US commission says religious freedom remains worst in N. Korea

WASHINGTON -- Religious freedom conditions in North Korea remain among the worst in the world, a US government commission said Monday, recommending the US government to designate North Korea as a country of particular concern. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) also called on the state department to bring up human rights issues when negotiating security issues with North Korea. "In 2021, religious freedom conditions in North Korea remained among the worst in the w

Foreign AffairsApril 26, 2022

Yoon’s delegation, Japan share cooperation should be strengthened

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s delegation to Japan met with key figures, including Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, on Monday and agreed to improve Korea-Japan relations -- the state of which is considered to be at its worst since the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1965. After meeting with Foreign Minister Hayashi in the morning, Rep. Chung Jin-suk of the People Power Party, who led the seven-member delegation, told reporters, “The two countries agreed to maintain and

Foreign AffairsApril 25, 2022

Sollute Study to launch summer camps in Canada, New Zealand

With the world slowly phasing into a post-COVID-19 pandemic era, Sollute Study Abroad Business Group is to arrange educational camps in Canada and New Zealand for teenagers this summer. Sollute Study Abroad Business Group is an education company that arranges camps for youths in English-speaking countries in partnership with local education offices and schools since 2014. Some 1,050 teenagers participated in camps arranged by the company until January 2020, before the pandemic hit the world.

Social AffairsApril 25, 2022

Bye-bye clappers. Fan chants, sing-alongs are back at K-pop concerts

  On the evening of April 18, a four-way intersection in front of the Gangbuk-gu District Office in northwestern Seoul was filled with crowds and loud music, playing host to an outdoor concert.  Hundreds of people sang along as the night’s acts, including Dynamic Duo, played on the stage in a show organized by the district office to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the April Revolution.  “The vibe was definitely different from before when people were not allowed t

Social AffairsApril 25, 2022

Voicing out for a green Earth

With the ticking time bomb of climate change, more young activists are feeling an urgent need to speak up and take action. In light of the Earth Day which fell on Friday this year, The Herald Business and nonprofit organization Green Environment Youth Korea held an online roundtable session with young environmental activists across Asia, sharing their experiences and thoughts. Nurul Sarifa from Indonesia, who represents KPOP 4 Planet, a platform which calls on Korean entertainment agencies to

Social AffairsApril 25, 2022

Confirmation hearings off to a rough start with liberal boycott of PM nominee

The parliamentary confirmation hearings for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s Cabinet picks got off to a rough start Monday, with rival parties boycotting the hearing for Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo, citing a lack of sufficient review materials. Han’s two-day confirmation hearing kicked off at 10 a.m. with only six lawmakers present of the 13 members that make up the special committee for personnel vetting at the National Assembly. Five were from the future ruling People Po

PoliticsApril 25, 2022

N.Korea, Russia develop ‘strongest ever’ mutual support on global issues: state media

North Korea and Russia have developed their ties and sent the strongest ever support to each other on the international stage, as their reinforced relations have contributed to ensuring peace and security in Northeast Asia, the North Korean state newspaper said Monday in a special article. The Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, published the special article to mark the three-year anniversary of the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian Pres

North KoreaApril 25, 2022

Disability rights group’s protest pauses, subway disruption temporarily halts

Delays in subway operations will stop temporarily as a disability rights advocacy group decided to pause its daily rush-hour subway protests. Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination, Korea’s largest disability rights group, said Sunday night that it would pause its subway protests until next Monday. The disability rights advocacy group said it will wait until next Monday when finance minister nominee Choo Kyoung-ho is expected to give an official answer to its request at a hearing

Social AffairsApril 25, 2022

S. Korea’s daily COVID-19 cases dip to 11-week low

South Korea’s daily COVID-19 infections fell to the 30,000s on Sunday, the first time in nearly 11 weeks, government data showed Monday. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the country reported 34,370 new COVID-19 cases during the 24 hours of Sunday. The total caseload reached 16,929,564. The daily figure dropped to the 30,000s for the first time since Feb. 28, when the government reported 36,713 new COVID-19 cases. It was also the lowest since the 27,435 rep

Social AffairsApril 25, 2022

Tension rises over bipartisan compromise on prosecution bill

Controversy over the move to reduce the prosecution’s investigative authority continued Monday, with both the president and president-elect chiming in on the issue. President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Monday broke his silence over the controversial prosecution reform bill, asking the political community to “deeply reflect” on what is needed for the people, as the prosecution continues to vocally oppose the ruling party’s move to strip them of their investigative powers.

PoliticsApril 25, 2022

[Newsmaker] Macron: abrasive reformer with chance to leave mark on France

PARIS -- Young, pro-European and unfailingly ambitious, Emmanuel Macron is the first French president to serve a second term in 20 years, giving him a historic opportunity to leave his mark. The 44-year-old, who came to power as France's youngest ever president, secured victory promising more pro-business and welfare reforms but with a "new method" that is expected to be less top-down. He had billed Sunday's vote as a chance to "save the Republic" from the clutches of far-rig

Foreign AffairsApril 25, 2022

PM nominee's confirmation hearing off to rough start with opposition boycotts

The confirmation hearing for Prime Minister nominee Han Duck-soo got off to a rough start Monday after lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the minor progressive Justice Party boycotted the hearing, accusing Han of failing to provide requested data. The hearing was adjourned less than an hour after it started with only members of the People Power Party in attendance. Before its adjournment, Rep. Kang Byung-won of the DP expressed his deep regret over Han's inadequate presentation

PoliticsApril 25, 2022

S. Korea's seaport cargo up 0.6% in Q1

Cargo processed at South Korean seaports inched up 0.6 percent in the first quarter of this year, the oceans ministry has said. Cargo handled at the country's ports came to 389 million tons in the January-March period, compared with 386.76 million tons the previous year, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. Handling of export-import cargo, however, fell 0.7 percent on-year to 331.21 million tons in the first quarter. The decrease came as trade volume with China and Japan fell 5.

NationalApril 25, 2022

Yoon to visit headquarters of homegrown COVID-19 vaccine

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol will visit homegrown vaccine producer SK Bioscience on Monday and emphasize vaccine sovereignty amid the country's fight against the novel coronavirus, his spokesperson said. Yoon is scheduled to visit SK Bioscience's headquarters in Seongnam, south of Seoul, where he will inspect the company's latest research and development efforts in COVID-19 vaccine production, according Yoon's spokesperson Bae Hyun-jin. "Yoon will encourage researchers there who are workin

Social AffairsApril 25, 2022

Seoul shares open steeply lower amid woes over Fed's rate hikes

South Korean stocks opened sharply lower Monday, as investors remained wary of a possible sharp rate hike by the US Federal Reserve in next week's policy meeting. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) fell 1.05 percent, or 28.51 points, to trade at 2,676.20 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Investors remain cautious as the Fed has signaled a more aggressive rate raise than previously estimated to tame the worst inflation in decades, with its next policy meeting set to take place M

PoliticsApril 25, 2022

S. Korea's new infections drop to 30,000s amid slowdown of omicron wave

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases dropped to the 30,000s on Monday for the first time in 76 days as most of the country's virus restrictions are lifted amid the slowdown of the omicron wave. The country added 34,370 new COVID-19 infections, including 31 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 16,929,564, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The omicron wave has been on the decline after the country's daily infections reached the peak of 621,178

Social AffairsApril 25, 2022

Moon, first lady get second COVID-19 booster shots

President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook on Monday received a second COVID-19 booster shot in line with guidance from health authorities, Cheong Wa Dae said. Earlier this month, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) expanded the rollout of second booster shots for people aged 60 and older, as the nation stepped up efforts to live with the virus while ensuring maximum protection for the public. Moon and Kim qualified for a fourth shot of COVID-19 vaccine under the guida

Social AffairsApril 25, 2022

N. Korea touts 'new heyday' in Russia ties on summit anniversary

North Korea on Monday touted its ties with Russia as entering a "new heyday," on the occasion of the third anniversary of a summit between their leaders. In 2019, the North's leader Kim Jong-un held his first summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia's far eastern city of Vladivostok. "The North Korea-Russia relationship that has continuously strengthened and developed is entering a new heyday today amid special interest from (our) comrade general secretary," rea

North KoreaApril 25, 2022

S. Korea identifies remains of another Korean War soldier

South Korea has identified the remains of a South Korean soldier killed during the 1950-53 Korean War after their excavation from a battle site more than a decade ago, the defense ministry said Monday. The ministry's excavation team found the remains of Pvt. Kim Hak-su in Inje, 165 kilometers east of Seoul, in 2008. They were identified thanks to a DNA sample that his great-grandson had registered with the government. Born in Jincheon, 91 kilometers east of Seoul, in 1925, Kim served in the Army

DefenseApril 25, 2022

N. Korea has not staged military parade yet: source

North Korea has not yet held a military parade that is widely expected to take place in Pyongyang to mark a key national anniversary this week, an informed source said Monday. Many had predicted the opening of the parade at midnight on the occasion of the 90th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army (KPRA) that falls on the day. The KPRA is the anti-Japanese guerilla force known to have been created by national founder Kim Il-sung in 1932. Satellite imagery showed the secr

North KoreaApril 25, 2022