Truckers' strike continues for 7th day; negotiations with govt. fall through

A truckers' walkout continued for the seventh day Monday, deepening logistic disruptions and delays nationwide, as their negotiations with the government for a resolution fell through, officials said. Members of the 22,000-strong Cargo Truckers Solidarity, under the wing of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, have been on a general strike since June 7, demanding the government extend a freight rate system guaranteeing basic wages for truck drivers to cope with surging fuel costs. The

June 13, 2022

Chinese fishing boat seized for alleged illegal fishing in S. Korean waters

The South Korean coast guard said Sunday that it has seized a Chinese speedboat for suspected illegal fishing in South Korean waters in the Yellow Sea. The five-ton boat carrying two Chinese fishermen is suspected of trying to fish in waters about 35 kilometers west of South Korea's western border island of Socheong at around 8 p.m. on Saturday. The Chinese boat was fleeing to the north of the inter-Korean border before it was caught by a South Korean Navy 500-ton speedboat. The Chinese fish

June 12, 2022

Police say suspect in fatal arson likely targeted attorneys after losing lawsuit

Police believe a man suspected of a fatal arson attack on Thursday in Daegu targeted attorneys on the defense team of the company he was suing in a civil case over a loss of several hundred million won in a real estate investment. According to the police, the 53-year-old man, who is only known by his surname Chon, brought a civil case against a trust company that was involved in a real estate project he had invested in, which never materialized. His investment is estimated to have totaled som

June 12, 2022

South Korea eyes post-omicron life, mulls ending COVID-19 isolation

South Korea has already stopped quarantining close contacts and arriving travelers. Now the country is mulling whether to follow through with the planned lifting of mandatory isolation for COVID-19 patients in a bid to treat the disease as endemic. According to official statistics, the COVID-19 situation here has continued to improve since omicron peaked in March. In the last two weeks ending on Saturday midnight, Korea logged 10,375 cases and 15 deaths each day on average -- down from the

June 12, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 10,000 for 3rd day

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed below 10,000 for the third consecutive day Sunday on fewer tests on the weekend and the waning omicron-driven virus wave. The country added 7,382 new infections, bringing the total caseload to 18,225,460, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Sunday's figure was down from 8,442 the previous day. It was also down from 9,832 new cases logged a week earlier. Of the new infections, 78 were from overseas, marking the highest fig

June 12, 2022

New virus cases under 10,000 for 2nd day

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases remained below 10,000 for the second consecutive day on Saturday while the country is mulling eased antivirus restrictions to restore pre-pandemic normalcy. The country added 8,422 new infections, including 64 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,200,346, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Saturday's figure was down from 9,315 the previous day. The country added 10 COVID-19 deaths, bringing the death toll to 24,351

June 11, 2022

S. Korea to conduct large-scale survey on long-term effects of COVID-19

The government will conduct a large-scale survey on long-term effects of COVID-19 to better understand post-COVID-19 symptoms and their causes, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Friday. “Many people are experiencing long-term effects of COVID-19, but (the government) responses have not been sufficient,” Han said during a COVID-19 response meeting on Friday. “The government currently plans to conduct a large-scale survey and a systematic review to make a guideline for treating

June 10, 2022

Right-wing YouTube channel ordered to compensate ex-justice minister Cho for defamation

A court ordered right-wing YouTube channel Hover Lab on Friday to pay compensation to ex-Justice Minister Cho Kuk and his children for airing false rumors and defamatory expressions about them. In YouTube episodes in 2020, Hover Lab, a popular YouTube channel run by conservative ex-lawmaker and lawyer Kang Yong-seok, alleged a private equity fund managed by Cho was dealing with money invested by the Communist Party of China. It also claimed Cho sponsored an actress while his children drove a lux

June 10, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 10,000 amid waning omicron wave

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell below 10,000 Friday, continuing a gradual decline, as the country is working to return to pre-pandemic normalcy. The country added 9,315 COVID-19 infections, including 34 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,209,650, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. It is the first time in nearly five months that the figure for Friday fell below the 10,000 level. South Korea has seen a gradual decline in total infections in re

June 10, 2022

30 unionized truckers nabbed for alleged business interference

A total of 30 striking truckers have been taken into police custody since the start of the walkout for allegedly obstructing the business of non-striking trucks and other charges, officers said Friday. The members of the Cargo Truckers Solidarity, under the wing of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, have been apprehended across the country since the union began the walkout to demand the government extend a freight rate system guaranteeing basic wages for truck drivers to cope with surging

June 10, 2022

Job seekers’ interest in civil service continues to wane

Civil servant has long been the most sought-after job among South Korean job seekers. Look at Noryangjin, where people all across the country cram for their civil service exams, giving birth to their own unique culture. For millennials and Generation Z, however, there have been several signs that civil service jobs are losing their appeal. New data released Thursday by the Ministry of Personnel Management confirms this trend. The competition ratio for the grade 7 positions came to the lowes

June 9, 2022

Suspected arson leaves 7 dead, 46 injured in Daegu

A suspected arson attack has left seven dead and dozens injured in Daegu on Thursday. A fire erupted on the second floor of a building in Soosung-gu, eastern Daegu, at around 10:55 a.m., fire authorities said. Seven people were found dead at the scene, and 46 people were injured from inhaling smoke from the fire. The fire was brought under control 20 minutes after 160 firefighters and 64 fire trucks were dispatched to the scene. Officials are working to identify the cause of the fire upon rec

June 9, 2022

KDCA’s new chief says COVID-19 still top national agenda

OSONG, North Chungcheong Province -- The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency will roll out policies that safeguard the public against the COVID-19 pandemic and aid economic recovery under the new administration, KCDA’s new chief says. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, new KCDA chief Peck Kyong-ran said that the pandemic is one of the new administration’s top priorities, and that response measures will reflect wider implications of the pandemic. “Disruptive

June 9, 2022

Fire in Daegu office building kills at least 7; arson suspected

A fire broke out at an office building in the southeastern city of Daegu on Thursday, leaving seven dead and injuring 46 others, officials said. The fire broke out at the seven-story building in the city, 302 kilometers south of Seoul, at around 10:55 a.m., according to firefighters. It was fully extinguished some 20 minutes later. Dozens of other citizens evacuated the building. Authorities mobilized 50 fire trucks and 160 firefighters at the scene. Police said they were investigating the

June 9, 2022

[What’s your say] Purpose of education?

In a Cabinet meeting on June 7, President Yoon Suk-yeol redefined the purpose of education in his attempt to call for drastic educational reforms. Stressing that the keyword is “human capital,” he said the Education Ministry should consider itself “as one of the economy-related ministries.” “The first mission of the Education Ministry is to provide human capital needed for development of industries.” He went on to say that if the ministry fails to d

June 9, 2022

Seoul Archdiocese apologizes for controversy over remains of Korea's first Catholic priest

The Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul has made a public apology for the recent controversy over possible transactions of the remains of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, the first native Korean Catholic priest. "We apologize to all people who are concerned about recent news on relics of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon," the Archdiocese said in a press release Wednesday. The apology came as the whereabouts of Kim's physical remains have come into the spotlight since a fragment of his spine was put on sal

June 9, 2022

S. Korea experiences hottest spring, lowest precipitation in May

South Korea recorded the highest average temperature for March to May and saw the lowest precipitation levels in May, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration Tuesday. The national average temperature for the period this year was 13.2 degrees Celsius, 1.3 degrees higher than last year. This was the highest temperature for the period since record-keeping began in 1973. The balmy weather was brought about by a migratory atmospheric pressure from China and warm southerly winds, the

June 9, 2022

National Library to expand archives of web-based cartoons, novels

Web cartoons and web novels, rising as mainstream forms of Korean content, will join the official collection list of the National Library of Korea. The National Library said Tuesday it has amended the related regulations for the first time in 11 years to expand the criteria of the “official types and forms of online data to be collected.” According to Article 20-2 of the Libraries Act, the National Library of Korea collects and preserves online materials with high preservation val

June 9, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases above 12,000 for 2nd day amid eased virus curbs

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed above 12,000 for the second consecutive day Thursday amid eased antivirus restrictions as the country is seeking to restore pre-pandemic normalcy. The country added 12,161 COVID-19 infections, including 65 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,200,346, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Thursday's figure marked a slight fall from the previous day's 13,358. The daily caseload had been below 10,000 fo

June 9, 2022

Campaign banners to be upcycled to bags and wallets

Campaign banners used for the June 1 local elections will be reborn as products such as bags and wallets according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday that it will promote a recycling project in cooperation with Seoul districts and Seoul Upcycling Plaza to reuse the campaign banners as materials for everyday products. Campaign banners used in elections are usually thrown away or burnt, causing environmental issues. They are normally made o

June 8, 2022