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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Seoul appoints first female unification ministry spokesperson
The Unification Ministry on Sunday tapped Lee Jong-joo, director-general of humanitarian cooperation bureau, as the ministry’s first female spokesperson. With the appointment, she became the first woman to hold the position since the ministry, in charge of inter-Korean affairs, was established in 1969. The ministry said Lee has been recognized for her competence, having worked in the ministry’s key divisions and various posts across the government. It expects Le
Feb. 7, 2021
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[Newsmaker] NK to convene party meeting this week
North Korea is set to convene a meeting of top ruling party officials to finalize policy plans for this year set forth at last month’s Workers’ Party congress, state media said Sunday. The second plenary meeting of the eighth Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea will take place within the first 10 days of this month, according to the official Korea Central News Agency. The state media did not specify an exact date in the report, but considering the disclo
Feb. 7, 2021
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N. Korea to hold party plenary meeting this week for New Year plans
North Korea is scheduled to hold a plenary meeting of its party this week to finalize plans for "strategic tasks" for this year, state media said Sunday. The second plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea will be held "within the first 10 days of February to examine and decide the 2021 working plans of all fields to thoroughly carry out the strategic tasks" set forth during the eighth party congress, the official Korean Central News Agency
Feb. 7, 2021
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UN grants sanctions waiver to S. Korean group for improving drinking water in NK
The United Nations has granted a sanctions waiver for a South Korean organization working on a project to provide safe drinking water to North Korea, a UN website showed Friday. This marks this year's first UN sanctions exemption to North Korea. The organization was given an exemption for nine months until Oct. 22, 2021, according to the website. The website did not identify the name of the organization, nor did it specify the size of the assistance and other details. In November, a UN Securi
Feb. 5, 2021
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NK paper stresses central leadership to achieve new economic objectives
North Korea's official newspaper on Friday called on officials to strictly follow central leadership to realize a self-reliant economy and carry out key policy goals unveiled in a rare party meeting last month. At the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party in January, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un admitted the failure to achieve his previous five-year development goals and unveiled a new scheme focusing on self-reliance in the face of the global pandemic and sanctions on his regime. &q
Feb. 5, 2021
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N. Korea replaces heads of key farmer and labor groups amid economic drive
North Korea has replaced heads of key groups of farmers and laborers, state media said Friday, in an apparent move to rev up its recently unveiled economic development drive. During the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party last month, the North put forth a new five-year economic development plan centering on self-reliance in the face of the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and global sanctions. The Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea (UAWK) on Thursday held a plenary meeting to d
Feb. 5, 2021
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US will closely consult with S. Korea on N. Korea: Sullivan
The United States will closely consult with its Asian allies such as South Korea in dealing with North Korea, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Thursday. He also said close consultation with allies will be part of US efforts to strengthen its alliances. "To revitalizing America's alliance, the president has spoken with key allies in both Europe and Asia. Just last night, he had the opportunity to speak with both the president of the Republic of Korea and the prime minister o
Feb. 5, 2021
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N. Korea to start vaccinations with COVAX aid
North Korea will be provided with 1.99 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine by June this year to inoculate nearly 1 million people, COVAX said Wednesday. COVAX is an international group that helps less wealthy countries with vaccination efforts. The North will start receiving vaccines in late February at the earliest. But the program could face delays as the AstraZeneca vaccine has yet to be approved by the World Health Organization, which expects to discuss the matter later
Feb. 4, 2021
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Brother of official killed by Pyongyang asks unification ministry to deliver letter to NK leader
The brother of a South Korean fisheries official killed by North Korea's military near the western sea border last year met with Unification Minister Lee In-young on Thursday and asked the government to deliver his letter to the North's leader. Lee Rae-jin, the brother of the deceased official, said he handed Lee the letter, in which he asked for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's cooperation so that he could visit the North to find the truth behind his brother's death. "I asked the unific
Feb. 4, 2021
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Inter-Korean cooperation fund cannot be used to help virus-hit people: unification ministry
The unification ministry said Thursday it is not appropriate to use the inter-Korean cooperation fund to help people suffering from the coronavirus given the nature of the money set aside for cross-border exchanges. Media reports earlier showed that the main opposition People Power Party is pushing to tap into the inter-Korean fund worth around 1.2 trillion won ($1.08 billion) in providing support for the virus-affected people during an interpellation session Friday. "The inter-Korean coo
Feb. 4, 2021
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Unification minister says it’s time to look at outcome of sanctions on NK
Unification Minister Lee In-young said he is against additional sanctions on North Korea, which US Secretary of State has mentioned as one of the options the US may consider as it reviews its North Korea policy. “To talk about further sanctions, it is about time to evaluate what kind of outcome the sanctions so far has brought,” Lee said during a meeting with the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club on Wednesday as he answered a question on what he thinks about Antony Blinken&rs
Feb. 4, 2021
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N. Korea to convene congress of largest youth association to support party decisions
North Korea will convene a congress of the country's largest youth association for the first time in four years, state media reported Thursday, in an apparent move to enlist support for new policies and decisions adopted at last month's Workers' Party congress. During the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party, the North unveiled a new five-year economic development plan focusing on self-reliance in the face of the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and global sanctions on its regime. T
Feb. 4, 2021
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Unification minister says S. Korea 'sufficiently' communicating with US on anti-leaflet law
Unification Minister Lee In-young said Wednesday that South Korea has been sufficiently communicating with the United States about a recently legislated ban on the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea. The amendment to the Development of Inter-Korean Relations Act, set to take effect next month, has raised concerns among critics that it could hurt freedom of expression and undercut efforts to send outside information into the reclusive North. "South Korea and th
Feb. 3, 2021
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UN puts faith in Seoul’s leaflet ban
The UN secretary-general’s office said Monday that it believes South Korea will respect human rights when it implements the ban on the cross-border launching of anti-North Korea propaganda leaflets. The leafleting is set to become a felony in March under legislation introduced by Seoul to protect residents near the border, in fear of retaliation by Pyongyang, which fired at balloons carrying leaflets, food and medicine in 2014. The two countries exchanged gunfire at the border. “W
Feb. 3, 2021
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N. Korea accelerates efforts to improve irrigation system ahead of farming season
North Korea is accelerating efforts to improve its irrigation system and recover from last year's flood damage ahead of the spring farming season, state media said Wednesday. Last summer, North Korea was hit hard by heavy rains and back-to-back typhoons in several regions, including the rice-producing areas in its southern parts. As part of recovery efforts, the North is repairing its reservoirs and building waterways in typhoon-hit regions, including in Gangwon and South Hamgyong provinces, a
Feb. 3, 2021
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Donations to N. Korea drop sharply amid pandemic: UN data
Only about $1.3 million has been pledged as humanitarian assistance to North Korea so far this year, an over 80 percent plunge from the same period last year amid the coronavirus pandemic, UN data showed Wednesday. According to the data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Switzerland has promised to donate $1.21 million in humanitarian aid to the North since the start of this year. Of the total, $1.16 million has been assigned to help provide nutrition to No
Feb. 3, 2021
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US missile defense aims to deter 'limited' nuclear attack from N. Korea: Hicks
The United States' missile defense system provides deterrence against "limited" nuclear attacks from countries such as North Korea, Deputy Defense Secretary nominee Kathleen Hicks said Tuesday. Hicks said if confirmed, she would work to further improve the missile defense system. "As currently constructed, the relationship between US missile defense and the US nuclear arsenal is complementary," she said in written response to her pre-confirmation-hearing questions from the
Feb. 3, 2021
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US weighs sanctions, incentives under NK policy review
The United States is reviewing its North Korea policy to use the most effective tools to advance the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in his first media interview since taking office last week. Blinken said that included a possibility of further sanctions in coordination with US allies, as well as unspecified diplomatic incentives, he said in an interview with broadcaster NBC aired Monday evening, local time. Asked whether it was time to reco
Feb. 2, 2021
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Blinken says US looking for ways to move N. Korea denuclearization forward
The United States is looking for optimal ways to advance the denuclearization process in North Korea and also deal with "growing problems" from the North's nuclear weapons, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Blinken said such measures may include additional sanctions but also diplomatic incentives. "This is a problem, a bad problem that has gotten worse over time, and I would be the first to acknowledge that it's a problem that has gotten worse across administrations,&qu
Feb. 2, 2021
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Energy ministry unveils document to calm dispute over N. Korea reactor plan
South Korea's energy ministry on Monday made public an internal document about the possibility of building a nuclear power plant in North Korea to defuse "unnecessary" political turmoil sparked by a report on the paper's existence. A TV station reported earlier that documents on a nuclear power project in the North were among hundreds of computer files that industry and energy ministry officials deleted ahead of the state audit agency's inspection of atomic energy policies. The repo
Feb. 1, 2021