2.1 magnitude natural quake hits near N. Korea's nuclear test site: weather agency

A 2.1 magnitude natural earthquake struck near North Korea's nuclear test site early Friday, South Korea's weather agency said. The quake struck about 33 kilometers north-northwest of Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, at 2:15 a.m., the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said. Kilju is where North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear testing site is located. The epicenter of Friday's quake was at a latitude of 41.24 degrees north and a longitude of 129.22 degrees east at a depth of 29 km. The KMA said

North KoreaMarch 4, 2022

Sanctions against Russia show united front against unjust invasion of Ukraine: US official

WASHINGTON -- The sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies, including South Korea, show how many countries see Russia's invasion of Ukraine as unjust, a US state department spokesperson said Thursday. Jalina Porter, principal deputy spokesperson for the state department, said the United Nations has also voiced its clear opposition against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "The international community has been very clear and we've been united in our defense of this wa

Foreign AffairsMarch 4, 2022

Korea to be with Ukraine, Moon tells Zelenskyy

South Korea will provide emergency humanitarian aid of $10 million for Ukrainian citizens and refugees, President Moon Jae-in said after a 30-minute phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Thursday night. “We are on the phone again under a very unfortunate situation,” Moon was quoted as saying during the call, and expressed his deepest condolences to the victims and their bereaved families of the war in Ukraine. “We pay tribute to the courage and sacrifice o

PoliticsMarch 3, 2022

Korea should strengthen security as new Cold War emerges: Moon

President Moon Jae-in said Thursday the government should strengthen its security capabilities for the next administration to respond to the complex security crisis agilely from the beginning. Moon presided over a National Security Council expansion ministerial meeting at Cheong Wa Dae the same day, receiving a report from the NSC on the prospects for security threats from last year through 2030. “The global security environment is changing rapidly,” Moon said at the meeting. &l

PoliticsMarch 3, 2022

South Korea relocates Ukraine Embassy from Kyiv to Chernivtsi

South Korea has relocated its embassy in Ukraine from the capital Kyiv to Chernivtsi, a city closer to the border with Romania, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday, as Russian troops continue to close in on the capital and attacks across the country intensify.  Ambassador Kim Hyung-tae and all remaining embassy staff left the capital and arrived in Chernivtsi on Wednesday night local time, along with six South Korean nationals who expressed the intent to evacuate, a ministry official in Se

Foreign AffairsMarch 3, 2022

Opposition merger adds to Ahn’s career of withdrawal

Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate for the minor opposition People’s Party, stepped down once again from a election race on Thursday, marking his fourth withdrawal in a political career that extends just over 10 years. Ahn became a big name in local politics starting in 2011, when there were rumors that he -- a respected doctor-turned-software mogul at the time -- would run in the Seoul mayoral by-election. Ahn, however, declined to join the race, instead choosing to endorse the

PoliticsMarch 3, 2022

Midnight street racing crash kills 2; police nab 3 others involved

Three members of an online sports car club are arrested on Wednesday and are facing charges of reckless driving in a street racing crash that killed two other club members. The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency said it is investigating the three people, including a 29-year-old driver, on charges of violating the Road Traffic Act, primarily for driving at excessive speeds. According to the police, four vehicles drove in a row at very high speeds on a road in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Provin

Social AffairsMarch 3, 2022

S. Korea’s daily COVID-19 infections fell below 200,000

South Korea on Thursday reported 128 COVID-19 deaths, the highest daily tally since the pandemic began, while the daily caseload hovered near the 200,000 mark. According to health authorities, the number of daily cases reported during the 24 hours of Wednesday came to 198,803. The total caseload thus came to 3,691,488, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The figure was down from that of the previous day, when it reached the highest figure of 219,241. The country&rs

Social AffairsMarch 3, 2022

Ruling party caught by surprise, vows to maintain agenda on coalition government

The presidential election campaign committee of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea is keen on interpreting the effects of the merger deal announced from the opposition with less than 24 hours to go before early voting was due to start at 6 a.m. on Friday. Campaign staff members for the ruling party's candidate Lee Jae-myung insist the effects of the candidacy merger will be limited, and experts agree to an extent. Yet they agree the announcement will increase the odds of presidential nominee

PoliticsMarch 3, 2022

Yoon, Ahn unify candidacies; Ahn concedes

The two leading opposition candidates for the presidency, Yoon Suk-yeol and Ahn Cheol-soo, merged their campaigns Thursday in a dramatic turn of events, just a day before early voting was to begin. In a joint statement, Yoon of the main opposition People Power Party and Ahn of the minor opposition People’s Party said they have decided to merge their campaigns in pursuit of regime change. Ahn withdrew his candidacy, declaring his support for Yoon. “Today, I, Ahn Cheol-soo, and Yoo

PoliticsMarch 3, 2022

Ukraine crisis causes delay in S. Korea,-US-Japan talks to arrange defense ministerial meeting: official

The armed conflict in Ukraine has led to a delay in talks among South Korea, the United States and Japan to arrange their in-person defense ministerial meeting, a Seoul official said Thursday. The three countries have been in talks to set up a meeting among Defense Minister Suh Wook and his U.S. and Japanese counterparts, Lloyd Austin and Nobuo Kishi, in line with an agreement at their phone talks last month to meet face-to-face at a "mutually agreed-upon" date. The three defense chief

Foreign AffairsMarch 3, 2022

Yoon leads Lee in hypothetical two-way race: polls

Main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol leads his ruling party rival Lee Jae-myung in a hypothetical two-way race, according to polls conducted before Yoon merged candidacies with Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor People's Party. According to a survey conducted by Embrain Public from Tuesday to Wednesday, Yoon led Lee 45.9 percent to 45 percent in a hypothetical two-way race. The gap of 0.9 percentage point was within the margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent at a 95 percent confide

PoliticsMarch 3, 2022

NK leader attends tree planting event with party officials

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has planted memorial trees with key ruling party officials in Pyongyang to mark his country's tree-planting day, Pyongyang's state media said Thursday. On Wednesday, Kim attended the event with participants of the recently concluded Conference of Secretaries of Primary Committees of the Workers' Party of Korea, where they reviewed progress in key party tasks and pledged to improve them. During the event, Kim renewed calls for unity among party ranks, saying, "

North KoreaMarch 3, 2022

S. Korea, Mexico agree to resume talks on free trade deal

South Korea and Mexico have agreed to resume negotiations to forge a bilateral free trade agreement 14 years after their suspension, Seoul's trade ministry said Thursday. The two nations began talks on a strategic economic complementary agreement in 2006, but the negotiations have stalled since 2008 amid opposition from businesses in the Latin American country. South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and Mexican Economy Minister Tatiana Clouthier held ministerial talks in Mexico City on Tuesday

Foreign AffairsMarch 3, 2022

[Subway Stories] Apgujeong is making a comeback 　

The following is part of Seoul Subway Stories, a newly launched Korea Herald series exploring the subway stations and surrounding areas across the city. – Ed.  For the past 40 years, Apgujeong, the Beverly Hills of Seoul, has seen the rise and fall of its commercial corridors that have been leading trends in high fashion, fine dining and even plastic surgery in the country. Changes in consumer behavior caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic is giving fresh impetus to the dist

Social AffairsMarch 3, 2022

Moon to preside over NSC meeting

President Moon Jae-in will preside over a National Security Council meeting Thursday to discuss long-term security threats, Cheong Wa Dae said, amid expectations the session would focus on the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Thursday's meeting was aimed at discussing security challenges between 2021 and 2030, but Russian attacks in Ukraine and their geopolitical ramifications are likely to top the agenda. South Korea said it will ban exports of strategic items to Russia and join inter

Social AffairsMarch 3, 2022

UN Assembly votes to demand that Russia stop war in Ukraine

UNITED NATIONS -- The UN General Assembly voted at an emergency session Wednesday to demand an immediate halt to Moscow's attack on Ukraine and the withdrawal of all Russian troops, with sustained applause breaking out after a formidable show of support among the 193 member nations against the invasion. The vote on the "Aggression against Ukraine" resolution was 141-5, with 35 abstentions. It came as Russia bombarded Ukraine's second-largest city and besieged two important ports, and a

Foreign AffairsMarch 3, 2022

‘Attacking feminism won’t solve issues young men face’: activist group

Last month, a group of men who identified themselves as feminists held a press conference in central Seoul. The move made headlines, bucking the trend in a country where young men, often characterized as anti-feminist, have emerged as an important voting bloc in the upcoming presidential election. “Abolishing the Gender Equality Ministry or sending women to the military will not improve gender equality or solve the issues young men face,” the group, named Ordinary Guys Who Take Acti

PoliticsMarch 3, 2022

Samsung heir cleared of tax evasion allegations

Samsung Group heir Lee Jae-yong has been cleared of allegations that he evaded taxes through the establishment of a paper company in the British Virgin Islands, according to police Thursday. The financial crime unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it decided not to file tax evasion and other charges against the Samsung Electronics Co. vice chairman in a case launched after the Youth Justice Party filed a criminal complaint last year. The party filed the complaint after Lee was purpo

Social AffairsMarch 3, 2022

Daily infections fall below 200,000 amid omicron's spread

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases fell below 200,000 Thursday, with health authorities staying on alert over the spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant. The country reported 198,803 new coronavirus infections, including 198,749 local cases, raising the total caseload to 3,691,488 according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Daily infections surpassed 200,000 for the first time Wednesday, a day after the government suspended the enforcement of the vaccine

Social AffairsMarch 3, 2022