Nearly half of South Korean adults are in favor of some opposition lawmakers' proposals to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, a poll showed Thursday. In the poll of 1,016 people nationwide over the age of 18, 48 percent said they agree with the proposed dissolution of the gender ministry. Another 41 percent said they oppose the abolition of the gender ministry, while the remaining 11 percent said they do not know the issue well or refused to answer. Notably, the proposed abol

Social Affairs July 15, 2021

South Korean stocks rebounded Thursday morning as investors are relieved by the US Federal Reserve's reiteration of its dovish stance, with China's economic indicators signaling that the global recovery is on track. The Korean won rose against the US dollar The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 21.41 points, or 0.66 percent, to close at 3,286.22 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 1.2 billion shares worth some 13.4 trillion won ($11.7 billion), with gainers outn

Market July 15, 2021

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong has ordered chiefs of South Korea's overseas diplomatic missions to prioritize the protection of citizens in South Africa and other countries struggling with political unrest and COVID-19 outbreaks, his office said Thursday. Chung made the call during Wednesday's virtual meeting with the diplomats, during which they discussed a range of issues, including the deepening unrest in South Africa sparked by the recent incarceration of former President Jacob Zuma. The

Politics July 15, 2021

South Korean Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum will participate in a virtual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) on COVID-19 this week, his office announced Thursday. New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern plans to chair the emergency summit of APEC member states on Friday. In the session, Kim is expected to speak about South Korea's role in regional efforts to overcome the coronavirus crisis. Other participants will reportedly include US President Joe Biden, Chinese Presid

Politics July 15, 2021

On paper, they may not jump off the page as medal contenders at the Tokyo Olympics. But Im Sung-jae and Kim Si-woo, representing South Korea in the Olympic men's golf tournament, understand the competition won't be played on paper. The two players qualified for the 60-man Olympic field as the top-two South Koreans on the world rankings as of June 21. Im, the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year for 2018-2019, was No. 26. Kim, a three-time tour winner, sat at No. 49. They have since slipped a notch and

Olympic Games July 15, 2021

BORYEONG -- This year's Boryeong Mud Festival, one of the nation's most celebrated summer events, will scale down in-person programs due to recent spikes in COVID-19 cases, organizers said Thursday. The 24th annual mud extravaganza is scheduled to be held from July 23 to Aug. 1 on Daecheon Beach in the central city of Boryeong, 190 kilometers south of Seoul. It will take place in a hybrid format with 11 online and eight offline programs. The organizing committee under the municipal government

Social Affairs July 15, 2021

Local governments in charge of antivirus measures at popular summer vacation destinations are on high alert for a massive influx of vacationers from the greater Seoul area and other regions hit by a surge of COVID-19 cases. South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases have been in excess of 1,500 in recent days, with the capital area accounting for approximately three-fourths of the total. Fearing that increased tourist arrivals at famous beaches and mountains nationwide will further fuel the spr

Social Affairs July 15, 2021

A local official handling contact tracing during the coronavirus pandemic is accusing professional baseball players of covering up an illegal gathering in violation of social distancing rules. The official from the Gangnam Ward office in southern Seoul told Yonhap News Agency on Thursday that players from the NC Dinos in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and their two outside guests initially didn't report their drinking session at an NC team hotel room in Seoul last week. In all, four Din

Baseball July 15, 2021

Seongnam FC said Thursday four additional players have been infected with the novel coronavirus, raising the total on the K League 1 football team to 15. Nine players and six staff members for Seongnam are now on the COVID-19 list. The first positive case for the K League 1 club was reported Sunday. The rest of the team, 46 players, coaches and staffers, immediately received polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Two players and five staffers received positive results Monday, followed by one

Soccer July 15, 2021

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday ordered the mobilization of an aerial refueling and transport aircraft to provide swift medical support for the South Korean troop members abroad infected with COVID-19, his office said. The president issued the message in connection with the report that six crew members in a mission aboard the country's naval destroyer operating off the coast of Africa have tested positive for the virus. They belong to the anti-piracy and counterterrorism Cheonghae Unit, of wh

Politics July 15, 2021

A South Korean business lobby said Thursday it will file a complaint with the government against next year's minimum wage, which it says is too high. The move comes days after a national commission composed of nine members each from labor, business and the general public set the new minimum wage at 9,160 won ($7.99) for 2022, up 5.1 percent from this year. "A formal objection will be lodged with the labor ministry," said the Korea Enterprises Federation, which speaks for the business

Social Affairs July 15, 2021

South Korea's science ministry said Thursday the country's nuclear research institute has won a deal worth $3.88 million to export nuclear reactor technology to Bangladesh. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute has signed a deal with the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission to deliver digital instrumentation and control systems for the South Asian country's research nuclear reactor by January 2023, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT. The South Korean nuclear institute will provid

Economy July 15, 2021

The trading volume of South Korea's gold market soared in the first half this year, largely as pandemic-incurred uncertainties boosted individuals' demand for safe assets, the local exchange said Thursday. The average daily trading volume of gold in the Korea Exchange (KRX) jumped 19.4 percent on-year to 126.2 kilograms in the January-June period, according to the bourse operator's data. Its cumulated gold trading volume in the six-month period stood at 15.5 tons. The average daily turnover in

Economy July 15, 2021

Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co. (KSOE) said Thursday that it has attained its annual order target by winning a 457.1 billion-won ($398.4 million) order for two LNG carriers. With the deal with an Asian company, KSOE has clinched orders valued at $15.2 billion in total so far this year, surpassing its annual order target of $14.9 billion ifor the year, the company said.       Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., a unit of KSOE, will build and deliver t

Industry July 15, 2021

The number of South Korean and foreign migrants declined at the sharpest-ever pace last year as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted people's cross-border movements, data showed Thursday. The number of international migrants, referring to those who stay for more than 90 days here, declined 15.9 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. It marked the fastest on-year decline since the statistics agency began compiling related data in 2000. The data is calculate

Social Affairs July 15, 2021