N. Korea paper warns officials against corruption, bureaucracy

North Korea's official newspaper on Wednesday warned officials against corruption and urged them to rally for public support amid deepening economic woes. The Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the North's ruling Workers' Party, made the appeal calling on officials to wage a struggle to root out "poisonous weeds" in society, including bureaucracy and corruption. "Winning the hearts of the people is equal to winning the world, and losing the hearts of the people is equal to losing the pa

North KoreaAug. 18, 2021

14 more USFK-affiliated individuals test positive for COVID-19

Fourteen people affiliated with US Forces Korea (USFK), including five American service members, have tested positive for the new coronavirus in the past four days, the US military said Tuesday. The COVID-19 cases were reported from Osan Air Base and USArmy Garrison (USAG) Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, USAG Daegu in the southeastern city of the same name, and Camp Casey in Dongducheon, 40 km north of the capital, according to USFK. “All 14 individuals are curre

DefenseAug. 17, 2021

No plan yet to offer COVID-19 booster shots in Korea

Nursing homes and hospitals across South Korea are reporting outbreaks of post-vaccination infections, called breakthrough cases, with some experts suggesting a possible need for an extra shot in vulnerable people. Nursing facilities are “back in crisis mode,” according to Dr. Son Deok-hyeon, the director of Eson nursing hospital in Ulsan. Visits are restricted, and staff required to get tested regularly. For those working with elderly patients, the memory of the last surge is s

Social AffairsAug. 17, 2021

[Newsmaker] Last remaining Koreans evacuate Afghanistan

The last remaining South Koreans, including the country’s ambassador, were evacuated from Afghanistan on Tuesday, following the Taliban’s abrupt takeover of the country. 　 South Korea’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said four Korean nationals -- three diplomats and one civilian -- left the Kabul airport at around 9 a.m. Seoul time, and safely arrived in a third country in the Middle East. 　 　 The three embassy personnel, including Ambassador Choi Tae-ho, had remained in Afghani

Foreign AffairsAug. 17, 2021

NK views its relations with China as ‘fundamentally distrustful:’ think tank

North Korea views its ties with China as “fundamentally distrustful,” despite its economic dependence on its largest trading partner, a US think tank said Tuesday.  In a report titled “Wilson Memo: The Unique Relationship Between China & North Korea,” the congressional relations office at Washington’s Woodrow Wilson Center analyzed China-North Korea relations to help US policymakers make informed policy on the North.  “North Korea is relativel

North KoreaAug. 17, 2021

[News Focus] Koreans worked 200 more hours than OECD average in 2020

SEJONG -- South Koreans were found to have worked longer by about 200 hours last year compared to the average of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In the Paris-based organization’s analysis of annual work hours logged by its 36 members, Korea ranked No. 3. Turkey was not included in the count. The OECD defined average annual hours worked as the total number of hours actually worked per year divided by the average number of people in employment per year. Each e

Social AffairsAug. 17, 2021

[Newsmaker] Five-term lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo announces 2nd presidential bid

Rep. Hong Joon-pyo, a five-term lawmaker of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), officially announced Tuesday he will run in the presidential election slated for March. Hong, who lost the 2017 election against President Moon Jae-in, held an online press conference announcing his second bid for the presidency, in which he pledged to "correct the nation heading in the wrong direction." The former prosecutor-turned-politician presented a vision in which South Korea wins respect

PoliticsAug. 17, 2021

Korea, Kazakhstan agree to boost ties in Seoul summit

President Moon Jae-in and visiting President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan on Tuesday held summit talks and pledged to further expand the strategic partnership between the countries. The Kazakh president arrived in Seoul on Monday for a two-day state visit, becoming the first foreign leader to visit the country since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also a return visit for Moon’s visit to the Kazakh capital of Nur-Sultan in 2019. “This is the first state visit since

Foreign AffairsAug. 17, 2021

Unification ministry will keep close watch on NK response to joint exercise: official

South Korea will keep a close eye on how North Korea will respond to a major joint military exercise under way with the United States, the unification ministry said Tuesday, as Pyongyang remains silent in contrast to angry reactions to last week's preliminary exercise. The nine-day computer-simulated Combined Command Post Training, which kicked off Monday, is based largely on a computer simulation with no field training, in consideration of the virus situation, according to South Korea's Joint

North KoreaAug. 17, 2021

Military to deploy amphibious bridging vehicles by 2027

The military plans to deploy advanced amphibious bridging vehicles by 2027 to boost operational capabilities, the arms procurement agency said Tuesday. Under a 500 billion-won ($426.5 million) contract, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and Hanwha Defense will develop and produce the localized version of the European M3 Amphibious Rig for their deployment starting around 2027, according to the agency. The M3 rig was developed by the European manufacturer General Dynamics Eu

DefenseAug. 17, 2021

Military reports 7 COVID-19 cases

Seven service members have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Tuesday, the latest in a series of infections across the country. Five Army members, one Navy officer and one Marine Corps officer were confirmed to have contracted the virus during the three-day holiday that ended Monday, bringing the total caseload among the military population to 1,555, according to the ministry. (Yonhap)

DefenseAug. 17, 2021

Moderna to provide more vaccines to Korea in August, September: govt.

Moderna has pledged to put utmost efforts to increase the COVID-19 vaccine supply to South Korea for August and September and move up the supply schedule for September, the Korean government said Tuesday.  The announcement came after a Korean government delegation of four high ranking officials visited the US pharmaceutical and biotechnology company’s headquarters over the delay in shipments of Moderna’s vaccine. “Moderna apologized for the difficulties caused by the sup

Social AffairsAug. 17, 2021

[Herald Interview] Parliament should represent teens, LGBT people

South Korea’s youngest member of parliament believes the National Assembly should be more inclusive and represent the diversity of the Korean public, not just middle-aged men. “They say the National Assembly should resemble the citizens, but that’s not what the current parliament does,” said 29-year-old Rep. Ryu Ho-jeong of the progressive Justice Party in an interview with The Korea Herald. “Currently, 80 percent of the members are male, and those in

PoliticsAug. 17, 2021

Tourist arrivals in S. Korea tumble 95% in H1

Tourist arrivals in South Korea plunged more than 95 percent in the first half of the year due to global travel curbs amid the coronavirus pandemic, data showed Tuesday. The data from the state-run Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) showed 73,000 foreign tourists visited South Korea in the January-June period, down 95.4 percent from a year earlier. The figure accounted for 17.5 percent of all foreigners who visited South Korea in the six-month period. In particular, it was much fewer than the 2

Social AffairsAug. 17, 2021

Weddings again under threat as ‘unfair’ Level 4 rules allow only up to 49 guests

Wedding ceremonies in South Korea face another round of cancellations and disappointment, as restrictive virus rules limit the number of guests and force organizers to pivot from their game plans. At the moment, Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province are under Level 4 social distancing rules, limiting the number of guests at weddings there to 49. The rule is not likely to be relaxed anytime soon, which has drawn immense anger from to-be-married couples and wedding venues alike. Officials and exp

Social AffairsAug. 17, 2021

Prosecutors raid Hyundai Heavy for allegedly hampering FTC probe over unfair trade

Prosecutors have raided Hyundai Heavy Industries Co.'s headquarters in the southeastern city of Ulsan for allegedly destroying evidence to avert the antitrust watchdog's investigation into unfair business practices, judicial sources said Tuesday. According to the sources, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office recently searched the company's office in Ulsan, about 415 kilometers southeast of the capital, to seize internal documents. Last year, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democ

Social AffairsAug. 17, 2021

Revered independence fighter awarded medal 78 years after death

South Korea awarded a posthumous medal of honor Tuesday to Hong Beom-do, a historic independence fighter, whose remains returned from Kazakhstan two days earlier. President Moon Jae-in conferred the Order of Merit for National Foundation on Hong in a ceremony attended by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at Cheong Wa Dae. Hong, who served as commander of Korea's independence army, is revered for leading victories in the troops' battles against Japanese forces during the 1910-45 colonial r

PoliticsAug. 17, 2021

Last remaining S. Koreans leave Afghanistan: foreign ministry

All of four last-remaining South Koreans in Afghanistan, including the country's ambassador, have left the country, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. A plane carrying the four -- three diplomats and one civilian -- departed from the Kabul airport at around 9 a.m. (Seoul time) and is expected to land in a third country in the Middle East, the ministry said. The three embassy officials, including Ambassador Choi Tae-ho, had stayed behind in Afghanistan even after all other embassy staff evacua

Foreign AffairsAug. 17, 2021

School children return to classrooms from summer vacations in middle of raging pandemic

With summer vacations ending, children started to return to their classrooms under relaxed distancing rules for schools Monday, despite an uncontrolled outbreak of the coronavirus. Last week, the Ministry of Education eased social distancing guidelines in schools for the fall semester. The measure was aimed at running in-person classes even under Level 4 distancing measures, the most stringent set of rules, as long as there are attendance caps to keep a safe distance among students in order to

Social AffairsAug. 17, 2021

A friend in need is a friend indeed: Celebrating Indonesia’s Independence Day

August is a festive month for both Korean and Indonesian people, as both countries celebrate their independence in August. The Republic of Indonesia commemorates the Aug. 17, 1945 as its Independence Day, only two days after the Independence Day of the Republic of Korea. Both countries share similar historic backgrounds from the very beginning of nation-building. They are now deepening their ties not only as key economic partners but also as like-minded countries. I would like to convey my warm

Diplomatic CircuitAug. 17, 2021