South Korea is closely monitoring the possibility of North Korea holding an event celebrating its 2017 launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a unification ministry official said Thursday. North Korea's calendars began to mark Nov. 29 as an anniversary for its "rocket" development this year. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared the completion of the country's nuclear force after firing the new ICBM, the Hwasong-15, on the day in 2017. "We are keeping monitor

North Korea Nov. 25, 2021

South Korean insurance firms' earnings jumped more than 37 percent in the first nine months of this year amid the coronavirus pandemic and a bullish stock market, data showed Thursday. The combined net profit of insurance companies operating in South Korea came to 7.63 trillion won ($6.4 billion) in the January-September period, up 37.3 percent from a year earlier, according to the preliminary data from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). Life insurers saw their combined net profit expand

Economy Nov. 25, 2021

The number of jobs for wage workers in South Korea expanded nearly 4 percent in the second quarter amid signs of the economy's recovery from the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, data showed Thursday. The number of paid employee jobs had reached 19.6 million as of the end of June, up 3.6 percent, or 681,000, from a year earlier, according to the data from Statistics Korea. By age, the number of jobs for those in their 60s swelled 15.4 percent on-year, or 392,000, marking the highest incre

Social Affairs Nov. 25, 2021

South Korea's antitrust regulator said Thursday it has decided to impose a combined fine of 340 million won ($285,000) on two transport companies for rigging bids to win three projects by the country's major shipbuilder, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. In 2014, Sebang Co. and Dongbang Transport Logistics Co. colluded to fix their price quotations on a transport project to make sure Saebang won the deal. After winning the bidding, Sebang assigned part of the order to Dongbang Tr

Industry Nov. 25, 2021

South Korea's military on Thursday reported 28 new COVID-19 cases, double the previous day's tally, as it enforces eased social-distancing rules in line with the nationwide scheme for a gradual return to normal life. The latest tally brought the total caseload among the military personnel to 2,245. Among the new cases, two Army officers and four troops stationed in the central city of Gyeryong, tested positive after a civilian employee from their base contracted the virus. Five Army officers

Defense Nov. 25, 2021

The southeastern metropolitan city of Busan will host the world table tennis championships in 2024 -- four years after losing the competition to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) announced Busan as the host of the 2024 World Team Table Tennis Championships during its annual general meeting in Houston, Texas, on Wednesday (local time). Houston is currently staging the world championships with individual events -- singles, doubles and mixed doubles. I

More Sports Nov. 25, 2021

Ruling Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung said Thursday nothing should stop the ongoing push to declare a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War, stressing opposing such a declaration amounts to helping Japan's national interests. Lee made the remark during a forum on Seoul-Tokyo relations, referring to the Moon Jae-in administration's push to use an end-of-war declaration to revive peace talks with North Korea. The three-year conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty

Politics Nov. 25, 2021

Unionized truck drivers launched a three-day general strike Thursday to protest rising transport costs and demand a hike in freight rates, raising fears of a nationwide logistics crisis. The Cargo Truckers Solidarity (CTS), composed of self-employed truck drivers and those working for companies, said its members across the country commenced the general strike at the beginning of the day to demand an extension of the "Safe Trucking Freight Rates System" designed to prevent dangerous dr

Social Affairs Nov. 25, 2021

The city of Seoul reported 1,760 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, the most the capital has reported since the onset of the pandemic, health officials said. The total, which tallied all new cases confirmed in Seoul a day earlier, is 25 cases more than the previous record high of 1,735 posted just a day ago. It also marks a steep rise from the daily tally of 1,429 from a week earlier. Of the total, only three were imported cases. The capital city has been constantly renewing its daily COVID-19 infe

Social Affairs Nov. 25, 2021

North Korea appears to be continuing the operation of a plutonium-producing nuclear reactor at its mainstay Yongbyon complex, a US monitoring website has said, citing satellite imagery. 38 North reported Wednesday recent commercial satellite imagery of the complex north of Pyongyang provided further evidence of activity at the 5-megawatt reactor, which can produce up to 6 kilograms of plutonium -- a fissile material used for a bomb -- a year. "Steam is emanating from the reactor's generat

North Korea Nov. 25, 2021

President Moon Jae-in called Thusday for greater efforts to protect women from violence and abuse as he marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women days after a woman was killed by her ex-boyfriend despite being under police protection. "My heart aches, as there are still women falling victim to violence," Moon said in a Facebook posting marking the UN-designated day. "I will keep improving the system ... and do my best to root out violence against

Politics Nov. 25, 2021

Police will introduce a multiple-shot stun gun, a less lethal pistol and other new weapons to cope better with violence, officials said Thursday, amid heavy criticism over a bungled police response to a recent knife attack. The new stun gun allows three consecutive shots and logs records of time and location of the use, while the less lethal gun uses special bullets with one-tenth of the killing power of ordinary pistols, according to the officials. The current police stun guns, all imported f

Social Affairs Nov. 25, 2021

South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 4,000 on Thursday, a day after hitting an all time-high of 4,115. But critical cases and deaths climbed to fresh highs, fueling worries about the virus spread ahead of another pandemic winter. The country reported 3,938 new COVID-19 cases, including 3,917 local infections, raising the total caseload to 429,002, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Critically ill patients hit an all-time high of 612, up 26 from the p

Social Affairs Nov. 25, 2021

South Korean stocks opened lower Thursday as investors attempted to cash in gains from the recent rally. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 7.35 points, or 0.25 percent, to 2,986.94 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. The KOSPI got off to a lackluster start, apparently on the back of losses in tech heavyweights. Top cap Samsung Electronics fell 0.53 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix lost 0.42 percent. Leading chemical firm LG Chem shed 1.2 percent and

Market Nov. 25, 2021

South Korean short track speed skaters will compete in the last event with Olympic quota places at stake in the Netherlands this week, amid trouble off the ice and continued underperformance on it. The fourth and final International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup of the season will open in the Dutch city of Dordrecht on Thursday morning (local time), or Friday afternoon in Seoul. The first two days will feature qualifying races, while medals will be won over Saturday and Sunday. Based on their

More Sports Nov. 25, 2021