Apartment prices soar fivefold in Sejong under Moon presidency: civic group

Prices of apartments set aside for public servants in the administrative capital of Sejong rose fivefold in the past four years, a civic group said Monday. The Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice announced the results of its study that has tracked the prices of apartment units owned by 25,852 public servants in 127 complexes in the city, around 160 kilometers south of Seoul, since President Moon Jae-in took office in May 2017 until May this year. The results showed that the average price

July 5, 2021

Heavy rain forecast for southern regions early this week

Southern South Korean regions will be hit with heavy rains early this week, while light rain is forecast for the greater Seoul area, the state weather agency said Monday. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said that up to 150 millimeters of rain are expected for the southern provinces of Jeolla and Gyeongsang between late Monday and early Tuesday. In particular, some southern areas, including southern North Jeolla Province, coastal areas of South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang province

July 5, 2021

S. Korea committed to homegrown COVID-19 vaccine development: minister

South Korea remains committed to developing homegrown COVID-19 vaccines, the country's science minister said Monday, although local pharmaceutical companies face difficulties in conducting advanced stages of clinical trials. Lim Hye-sook, the minister of science and ICT, said her ministry will continue to support companies in research and development to help them speed up the development of their COVID-19 vaccine candidates and treatments. The country will also open the Korea Virus Research In

July 5, 2021

Labor group slams police probe into weekend mass rally

A major umbrella labor union slammed the government on Monday for launching an investigation into an illegal mass rally it held over the weekend. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) took to the streets of Seoul's central Jongno Ward on Saturday to demand better working conditions and a higher minimum wage. The rally, which defied bans by the Seoul metropolitan government and the police, drew an estimated 8,000 people at a time when the capital area has seen a sharp increase in the

July 5, 2021

Two Army members, airman test positive for COVID-19

One Army officer, an enlisted soldier and an airman tested positive for the new coronavirus over the weekend, the defense ministry said Monday. The officer was confirmed to have been infected after showing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, and the soldier and the airman tested positive following their recent vacation, according to the ministry. The three service members did not receive COVID-19 vaccines, it added. The latest cases raised the total number of infections reported among the mili

July 5, 2021

New cases over 700 for 3rd day as delta variant shows signs of spreading

South Korea's daily new virus cases stayed in the 700s for the third day in a row Monday, as health authorities warned against the spread of the more contagious delta coronavirus variant. The country reported 711 more COVID-19 cases, including 644 local infections, raising the total caseload to 160,795, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The latest figure is down from 826 on Friday, 794 on Saturday and 743 on Sunday, and a nearly six-month high due to the sharp spike

July 5, 2021

Korea’s push to reopen is already backfiring

Korean plans for a more normal summer appear to be dashed by a likely resurgence -- as delta, the latest alarming variant of COVID-19, gains traction globally. Seoul and nearby cities were excluded from the nationwide reopening Thursday, despite health officials vouching less than a week ago that the country was ready for it. Ahead of the weekend, Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom, alongside the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong, issued a special addr

July 4, 2021

[News Focus] Korea, 2nd-highest in portion of temporary workers in OECD

SEJONG -- There is a high possibility that South Korea will receive the undesirable top spot in the proportion of temporary workers among major economies worldwide in the coming years, global comparison data has shown. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Korea ranked second in the portion of temporary workers of the total salaried jobs in 2020, with 26.1 percent. This was an increase from ranking fourth among 35 OECD members in 2019 (with 24.4 percent) and

July 4, 2021

Police probe organizers of massive rally in Seoul

Police have set up a special team to investigate the organizers of Saturday’s rally held by the umbrella labor union, Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. Police said they plan to seek charges against organizers and key participants of the KCTU on suspicion of holding illegal rallies and marches, traffic obstruction and violation of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act. The Seoul Metropolitan Government also plans to file a criminal complaint against the KCTU for violatin

July 4, 2021

New cases over 700 for 2nd day; wider Seoul on alert over upsurge

South Korea's daily new virus cases stayed in the 700s for the second day Sunday, while authorities tighten their guard against a virus resurgence in the greater Seoul area. The country reported 743 more COVID-19 cases, including 662 local infections, raising the total caseload to 160,085, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The latest figure is down from 794 on Saturday and 826 on Friday, a nearly six-month high due to the sharp spike in new cases in the Seoul metropo

July 4, 2021

Seoul reports largest population drop in 5 yrs: data

Seoul has suffered its largest population decline in five years, with the soaring housing prices likely driving people out of the capital city, data showed Sunday. According to figures compiled by the Ministry of Interior and Safety and provided to People Power Party Rep. Tae Young-ho, Seoul had a population of just over 9.56 million as of June. Compared to a year ago, that represented a drop of 154,856, or 1.59 percent. It is the largest annual drop in five years. Seoul had almost 9.99 millio

July 4, 2021

Umbrella labor union holds street rally despite virus concerns

South Korea's major umbrella labor union pressed ahead with a massive street rally Saturday in central Seoul despite the government's warning of a stern response. Around 8,000 members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions gathered in the Jongno district, ignoring the government's call to cancel the assembly feared to affect the fight against COVID-19. The country is struggling to contain a resurgence of coronavirus cases. They had planned to hold it in the western Seoul area of Yeouido

July 3, 2021

[Eye Plus] Ironware culture of Goguryeo reborn in Blacksmith’s Village

Stretching from Seoul to Guri, Gyeonggi Province, Achasan Mountain is one of the best places to see traces of the Goguryeo dynasty, a period when Korea had the largest territory in its 5,000-year history, with its Achasanseong Fortress and over 80 sentry posts.  Located at the entrance of the mountain, the Goguryeo Blacksmith Village offers a glimpse into the lives of Goguryeo people and its flourishing ironware culture from some 1,500 years ago.  The folk village shows an actual bla

July 3, 2021

S. Korea reports 794 additional COVID-19 cases

South Korea has confirmed 794 new COVID-19 cases, local health authorities announced Saturday, amid worries about a potential fourth wave of large-scale infections nationwide. The latest figure is down from 826 recorded the previous day, but it marked the second consecutive day that the nation's daily new virus cases stayed at around 800. Among the additional infections, 748 were locally transmitted and 46 imported, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The total case

July 3, 2021

S. Korea to launch national committee to ensure unwavering long-term education policy

A new act will enable South Korea to establish a national committee in charge of ensuring the country follows a stable, long-term education policy regardless of a change of government, officials said Saturday. Earlier this week, the National Assembly's plenary meeting passed a relevant act on the establishment and management of the envisioned national education committee. The launch of the committee was part of President Moon Jae-in's election campaign, aimed at ensuring that the country's e

July 3, 2021

[Newsmaker] Prosecutors seek 5-yr prison term for disgraced K-pop star Seungri in sex, gambling scandal

YONGIN -- Military prosecutors have demanded five-year imprisonment for Seungri, the disgraced former member of K-pop boy band BIGBANG, on charges including prostitution mediation and overseas gambling. The prosecutors on Thursday asked the general military court in Yongin, south of Seoul, to sentence the scandal-ridden celebrity, whose legal name is Lee Seung-hyun, to five years in prison and a fine of 20 million won ($17,600). The singer is under trial at the military court because he enlis

July 2, 2021

New cases at nearly 6-month high, greater Seoul on verge of another wave of pandemic

South Korea's daily new virus cases soared to a nearly six-month high Friday as infections in the greater Seoul area continued to spike amid woes over a potential surge in variant cases. The country reported 826 more COVID-19 cases, including 765 local infections, raising the total caseload to 158,549, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The daily caseload marks the largest since Jan. 7 when it reached 869. The latest figure is sharply up from 762 cases a day earlier

July 2, 2021

test - REFILE-FOCUS-Qualcomm's new CEO eyes dominance in the laptop markets

REFILE-FOCUS-Qualcomm's new CEO eyes dominance in the laptop markets (Adds missing words in paragraph 19) By Stephen Nellis July 1 (Reuters) - Qualcomm Inc's new chief thinks that by next year his company will have just the chip for laptop makers wondering how they can compete with Apple Inc, which last year introduced laptops using a custom-designed central processor chip that boasts longer battery life. Longtime processor suppliers Intel Corp and Advanced Micro Devices have no chip

July 2, 2021

Agriculture ministry decides to recommend termination of KRA head over abuse allegation

The agriculture ministry on Thursday reached a decision to recommend the dismissal of Kim Woo-nam, head of the Korea Racing Authority (KRA), after wrapping up an audit into alleged verbal abuse. Kim, a former three-term lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party, is accused of having verbally abused an employee for refusing to hire one of his former National Assembly aides. KRA is a state-run corporation tasked with promoting the country's racehorse industry. According to government sources famil

July 1, 2021

Seoul delays easing of outdoor rally restrictions due to COVID-19 surge

The current ban on outdoor rallies of 10 or more people in Seoul will remain in place until next week, the metropolitan government said Thursday, scrapping its earlier plan to ease the restrictions at the beginning of this month. Earlier this week, the Seoul city government announced a decision to lift its ban on rallies of 10 or more and allow rallies of fewer than 50 people throughout the capital, effective Thursday, in line with the central government's eased social distancing rules against

July 1, 2021