17 million people aged 18-49 to receive COVID-19 shots starting in mid-August

South Korea will carry out COVID-19 vaccinations in August for people between the ages of 18 and 49 as part of its efforts to achieve herd immunity by November. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced Friday that the country would make vaccinations available to 17.8 million people aged between 18 and 49 in August and September, with the aim of administering first shots to a total of at least 36 million people by the end of September. Those whose occupations involve frequent c

Social AffairsJuly 30, 2021

Seoul proposes talks with Pyongyang, hopes to set up videoconference system

The South Korean government on Thursday proposed talks with North Korea on the establishment of a videoconference system, as part of efforts to rekindle stalemated inter-Korean talks, according to Unification Minister Lee In-young on Friday.  “Yesterday, we proposed to the North via the joint liaison channel that we consult on setting up a videoconference system,” Lee told reporters during a press conference at the ministry’s office in central Seoul. “The North has

North KoreaJuly 30, 2021

S. Korea rescues drifting fishing boat from Russian waters

South Korea's oceans ministry said Friday it has rescued a fishing boat drifting in Russian waters by dispatching a state-owned patrol ship. The 82-ton boat with seven people on board was fishing for squid before reporting a malfunction in its engine to the South Korean authorities, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. The rescued boat is expected to arrive at the island of Ulleung in the East Sea later in the afternoon. South Korea earlier secured the right to catch 41,260 tons

Social AffairsJuly 30, 2021

Seoul experiences 10 straight tropical nights

Seoul experienced 10 consecutive tropical nights, though the nighttime temperature cooled somewhat in recent days, the state weather agency said Friday. Seoul, other large cities, some coastal areas and Jeju Island saw their temperatures stay above 25 C between Thursday night and Friday morning, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). A tropical night occurs when the temperature does not fall below 25 C during the nighttime. The minimum temperature overnight was 25.8 C in

Social AffairsJuly 30, 2021

S. Korea to offer more than $15 million to global education fund from 2021-25

Second Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-moon has announced South Korea's plan to offer more than $15 million to a global fund for quality education for children from 2021-25, the foreign ministry said Friday. Choi made the announcement Thursday during his video-linked participation in the Global Education Summit co-hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. The summit served as an opportunity for leaders around the world to make five-year pledges to sup

Foreign AffairsJuly 30, 2021

Searing heat inflicts growing damage on agricultural, livestock, fish farms

With a searing heat wave scorching South Korea for nearly two weeks, heat damage to agricultural, livestock and fish farmers has been snowballing nationwide, officials said Friday. Seoul and almost all parts of the country have been gripped by a prolonged heat wave that sent daytime highs above 35 C, caused the tropical night phenomenon and affected the vitality of all living things. According to local government officials and farmers, temperature-related agricultural, livestock and fisheries

Social AffairsJuly 30, 2021

[Newsmaker] Ex-chief state auditor to declare presidential bid next week

Choe Jae-hyeong, former head of the state audit agency, will declare his bid to run for the presidency next week, opposition party officials said Friday. Choe will make the announcement through an online event Wednesday, about a month after he stepped down as chief of the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI), hinting at his presidential ambitions. According to opposition party officials, Choe is in the final stages of drawing up his statement announcing the presidential bid. In the statement,

PoliticsJuly 30, 2021

Ex-Prosecutor General Yoon joins main opposition party for presidential bid

Ex-Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, a leading conservative presidential hopeful, joined the main opposition party Friday to increase his chance of winning the race. Yoon submitted an application to join the People Power Party (PPP) during his meeting with Rep. Kwon Young-se, the chief of the party's external relations committee, at the party's headquarters in Seoul. The move, coming about a month after Yoon's official declaration to run in the March 9 presidential election, will subject hi

PoliticsJuly 30, 2021

Moon picks new secretaries for civil affairs, fight against corruption

President Moon Jae-in has nominated new Cheong Wa Dae secretaries for civil affairs and anti-corruption, his office announced Friday. Lee Ki-heon, secretary to Moon for civil participation, was tapped as secretary for civil affairs and justice, to replace Lee Gwang-cheol, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Kyung-mee. Lee offered to resign early this month after being indicted on suspicions that he was behind an allegedly illegal travel ban on a former vice justice minister involved i

PoliticsJuly 30, 2021

97% of troops over 30 receive 2nd COVID-19 vaccine doses

About 97 percent of service members aged 30 and older have received the second doses of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, the defense ministry said Friday. As of Thursday, 113,164 troops, or 96.8 percent of troops of the age group who had their first shots, have received the second doses, according to the ministry. The military provided AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine for their first shots in April and May but the second doses were given with Pfizer's after health authorities decided earlier this m

DefenseJuly 30, 2021

Lawmakers condemn misogynistic attacks on Olympic archer

A group of progressive lawmakers have condemned misogynistic attacks being leveled at a female South Korean archer now competing at the Tokyo Olympics. An San, the double gold medalist who will vie for her third gold in women's individual archery on Friday, has recently become a target of misogynistic attacks for her short haircut. Some male internet users flooded An's social media account with hate speech, taking issue with her past use of online slang terms, deemed misandrist by anti-femin

PoliticsJuly 30, 2021

Moon marks UNESCO inscription of S. Korean tidal flats as natural heritage

President Moon Jae-in expressed his gratitude Friday to those who have endeavored to protect South Korea's tidal flats inscribed as UNESCO's world natural heritage. Earlier this week, the UNESCO added tidal flats, called "getbol" in Korean, in four areas located on the western coast of the country, to the list. The getbol have become a "great life" to be protected by not just South Koreans but also mankind, the president wrote on his social media accounts. "But this p

PoliticsJuly 30, 2021

NK leader accuses 'hostile forces' of intensifying 'war drills for aggression'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un accused "hostile forces" of intensifying "frantic and persistent war drills for aggression" as he presided over the first-ever workshop of military commanders and political officers this week, state media reported Friday. The remark came as South Korea and the United States are mulling over whether and how to conduct their annual military exercise expected for mid-August amid concern that it could negatively affect a conciliatory mood created

North KoreaJuly 30, 2021

Xi vows to strengthen China-N. Korea ties in letter to Kim

Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged efforts to "defend, consolidate and develop" relations with North Korea, Pyongyang's state media reported Friday, after the North's Kim Jong-un said he will push to elevate the two countries' ties to a "new strategic point." Xi made the remarks in a reply to Kim's earlier letter to mark the 100th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China, touting the "message of fervent congratulations at an early hour" as a sign

North KoreaJuly 30, 2021

US working with S. Korea to address cause of migration from Central America: Harris

WASHINGTON -- South Korea is one of the important partners of the United States in addressing the root causes of people from Central American nations fleeing their countries, US Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday. While the United States seeks to mitigate massive migration from Central America to the United States, Harris noted the US "cannot do this work alone." "Our strategy is far-reaching — and focuses on our partnerships with other governments, international i

Foreign AffairsJuly 30, 2021

Daily virus cases over 1,700 as infections grow amid summer vacation season

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases increased to more than 1,700 Friday as health authorities strive to contain the virus spread amid summer vacation season.  The country added 1,710 COVID-19 cases, including 1,662 local infections, raising the total caseload to 196,806, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The latest tally is up from 1,674 cases reported Thursday but is lower than a record 1,896 cases Wednesday.  The country added four more COVID-19

Social AffairsJuly 30, 2021

S. Korea reports five presumed heat-related deaths this week

At least five people are presumed to have died of heat-related illnesses this week as scorching weather continued to grip the country, health authorities said Thursday. A total of 869 people were reported to have suffered heat-related illnesses from May 20 to Wednesday, more than double the number reported the same period last year, which stood at 356, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The number of deaths from heat illnesses was tallied at 12, including four since

Social AffairsJuly 29, 2021

Seoul to push for video-linked family reunion as priority project with North: Cheong Wa Dae

The government will push for a video-linked reunion of divided families with North Korea as the most urgent inter-Korean project, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday. A presidential official made the remark when asked to comment on speculation that the government is seeking a video-linked reunion event with the North, following Tuesday's restoration of communication lines between the two Koreas. "It is an issue agreed upon by the leaders of South and North Korea, and (video reunions are) the most

PoliticsJuly 29, 2021

Summer power shortage spells disaster for smaller clinics with COVID-19 vaccines

As Korea bakes through a record-setting heat wave and demand for cooling surges, a possible power crisis is raising concerns for medical institutions that store and administer COVID-19 vaccines, many of which are smaller clinics unlikely to be equipped with a backup source of electricity. With sizzling weather of over 30 degrees Celsius set to continue, the national electric grid is already stretched thinly, according to updates from the Korea Power Exchange. At one point in the past week, th

Social AffairsJuly 29, 2021

South Korea, US to work for return of 1/4 of Yongsan base by 2022

South Korea and the US will work together to seek the return of about one-quarter of the US military’s Yongsan Garrison site in central Seoul by next year, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.  The tentative timeline was announced by the allies following a teleconference between Ko Yun-ju, the ministry’s director-general for North American affairs, and Lt. Gen. Scott L. Pleus, US Forces Korea deputy commander. The two are the representatives of the joint committee of the Status

Foreign AffairsJuly 29, 2021