Most Popular
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[Exclusive] Korean adoptee sisters meet for the first time in 39 years
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Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
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Rose's 'Apt.' redefines K-pop's global appeal
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Two years on, thousands mourn Itaewon tragedy, calling for accountability
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Yoon calls for measures to protect Koreans amid escalating Iran-Israel conflicts
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Civil servant’s death linked to workplace bullying
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[Weekender] Walk around Korea to really get to know the country
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[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
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Hanwha, HD Hyundai vie for Poland’s $2.7b submarine program
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[Photo News] Rallying against LGBTQ+
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S. Korea closely monitoring NK moves ahead of late leader's birthday: JCS
South Korea is closely monitoring North Korea's military moves ahead of the birthday of late leader Kim Jong-il, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Monday. Tuesday marks the birthday of the late leader, who is the father of current leader Kim Jong-un. The day, called the Day of the Shining Star, is one of the North's biggest national holidays, and Pyongyang has held commemorative events. "We are closely monitoring related movements, and there are no unusual things to be noted for furthe
Feb. 15, 2021
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UNC considering resuming tours to Panmunjom amid eased social distancing scheme
The United Nations Command (UNC) said Monday that it has been exploring ways to resume tours to the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom, as South Korea eased antivirus social distancing rules. Tours to Panmunjom, or the Joint Security Area (JSA), were suspended in December amid the COVID-19 pandemic, just a month after the program resumed following a yearlong suspension over concerns about African swine fever. "With the ROK government relaxing social distancing measures to Level 2.0,
Feb. 15, 2021
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Biden’s NK human rights agenda could cause clash with Seoul
Over the past few years, North Korea policy has not featured human rights on the front burner -- either in Seoul or in Washington. This is because the North’s human rights situation, despite its direness, was viewed as a less pressing issue than the security threats posed by Pyongyang with its ever-expanding nuclear and missile programs. Furthermore, both former US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in had refrained from addressing rights abuses -- whic
Feb. 13, 2021
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N. Korea ranks lowest in world democracy index last year: poll
North Korea ranked the lowest in a world democracy index last year for the 16th consecutive year, a recent report showed. North Korea placed at the bottom among the 167 countries polled, with an overall score of 1.08 out of a total of 10, according to the Democracy Index 2020 published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the research division of the British weekly The Economist. The North has ranked the lowest in the EIU index since the agency began compiling t
Feb. 13, 2021
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[Newsmaker] N. Korean nuclear issue a top priority for Biden administration: State Dept.
The North Korean nuclear issue remains a top priority for the US government despite the recent lack of direct engagement with the country, a State Department official said Friday. Ned Price, department press secretary, also said continued advancement in the North's nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities made it an "urgent" priority. "I hope you don't confuse a lack of direct engagement with North Korea as an indication that the challenge of North Ko
Feb. 13, 2021
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S. Korea, US nearing agreement on defense cost sharing: CNN
South Korea and the United States are getting close to a new defense cost-sharing agreement for American troops here, CNN reported showed Friday, as they seek to bolster their alliance and defense posture. The two sides may be "just weeks away" from signing a deal, CNN said, citing five sources familiar with the matter. The US news outlet reported that the deal is likely to be "a multi-year agreement that increases Seoul's contribution to cover the presence of US troops at arou
Feb. 12, 2021
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N. Korean Foreign Minister Ri named politburo member
North Korean Foreign Minster Ri Son-gwon has been elected a member of the powerful politburo of the ruling Workers' Party, state media reported Friday. Ri was by-elected as a politburo member during a four-day plenary meeting of the party's eighth Central Committee that wrapped up on Thursday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Kim Song-nam, another ranking party official, was also named an alternate member of the politburo, while O Su-yong was elected as director of the party's De
Feb. 12, 2021
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North Korea's Kim orders legal supervision over economic plan
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered tougher legal supervision to support his development plans and eradicate various economy-related unlawful acts, state media said Thursday, as he works to salvage an economy battered by the pandemic and other challenges. Kim spoke Wednesday during a ruling Workers' Party meeting this week convened to follow up on decisions made at the ruling party's congress in January, where he admitted previous economic plans had failed and announced a new five-year
Feb. 11, 2021
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S. Korean top nuke envoy holds phone talks with senior US diplomat on NK policy
South Korea's top nuclear envoy, Noh Kyu-duk, and a senior US diplomat agreed to have close consultations on Washington's review of North Korea policy during their phone talks Wednesday, the foreign ministry said. The talks between Noh and Sung Kim, acting assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, came as Seoul seeks to ensure policy coordination with the administration of US President Joe Biden to reengage with Pyongyang. "In the phone call, the two sides exchanged
Feb. 10, 2021
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N. Korea launches rare committee to tackle economic challenges
North Korea has recently launched a temporary committee to rev up its economic development drive, state media said Wednesday, as the communist country pushes ahead to achieve goals set forth at last month's rare party congress amid crippling sanctions and antivirus efforts. On the second day of the plenary meeting of the party's eighth Central Committee on Tuesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reported on domestic economic issues and other external matters, the Korean Central News Agency (KC
Feb. 10, 2021
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NK leader specified policy direction for inter-Korean, external matters
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un specified the direction for polices related to inter-Korean relations as he held a Workers' Party meeting to discuss follow-up measures on plans set forth at last month's party congress, state media said Wednesday. Kim attended the second day of the plenary meeting of the party's eighth Central Committee held on Tuesday and reported on domestic economic issues and other external matters, including relations with South Korea, according to the Korean Central News A
Feb. 10, 2021
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N. Korea continues wintertime drills, no unusual moves ahead of late leader's birthday: JCS
North Korea has been conducting regular wintertime military drills without showing any unusual moves ahead of the birthday of late leader Kim Jong-il, the South Korean military said Tuesday. North Korea celebrated the 73rd anniversary Monday of the foundation of its army and has another key national holiday coming up, which is the Feb. 16 birthday of its late leader, the father of current leader Kim Jong-un. "North Korea's military is continuing wintertime exercises and has not shown any
Feb. 9, 2021
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New FM bets on firm relations with Washington for Pyongyang’s denuclearization
New Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong on Tuesday voiced confidence in working together with the US on North Korea’s nuclear issue, highlighting that the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is a shared goal between the two allies. “Achieving complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula at an earliest date is a shared goal between the US and South Korea, Chung told reporters after taking office earlier in the day. “Therefore, I believe coordinating opinio
Feb. 9, 2021
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Over 60% of S. Korean youth say unification with NK necessary: survey
Over six out of 10 South Korean youth think that unification with North Korea is necessary, a survey showed Tuesday. In a survey conducted by the education and unification ministries on 68,750 students enrolled in elementary, middle and high schools nationwide from Nov. 2-30 of last year, 62.4 percent said that the two Koreas need to reunify. The finding marks a 6.9 percentage point jump from a similar poll conducted a year ago. Among students who saw the need for unification, 28.4 percent cit
Feb. 9, 2021
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NK leader blasts self-protectionism in assembly
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un chastised self-protectionism and the passiveness of state agencies during a full session of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party on Monday, Pyongyang’s state media said Tuesday. The meeting was convened to discuss economic projects for this year, the first of its five-year national development plan presented at the eighth party congress held early last month, the North’s Korean Central News Agency said. Kim presided over the meeting, dur
Feb. 9, 2021
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N. Korea continues wintertime drills, no unusual moves ahead of late leader's birthday: JCS
North Korea has been conducting regular wintertime military drills without showing any unusual moves ahead of the birthday of late leader Kim Jong-il, the South Korean military said Tuesday. North Korea celebrated the 73rd anniversary Monday of the foundation of its army and has another key national holiday coming up, which is the Feb. 16 birthday of its late leader, the father of current leader Kim Jong-un. "North Korea's military is continuing wintertime exercises and has not shown any
Feb. 9, 2021
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Seoul's calls for concessions to N. Korea may create tension with US: CRS
WASHINGTON -- South Korea's push for concessions to North Korea may continue to create tension in US-South Korea relations, a US congressional report said. The updated Congressional Research Service (CRS) report on South Korea noted policy coordination between Seoul and Washington had been "inconsistent" under former US President Donald Trump. President Joe Biden, on the other hand, is "reinvigorating the alliance, suggesting he would abandon President Trump's repeated use of pu
Feb. 9, 2021
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NK leader raps economic agencies for 'passive, self-protecting tendencies'
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un rapped economic agencies for "passive and self-protecting tendencies" as he held a Workers' Party meeting to finalize this year's plans to carry out policy goals set forth at last month's rare party congress, state media said Tuesday. The North unveiled a new five-year economic development plan at the eighth congress of the party last month, with a focus on self-reliance in the face of the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and global sanctions on its
Feb. 9, 2021
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Two minor natural quakes hit N. Korea's eastern region: KMA
Two minor natural earthquakes struck North Korea's eastern region early Monday, South Korea's state weather agency said. The first quake with a magnitude of 3.2 was detected at around 3:37 a.m., 37 kilometers north-northeast of Changjin, South Hamkyong Province, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The epicenter was at a latitude of 40.67 degrees north and a longitude of 127.45 degrees east, the agency said. The second quake of magnitude 2.3 struck about four hours late
Feb. 8, 2021
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NK paper calls for military role in advancing economy on army founding anniversary
North Korea's official paper said Monday the country's military should play a leading role in major construction and other economic development projects as the country marked the 73rd anniversary of the army's founding. At the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party in January, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un unveiled its new five-year economic development plan focusing on self-reliance amid multiple challenges, including efforts to ward off the coronavirus and crippling sanctions. Kim cal
Feb. 8, 2021