Universities to gradually expand in-person classes in fall semester

Universities and colleges in South Korea are planning to gradually expand in-person classes in the fall semester in line with the nation's rising rate of vaccinations against COVID-19, officials said Saturday. The Ministry of Education recommended earlier this week that the proportion of in-person lectures be gradually increased at universities and colleges nationwide after late September, when about 70 percent of the country's 52 million population are vaccinated with at least one vaccine dos

Social AffairsJune 26, 2021

Tight presidential race ahead, cohesion expected to be key for each rival bloc

With South Korea's presidential election less than nine months away, the race promises to be a tight battle between the ruling and opposition blocs. The curtain is about to rise first on the primaries of the ruling Democratic Party. It is getting off to a rough start, as demonstrated by in-house disputes over when to choose its flag bearer. A boisterous attempt, albeit foiled at last, by dozens of lawmakers apparently against the front-runner Gyeonggi Gov. Lee Jae-myung to postpone the event

PoliticsJune 26, 2021

US must consider reconstituting six-party talks with N. Korea: former US envoys

The United States should consider engaging with North Korea multilaterally should its bilateral efforts continue to go ignored by the recalcitrant North, former US envoys to denuclearization talks with the North said Friday. They also argued a multilateral process must at least involve China, which they said has far more leverage over the North than the United States. "The fact is we don't have a dialogue (with North Korea)," said Joseph DeTrani, former special envoy for six-nation

North KoreaJune 26, 2021

Top diplomats of S. Korea, Indonesia agree on close cooperation for joint fighter project

The top diplomats of South Korea and Indonesia agreed Friday to closely cooperate to smoothly proceed with joint fighter jet development and other mutually beneficial projects, the foreign ministry said. Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and his Indonesian counterpart, Retno L.P. Marsudi, held talks to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional and global issues. Indonesia was the last leg of his five-day trip to Southeast Asia that also included visits to Vietnam and Singapore. "The minis

Foreign AffairsJune 25, 2021

S. Korea expresses 'deep regret' over IOC's response to Dokdo issue

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism expressed "deep regret" Friday over the International Olympic Committee's response to its letter protesting Japan's inclusion of South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo on a Tokyo Olympics map. According to the ministry, the IOC sent a reply to its June 10 letter on Tuesday, saying it had inquired with the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee regarding the appearance of Dokdo on a map of the Olympic torch relay route and was told that it w

Foreign AffairsJune 25, 2021

Korean health officials split over impact of delta variant

Top officials at two major public health offices -- the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency -- offered disparate views on the potential impact of the delta variant, first detected in India, on the pandemic situation here. Son Young-rae, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Welfare, downplayed the concerns over the delta variant in a closed-door briefing Thursday, saying that it did not present serious enough of a cause to delay the easing

Social AffairsJune 25, 2021

[Newsmaker] ‘Thanks for saving me’: Suspected child molester’s words could be play for leniency, experts say

Choi Chan-wook, 26, who is accused of using boys aged between 11 and 13 to produce videos of sexual exploitation, and in some cases molesting them himself, said he was “grateful that adults saved” him before his actions got worse, stoking public outrage online. Choi, who stood in front of press cameras Thursday before police turned him over to the prosecution, said, “(I) got here after starting out of curiosity. … I’m grateful that adults saved me before it got wo

Social AffairsJune 25, 2021

DP opts not to postpone primaries for next year's presidential election

The ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Friday decided not to postpone its primary elections to pick the standard bearer for next year's presidential election in March. The DP's supreme council made the decision at a close-door meeting held earlier in the day, confirming the party's schedule to pick its sole presidential candidate by Sept. 10. "The supreme council decided, via a unanimous agreement, to elect the (final presidential) candidate in accordance with the current party constitution

PoliticsJune 25, 2021

Two Army soldiers test positive for COVID-19

Two soldiers tested positive for the new coronavirus following their recent vacation, the defense ministry said Friday. The latest cases raised the total number of infections reported among the military population to 1,012. Nationwide, South Korea reported 634 new cases, including 602 local infections, raising the total caseload to 153,789, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The ministry said its inoculation program is going smoothly, with 91.4 percent of service mem

Social AffairsJune 25, 2021

S. Korea holds 71st Korean War anniversary event for first time in Busan

South Korea marked the 71st anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War with a ceremony held for the first time in the southern city of Busan that served as a temporary capital during the conflict. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, Defense Minister Suh Wook and around 240 people, including veterans and bereaved family members, attended the ceremony held at the Busan Cinema Center, which was the site of an airfield used by United Nations forces during the war. "The choice of the event

PoliticsJune 25, 2021

BAI chief to soon offer resignation amid presidential bid speculation: source

Choe Jae-hyeong, chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI), plans to soon tender his resignation, a well-informed source said Friday, suggesting that the state audit agency chief has reached a decision to compete in next year's presidential race. The source close to the BAI head said that Choe will "arrange an occasion early next week to announce his decision," adding that the chairman will explain his future plans to his father over the weekend and reassure him amid concern

PoliticsJune 25, 2021

S. Korea, Central American nations agree in summit to deepen comprehensive cooperation

The leaders of South Korea and eight Central American countries adopted a joint vision Friday for the development of comprehensive partnerships especially in the digital and environment-friendly sectors. The accord came at the first South Korea-Central American Integration System summit in 11 years. The regional group, widely known as SICA, consists of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic. During the virtual session, President Moon

Foreign AffairsJune 25, 2021

S. Korea to give all-out support for phase 3 trials of homegrown COVID-19 vaccine candidates

South Korea said Friday it will strengthen support for homegrown COVID-19 vaccine development so that candidates can enter late-stage phase three clinical trials by the end of the year in a move to bolster its vaccine arsenal against the pandemic. The country will also step up efforts to develop messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine technology to catch up to global pharmaceutical giants. The government has so far secured vaccines from multiple global pharmaceutical companies to inoculate nearly double

Social AffairsJune 25, 2021

Slight majority of S. Koreans opposed to COVID-19 vaccine support to N. Korea: survey

A little over half of South Koreans do not want the government to provide COVID-19 vaccination support to North Korea, according to a recent survey. In a joint survey by four polling agencies on 1,006 people aged 18 and older from Monday-Wednesday, 51 percent of respondents said they disapprove of delivering coronavirus vaccines to Pyongyang, while 45 percent said they were in favor of the idea. Last week, President Moon Jae-in said Seoul will push for cooperation with the North on COVID-19 va

North KoreaJune 25, 2021

N. Korea seen marking Korean War anniversary in low-key fashion

North Korea appeared to be marking the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War in a low-key manner Friday as it is striving to fight the global coronavirus pandemic and bolster its anemic economy. State media outlets have not reported on any anti-US public rallies on the occasion of the 71st anniversary of the war. North Korea had held such street demonstrations around this time almost every year until the first-ever Singapore summit was held in 2018 between leader Kim Jong-un and

North KoreaJune 25, 2021

New cases in 600s for 3rd day as eased distancing rules set to run from July

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed in the 600s for the third straight day Friday due to sporadic cluster infections as the country is set to implement eased social distancing rules starting next month. The country reported 634 new cases, including 602 local infections, raising the total caseload to 153,789, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Cluster infections involving churches, restaurants, education facilities and hospitals continue to take place acro

Social AffairsJune 25, 2021

O’ Canada! Culture Week opens in Pyeongtaek

　Canadian Culture Week will open in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, as part of Pyeongtaek World Culture Week on Saturday. The program will run until July 1. The Canadian Embassy in Seoul said this year’s events start with a Korean War memorial photo exhibition showcasing the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Gapyeong. The exhibition will also have a commemorative photo zone, at which visitors can try on ice hockey gear, and check out popular Canadian tourist destinations and books recom

Foreign AffairsJune 25, 2021

Korea-US alliance remains linchpin of peace 71 years after start of Korean War: Pentagon

WASHINGTON -- The United States remains committed to the South Korea-US alliance, 71 years after the start of the Korean War, a Pentagon spokesman said Thursday, calling the alliance the "linchpin of peace" for the region and the world. Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby made the remarks as the allies mark the 71st anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War on Friday. "Tomorrow marks 71 years since the start of the Korean War. For the past 71 years our commitment

Foreign AffairsJune 25, 2021

[Contribution] Creating a supporting ecosystem for innovative venture firms to enter global market

As the global business environment changes due to the 4th Industrial Revolution and COVID-19, the structures of industries and markets are rapidly changing. Thus, the role of small and medium-sized venture companies (SMEs), the backbone of the Korean economy, is becoming more important. The total exports of all Korean companies in 2020 amounted to $512.8 billion, down 5.4 percent from $542.2 billion last year due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, the total exports of

PoliticsJune 24, 2021

A look inside the revamped North Korean defector debriefing center

Over 30,000 North Korean defectors have risked their lives to escape their communist homeland and settle in the South since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. 　 But before starting a new life in the more prosperous South, all refugees must go through a period of investigation and a debriefing by the spy agency.  　 Run by the National Intelligence Service, the North Korean Refugee Protection Center in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, is where defectors get their first glimpse of the South. At

North KoreaJune 24, 2021