South Korea plans to mobilize all policy means to minimize the economic fallout of the Ukraine crisis and reduce market volatility amid growing tensions between the United States and Russia over the region, a senior government official said Tuesday. The government plans to implement contingency measures if Russia invades Ukraine and the US and its allies' move to impose strong sanctions heightens economic uncertainty, according to First Vice Finance Minister Lee Eog-weon. "The government pl

A total of 5,764 students in Seoul have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past week, more than doubling the number from a week earlier due to the fast growth in new omicron variant cases, officials said Tuesday. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the number of virus cases among kindergarten to high school students in the capital from Jan. 7 to Sunday increased 3,009 from 2,755 in the previous week. In-class infections climbed by 157 to 589, but the rate of in-school trans

South Korea will ask for New Zealand's support for its push to join a mega free trade agreement in the Asia-Pacific region during an upcoming ministerial meeting, Seoul's trade ministry said Tuesday. Seoul's planned application for a membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will be one of the major agenda items for talks between South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and New Zealand's Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O'Connor se

A woman in her 40s has been killed while under police protection, officials said Tuesday, in the latest in a series of preventable deaths expected to spark calls for better protection measures for such victims. The victim, whose identity was withheld, was having a drink with an unidentified man at a bar in Seoul's western Guro district when a man in his 50s visited the bar and stabbed the two Monday night, officials said. She was taken to a hospital but died, while the other man was under treatm

South Korea reaffirmed its commitment to comprehensive vaccine support for Asia's developing countries during a virtual session hosted by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to Seoul's foreign ministry Tuesday. Second Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-moon delivered the message at the COVID-19 Global Action Meeting held the previous day. Choi said South Korea will offer a "support package," including vaccine supplies, cold chains, storage logistics, to help improve health car

　The proportion of apartments bought by people in their 30s or younger reached an all-time high last year amid “panic buying” over soaring housing prices, data showed. 　The buyers in this age group accounted for 31 percent of the country’s total apartment sales in 2021, up from 29.2 percent in 2020, according to the data compiled by the Korea Real Estate Board. 　The agency began compiling the related data in 2019, and the figure for that year came to 28.3 percent. 　In Seoul

South Korea's daily COVID-19 infections rose sharply to hit another high of over 57,000 cases Tuesday, putting health authorities on alert amid the fast spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant across the nation. The country reported 57,177 new COVID-19 infections, including 57,012 local cases, raising the total caseload to 1,462,421, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The latest figure marked the sixth day in a row that daily infections have surpassed

WASHINGTON -- The US government on Monday advised its people against travel to South Korea amid reports of widespread COVID-19 infections in the Northeast Asian nation. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added South Korea to the "very high" risk Level 4 category, along with five other countries and territories, including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Comoros, French Polynesia and Saint Pierre and Miquelon "If you must travel to South Korea, make sure you are vaccinated

The official presidential campaign period kicked off Tuesday for a 22-day run, allowing candidates to rally on streets and ad campaigns to hit the air in a final appeal to voters ahead of the election on March 9. Lee Jae-myung, the candidate of the ruling Democratic Party, launched his campaign of the official period at the stroke of midnight with a visit to a vessel traffic control tower in the southeastern port city of Busan. Yoon Suk-yeol, the candidate of the main opposition People Power Par

North Korea will issue commemorative coins to mark the upcoming birth anniversary of its late leader, state media reported Tuesday, in a move to kick up a festive mood for the national holiday. The standing committee of the Supreme People's Assembly decided to issue the gold and silver coins in celebration of the 80th birthday of Kim Jong-il, late father of current leader Kim Jong-un, which falls on Wednesday this year, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. The coins are

A natural earthquake struck near North Korea's nuclear test site again Tuesday, South Korea's weather agency said, marking the fourth quake to hit the region in just five days. The 2.5 magnitude quake struck about 38 kilometers north-northwest of Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, at 6:52 a.m., the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said. "It has been analyzed as a natural earthquake," an agency official said. The epicenter was at a latitude of 41.29 degrees north and a longitude o

Two minor natural earthquakes hit near North Korea's nuclear testing site Monday, South Korea's state weather agency said. A 2.3 magnitude tremor occurred about 36 kilometers north-northwest of Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, at 2:33 p.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). At 7:47 p.m., another 2.3 magnitude quake struck about 37 kilometers north of the region, where North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear testing site is located, the KMA said. Both are presumed to have o

A total of 14 candidates will run in the March 9 presidential election, the state election commission said Monday as it concluded the two-day candidate registration. The National Election Commission said 11 people registered their names Sunday and three more joined the race Monday. On Sunday, Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party, Ahn Cheol-soo of the centrist People's Party and Sim Sang-jeung of the minor progressive Justi

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