Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha called Friday for joint efforts with China and Japan to minimize the social and economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak as she held a videoconference with her counterparts, her office said.   "I believe the three countries should discuss the need to minimize the economic and social shock, as well as the contraction in people-to-people exchanges and cooperation due to this crisis, along with (efforts to) stem the virus spread," she said

Foreign Affairs March 20, 2020

인터넷 메신저 텔레그램 상에서 미성년자 등의 성 착취물을 제작하고 유포해 온 이른바 '박사방' 운영자의 범행 실체가 드러났다. 20일 서울지방경찰청 사이버안전과에 따르면 20대 조모 씨는 미성년자 등 수십명을 협박해 성 착취물을 찍게 하고 이를 유포해 억대 범죄수익을 얻은 것으로 파악됐다. 조씨 범행으로 인한 피해자는 현재까지 확인된 것만 74명에 달한다. 경찰은 조씨의 주거지에서 현금 약 1억 3천만원을 압수하고 나머지 범죄수익을 추적 중이다. 경찰에 따르면 조씨는 아르바이트 모집 등을 미끼로 피해자들을 유인해 얼굴이 나오는 나체사진을 받아낸 뒤 이를 빌미로 성 착취물을 찍도록 협박했다. 각종 커뮤니티 사이트를 통해 모집한 공익 요원들을 통해 피해 여성과 박사방 유료 회원들의 신상을 알아내 이를 협박과 강요의 수단으로 삼기도 했다. 조씨는 피해자들을 '노예'로 지칭하면서 성 착취물을 찍도록 하고, 이를 텔레그램 유료대화방을 통해 다수에게 팔아넘겼다. 조씨는 일정 금액의

한국어판 March 20, 2020

Hyundai Rotem Co., a South Korean railway system and plant equipment maker, said Friday it has received an order worth 345 billion won ($274 million) in its home country. Hyundai Rotem will supply 120 subway train cars for a new local subway line named the Great Train Express-A (GTX-A) by 2024, the company said in a statement. The GTX-A line will stretch 83.1 kilometers from Unjeong Station in Paju to Dongtan Station in Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province, it said.  The subway trains will be bu

Mobility March 20, 2020

South Korea recorded fewer than 100 new daily virus cases again on Friday, but health authorities remained on high alert over new cluster infections and imported coronavirus cases. The 87 new cases, which were detected Thursday, brought the nation's total number of infections to 8,652, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The daily infection rate has been in double digits this week, except for the 152 new cases reported Wednesday. So far, 94 people, mostly elder

Social Affairs March 20, 2020

There will be no more women's pro basketball played in South Korea this spring in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The Women's Korean Basketball League decided on Friday to scrap the rest of the regular season, which had been on hold since March 10, and to also wipe out the playoffs. With all other major professional sports -- men's basketball, baseball, men's football and men's and women's volleyball -- having come to a halt due to COVID-19, the WKBL became the first league to cancel it

More Sports March 20, 2020

South Korea said Friday it plans to import 53 tons of mask filters through June to keep up the supply of the sanitary item amid the spread of the new coronavirus. The first batch of 2.5 tons of melt-blown nonwoven fabric filters will arrive here next week, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The country has been running short of protective masks, as well as their materials, as demand for them has soared amid the COVID-19 epidemic. Starting last week, South Korea has been

Economy March 20, 2020

South Korea's state pension fund will vote against the appointments of some board members at banks and major companies during shareholder meetings as they are not qualified for the positions. The National Pension Service (NPS) said its trust management committee has decided to object to the appointments of Woori Financial Group Chairman Sohn Tae-seung and Shinhan Financial Group chief Cho Yong-byoung as board members at the banks. The pension service also said it will vote against the motion t

Economy March 20, 2020

South Korea and the United States still have gaps over the sharing of the cost for stationing the US Forces Korea, the foreign ministry said Friday, after they wrapped up three days of hard bargaining in Los Angeles. The failure to reconcile their differences added to concerns that Korean workers in the USFK could be forced to go on unpaid leave starting next month, as the US military has repeatedly warned of their furloughs absent a deal to fund their wages. Seoul's top negotiator Jeong Eun

Foreign Affairs March 20, 2020

등산·족구·꼬리잡기…유튜브에서 '코로나19 휴식' 공개 "요즘 코로나19가 심각해져서 진천선수촌이 외출·외박을 금지했습니다. 지금 4주 차인데요 얼른 코로나가 잠잠해졌으면 하는 바람입니다. ㅠㅠ(눈물)" 다이빙 국가대표 문나연이 자신의 유튜브 채널 '나린TV'에 남긴 말이다. 문나연은 지난 17일 '코로나 때문에 외출·외박 금지된 진천선수촌에서 주말 보내기!'라는 영상을 올려 국가대표 선수들의 근황을 보여줬다. 진천선수촌에서 열심히 훈련하며 구슬땀을 흘리는 국가대표 선수들도 휴식을 잘 취해야 하고 때로는 기분 전환도 필요하다. 하지만, 신종 코로나바이러스 감염증(코로나19)이 확산하면서 선수들은 휴식 시간에도 무조건 선수촌 안에 있어야 하는 신세가 됐다. 더욱이 2020 도쿄올림픽이 다가오고 있기에 선수촌은 방역을 철저히 하기 위해 외부인 출입을 전면 금지하고, 선수들도 외부로 나가지 못하

한국어판 March 20, 2020

한국 가수 최초 2년 연속 선정 그룹 방탄소년단(BTS) '맵 오브 더 솔 : 페르소나' 앨범이 국제음반산업협회(IFPI)가 선정한 2019년의 '글로벌 앨범' 톱 10에 들었다. 한국 가수가 '글로벌 앨범 톱 10'에 두 해 거푸 오르기는 처음이다. 국제음반산업협회가 19일(현지시간) 홈페이지와 SNS에 공개한 '글로벌 앨범 차트 2019'에서 이 앨범은 3위에 올랐다. 국제음반산업협회는 이 앨범이 "자신감 있고 장르를 넘나드는 사운드로 평론가들의 호평을 받았고 전 세계적으로 히트했다"고 평가했다. 한국만 아니라 미국, 영국, 호주, 캐나다, 뉴질랜드 등지에서도 1위를 기록한 사실도 언급했다. 방탄소년단은 전년도 같은 차트에서 '러브 유어셀프 결 앤서'(LOVE YOURSELF 結 Answer)와 '러브 유어셀프 전 티어'(LOVE YOURSELF 轉 Tear) 앨범으로 2위와 3위를 모두 차지했다. 한편, 2019년 '글로벌 앨범' 1위는 일본 아이

한국어판 March 20, 2020

　 South Korea was hit by typhoon-class strong winds on Thursday, which caused a number of injuries and forest fires, as well as massive damage to outdoor facilities, across the nation. 　 　The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said the instantaneous maximum wind speed exceeded 100 kilometers per hour in many regions, destroying building roofs and windows, spreading mountain fires and forcing the cancellations of domestic flights and ferry services. 　 　The weather agency issued its first-e

Social Affairs March 19, 2020

South Korea is considering imposing 14 days of mandatory quarantine at home on all arrivals from Europe in an effort to stem imported cases of the new coronavirus, government sources said Thursday. 　 　Starting at midnight, the government expanded its special inspection procedures to all South Koreans and foreigners entering the country. 　“The government is strongly considering whether to oblige all entrants from Europe to stay in isolation at home for 14 days,” said a government of

Social Affairs March 19, 2020

The national volleyball governing body has put off deciding the fate of the suspended professional season, amid increasing calls for cancellation in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. 　The Korean Volleyball Federation (KOVO) met with representatives from 13 men‘s and women’s V-League teams on Thursday, and the only agreement that came out of the meetings was that they will meet again soon to reach a conclusion, one way or the other. 　 　The three-plus hours of talks had some team

More Sports March 19, 2020

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Park Han-ki on Thursday ordered all troops to strengthen their guard operations following a series of civilian intrusions into military bases, his office said. Presiding over an emergency meeting of major commanders, Park also ordered military units to mobilize more troops and devices for the guard operations and improve their current reporting system, the JCS said. 　 The meeting was aimed at devising and implementing more “pragmatic and fundamental me

Defense March 19, 2020

Rock musician and radio show host Bae Chul-soo celebrated his 30th year as the host of a popular pop music radio show on Thursday, making himself the longest-sitting host of a radio program in Korean entertainment history. Since his first day hosting the evening radio show "Music Camp" by MBC on March 19, 1990, as a flourishing, rebellious 37-year-old rock musician, Bae has matured into a widely trusted, gray-haired show host over the past 30 years. His established status also lande

Performance March 19, 2020