Seoul's daily COVID-19 infections hit 10,000 for 1st time

Seoul's daily tally of new COVID-19 infections reached 11,682 on Wednesday, the first ever figure over 10,000 since the country's first case reported two years ago, according to city officials. The daily COVID-19 tally in the capital city has been growing rapidly with the fast spread of omicron variant, hitting the 5,000 level for the first time a week earlier and repeatedly renewing its record to surpass the 8,000 level last Saturday. Of the latest total, 11,630 cases were locally tra

Social AffairsFeb. 9, 2022

N. Korean leader calls for development of construction sector

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered officials to address urgent defects in the field of construction, stressing its importance in building a strong country and improving people's lives, according to Pyongyang's state media Wednesday. In a letter sent to participants of a construction workshop held in Pyongyang the previous day, Kim pointed out mistakes made in the field, and said it was the right time for them to "rearm" with the ruling party's ideologies and policies, the Nort

North KoreaFeb. 9, 2022

Self-driving taxies set to go into service in western Seoul

The first batch of self-driving taxies in Seoul will go into service in the city's western region this week, the city government said Wednesday. Four autonomous cars will start providing public taxi services in the Sangam-dong district in western Seoul on Thursday, covering two separate transportation routes. Any passenger can call one of the taxies on the smartphone application TAP! at the fixed fare of 2,000 won ($1.67) per ride, automatically payable on the application. Circling two separate

Social AffairsFeb. 9, 2022

Yoon rules out negotiations for merger with Ahn

Main opposition presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol has said he will not hold negotiations with minor candidate Ahn Cheol-soo for a merger of their candidacies while leaving open the possibility of a merger through a surprise deal. Yoon of the conservative People Power Party made the comments in an interview with the Joongang Ilbo newspaper published Wednesday, emphasizing his aversion to long, drawn-out negotiations over details. "If we trust each other and agree on the goal of regime cha

PoliticsFeb. 9, 2022

Chinese Embassy rebuts public criticism over 'hanbok' at Beijing Olympics ceremony

The Chinese Embassy here issued a rare public statement in response to fury among South Koreans over the "appropriation" of "hanbok," the traditional Korean attire, and deepening anti-China sentiment. A woman, dressed in hanbok, appeared during last week's opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, representing an ethnic minority of China, called "joseonjok." She was part of those representing 56 ethnic groups of China carrying the Chinese national flag into t

Foreign AffairsFeb. 9, 2022

Military reports 416 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Wednesday reported 416 additional COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 7,158. The new cases included 216 from the Army, 129 from the Air Force, 27 from the Marine Corps, 26 from units under the direct control of the defense ministry, 15 from the Navy and three from the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command. Currently, 2,613 military personnel are under treatment. Meanwhile, the military reported no additional virus cases from the N

Social AffairsFeb. 9, 2022

Military advises incoming recruits to cast early ballots

South Korea's military recruitment agency on Wednesday advised incoming draftees to cast their ballots during an early voting period for the March 9 presidential election. The Military Manpower Administration (MMA) said that some 20,000 men are set to begin mandatory service before the Election Day, and they can go to polling stations when early voting takes place on March 4-5. By law, citizens can only cast their votes at their legal residential districts on the Election Day. When outside their

DefenseFeb. 9, 2022

New COVID-19 cases soar to all-time high of nearly 50,000 amid raging omicron

South Korea's daily COVID-19 infections rose sharply to hit another high of nearly 50,000 on Wednesday amid the fast spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant across the nation. The country reported 49,567 new COVID-19 infections, including 49,402 local cases, raising the total to 1,131,248, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It marked the first time that the daily tally exceeded the 40,000 level. The previous daily record high was 38,689 recorded Sun

Social AffairsFeb. 9, 2022

Police to operate smartwatch location tracking system to protect victims from violent crimes

Police will officially operate a smartwatch system that can find almost the exact location of the wearer in emergencies starting later this month to better respond to potential crimes, officials said Wednesday. The location tracking system using smartwatches will first be put into operation by police in the southeastern city of Ulsan and the central North Chungcheong Province on Thursday and expanded to other regions across the country starting Feb. 22 unless problems occur. The smartwatch, whic

Social AffairsFeb. 9, 2022

Senior N. Korean diplomat holds talks with Russian ambassador

A senior North Korean diplomat met with the Russian ambassador to Pyongyang earlier this week to discuss bilateral ties and regional and global issues, according to the North's foreign ministry, amid speculation that the two countries may be seeking to restart cross-border exchange. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Im Chon-il held talks with Ambassador Alexander Matsegora on Monday, the North's foreign ministry said in a post Tuesday on its website. "Both sides exchanged views on the issue

North KoreaFeb. 9, 2022

Satellite imagery shows 'somewhat unusual' activity at NK submarine shipyard: US think tank

WASHINGTON -- Recent satellite photos have shown "somewhat unusual" activity at a North Korean submarine shipyard, including the repositioning of a missile test barge, though its purpose remains unclear, a US think tank said Tuesday. Citing the recent satellite imagery, Beyond Parallel, a project of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, published an analysis on its recent observation of the shipyard in the eastern coastal city of Sinpo where an experimental ballistic miss

North KoreaFeb. 9, 2022

[Graphic News] S. Korean performing arts scene sees revenue jump nearly 80% in 2021

　The local performing arts scene saw its revenue soar nearly 80 percent in 2021 from a year earlier, thanks to eased social distancing rules and a rising vaccination rate, data showed. 　The combined revenue of 12,000 theatrical plays, musicals, classical concerts and other performances reached 307.1 billion won ($258.1 million) last year, according to the data by the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System. 　The 2021 amount marked a 78.4 percent on-year surge from 172.1 billion wo

NationalFeb. 9, 2022

Election watchdog looking at in-person voting for COVID-19 patients after 6 p.m.

South Korea's election watchdog will propose a plan to allow in-person voting for virus patients after 6 p.m. in the upcoming presidential election amid concerns that the ongoing COVID-19 crisis could affect hundreds of thousands of voters casting their ballots. Under current election rules, it is virtually impossible for those who are diagnosed with COVID-19 after the early voting period that falls on March 4-5 and people who go into self-isolation just before the March 9 presidential election

PoliticsFeb. 9, 2022

S. Korea wins WTO ruling over Trump-era washer safeguard tariffs

South Korea won a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute over the United States' safeguard measures on large-sized residential washers and parts, Seoul's trade ministry said Wednesday. In May 2018, the Seoul government lodged the complaint, three months after the Donald Trump administration began imposing a 20 percent tariff on the yearly quota of 1.2 million imported units and a 50 percent tariff on washing machines beyond the number. The measure was extended in 2021 for another two years, wi

Foreign AffairsFeb. 9, 2022

Pakistan embassy holds exhibition on journey through Pakistan

The Embassy of Pakistan in Seoul organized the photo exhibition “A Journey through Pakistan” at Dongjak Art Gallery in Seoul. The exhibition was held from Feb. 3 through Saturday, and showcased Pakistan’s diverse heritage, scenic landscape, and beautiful and vibrant handicrafts. According to the Embassy of Pakistan, members of the diplomatic corps, Korean cultural and trade associations, leaders of the Korea-Pakistan Friendship Association, representatives of Korean media, P

Diplomatic CircuitFeb. 8, 2022

[Newsmaker] Schools’ new COVID-19 rules clouded with uncertainty

Teacher unions are raising criticism of the Ministry of Education, accusing it of putting the burden of COVID-19 management on schools and teachers. On Monday, the Education Ministry announced that schools will move to “normalcy” in attendance measures for the new semester, flexibly responding to virus situations. Under the new measure, schools can change their attendance policy based on the new four-stage plan suggested by the ministry. Teachers’ associations, however, a

Social AffairsFeb. 8, 2022

Opposition rivals raise talk of campaign merger as clock ticks

With less than 30 days to go to the March presidential election, candidates from opposition parties are bringing talks to merge their campaigns to the surface. Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party expressed for the first time his openness to unifying his candidacy with Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People’s Party in a media interview Monday. Ahn, however, drew a line on merging campaigns, saying he has no intention of doing so. In an interview with a local n

PoliticsFeb. 8, 2022

USFK chief LaCamera visits air base with precision bombs

US Forces Korea (USFK) chief Gen. Paul LaCamera visited an American air unit equipped with high-end guided bombs last week to ensure "fight-tonight" readiness, his office said Tuesday, amid tensions caused by recent North Korean missile launches. In a Facebook post, the USFK showed a series of photos depicting him looking at a set of formidable weapons systems, like the Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), during his visit to the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base in the western ci

DefenseFeb. 8, 2022

Virus surge raises self-test shortage fears

The recent surge in the number of COVID-19 cases has increased the demand for self-test kits, and is causing alarm as there are signs of another supply shortage reminiscent of the mask scarcity seen two years ago. Sales of self-test kits at convenience stores have soared since Jan. 26 when the country’s daily confirmed cases broke 10,000 for the first time. Some stores quickly ran out of stock as the supply could not keep up. A similar pattern has been seen at pharmacies. “Since

Social AffairsFeb. 8, 2022

Asan Medical Center to open infectious disease facility

Asan Medical Center, one of South Korea's five major hospitals, said Tuesday it will open a separate infectious disease facility to better battle the pandemic. The Center for Infection Control (CIC), located next to the general hospital's main wing in Seoul, will begin operations Thursday. It marks the first time for a private hospital to open a separate building wholly dedicated to infectious diseases. "We will actively work to overcome the national crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic,"

Social AffairsFeb. 8, 2022