have been killed and about 1,800 others have been detained since the military coup on Feb. 1 that ousted Myanmar’s civilian leaders including state councilor Aung San Suu Kyi. The Southeast Asian country had been under military rule for nearly half a

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

NK paper stresses close relations with Cuba amid impasse in nuclear talks

North Korea's main newspaper on Thursday stressed close relations with Cuba in time for the 35th anniversary of a former Cuban leader's visit to Pyongyang. The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Workers' Party, said in an editorial that the two countries are "firmly united by a sense of comradery in the common battle for socialism." "We will continue to put our best efforts to strengthen our unwavering friendship and solidarity with the people of Cuba," the

North KoreaMarch 11, 2021

Govt. identifies 20 LH officials suspected of land speculation

The government has identified seven more public officials suspected of buying land for speculation, bringing the total number to 20, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Thursday, declaring a "war" against real estate crime. Chung said at a press conference that all the 20 people work for the state housing developer, Korea Land and Housing Corp. (LH), and purchased land mainly in the Gwangmyeong-Siheung area of Gyeonggi Province, which has been designated as the site of a major public h

PoliticsMarch 11, 2021

[Newsmaker] Hazing among nurses comes back to spotlight with online post

An online community post has once again shed light on the prevalence of hazing among nurses. In a post uploaded onto local community website Nate Pann on Friday, a user who claimed to be a nurse accused a nursing professor of verbally and physically harassing her over a 13-month period around nine years ago. The post alleged that the female professor, who was then a senior nurse, had bullied the younger staff member when both worked in an intensive care unit at the Chungbuk National Universit

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

Nearly 40% of S. Koreans think air quality improved last year amid pandemic

Nearly 40 percent of South Koreans think air quality relatively improved last year from two years earlier, a survey showed Thursday, as fine dust air pollution declined amid the pandemic. Some 38.2 percent of those surveyed by the Statistics Research Institute said the country's air quality improved last year, up from 28.6 percent in 2018. Since 2012, the index gauging people's satisfaction toward air quality had been on the decline due largely to fine dust. But last year, it improved apparen

Social AffairsMarch 11, 2021

Moon’s push for peace talks gains momentum

President Moon Jae-in’s push to revive denuclearization talks is expected to gain fresh momentum as he plans to hold in-person talks with senior US officials next week to discuss pending issues, including Washington’s ongoing policy review on North Korea. On Wednesday, the two governments announced that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit Seoul on March 17-18 after a three-day visit to Tokyo in their first overseas trip since the launc

Foreign AffairsMarch 11, 2021

FM vows to create new opportunities for inter-Korean ties on 30th anniv. of joint accession to UN

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong on Thursday pledged continued efforts to create new opportunities to enhance inter-Korean ties on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the two Koreas' joint accession to the United Nations. Chung made the pledge during his phone talks with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as Seoul seeks to resume stalled dialogue with Pyongyang and advance its agenda for lasting peace on the divided Korean Peninsula. "Secretary General Guterres expressed invariable

Foreign AffairsMarch 11, 2021