Probe under way over alleged embezzlement by head of independence fighters' association

Police have opened an investigation into embezzlement allegations raised against the head of a state-funded association of national independence fighters and their descendants, officials said Friday. Kim Won-wung, a former three-term lawmaker who heads the Heritage of Korean Independence, is facing allegations that he misappropriated a total of 45 million won ($37,465) last year of the business proceeds from a cafe his organization operates inside the National Assembly compound. He allegedly

Social AffairsFeb. 4, 2022

N. Korea convenes meeting on natural disaster preparedness

North Korea has convened a national response committee to prepare emergency measures against natural disasters, including typhoons and floods, according to its state media Friday, as the impoverished country stated plans to focus this year on developing its agriculture sector. In the session chaired by Premier Kim Tok-hun the previous day, the members of the ad hoc committee for natural disaster prevention and response reviewed last year's related measures and analyzed what can be improved, the

North KoreaFeb. 4, 2022

Secretary Blinken condemns N. Korean missile tests in talks with S. Korean FM

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned North Korea's recent missile launches Thursday, while reaffirming the US-South Korea alliance as the linchpin of peace, in bilateral talks with his South Korean counterpart Chung Eui-yong. Blinken also reaffirmed US commitment to engage with North Korea in dialogue. "Secretary Blinken reaffirmed the alliance as the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond and discussed ways to further deepen coo

Foreign AffairsFeb. 4, 2022

Army units get new 120-mm self-propelled mortar system

South Korea's Army has received the first batch of new homegrown 120-mm self-propelled mortar systems to replace existing decades-old mortars, the state arms procurement agency said Friday. The latest systems will supplant the Army's aging 4.2-inch mortars that have been in service for more than 40 years, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). Under a deployment project that runs through 2025, the Army will get the new mortars mounted on armored carriers, along wit

DefenseFeb. 4, 2022

Military reports 298 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Friday reported 298 additional COVID-19 cases, more than doubling from the previous day, raising the total caseload among its domestic personnel to 5,490. The new cases included 195 from the Army, 43 from the Air Force, 19 from units under the direct control of the defense ministry, 15 from the Navy, and 12 from the Marine Corps. There were also four cases from the ministry and 10 additional patients from the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command. Currently, 1,394 m

DefenseFeb. 4, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases hit fresh high of 27,443 as omicron surges

South Korea's daily virus cases on Friday hit another all-time high with infections exceeding 27,000 for the first time amid the fast spread of the omicron variant after a holiday season. The country reported 27,443 new COVID-19 infections, including 27,283 local cases, raising the total to 934,656, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The previous daily record was 22,907 reported on Thursday. The death toll from COVID-19 came to 6,836, up 24 from Thursday. The

Social AffairsFeb. 4, 2022

Current distancing rules to be extended for 2 more weeks: PM

The government decided Friday to extend current social distancing rules for two more weeks, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday, as the country struggles to contain the omicron variant. "Slowing the pace of the omicron's spread, which is heading to its peak day after day, is a priority in this difficult circumstance where we cannot accurately estimate the impact of the Lunar New Year holiday period," Kim said during a COVID-19 response meeting. The government has been enforcing e

PoliticsFeb. 4, 2022

Ruling party chief tests positive for COVID-19: party

The chief of the ruling Democratic Party has tested positive for COVID-19, the party said Friday. Rep. Song Young-gil went into isolation Thursday after testing positive on a rapid antigen test. He then took a polymerase chain reaction test and got back the result Friday morning. "(Song) plans to strictly follow the guidelines of the health authorities," the DP said in a notice to reporters. The chairman has canceled his public schedule for Friday. (Yonhap)

PoliticsFeb. 4, 2022

N. Korean leader Kim congratulates China's Xi on opening of Beijing Olympics

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a message to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday to congratulate China on the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics, highlighting the "invincible strategic relations" between the two countries, Pyongyang's state media reported. An opening ceremony for the Feb. 4-20 competition was to be held in the Chinese capital later in the day, although North Korea is not taking part in the Winter Games following the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s

North KoreaFeb. 4, 2022

Yoon says 'preemptive strike' is 'to protect peace'

People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday defended his position on "preemptive strike" against North Korea, saying that such a plan would curb war and protect peace in a live broadcast TV debate on Thursday. "The president should exercise leadership to prevent the war itself from happening. I think it’s a rash remark," Sim Sang-jeung of the Justice Party told Yoon in the debate. In response, Yoon said, "We are not trying to wage war, b

PoliticsFeb. 3, 2022

Yoon Suk-yeol says ‘100% renewable energy not possible’

Presidential nominee Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party claimed Thursday that it was impossible to transition to 100 percent renewable energy sources, adding that traditional sources of energy must be maintained as well in working toward sustainable growth. During a TV debate held among four major presidential candidates, Yoon said the initiative of RE100, which entails committing to use 100 percent renewable energy by 2050, is impossible to achieve, as the demand for energ

PoliticsFeb. 3, 2022

Lee attacks Yoon over supplementary budget

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the ruling Democratic Party, spent most the seven-minute open topic segment given to him attacking and questioning his key rival Yoon Suk-yeol at the first live broadcast debate for key presidential candidates on Thursday. Regarding pandemic-related supplementary budget to help damaged small business owners, Lee denounced Yoon, saying that he suggested 35 trillion won, but only with "conditions," such as "only if I am elected," or

PoliticsFeb. 3, 2022

Lee Jae-myung strongly distances self from Moon Jae-in, denounces his failures

Presidential nominee Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea firmly distanced himself from the Moon Jae-in administration, accusing it of being reckless and failing to address the difficulties of Koreans during the pandemic. During a TV debate held Thursday among four major presidential candidates, Lee said the Moon administration had made small business owners shoulder the burden of taking care of the public. "Even at this very moment, somebody out there is dying,"

PoliticsFeb. 3, 2022

North Korea's Kim Jong-un rides white horse in new propaganda video

Galloping through forest atop a white horse, Kim Jong-un stars in a new North Korean propaganda video that touts his economic leadership but ignores a recent spate of sanctions-busting missile launches. Pyongyang started the year by conducting a record seven weapons tests, including firing its most powerful missile since 2017, raising fears Kim could restart long-range or nuclear testing. But the government-produced documentary released this week highlights Kim's struggle to right the country'

North KoreaFeb. 3, 2022

Confusion on day of Korea’s big shift to omicron plan

From Thursday onward, Korea has begun its transition to the omicron response that entails a reduced governmental role in controlling the spread of the coronavirus and patient management, but a lot of the foretold changes are yet to be implemented in practice. Despite announcing that select primary care doctor offices would take on rapid antigen testing and both remote and in-person care of nonhospitalized patients, the list of clinics providing these services had not yet been disclosed as of

Social AffairsFeb. 3, 2022

FM Chung protests Japan’s Sado mine heritage push in his first call with Hayashi

South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong on Thursday expressed deep disappointment and protested against Japan’s recent decision to seek a UNESCO World Heritage List designation for the gold mine on the island of Sado, which is associated with the wartime abuse of Korean laborers, in his first phone call with his Japanese counterpart, Yoshimasa Hayashi.  Their conversation came just days after the Japanese government on Tuesday decided to go ahead with the listing of the Sado min

Foreign AffairsFeb. 3, 2022

Seoul seeks to establish office for inter-Korean exchange at Chinese border city

The South Korean government is seeking to establish a new office in a city along the China-North Korea border to facilitate inter-Korean exchange and cooperation, amid signs that the North may relax its pandemic border closure soon. 　 The South-North Korea Exchanges and Cooperation Support Association, which is run by the Unification Ministry, plans to open its first overseas bureau in a Chinese city near the border with North Korea, the ministry said Thursday. 　 “There are many private

North KoreaFeb. 3, 2022

Seoul's daily COVID-19 infection cases exceed 5,000 for 1st time

The daily COVID-19 tally in Seoul has surpassed 5,000 for the first time, setting an all-time high for the second consecutive day, officials said Thursday. The Seoul city government reported 5,218 new cases Wednesday, up 1,009 from the previous high of 4,209 tallied the previous day. The latest tally was 1,789 higher than 3,429 recorded a week ago. Of the total, only 27 were cases of travelers from abroad. The proportion of omicron variant among new weekly infections rose to 60.5 percent la

Social AffairsFeb. 3, 2022

Moon asks National Assembly to swiftly approve extra budget bill

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday asked the National Assembly to swiftly approve an extra budget bill designed to help support small merchants hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, a presidential spokesperson said. The budget proposal of 14 trillion won ($11.8 billion) was submitted to the National Assembly last month. Moon told a meeting with senior aides that "speed is vital" for the extra budget because it aims to provide emergency support to small merchants, according to president

PoliticsFeb. 3, 2022

Lee Jae-myung's wife under fire for 'gapjil'

The wife of presidential nominee Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea is under fire for possibly abusing her status while her husband served in his gubernatorial post, prior to announcing his presidential bid. Lee's wife, Kim Hye-kyung, has faced allegations of having made indirect orders for a Gyeonggi Provincial Government official to deliver food and fetch prescribed medicine for herself while her husband served as the governor for the province until October 2021. Local med

PoliticsFeb. 3, 2022