USFK cooperating with police over servicemembers' alleged no-mask parties

US Forces Korea (USFK) said Monday it is cooperating with local authorities over allegations some of its members were involved in no-mask parties on a Busan beach over the weekend in violation of social distancing rules. According to police, around 2,000 foreigners, including US soldiers, set off firecrackers and held parties without masks at Haeundae Beach in the southeastern city of Busan, marking US Memorial Day. "USFK is aware of the alleged behavior at Haeundae Beach and is cooperat

May 31, 2021

New infections in 400s for 2nd day, vaccinations to rev up on increased shipment

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases remained in the 400s for the second consecutive day Monday partly due to fewer tests over the weekend, while health authorities are grappling with sporadic cluster infections across the nation. The country reported 430 more COVID-19 cases, including 411 local infections, raising the total caseload to 140,340, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The daily caseload was down from 480 on Sunday, when the figure fell below 500 for t

May 31, 2021

Buddhists around the world celebrate Vesak

　Global leaders touch on relevance of Buddha’s message amid COVID -19. 　UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent his warmest greetings to Buddhists around the world on Wednesday in honor of Vesak, a holiday that honors the life and legacy of Buddha.   “Today, we recognize the contributions Buddhism has made to human spirituality and culture for more than two and a half millennia. All of us, Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike, can find inspiration in the Buddha’s

May 31, 2021

US soldier apprehended for assaulting 3 Koreans

A US Forces Korea service member is under investigation for allegedly assaulting three South Korean men while under the influence, police said Sunday. The 34-year-old staff sergeant, stationed with the Eighth Army in Pyeongtaek, was apprehended by police in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon late Saturday and transferred to the military police. The unnamed soldier is accused of first punching a 20-something man in the face on Itaewon's streets and then knocking a 40-something man from

May 30, 2021

Seoul Cyber University, Mines Advisory Group link up to develop educational programs

Seoul Cyber University has inked a deal with Mines Advisory Group on Thursday to collaborate on developing educational programs and raise professional human resources on mine action, the Korean online university said Sunday. The deal involves the two parties co-developing an educational training program in line with the International Mine Action Standards in preparation for enacting laws on mine actions. The parties have also agreed to work on strengthening the Korean military and encourage pa

May 30, 2021

Japan's Dokdo claims spark calls for Olympics boycott

The torch relay route map on the Tokyo Olympics website illustrating Korea’s Dokdo as part of Japan’s territory has raised the possibility of Seoul boycotting the Summer Games. Dokdo, Korea’s easternmost islets, appeared on the official website of the Tokyo Olympics Committee as part of Japan in July 2019. Seoul’s Foreign Ministry immediately urged Tokyo to delete Korea’s islets from the map. Japan then revised the map to make Dokdo less visible, but the islets we

May 30, 2021

USFK members, foreigners hold no-mask parties on Busan beach amid pandemic

Around 2,000 foreigners, including US soldiers in South Korea, set off firecrackers and held parties without wearing masks on and around a local beach amid the coronavirus pandemic, police said Sunday. The foreigners danced, drank and set off firecrackers on and around Haeundae Beach in the southern city of Busan from Saturday afternoon through early Sunday, with many of them not wearing face masks and violating social distancing rules, according to the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency and wi

May 30, 2021

One-person households account for 30.3% of total in 2020

The portion of single-member households in South Korea surpassed 30 percent of the total last year, a government survey showed Sunday, amid an increase in diverse forms of families. One-person families accounted for 30.4 percent of the total in 2020, according to a survey conducted on 11,000 households by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family every five years. The percentage was 21.3 percent in 2015 and 15.8 percent in 2010. At the same time, the proportion of households composed of pare

May 30, 2021

New infections drop back to 400s amid continued cluster infections

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell back to the 400s on Sunday for the first time in 20 days amid continued cluster infections and growing fears over the spread of more virulent variants. The country reported 480 more COVID-19 cases, including 464 local infections, raising the total caseload to 139,910, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. It marks the first time that the new caseload fell below 500 since May 10 when 463 cases were reported. The drop is belie

May 30, 2021

Vice justice chief undergoes police probe over assault case

Vice Justice Minister Lee Yong-gu was questioned by police Sunday over allegations that he pressured a taxi driver he assaulted to destroy related evidence and went unpunished. Lee appeared at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in central Seoul to undergo questioning for the November case where Lee allegedly hurled insults at the driver and grabbed him by the collar in an intoxicated state when the man tried to wake him up after arriving at his home. Police were called to the scene and let L

May 30, 2021

[Newsmaker] Support growing for volunteer military system over draft: survey

A growing number of South Koreans support replacing the current military draft with a volunteer system, a survey showed Sunday. According to the Gallup Korea poll, 43 percent of respondents were in favor of switching to the volunteer military system, while 42 percent were in favor of maintaining the status quo. The remaining 15 percent declined to answer. The law requires all able-bodied South Korean men to serve about two years in the military. Women are exempted from mandatory service and al

May 30, 2021

President Moon upbeat about COVID-19 vaccination goal

President Moon Jae-in expressed optimism Saturday that South Korea will attain its goal of getting 13 million people inoculated against COVID-19 by the end of June. "Vaccinations are gaining speed," he wrote on his Facebook account. Just over the past two days, 1.2 million people received vaccine shots, raising the total to 5.23 million, 10.2 percent of the nation's population, as of Friday, he noted. If the current pace is maintained, there will be no problem in achieving the aim of

May 29, 2021

Fire stops turbine at Shin-Kori 4 nuclear plant

A fire stopped the operation of a turbine at a nuclear plant on the country's southeastern coast Saturday, officials said. There were no reports of casualties or radiation leaks. The fire broke out at the Shin-Kori 4 reactor in Ulsan, some 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at 9:28 a.m. and was extinguished about an hour later, according to the state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. The authorities suspect the fire started from an exciter of a turbine. The Nuclear Safety and Security Co

May 29, 2021

S. Korea launches presidential panel on carbon neutrality

South Korea established a presidential committee Saturday to serve as the control tower of the nation's carbon neutrality drive. President Moon Jae-in said the government-private panel would be a "pivot" in uniting national efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. He admitted that it would not be easy for the country to attain the goal, given its heavy reliance on manufacturing industries and fossil fuels. "Carbon neutrality is an unavoidable task, with which mankind shou

May 29, 2021

Military reports 2 more coronavirus cases

The South Korean military confirmed two more cases of the novel coronavirus, the defense ministry said Saturday. One Air Force officer in Osan, 55 kilometers south of Seoul, tested positive for COVID-19 while in quarantine. So far, seven people at his air base have contracted the virus since the first case there was reported on May 21. One Army soldier in Inje, Gangwon Province, 165 km east of Seoul, also tested positive following his emergency leave to Seoul. The latest cases raised the tota

May 29, 2021

New virus cases in 500s for 2nd day; cluster, variant infections still pose problems

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed in the 500s for the second consecutive day Saturday as health authorities strive to contain cluster infections and the spread of virus variants. The country reported 533 more COVID-19 cases, including 505 local infections, raising the total caseload to 139,431, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. There were five additional fatalities, raising the death toll to 1,951. The fatality rate was 1.4 percent. Daily caseloads ha

May 29, 2021

Suspect in NK Embassy raid says he could be killed if he leaves US

A Korean American facing extradition to Spain for taking part in a raid of the North Korean Embassy in Madrid in February 2019 said he could be assassinated if he leaves the US. Christopher Ahn, a member of the group Free Joseon, which has helped several high-level North Koreans defect, was arrested by the FBI in Los Angeles in April 2019. Spanish prosecutors have asked the US to hand him over to face charges including unlawful break-in, illegal confinement, willful bodily harm and theft. &ldq

May 28, 2021

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine in Korea: What’s the deal for foreigners?

All foreigners staying long-term in South Korea are offered COVID-19 vaccinations, and anyone planning to get shots here should know some things about the process. The following information is based on the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s replies Friday. Foreigners who aren’t registered or subscribed to the national health insurance service can receive COVID-19 vaccinations only at public health centers when it is their turn. But at the time of vaccination their stay in

May 28, 2021

Farmers, fishers see income boost on back of aggressive government spending

  The average income for both farmers and fishers increased last year, government data showed, but the gain was mostly attributable to state emergency relief handouts aimed at propping up Korea’s pandemic-laden economy. The average farm household earned 45 million won ($40,300) last year, up 9.3 percent from the previous year, according to data by the Statistics Korea released on Wednesday. It was a record high for the industry since the institution started compiling relevant statis

May 28, 2021

Labor Ministry accused of passing the buck in sexual harassment case

South Korea’s Labor Ministry is facing criticism over a sexual harassment case at a foreign company’s Korean office. Early in 2020, a male employee in his 30s working for a large British investment firm in Korea reported to the UK headquarters that his female boss was sexually harassing him. Following the complaint, the boss began asking him to do things that violated company guidelines and the headquarters eventually fired him for failing to comply, according to the accuser. He

May 28, 2021