With S.Korea’s support, UNSC members ‘condemn’ N.Korean missile launch

UN Security Council members and nonmember states on Monday condemned North Korea’s ballistic missile launch “in the strongest terms” and issued a joint statement, notably with South Korea’s participation. The UNSC swiftly held a closed-door consultation around a day after Pyongyang conducted its 10th ballistic missile launch on Sunday. But the Security Council’s 15 members once again failed to concur on concerted action against North Korea’s consecutive ball

North KoreaMarch 1, 2022

N.K. leader urges 'devoted march for people'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has urged "a devoted forced march for the people" and their ideological education in his speech concluding a three-day conference of the ruling Workers' Party, state media said Tuesday. Kim made the appeal Monday during an address for the closure of the 2nd Conference of Secretaries of Primary Committees of the Workers' Party of Korea held in Pyongyang, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The conference, the first since late 2016

North KoreaMarch 1, 2022

Russia slow to win Ukraine's airspace, limiting war gains

WASHINGTON (AP) -- In war, winning quick control of airspace is crucial. Russia's failure to do so in Ukraine, despite its vast military strength, has been a surprise and may help explain how Ukraine has so far prevented a rout. The standoff in the sky is among the Russian battle shortcomings, including logistical breakdowns, that have thrown Moscow off stride in its invasion. Typically, an invading force would seek at the outset to destroy or at least paralyze the target country's air and missi

Foreign AffairsMarch 1, 2022

[Graphic News] 1 in 4 students think unification with NK unnecessary: survey

　One out of 4 South Korean students think that unification with North Korea is unnecessary, a survey showed.  　In the online survey of 72,524 elementary, middle and high school students conducted by the education ministry and the Unification Ministry from Nov. 1 to Dec. 10, 61.2 percent replied that unification is necessary, while 25 percent said it is not needed.  　The rate of students against unification increased for the third consecutive year from 19.4 percent in 2019 and 24.2 p

NationalMarch 1, 2022

Russian forces shell Ukraine's No. 2 city and menace Kyiv

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) -- Russian forces shelled Ukraine's second-largest city on Monday, rocking a residential neighborhood, and closed in on the capital, Kyiv, in a 17-mile convoy of hundreds of tanks and other vehicles, as talks aimed at stopping the fighting yielded only an agreement to keep talking. The country's embattled president said the stepped-up shelling was aimed at forcing him into concessions. "I believe Russia is trying to put pressure (on Ukraine) with this simple method

Foreign AffairsMarch 1, 2022

New COVID-19 cases fall below 140,000 for 2nd day; deaths remain high

South Korea reported less than 140,000 cases of COVID-19 for the second consecutive day Tuesday due to fewer tests over the weekend, but virus-related deaths remained high amid the fast spread of the highly contagious omicron variant. The country reported 138,993 new coronavirus infections, including 138,935 local cases, raising the total caseload to 3,273,449, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The tally surpassed the 100,000 mark for the first time in mid-Fe

Social AffairsMarch 1, 2022

N. Korea still claims zero cases of COVID-19

North Korea has reported to the World Health Organization that the country has seen no cases of the coronavirus after more than 56,000 people have undergone tests so far, WHO data showed Tuesday. The North has claimed it has remained coronavirus-free since the pandemic began two years ago. According to the latest WHO statistics, 56,227 North Koreans have been tested for COVID-19 so far, but none of them were found to be infected. Of the about 1,300 people tested between Jan. 11-17, 110 showed sy

North KoreaMarch 1, 2022

Leading presidential candidates to highlight Japan policies on independence movement anniversary

The two leading presidential candidates are expected to highlight their plans for relations with Japan on Tuesday as the country marks the anniversary of a 1919 uprising against Tokyo's colonial rule. Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) are expected to use their campaign rallies in Seoul to outline how they will handle relations with Japan long plagued by history-related tensions. Lee will kick off his campaign sched

PoliticsMarch 1, 2022

US and 9 other UNSC members condemn N. Korean missile launch, urge Pyongyang to engage

The United States and nine other member countries of the UN Security Council on Monday condemned North Korea's recent missile launch while urging Pyongyang to engage in sustained dialogue. The call came in a joint press conference that followed a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss issues including North Korea's latest missile test. "The DPRK's February 27 (local time) launch of a ballistic missile is yet another example of the DPRK's recent pattern of destabilizing be

North KoreaMarch 1, 2022

Korea to provide US$10 mln in humanitarian aid to Ukraine

Korea decided to provide $10 million in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, as it is fighting against Russia's invasion, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday.    The aid for the Ukrainian government and its people, including refugees, was announced hours after President Moon Jae-in ordered officials to swiftly draw up a plan to help support the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country.    "The assistance will be swiftly made following consultations with th

InternationalFeb. 28, 2022

Russian envoy warns of strain in ties with Korea following sanctions announcement

    Russia's top envoy to South Korea warned the two countries' cooperative ties could "change course," after Seoul announced its decision Monday to join a sanctions campaign to hold Moscow accountable for its invasion of Ukraine.    Ambassador Andrey Kulik made the remarks hours after Seoul's foreign ministry announced its decision to bar the exports of strategic materials to Russia and join the multinational move to exclude the country from the SWIFT global

InternationalFeb. 28, 2022

As Korea lives with omicron, deaths hit record high

COVID-19 deaths in South Korea are soaring to record levels while the country moves to live with omicron despite the continuing surge. Meanwhile, as the country seeks to live with omicron, COVID-19 deaths are soaring to record levels. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Korea saw 114 COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours ending Sunday midnight -- the highest to date since the pandemic began. In the past week, COVID-19 deaths have averaged at 86 per day, up from 49 se

Social AffairsFeb. 28, 2022

Korea Times chief named head of foreign language newspaper association

The Foreign Language Newspapers Association of Korea elected Oh Young-jin, president of The Korea Times, as its seventh chairman at its meeting of executive directors on Friday. Oh will serve as the chairman of Foreign Language Newspapers Association for a term of one year. The association was established in July 2015 and carries out joint research and projects to aid the development of foreign-language newspapers published in Korea. Its members are English-language dailies The Korea Hera

Social AffairsFeb. 28, 2022

[Newsmaker] Korea suspends vaccine pass nationwide

South Korea is suspending the use of the COVID-19 vaccine pass nationwide from Tuesday, citing a high vaccination rate and continuing legal challenges. The move comes more than two months since vaccine passes were introduced extensively in early December. While the mandate is lifted, people are no longer required to present proof of being fully vaccinated or have negative test results to enter public places. The Ministry of Health and Welfare on Monday said the passes were being scrapped for

Social AffairsFeb. 28, 2022

Seoul to ban exports of strategic materials to Russia

South Korea decided to prohibit exports of strategic materials to Russia, joining the US and other countries in imposing tough restrictions following the invasion of Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday. 　 The government has notified the US of its related decisions via a diplomatic channel, the ministry said.  　 Seoul announced its first set of economic measures targeting Russia in the wake of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. The government will strengthen export control re

Foreign AffairsFeb. 28, 2022

Foreigners out: Online petition sparks controversy for calling for exclusion of foreigners in new welfare program

South Korea’s new financial welfare program for the younger generation is designed to disregard the nationality of the recipient. Anyone here who meets the income and age criteria -- Korean or not -- can sign up for a state-backed savings product that pays around 10 percent in yearly interest, tax breaks and saving incentives. Some call it unfair. “Why should (the government) give money to foreigners with the tax that we (Koreans) paid,” reads a petition on the homepage of

Social AffairsFeb. 28, 2022

Security emerges as key issue in presidential election as Ukraine crisis unfolds

South Korean presidential candidates’ stances on national security and foreign policy are emerging as key issues in the upcoming election as East-West tensions escalate over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Each candidate has insisted that their security views are the best for the country, while some of their attacks on rivals have backfired. The two frontrunners, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s Lee Jae-myung and the main opposition People Power Party’s Yoon Suk-yeo

PoliticsFeb. 28, 2022

Putin orders nuclear alert as Ukraine fiercely resists Russian invasion

KYIV (AFP) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement that his nuclear forces were on alert sparked outcry in the West as the invading troops faced stiff resistance on Monday. The UN General Assembly will hold a rare emergency session Monday to discuss the conflict, which has claimed dozens of lives and raised fears that it will displace millions of people. Ukraine has also said it had agreed to send a delegation to meet Russian representatives on the border with Belarus, which would be

Foreign AffairsFeb. 28, 2022

Education Ministry eases restrictions for students

Unvaccinated students living with confirmed COVID-19 patients will be allowed to attend in-person classes staring March 14, as part of the Ministry of Education’s new guidelines announced Monday. Schools will not penalize students’ COVID-19-related absences from the new semester onward. Also, from March 14, students can attend classes in person even if their family member has been infected with COVID-19. The Ministry of Education announced more details to its response against the

Social AffairsFeb. 28, 2022

People Power Party unveils more documents to claim Lee Jae-myung's involvement in Daejang-dong scandal

Former Jeju Province Gov. Won Hee-ryong is unveiling documents on the controversial Daejang-dong development project, alleging that presidential nominee Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea was the mastermind behind the whole project. During a press conference held Monday at the headquarters of the main opposition People Power Party, Won unveiled a series of documents that Won claims directly link Lee to the scandal, as seen from his hand-written signature. Won said the docume

PoliticsFeb. 28, 2022