[Newsmaker] Seoul steps back on plan to raise tobacco price

South Korean health authorities have backtracked on a plan to raise tobacco prices to match the average levels of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries, denying reports that it would hike up cigarette prices to 8,000 won a pack. In a set of plans unveiled on Wednesday, the Health Ministry said it would increase its health promotion levy on tobacco over the next 10 years to raise its price to the average level of OECD countries. The average retail price of a pack of

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2021

Delivery workers end strike after reaching deal with logistics firms

Unionized delivery workers ended a strike Friday, saying they have reached a new agreement with logistics companies on ways to prevent them from overworking. The Parcel Delivery Workers' Solidarity Union said its 5,500 members, who began and ended the walkout the same day, will return to work Saturday, with less than two weeks until the Feb. 11-13 Lunar New Year holiday, when demand for deliveries is expected to soar. The decision came after a vote Friday, in which 89 percent of the union memb

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2021

Extreme weather caused property damage worth W1.2tr in 2020: report

Extreme weather events such as an unusually long monsoon season and frequent typhoons last year caused 1.2 trillion won of property in South Korea, according to a report by the country’s weather agency. The Korea Meteorological Administration published a report on Thursday on last year’s extreme weather events and their social and economic impact on society, jointly with 24 related ministries and agencies.  The annual report addresses the causes of abnormal weather patterns

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2021

Freezing temperatures, high winds sweep S. Korea

A freezing cold snap, accompanied by high winds, swept across South Korea on Friday, with temperatures dipping far below zero in all regions, except the southern resort island of Jeju. The day's lowest temperatures dropped below minus 10 C in Seoul and central regions and below minus 8 C in southern regions, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said. Seoul's morning low plunged to minus 11.6 C, while low temperatures fell to minus 13.9 C in Dongducheon, just north of the capital; minu

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2021

Ruling party reviewing 4th round of COVID-19 relief fund

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) has been discussing measures to provide a new round of a COVID-19 relief fund as stringent social distancing rules continue to weigh on small businesses and the self-employed, party officials said. Since May last year, the government has distributed more than 31 trillion won ($27.8 billion) to households, as well as small merchants and business owners, through three rounds of a COVID-19 relief fund. The need for a fresh, fourth round of emergency handouts has b

PoliticsJan. 29, 2021

Ex-coach of local triathlon team sentenced to 7 yrs in prison in abuse case

DAEGU -- A former triathlon coach accused of abusing triathlete Choi Sook-hyeon was sentenced to seven years in prison on fraud and assault charges on Friday. The Daegu District Court handed down the term to Kim Gyu-bong, former head coach of the triathlon team at Gyeongju City Hall, for verbally and physically abusing Choi and taking money from athletes. Jang Yun-jung, the team's former captain, and teammate Kim Do-hwan were given a four-year prison term and a suspended prison term of 1 1/2 ye

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2021

Seoul city to close some charnel facilities during Lunar New Year amid pandemic

The Seoul city government said Friday that some of its charnel houses will close during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday to help contain the spread of the new coronavirus. The city-affiliated Seoul Facilities Corp. (SFC), which operates 15 cemeteries and memorial parks, will close five indoor charnel houses in Goyang and Paju in nearby Gyeonggi Province from Feb. 6-7 and Feb. 11-14. The Lunar New Year holiday falls on Feb. 11-13 this year. Many Koreans, as a custom, visit their ancestors' g

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2021

One Army official tests positive for new coronavirus

An Army official stationed in the inter-Korean border city of Hwacheon tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Friday. The official underwent a virus test after showing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 while on vacation ahead of his planned discharge from the military, according to the ministry. The latest case raised the total number of infections reported among the military population to 547. Currently, 170 service members are in isolation in accordance with heal

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2021

[Newsmaker] Another suspected bird flu case reported, total now at 79

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Friday it is investigating another suspected case of highly pathogenic bird flu, with the total confirmed caseload reaching 79. The latest suspected case of the malign H5N8 strain of avian influenza was reported from Anseong, 77 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The farm was raising 790,000 chickens. The number of cases from wild birds also piled up to reach 117. Authorities have so far destroy

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2021

New virus cases in 400s again; virus curbs set to be tweaked

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell back to below 500 again Friday due to fewer tests amid cold weather despite a continued rise in clusters tied to religious facilities, which has put health authorities in a more prudent mode about relaxing virus curbs. The country added 469 more COVID-19 cases, including 445 locally transmitted infections, raising the total caseload to 77,395, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The figure was down from 497 on Thur

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2021

Double taxation avoidance pact between S. Korea, Cambodia takes effect

A tax agreement signed between South Korea and Cambodia to prevent double taxation went into force Friday, the foreign ministry said. The pact allows countries to avoid taxing the same income twice and helps ease the tax burden on companies doing business in another country. South Korea and Cambodia signed the agreement in November 2019, and both countries gained parliamentary approval last month. South Korea has now signed the double taxation avoidance pacts with all 10 members of the Associ

Foreign AffairsJan. 29, 2021

Remains of two Korean War soldiers returned to families after over 70 years

South Korea has identified the remains of two soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War through DNA analysis after they were recovered from former battle sites near the inter-Korean border, the defense ministry said Friday. Pfc. Kim Sung-geun was presumed to have been killed during a battle in 1950 that took place in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, and his remains were excavated in the region in April 2010. The identification was possible as his 73-year-old son registered his DNA sample with the

DefenseJan. 29, 2021

OPCON transition will be conditions, not time-based: Pentagon spokesman

WASHINGTON -- The planned transition of the wartime operational control (OPCON) of South Korean troops will take place when all necessary conditions are met, not because of a simple passage of time, a Pentagon spokesperson said Thursday. John Supple also said a "conditions-based" transition is not only what has been agreed on but also what is necessary to ensure peace and security. "Wartime Operational Control will transition when the mutually-agreed upon conditions are fully me

Foreign AffairsJan. 29, 2021

5 USFK-affiliated people test positive for new coronavirus

One US service member based in South Korea and four individuals affiliated with the US Forces Korea (USFK) have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the US military said Friday. The service member stationed in Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, tested positive Wednesday after undergoing a virus test as part of the command's enhanced surveillance scheme, according to the USFK. One civilian worker based in its Yongsan garrison in central Seoul and two family mem

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2021

US committed to keeping readiness of USFK through exercises: Pentagon official

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin remains committed to maintaining the readiness of American troops in South Korea through military exercises, a Pentagon official said Thursday. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby also highlighted the importance of troop readiness amid North Korea's continued pursuit of new advanced weapons, such as the submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). "We recognize the value of training and exercises to keep forces ready, and no place is that

Foreign AffairsJan. 29, 2021

Prosecution indicts former Busan mayor for sexual assault

The prosecution has indicted former Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don on charges of sexual assault, officials said Thursday. He resigned as the leader of the nation's second largest city on April 23, 2020, after admitting to his misconduct. The Busan District Prosecutors Office charged him on four counts, also including attempted indecent assault, inflicting injury and false accusation. Oh is accused of sexually assaulting two female employees and injuring one of them in 2018 and 2020. He is also charg

Social AffairsJan. 28, 2021

S. Korea launches task force to strengthen policy communication with Biden govt.

South Korea's foreign ministry on Thursday launched a task force aimed at strengthening policy-related communication with the new administration of US President Joe Biden and American experts. The launch came amid Seoul's efforts to beef up cooperation with the Biden government in resuming dialogue with Pyongyang and advancing its stalled agenda of fostering a lasting peace on the divided Korean Peninsula. The need for policy communication with the United States has also arisen amid criticism

Foreign AffairsJan. 28, 2021

3 in 10 drivers use smart devices on the road: report

Koreans have broken less traffic rules last year, but concerns still remain as an official report showed an increasing frequency of jaywalking and a growing number of drivers using smart devices on the road, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Wednesday. The Transport Culture Index, which measures driving and walking behaviors and the level of transport safety across 229 cities and counties, recorded a score of 78.94 last year, increasing by 2.30 points compared to 2019. A

Social AffairsJan. 28, 2021

1 in 2 job seekers not confident about getting job: survey

Half of job seekers in South Korea were not confident landing a job in the first half of this year mostly due to a grim economic outlook amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a survey by job search engine Job Korea of 934 people preparing to enter labor force in the first half of this year, 49.3 percent of the respondents said they were not confident in landing a job. Those who majored in humanities were less confident (55.4 percent) than those who studied science-related subjects (46.5 pe

Social AffairsJan. 28, 2021

S. Korea voices 'deep concerns' over air attack on Saudi capital

South Korea voiced "deep concerns" Thursday over a recent aerial attack on Saudi Arabia, renewing its opposition to any destabilizing activity in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a "hostile air target" going toward Riyadh on Saturday, according to media reports. The culprit behind the attack remains unknown, though Houthi rebels in Yemen had mounted a series of attacks against the kingdom. "Our government expresses deep concerns over the fact tha

Foreign AffairsJan. 28, 2021