S. Korea to begin last parliamentary audit under Moon

The National Assembly will launch its annual three-week audit of the government and state agencies Friday, the last such parliamentary inspection under the Moon Jae-in administration. A total of 745 government ministries and agencies will be subject to this year's parliamentary investigation to be simultaneously conducted by the assembly's 17 standing committees, according to legislative officials. The three-week event is predicted to be a scene of intense bipartisan disputes over a couple of sn

PoliticsOct. 1, 2021

US assessing N. Korean missile but US safe from claimed hypersonic missile: US commander

The United States is still assessing the type of the missile launched by North Korea this week but the US homeland would remain safe even if it turns out to be a hypersonic missile as claimed by the North, the commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command said Thursday. North Korea on Wednesday (Seoul time) said it fired a new hypersonic missile the previous day. "I understand the intelligence community's still making an assessment of the North Korean claim to have tested a hyperson

DefenseOct. 1, 2021

N. Korea test-fires new anti-aircraft missile: state media

North Korea said Friday it test-fired a new type of anti-aircraft missile a day earlier capable of downing air targets at longer distances with enhanced accuracy. The North's Academy of Defence Science carried out the test aimed at "confirming the practicality of operation of the launcher, radar and comprehensive battle command vehicle as well as the comprehensive combat performance of the missile," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The academy verified the "r

North KoreaOct. 1, 2021

N. Korea leader vows support for China's fight against 'hostile forces'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledged support for China's fight against "hostile forces' frantic anti-China confrontational moves" in a message he sent to Chinese President Xi Jinping to celebrate the 72nd founding anniversary of the ally, Pyongyang's state media reported Friday. "The message expressed belief that the Chinese nation's dream of rejuvenation will surely come true as there are the socialist idea with the Chinese characteristics for the new times," the Korean C

North KoreaOct. 1, 2021

Air Force launches new investigation unit following sexual abuse case

The Air Force on Friday launched a new probe unit under the direct control of its headquarters to better guarantee the independence of investigators, the military said, following a sexual abuse case that led the victim to take her own life in May. Previously, military police at each Air Force unit had the authority to conduct an investigation, drawing criticism that such probes could not be free of influence from their unit commanders. With the launch of the new investigation team, military poli

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2021

New virus cases in 2,000s for 6th day, COVID-19 curbs extended

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases remained in the 2,000s for the sixth consecutive day Friday, prompting authorities to maintain the current level of virus restrictions for another two weeks ahead of back-to-back extended weekends this month. The country reported 2,486 new COVID-19 cases, including 2,451 local infections, bringing the total caseload to 313,773, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). There were 16 more deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2021

S. Korea to extend toughened social distancing rules for 2 weeks: PM

South Korea will maintain toughened social distancing rules across the nation for two more weeks, the prime minister said Friday, as the country is bracing for a potential surge in new COVID-19 cases ahead of back-to-back extended weekends. Under the renewed plan that will go into effect Monday, the greater Seoul area will remain under the toughest social distancing of Level 4, while the rest of the country will be under Level 3, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said during an interagency meeting on

Social AffairsOct. 1, 2021

Prosecutors said to confirm involvement of prosecutor in political meddling scandal

   Prosecutors investigating a political meddling scandal that possibly involves Yoon Seok-youl, a leading opposition presidential contender, have discovered circumstances on the implication of one of Yoon's former subordinates, informed officials said Thursday.    The scandal is centered on allegations that prosecutor Son Jun-sung asked the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) to file a complaint against three pro-government figures just before the general elections i

PoliticsSept. 30, 2021

[Exclusive] Why Korea is not in a rush to vaccinate kids

South Korea is not urging that all children get vaccinated against COVID-19, a stance that contrasts with the one the country is taking for adults. Internal evaluations within the government present net benefits to society, rather than health benefits for the children themselves, as the rationale for vaccinations for those aged 12 to 17. An internal government report obtained exclusively by The Korea Herald suggested that the expected health benefits of COVID-19 vaccination in minors und

Social AffairsSept. 30, 2021

Pyongyang issues olive branch to Seoul, warning to Washington

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held out an olive branch to South Korea, saying he was willing to reopen the severed inter-Korean hotlines in October, while denouncing the US offer of dialogue without it changing its “hostile policy” toward the regime, the North’s state media said Thursday. 　 Speaking on the second day of a meeting of the country’s rubber-stamp parliament, the Supreme People’s Assembly, Wednesday, Kim expressed his willingness to restore from earl

North KoreaSept. 30, 2021

South Korea aims to raise pet registration rate to 70%

South Korea seeks to raise pet registration rates and neuter outdoor dogs to minimize the number of lost and abandoned animals. It is also considering introducing a pet acquisition system for owners who are unable to keep their pets, officials said Thursday. In a meeting presided by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, the government has confirmed a measure to improve a management system for abandoned pets. It was attended by the Office for Government Policy Coordination and officials from 14 related

Social AffairsSept. 30, 2021

Air Force opens space center to expand reach

The Air Force opened a space center Thursday to bolster its defense capabilities and exchanges with foreign counterparts as the country seeks a greater presence in space. In May, South Korea and the US terminated missile guidelines that since 1979 had allowed Seoul to build missiles with a range of no more than 800 kilometers. The restrictions prevented Seoul from flying missiles far beyond the Korean Peninsula. “Space will be a key war-fighting domain and we will have our weapons ready

DefenseSept. 30, 2021

Korea CEO Summit holds Dokdo forum in Ulleung Island

The Korea CEO Summit is holding a three-day forum to discuss the meaning and importance of Dokdo on the easternmost islets of Ulleungdo and Dokdo from Thursday. According to the Korea CEO Summit, the forum is taking place as part of the Summit Club, which invites CEOs to speak on business innovation and entrepreneurship while travelling to famous spots in and out of the country. The participants will visit Dokdo and meet the Dokdo Security Police on Friday. Later in the day, they will partic

Social AffairsSept. 30, 2021

10 soldiers, 1 airman test positive for COVID-19

Ten Army soldiers and an Air Force officer have tested positive for the new coronavirus, raising the total caseload reported among the military population to 1,766, the defense ministry said Thursday. Six soldiers in the northeastern county of Yanggu were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 while in quarantine after a vacation, while four officers -- based in the northern city of Yangju; Inje and Chuncheon, both east of Seoul; and the southwestern county of Damyang, respectively -- were found

DefenseSept. 30, 2021

Support for two leading presidential contenders rise together in tight race: poll

Public support for the two leading presidential contenders -- former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl of the main opposition party and Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung of the ruling party -- both increased in an opinion poll released Thursday with Yoon leading Lee by a small margin. In the poll of 2,043 voters conducted by Realmeter on Monday and Tuesday, Yoon of the People Power Party (PPP) retook the lead with support from 28 percent of the respondents, closely followed by Lee of the Dem

PoliticsSept. 30, 2021

Main opposition head urges cautious approach toward end-of-war declaration

The head of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Thursday stressed the need to maintain caution in approaching President Moon Jae-in's proposal of seeking a declaration to formally end the Korean War. "There needs to be a cautious approach on the end-of-war declaration proposed by the Moon Jae-in administration, which has been reciprocated conditionally by North Korea," PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok said during a supreme council meeting of the party. Last week, Moon proposed i

PoliticsSept. 30, 2021

[Graphic News] AmorePacific has highest ratio of female workers among Korean firms

　South Korea's top cosmetics maker AmorePacific has the highest ratio of female employees among major local firms, a corporate tracker said. 　AmorePacific had 8,117 female workers as of the end of December last year, which accounted for 74.8 percent of its total workforce at 10,800, according to Korea CXO Institute.  　The institute attributed AmorePacific’s high percentage to its business catering mainly to women.  　Hana Bank came next with 60.5 percent, followed by hom

NationalSept. 30, 2021

New virus cases in 2,000s for 5th day, distancing measures likely to be extended again

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases remained in the 2,000s for the fifth day in a row Thursday in the aftermath of last week's extended holiday that has fueled a nationwide resurgence in virus infections. Health authorities will likely extend the current distancing rules, the toughest that have been in place for more than two months, for another couple of weeks. The country reported 2,564 new COVID-19 cases, including 2,539 local infections, bringing the total caseload to 311,289, according

Social AffairsSept. 30, 2021

Daejeon bus drivers go on strike for 1st time in 14 years

DAEJEON -- Unionized city bus drivers in the central city of Daejeon went on strike for the first time in 14 years Thursday, demanding an extension of the retirement age and hikes of pay and other allowances. The strike came after representatives of bus companies and drivers declared a final breakup of their last-minute negotiations at 2 a.m. The unionized city bus drivers in Daejeon, 160 kilometers south of Seoul, have demanded their retirement age be extended by three years to 63, their wage

Social AffairsSept. 30, 2021

NK leader says inter-Korean communication lines will be restored in early Oct.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said cross-border communication lines with South Korea will be restored in early October as part of efforts to improve chilled relations but warned that it is entirely up to Seoul to determine the future trajectory of their ties, state media reported Thursday. In a speech at the second-day session of the Supreme People's Assembly on Wednesday, Kim also said the US' hostile policy toward Pyongyang has not changed at all since the Joe Biden administration took offi

North KoreaSept. 30, 2021