Trump touts tariff extension on S. Korean pickup trucks as policy feat

Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump on Monday praised a tariff extension on South Korean pickup trucks as a key economic policy feat during his presidency, claiming that absent it, South Korea and China would be "destroying us." Trump made the remarks during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, referring to the extension of 25 percent import tariffs on South Korean pickup trucks until 2041 -- an outcome of the South Korea-US free trade agreement (FTA) revisio

Foreign AffairsAug. 20, 2024

N. Korean soldier defects to S. Korea: military

A North Korean soldier crossed the border into South Korea early Tuesday in the latest defection amid Seoul's propaganda campaign in response to Pyongyang's s repeated launches of trash-carrying balloons. The South Korean military detected the soldier from north of the Military Demarcation Line within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas in the eastern section of the border and conducted an operation to help him arrive in the South. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) con

North KoreaAug. 20, 2024

US to stand by S. Korea, other allies against N. Korean threats: 2024 Democratic platform

The United States will stand by South Korea and other allies to counter North Korean provocations, the Democratic Party's 2024 policy platform has showed, reiterating the party's commitment to cementing regional alliances for stronger deterrence. The party released the platform Sunday, the eve of the four-day Democratic National Convention, where Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are to be celebrated as the Democratic nominees for president and

Foreign AffairsAug. 20, 2024

PM urges proactive measures as typhoon approaches Korean Peninsula

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Monday instructed officials to closely monitor Typhoon Jongdari, which is anticipated to begin impacting the Korean Peninsula starting the next day. He urged officials to conduct thorough inspections, and proactively secure seashores and other vulnerable areas to "prevent any casualties." Additionally, he instructed them to take measures to protect fishing infrastructure, buildings and other structures from strong winds. He also highlighted the importance

Social AffairsAug. 19, 2024

Political tensions to rise as rival parties' leaders start new term

The newly elected leaders of the rival parties will hold their first bilateral meeting next week, drawing national attention to the turbulent political climate as both are viewed as potential candidates for the 2027 presidential election. The announcement was made a day after Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Lee Jae-myung clinched his second term with a record-high 85.4 percent of the votes from registered party members Sunday. He will meet the recently elected ruling People Power Party Chair and

PoliticsAug. 19, 2024

Ministry extends labor protections to YouTube production staff injured during shoot

South Korea's Ministry of Labor and Employment has recognized a YouTube production staff member injured during a video shoot as an "employee" and thus eligible for industrial accident insurance coverage, in a decision that could potentially pave the way for extended labor protections for gig workers in the content industry. According to local reports Monday, the ministry's decision came on Aug. 8 with regard to the case filed by Lim Dong-seok, a man in his 20s who had worked

Social AffairsAug. 19, 2024

[Out of the Shadows] War on drugs comes to Korean campuses

A 30-something graduate student at KAIST, South Korea's top science-specialized university, was recently arrested by the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office for distributing and using drugs within a social fraternity he created in 2021 which included members from 13 other elite universities. Three other university students were also apprehended, and two others were indicted without physical detention for breaching the Narcotics Control Act. Eight other students who took drugs b

Social AffairsAug. 19, 2024

Experts downplay COVID-19 threat despite resurgence

COVID-19 cases have been trending upward since the summer wave arrived in South Korea, with more people admitted to hospitals for treatment compared to previous weeks and health authorities seeing an increase in COVID-19 levels in wastewater. Despite growing concerns about COVID-19's summer spread, health care experts and authorities said Monday that an increase in virus cases should not be a cause for fear. Instead, they noted that taking precautions could minimize the potential spread of

Social AffairsAug. 19, 2024

Yoon urges readiness for NK's 'hybrid warfare'

The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise of the military forces of South Korea and the United States jointly kicked off on Monday with South Korean civilians, with the primary focus on addressing North Korea's nonkinetic operations, such as public opinion warfare, cyberattacks and the spread of fake news. The annual summertime joint military exercise that runs through Aug. 29 is the third such exercise since President Yoon Suk Yeol took office in May 2022, as Pyongyang increasingly blends unconven

PoliticsAug. 19, 2024

Typhoon Jongdari approaches S. Korea

Typhoon Jongdari is slowly approaching South Korea, and it is expected to bring heavy rains accompanied by strong winds to the southern parts of the country, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Monday. The KMA said Typhoon Jongdari, the ninth typhoon of this year and the first typhoon to hit Korea this year, formed on the southwestern coast of Okinawa at 3 a.m., Monday, moving at a slow speed of 10 kilometers per hour. Typhoon Jongdari is expected to approach Jeju Island on T

Social AffairsAug. 19, 2024

Meal expense cap for public officials raised to 50,000 won

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission officially announced on Monday an increase in the meal expense limit for public officials from 30,000 won ($22) to 50,000 won, citing the need to account for inflation since the limit was set in 2016. The commission’s chairperson, Ryu Chul-whan, stated that the new cap is to take effect on Aug. 27 following the approval of a revised enforcement ordinance during a Cabinet meeting on Monday. This change comes eight years after the Improper Soli

Social AffairsAug. 19, 2024

Govt. to crack down on illegal file-sharing websites

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday that a crackdown on online copyright infringements of content will run until the end of the year in collaboration with the National Police Agency and Interpol. In a joint probe that will continue throughout the remainder of this year, the officials will clamp down on the illegal sharing of webtoons, movies, dramas and other video content at websites. "Illegal site operators take away legitimate profits from creators and threaten the ec

Social AffairsAug. 19, 2024

379 taxed for sales made via secondhand goods trading

Nearly 400 users of second-hand trading platforms that logged "substantial" revenue were taxed by the government this year, tax agency data showed Monday. A total of 379 people that were taxed by the National Tax Service reported an accumulated 17.7 billion won ($13.2 million) in sales this year, equivalent to about 46.7 million won per person, according to the National Tax Service data revealed by Rep. Park Seong-hoon of the ruling People Power Party. The report showed that the 10 mos

Social AffairsAug. 19, 2024

[Bills in Focus] Shareholder rights, e-commerce safeguards

Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Commercial Act Proposed by Rep. Kim Hyun-jung (Democratic Party of Korea) ● Although corporate directors have a duty of loyalty towards their company, they have no obligations toward their shareholders. Therefore, to protect shareholders from the decisions of directors, this bill imposes a duty of fairness on directors. Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Act on the Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce Proposed by Rep. Cheon Jun-ho (Democratic

Social AffairsAug. 19, 2024

Bandit of brothers: Former war veteran swindles another veteran

A South Korea veteran of the Vietnam War in his 70s has been arrested on suspicion of defrauding money from another war veteran suffering from dementia, police said Monday. According to Suwon Jungbu Police Station, the suspect is being investigated on the charge of quasi-fraud, stipulated by Article 348 of the Criminal Act as taking advantage of a minor or one suffering from a mental disorder by taking one's property or obtaining financial advantages. He is believed to have taken some 86 mi

Social AffairsAug. 19, 2024

Japanese claims to Dokdo being spread through fake Instagram accounts of Korean professor

A local professor known for his years-long promotion of Dokdo said Monday that social media accounts attempting to impersonate him have been spreading false claims related to the South Korean islets. Seo Kyung-duk, a professor of liberal arts at Sungshin Women's University, shared a screenshot of a fake Instagram account that says, "I love Japan (heart). Takeshima is Japanese territory and rising-sun flag is beautiful flag." Takeshima is what Japan calls Dokdo. "Some users on

Social AffairsAug. 19, 2024

Yoon calls for bolstering readiness against N. Korea's 'gray zone' provocations

President Yoon Suk Yeol called for bolstering readiness against North Korea's "gray zone" provocations and hybrid warfare as South Korea and the United States kicked off their annual joint exercise on Monday. Yoon said during a Cabinet meeting that this year's Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise will focus on integrating the allies' capabilities under various crisis scenarios to deter North Korea's evolving military threats, psychological warfare and cyberattacks. "W

PoliticsAug. 19, 2024

PPP leader welcomes opposition leader's offer of talks

The leader of the ruling People Power Party said Monday he welcomes an offer of talks that opposition leader Lee Jae-myung extended upon his reelection as leader of the main opposition Democratic Party the previous day. PPP leader Han Dong-hoon made the remark at a party meeting while congratulating Lee on his reelection and voiced hope their envisioned meeting could lead to "substantial progress" on several stalled livelihood-related issues. "I hope we can set a time and place as

PoliticsAug. 19, 2024

[Graphic News] South Korea’s population inches up thanks to foreign residents

South Korea’s total population rebounded in 2023 thanks to the growing number of foreign residents after two years of on-year declines, though the country continued to experience falling birth rates and rapid aging, data showed. The country’s total population rose 0.2 percent, or 82,000, from a year earlier to 51.77 million as of Nov. 1, according to the 2023 census by Statistics Korea. It marked the first on-year increase in three years. The country logged its first on-year popula

Social AffairsAug. 19, 2024

Lee Jae-myung reelected as leader of main opposition party

Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Lee Jae-myung was reelected to lead the country's main opposition party on Sunday, cementing his power within the National Assembly. Lee, who had served his first term as Democratic Party chair from August 2022 to June this year, won 85.4 percent of the votes from registered party members, confirming his second term as party leader, in a convention at the KSPO Dome in southeastern Seoul in the afternoon. His second term is due to end August 2026. Lee was widely exp

PoliticsAug. 18, 2024