Amid threats from North Korea, US-South Korean ships begin military exercises
North Korea's short-range ballistic missile test, American and South Korean ships began a four-day joint military drill in the Korean Peninsula
Browsing Tag
South Korea
India not plan more fresh financial support provide for Sri Lanka as IMF talks progress
India does not plan to provide fresh financial support to Sri Lanka on top of the nearly $4 billion it has extended this year, two sources told Reuters, as the island's battered economy starts to stabilise after a preliminary loan agreement…
It will never give up nukes to counter US, says North Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stressed his country will never abandon the nuclear weapons it needs to counter the United States, which he accused of pushing to weaken the North’s defenses and eventually collapse his government, state…
South Korea offers talks with North Korea to discuss reunion of War-separated families
South Korea offered talks with North Korea to discuss a reunion of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War — its first direct overture, since President Yoon Suk-Yeol took office in May.
Flights grounded in South Korea as Typhoon Hinnamnor nears
Hundreds of flights were grounded and more than 200 people evacuated in South Korea on Monday as Typhoon Hinnamnor approached the southern region with heavy rains and winds of up to 170 kilometers (105 miles) per hour, putting the nation on…
Asian stocks follow Wall Street lower after US jobs report
Asian stock markets declined Monday after Wall Street ended last week lower and China tightened anti-virus controls.
Asian stocks after Wall St pullback on Fed inflation stance
Asian stocks were mixed Tuesday after Wall Street fell following last week’s Federal Reserve pledge to fight inflation by keeping interest rates elevated.
US, South Korea’s Joint Military Drills Amid North Korea Backlash
South Korea and the United States began their annual joint military drills on Monday with a resumption of field training, officials said, as the allies seek to tighten their readiness posture over North Korea's potential weapons tests.
Asian shares rise on optimism about US, China economies
Asian shares were mostly higher Wednesday as regional markets looked to strong economic signs out of the U.S. and China as drivers of growth.
Gates eyes partnership with South Korea over global health
Bill Gates on Tuesday called for South Korea to further step up in international efforts to prevent infectious diseases like COVID-19 as he stressed the need for the world to be better prepared for the next pandemic.
Global shares mostly higher amid risks, volatility worries
Global shares mostly rose Tuesday, despite investor risk reflected in negative economic data out of China, and analysts warned that volatility may lie ahead.
US, South Korea to begin expanded military drills next week
United States and South Korea will begin their biggest combined military training in years next week in the face of an increasingly aggressive North Korea, which has been ramping up weapons tests and threats of nuclear conflict against…
After Taiwan, Pelosi in S. Korea to meet political leaders
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met top South Korean political leaders on Thursday, a day after she concluded her high-profile visit to Taiwan by renewing Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to defending democracy on the self-governing…
China says Pelosi changes status quo of Taiwan Straits with provocative visit
US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived on Taiwan island and promoted the US' purported obligation to the island, her very foolish and perilous move quickly provoked a progression of countermeasures from China, going from the military to…
Asian stocks follow Wall Street ahead of likely US rate hike
Asian stock markets followed Wall Street lower Wednesday as traders prepared for a possible sharp interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve to cool inflation.
South Korea doubles down on risky ‘Kill Chain’ plans to counter North Korea nuclear threat
South Korea is pouring resources into its strategy of deterring any North Korean nuclear attack by preparing for preemptive strikes if necessary, a strategy some experts say may exacerbate their arms race and risks miscalculation during a…
What are the 7 Continents of the World?
People tend to think of the seven continents in terms of large land portions. While this understanding is certainly helpful, there is much more to continents!
How will history remember Shinzo Abe?
On July 8 former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot twice by an assailant with a homemade gun. Having suffered critical wounds, Abe collapsed and was transported to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Monkeypox in Asia: Singapore and South Korea report first cases
Singapore and South Korea have just reported confirmed or suspected cases of monkeypox, according to the health authorities of the two countries, as the viral disease continues to spread across the world.
RIP Internet Explorer: South Korean engineer’s browser ‘grave’ goes viral
South Korean engineer who built a grave for Internet Explorer — photos of which quickly went viral — told AFP Friday that the now-defunct web browser had made his life a misery.
Europe stocks up, Asia mixed ahead of Fed rate hike decision
Asian stock markets were mixed while Europe opened higher Wednesday ahead of a Federal Reserve decision on how sharply to raise interest rates to cool U.S. inflation.
Asian benchmarks decline after bear market hits Wall Street
Asian shares fell across the board Tuesday after Wall Street tumbled into a bear market, indicating that major U.S. benchmarks and individual stocks have fallen 20% or more from a recent high for a sustained period of time.
Fire caused by suspected arson in S. Korea kills at least 7
A fire caused by suspected arson spread through an office building Thursday in South Korea’s Daegu city, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens, fire and police officials said.
The World’s Most Expensive And The Cheapest City For Expats
Higher prices and a stronger currency over the past year have kept Hong Kong at the top of the most expensive list.
North Korea test-fires salvo of short-range missiles
North Korea test-fired a salvo of eight short-range ballistic missiles from multiple locations toward the sea on Sunday, South Korea’s military said, extending a provocative streak in weapons demonstrations this year that U.S. and South…
South Korea’s ruling party wins majority of seats in local elections
South Korea’s ruling party won a majority of seats in Wednesday's local elections including the key mayor’s seat in the capital Soul, local media said on Thursday.
N. Korea says it test-fired biggest ICBM, US adds sanctions
North Korea said Friday it test-fired its biggest-yet intercontinental ballistic missile under the orders of leader Kim Jong Un, who vowed
Asian shares rise, eyeing Ukraine, inflation, energy costs
Asian shares were mostly higher Tuesday as investors eyed the war in Ukraine, inflationary risks and surging energy prices.
North Korean launch apparently ends in failure
North Korea’s latest weapons launch on Wednesday apparently ended in failure, South Korea's military said, amid speculation
South Korea approves rules on app store law targeting Apple, Google
Apple Inc and Alphabet's Google from forcing software developers to use their payments systems, the country's telecommunications regulator
Firefighters battle ‘severe’ South Korean wildfire
South Korea deployed thousands of firefighters and issued its highest fire hazard warning large wildfire torn through the country
North Korea fires ‘unidentified projectile’, says South’s military
North Korea fired at least one “unidentified projectile” today, South Korea’s military said, the nuclear-armed country’s ninth
South Korea presidential race overshadowed by Ukraine
South Korea Campaign dominated by Ukraine and by gaffes that critics say highlight both contenders’ lack of foreign policy experience.
North Korea fires possible ballistic missile for first time in a month
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was overseeing an increase in missile tests as talks with the United States and its allies remain stalled.
South Korea says no plan to join any military move in Ukraine
Seoul will soon announce measures against Russia in line with international community, says foreign minister
South Korea daily Covid-19 cases top 100,000 for first time
SEOUL
South Korea's new daily Covid-19 cases topped for the first time amid an Omicron outbreak, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said moment, though deaths have remained fairly low in the largely vaccinated country.…
North Korea celebrates late leader’s birthday, pushes for unity
North Korea celebrated the 80th birthday of late leader Kim Jong Il with a concert, fireworks and a rare outdoor ceremony near its border with China, state media reported Wednesday, as the country pushes for greater internal unity amid…
South Korea candidates kick off presidential race dominated by scandal, third-party challenge
SEOUL
South Korea’s presidential candidates formally began campaigning today in what is set to be the tightest race in 20 years between its two main parties, dominated by scandals that have allowed a third challenger to potentially play…
South Korea surpasses 1 million total COVID-19 cases with daily record
SEOUL
South Korea on Sunday (Feb 6) surpassed 1 million cumulative COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, as health officials reported a daily record of 38,691 new infections driven by an Omicron variant outbreak.
South Korea saw…
Egypt inks $1.7 billion deal for K9 howitzers from South Korea
Hanwha Defense has signed the largest deal to export its K9 self-propelled howitzers and other support vehicles to Egypt, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced Feb. 1.
The arms agency did not disclose the…
Taiwan protests after South Korea disinvites minister from conference
TAIPEI
Taiwan said Tuesday it has lodged a protest with South Korea after a conference invitation to one of the island's ministers was rescinded over "cross-Strait issues".
The term, which refers to the Taiwan Strait, is commonly used…
North Korea calls for unity on anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s death
North Korea on Friday commemorated the 10th anniversary of former leader Kim Jong Il’s death with calls for greater public loyalty toward his son and current leader Kim Jong Un, who is struggling to navigate the country out of deepening…
North Korea tests possible submarine missile amid tensions
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea on Tuesday fired at least one ballistic missile, which South Korea’s military said was likely designed to be launched from a submarine, in what is possibly the most significant demonstration of the North’s…
Iran- South Korea row worsens over oil billions frozen by US sanctions
TEHRAN
A row between Iran and South Korea is intensifying, with Tehran threatening legal action unless Seoul releases more than US$7 billion (RM29 billion) in funds for oil shipments frozen because of US sanctions.
The Islamic…
Two Koreas reopen hotlines as Pyongyang urging Seoul
SEOUL
The two Koreas today restored their hotlines that the North severed months ago, with Pyongyang urging Seoul to step up efforts to improve family members after criticising what it called double requirements over weapons development.…
Kim Jong Un offers to restore inter-Korean hotline, slams US ‘hostile policy’
SEOUL
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he's willing to revive severed inter-Korean hotlines next month, but accused the US of proposing talks without changing its "hostile policy" to the country, state media KCNA reported on Thursday…
North Korea says test hypersonic missile on Sept. 28
BEIJING
North Korea test-fired a newly developed hypersonic missile on Tuesday as a part of efforts to realize its five-year weapons development plan, the official Korean Central news agency said.
KCNA's report came on Wednesday, each…
South Korean President talks North Korea’s nuclear activities
UNITED NATIONS
South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday (Sept 21) addressed the UN General Assembly and repeated a call for a declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War.
“I once more urge the community of countries to…
North Korea fires projectile toward eastern sea
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea fired an unidentified projectile off its East Coast on Wednesday, South Korea’s military said, two days after the North claimed to possess tested a replacement missile in its first weapons test in six…
Founder of South Korea’s biggest church, Cho Yong-gi, dies
SEOUL, South Korea
Rev. Cho Yong-gi, whose founding of the biggest South Korean church once stood as a symbol of the post-war growth of Christianity in the country before that achievement was tainted by corruption and scandals, died…
Japan, U.S., South Korea affirm efforts to denuclearize North Korea
TOKYO
Senior diplomats from Japan, US, and South Korea agreed Tuesday to continue their efforts toward the denuclearization of North Korea through "dialogue and sanctions," a Japanese foreign ministry official said.
Their meeting in…
South Korea to take a position heavily in satellite technology with eye on North Korea
SEOUL
The South Korean government plans to spend 1.6 trillion won ($1.37 billion) by 2030 on developing state-of-the-art satellite and related rocket technology during a bid to strengthen its surveillance network as North Korea continues…
Release of Chinese film on Korean War canceled amid controversy
A South Korean film distributor has dropped its arrangement to release a Chinese movie depicting the 1950-53 Korean War according to the points of view of the country in the midst of reaction from war veterans and political conservatives.…
Chinese Embassy denies campaign against celebrity fandom targets South Korea
SEOUL
The Chinese Embassy in Seoul has denied growing speculation that Beijing's campaign against what it calls "chaotic" celebrity fandom partially targets South Korean entertainers, saying it would not undermine "normal" cultural…
Australian ministers will embark on joint visits to Indonesia, India, South Korea, US
Canberra, Australia
Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Peter Dutton will be visiting Indonesia, India, South Korea, and the United States, Australia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
This…
earthquake struck waters off South Korea’s southwestern coast
SEOUL
A 4.0 magnitude earthquake struck waters off South Korea's southwestern coast Saturday morning, with no harm announced, the weather agency said.
The shake happened in waters around 123 kilometers southwest of Gunsan, North…
South Korea’s Moon to nudge Biden on North Korea diplomacy
South Korean President Moon Jae-in is hoping Friday’s White House meeting with President Joe Biden will lead to renewed diplomatic urgency by the U.S. on curbing North Korea’s nuclear program. The White House, however, is signaling that it…
South’s Moon hopes to restart North Korean diplomacy with Biden
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea’s leader said Monday he’ll use his upcoming summit with President Joe Biden to push to restart diplomacy with North Korea, saying that the U.S. has opted for a diplomatic, phased approach to resolve the…
Can Asia reinvent global trade?
Bilahari Kausikan
Let’s not believe our own propaganda. Asia reinventing global trade is a superficially attractive but problematic proposition. It assumes there once was a free international economy open to reinvention. It assumes there…
Looking beyond the North in South Korean foreign policy
Chung Min Lee And Carnegie Endowment
As President Joe Biden begins to recalibrate the United States’ role and place in the world after Trump’s tumultuous presidency, South Korean President Moon Jae-in enters his last year in power. How…
Hong Kong and South Korea start coronavirus vaccination drives
Hong Kong
Hong Kong and South Korea kicked off coronavirus vaccination drives on Friday, as momentum builds for inoculation rollouts across the Asia-Pacific region.
South Korea plans to inoculate 70 percent of its population within…
North Korea exploited South Korean POWs ‘for decades’: report
Seoul
North Korea used South Korean prisoners of war and their descendants through several generations as slave labour in a vast network of coal mines, a rights group said Thursday.
Tens of thousands of South Korean prisoners of war…
South Korea launches Covid tests for pets
Seoul
Pet cats and dogs with a fever, cough or breathing difficulties will be offered coronavirus tests if they have been exposed to carriers, the Seoul metropolitan government said Monday.
The programme in the sprawling South Korean…
South Korea “downgrades” Japan’s status in defense white paper
Seoul, South Korea
South Korea's Defense Ministry dropped its description of Japan as a "partner" in the latest defense white paper published Tuesday, a move painted by local media as a "downgrade" that reflects worsening ties between…
South Korea leader picks former advisor as foreign minister
Seoul, South Korea
South Korea's president on Wednesday nominated a former top national security adviser as the next foreign minister of the country, local media reported.
Moon Jae-in picked Chung Eui-yong to replace Kang Kyung-wha, a…
The misplaced optimism of America’s Korea policy
The US legislature, whose responsibilities include overseeing the State Department and determining budgets for foreign policy activities, is devoting a notable amount of energy to strengthening the South Korea–US alliance. US legislators…
North Korea holds huge military parade as Kim vows nuclear might
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea rolled out developmental ballistic missiles designed to be launched from submarines and other military hardware in a parade that punctuated leader Kim Jong Un’s defiant calls to expand his nuclear weapons…
North Korea’s Kim adds title: General secretary of ruling party
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was given the title of general secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party formerly held by his late father and grandfather, state media reported Monday, in a move apparently aimed at…
North Korea threatens to build more nukes, cites US hostility
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened to expand his nuclear arsenal as he disclosed a list of high-tech weapons systems under development, saying the fate of relations with the United States depends on whether it…
Kim vows to improve ties with outside world at party meeting
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stressed the need to drastically improve his nation’s ties with the outside world as he addressed a major political conference for the third day.
State media said Kim also reviewed…
North Korea celebrates party anniversary amid economic woes
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea on Saturday celebrated the 75th anniversary of its ruling party with outside observers expecting leader Kim Jong Un to take center stage in a massive military parade in capital Pyongyang, where the North…
North Korea may show new missiles at weekend military parade
SEOUL, South Korea
For months, North Korea has been relatively uncombative, as leader Kim Jong Un grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, natural disasters and the deepening economic pain under years of tough U.S.-led sanctions.
But…
South Korea urges virus caution during major holiday
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea’s new coronavirus daily tally has remained in two digits for a third straight day as authorities called for public vigilance during one of the country’s biggest holidays.
The Korea Disease Control and…
North Korea accuses South Korea of intrusion to find official’s body
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea accused South Korea of sending ships across the disputed sea boundary to find the body of a man recently killed by North Korean troops, warning Sunday the alleged intrusion could escalate tensions.
South…
South Korea calls for North Korea to further investigate shooting
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea said Saturday it will request North Korea to further investigate the killing of a South Korean government official who was shot by North Korean troops after being found adrift near the rivals’ disputed sea…
South Korea police arrests defector trying to cross back to North Korea
SEOUL
South Korean police said on Sunday they had arrested a defector who tried to return to North Korea after a similar, successful crossing in July escalated tensions on the peninsula.
The defector, who had fled to South Korea in 2018,…
Sony to launch much anticipated PlayStation 5 in November
SAN FRANCISCO
As video gameplay booms during the pandemic, Sony’s much anticipated PlayStation 5 will be rolled out in November, taking on a new offering by console rival Xbox.
A streamed event showcasing games tailored for PS5 ended…
North Korea may conduct underwater-launched missile test
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea may soon conduct its first underwater-launched ballistic missile test in about a year, a top South Korean military official said Wednesday, amid long-stalled nuclear talks between the North and the United…
With Abe’s exit, Seoul seeks to mend Japan ties
KIM TONG-HYUNG
It took a bombshell resignation before Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe heard anything nice from South Korea.
The rare praise came after years of diplomatic rows and testy confrontations between Abe and South Korean…
Distancing rules to be eased in Seoul area
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea says it will ease social distancing rules in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area following a declining number of new coronavirus cases.
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo told an online briefing…
North-South Korean couples try to bridge 75-year division
SEOUL, South Korea
On their second date last year, feeling a little drunk at a seaside restaurant, Kim Seo-yun let slip a revelation to her South Korean love interest: She had fled North Korea a decade ago, something that sometimes made…
North Korea’s Kim urges quick recovery from typhoon damage
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for urgent efforts to rebuild thousands of homes and other structures destroyed by a typhoon that slammed the country’s eastern region last week, state media said Wednesday.
Kim…
Typhoon lashes South Korea after battering Japanese islands
SEOUL, South Korea
A powerful typhoon damaged buildings, flooded roads and knocked out power to thousands of homes in South Korea on Monday after battering islands in southern Japan, killing one person and injuring dozens of others,…
Seeking unity, North Korea’s Kim vows to overcome typhoon damage
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited typhoon-stricken areas in the northeast, fired a top official there and promised to send 12,000 workers from Pyongyang for recovery efforts, state media reported Sunday.
It’s…
Typhoon pummels South Korea, ship missing in rough waters
SEOUL, South Korea
A powerful typhoon ripped through South Korea’s southern and eastern coasts with tree-snapping winds and flooding rains Thursday, knocking out power to more than 270,000 homes and leaving at least one person dead.…
Samsung’s Lee indicted over controversial 2015 merger
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korean prosecutors on Tuesday indicted Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong on charges of stock price manipulation and other financial crimes, setting up what could be a protracted legal battle to determine whether the…
North Korean leader calls for readiness against virus, typhoon
SEOUL, South Korea
In a rare display of urgency, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held his third high-level political conference in as many weeks, where he raised alarm about the nation’s coronavirus response and a typhoon forecast to hit…
North, South Korea brace for strong typhoon, flights halted
SEOUL, South Korea
Hundreds of flights were canceled in South Korea while North Korea’s leader expressed concern about a potential loss of lives and crops as the countries braced for a fast-approaching typhoon forecast as one of the…
North Korea sets rare party meeting after economic shortfall
SEOUL, South Korea
With unusual candor, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un admitted that U.S.-led sanctions, the pandemic and devastating floods have hurt his country’s dismal economy as his ruling party scheduled a rare congress in January…
North Korea to hold key party meeting amid economic woes
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea will open a high-profile political conference on Wednesday to discuss unspecified “crucial” issues as it struggles to keep afloat a sanctions-ravaged economy hit further by its anti-virus efforts and…
North Korea lifts lockdown in city, rejects flood, virus aid
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un lifted a lockdown in a major city near the border with South Korea where thousands had been quarantined for weeks over coronavirus worries, state media said Friday.
But Kim, during a key…
Kim directs aid to North Korean town under virus lockdown
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un directed his government agencies to act immediately to stabilize the livelihoods of residents in a city locked down over coronavirus concerns, state media reported Thursday.
North Korea…
From scandal to accusations of disloyalty, SouthKorea’s new point men on North have dramatic…
Seoul, South Korea
South Korean President Moon Jae-in's new point men on North Korea face a daunting challenge: they must engineer a breakthrough in strained ties amid public scrutiny of their history with Pyongyang, which once landed them…
North Korea’s Kim marks war anniversary amid virus concerns
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited a national cemetery and handed out commemorative pistols to army officers, state media reported Monday, as he pushes to muster public support for efforts to contain a…
North Korea puts Kaesong city in lockdown over suspected outbreak
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un placed the city of Kaesong near the border with South Korea under total lockdown after a person was found with suspected COVID-19 symptoms, saying he believes “the vicious virus” may have…
Shares mixed in Asia as China-US tensions cast shadow
MITO, Japan
Shares were mixed in Asia on Thursday, as flaring tensions between the U.S. and China added to uncertainties overhanging regional markets.
Benchmarks rose in Hong Kong and Sydney but fell in Shanghai, Seoul and Taiwan. Asia’s…
Esper says US considering troop ‘adjustments’ in South Korea
WASHINGTON
The Pentagon is considering “adjustments” to its military presence in South Korea and around the globe as it shifts from years of countering insurgencies and militants in the greater Middle East to focusing on China, Defense…
North Korean leader berates officials over hospital project
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un berated construction managers for unspecified problems in building a showpiece hospital in comments reported Monday that may indicate the country is struggling to secure the supplies amid…
US envoy meets officials in Seoul as Kim honors grandfather
SEOUL, South Korea
President Donald Trump’s point man to North Korea met with South Korean officials on Wednesday for discussions on stalled nuclear diplomacy amid the North’s repeated claims that it has no immediate intent to resume…
North Korea rejects talks as US envoy arrives in Seoul
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea on Tuesday said it has no immediate intent to resume a dialogue with the United States as U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun arrived in South Korea for discussions on stalled nuclear diplomacy.
In…
Samsung projects 23% jump in 2Q profit on strong chip sales
SEOUL, South Korea
Samsung Electronics Co. said Tuesday its operating profit for the last quarter likely rose 23% from the same period last year, helped by robust demand for memory chips used in personal computers and servers as the…
North Korea says it has no plans for talks with US
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea on Saturday reiterated it has no immediate plans to resume nuclear negotiations with the United States unless Washington discards what it describes as “hostile” polices toward Pyongyang.
The statement by…
Seoul police say they’re questioning anti-North activists
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korean police said Tuesday that they’ve summoned two activists accused of raising tensions with North Korea by sending propaganda balloons or plastic bottles filled with rice across the border.
Park Sang-hak, a…
South Korea, US urge North to implement denuclearization pledges
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea and the United States urged North Korea to implement the disarmament pledges it made in past talks, saying Thursday the allies will keep pushing for diplomacy aimed at achieving the North’s complete…
South Korean activist floats leaflets to North amid high tensions
SEOUL, South Korea
A South Korean group launched hundreds of thousands of leaflets by balloon across the border with North Korea overnight, an activist said Tuesday, after the North repeatedly warned it would retaliate against such…
South Korea says Bolton’s memoir on Trump-Kim summit is distorted
Seoul, South Korea
Accounts by former US National Security Adviser John Bolton of discussions between leaders of the United States and the two Koreas in his upcoming book are inaccurate and distorted, South Korea said on Monday.
Bolton…
South Korea urges North not to send leaflets amid high tensions
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea on Monday urged North Korea to scrap a plan to launch propaganda leaflets across the border, after the North said it’s ready to float 12 million leaflets in what would be the largest such psychological…
South Korea reports 17 new cases, fewest in month
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea has reported 17 new cases of COVID-19, the first time its daily jump came down to the teens in nearly a month, as health authorities scramble to contain a resurgence of the virus centered around the greater…
South Korea to restrict visas, flights from Pakistan, Bangladesh
SEOUL
The South Korean government said Sunday that it will strengthen visa and entry restrictions for those from Pakistan and Bangladesh from this week, as the country has recently reported a surge in novel coronavirus cases imported from…
North Korea keeps sending small groups of troops to border sentry posts: source
SEOUL,South Korea
North Korea keeps sending small groups of troops to border sentry posts for bush clearance and road maintenance, a government source said Sunday, amid concerns it could deliver on its threat of military action against…
In memoir, Bolton says nuclear diplomacy with North Korea was South Korea’s…
WASHINGTON
Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has written in his upcoming memoir that the 2018 diplomatic efforts to denuclearize North Korea were South Korea's "creation," more than a serious strategy on the part of…
North Koreans are exploding with anger at South Korea: state media
SEOUL,South Korea
North Korea issued no new statements against South Korea for the second day Friday as state media reported that people from all walks of life in the communist nation are exploding with anger at the South.
The North has…
South Korean cases rise, Beijing outbreak stable
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea has reported 49 cases of COVID-19 as the virus continues to spread in the densely populated capital area where half of the country’s 51 million people live.
Figures released by the Korea Centers for Disease…
Vietnam in talks to ease entry for visitors from China, South Korea, Japan
Hanoi, Vietnam
Vietnam is holding talks aimed at easing the entry of citizens from China, South Korea and Japan into the country after restrictions on foreign visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on…
North Korea will pay price if it takes actual military action: South Korea
SEOUL,South Korea
South Korea's military warned Wednesday that North Korea will "pay the price" if it launches military action against the South.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff statement came hours after North Korea said it will redeploy…
North Korea seeks crisis to force concessions
Seoul, South Korea
North Korea's spectacular destruction of its liaison office with the South is part of a series of staged provocations aimed at forcing concessions from Seoul and Washington, analysts say.
The South's President Moon…
Black Lives Matter banner removed at US Embassy in Seoul
SEOUL, South Korea
A large Black Lives Matter banner has been removed from the U.S. Embassy building in South Korea’s capital three days after it was raised there in solidarity with protesters back home.
The banner was put up on Saturday…
Minister emphasizes summit spirit as Pyongyang threatens military action
SEOUL
South and North Korea should remember the spirit of reconciliation ingrained in the first-ever summit of their leaders held two decades ago, the unification minister said Monday, as tensions are growing after Pyongyang threatened to…
South Korea holds top security meeting over Pyongyang’s threats
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea's top security officials held an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss a series of recent threats by North Korea, including of military action, which have built up tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Chung…
South Korea detains 6 more Chinese nationals suspected of illegal entry
SEOUL,South Korea
Prosecutors on Saturday detained six more Chinese nationals suspected of having entered South Korea illegally, using small lifeboats to cross the waters between the two countries, bringing the total number of those…
North Korea leader says Pyongyang will take ‘next step’ against South Korea
SEOUL,South Korea
North Korea will take its next step against South Korea, for what it claims to be Seoul's betrayal and crimes against the communist state, it said Saturday, adding that its army has been entrusted to plan and take any…
South Korea capital adds more coronavirus cases
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea has reported 49 new coronavirus cases.
Most most of them are in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, where health authorities have been struggling to slow transmissions linked to entertainment and…
Woman’s search for birth parents leads to landmark South Korea adoption ruling
Seoul, South Korea
Decades after she was sent for adoption in the United States, Kara Bos’ quest to find her birth parents in South Korea moved a step closer on Friday when a Seoul court ruled that a South Korean man was her biological…
Moon calls for ‘bigger democracy’ in South Korea on historic uprising anniversary
SEOUL
President Moon Jae-in visited a highly symbolic site in South Korea's democratization Wednesday, the anniversary of a historic uprising in 1987 against the authoritarian rule of Chun Doo-hwan.
He attended the national ceremony to…
South Korea appoints new ambassadors to 8 countries in regular reshuffle
SEOUL
South Korea on Thursday appointed new ambassadors to eight countries, including Egypt, Canada and Bangladesh, in a regular reshuffle, the foreign ministry said.
Hong Jin-wook, former director-general for African and Middle Eastern…
South Korea’s new cases becoming harder to track
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea has reported 45 new cases of COVID-19, all but two of them in the greater capital area, continuing a weekslong resurgence that health authorities fear will develop into a massive wave.
The figures announced…
South Korea to charge defector groups over North leaflets
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea’s government said Wednesday that it will press charges against two activist groups that have been floating anti-Pyongyang leaflets and bottles filled with rice to North Korea.
Any action against the groups…
Virus forces cancellation of Asian peace prize
BANGKOK
A Philippine peace award has been canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, marking only the third disruption in six decades for the annual prize regarded as an Asian Nobel.
The Manila-based foundation that hands out the…
North Korea says it will cut communication channels with South
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea said it will cut off all communication channels with South Korea at noon Tuesday as it escalates its pressure on the South for failing to stop activists from floating anti-Pyongyang leaflets across their…
Jobs come first in South Korea’s ambitious ‘Green New Deal’ climate plan
Seoul, South Korea
The first stages of a South Korean government “Green New Deal” aiming to retool one of the world’s most fossil fuel-reliant economies is focused instead on protecting jobs as the country seeks to stimulate a…
South Korea’s cases surpass 50 for 2nd day
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea on Sunday reported 57 additional cases of the coronavirus, marking a second day in a row that its daily jump is above 50 as authorities struggle to suppress a spike in infections in the densely populated…
North Korea threatens to shut liaison office with South
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea threatened to permanently shut a liaison office with South Korea as it continued to condemn its rival for failing to prevent activists from sending anti-North Korean leaflets across the border.
The statement…
Seoul vows to stop border protests after Pyongyang’s threat
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea said Thursday it planned to push new laws to ban activists from flying anti-Pyongyang leaflets over the border after North Korea threatened to end an inter-Korean military agreement reached in 2018 to reduce…
Can you catch COVID-19 from delivered packages?
Seoul, South Korea
An outbreak of COVID-19 at a logistics center run by one of South Korea's largest online shopping companies has raised concerns over whether the virus can be transmitted by package deliveries.
Who's been infected?
More…
Protests spark virus fears in US; South Korea sees new cases
MIAMI
Protests around the U.S. against police brutality have sparked fears of a further spread of the coronavirus, while South Korea is reporting a steady rise in cases around the capital after appearing to bring the outbreak under…
In virus-hit South Korea, AI monitors lonely elders
SEOUL, South Korea
In a cramped office in eastern Seoul, Hwang Seungwon points a remote control toward a huge NASA-like overhead screen stretching across one of the walls.
With each flick of the control, a colorful array of pie charts,…
Spike in South Korea virus cases shows perils of reopening
SEOUL, South Korea
As Mediterranean beaches and Las Vegas casinos laid out plans to welcome tourists again, South Korea announced a spike in new infections Wednesday and considered reimposing social distancing restrictions, revealing the…
Homophobia threatens to hamper South Korea’s virus campaign
SEOUL, South Korea
As South Korea grapples with a new spike in coronavirus infections thought to be linked to nightspots in Seoul, including several popular with gay men, it’s also seeing rising homophobia that’s making it difficult for…
South Korean leader urges no panic as cases rise
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea on Sunday reported 34 additional cases of the coronavirus amid a spate of infections linked to club goers, as President Moon Jae-in urged calm, saying that “there’s no reason to stand still out of fear.”…
South Korea reports more virus cases, Pakistan eases curbs
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea reported 18 new coronavirus cases Saturday after bars and nightclubs were urged to close following a spate of infections, while Pakistan bowed to economic pressure and allowed some businesses to reopen…
Samsung’s Lee apologizes over management, union busting
SEOUL, South Korea
Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong on Wednesday expressed remorse but offered no clear admission of wrongdoing over his alleged involvement in a 2016 corruption scandal that spurred massive street protests and sent South Korea’s…
N Korea’s Kim Jong Un appears in public amid health rumors
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made his first public appearance in 20 days as he celebrated the completion of a fertilizer factory near Pyongyang, state media said Saturday, ending an absence that had triggered global…
South Korea investigating cause of fire after 38 workers die
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korean authorities on Thursday were investigating what caused a fire that killed 38 construction workers in one of the country’s deadliest fires in years.
The explosion that swept through a warehouse being built…
Questions over Kim’s health highlight intelligence limits
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s prolonged public absence has led to rumors of ill health and worries about how it could influence the future of what one analyst calls Northeast Asia’s “Achilles’ heel,” a reference to…
Satellite imagery finds likely Kim train amid health rumors
SEOUL, South Korea
A train likely belonging to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been parked at his compound on the country’s east coast since last week, satellite imagery showed, amid speculation about his health that has been caused,…
South Korea looking into reports about Kim Jong Un’s health
SEOUL, South Korea
The South Korean government on Tuesday was looking into reports saying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was in fragile condition after surgery.
An official from the National Intelligence Service, who didn’t want to be…
North Korea denies that Kim sent Trump ‘a nice note’
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea on Sunday dismissed as “ungrounded” President Donald Trump’s comment that he recently received “a nice note” from the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un.
Trump said during a press briefing on the coronavirus…
South Korea to start relaxing some limits
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea’s prime minister says the country will maintain much of its social distancing guidelines until May 5 but will relax some limits.
The comments by Chung Sye-kyun came hours after South Korea’s health…
South Korea reports 8 more cases over 24 hours
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea has reported eight more cases of the coronavirus over the past 24 hours, the first time for a daily jump in the country to drop to a single digit in about two months.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control…
South Korean ruling party wins vote held amid virus fears
SEOUL, South Korea
The ruling liberal party secured a resounding victory in South Korea’s parliamentary elections, which had the highest turnout in nearly three decades despite the coronavirus sickening thousands and forcing social…
Countries facing pressure to loosen virus restrictions
TOKYO
South Korean officials warned Monday that hard-earned progress fighting the coronavirus pandemic could be upset by new infections at bars and leisure spots, highlighting global tensions between governments desperate to maintain…
South Korea continues down trend in new cases
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea reported 32 additional cases of the coronavirus over the past 24 hours, a continued downward trend in new infections in the country.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement…
South Korea has 86 new cases, total over 10,000
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea has reported 86 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing its caseload above 10,000.
South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday said about half of the new cases came from the densely…
G20 coronavirus plan focuses on poorer countries’ debt problems
The Group of 20 major economies said on Tuesday that they would present a coronavirus action plan in two weeks to address the debt vulnerabilities of the poorest countries and deliver financial aid to emerging economies.
G20 finance…
South Korea shoe cobbler donates for needy amid coronavirus
PAJU, South Korea
Kim Byung-rok survived tuberculosis when he was 23, but was left with one good lung. In his work polishing and mending shoes, he inhaled too much dirt.
So when he bought land on a small, quiet mountain in 2014, he wanted…
South Korea coronavirus cases rise steadily, more financial aid expected
SEOUL
South Korea reported 78 new coronavirus cases on Monday, keeping the rate of infections fairly steady, as President Moon Jae-in held an emergency meeting with economic policymakers to discuss financial support for the public.
The…
North Korea fires missiles into sea, criticized by South
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea on Sunday fired two suspected ballistic missiles into the sea, South Korea said, calling it “very inappropriate” at a time when the world is battling the coronavirus pandemic.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of…
North Korea test fires missiles; Seoul slams it as inappropriate
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea on Saturday fired two presumed short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, South Korea’s military said, as it continues to expand military capabilities amid deadlocked nuclear negotiations with the Trump…
North Korea imposes ‘intensified’ measures to stem COVID-19
North Korea announced on Thursday that it has imposed "intensified" measures to stem the spread of novel coronavirus.
Pyongyang has so far claimed that the virus -- declared as a global pandemic by World Health organization -- has not…
Asia urges vigilance to maintain hard-won infection drops
TOKYO
Millions of people began holing up at home, stocking up on supplies and keeping a wary eye on how close they get to friends and neighbors as fear of the coronavirus spread to more places around the world Monday.
Resorts closed on…
South Korea reports more recoveries than coronavirus cases for the first time
SEOUL
South Korea reported more recoveries from the coronavirus than new infections on Friday for the first time since its outbreak emerged in January, as a downward trend in daily cases raised hopes that Asia’s biggest epidemic outside…
South Korea reports jump in coronavirus cases after call center outbreak
SEOUL
South Korea reported a jump in new coronavirus cases on Wednesday as authorities tested hundreds of staff at a call center where the disease appeared this week, reversing 11 days of slowing infections, health officials said.
Another…
In Malaysia’s Silicon Valley, fortunes flip as virus wrecks trade war gains
PENANG, Malaysia
Tech firms at Malaysia’s one-time Silicon Valley of the East, swimming in orders from customers fleeing trade war-hit China, have seen fortunes turn again in the space of just a year as the coronavirus outbreak cuts them…
PHOTOS: Life in the time of coronavirus
As cases of the coronavirus increase in Italy, Iran, South Korea, the United States and elsewhere, photographers around the world are capturing the impact on daily life.
Fear of the spreading illness has led to a run on sales of face…
North Korea fires weapons after threatening ‘momentous’ action
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korea fired three short-range projectiles off its east coast on Monday, South Korea’s military said, two days after the North threatened to take “momentous” action to protest outside condemnation over its earlier…
North Korea ends quarantine of some foreigners in virus move
SEOUL,South Korea
North Korea said Friday it has released about 220 foreigners from a quarantine imposed as part of its vigilant prevention efforts to avoid an outbreak of the coronavirus that has spread around the world.
The country has…
China’s crisis wanes as epidemic takes hold in US, elsewhere
BEIJING
China’s coronavirus caseload continued to wane Tuesday even as the epidemic took a firmer hold beyond Asia, with three countries now exceeding 1,000 cases and the U.S. reporting its sixth death.
The health ministry announced just…
Kim watches N Korea military drill alongside masked officers
SEOUL, South Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised an earlier live-fire rocket artillery exercise to confirm his military’s combat readiness and “further kindle the flames of training revolution,” state media said Tuesday.
The…
Desperate to stop virus’ spread, countries limit travel
SEOUL, South Korea
Police manned checkpoints in quarantined towns, governments issued travel warnings and more flights were suspended Tuesday as officials desperately sought to stop the seemingly inevitable spread of a new virus.
Clusters…
South Korea seeks ‘speedy resumption’ of U.S.-North Korea nuclear talks
South Korea’s foreign minister called on Monday for a quick resumption of stalled U.S.-North Korean nuclear talks, adding that her government stood ready to engage with Pyongyang to facilitate dialogue.
Kang Kyung-wha, addressing the…
Virus pushes beyond Asia, taking aim at Europe, Mideast
SEOUL, South Korea
The new virus took aim at a broadening swath of the globe Monday, with officials in Europe and the Middle East scrambling to limit the spread of an outbreak that showed signs of stabilizing at its Chinese epicenter but…
South Korean cases jump, China counts 150 more virus deaths
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea reported another large jump in new virus cases Monday a day after the president called for “unprecedented, powerful” steps to combat the outbreak that is increasingly confounding attempts to stop the spread.…
Cases rise in S Korea, China, as Iran, Italy battle outbreak
SEOUL, South Korea
South Korea and China both reported a rise in new virus cases on Sunday, as the South Korean prime minister warned that the fast-spreading outbreak linked to a local church and a hospital in the country’s southeast had…
Kim’s aunt reemerges after years of speculation about fate
SEOUL, South Korea
The aunt of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made her first public appearance in about six years, state media reported Sunday, quelling rumors that she was purged or executed by her nephew.
According to a Korean Central…
South Korea reports first coronavirus case
Seoul
South Korea on Monday confirmed the first case linked with the newly discovered virus in China, according to local media.
This has raised concerns that the coronavirus which causes pneumonia-like symptoms is set to spread across…
South Korea could pursue projects with North Korea despite sanctions: Moon
SEOUL
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said that it was too early to be pessimistic about stalled denuclearization dialogue between the United States and North Korea, and that inter-Korean cooperation could help ease the way for…
‘Smile with your eyes’: How to beat South Korea’s AI hiring bots and land a job
SEOUL
In cram school-obsessed South Korea, students fork out for classes in everything from K-pop auditions to real estate deals. Now, top Korean firms are rolling out artificial intelligence in hiring - and jobseekers want to learn how to…
Asian stocks rise ahead of US-China trade pact
BEIJING
Asian stock markets rose Monday ahead of the signing of a U.S.-Chinese trade pact as investors shrugged off weaker-than-expected American jobs data.
Benchmarks in Shanghai, Hong Kong and South Korea advanced. Japanese markets were…
South Korea expects reciprocal visit by North’s Kim
South Korea Tuesday said it is expecting a reciprocal visit by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un this year, local media reported.
"I hope South and North will make efforts together so that the conditions for Chairman Kim Jong-un's…
meet as North Korean threat looms
CHENGDU, China
Leaders from China, Japan and South Korea were meeting Tuesday against the backdrop of renewed threats from North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.
The trilateral meeting in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu…
U.S., North Korea talks ‘more important than anything’, South Korea tells China
BEIJING
It is “more important than anything” to keep up the momentum for talks between the United States and North Korea, South Korean President Moon Jae-in told Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday.
North Korea has set a…