The number of people who are subject to the so-called comprehensive real estate tax rose 42 percent this year from the previous year amid skyrocketing home prices and hikes in the tax rates, the finance ministry said Monday. A total of 947,000 people are subject to the comprehensive real estate taxes this year, compared with the 667,000 people tallied for last year, according to the ministry. The 2021 numbers accounted for 1.8 percent of the country's 52 million population. Such people are fo

Economy Nov. 22, 2021

South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 3,000 for the first time in six days Monday due to fewer tests over the weekend, but concerns remain high over a virus resurgence amid eased social distancing rules and this week's full-fledged reopening of schools. The country reported 2,827 new COVID-19 cases, including 2,086 local infections, raising the total caseload to 418,252, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). This marked the first time in six days that th

Social Affairs Nov. 22, 2021

South Korean stocks opened higher Monday, helped by robust economic data that fueled optimism for a quick economic rebound from the pandemic. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 21.6 points, or 0.73 percent, to 2,992.62 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Stocks got off to a bullish start as South Korea's exports jumped 27.6 percent on-year in the first 20 days of November on high demand for chips, autos and petroleum goods. Tech gains led the KOSPI's hike. To

Market Nov. 22, 2021

Asiana Airlines Inc., South Korea's second-biggest carrier, said Monday it will resume flights to Guam late next month to preemptively respond to pent-up travel demand amid rising vaccinations and eased virus curbs. Asiana plans to run a 188-seat A321NEO plane and operate two flights a week on the Incheon-Guam route from Dec. 23, the company said in a statement. "The company decided to reopen the Guam route after 18 years, as it has a couple of destinations to fly at the moment due to a

Industry Nov. 22, 2021

South Korea's exports grew 27.6 percent on-year in the first 20 days of November on the back of robust demand for chips, ships and petroleum products, customs data showed Monday. The country's outbound shipments stood at $39.9 billion in the Nov. 1-20 period, compared with $31.2 billion a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. Imports jumped 41.9 percent on-year to $39.8 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $73 million during the cited period, the data showed.

Economy Nov. 22, 2021

North Korea has called for praising the era of leader Kim Jong-un as a large-scale conference on carrying out a mass movement for the country's development wrapped up, its state media said Monday. The 5th Conference of the Frontrunners in the Three Revolutions, which kicked off in Pyongyang on Thursday, closed with the adoption of an appeal that calls for the glorification of "the great era of Kim Jong-un," according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The three-revolution move

North Korea Nov. 22, 2021

The South Korean fantasy horror "Hellbound" has topped the world's popular TV show rankings on the day after its release. According to data by streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol, the Korean-language Netflix original became the most-watched TV program on the streaming platform Saturday (US time), a day after its global premier. The show placed No. 1 on the most-watched show list in 24 nations, including South Korea, Belgium and Mexico, while it finished third in several countries lik

Television Nov. 22, 2021

Third-quarter operating margins of South Korea's top 100 companies topped the 10 percent mark for the first time in three years amid the local economy's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic fallout, data showed Monday. Their average operating margin of the leading companies by sales, excluding financial and state corporations, stood at 10.74 percent in the July-September period, up 1.98 points from the prior quarter, according to the data compiled by Yonhap News and the Federation of Korean I

Industry Nov. 22, 2021

South Korea's imports of whisky soared more than 70 percent in the first 10 months of the year as more people drank at home amid the coronavirus pandemic, data showed Monday. The value of whisky imports came to $93.21 million in the January-October period, up 73.1 percent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service and the local liquor industry. It represents the first on-year increase in the country's whisky imports since 2014. Industry sources attributed the su

Economy Nov. 22, 2021

President Moon Jae-in said Sunday that he is worried about a recent jump in new COVID-19 cases as the nation eased some social-distancing rules and urged people to strictly comply with containment rules despite higher vaccination rates. "The number of confirmed patients is on the increase as vaccination rates rise. Containment rules, including mask wearing, must be followed," Moon told a nationally televised town hall meeting. The nation's new coronavirus cases stayed above 3,000 fo

Politics Nov. 21, 2021

Police chief Kim Chang-yong apologized Sunday for the police's bungled response to a violent dispute between neighbors that left one person unconscious. "I offer my deep apology to the victims, their family and the nation over the recent case of the Incheon Nonhyeon Police Station having failed to protect people in danger even though it is the most important mission and the calling of the police to protect the lives and safety of the people," Kim, commissioner-general of the Nationa

Social Affairs Nov. 21, 2021

A former interim leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) was named Sunday to lead the election campaign committee for the party's presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl. Yoon said Kim Chong-in, a veteran politician who resigned in April after heading the PPP as a caretaker leader, will be in charge of his campaign committee for the 2022 presidential election. Incumbent PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok will serve as a co-standing chairman for the election campaign committee along with Ki

Politics Nov. 21, 2021

The number of Netflix's monthly active users (MAU) in South Korea hit a record high in September from a month earlier helped by the Korean-made mega hit "Squid Game," a market research firm said Sunday. The US streaming giant's monthly active users in South Korea reached 9.48 million in September, up 9.8 percent from the previous month's 8.63 million, according to Nielsen KoreanClick. September tally marked the highest since Netflix launched its streaming service in South Korea in 201

Industry Nov. 21, 2021

An officer of an Army unit in Gimpo, west of Seoul, was wounded Sunday after an unidentified explosive device detonated during defense operations, military officials said. The officer was immediately rushed to a nearby civilian hospital following the blast at around 7:35 a.m., the officials said. Despite an injury to his ankle, he was not in critical condition. The military authorities are looking into the exact cause of the explosion, including the possibility of a landmine blast. (Yonhap)

Defense Nov. 21, 2021

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 3,000 for the fifth consecutive day Sunday amid concerns over the full-fledged reopening of schools and a virus resurgence ahead of winter. The country reported 3,120 new COVID-19 cases, including 3,098 local infections, raising the total caseload to 415,425, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Daily infections have stayed in the quadruple digits since July 7 due to growing cluster infections and the spread of more

National Nov. 21, 2021