N.K. leader's sister warns S. Korea-U.S. military exercise will cloud inter-Korean relations
North KoreaAug 1, 2021
The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned Sunday that annual summertime military drills between South Korea and the United States will cloud the future of inter-Korean relations. Kim Yo-Jong issued the warning in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency, just days after the North restored long-severed communication lines with the South and raised hope for a new round of detente between the two sides. "I surely see the military drill, which takes place at an importa
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More young Koreans without access to COVID-19 shots end up in hospitals amid raging deltaSocial affairsAug 1, 2021COVID-19 claims lives of two patients in their 20s in past week -
Clean-up cost dispute delays US base moveDefenseAug 1, 2021South Korea and the US have yet to reach consensus on clean-up costs for military bases that Washington is handing back to Seoul, despite years of talks, the first of which was held in 2002. On Friday, the US military agreed to return about one-quarter of its Yongsan Garrison in central Seoul by early next year. This is the second time since last year the US military is giving up parts of its Yongsan base, the largest US installation here and one of 12 sites out of 80 it needs to hand over to K
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Vice unification minister plans to visit US in SeptemberPoliticsAug 1, 2021Vice Unification Minister Choi Young-jun plans to visit the United States next month to coordinate North Korea policy as South Korea seeks dialogue and reconciliation with North Korea after Pyongyang's restoration of inter-Korean communication lines, officials said Sunday. Choi has been taking necessary steps for a US trip expected sometime in September, such as receiving a COVID-19 vaccine and filing a request for exemption from coronavirus quarantine, ministry officials said. "A trip to -
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[Newsmaker] More Koreans suffer mental disorders amid pandemicPoliticsAug 1, 2021The number of Koreans who have suffered from mental disorders and eating disorders has risen in the pandemic, data showed Sunday. Last year, the number of people diagnosed with either depression, insomnia, anorexia or bulimia stood at 1,504,181, up by 67,233, or 4.67 percent, from the previous year, according to government data. The data, from the state-run Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, was disclosed by independent lawmaker Lee Yong-ho. Depression accounted for 55.7 perce -
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[News Focus] Korea ranks 26th of 34 OECD members in Q1 employmentSocial affairsAug 1, 2021SEJONG -- South Korea’s hiring performance has remained behind most members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, regardless of the pandemic situation. The nation’s employment rate for people aged 15-64 has continued to stay under the OECD average from before COVID-19 hit the globe. And its lackluster figure and ranking went on throughout 2020. While the average of the 34 OECD members reached 66.8 percent in employment rate in the first quarter of 2021, the -
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[Herald Interview] Bill allowing politicians to take babies to work look set to passPoliticsAug 1, 2021Ruling, opposition floor leaders take part in the bill after Yong made headlines -
Daily infections dip to 1,400s amid no signs of letupSocial affairsAug 1, 2021South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases retreated to the 1,400s on Sunday due to fewer tests over the weekend, but the fourth wave of infections showed no signs of slowing down despite the adoption of the toughest virus curbs in the greater Seoul area. The country added 1,442 COVID-19 cases, including 1,386 local infections, raising the total caseload to 199,787, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The latest tally is down from 1,710 cases reported Friday and -
Senior Japanese Embassy diplomat recalled home after disparaging remarks against MoonForeign affairsAug 1, 2021SEOUL/TOKYO -- A senior Japanese Embassy diplomat in Seoul has been recalled home after causing a stir with remarks disparaging South Korean President Moon Jae-in's efforts to improve relations between the two countries, a Japanese paper reported Sunday. Hirohisa Soma, deputy chief of mission at the embassy, has been criticized both in Seoul and Tokyo after telling a South Korean reporter during a lunch meeting last month that Moon's efforts to improve ties with Tokyo were tantamount to "m -
N. Korea’s food shortage to worsen in H2: U.N. reportNorth KoreaJul 31, 2021North Korea’s food security situation is expected to deteriorate in the next four months, a U.N. report has said, citing limited humanitarian access and trade disruptions as key factors leading to the country’s widening food gap. The Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Programme forecast in a joint report released Friday that the North is expected to be facing a food shortage of around 860,000 tons this year, “which is equivalent to approximately 2.3 months&rsquo -
265 members of virus-hit Cheonghae unit released from hospitalsDefenseJul 31, 2021A total of 265 out of 272 service members who had contracted the new coronavirus while on anti-piracy missions in waters off Africa were released from medical facilities Saturday after making full recoveries, the defense ministry said. All members of the 301-strong Cheonghae unit were airlifted home last week, cutting short their missions in Africa after 247 troops tested positive for COVID-19. Subsequent tests found 25 more cases, raising the total caseload to 272. Of the total, 227 returne -
Daily virus cases over 1,500 as infections show little signs of letupSocial affairsJul 31, 2021South Korea’s daily new coronavirus cases retreated to the 1,500s on Saturday, but the fourth wave of infections is showing little signs of letting up despite weeks of the toughest antivirus rules in the greater Seoul area. The country added 1,539 COVID-19 cases, including 1,466 local infections, raising the total caseload to 198,345, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The latest tally is down from 1,710 cases reported Friday. The country added six more COVID -
Defense chiefs of S. Korea, US reaffirm commitment to alliance, combined defense postureDefenseJul 30, 2021Defense Minister Suh Wook held phone talks with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin on Friday and reaffirmed their commitment to a strong alliance and a firm combined defense posture, the defense ministry said. The two ministers discussed bilateral defense issues and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, "reaffirmed an ironclad South Korea-US alliance and stressed the importance of close cooperation between the two countries," according to the ministry. Their annual summertime -
17 million people aged 18-49 to receive COVID-19 shots starting in mid-AugustSocial affairsJul 30, 2021South Korea will carry out COVID-19 vaccinations in August for people between the ages of 18 and 49 as part of its efforts to achieve herd immunity by November. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced Friday that the country would make vaccinations available to 17.8 million people aged between 18 and 49 in August and September, with the aim of administering first shots to a total of at least 36 million people by the end of September. Those whose occupations involve frequent c -
Seoul proposes talks with Pyongyang, hopes to set up videoconference systemNorth KoreaJul 30, 2021The South Korean government on Thursday proposed talks with North Korea on the establishment of a videoconference system, as part of efforts to rekindle stalemated inter-Korean talks, according to Unification Minister Lee In-young on Friday. “Yesterday, we proposed to the North via the joint liaison channel that we consult on setting up a videoconference system,” Lee told reporters during a press conference at the ministry’s office in central Seoul. “The North has
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