Netanyahu dissolves influential war Cabinet

TEL AVIV, Israel -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dissolved the influential war Cabinet that has overseen the fighting in Gaza, a government spokesperson said Monday, days after a key member of the body bolted from the government over frustration with the Israeli leader's handling of the war. The move was widely expected following the departure of Benny Gantz, a centrist former military chief. Gantz's absence from the government increases Netanyahu's dependence on his

June 18, 2024

Putin to visit N. Korea on June 18-19: KCNA

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit North Korea this week, Pyongyang's state media reported Monday, amid deepening military cooperation with North Korea following his summit with the North's leader Kim Jong-un in September. Putin will "pay a state visit" to North Korea for a two-day trip starting Tuesday at the invitation of the North's leader Kim, the Korean Central News Agency said in a one-sentence dispatch. The Kremlin also confirmed Putin's North Korean

June 17, 2024

SK chief claims 'flagrant error' in divorce settlement ruling

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won issued an apology Monday for raising public concerns with his high-profile divorce settlement but made it clear that he will appeal to the Supreme Court because a “flagrant error” was found in the court ruling that now threatens his grip on the telecom-to-chips conglomerate. Last month, the Seoul High Court ruled in favor of Chey's estranged wife Roh Soh-young in their divorce settlement and ordered the SK chief to pay 1.38 trillion won ($1 billion

June 17, 2024

Doctors to go on indefinite walkout as government rejects final demands

The government on Sunday rejected the doctors' final proposal to abandon plans to increase medical school enrollment quotas, stating that it does not consider it appropriate for doctors to make such a demand. The Korean Medical Association -- the largest coalition of doctors' groups with approximately 140,000 members, mostly private practitioners -- sent a "final ultimatum" to the government Sunday saying its members will shut down their services and rally starting Tuesday if

June 16, 2024

[From the scene] BTS' Jin returns, fans erupt with joy

K-pop sensation BTS' oldest member, Jin, returned to his role as a singer just a day after he finished his mandatory military service on Wednesday. On Thursday, Jin showed up at 2024 Festa, an annual fan-meeting event celebrating the anniversary of BTS' debut on June 13, held at Jamsil Arena in Seoul. "I told my company that I will perform at 2024 Festa even if I have less than a day to practice. I had to do it myself since the other members are all away. I forgot how to sing, and

June 14, 2024

[KH Explains] Will Naver Webtoon, Yanolja be next Coupang?

Two Korean companies -- Naver Webtoon and Yanolja -- are preparing for a US stock debut this year, seeking higher valuation and aggressive overseas expansion. Their US push comes after Coupang’s successful Nasdaq listing in 2021 when the company was valued at $63 billion, the biggest IPO in the US by a foreign company since Alibaba Group in 2014. Industry watchers agree that the market sentiment has changed over the past three years following the bursting of pandemic-bubble stocks. But the

June 13, 2024

First lady returns to diplomatic spotlight amid mounting domestic pressure

ASTANA, Kazakhstan -- First lady Kim Keon Hee has embraced the diplomatic spotlight during President Yoon Suk Yeol's Central Asian trip, amid political pressure to investigate allegations she violated Korea's antigraft law. As Yoon and Kim are halfway through a trip involving state visits to three countries -- Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan -- Kim has expanded her public role as the first lady in a series of engagements highlighting cultural exchanges. According to Yoon's

June 12, 2024

Prosecution launches investigation into former first lady's trip to India

The prosecution has recently launched an investigation into accusations that former first lady Kim Jung-sook spent an “excessive” amount of taxpayers’ money to fund her 2018 trip to India, which has resurfaced in recent days, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said Tuesday. The decision to open the investigation comes nearly six months after the complaint was filed. In December last year, Lee Jong-bae, a People Power Party member on the Seoul Metropolitan Council, fi

June 11, 2024

Ministry to order private doctors to maintain operation on day of strike

Amid an escalating dispute between the government and doctors over having more medical students, the government on Monday ordered private practitioners to keep providing treatment and report to authorities when they close practice to join a one-day strike led by the country's largest doctors' group next week. Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong remarked during a government response meeting that the order is based on the Medical Service Act and a "minimum necessary measure" to prote

June 10, 2024

Doubts persist over oil project despite expert briefing

Doubts persist over the potential of newly identified oil and gas reserves off South Korea’s southeastern coast, despite a press briefing on Friday led by the expert behind the discovery to address public concerns about the drilling project's feasibility and the credentials of the company involved. Since the announcement a week ago, the claim has triggered a wave of public attention, expressing both excitement and skepticism, with the government providing multiple clarifications for rumors

June 9, 2024

Instagram widens gap with Naver among Korea’s most-used apps

Instagram has significantly widened its lead over domestic top search engine Naver regarding usage hours among Korean smartphone users, data showed Sunday. According to data compiled by industry tracker Wiseapp, Korean users spent 389 million hours on Instagram, making it the third-most used app in the country in May, surpassing Naver by 46.41 million hours. Instagram had already outstripped Naver in April, maintaining the third-most used smartphone app position here for two consecutive months

June 9, 2024

Opposition refutes 'extravagant' India trip claims about ex-first lady

Opposition party lawmakers on Friday played down a controversy that has recently resurfaced over ruling party claims surrounding former first lady Kim Jung-sook's official visit to India in November 2018, of her allegedly "extravagant" airline meals, visit to the Taj Mahal and eligibility to represent the South Korean delegation at the time. The lawmakers added that those stirring up such "unfounded and malicious distortions," including the ruling People Power Party'

June 7, 2024

Victim of Miryang gang rape never consented to revealing suspects' identities: group

A local YouTuber's quest to reveal the identities of 44 men responsible for a 2004 Miryang gang rape case has faced opposition from a local women's rights group, which disclosed late Wednesday that the YouTuber never got the consent of the crime's principal victim. The Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center said in a press release that the YouTuber's claim to have "communicated with the victim's family via mail, and agreed to reveal (identity) of all 44" is not

June 6, 2024

Mandatory or voluntary? Korea's dilemma over regulating disposables

Amid global efforts to curb disposable plastic consumption, South Korea has been stuck in a dilemma about whether to regulate disposable cups and straws for food services out of fear of financially burdening smaller businesses. The country has backtracked on previously implemented disposable plastic regulations, with the Environment Ministry lifting its ban on disposable cups, plastic straws and plastic bags at cafes and restaurants, while also giving provisional approval to bring plastic bags b

June 5, 2024

Marking complete return, Kim Keon Hee hosts luncheon for African first ladies

South Korean first lady Kim Keon Hee hosted a luncheon for a group of first ladies from 16 African nations visiting to participate in the first-ever Korea-Africa Summit on Tuesday, marking a full return to public engagement after nearly six months of her absence from the public eye. The luncheon was held at Sangchunjae, a traditional Korean-style house located within the perimeters of the former presidential residence of Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul. Kim, who was in charge of hosting the lunch

June 4, 2024

S. Korea to fully suspend inter-Korean military pact after NK balloon barrage

The South Korean presidential office on Monday decided to propose completely suspending the September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement at Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, following North Korea floating around 1,000 trash-filled balloons toward South Korea. The National Security Office made this decision after Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo convened a meeting at 11 a.m. Monday to discuss follow-up measures to decisions made at the emergency meeting of the National Securit

June 3, 2024

China lands on moon's far side in historic sample retrieval mission

SINGAPORE -- China landed an uncrewed spacecraft on the far side of the moon on Sunday, a landmark mission aiming to retrieve the world's first rock and soil samples from the dark lunar hemisphere, China's space agency said. The landing elevates China's space power status in a global rush to the moon, where countries, including the United States, are hoping to exploit lunar minerals to sustain long-term astronaut missions and moon bases within the next decade. The Chang'e-6 c

June 2, 2024

Seoul envoy lambasts N.Korea satellite launch as 'one of the most expensive fireworks'

South Korea's top envoy to the UN denounced North Korea's failed satellite launch this week as "one of the most expensive fireworks" on Friday, stressing that it has used its scarce resources for the launch despite persistent food shortages. Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook made the remarks as the UN Security Council (UNSC) held an open meeting to discuss the North's launch of the satellite on Monday, which Seoul, Washington and others criticized as a violation of UNSC resolut

June 1, 2024

Ador CEO Min offers to reconcile with Hybe

Ador CEO Min Hee-jin said Friday that she was willing to settle the ongoing dispute and find common ground with Hybe, the parent company of Ador, for the interest of the label and its popular K-pop group NewJeans. “I hope we (Hybe and Min) meet halfway. We have (NewJeans’) Tokyo Dome concert coming up in June and a world tour next year. I don’t want all these opportunities to disappear on account of this issue,” Min said during a press conference in Seoul on Friday. &ldqu

May 31, 2024

Politician charged with wrongful arrest of 'illegal immigrants'

The South Korean police on Thursday said it has recently recommended an indictment against a local politician on charges of unlawfully detaining people he accused of immigration violations despite having no evidence. The politician, who lost his bid to become a lawmaker in April's parliamentary election, is also facing potential charges for using violence against his victims during the unlawful arrests that he conducted in February and March of this year. Nine of his accomplices are also be

May 31, 2024