South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 2,000 for the fifth consecutive day Sunday amid worries over a resurgence of infections after the country relaxed virus curbs to gradually return to normalcy under its "living with COVID-19" scheme. The country reported 2,224 new COVID-19 cases, including 2,204 local infections, raising the total caseload to 379,935, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The figure is slightly down from 2,248 cases but m

Social Affairs Nov. 7, 2021

North Korea has conducted an artillery fire competition to boost the country's defense capabilities as set forth by the "militant policy" of the ruling Workers' Party, state media reported Sunday. The competition was held Saturday to inspect "how the mechanized troops of the KPA have conducted drills in order to increase their mobile artillery combat capabilities," according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KPA stands for the Korean People's Army. Pak Jong-chon, a

North Korea Nov. 7, 2021

A memorial stone for thousands of Korean victims of a US atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945 was erected in the Japanese city on Saturday, its promoters said. The monument was unveiled at a ceremony in Nagasaki Peace Park, which commemorates the atomic bombing of the city on Aug. 9, 1945, with some 100 people, including South Korean Ambassador to Japan Kang Chang-il, Nagasaki city council members and a peace delegation of Japanese high school students, attending the event despite the rainy weath

Diplomatic Circuit Nov. 6, 2021

Before ex-major leaguer Choo Shin-soo signed with the SSG Landers this year and became an instant star in South Korean baseball, left-hander Kim Kwang-hyun had been the icon for the franchise once called the SK Wyverns. The lanky left-hander has spent the past two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, while Choo played in the Korea Baseball Organization for the first time in 2021. With Kim now a free agent, the two could potentially become teammates in 2022. Choo said Saturday he would love t

Baseball Nov. 6, 2021

Nearly 1,500 people were caught while driving under the influence (DUI) in the first four days after the country lifted business hour restrictions and raised the cap on private gatherings under its "living with COVID-19" scheme, police said Saturday. A total of 1,486 people were busted for DUIs between Monday and Thursday, according to the police, with 384 of them having blood alcohol content levels high enough to have their licenses suspended and the rest with levels warranting havin

Social Affairs Nov. 6, 2021

The South Korean baseball club Lotte Giants announced Saturday they've hired former New York Mets assistant pitching coach Ricky Meinhold as their director of pitching. The Korea Baseball Organization club said the arrival of the 35-year-old completes their staff on the pitching side for 2022. The Giants said Meinhold will oversee operations and development of their pitching staff at all levels of the organization, from the KBO down to the minors. Meinhold was not drafted coming out of Drury

Baseball Nov. 6, 2021

South Korea's military reported seven additional COVID-19 cases Saturday, bringing the total caseload among its personnel to 2,074, the defense ministry said. All the newly confirmed cases were found to be breakthrough infections. With the latest tally, there have been 374 breakthrough cases in the military. (Yonhap)

Social Affairs Nov. 6, 2021

South Korea's benchmark stock index is likely to move in a tight range next week, although volatility may increase due to policy uncertainties, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (closed at 2,969.27 points Friday, nearly unchanged from 2,970.68 points a week ago. The KOSPI fluctuated as investors waited and digested the U.S. Federal Reserve's meeting results, particularly its stance over potential rate hikes. According to the FOMC meeting results, the US central b

Market Nov. 6, 2021

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 2,000 for the fourth consecutive day Saturday as the country relaxed virus curbs under its "living with COVID-19" scheme that allows people to gradually return to normalcy. The country reported 2,248 new COVID-19 cases, including 2,219 local infections, raising the total caseload to 377,712, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Saturday's figure is down from 2,344 cases from the previous day but still substantially la

Social Affairs Nov. 6, 2021

Lotte World said Friday that it plans to send its only-surviving beluga whale in its aquarium to a wildlife sanctuary next year in a move for its eventual release into its natural habitat. The theme park business unit of Hotel Lotte Co. said it is in contact with a whale sanctuary in Iceland, and plans to talk with sanctuaries in Russia and Canada. Lotte World said the East Sea -- the body of water between South Korea and Japan -- is also considered as a site for releasing "Bella," o

Social Affairs Nov. 5, 2021

South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo proposed Friday that South Korean and global companies join hands to address climate challenges as he met with leaders of major businesses, his office said. Yeo made the call at a meeting of the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, a platform under the World Economic Forum, in Glasgow, Scotland. The meeting brought together dozens of top officials of multinational firms and government officials who sought ways to help accelerate the transition to a net-zero

Industry Nov. 5, 2021

Police on Friday transferred to the prosecution a former elementary school principal accused of installing a spy camera in a female teachers' restroom. The Anyang Dongan Police Station in Anyang, 23 kilometers south of Seoul, concluded its probe into the 57-year-old man, who was arrested late last month, and handed the case over to the prosecution, recommending he be indicted on sexual offense charges, officials said. He has admitted to having fitted a tiny camera inside a tissue box in the re

Social Affairs Nov. 5, 2021

Samsung Heavy Industries Co. said Friday that its net losses widened in the third quarter from a year earlier due to one-off costs. Its net losses widened to 124 billion won ($105 million) in the July-September period from a loss of 7.3 billion won a year ago, the company said in a regulatory filing. Its operating losses deepened to 110 billion won in the third quarter from an operating loss of 13.4 billion won a year earlier, and sales dropped 11.4 percent on-year to reach 1.49 trillion won o

Industry Nov. 5, 2021

South Korean stocks retreated on Friday, led by institutional sell-offs. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) lost 13.95 points, or 0.47 percent, to close at 2,969.27 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 676 million shares worth some 12.4 trillion won ($10.5 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 608 to 269. Institutions sold a net 446 billion won, while retail investors purchased 388 billion won. Foreigners bought a ne

Market Nov. 5, 2021

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl won the presidential nomination of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Friday. Yoon won 47.85 percent of votes cast in a four-day poll of party members and the general public this week, followed by Rep. Hong Joon-pyo with 41.50 percent. Former Rep. Yoo Seong-min won 7.47 percent, while former Jeju Gov. Won Hee-ryong won 3.17 percent. The results were announced at a national convention at the Kim Koo Museum and Library in Seoul. (Yonhap)

Politics Nov. 5, 2021