South Korea will make sure to participate in an international monitoring team led by the UN nuclear watchdog for Japan's planned release of radioactive water from its wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. The ministry renewed the pledge in a report submitted to the parliament, as concerns have grown over potential health risks after Tokyo said it would start releasing over 1.2 million tons of Fukushima's contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean. Seoul has v

Foreign Affairs April 20, 2021

Three Army soldiers have tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections reported among the military population to 701, the defense ministry said Tuesday. The soldiers -- one based in the southeastern city of Gyeongsan, the second in the eastern city of Wonju and the third in Namyangju, northeast of Seoul -- were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 after virus cases were reported at their units, according to the ministry. Of the total confirmed cases, 672 hav

Defense April 20, 2021

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un congratulated Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on his election as the new powerful head of its ruling communist party and vowed to strengthen bilateral ties, state media said Tuesday. Kim sent the message on Monday expressing his "absolute support" and offered "warm comradely greetings" to Diaz-Canel shortly after he succeeded Raul Castro as first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, the Korean Central News Agency said. "Kim Jong-u

North Korea April 20, 2021

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases remained in the 500s for the second day Tuesday as health authorities vow to accelerate the country's nationwide vaccination campaign targeting the vaccination of 3 million by the end of this month. The country is also seeking to sign a "swap" deal with the United States to secure enough vaccines amid woes over supply shortage. The nation reported 549 additional COVID-19 cases, including 529 local infections, raising the total caseload to 115

Social Affairs April 20, 2021

North Korea's largest youth organization will hold its first congress in five years next week, state media said Tuesday, in an apparent effort to tighten ideological discipline amid concerns about younger generations' increasing exposure to outside influences. The Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League, governed by the ruling Workers' Party, will hold its congress in Pyongyang on April 27, according to the Korean Central News Agency. "Achievements and experiences obtained from youth busin

North Korea April 20, 2021

The state-run Korea National Oil Corp. (KNOC) lapsed into a complete capital erosion in 2020 as its liabilities exceeded assets due to continued losses, data showed Tuesday. KNOC's liabilities stood at 18.64 trillion won ($16.7 billion) as of the end of last year, up nearly 514 billion won from a year earlier, according to the data posted on the state portal All Public Information in One (ALIO). In contrast, its assets amounted to 17.5 trillion won, down 1.12 trillion won from the previous yea

Economy April 20, 2021

Taemin, a member of K-pop boy band SHINee, will join the military next month to fulfill his mandatory service, his agency said Tuesday. The 27-year-old singer is set to enlist on May 31, according to SM Entertainment. The agency did not elaborate further on the venue and schedule of the enlistment, citing Taemin's wish to enlist in a quiet manner. The SHINee member applied for a position in the Army's military band and has recently been accepted, the agency added. Taemin separately made the

K-pop April 20, 2021

South Korea's oceans ministry said Tuesday it plans to conduct a joint operation with its Chinese counterpart to curb illegal fishing activities in the Yellow Sea. Fisheries authorities from both countries will conduct joint rounds of inspections in the Yellow Sea from Wednesday to Sunday, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. Under the plan, South Korea will deploy a 2,000-ton patrol boat, while China will send a 3,000-ton vessel. South Korea and China have been carrying out joi

Foreign Affairs April 20, 2021

WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday called for the swift passage of a bill aimed at curbing COVID-19-related hate crimes targeting Asian-American communities, insisting anyone opposing the bill would shame themselves. His remarks came hours before the Senate was set to vote on the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. "I dare any senator to vote against this legislation -- and if they do, shame on them," Schumer said at an event in Manhattan's Koreatown. He was joined b

Foreign Affairs April 20, 2021

A female South Korean diplomat stationed at the country's Embassy in Costa Rica has died in an apparent suicide, the foreign ministry said Monday. The official died early last week and is believed to have taken her own life, a ministry official said. The ministry declined to provide more details, citing the privacy of the deceased and the family. Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong has ordered a thorough probe into the death, the official added. The ministry is discussing funeral procedures wit

Social Affairs April 19, 2021

South Korea will bring in another 7 million doses of AstraZeneca‘s COVID-19 vaccines, enough for 3.5 million people, between May and June, health authorities said Monday. AstraZeneca vaccines will make up about 60 percent of the country’s rollout by the end of June, with a goal set to vaccinate 12 million out of the country’s population of 52 million. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency confirmed that AstraZeneca vaccines for 1 million people will arrive in the c

Social Affairs April 19, 2021

South Korea's oceans minister nominee said Monday the country will spare no efforts to protect the public from any harm stemming from the anticipated release of radioactive water from the Fukushima plant in Japan and bolster the monitoring of imported seafood products. Last week, the Japanese government said it will release into the sea the radioactive water, which has been stored in tanks at the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, possibly starting in 2023. "We are preparing detailed counte

Social Affairs April 19, 2021

Japanese Ambassador Koichi Aiboshi said Monday that he thinks South Korean experts can be part of a UN nuclear watchdog-led monitoring team for his country's planned release of radioactive water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant. South Korea has expressed concerns about potential health risks over Japan's plan to release over 1.2 million tons of Fukushima's contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean and said it wants to take part in safety verification efforts by the International

Foreign Affairs April 19, 2021

Illegal migrant children who are born and have lived in South Korea for more than 15 years will be given temporary stay permits, the Ministry of Justice said Monday, as part of efforts to recognize their fundamental and equal rights and inherent dignity. The policy, which runs until February 2025, is limited to children who graduated from elementary school before Feb. 28, 2021. Middle or high school kids will be granted the D-4 visa, and those who already graduated from high school will get the

Social Affairs April 19, 2021

Sales of equity-linked securities (ELS) in South Korea plunged more than 30 percent in the first quarter of the year amid the coronavirus pandemic, data showed Monday. The value of ELS issues came to 18.8 trillion won ($16.8 billion) in the January-March period, down 31.9 percent from three months earlier, according to the data from the Korea Securities Depository (KSD). The figure was also down 10.3 percent from the 20.9 billion won floated during the same period a year earlier. ELS refers t

Economy April 19, 2021