Web cartoons and web novels, rising as mainstream forms of Korean content, will join the official collection list of the National Library of Korea. The National Library said Tuesday it has amended the related regulations for the first time in 11 years to expand the criteria of the “official types and forms of online data to be collected.” According to Article 20-2 of the Libraries Act, the National Library of Korea collects and preserves online materials with high preservation val

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed above 12,000 for the second consecutive day Thursday amid eased antivirus restrictions as the country is seeking to restore pre-pandemic normalcy. The country added 12,161 COVID-19 infections, including 65 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,200,346, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Thursday's figure marked a slight fall from the previous day's 13,358. The daily caseload had been below 10,000 fo

　The number of executives at South Korea’s major firms expanded 4.5 percent on-year in the first quarter of the year despite the coronavirus pandemic, a corporate tracker said. 　A total of 353 leading companies in Asia’s fourth-largest economy had a combined 14,418 executives as of end-March this year, up from 13,803 a year earlier, according to the Leaders Index. 　The figure covers companies out of the country’s top 500 corporations by sales that have disclosed their first-

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Thursday he does not believe former President Lee Myung-bak should be kept in prison for decades, given similar instances in the past. Speculation has grown that Lee, who is serving a 17-year prison sentence for corruption, could be pardoned on the occasion of Liberation Day on Aug. 15, after the 81-year-old former president reportedly filed for a suspension of his sentence over health issues last week. "Don't you think it isn't right to have him imprisoned for

Ruling People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok was to return home Thursday from a trip to Ukraine. Lee and a group of PPP lawmakers visited the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and other cities ravaged by Russia's invasion and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials for discussions on various support measures. The delegation was scheduled to arrive at Incheon International Airport around 4 p.m., officials said. (Yonhap)

North Korea held a key Worker's Party meeting earlier this week with leader Kim Jong-un in attendance to discuss state policies, state media said Thursday. On Wednesday, Kim presided over the 5th enlarged plenary meeting of the party's 8th Central Committee, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). It was not immediately known what the agenda was, though the KCNA reported earlier that the meeting will be held to make an interim review of state policies for 2022 and

North Korea's new fever cases stayed below 60,000 for the second consecutive day, its state media reported Thursday, nearly a month after the reclusive nation announced a COVID-19 outbreak. Over 50,860 more people showed symptoms of fever over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters. The total number of fever cases since late April came to over 4.3 million as of

WASHINGTON -- South Korea's top representative to the UN on Wednesday called on North Korea to stop its provocative activities and engage in dialogue. Amb. Cho Hyun made the remarks in a UN General Assembly meeting in New York to discuss the recent failure of the UN Security Council to pass a resolution regarding North Korea. "We are here today to debate the outcome of the Security Council meeting held on May 26. It is with deep regret that the Security Council, for the first time in h

WASHINGTON -- The United States is closely monitoring the possibility of North Korea conducting its seventh nuclear test, which if conducted, will prompt a robust response from the US, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Wednesday. He, however, said the US remains open to dialogue and will continue to do so. "We are also watching very closely the continuing possibility of a nuclear test, to which we would also have a robust response," Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force O

Campaign banners used for the June 1 local elections will be reborn as products such as bags and wallets according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday that it will promote a recycling project in cooperation with Seoul districts and Seoul Upcycling Plaza to reuse the campaign banners as materials for everyday products. Campaign banners used in elections are usually thrown away or burnt, causing environmental issues. They are normally made o

Unlike Europe, South Korea does not ban expressions of hatred against individuals or groups, unless it is tantamount to defamation. This may change soon, as some lawmakers move to protect former President Moon Jae-in from loud, vulgar rallies outside his retirement home. On Wednesday, a total of 15 lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, to which Moon belongs, proposed a legislative motion to revise the demonstration law to ban hate speech during protests – the firs

Korea and Vietnam will seek to elevate bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the two sides’ leaders agreed in a videoconference, Seoul officials said Wednesday. According to a press release from the presidential office, President Yoon Suk-yeol and Vietnam’s Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong held a video call in the morning to exchange views on ways to develop Korea-Vietnam relations, Korea-ASEAN cooperation and international issues. The two leaders ev

From managing sizable social media accounts, leaving positive comments on web portals to prioritizing a favorite politician over a party, political fandoms are getting more organized and louder online

Monkeypox assigned same threat status as COVID-19

Defense chiefs of S. Korea, US, Japan to discuss enhancing security cooperation