[Newsmaker] Transition team chief's actions hint at rift with president-elect

A rift may be forming between President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and transition committee chief Ahn Cheol-soo, raising concerns over the conservative bloc’s party merger and plans for a coalition government. On Thursday, Ahn canceled his scheduled visit to the Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters in the morning, after dropping out of a dinner meeting with Yoon and other officials the previous day. Ahn’s recent schedule decisions are fanning speculation that he is showing d

PoliticsApril 14, 2022

Health minister nominee faces allegations over children's medical school admissions

Health and Welfare Minister nominee Chung Ho-young has come under fire over allegations surrounding his children's admissions into a medical school in the southeastern city of Daegu years ago. According to the Democratic Party (DP) on Thursday, Chung's daughter entered Kyungpook National University's medical school to earn her second bachelor's degree in 2017, when he was serving as vice head of the affiliated Kyungpook National University Hospital. Chung's son was also admitted to the same medi

PoliticsApril 14, 2022

US soldier caught driving under the influence: police

A US Forces Korea (USFK) service member was caught driving under the influence of alcohol and causing an accident in Seoul early Thursday, police said. The soldier in his 20s was found to have damaged about 10 vehicles and motorcycles while driving after drinking at a bar in the capital's western district of Mapo, according to police. His blood alcohol level was 0.14 percent, high enough to have his driver's license revoked, when he was apprehended by police on a road in the central Yongsan dist

Social AffairsApril 14, 2022

Yoon's delegation, Pfizer discuss cooperation on supply of COVID-19 pill

A delegation of President Yoon Suk-yeol met with executives of Pfizer in New York to discuss cooperation on the supply of the COVID-19 drug Paxlovid to South Korea, Yoon's spokesperson said Thursday. During the meeting last week, Pfizer agreed to closely cooperate with the Korean government for an early supply of the antiviral treatment, Yoon's spokesperson Bae Hyun-jin said at a press briefing. Pfizer also pledged to cooperate with Yoon's incoming government to smoothly supply Paxlovid to South

PoliticsApril 14, 2022

N. Korea marks late founder's birth anniv. with completion of riverside apartments

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a ceremony to celebrate the completion of a construction project of riverside apartments in Pyongyang ahead of its late founder's birth anniversary, state media said Thursday. During the ceremony held the previous day, Kim said that he misses his late grandfather Kim Il-sung "more than ever" as the luxurious residential district has been built at a site related to him on the occasion of his birth anniversary, according to the official Korean Ce

North KoreaApril 14, 2022

S. Korea to develop laser devise for bomb disposal

South Korea will begin a 110 billion won ($89.8 million) project next year to develop a laser device to safely remove unexploded ordnance by 2027, the state arms procurement agency said Thursday. The policy and planning subcommittee of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) approved the project and plans to conduct a feasibility study and coordinate budgetary issues with related agencies, its officials said. The project aims to develop a mobile laser device to safely detonate and

DefenseApril 14, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 150,000 as omicron wave wanes

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell below 150,000 on Thursday, amid the continuing modest decline in infections after the worst omicron outbreak passed its peak last month. The country reported 148,443 new COVID-19 infections, including 35 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 15,979,061, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Excluding Mondays, when the daily counts tend to drop due to fewer tests on the weekend, the latest tally is the lowest number in abo

Social AffairsApril 14, 2022

N. Korea promotes six commanding officers to 'general' for late founder's birth anniversary

Six North Korean military officials have been promoted to the rank of four-star general at the order of leader Kim Jong-un on the occasion of the 110th birth anniversary of late national founder Kim Il-sung, state media reported Thursday. The announcement came on the eve of the anniversary, one of the country's biggest celebrations, apparently aimed at rallying unity within the military amid heightened regional tensions. Kim has conferred the title of general to former Defense Minister Kim Jong-

North KoreaApril 14, 2022

S. Korean trade chief, British envoy discuss CPTPP, supply chains

South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and British Ambassador to South Korea Colin Crooks on Thursday discussed ways of cooperation on joining a mega free trade deal in the Asia-Pacific region and supply chains, Seoul's trade ministry said. During the meeting in Seoul, Yeo asked for Britain's support in South Korea's push for membership to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The Seoul govern

Foreign AffairsApril 14, 2022

Ahn cancels public schedule after Yoon bypasses recommendations

Transition team Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo canceled his public schedule Thursday, a source said, after President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol bypassed his recommendations for Cabinet nominees. Ahn was scheduled to visit the Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters in the morning but has informed the transition team that he will not be going, the source said. The press has also not received the usual notification of Ahn's daily public schedule. Speculation is rife the chairman is weighing his options

PoliticsApril 14, 2022

Biden looks forward to Asia trip but no details available: Psaki

US President Joe Biden is looking forward to his upcoming trip to Asia but the details of his proposed trip have yet to become available, a White House spokesperson said Wednesday. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also declined to comment on Biden's possible visit to South Korea. "Not quite yet," said Psaki when asked if she could confirm Biden's upcoming trip to Asia, including a potential visit to South Korea. "I will tell you that, you know, of course, the president tal

Foreign AffairsApril 14, 2022

Yoon Suk-yeol’s ‘wingman’ named justice minister

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday picked his close associate and elite prosecutor Han Dong-hoon to lead the Ministry of Justice. Han, 49, is known for leading the probes into corruption allegations against the conservative administrations of Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye during the early days of Moon Jae-in’s presidency as the head of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office’s anti-corruption department.  After Moon gave Yoon the post of prosecutor general, Han was p

Social AffairsApril 13, 2022

Foreign minister nominee a veteran politician with roots in diplomacy

Rep. Park Jin, the foreign minister nominee, is a seasoned politician who began his career in the diplomatic corps. Park has been instrumental in laying the foundations for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s foreign affairs and security policies since the presidential transition team took shape. Park headed Yoon’s delegation to the US, and laid the groundwork for building cooperation with Seoul’s incoming administration and Washington. 　 During his trip to the US, Park met w

PoliticsApril 13, 2022

‘Truth will be concealed’: Family of man killed by N. Korea fights plan to block record release

In an escalating legal battle, the family of a South Korean fisheries official killed by North Korean troops filed an appeal asking the Constitutional Court on Wednesday to stop the Moon Jae-in administration’s plan to archive information related to the case as part of the presidential record.  Once archived, the information would not be released to the public for as long as 15 years.　 The official, 47, was shot dead and his body set ablaze near the western sea border at around 9:

North KoreaApril 13, 2022

Unification minister nominee is veteran lawmaker & former Ambassador to China

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday nominated Rep. Kwon Young-se, a prosecutor-turned-lawmaker with four National Assembly terms and former ambassador to China, as Unification Minister. Kwon is a close and trusted confidant of Yoon and was named vice-chairman of the presidential transition committee after he took the helm of Yoon’s campaign team as the leader. They also studied law together at Seoul National University. The appointment has been largely viewed as Yoon’s reso

North KoreaApril 13, 2022

Hardline umbrella union holds banned rally, protests against president-elect’s labor policies

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, one of two major umbrella labor groups in South Korea, on Wednesday pushed ahead with a rally of some 10,000 members at Jongmyo Park in central Seoul, calling on President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol to communicate with the labor community. Since the presidential election last month, the two major umbrella labor unions – the KCTU and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions -- have asked President-elect Yoon to come to the negotiating table with the labor c

PoliticsApril 13, 2022

South Jeolla Province to support young ethnic Koreans abroad

The Jeollanamdo Provincial Government, which represents South Jeolla Province, aims to support young people of Korean ethnicity residing overseas through the K-Diaspora Youth Project. The regional office signed the memorandum of understanding on Monday with the Godowon Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to youth mentoring, the Blue Tree Foundation, an NGO against school violence, Rep. Yang Hyang-ja of Democratic Party and The Korea Herald, agreeing to work closely to educate youn

Social AffairsApril 13, 2022

Students experience depression, anxiety amid pandemic

More than 1 in 4 elementary students have experienced greater feelings of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Education Ministry said Wednesday. 　 Korea Research conducted a study on mental health of students in Korea, which ran from Feb. 11 to 18 and involved 341,412 elementary, middle and high school students, under the request of the ministry. While 27 percent of elementary students responded they have become more depressed than compared to before the pandemic, 26.3 percent said

Social AffairsApril 13, 2022

S. Korea's daily COVID-19 cases hover at 200,000 mark

South Korea’s new COVID-19 cases came to just under 200,000, continuing the recent downward trend, government data showed Wednesday. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the country added 195,419 COVID-19 cases during the 24 hours of Tuesday. The total caseload reached 15,830,644. The number of new COVID-19 deaths came to 184 on Tuesday, bringing the death toll 20,034. The fatality rate stood at 0.13 percent. The number of severe cases also reached 1,014 as o

Social AffairsApril 13, 2022