In-ground traffic lights installed across Seoul for 'smartphone zombies'

A growing number of crosswalk traffic signals are finding their way onto the ground in Seoul as a way to enhance the safety of pedestrians glued to their smartphones, according to the city's ward offices Tuesday. Nearly 1,200 in-ground crosswalk traffic signal systems were in operation across the city's total 25 boroughs as of Tuesday, led by the southern ward of Gangnam, which was operating 138 of them. Installed on the ground at the foot of a crosswalk, the supplementary LED traffic lights a

Social AffairsJan. 11, 2022

Cold weather grips S. Korea

A cold wave hit South Korea on Tuesday, with temperatures in Seoul dropping to minus 9.3 C as of 8 a.m. and expected to remain below zero in the afternoon too, the state weather agency said. The apparent temperature for Seoul was minus 15.6 C, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said. Cold wave alerts were issued in the northern part of Gyeonggi Province and some parts of the eastern Gangwon Province, as the morning lows dropped below minus 10 C. Mercury dived to minus 17.9 C at Moun

Social AffairsJan. 11, 2022

Military reports 17 more COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military on Tuesday reported 17 additional COVID-19 cases, including 15 breakthrough infections, raising the total caseload among its personnel to 3,461. Of the new cases, 12 are from the Army, three from the Air Force and two from a unit under the direct control of the defense ministry. Currently, 182 military personnel are under treatment. Of the total military caseload, 1,646 are breakthrough cases. (Yonhap)

Social AffairsJan. 11, 2022

3 family members of Osstem embezzlement suspect booked on collusion suspicions

SEOUL/PAJU -- Police have booked three family members of a dental implant maker employee arrested for allegedly embezzling 221 billion won ($185 million) in company funds on suspicions of possible collusion. Police were looking into whether the father, the wife and the sister-in-law of the 45-year-old Osstem employee, identified only by his surname Lee, played a part in the suspected embezzlement, believed to be South Korea's single largest embezzlement case. Lee, who was arrested Saturday, al

Social AffairsJan. 11, 2022

Daily infections below 4,000 for 5th day amid tightened curbs

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases stayed below 4,000 for the fifth consecutive day Tuesday amid tightened antivirus restrictions, but concerns linger over a possible resurgence due to the continued spread of the omicron variant. The country added 3,097 new COVID-19 infections, including 2,813 local infections, raising the total caseload to 670,483, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The country reported 43 more COVID-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 6,

Social AffairsJan. 11, 2022

US, 5 others urge N. Korea to end missile tests, return to dialogue: statement

WASHINGTON -- The United States and five other countries called on North Korea to cease its missile tests and engage in denuclearization negotiations on Monday. The joint call came shortly before the UN Security Council was set to hold a meeting behind closed doors on North Korea's missile test that Pyongyang claims to have involved a newly developed hypersonic missile. "We stand today unified in our condemnation of the DPRK's most recent missile launch, which the Security Council will di

North KoreaJan. 11, 2022

N. Korean missile test in violation of UNSC resolutions regardless of nature: Pentagon

WASHINGTON -- North Korea's latest missile test is in violation of UN Security Council resolutions regardless of whether it involved a hypersonic missile as claimed by the North, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Monday. Kirby said the US was still assessing the details of last week's missile test. "We don't have any updates to an assessment ... with more specificity as to what was fired. We've called it a ballistic missile, and we're still assessing the details of it," he tol

North KoreaJan. 11, 2022

N.Korea test-fires unidentified projectile toward East Sea: JCS

North Korea on Tuesday test-fired an unidentified projectile(s) toward its east coast, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, without further details. Tuesday’s launch came less than a week after North Korea on Jan. 5 test-fired what it claimed to be a “hypersonic missile.” This marks Pyongyang’s second weapons test this year. The consecutive show of force is noteworthy given that Pyongyang on Jan.1 announced the country‘s policy direction for the

North KoreaJan. 11, 2022

Anchovies, beans and #AnnihilateCommunism cause campaign uproar

When Shinsegae Group Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin wrote “Annihilate communism” on his Instagram along with a photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping last week, it is unlikely that he intended to start a fad.  But for some conservatives salivating over a chance to slam the ruling camp’s guiding philosophy of diplomacy known as strategic ambiguity, the half-joke was just too spot on. A day after Chung’s post, Yoon Suk-yeol, presidential candidate of the conservative Pe

PoliticsJan. 10, 2022

Talks with Poland, EU, first step to resolve Polish-Belarus emergency: Belarus ambassador

 Negotiations with Poland and the European Union are the first step toward normalizing the Polish-Belarus border situation and Belarus is ready for talks, according to Belarusian ambassador to Korea Andrew Chernetsky. Speaking during an interview with The Korea Herald on Jan. 4, Chernetsky cited Polish and EU authorities’ reluctance to consultations on the issue and military operations as root causes of the crisis. According to the ambassador, Belarus has proposed the European Comm

Diplomatic CircuitJan. 10, 2022

Kazakhstan committed to protect foreign missions, companies and investors: Kazakh envoy

The situation in Kazakhstan will soon stabilized without changes to economic policy and the investment climate, said Bakyt Dyussenbayev, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Korea told The Korea Herald in an email interview Sunday. Saying that his country was committed to security and the protection of foreign missions, personnel, property of companies and investors, and to the protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms, the envoy stressed that his country’s obligations to such cause

Diplomatic CircuitJan. 10, 2022

Moon to visit three Middle East countries on Jan. 15

President Moon Jae-in will visit three countries in the Middle East -- the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt -- on an eight-day trip beginning Jan. 15, according to the presidential office on Monday. Moon will first visit the UAE between Jan. 16-17 at the invitation of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. It is Moon‘s first visit to the country in four years. After the UAE, he will visit Saudi Arabia for two days to hold talks with Saudi Arabia‘s de

PoliticsJan. 10, 2022

Defense minister calls for 'full attention' to allied defense posture amid USFK virus case rise

   South Korea's Defense Minister Suh Wook called Monday for "full attention" to keeping a combined defense posture with the United States as he commented on a recent rise in COVID-19 infections among US Forces Korea (USFK) personnel.    Suh made the call during a virtual meeting of top military commanders on anti-virus efforts, voicing concerns over the continued spread of the omicron variant on and off base.    The USFK had confirmed a weekly record

DefenseJan. 10, 2022

Parliamentary committee OKs bill on reducing age of eligibility for joining political parties

A parliamentary committee on Monday approved a bill on lowering the age at which people can join a political party, a move seen as aimed at wooing young voters ahead of the March presidential election.   The Legislation and Judiciary Commission passed the revised bill that calls for lowering the age of eligibility for joining political parties to 16 from the current 18.  Under the bill, people aged 16 and older will be able to participate in the process of creating a political p

Social AffairsJan. 10, 2022

[Hwang’s China and the World] US and China Neck to Neck in a New Cold War Long Race

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping had their first summit on Nov. 16. Although the summit was an online-only meeting, the whole international society paid serious attention, since it was the first bilateral talk since the Biden administration was inaugurated 10 months ago. During the main discussion, Biden pinpointed everything he had to from the US’ point of view for its own national interests. This includes human rights issues in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, unfai

Foreign AffairsJan. 10, 2022

A man sentenced to 25 years in prison for arson that killed three people

A man convicted of killing three people in an arson fire at a motel in Seoul was sentenced to 25 years in prison, the Supreme Court of South Korea ruled Monday. The 71-year-old man was indicted on charges of setting a fire at a motel located in Mapo-gu, Seoul, in November 2020, which led to a total of eight casualties. The man demanded the owner of the motel give him alcohol, but the owner refused. The man, who was found to be already drunk, then set a fire that killed three people and injur

Social AffairsJan. 10, 2022

Vaccine pass mandate applied to big stores on Monday

South Korea‘s vaccine pass mandate, which requires people to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test conducted within 48 hours to shop in large retail and department stores, became effective on Monday. According to the government, there will be a one-week grace period until Jan. 16 to reduce confusion. After the grace period, penalties can be levied on people who enter those facilities with expired vaccine passes, as well as facilities owners who accept them. People who go in

Social AffairsJan. 10, 2022

Govt. to support corporate hazard management with workplace disaster punishment law to take effect

SEJONG -- The government plans to provide support to companies in preventing and dealing with industrial hazards, as a new workplace disaster punishment law is set to come into effect this month, officials said Monday. The law, passed by the National Assembly last year, will go into effect on Jan. 27, under which owners and CEOs of companies with five or more employees can face a minimum one-year prison sentence or up to a fine of 1 billion won ($833,000) in the event of serious workplace disas

Social AffairsJan. 10, 2022

[Election 2022] Parties focus on online for ‘viral’ campaign gimmick

As suspenseful music plays in the background, two politicians appear closely facing each other. One politician asks, “Did you know that the Moon Jae-in administration is raising the cost of electricity for charging electric vehicles?” The other answers, “Who will ride EVs then? What about the environment?” To this, his counterpart says, “We will freeze the electricity prices for the next five years!” This is the conversation between the main opposition Peopl

PoliticsJan. 10, 2022

Court approves Edison Motors' deal to acquire embattled SsangYong Motor

A court on Monday gave its nod to electric carmaker Edison Motors Co's deal to acquire the embattled SsangYong Motor Co., according to sources. The approval by the Seoul Bankruptcy Court paved the way for Edison's plan to take over the financially troubled carmaker under court receivership.  Sources said following the court decision, Edison is expected to sign a formal contract to pump in about 304.8 billion won ($254.5 million) into SsangYong as early as Tuesday. (Yonhap)

Social AffairsJan. 10, 2022