[Us and Them] Why does Korea have such a deep political divide?

Political conflict in South Korea reaches sharp and sometimes violent extremes, with politicians on either side of the aisle accusing each other of “ruining” the country and bringing unrecoverable disaster. The left-right clash often reaches down to the individual level, with families and friends divided, and branding each other naive. Korea’s short history of democracy and how it has shaped personal experiences are a source of tension between generations. But some experts

PoliticsNov. 8, 2021

S. Korea joins high-level preparatory meeting for APEC summit

South Korea's senior diplomat participated in a preparatory meeting to fine-tune agenda items for an upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, the foreign ministry said Monday. Lee Sung-ho, deputy foreign minister on economic diplomacy, represented Seoul during the virtual conference held last week to prepare for the annual APEC summit slated for Friday. Lee and other participants discussed actions plans for the Putrajaya Vision 2040, which aims to strengthen trade and investme

Foreign AffairsNov. 8, 2021

State spy agency says it has foiled 14 hacking attempts from abroad this year

South Korea's state intelligence agency said Monday it has detected 14 hacking attempts from abroad on the country's key industry technologies in the first nine months this year that could have resulted in nearly 1.78 trillion won ($1.5 billion) worth of damage to relevant companies. Of the total cases detected between January and September, seven were reported from the country's leading chip and display industries, according to the National Intelligence Service (NIS). The NIS added it has pre

Social AffairsNov. 8, 2021

S. Korea to import 200 tons of urea from Vietnam amid supply shortage

South Korea said Monday it plans to import 200 tons of urea from Vietnam next week in the latest move to help ease a supply shortage of urea water solution, a key material used in diesel vehicles to reduce emissions. The amount is part of 10,000 tons of urea that South Korea hopes to import from Vietnam and other nations to make urea water solution, according to the finance ministry. Separately, South Korea is set to import 27,000 liters of urea water solution from Australia, including 20,000

Foreign AffairsNov. 8, 2021

Both presidential campaigns targeting voters in their 20s and 30s

The presidential nominees of both the ruling and opposition camps are targeting young voters, aware that lack of support from this demographic presents major challenges for their campaigns. So far neither candidate has gained wide support from voters in their 20s and 30s. Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, presidential nominee for the main opposition People Power Party, is forming his campaign team with that objective in mind. "As supporters have vouched for different candidates d

PoliticsNov. 8, 2021

Lee to meet top US diplomat for East Asia this week

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the ruling Democratic Party, will meet with the top US diplomat for East Asia in Seoul this week, his party said Monday. Lee is scheduled to meet Thursday with US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink, Rep. Kim Han-jung, chief of the DP international committee, told reporters. Kritenbrink is set to arrive in Seoul on Wednesday on his first visit to the country since taking office in September. He is expecte

Foreign AffairsNov. 8, 2021

Senior US diplomat to visit Seoul this week

A senior US diplomat for East Asia is scheduled to visit South Korea on Wednesday, during which he is expected to meet the South Korean presidential candidates of the two major parties. 　 Daniel Kritenbrink, the US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, is on his first Asia trip since taking office in September. He will arrive here on Wednesday after a four-day stay in Japan, according to the State Department. 　 In Seoul, Kritenbrink is expected to meet officials, in

Foreign AffairsNov. 8, 2021

Moon’s approval rating slips to 6-month low

President Moon Jae-in’s approval rating slipped to a six-month low of 34.2 percent, hit hard by the snowballing development scandal involving Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, a recent poll found Monday. According to Realmeter, his approval rating in the first week of November was 34.2 percent, down 4.5 percent from the previous week, while his disapproval rating increased 5.3 percent to 62.9 percent during the same period. The approval

PoliticsNov. 8, 2021

Businesses struggle with 'quarantine pass' system

A week into the government’s “living with COVID-19” drive, the “quarantine pass” system remains dogged by controversy. A full vaccination certificate, a negative PCR test result, or confirmation of exemption from vaccination, is required for entry to places deemed “high risk,” such as karaoke parlors, indoor sports centers, nightclubs and public bathhouses. “The number of customers already dropped after the fourth level of social distancing mea

Social AffairsNov. 8, 2021

No. of multicultural marriages hits record low in 2020 due to pandemic

The number of marriages between South Koreans and foreign spouses fell to a record low last year as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted people's cross-border movements, data showed Monday. The number of multicultural marriages came to 16,177 last year, down 34.6 percent, or 8,544, from a year earlier, according to the data from Statistics Korea. It marked the lowest reading since 2008 when the statistics agency started to compile related data. The number of international marriages sharply fell la

Social AffairsNov. 8, 2021

Yoon subject to new probe over charges of illegal documenting of judges: activist group

Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential nominee of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), has been booked on additional charges connected to the prosecution's documenting of judges' traits in the past, an activist group said Monday. The group of self-claimed "judicial justice" activists said it received notification from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on Oct. 22 that Yoon has been booked by the office in connection with its complaint. The group f

PoliticsNov. 8, 2021

Moon orders utmost efforts to stabilize supply of urea water solution

President Moon Jae-in on Monday instructed aides to mobilize all possible measures to stabilize a supply of urea water solution amid growing public concerns about a worsening shortage of the key material used in diesel vehicles to reduce emissions due to tightened imports. Moon also ordered aides to "make utmost diplomatic efforts to secure" urea water solution from foreign countries, presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee told reporters. The government will take stern actions agai

Social AffairsNov. 8, 2021

Police to minimize use of diesel vehicles to cope with urea water crisis

Police will minimize the use of diesel vehicles to prepare for the prolonged shortage of urea water solution across the country, the National Police Agency (NPA) said Monday. The NPA said it has instructed all police organizations nationwide to deprioritize the use of diesel vehicles to cope with the worsening urea water crisis. South Korea has been grappling with a shortage of urea water solution, a key material used in diesel vehicles to reduce emissions, after China tightened exports of the

Social AffairsNov. 8, 2021

Seoul Foreign School celebrates 40 years of IB education in Korea

Seoul Foreign School is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its International Baccalaureate (IB) program this year.  The school introduced the IB program in 1981, recognizing the program’s potential as the premiere international curriculum and one that would provide opportunities for graduates as they transitioned to university and beyond.  After several decades of success with the IB Diploma Program (IBDP) for High School students, SFS adopted the Primary Years and Middle Year

Social AffairsNov. 8, 2021

S. Korea invites foreign Korean War veterans ahead of event to honor UN troops

South Korea has invited 19 foreign Korean War veterans ahead of the upcoming annual ceremony commemorating the sacrifices of UN troops in the 1950-53 conflict, the veterans affairs ministry said Monday. The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs said that the veterans from seven countries, including the United States, Britain and Canada, and their family members are set to arrive here on Monday for a six-day visit. The veterans are scheduled to attend the "Turn Toward Busan" event

DefenseNov. 8, 2021

Yoon leads Lee by almost 12% points in presidential race: survey

Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential nominee of the main opposition People Power Party, is leading his opponent Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party by nearly 12 percentage points in a hypothetical multicandidate race, a survey showed Monday. Yoon garnered 43 percent support against Lee's 31.2 percent in the survey conducted on 1,009 adults nationwide on Friday and Saturday, according to the Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI). Yoon's rating jumped 10.6 percentage points from the previo

PoliticsNov. 8, 2021

Gov't launches inter-agency team to inspect illegal market activities surrounding urea water solution

The government on Monday launched an inter-agency team to monitor illegal market activities surrounding urea water solution amid a dire shortage of the key material used in diesel vehicles to reduce emissions due to tightened imports, officials said. The launch of the special inspection team, comprising 31 sub-teams and 108 personnel, came as South Korea has been grappling with a shortage of urea water solution, known as diesel exhaust fluid, and its surging prices in recent weeks, since China

Social AffairsNov. 8, 2021

Military reports 3 additional COVID-19 cases

South Korea's military reported three additional COVID-19 cases Monday, bringing the total caseload among its personnel to 2,081, the defense ministry said. A Navy officer stationed in Jinhae, 410 kilometers south of Seoul, tested positive before participating in an educational program. A civilian worker of a unit under the direct wing of the defense ministry based in Seongnam, south of Seoul, contracted the virus after a family member tested positive. A civilian employee of the Army, station

DefenseNov. 8, 2021

Govt. mulls using military urea water reserve to help ease supply shortages

The government is considering using the military reserve of urea water solution, a key material used in diesel vehicles to reduce emissions, to help address supply shortages in the civilian sector, sources said Monday. The defense ministry and other relevant ministries are in talks over the idea of temporarily lending part of the military stockpile to the civilian sector, they said, amid fears that a protracted shortage of the fluid could cause serious disruptions in the country's logistical in

Social AffairsNov. 8, 2021

Yoon says he is open to inter-Korean summit, but not 'for show'

Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential nominee of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), has said he is open to meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for a summit but is not interested in doing it "for show." Yoon made the remark during an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Sunday, saying a summit should be held when it is expected to lead to concrete results. "I will always leave it open, but I won't do it for show," Yoon said when asked about the possibility of

PoliticsNov. 8, 2021