[Photo news] First lady captured in photos

Tuesday did not just mark the start of a new government led by President Yoon Suk-yeol. It also marked the first official debut -- at least in the eyes of the public -- of first lady Kim Keon-hee, who has been ostensibly missing on the campaign trail. Kim, 49, has been keeping a low profile for months after being embroiled in various controversies surrounding her past, including an allegation that she falsified credentials to take a part-time lecturer seat at a local university. She delivered

PoliticsMay 11, 2022

[H.Eco Forum] ‘We can and must do better’ to protect marine life, says Sylvia Earle

Sylvia Earle, the world’s best known marine biologist and oceanographer with more than 7,500 hours logged underwater, said the next decade is critical in rebuilding marine life and determining the future of marine ecosystems for the next 10,000 years. Earle, who is also president and chairman of Mission Blue, explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society and Time Magazine’s first-ever Hero of the Planet, urged people to recognize the true cost and value of ocean wildlife

Social AffairsMay 11, 2022

Al Jazeera journalist killed during Israel West Bank raid

JENIN, Palestinian Territories -- Veteran Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh was shot dead Wednesday as she covered an Israeli army raid on Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The Qatar-based TV channel said Israeli forces shot Abu Aqleh, 51, deliberately and "in cold blood" while Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said it was "likely" that Palestinian gunfire killed her. Abu Aqleh, a Palestinian Christian who also held US citizenship, was a prominent fig

North KoreaMay 11, 2022

South Korea should seek for balance between US, China: experts

South Korea should sort out its priorities and pursue a strategic partnership with China on an equal standing while maintaining a strong alliance with the US, amid apparent efforts by Beijing and Washington to bolster ties with Seoul, experts said on Wednesday. To celebrate the inauguration of South Korea’s new president, Yoon Suk-yeol, China sent Vice President Wang Qishan, a close aide of its president, Xi Jinping, and the highest-level official to visit the country for such an event.

Foreign AffairsMay 11, 2022

Korea Herald, Bangladesh Embassy agree to boost ties through media partnership

The Korea Herald and the Embassy of Bangladesh in South Korea have signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing to increase people-to-people exchanges through media cooperation. The signing ceremony was held at The Korea Herald office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Wednesday with Bangladesh Ambassador to Korea Delwar Hossain and The Korea Herald CEO Choi Jin-young in attendance. Bangladesh is committed to strengthening bilateral relations, particularly economic relations with Korea, and explore eme

Diplomatic CircuitMay 11, 2022

[Hwang’s China and the World] What China learned from the Russia-Ukraine War

Right before the Russia-Ukraine War broke out, Russian President Vladimir Putin hurried to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics. Putin’s visit was a show of his consideration to China, and many have analyzed that the Russia-Ukraine War would have broken out faster if it was not for the Winter Olympics. As shown, China was a critical factor to consider. All of international society, including the United States and Europe, looked to see whether China supported Russia -- both physically and e

Foreign AffairsMay 11, 2022

Yoon says inflation is biggest problem in first secretary meeting

President Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday raised concerns about rising inflation and economic difficulties in his first meeting with senior aides, telling them to keep a close eye on economic indicators and find measures to combat inflation. “The economy is challenging right now. The biggest problem is the price,” Yoon said at the meeting in the morning. His remarks come as Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho on the same day outlined price stability as a top priority policy task. In rec

PoliticsMay 11, 2022

[Newsmaker] Musk says he would reverse Twitter's ban of Donald Trump

LONDON -- Elon Musk said Twitter would reverse its ban of former President Donald Trump if his purchase of the social media company goes through, signaling just how permissive the platform could become toward free speech under his ownership. Speaking virtually at an auto conference, the Tesla CEO said Tuesday that Twitter's ban of Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the US Capitol was a "morally bad decision'' and "foolish in the extreme.'' "I think that was a mistake

Social AffairsMay 11, 2022

Outnumbered ruling party faces difficult challenges

South Korea’s conservative People Power Party has become the ruling political party as of Tuesday with President Yoon Suk-yeol starting his five-year term, but the party faces a steep uphill battle at the parliament with weak legislative power and comparatively small foothold. The People Power Party is outnumbered and essentially has no power to push any legislative agenda on its own. It was only since last year that the conservative party recovered enough to start staging comebacks in cr

PoliticsMay 11, 2022

At Yoon admin’s 1st COVID-19 meeting, second thoughts about lifting isolation order

At Yoon admin’s 1st COVID-19 meeting, second thoughts about lifting isolation order At the first COVID-19 meeting after Yoon Suk-yeol administration was inaugurated, senior health officials said the preceding administration’s promise of scrapping isolation orders were being reconsidered. The meeting was led by Yoon’s first Vice Health Minister Lee Ki-il, appointed to the post Tuesday, as Health Minister nominee Chung Ho-young still awaits confirmation. “As we speak,

Social AffairsMay 11, 2022

Seoul Institute of the Arts names Indonesian politician an honorary professor.

Seoul Institute of the Arts has named Megawati Soekarnoputri, the head of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, as its honorary chair professor, hoping to encourage cultural interchange between Korea and Indonesia. The art institute held a ceremony at its campus in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday, appointing Megawati as an honorary professor. The institute‘s President Lee Nam-sik attended the ceremony, too. Megawati is an Indonesian politician who served as president of Indo

Social AffairsMay 11, 2022

[H.Eco Forum] ‘Changes in ocean are already irreversible’

The changes we are seeing in the ocean right now are already irreversible, said climate scientist Axel Timmermann. Timmermann is the director of the IBS Center for Climate Physics at Pusan National University, working to address changes in the climate and ecosystem. Prior to the upcoming H.eco Forum on May 26, where he is to give a lecture under the title of “Using basic science to avert climate changes,” Timmermann warned that the oceans have already reached “thresholds for

Social AffairsMay 11, 2022

Mother seeks helping hand to wake up sleepy child

From waking up a dozing student to tidying up graves, online advertisements with unusual but real job descriptions offer a peek into the Korean society. The Korea Herald looks at some of these unusual ads. The following is the first installment. -- Ed. Last week, a self-proclaimed mother posted an ad on a hyperlocal online marketplace, looking to hire a helper for her high school son. Job description? Wake the boy up whenever he dozes off. “My son (high school freshman) studies for tw

Social AffairsMay 11, 2022

Yoon says security situation is tough amid talk of possible NK nuclear test

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Wednesday security conditions are tough amid talk of a possible North Korean nuclear test and called for a close monitoring of the situation. Yoon made the remark during his first meeting with his senior secretaries after taking office the previous day. "The security situation is tough," he said. "Foreign countries are worried and there's talk of a resumption of nuclear tests, so I think you will have to closely monitor and study the effects not only o

North KoreaMay 11, 2022

Yoon makes first commute to work in motorcade

President Yoon Suk-yeol made his first commute to work by motorcade Wednesday, an unusual spectacle that followed his relocation of the presidential office. Yoon left his private home in southern Seoul at 8:21 a.m. and arrived at his office in the central district of Yongsan at 8:34 a.m. The president will commute everyday for now while the foreign minister's official residence is being converted into the new presidential residence. Yoon has moved both the presidential office and the presidentia

Social AffairsMay 11, 2022

New Defense Minister Lee takes office, warns of 'stern' response to possible NK provocations

New South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup took office Wednesday, vowing to "sternly" respond to North Korea's possible provocations and cement the alliance with the United States. In his inauguration speech, Lee, a retired three-star Army general, stressed his commitment to ensuring a "robust" defense as he pointed to the "very grave" security context marked by the North's evolving nuclear and missile threats and an intensifying Sino-US rivalry. "If North

North KoreaMay 11, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases above 40,000 for 2nd day

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed above 40,000 for the second straight day Wednesday amid the government's effort to move the country back to pre-pandemic normalcy. The country added 43,925 new COVID-19 infections, including 37 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 17,658,794, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The tally decreased from 49,933 on Tuesday and was down from 49,055 a week ago. The public health agency reported 29 COVID-19 deaths,

Social AffairsMay 11, 2022

Govt. to submit extra budget bill to National Assembly this week: finance minister

The government has drawn up an extra budget bill aimed at compensating pandemic-hit small merchants and will submit it to the National Assembly later this week, Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho said Wednesday. Choo made the remarks at the first consultative meeting between the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the government, a day after President Yoon Suk-yeol took office. Choo said the extra budget plan is mainly aimed at compensating financial damage of pandemic-hit small merchants and stabil

PoliticsMay 11, 2022

US, S. Korea share common objective of denuclearizing Korean Peninsula: State Dept.

The United States and South Korea share a common objective of completely denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and will continue to coordinate closely on ways to achieve that goal, a state department spokesperson said Tuesday. State Department Press Secretary Ned Price made the remarks after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said his government will help revive North Korea's economy if Pyongyang gives up its nuclear ambition. "We have been and we will continue to coordinate closely with th

DefenseMay 11, 2022

N. Korea likely to continue nuclear, missile development in 2022: US military

North Korea is expected to continue advancing its nuclear and missile capabilities this year to increase its leverage in any potential negotiations with the United States, the top US military intelligence official said Tuesday. The remarks by Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency, come amid speculation that Pyongyang may conduct a nuclear test as early as this month. "We expect North Korea to continue its nuclear, missile, and military modernization efforts

North KoreaMay 11, 2022