N. Korea carrying out construction at Punggye-ri nuclear test site: sources

North Korea seems to be working on making a "shortcut" to a tunnel at its nuclear test site in Punggye-ri, apparently aimed at making speedy preparations for a seventh underground nuclear experiment, according to government sources in South Korea on Sunday. If carried out, it would be the secretive nation's first known nuclear test in 4 1/2 years. South Korea's military and intelligence authorities have detected signs of the country focusing on restoring Tunnel 3 in the mountainous nor

North KoreaMarch 27, 2022

NK propaganda outlet slams Yoon's approach toward Pyongyang

A North Korean propaganda outlet on Sunday criticized South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's policy stance on the Kim Jong-un regime as a move to revive "confrontational" approaches by former conservative administrations in Seoul. The Tongil Voice claimed that Yoon is poised to follow the policy lines of two former presidents, Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, who took tougher approaches than current liberal President Moon Jae-in. "Yoon is struggling to resurrect the anti-rep

North KoreaMarch 27, 2022

S. Korea co-sponsors statement against arms exports to Myanmar

South Korea has issued a joint statement with 20 other countries urging a halt to the supply of arms to Myanmar's military regime on the occasion of the nation's Armed Forces Day, Seoul's foreign ministry said Sunday. The European Union also joined the call for the regime to cease its violence against people there and restore the nation's path to democracy. "Some countries continue to supply lethal assistance to Myanmar's military regime, enabling its violence and repression," read the

Foreign AffairsMarch 27, 2022

New COVID-19 cases below 400,000 for 4th day amid omicron wave

South Korea's new daily COVID-19 cases stayed below 400,000 for the fourth consecutive day Sunday, as the highly transmissible omicron variant continues to spread across the nation amid eased antivirus curbs. The country added 318,130 new coronavirus infections, including 43 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 11,162,232, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Sunday's tally is down from 335,580 reported the previous day, with the daily caseload being on a

Social AffairsMarch 27, 2022

Yoon cites 'pragmatism,' 'people's interests' as key to setting state agendas

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Saturday cited "pragmatism" and "people's interests" as key elements his incoming government should keep in mind when deciding on state agendas. Yoon made the remarks during a workshop of the presidential transition committee in Seoul and also highlighted the importance of economic development. "We need to set the national tasks of priority as we smoothly take over the work from the incumbent government and launch a new one," Yo

PoliticsMarch 26, 2022

North Korea media boast of ICBM launch 'success'

North Korean media outlets ran headlines Saturday boasting of the country's "success" in launching a new intercontinental ballistic missile earlier this week, casting it as "a thrilling victory." The Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper, reported on its front page, "We have seen it, and so has the world," adding, "Our country has become stronger once again and our people have become greater once more." North Korea on Friday confirmed its test-fir

Foreign AffairsMarch 26, 2022

Yoon, Pence meet for 2nd time in S. Korea

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol has met with former US Vice President Mike Pence for a second time in Seoul and the first since Yoon's election, and had broad discussions on security and alliance issues, party officials said Saturday. The two-hour breakfast meeting between Yoon and Pence took place at a hotel in Seoul on Friday, according to party officials familiar with the matter. Pence was visiting Seoul to speak at a session on international affairs. The two had their first encounter in F

Foreign AffairsMarch 26, 2022

US will introduce new UNSC resolution to strengthen sanctions on N. Korea: US envoy

The United States will introduce a new UN Security Council resolution that will update and strengthen UNSC sanctions against North Korea, the head of the US mission to the UN said Friday. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield also called for full implementation of the existing sanctions on North Korea to prevent Pyongyang from engaging in further provocations. "And because of DPRK's increasingly dangerous provocations, the United States will be introducing a chapter seven Security

Foreign AffairsMarch 26, 2022

New COVID-19 cases below 400,000 for 3rd day amid omicron wave

South Korea's new daily COVID-19 cases stayed below 400,000 for the third consecutive day Saturday, as the spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant continues amid eased virus curbs.  The country added 335,580 new COVID-19 infections, including 49 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 11,497,711, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said.   Saturday's tally is down from 339,514 the previous day. South Korea has seen the average count trend down

NationalMarch 26, 2022

Former S. Korean FM unsuccessful in race for ILO top seat

  Kang Kyung-wha, a former South Korean foreign minister, on Friday lost in her bid to become new chief of the International Labour Organization (ILO). In a five-way competition for director-general of the Geneva-based agency, Kang failed to grab a majority vote of 56 titular members of its governing body, which is composed of 28 governments, 14 employers and 14 workers. The ILO said Gilbert Houngbo, a candidate from Togo who currently serves as president of the International Fund for

Foreign AffairsMarch 25, 2022

S. Korea holds rare training involving F-35A fighters after N.K. ICBM launch

South Korea's Air Force conducted a rare training involving its F-35A radar-evading fighters in a show of airpower Friday, a day after North Korea test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Defense Minister Suh Wook oversaw the "Elephant Walk" training and ordered troops to maintain "full" readiness based on the "invisible power" of the F-35As, the defense ministry said. It did not disclose the training site for security reasons. The training marke

North KoreaMarch 25, 2022

Yoon, Xi discuss cooperation between two countries in phone call

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed bilateral cooperation for peace on the Korean Peninsula in a telephone conversation on Friday. During the 25-minute phone conversation, Yoon stressed the two countries should cooperate for peace on the Korean Peninsula and the complete denuclearization of North Korea. “Yoon said the South Korean people are greatly worried about the tension between the two Koreas following the consecutive intercontinental ballistic

PoliticsMarch 25, 2022

Amid Paxlovid scarcity, Korea looks for alternatives

South Korea is looking to bring in alternative therapies amid a shortage of Paxlovid, the COVID-19 antiviral pill from Pfizer. The only antibody drug on the market here, Celltrion’s Regkirona, was suspended from use a month ago after evidence emerged that it was ineffective against omicron. Being distributed from Saturday is Merck’s antiviral pill Lagebrio, whose approval here was delayed until Wednesday, nearly four months since the company applied for emergency use review in No

Social AffairsMarch 25, 2022

NK confirms test of largest ICBM, Kim vows to prepare for ‘long’ confrontation with US

North Korea confirmed Friday that it test-fired a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile the previous day under the order of leader Kim Jong-un, who vowed to boost its nuclear deterrent and prepare for a “long-standing confrontation” with the US.  Thursday’s test was the first full ICBM test by the reclusive regime since 2017, marking the end to the regime’s self-imposed moratorium on testing long-range missiles. The missile, known as Hwasong-17, flew highe

North KoreaMarch 25, 2022

[Newsmaker] [Reporter's Notebook] Did presidential vote worsen gender conflict in Korea?

In the aftermath of Yoon Suk-yeol winning the closest presidential race in history, disdain from the female population toward him has left many suspecting that his victory has exacerbated the country’s gender conflict, particularly among the younger population. The National Police Agency on Monday ordered the Seoul cyber police to investigate a series of postings at an online community, discussing possible assassination of the president-elect. The websites in questions include female-domi

PoliticsMarch 25, 2022

Lee Jae-myung and his aides to steer Democratic Party

South Korea's liberal Democratic Party of Korea elected a new floor leader Thursday, hinting at a new direction for the party ahead of the local elections in June. Rep. Park Hong-keun, a three-term lawmaker for the liberal party, was elected as the new floor leader during a general meeting of Democratic Party legislators at the National Assembly. He beat out Rep. Park Kwang-on in a run-off ballot. The floor leader election was widely touted as a rivalry between forces surrounding former Gyeong

PoliticsMarch 25, 2022

Top diplomats of S. Korea, Japan lash out at N. Korea's ICBM test

The top diplomats of South Korea and Japan on Friday condemned North Korea's firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and urged it to cease provocative acts, Seoul's foreign ministry said. Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong talked over the phone with his Japanese counterpart, Yoshimasa Hayashi, after the North confirmed it successfully test-fired a new ICBM on Thursday under the direct order of its leader Kim Jong-un. The officials pointed out the North's latest missile test is a clea

North KoreaMarch 25, 2022

Seoul to turn off lights of key landmarks for 'Earth Hour' campaign

The lights of key landmarks in Seoul, such as City Hall and Han River bridges, will be turned off for an hour Saturday evening as part of an annual global lights-out campaign raising awareness on climate change, city officials said. The landmarks, which also include Namsan Seoul Tower, the National Assembly building and Lotte World Tower, will go dark for an hour from 8:30 p.m. as part of the 2022 Earth Hour campaign, according to the city government. Other large buildings, such as department st

Social AffairsMarch 25, 2022

Yoon warns N. Korea will gain nothing from provocations after ICBM launch

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol warned North Korea on Friday it will gain nothing from provocations, a day after the North successfully test-fired a massive intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking all of the United States. "I sternly warn North Korea that there is nothing that can be gained from provocations," Yoon wrote on his Facebook page. "The Republic of Korea will safeguard freedom and peace by building a stronger security posture." Following the North's IC

PoliticsMarch 25, 2022

[Graphic News] 53.7% oppose Yoon's plan to relocate presidential office

　More than 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 500 adults, conducted by pollster Realmeter on Tuesday, 53.7 percent said the presidential office should remain at Cheong Wa Dae, and 44.6 percent said they back the relocation plan.  　On Sunday, Yoon announced his decision to move the presidential offi

NationalMarch 25, 2022