South Korea's Defense Minister Suh Wook reiterated calls Friday for military personnel to maintain political neutrality as rival parties are revving up preparations for the March 9 presidential election. Suh made the calls in his New Year's message that highlighted the Moon Jae-in administration's resolve to strengthen "across-the-board" national defense while trying to reduce cross-border tensions. "As the presidential election and local elections are slated for March and June,

   New of The Boyz put out his first self-written song “0329 from.24,” said agency IST Entertainment Friday. 　 Through the song the idol singer expressed his gratitude for the love he has received from fans and wrote a letter before the release of the song to elaborate. 　 “There have been many times I was lonely and sad but thanks to you I could be a happy 24-year-old. I made this song hoping that The B could get what little consolation whenever you are overwhelmed b

South Korea reported a sharp increase in omicron infections on Friday, with health authorities saying it was possible the coronavirus variant had already spread within the community. The country counted 269 new infections of the new variant, which pushed the total caseload to 894, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. It is the steepest gain since omicron was first detected in the country. Of the 269, 186 were foreign arrivals and 83 were local transmissions. Abou

For the top 10 contestants of TV Chosun’s K-pop audition program, “Tomorrow’s National Singer,” their range of music is what differentiates them from other outstanding singers from other audition programs. “From a folk singer to vocalist in a rock band and from a K-pop boy band to actor in a musical stage, all the members have unique charms to make an appeal to the public,” Park Jang-hyun said in an interview in Gangnam, southern Seoul, on Wednesday. “

The conservative opposition People Power Party‘s presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl asked the rhetorical question on Wednesday if he is an “idiot” to take part in a TV debate with his liberal rival Lee Jae-myung. His remark has now become a viral meme in online communities. At a campaign event on Wednesday in Andong, a conservative stronghold, Yoon dismissed a proposal by the candidate from the ruling Democratic Party to debate him. “The Democratic Party candidate w

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Friday that North Korea's denuclearization should be the "end goal" of South Korea's efforts to improve inter-Korean relations, in a message for Seoul's next administration set to be launched in May. Ban made the remarks in a New Year's message, as the incumbent Seoul government's efforts for cross-border rapprochement have remained stalled with little headway in the endeavors to denuclearize the North. "While tenaciously pushing to d

Five months since the official designation of Korea’s “gaetbeol,” or tidal flats, as a UNESCO world heritage, “tidal flat harvesting” has made its way onto the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list, the Cultural Heritage Administration said. Four tidal flat areas spanning Seocheon in South Chungcheong Province, Gochang in North Jeolla Province, Sinan, Boseong and Suncheon in South Jeolla Province, were collectively inscribed on the World Heritage List in July

At the turn of the year, South Korea’s 10-year-old gaming curfew on minors under the age of 16 will be lifted.  From midnight Friday, Koreans can play through the night as the anti-addiction system, introduced in 2011, is abolished, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on Friday.  Previously, those aged 16 or younger were banned from playing online computer games between midnight and 6 a.m.  The National Assembly in November passed a revision to the You

Main opposition presidential nominee Yoon Suk-yeol stressed Friday that his investigation of former President Park Geun-hye was carried out in the line of duty as a senior prosecutor amid speculation her release from prison could hurt his election chances. Park became a free woman at midnight under a presidential pardon after serving nearly five years in prison. Her release puts Yoon of the People Power Party (PPP) in an awkward position as he headed the investigation of Park's corruption scand

Kim Chong-in’s meeting with Lee Jun-seok fails to yield result