President Yoon Suk Yeol departed Peru on Sunday for Brazil to attend the Group of 20 summit, concluding his four-day visit to Lima for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Yoon traveled from Lima to Rio de Janeiro, the second stop of his South American trip, to join the G20 meetings slated for Monday and Tuesday. During his stay in Peru, Yoon attended APEC sessions, an economic forum and other events on Friday and Saturday. On the sidelines, he held a trilateral summit with US President

Politics Nov. 18, 2024

A consultative body involving the ruling People Power Party, the government and doctors' groups held their second round of talks Sunday but failed to narrow their differences as they seek to resolve a prolonged walkout by trainee doctors. Thousands of trainee doctors have left their workplaces in a mass resignation since February to protest the government's decision to sharply raise the medical school quota, causing major disruptions to the national health care service. In a press brie

Politics Nov. 17, 2024

South Korean railway workers will kick off a "work-to-rule" protest this week to demand higher pay and a bigger workforce, railway officials said Sunday. The Korean Railway Workers' Union said it will launch the work-to-rule industrial action starting Monday, which could cause delays in some train services. Delays are highly likely on subways in the capital Seoul area while regular and KTX high-speed trains could also be affected by the slowdown, according to Korea Railroad Corp.

Social Affairs Nov. 17, 2024

Jin, a member of global K-pop sensation BTS, marked the release of his first solo album, "Happy," with a two-day fan showcase in Seoul. The 33-year-old artist, who completed his mandatory military service earlier this year, expressed his excitement about reconnecting with BTS fans, known as ARMY. "Since returning to civilian life, I've been looking forward to meeting ARMY in person. Thank you for filling the seats and joining online as well. I feel excited and nervous,"

Performance Nov. 17, 2024

Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho said Sunday that any talks between North Korea and the United States will be difficult without South Korea's involvement. Kim made the remark during an interview with broadcaster KBS, acknowledging there are concerns South Korea could be overlooked in the event North Korea and the US pursue a resumption of dialogue. "It will be difficult for North Korea to go to Washington without going through Seoul," the minister said. "That's how firml

Foreign Affairs Nov. 17, 2024

North Korea's jamming of GPS signals across the border with South Korea continued Sunday for the 10th consecutive day, the military said. GPS jamming was detected in the northern part of Gangwon Province early Sunday morning, according to the military. The latest jamming attacks began near the northwestern islands before they began spreading to the northern parts of Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces last Thursday. The military has said the jamming has involved weaker signals than in May and Ju

North Korea Nov. 17, 2024

Foreign ownership of South Korean shares fell to the lowest level of this year following Donald Trump's presidential reelection, data showed Sunday. Foreign holdings of Korean stocks on the main bourse Kospi accounted for 32.3 percent, or 637.48 trillion won ($456 billion), of the market capitalization worth 1,973.51 trillion won as of Friday, according to the data compiled by the Korea Exchange. Foreign investors held 32.7 percent of Kospi-listed stocks early this year, but the ratio conti

Market Nov. 17, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol met with Vietnam's new President Luong Cuong to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries and other issues of mutual concern, Yoon's office said Saturday. The bilateral summit, held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima, marked Yoon's first meeting with Cuong, who took office last month. Yoon emphasized the importance of "mutually beneficial" cooperation in key areas, including infrastructure develop

Foreign Affairs Nov. 17, 2024

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said Sunday that South Korea will have to pay a "dear price" for sending propaganda leaflets across the border the previous day. Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the central committee of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said "various kinds of political agitation leaflets and dirty things" were dropped by the South near the border and further inland. "We strongly denounce the shameful and dirty act

North Korea Nov. 17, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol and his Peruvian counterpart, Dina Boluarte, agreed to strengthen cooperation in the defense industry and the mineral sector during their summit in Peru on Saturday. The talks, held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, came as Seoul has been seeking to expand cooperation with Peru, an increasingly crucial partner for South Korea given its rich mineral resources and growing potential for deeper bilateral defense industrial collaboration. Yoon a

Foreign Affairs Nov. 17, 2024

US President Joe Biden called Saturday for China to use its clout to prevent an escalation of Russia's war in Ukraine through the dispatch of more North Korean troops, while raising concerns over the possibility of Pyongyang engaging in provocations, a senior US official said Saturday. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan elaborated on the discussions that Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping had during their talks on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima,

Social Affairs Nov. 17, 2024

It was barely two months ago that South Korea were held to a goalless draw by underdogs Palestine to begin the third round of the Asian qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Boos rained down from disgruntled fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Sept. 5, some voicing their displeasure with the controversial hiring of Hong Myung-bo as head coach, and others letting their feelings known about the team's lackluster showing. Defender Kim Min-jae even argued with some fans in the stands after

Soccer Nov. 17, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday pledged South Korea's commitment to leading efforts to expand use of carbon-free energy and foster inclusive growth among members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. "South Korea will cooperate with APEC members to achieve their carbon neutrality goals in an economically viable manner through the Carbon-Free Energy Initiative," Yoon said, according to a summary provided by his office. Yoon detailed plans to lead technological collaboration

Foreign Affairs Nov. 17, 2024

Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed "strong" concerns over military cooperation between North Korea and Russia and decided to continue "shuttle diplomacy" during their talks in Peru on Saturday, Yoon's office said. Yoon and Ishiba held their second in-person summit in a month on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Lima, amid rising concerns over North Korea's troop deployment to Russia in support of Moscow's protracted war

Foreign Affairs Nov. 17, 2024

Jin of K-pop superband BTS has topped iTunes charts in 70 countries with his latest release, "Running Wild," his agency said Saturday. The lead track of his new album, released Friday, claimed the No. 1 spot on iTunes' Top Songs charts across various nations, such as Australia, Finland and Brazil, as of 9 a.m. the following day, according to BigHit Music. His first solo album, "Happy," landed atop the iTunes "top album" charts in 48 countries, including Japan,

Performance Nov. 16, 2024