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Yoon apologizes for first lady Dior bag scandal, calls push for special probe ‘political’
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Korea forecast to overtake Taiwan in chip production by 2032: report
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Girl hanging on bridge, police trying to rescue her both fall off; rescued immediately
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[K-pop’s dilemma] Can K-pop break free from ‘fandom’ model?
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YouTuber fatally stabbed on livestream by another YouTuber in Busan
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Yoon rebuffs opposition's call for special probe into wife
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No plan to let doctors with foreign licenses practice here anytime soon: PM
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Stray Kids hit with racism in Met Gala photo line
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[News Analysis] Yoon's first 2 years marked by intense confrontations, lack of leadership
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Yoon apologizes for wife's 'unwise conduct'
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Cancellation of single exercise would not affect Korea-US joint posture: defense chief
Defense Minister Jeong Kyeog-doo has said that the cancellation of a single combined exercise between South Korea and the United States would not affect their joint readiness posture, according to his ministry. He made the remarks while visiting US National Defense University on Wednesday (Washington time), ahead of an expected announcement by the two sides on the possible modification of their combined exercises slated for March due to concerns over the new coronavirus. "Different from
Feb. 27, 2020
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S. Korea, US decide to postpone upcoming combined exercises over coronavirus concerns: CFC
South Korea and the United States decided to postpone their springtime joint military exercises over growing concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus, their combined command said Thursday. The two sides had initially planned to stage their computer-simulated combined command post training in March but decided to put it off "until further notice" in light of Seoul's decision to raise its alert rating to "severe," the highest level, over COVID-19, according to the Com
Feb. 27, 2020
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ROK-US military drills scaled back
South Korea and the US decided to scale back the annual joint military drills scheduled to begin within the next several days, as the COVID-19 outbreak in Korea affected their military operations, CNN reported, quoting three US officials. The two allies were set to take part in the command post exercises that begins March 9. The exercises test the combat readiness of top commanders and senior staff of both sides in computer-based war games against North Korea. Seoul and Washington have held the
Feb. 26, 2020
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USFK service member confirmed with coronavirus
An American soldier stationed in the southeastern South Korean town of Chilgok tested positive for the new coronavirus, US Forces Korea said Wednesday, marking the first case among USFK service personnel. The 23-year-old soldier at Camp Carroll is currently in self-quarantine at his off-base residence, according to USFK. Chilgok, about 220 kilometers southeast of Seoul, is near the city of Daegu, where a coronavirus outbreak has spread rapidly in recent days. It is the first time that a USF
Feb. 26, 2020
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Defense ministry shuts down pressroom, briefing room over coronavirus concerns
The Defense Ministry on Tuesday said it has temporarily shut down its pressroom and briefing room for anti-coronavirus disinfection work after a cameraman with a local news outlet was admitted to a hospital with symptoms of the virus. In a notice to reporters, the ministry said the facilities on the first floor of the ministry‘s main building in Seoul will be closed until Wednesday as a precaution against the COVID-19 virus. The cameraman, who had been in the pressroom and briefing roo
Feb. 25, 2020
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COVID-19 found in USFK widow
United States Forces Korea said Tuesday that the widow of one of its service members tested positive for COVID-19 after she had visited a military base in Daegu. The patient, 61, is the first individual linked to USFK to test positive for the virus. Two weeks ago, she visited twice the post exchange at Camp Walker, one of three American installations in Daegu, where infections recently skyrocketed because of mass gatherings at a Shincheonji church. USFK raised the risk level to “high&rd
Feb. 25, 2020
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US flies surveillance plane over Korean peninsula
The United States has flown a surveillance aircraft over South Korea, an aviation tracker said Tuesday, on an apparent mission to monitor North Korea. The US Navy P-3C maritime surveillance plane was spotted in the skies over the peninsula on Monday, Aircraft Spots tweeted. It is the latest in a series of US operations seemingly aimed at monitoring the North after the communist nation warned of a "new strategic weapon" and "shocking actual action" against the US. Denucle
Feb. 25, 2020
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USFK imposes tougher process for installation access over coronavirus outbreak
US Forces Korea (USFK) has limited all service members' off-installation travel and implemented a tougher process for accessing garrisons following the first coronavirus case among its members. On Monday, a 61-year-old USFK widowed dependent residing in the southeastern city of Daegu tested positive for COVID-19, prompting the US military to raise the risk level to "high" from "moderate" across the country that calls for stronger countermeasures. "Expect longer wait
Feb. 25, 2020
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Esper urges S. Korea to pay more for combined defense
WASHINGTON -- US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Monday that South Korea can and should contribute more to its defense in terms of financial contributions to the upkeep of American troops on the peninsula. Esper, speaking at a joint news conference after talks with South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, also said that the two countries are considering scaling back combined military exercises due to concerns about the new coronavirus spreading in the South. "General Abrams and
Feb. 25, 2020
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US and S. Korea may cut back military moves due to coronavirus
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The United States and South Korea are considering curtailing joint military exercises due to concerns about the spread of coronavirus, officials said Monday. After a meeting at the Pentagon to review a full range of issues, including a standoff over US demands that Seoul pay a much bigger share of the cost of hosting American forces, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo told reporters that coronavirus is a threat to their schedule o
Feb. 25, 2020
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Military has 13 infected, 7,500 quarantined
A total of 13 military personnel tested positive for COVID-19, and 7,500 service members were under quarantine as of Monday, the Ministry of National Defense said. Infected personnel included soldiers, officers and civilian workers; Ten of the patients were in the Army, while the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps had one each. The military was notified of its first patient Thursday, when a Navy sailor stationed on Jeju Island contracted the virus after visiting Daegu, one of two COVID-19 clus
Feb. 24, 2020
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11 soldiers confirmed as coronavirus patients, 7,700 in quarantine
Eleven service members have been confirmed to have the new coronavirus as of early Monday, and around 7,700 others are quarantined as part of efforts to stop the virus from spreading further into barracks, the defense ministry said. Eight COVID-19 cases in the Army and one each in the Navy, the Air Force and the Marine Corps were confirmed as of 8 a.m. Monday, up from a total of seven cases the previous day, according to the ministry. The four newly confirmed soldiers are suspected of having
Feb. 24, 2020
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US says 'most' S. Korean workers to be furloughed if no defense deal is reached
The United States will furlough "most" South Korean nationals employed at its military bases on the peninsula if no defense cost-sharing deal is reached by the beginning of April, the Pentagon said Sunday. In a rare "media advisory" previewing Monday's meeting in Washington between South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and US Defense Secretary Mark Esper, the Pentagon said the pair will discuss a range of bilateral issues, including the regional security environmen
Feb. 24, 2020
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USFK says it has no case of COVID-19 among its personnel
The US Forces Korea said Sunday that it has no confirmed case of the new coronavirus among its personnel despite an increase in the number of South Korean patients. In an updated report on its efforts to fend off the COVID-19 virus, the 28,500-strong USFK said that the risk for its personnel and installations on the Korean Peninsula remains "moderate." On the day, South Korea's death toll from the virus increased to five with the number of confirmed cases rising to 602. "USFK
Feb. 23, 2020
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6 soldiers infected, 1,300 quarantined
A total of six military personnel were confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 as of Sunday, and 1,300 service members were quarantined, the Ministry of National Defense said. All six of the infected individuals, including two officers and one civilian worker, were found to have visited either Daegu or adjacent North Gyeongsang Province. The surge in cases of COVID-19 linked to church services there brought the national tally to 602 as of Sunday afternoon. “More and more soldiers are susp
Feb. 23, 2020
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Military fighting coronavirus after first armed forces infections confirmed
The military is making all-out efforts to prevent the new coronavirus from spreading further into the barracks, officials said Friday, after the country's first infections in the armed forces were confirmed. Earlier in the day, a Navy sailor on the southern island of Jeju was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 in the first such case among service personnel here. Following the confirmation, the Navy has checked the temperature of all personnel at the base where the infected sailor served a
Feb. 21, 2020
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Military to restrict draftees from vacationing, staying outside bases over coronavirus
South Korea will start restricting all enlisted soldiers from vacationing, staying outside their bases and meeting visitors this weekend, the defense ministry said Thursday, after the Navy reported the first suspected coronavirus case among the country's service members. The restrictions, set to go into effect on Saturday, came at a meeting of top defense and uniformed officials, which was presided over by Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo. "Based on the recommendations from each armed s
Feb. 21, 2020
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S. Korea reports 1st military member infected with coronavirus
SEOUL/JEJU -- A Navy sailor on the southern island of Jeju was confirmed Friday to have contracted the new coronavirus in the first confirmed case among service personnel in South Korea, officials said. The sailor, 22, tested positive for COVID-19 in the initial examination the previous day and was finally confirmed earlier in the day, according to the officials. He visited his hometown, Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, from Feb. 13 to Tuesday. Upon returning to the base, he showed
Feb. 21, 2020
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Military suspends drafting soldiers in Daegu
South Korea’s Military Manpower Administration said Thursday that it had decided to suspend physical examinations for conscript candidates in Daegu and adjacent North Gyeongsang Province until March 6. The decision was a response to the recent spike in cases of COVID-19 linked to church services there. Men who have already passed the physical and are waiting to join the military will be asked to delay enlistment, the agency said, adding it is postponing interviews for Navy and Air Force a
Feb. 20, 2020
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USFK bans travel to Daegu amid virus spread
Gen. Robert Abrams, commander of the US military in South Korea, banned service members from “non-essential travel” to and from Daegu on Wednesday, after a surge in cases of COVID-19 linked to church services there. The total number of infected people in Korea was at 104 as of Thursday afternoon. The commander of United States Forces Korea said service members who attended church services in Daegu would undergo mandatory self-quarantine. He urged their family members to do th
Feb. 20, 2020