Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Wednesday that the government will keep a ban on in-person visits to nursing homes and long-term care hospitals for the elderly during the Chuseok fall harvest holiday in a precaution against COVID-19. The policy guidance from the government came as daily COVID-19 cases rebounded to over 150,000 Tuesday, with health authorities staying vigilant against the resurgence of the omicron subvariant. "It is a very regrettable measure, but it is inevitable for the h

Russian military aircraft entered South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) without notice Tuesday, prompting the Air Force to scramble fighters to the scene, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The JCS did not provide details, like the number of Russian planes and their types. The entry into KADIZ came amid tensions between Seoul and Moscow over the latter's invasion of Ukraine and the former's participation in international moves against the armed conflict. "Regarding

Partisan bickering ramps up over their revival

Sino-US rivalry puts Seoul in difficult position, but ‘decoupling’ from China is unrealistic, experts say

Jungwook Hong, founder and chairman of the plant-based food producer Organica, took office as the chairman of Worldwide Fund for Nature’s Korea office on Tuesday. Hong has worked closely with WWF-Korea since 2017, joining the organization’s board of directors in that year, and as a private and corporate sponsor of the organization. “Climate change is the biggest crisis humankind faces, and we are the last generation that can solve the situation. The fate of all living thing

Female-bodied mannequins traded online for home use, amid strong government regulations

North Korea ratchets up saber-rattling using Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise as a pretext, however

Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming said relations between South Korea and China are declining, but that they could be solved by developing a mature, independent and stable relationship while preserving the core interests of the two. “The current situation is complex and serious. Relations between China and South Korea have entered a new phase,” Xing said at a forum on Tuesday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Korea-China relations in Seoul. He admitted that the mu

Amid the ongoing pandemic, schools in Seoul are to continue normal operations, with the local education office promising to strengthen support for students’ mental health. “All schools will run under ‘normalcy attendance’ scheme in the second semester, operating face-to-face classes,” Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon said at a press briefing at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on Tuesday. “If the spread of COVID-19 worsens, however, schools can auton

Speaking at an event to mark the 30th anniverary of bilateral ties in Seoul on Monday, Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming vowed greater developments with South Korea over the next 30 years. He said establishment of China-South Korea diplomatic relations 30 years ago broke decadeslong barriers, opening the way for new chapters in bilateral and regional relations.　 Stressing the great importance China places on its relations with South Korea, Xing said that the two countries were at

Uzbekistan will hold the International Ziyarah Tourism Week from Nov. 1-7 in different regions of Uzbekistan. The country will host exhibitions of religious books published in Uzbekistan, works of religious scholars and the Quran, Islamic calligraphy, Naqshband crafts and themed souvenirs showcasing modern Islamic architecture at the Bahauddin Naqshband Memorial Complex and Naqshband Crafts Center in Bukhara. Regional events will comprise of a conference on the Islamic heritage of Uzbekistan u

Former Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Seong-yong was questioned Tuesday by an independent counsel team looking into the military's handling of the suicide death of a servicewoman who allegedly suffered sexual abuse. Lee appeared before the office of special prosecutor Ahn Mi-young in Seoul in the morning to face questioning as a witness. The team, launched this June, is probing into suspicions surrounding the death of Lee Ye-ram in late May 2021, including whether military officials attempted

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Tuesday he will take special care of struggling citizens to prevent the recurrence of tragedies such as the recent apparent suicides of a mother and her two daughters. Speaking to reporters as he arrived for work, Yoon shared the story of the family who was found dead at their home in Suwon, south of Seoul, after reportedly struggling with illness and financial difficulties. "I have told the people until now that when it comes to welfare, which is the foundation

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) has decided to take steps to pursue disciplinary action against a party lawmaker who came under fire for making remarks wishing for more rain during voluntary cleanup work in the wake of massive downpours, officials said Tuesday. Rep. Kim Sung-won drew strong criticism in early August after he was caught on TV cameras saying he wished more rain would fall for better public relations effects of their voluntary work, even though the downpours, believed to be the

South Korea's new daily COVID-19 cases rebounded to over 150,000 Tuesday after declining over the previous five days, with health authorities staying vigilant against the resurgence of the omicron subvariant. The country added 150,258 new COVID-19 infections, including 504 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 22,449,475, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Daily infections jumped to 180,771 cases on Aug. 17 from 62,056 a day earlier. The daily tally then fe