The ruling Democratic Party is hoping to hold another extraordinary session of the National Assembly next week, but avoiding the lowest ever bill processing rate appears unlikely. The outgoing parliament has until May 29 to pass pending bills, with many in the pipeline, including some pertaining to the country’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. According to Democratic Party deputy floor leader Rep. Kim Young-jin, the ruling and main opposition United Future Party are negotiating on

Politics May 11, 2020

President Moon Jae-in on Sunday pledged to build a “pioneering economy” in the post-COVID-19 era, focusing on “turning a crisis into an opportunity” for the remainder of his term. In a special address to the nation on the third anniversary of his inauguration, Moon focused on economic issues, outlining his plans to lay the foundations for economic growth and to strengthen South Korea’s standing in the international community. “The fear of unemployment is s

Politics May 10, 2020

Major universities in Seoul are to raise the proportion of new students selected through regular admissions to over 30 percent starting in 2022, Korean Council for University Education data shows. Regular admissions are decided primarily on the basis of a nationwide standardized test administered once a year. Rolling admissions often give more weight to other selection criteria such as extracurricular activities, internships and volunteer work. According to Sejong University, major universi

Social Affairs May 8, 2020

The defense cost-sharing negotiations between Seoul and Washington appear likely to continue, with the US reportedly proposing a raise more than three times higher than South Korea’s offer. According to a local daily, the Trump administration has proposed that Korea pay about $1.3 billion. Citing an unnamed source, local daily Dong-A Ilbo reported that the US has proposed that Seoul’s share be raised to the “$1.3 billion level,” which would be about 49 percent up from

Foreign Affairs May 7, 2020

A new facility that is probably linked to North Korea’s ballistic missile program is nearing completion, a US think tank said. In a report published onTuesday (US time), Beyond Parallel, a website specializing in North Korean matters run by the Washington-based Center for Strategic International Studies, said the facility -- located about 17 kilometers northwest of Pyongyang International Airport -- is most likely linked to the North’s missile program. The website predicted th

North Korea May 6, 2020

Yonsei University’s Van der Waals Materials Research Center is leading the search for next-generation 2-D materials that could revolutionize the field of semiconductors. Led by professor Im Seong-il, the Van der Waals Materials Research Center has been at the frontier of research to overcome the limitations presented by current materials. According to Yonsei University, the center’s research is focused on developing new materials whose industrial potential that goes beyond even

Technology May 6, 2020

Two North Korea-born lawmakers-elect in South Korea are in hot water after the North’s leader Kim Jong-un resurfaced in the public eye Saturday, contrary to their previous comments. On Monday, Thae Gu-min apologized for his inaccurate assessment of Kim’s health, two days after North Korean media released images of the leader appearing healthy. Thae, along with fellow North Korea-born lawmaker-elect Ji Sung-ho, claimed that Kim was either dead or in serious condition, citing unna

Politics May 4, 2020

Buddha’s Birthday, the largest Buddhist holiday, is celeberated with lotus lanterns of all shapes and colors. Every year, the lanterns cover the yard of Jogyesa, the Buddhist temple in central Seoul, and the surrounding areas.   While this year’s events have been scaled down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Buddhist faithful gather to celebrate the holiday, offering prayers and taking part in rites that have developed within Korean Buddhism over the centuries.  While lotus

Culture May 1, 2020

The government on Wednesday called for caution during the six-day holiday that starts Thursday, while local governments rolled out strengthened regulations. The holiday period begins with Buddha’s Birthday, which falls April 30 this year, and ends with Children’s Day on May 5. According to a survey, nearly 40 percent of South Koreans have travel plans, with Gangwon Province and Jeju Island likely to see a major influx of tourists. While urging the public to refrain from traveli

Social Affairs April 29, 2020

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday stressed the importance of the third supplementary budget in shoring up the economy, saying that the novel coronavirus-triggered economic crisis will begin in earnest. “The third supplementary budget bill will include comprehensive measures for rebounding domestic demand. The economic crisis will unfold in earnest. The third supplementary budget must not miss the timing,” Moon said at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, stressing that measures must be

Politics April 28, 2020

President Moon Jae-in on Monday vowed to seek ways to increase cooperation with North Korea within the boundaries of international constraints. Speaking at a meeting with senior aides on Monday, the second anniversary of this first summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Moon said that Seoul must continue to take “even small steps” to continue the peace process. Moon and Kim held their first summit on April 27, 2018 on the South’s side of Panmunjom. The two met again

North Korea April 27, 2020

President Moon Jae-in’s approval rating is at its highest level in over a year, buoyed by the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a survey conducted by local pollster Realmeter, Moon’s approval rating came to 64.3 percent in the fourth week of April, the highest figure since September 2018. Surveys conducted earlier by other pollsters show similar results. In a poll conducted by Gallup Korea two days before the April 15 general elections, Moon’s approv

Politics April 23, 2020

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday revealed plans for 85 trillion won ($68.8 billion) worth of additional support packages to shore up the economy, including plans to create 500,000 new jobs. Speaking at an emergency economy meeting, Moon also revealed plans to roll out a South Korean version of the New Deal. “Protecting jobs is the central task in overcoming the crisis, and it is a matter of survival,” Moon said. Saying Korea had just seen the beginning of the crisis, Moon warned

Politics April 22, 2020

An international online forum on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on political, economic and educational systems will held Wednesday, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology said Monday. Organized by KAIST’s Global Strategy Institute, the forum will start at 9 a.m. at KAIST’s main campus in Daejeon. “The forum’s theme is ‘global cooperation in the coronavirus era,’ and it was organized by KAIST to predict the crisis faced by

Social Affairs April 20, 2020

The ruling and opposition parties on Thursday began preparations for the days to come following the ruling bloc’s landslide win in the previous day’s general elections. Wednesday’s win increased the presence of President Moon Jae-in’s Democratic Party of Korea in the National Assembly to unprecedented levels, and on Thursday, Moon expressed his gratitude and pledged to work for the people in a statement conveyed through his spokesman. “The government will take

Politics April 16, 2020