BUSAN/YANGSAN, South Gyeongsang Province -- In one of his first steps in the new year, Democratic Party of Korea chair Rep. Lee Jae-myung on Monday visited the residence of former President Moon Jae-in, skipping President Yoon Suk-yeol’s New Year event held on the same day. Monday’s meeting took place behind closed doors, with at least hundreds of meters from the vicinity of the ex-president’s residence barricaded, barring access to dozens of reporters who were there. Lee left

The South Korean military on Monday belatedly apologized for triggering public alarm last week by test-launching a solid-fuel space launch vehicle unannounced and pledged to find ways to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents. The Defense Ministry shared the details of the test flight that was conducted by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD) on Friday after sunset in waters off the western coast to verify the performance of a homegrown solid-fuel space rocket. The ministry und

President meets key political figures except for opposition leader who declined to attend

Health authorities consider gift vouchers to incentivize updated boosters

South Korean police unveiled Monday plans to ramp up human rights protections for foreign suspects through a new set of standards and a new policy. The Korean National Police Agency said it would seek to make video recordings of custodial interrogations involving foreign suspects mandatory beginning this year at their request in case they need an interpreter. Foreigners would be among those eligible to request video recording of their statement to police, along with those who are illiterate or

The Ulsan District Court said Monday that it has turned down a Chinese national's request to nullify the immigration office's order to leave the country after the long-term resident was convicted of driving under the influence. The court dismissed the plaintiff’s request that was made on the basis of procedural defect, and said the Chinese national, who was caught drunk driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.183 percent in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in July 202

In one of the world’s busiest metropolises, Seoul is home to over 9 million people and now, officially, at least 15 otters. Following a series of otter sightings along the Han River which cuts across the megacity, local authorities last week announced that 15 Eurasian otters are confirmed to be inhabiting there. The analysis, conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, is based on footage of surveillance cameras installed along the Han River. Otters, which are most active at night, wer

Ruling People Power Party leader Chung Jin-suk said Monday he has delivered a congratulatory personal letter from President Yoon Seok Yeol to Brazil's new president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Chung left for Brazil last week to attend Lula's inauguration ceremony as a special presidential envoy. "After attending the inauguration event of the Brazilian president, I separately met with President Lula and delivered President Yoon Suk Yeol's letter," Chung wrote on Facebook.

South Korean Catholics on Monday mourned the loss of former Pope Benedict XVI, led by tributes by religious leaders. Benedict, who served as the head of the Catholic Church from 2005 through 2013, died Saturday morning (local time) in the Vatican monastery at the age of 95. He retired for health reasons to become the first Catholic pope to abdicate in 600 years. Myeongdong Cathedral set up a memorial altar in the underground sanctuary one day after his death to commemorate Benedict XVI, which wi

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell for the sixth consecutive day Monday amid concerns over a wintertime surge, with the government beginning to require a PCR test for travelers from China as the virus spreads in the neighboring country. The country confirmed 22,735 new coronavirus infections, including 35 from overseas, bringing the total to 29,139,535, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. The daily caseload has been on a steady decline since Tuesday when the figure jump

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Monday the government will keep up the pace of labor, education and pension reforms this year, in an effort to increase productivity and revive the economy. "We will carry out in earnest the three major reforms of labor, education and pension, and the three major innovations of the finance, service and public sectors," Han told the government's kick-off ceremony for the new year. "In particular, labor reform will succeed without fail," Ha

President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating fell for the first time in three weeks following the intrusion of North Korean drones into South Korea's airspace last week, a poll showed Monday. In the poll of 2,511 voters conducted by Realmeter from Monday to Friday last week, 40 percent positively assessed Yoon's job performance, down 1.2 percentage points from the previous week. Yoon's disapproval rating was 57.2 percent, up 0.6 percentage point. The fall could be attributable t

ULSAN-- A court has ruled in favor of the immigration office's decision to deport a foreigner convicted of drunk driving, court officials said Monday. In accordance with the Immigration Control Act, immigration authorities issued the deportation of the Chinese national after he was handed down a suspended prison term for driving while under the influence of alcohol and causing car accidents. The Chinese national then filed a lawsuit with the Ulsan District Court, asking the court to nulli

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the mausoleum of his late grandfather and father in his first reported public activity this year, according to Pyongyang's state media Monday. Kim paid tribute at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the bodies of state founder and his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, and his father, Kim Jong-il, are enshrined, on the occasion of the start of the new year, the Korean Central News Agency said. The visit to the mausoleum came after he unveiled this year'

N. Korea seeks to deliver hawkish message to Yoon Suk-yeol government, say Seoul-based experts