A train derailed in central Seoul on Sunday, injuring some 30 passengers, the operator said. The derailment occurred at 8:52 p.m., when the Mugunghwa train with 275 passengers on board was entering Yeongdeungpo Station in central Seoul, according to the Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL). Six railroad cars including five passenger cars ran off the tracks, it added. The train was on its way to Iksan, in North Jeolla Province, some 180 kilometers south of the South Korean capital, from Yongsan, Seoul,

Candlelight vigils honoring the 156 people killed in the Itaewon crowd surge were held across South Korea over the weekend, with some gathering thousands of people. While the events were to commemorate the dead, some participants held signs calling for President Yoon Suk-yeol to step down and appeared focused on delivering a rebuke to the current administration. On Saturday, thousands of people gathered in central Seoul, paying tribute to the Itaewon victims and clutching white candles. Contrast

North Korea’s ramped up missile provocations last week highlight the deepening divide between the West and Pyongyang's allies China and Russia, building more tension on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea launched an unprecedented number of missiles last week, prompting the United Nations Security Council to hold an emergency council session on Friday to discuss ways to handle the multiple sanctions violations by Pyongyang. The meeting, however, failed to draw a unified voice to hold

Criticism against the anti-stalking law is rising again following a court's decision to acquit a man of stalking charges, based on the fact that the victim did not answer the defendant's repeated calls. The Incheon District Court announced Sunday that it had acquitted a 54-year-old man accused of stalking. The perpetrator was indicted on stalking charges after repeatedly calling and sending text messages to his former girlfriend from March 26 to June 3. In April, a restraining order wa

Mine operator hesitated to report accident; gave rescuers outdated mine plans

President Yoon Suk-yeol sent a thank you letter and gifts to two miners who were rescued from a collapsed mine in southeastern South Korea after more than nine days, a presidential spokesman said Sunday. The two miners walked out alive after being trapped for 221 hours in the zinc mine in the county of Bonghwa, 244 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Friday. "A new hope was given to the Republic of Korea weighed down with sorrow. I wish you a quick recovery," Yoon was quoted as saying in

One railway worker was killed and another injured after being struck by a cargo train in Uiwang, just southwest of Seoul, officials said Sunday. The accident occurred at 8:20 p.m. Saturday at Obong Station in Uiwang, killing the 33-year-old employee of Korea Railroad Corp. , the operator of railway services, they said. Another KORAIL worker was treated at the scene for symptoms such as hyperventilation. The workers were trying to connect and separate cargo trains at the time, they said. Police a

TOKYO -- A South Korean naval vessel was set to take part in Japan's international fleet review on Sunday for the first time in seven years amid escalating nuclear and missile threats from North Korea. South Korea is one of 14 countries, including host Japan, the United States, Canada and Australia, to take part in the review set to take place in Sagami Bay off Kanagawa Prefecture, about 40 kilometers southeast of Tokyo. South Korea's 10,000-ton logistics support ship Soyang entered the port of

South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 40,000 on Sunday amid concerns over a possible outbreak of a "twindemic" of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza during the winter. The country reported 36,675 new COVID-19 infections, including 66 from overseas, bringing the total to 25,838,239, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Daily infections jumped to 58,363 on Nov. 1 from 18,504 a day earlier but have been on the decline. The daily caseload stayed above 40,000 in

North Korea fired four short range ballistic missiles into the West Sea on Saturday, continuing military provocations for the fourth consecutive day. According to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, South Korean military detected four short range ballistic missiles fired from North Pyongan Province from 11:32 a.m. to 11:59 a.m. The missiles flew about 130 kilometers, reaching altitude of 20 kilometers, the JCS said, adding that South Korean and US militaries are currently carrying out further

South Korea and the United States will end their joint large-scale air drills as planned Saturday after they were extended for a day amid threats from North Korea. The Vigilant Storm exercise, which kicked off Monday, was originally set to run for five days but was extended by one day in response to North Korea's continued provocations, including the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Thursday. The combined air training involves some 140 aircraft from the South, includi

The United States on Friday called on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to hold North Korea accountable for its recent provocative actions that included the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield also stressed the importance of fully implementing the existing UNSC sanctions on the recalcitrant country. "Over the last week and a half the DPRK has exacerbated an extremely worrisome trend that we've seen all year; an increasing number o

BONGHWA -- Two miners trapped for more than nine days in a collapsed zinc mine in southeastern South Korea walked out alive Friday, authorities said. The pair had been stuck in a vertical shaft about 190 meters underground at a zinc mine in the county of Bonghwa, 244 kilometers southeast of Seoul, since the mine collapsed on Oct. 26. Rescue authorities said the two, both surnamed Park and aged 62 and 56, came out at 11:03 p.m. after 221 hours. They are in stable health condition and have been se

North Korea will surely "pay a price" for its escalating provocations, South Korea's top military officer said Friday, labeling a series of recent missile launches a "grave" threat to regional security as he held talks with the US air force commander. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum and US Pacific Air Forces Commander Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach held talks in Seoul earlier in the day to discuss the North's recent missile threat. During the meeti

South Korea’s two main political parties on Friday joined in criticism of North Korea for keeping up with its missile barrage while the country is grieving the 156 lives lost to the Halloween stampede in Seoul over the previous weekend. In a resolution adopted by its committee for national defense, the National Assembly said that North Korea firing missiles was a clear violation of both the September 2018 agreement and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1,718. The committee's re