Former PM Chung announces run for president

Former Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Thursday announced his intention to run for president next year, promising to become a leader to build a strong economy and stamp out inequality. Chung launched his bid for the nomination of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) under the slogan of "Strong Korea, Economic President." "I will be an economic president of a strong Republic of Korea, who fights all inequalities," he said during an event in Seoul to kick off his candidacy. &qu

PoliticsJune 17, 2021

S. Korea to begin inoculating younger population in July, allow 'mix and match' jabs

South Korea plans to administer COVID-19 vaccines to 22 million people of the general public aged between 18 and 59 starting next month as part of its inoculation campaign, health authorities said Thursday. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced the list of third-quarter vaccine recipients to achieve its goal of vaccinating 36 million people in the country of 51.3 million by September. The country's vaccination campaign started on Feb. 26 with some virus-vulnerable gr

Social AffairsJune 17, 2021

Air Force unit raided over alleged info leak on sexually abused soldier

Military investigators on Thursday raided the offices of an Air Force unit over allegations its members leaked details of a sexual harassment case that led to a noncommissioned officer taking her own life last month, the defense ministry said Thursday. The raid at the 15th Special Missions Wing in Seongnam, south of Seoul, is part of an ongoing investigation into the death of the master sergeant, surnamed Lee, who allegedly suffered groping and other abuse by her colleague during a car ride bac

Social AffairsJune 17, 2021

Majority of teachers, parents, students positive about wider school reopening

More than 65 percent of teachers, parents and students were positive about more in-person learning in the second half, a survey showed Thursday, as the Ministry of Education gears up for bringing all children back to their classrooms full time. The survey conducted by the ministry on 1.65 million of them nationwide from June 3-9 showed that 39.8 percent of the respondents considered wider school reopening to be "very positive" and 25.9 percent "positive." Among parents, 77.

Social AffairsJune 17, 2021

Labor, management struggle to narrow gaps over next year's minimum wage

Labor and management representatives met this week to negotiate the details of next year's minimum wage but came away with little progress after clashing on whether the rate should be hourly or monthly. The Minimum Wage Commission, a trilateral panel composed of nine representatives each from labor, management and the general public, held its third meeting this year Tuesday to begin negotiations in earnest. The commission holds plenary meetings around this time each year to set the following y

Social AffairsJune 17, 2021

[Newsmaker] Pro-tattoo activists challenge “outdated” tattoo laws

Getting a tattoo is not illegal in South Korea, but having one done by an artist without a medical license is -- legislation that activists are fighting to fix, as they say it is outdated and does not fit today’s growing attitude of acceptance. Rep. Ryu Ho-jeong of the minor left-wing Justice Party joined tattooists and advocates for a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul on Wednesday, wearing a backless purple dress. Her back was painted with temporary tattoos in a show of

Social AffairsJune 17, 2021

Largest art museum of the Nordic region opens in 2022

Norway’s largest art museum in the Nordic region is set to open in Oslo in 2022, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Seoul told The Korea Herald on Tuesday. The museum will have a collection of 400,000 works ranging from antiquities to the present day, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, textiles, furniture and architectural models. Designed collectively by German architects Kleihues and Schuwerk, and built by Norway’s government building commissioner Statsbygg, the museum reflec

Foreign AffairsJune 17, 2021

FM Chung vows efforts to realize 'UN values of peace, liberty, prosperity' on peninsula

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong on Thursday pledged efforts to realize the United Nations' values of peace and liberty on the Korean Peninsula during a forum marking nearly three decades since the country joined the international body. Chung also reaffirmed the Moon Jae-in administration's "unwavering" efforts for lasting peace on the divided peninsula, as Seoul and Washington seek a diplomatic strategy to resume nuclear diplomacy with a recalcitrant Pyongyang. "The Moon adminis

Foreign AffairsJune 17, 2021

Moon says ancient map in Spain shows Dokdo as part of Korean territory

MADRID/SEOUL -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in said a "very valuable" ancient map he witnessed in Madrid on Wednesday shows Dokdo is part of Korean territory. Moon, now on a state visit to Spain, made the remarks after looking at the "Map of Joseon Kingdom" at the Spanish Senate Library, according to presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee. Moon's mention of Dokdo, the easternmost South Korean islets, came amid rising diplomatic conflict between South Korea and Japan o

PoliticsJune 17, 2021

Army soldier, Air Force officer test positive for COVID-19

An Army soldier and an Air Force officer have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Thursday. The soldier, based in the northeastern border county of Hwacheon, was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 while away from his base on vacation, and the Air Force officer in Osan, 55 kilometers south of Seoul, was found to be infected after coming into contact with a civilian virus patient, according to the ministry. The latest cases raised the total number of infections

Social AffairsJune 17, 2021

[Newsmaker] PPP sees influx of young members following new leader's sensational election

The conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP) has seen an influx of new members, especially those in their 20s and 30s, in the wake of the sensational ascent of young new party leader Lee Jun-seok. According to party officials, some 23,000 people nationwide have joined the PPP as new members since May 12, including 10,000 who joined through online processes. The figure marks about a tenfold increase from the same period a year earlier, which came amid Lee's surprise ascent to the p

PoliticsJune 17, 2021

New virus cases in 500s for 2nd day, vaccinations set to be expanded to more age groups

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases remained in the 500s for the second day Thursday as health authorities are set to announce the vaccination plan for the next quarter that centers on people aged under 60 and priority groups. The country reported 540 more virus cases, including 523 local infections, raising the total caseload to 149,731, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The latest tally is similar to 545 cases Wednesday, sharply up from 373 on Tuesday. The co

Social AffairsJune 17, 2021

NK holds key party meeting for second day with focus on economy

North Korea held a key Workers' Party meeting for the second day with a focus on economic issues, according to state media Thursday, amid speculation that foreign policy could also have been discussed. Photos released by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed leader Kim Jong-un presiding over a panel discussion during the second-day plenary meeting of the party's Central Committee on Wednesday. Foreign Minister Ri Son-gwon was seen taking down notes in one of the photos. Ri's at

North KoreaJune 17, 2021

Moon attends Spain's business forum with King Felipe VI

BARCELONA -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in attended a major annual economic forum of Spain with King Felipe VI on Wednesday. Addressing the inaugural dinner of the three-day event in Barcelona, Moon proposed that the two countries spearhead preparations for the post-coronavirus era via a win-win approach. "The two countries have complementary industrial structures," he said. "Synergy through cooperation would be great." He pointed out that Spain is a global leader in

Foreign AffairsJune 17, 2021

Korea-Spain ties elevated to strategic partnership

MADRID/SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday agreed to elevate bilateral ties to the status of a “strategic partnership,” under which the two countries will further enhance cooperation in a wide range of areas such as business and technology.   Moon arrived in the Spanish capital Tuesday, becoming the first foreign leader to visit the country since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to their joint statement, the

Foreign AffairsJune 16, 2021

Spanish firms to invest $200 m in Korean green energy biz

  　Two Spanish companies will invest a combined $200 million in the renewable energy business in South Korea, Seoul‘s trade ministry said Wednesday. 　 　Madrid-based Ocean Winds decided to make an initial investment worth $100 million to establish an offshore wind power plant in Incheon, west of Seoul, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. 　 　Ocean Winds was founded in 2019 as a joint venture of Spanish energy enterprise EDPR and French company ENGIE to invest in wi

Foreign AffairsJune 16, 2021

Korea reports first death from rare blood clots likely linked to AstraZeneca shot

A man in his early 30s who was hospitalized with blood clots in his brain after receiving his first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine died Wednesday afternoon. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, he is the first Korean to die from a rare type of blood clotting that is likely linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine. The agency said the man died at around 2 p.m. Wednesday while being treated in intensive care. About a week after he received an AstraZeneca shot on May

Social AffairsJune 16, 2021

Peruvian Embassy marks bicentennial with art exhibition

The Peruvian Embassy opened an art exhibition Tuesday to celebrate the bicentennial of the country’s independence. “In Praise of the Shadow” is dedicated to the works of Fernando de Szyszlo, one of Latin America’s most renowned abstract artists. Fernando de Szyszlo was a Peruvian painter, sculptor, printmaker and teacher who gained prominence in the mid-1950s. The often indefinable figures that appear in his works are offset by his love of color, texture and eye-catching

Foreign AffairsJune 16, 2021

EU-KOR FTA stands out as a clear symbol against protectionism: German envoy

The Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement is a symbol that stands against protectionism, and underlines the EU and Korea’s strong commitment to a rules-based international trade order, German Ambassador to Korea Michael Reiffenstuel said Wednesday, at an event marking the 10th anniversary of the trade agreement. The anniversary event was collectively held by Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the German Embassy in Korea and the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea to celebrate the

Foreign AffairsJune 16, 2021

[Herald Interview] Korean-learning app Mypool sets sights on beating rivals

Aided by the success of South Korean popular culture, interest in learning the Korean language has ballooned in recent years. The number of foreign applicants for the state-run Korean proficiency test surpassed 375,000 in 2019, a hundredfold rise over the last decade. American apps such as Duolingo and Rosetta Stone have been popular choices for many foreigners, but a local company hopes to change that. “We wanted to make an app that teaches Korean by Koreans,” Lee Hyun-jun, CEO

Social AffairsJune 16, 2021