Gyeonggi chief Lee overtakes race in presidential hopefuls poll: Realmeter

Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung topped a latest poll of potential presidential candidates released Monday, gaining significant ground compared to two months ago. In a survey conducted by Realmeter on 2,529 people over the age of 18 from Jan. 25-29, 23.4 percent picked Lee as their favored presidential candidate. Lee saw a 5.2 percentage point jump in favorability in comparison to two months ago. The results marked the first time Lee finished first in a presidential hopeful poll from Realm

PoliticsFeb. 1, 2021

Local govts. compete to pay universal pandemic relief to residents

Many local governments in South Korea are gearing up to resume the provision of universal disaster relief funds to their residents stricken by the prolonged coronavirus pandemic. Gyeonggi Province, the nation's most populous province with about 14 million residents, and Ulsan, a southeastern metropolitan city, began the process of delivering their emergency COVID-19 relief handouts Monday, while a number of other provinces, cities and counties nationwide are moving to follow suit. Gyeonggi and

Social AffairsFeb. 1, 2021

S. Korea confirms new case of highly pathogenic bird flu

South Korea confirmed another case of highly pathogenic bird flu in poultry Monday, bringing the total caseload to 83. The latest case was discovered on an egg farm in Anseong, 77 kilometers south of Seoul, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said. All poultry within a 3-kilometer radius of the infected farm were culled, officials said. The country has now confirmed 83 cases of highly contagious bird flu since late November, when it reported the first such case in nearly three

Social AffairsFeb. 1, 2021

Military to partially allow vacations for new recruits amid extended social distancing

The military decided to partially allow vacations for new recruits as part of efforts to ease the stress of troops amid an extension of toughened social distancing in barracks for another two weeks, the defense ministry said Monday. Since November, the ministry has enforced Level 2.5 social distancing rules, the second highest in its five-tier alert system, following a series of COVID-19 infections across the country. Under the social distancing scheme, troops' vacations and one-day off-instal

DefenseFeb. 1, 2021

Govt. to review easing virus measures before Lunar New Year if situation stabilizes: PM

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Monday asked for the public's continued patience with state measures against COVID-19, adding that authorities could potentially loosen social distancing measures ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. "After monitoring this week's developments, we will carefully review additional easing of antivirus measures if we have the confidence that the situation has definitely stabilized," Chung said during an interagency meeting on the COVID-19 response held at

PoliticsFeb. 1, 2021

New virus cases in 300s for 2nd day amid extended curbs

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases rose by the smallest amount in over two months to stay in the 300s for the second straight day on Monday due to fewer tests over the weekend amid extended tough virus curbs. The country added 305 more COVID-19 cases, including 285 local infections, raising the total caseload to 78,508, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The figure fell from 355 cases Sunday, 458 Saturday and 469 Friday. On Sunday, the tally fell back

Social AffairsFeb. 1, 2021

[Graphic News] Most Koreans adopt wait-and-see approach to COVID jab

　Nearly two-thirds of South Koreans think they will wait to see how the coronavirus vaccine works for other people before getting the jab, a poll showed. 　A survey of 1,094 adult Koreans across the nation, taken by Seoul National University, showed 67.7 percent of respondents taking a wait-and-see attitude toward COVID-19 vaccinations. 　Only 28.6 percent replied that they want to get vaccinated as soon as possible. (Yonhap)

NationalFeb. 1, 2021

S. Korea to invest W2.6tr in defense sector's safety management system

South Korea will invest 2.6 trillion won ($2.3 billion) in the next five years to improve the safety management system in the defense sector, the defense ministry said Monday. Under the plan, the government will cultivate more safety specialists and push to establish a big data-based information system to better manage safety issues by 2025, according to the ministry. The plan also includes replacing old military vehicles with new ones, establishing safety tools for facilities and securing mor

DefenseFeb. 1, 2021

COVID-19 curfew, gatherings ban to extend through Seollal

The South Korean government on Sunday decided against lifting social distancing restrictions as planned, amid concerns holiday travel and gatherings could lead to a COVID-19 surge. This means the 9 p.m. curfew for places with high-contagion risks including food outlets and the ban on gatherings of five people or more will remain in place for another two weeks until after the Seollal holiday on Feb. 14. “The ban on gatherings includes family members who don’t live together. No exce

Social AffairsJan. 31, 2021

Opposition party demands probe into Seoul's alleged push to build nuke plant in N. Korea

The main opposition party on Sunday called for an investigation into allegations that the government of President Moon Jae-in attempted to help build a nuclear power plant in North Korea. Calling the allegations "earth-shattering" if true, Kim Chong-in, the leader of the People Power Party (PPP), said the government should act quickly to resolve suspicions and answer questions raised over the issue. The allegations arose after a local TV station reported that a document about the nuc

PoliticsJan. 31, 2021

Hearing on Seoul’s leaflet ban to open soon: US congressman

US Rep. Chris Smith, who until recently co-chaired the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, said the commission will open a hearing in early March at the latest to discuss South Korea’s ban on the cross-border launching of anti-North Korea propaganda leaflets. The leafleting is set to become a felony in March under legislation introduced by Seoul to protect residents near the border, in fear of retaliation by Pyongyang. “I think appointments to commissions -- such as the Tom Lantos

North KoreaJan. 31, 2021

S. Korea extends tougher virus curbs for 2 weeks ahead of holiday

South Korea decided Sunday to extend tougher social distancing measures for another two weeks, as it is wary of a pileup in cluster infections ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. The country will maintain the Level 2.5 measures, the second-highest in its five-tier scheme, in the greater Seoul area and Level 2 in other regions until Feb. 14, according to health authorities. It will also continue to ban private gatherings of five or more people in an effort to rein in the spread of the new coro

Social AffairsJan. 31, 2021

4 US B-52H bombers deployed to Guam

Four US B-52H long-range bombers have been deployed to the Pacific island of Guam for training missions aimed at reinforcing "the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region," the US Pacific Air Forces said. The bombers from the 96th Bomb Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana "returned to the Indo-Pacific region Jan. 28 for a Bomber Task Force deployment, conducting operations out of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam," it said. They were deployed &quo

DefenseJan. 31, 2021

Oldest metal-printed book published in Korean, English

Jikji, the world's oldest book printed with movable metal type, has been published in Korean and English, the Jogye Order, South Korea's largest Buddhist sect, said Sunday. Jikji, written in Chinese characters by Buddhist monk Baegun Gyeonghan, is the abbreviated title of a Buddhist document whose full title, "Jikji Simche Yojeol," can be translated as "anthology of great Buddhist priests' Zen teachings." It was printed in 1377 at the Heungdeok Temple in the central city of

Social AffairsJan. 31, 2021

[News Focus] Challenges remain for S. Korea’s 2nd school year under pandemic

The government plans to increase the number of in-person classes and roll out measures to address the learning gap between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds, but risks remain. Armed with virus control plans for expanded in-person classes, budget-backed child care programs and improved digital assets, the education authorities are optimistic as they map out the learning ecosystem for students in the new school year starting in March. 　 But their upgrades and adjustments continu

Social AffairsJan. 31, 2021

Defective inverter module blamed for towing of 214-class submarine

A defective inverter module was found to have been the cause of an error message that led to a new 214-class submarine having to be towed in the East Sea earlier this month, Navy officials said Sunday. The Navy decided to inspect all 214-class submarines to ensure that no such problems would happen again, after finding that a defect was reported in the same part of another submarine of the same type two years ago too, officials said. The latest incident happened on Jan. 23 when the submarine w

DefenseJan. 31, 2021

Education minister promises to deal with college admission fraud according to 'law and principle'

Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae has said the ministry will handle the alleged college admission fraud involving the daughter of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk according to "law and principle." "I know college admission fairness is a grave social topic that receives high public attention," the minister said during an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Friday, adding that the ministry has been dealing with the matter sternly without exception, and will continue to do so. Sh

PoliticsJan. 31, 2021

New virus cases dip below 400, tougher virus curbs extended

South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell back to below 400 Sunday, but health authorities decided to extend tougher virus curbs amid a continued rise in cluster infections, mostly tied to mission schools. The country added 355 more COVID-19 cases, including 325 local infections, raising the total caseload to 78,205, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The figure was lower than 458 cases Saturday and compared with 469 on Friday and 497 Thursday. The tally fell

Social AffairsJan. 31, 2021

Gov. Lee sends letter to US Congress, UN to call for support for anti-leafleting law

Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung has sent a letter to the United Nations and the US Congress to call for support for a law that South Korea enacted to ban the sending of anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets into North Korea, officials said Sunday. Lee, considered a leading presidential hopeful, said in the letter that the leafleting ban is the minimum measure to protect the lives, safety and properties of the people of Gyeonggi Province that includes regions bordering North Korea. Lee also s

PoliticsJan. 31, 2021

S. Korea in final stage of assembling first prototype of indigenous fighter jet

South Korea is in the final stage of assembling a prototype of what would be the country's first indigenously developed fighter jet, which is expected to be unveiled in April, officials said Sunday. South Korea has been working on the KF-X project since 2015 to develop a homegrown cutting-edge fighter aircraft to replace the Air Force's aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 jets. In September last year, Korea Aerospace Industries Co. (KAI) got down to the final assembly of a prototype jet and is now in t

DefenseJan. 31, 2021