Army to test-run Redback armored vehicle under export support program

South Korea's military plans to start test-running a homegrown armored vehicle next month as part of a program to support local firms' defense exports, the state arms procurement agency said Wednesday. From April to May, the Army's 11th Maneuver Division is set to conduct the test of the Redback vehicle that has been in a competition to join Australia's defense project, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. The Redback is an upgraded version of the K-21 vehicle developed b

DefenseMarch 30, 2022

Kyung Hee, Stanford universities to conduct joint research on sustainability in Asia

Kyung Hee University has signed an agreement with Stanford University to conduct joint research on sustainability in Asia, the Seoul school officials said Wednesday. Under the agreement signed last month, the two schools will partner to research various topics related to the enhancement of sustainability in Asia, create exchange programs for researchers and students and raise funds for the project, according to Kyung Hee University. Earlier this month, the universities discussed data constructio

Social AffairsMarch 30, 2022

Illegal Chinese fishing activities in S. Korean waters rampant in March: Coast Guard

An average of 65 unlicensed Chinese fishing boats have been appearing in waters near the western inter-Korean sea border every day this month ahead of the April-June crab catching season, a sharp rise from about 15 boats on average during the same period last year. According to the Coast Guard, the average number of illegal Chinese fishing boat entries across the western inter-Korean sea border, known as the Northern Limit Line (NLL), for March represents a fourfold increase compared to 2020. Th

Social AffairsMarch 30, 2022

51.9% oppose Yoon's plan to relocate presidential office

About half of South Koreans are against President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's plan to move the presidential office out of Cheong Wa Dae, while some 44 percent support the idea, a poll showed Wednesday. According to the poll of 1,004 adults, conducted by pollster Embrain Public on Sunday and Monday, 51.9 percent said the presidential office should remain at Cheong Wa Dae and 44.3 percent said they back the relocation plan. Yoon has decided to move the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae to what

Social AffairsMarch 30, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases rise to over 420,000; critical cases at record high

South Korea's new daily COVID-19 cases rose to over 420,000 Wednesday amid concerns over the continued rise in seriously ill patients and deaths over the fast spread of the highly transmissible "stealth omicron" subvariant. The country added 424,641 new coronavirus infections, including 42 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 12,774,956, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The daily count shifted to an upturn Tuesday after five days of a consta

Social AffairsMarch 30, 2022

Ahn withdraws from consideration for prime minister

Transition Committee Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo has withdrawn from consideration for prime minister in the incoming government, political sources said Wednesday. Ahn has been considered a top candidate for the No. 2 political office after he dropped out of the presidential race to support the campaign of now President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol. On Tuesday, he met with Yoon and expressed his intent not to serve as prime minister, saying he would like to focus on the transition team, according to the source

PoliticsMarch 30, 2022

Yoon proposes meeting with Zelenskyy at early date after war ends

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol proposed a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at an early date after the Ukraine-Russia war ends, his spokesperson said Wednesday. Yoon made the proposal during a phone call with Zelenskyy on Tuesday, Kim Eun-hye said during a press briefing when asked if she could disclose details of the conversation. Kim initially said Tuesday that details would not be revealed "as Ukraine is currently in a state of war." "Fruitful cooperation h

PoliticsMarch 30, 2022

US still analyzing latest N. Korean missile test, but remains concerned

WASHINGTON -- The United States is still analyzing the nature of North Korea's last missile test that probably involved an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a Pentagon spokesperson said Tuesday, amid reports that Pyongyang may have falsely claimed success in developing a new ICBM. John Kirby, however, said the US continues to remain concerned about North Korea's efforts to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities. "We are still analyzing this last test," the depa

Foreign AffairsMarch 30, 2022

Biden, Singaporean leader urge N. Korea to engage in dialogue

US President Joe Biden (R) and visiting Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong are seen holding a joint press conference following their bilateral talks at the White House in Washington on Tuesday in this image captured from the White House' website. (White House' website) WASHINGTON -- US President Joe Biden and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called on North Korea to engage in serious dialogue Tuesday, reaffirming their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean P

Foreign AffairsMarch 30, 2022

Seoul calls out Japan’s watering-down history in textbooks

South Korea on Tuesday protested against Japan’s approval of textbooks that it said distorted history by renewing claims over disputed islands and removing words that show the coercive nature of Japan’s wartime forced labor and sexual slavery.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, expressed “deep regret” over the Japanese government’s approval of textbooks that distort historical facts to suit its own perspective, and urged Tokyo to immediately re

Foreign AffairsMarch 29, 2022

Yoon holds phone call with Ukraine president

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday evening spoke on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia. “President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol held a phone call with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at 5 p.m. on Tuesday,” Yoon’s spokesperson said in a written statement. “As Ukraine is currently in a war situation, please understand that it is difficult to disclose the details of the call,” the s

PoliticsMarch 29, 2022

After 7 days of COVID-19, patients are left stranded

COVID-19 patients who remain sick beyond the seven-day isolation are struggling to find access to care and pay hospital bills. In January, as omicron’s share of new cases was rising, the government shortened the isolation period to seven days. Once the seven-day isolation expires, all COVID-19-related medical costs are no longer covered by the government. “The government considers a patient to no longer be a COVID-19 case past day seven. And yet some patients are still on oxygen

Social AffairsMarch 29, 2022

Korea asks: what age is too young to be a criminal?

Amid nationwide concern about the rising juvenile crimes, President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and his transition team have been studying ways to reduce the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 14 to 12. The Ministry of Justice officials met with the presidential transition committee chief last week, vowing to support the process of changing the legal definition of a “criminal minor,” referring to the age below which children are immune from punishment for crimes. Chapter II, Articl

Social AffairsMarch 29, 2022

Satellite imagery shows ‘visible’ signs of N.Korea reactivating nuclear test site

North Korea has been restoring access to a yet unused tunnel at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site in a potential attempt to expedite a seventh nuclear weapons test, said Open Nuclear Network, a Vienna-based research institute. Commercial satellite images have shown “signs of increasing activities” since last December especially at the South Portal and the main administrative area within North Korea’s only known underground nuclear test site, according to the institute’s r

North KoreaMarch 29, 2022

Cheong Wa Dae denies allegations related to first lady fashion expenses

Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday denied recent rumors regarding the first lady’s expenses over clothes and fashion items, saying that no state funds had been used. “The groundless assertions related to first lady Kim Jung-sook using special activity expenses for costumes to wear at official events are completely false,” Shin Hye-hyeon, deputy spokesperson for Cheong Wa Dae, said at a briefing Tuesday. “National budget, including special activity expenses, have not been drawn

PoliticsMarch 29, 2022

[Newsmaker]Disabled advocacy group ends subway protest after meeting transition team

An advocacy group for the disabled said Tuesday it would halt its protests in the subway in response to a request by the presidential transition committee, which vowed to “make efforts” to meet their demands. The presidential transition committee met with the protest organizer, the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination, in the morning, listening to their concerns and asking them to halt the subway protests, which disrupted morning commutes and other travel. Hours after the m

PoliticsMarch 29, 2022

Australia imposes sanctions targeting North Korea’s ICBM launch

Australia has imposed its own sanctions against two Russian entities and a North Korean company linked with the reclusive regime’s recent test of an intercontinental ballistic missile. 　 Canberra also condemned the launch as a serious escalation of the North’s “destabilizing behavior” that poses an “unacceptable risk to our region.” 　 The Pyongyang-based Korean Ungum Corp. and two Russian firms, Russian Financial Society and Commercial Bank Agrosoyuz have be

Foreign AffairsMarch 29, 2022

Yoon to decide on prime minister nominee by early April

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is expected to announce his nominee for prime minister by early April to make sure the entire appointment procedure is completed before the launch of the new government in May, his spokesperson said Tuesday. “Considering the schedule of the parliamentary hearing (for ministerial appointments), we expect to announce the prime minister nominee by early April to meet the launch of the new government,” Kim Eun-hye, Yoon’s spokesperson, said in a pres

PoliticsMarch 29, 2022

State affairs to pet dogs, range of topics on Moon-Yoon dinner table

From impending state affairs and national security to their pet dogs, President Moon Jae-in and President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol discussed a wide range of issues in their belated meeting Monday, which came after weeks of tension. On Monday evening, Moon and Yoon first greeted each other in the front garden space of Sangchunje guest house at Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office. The meeting, which began at 6 p.m. and lasted for two and a half hours, was also attended by Moon’s Chief of St

PoliticsMarch 29, 2022

(Diplomatic Circuit) [From the Scene] Uzbekistan vows to become middle-income country by 2030 at Tashkent Investment Forum

Tashkent, Uzbekistan -- Uzbekistan vowed to become a middle-income country by 2030 at the Tashkent International Investment Forum at Tashkent City Congress Hall in Tashkent on Thursday. Addressing the plenary session of the forum, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev outlined important measures to attract investment and practical proposals open up the country’s business environment as of this year. “We aim to make Uzbekistan one of the world’s middle-income countries by 2030, sa

Diplomatic CircuitMarch 29, 2022