The amount of illegal narcotics confiscated in South Korea reached an all-time high last year, with an increase of foreign and juvenile drug offenders, government data showed. 　According to the data compiled by the Supreme Prosecutors Office, a total of 1,295.7 kilograms of illegal drugs were confiscated in 2021, more than a threefold jump from a year earlier. 　Noticeably, the amount of major illegal drugs - including methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana - soared more than five times on-ye

North Korea appears to be continuing operations at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex with signs of some facilities even being expanded, a North Korea information provider said, citing recent satellite imagery. The assessment came amid concerns the recalcitrant and unpredictable regime may carry out another nuclear test in the near future. Commercial satellite photos taken from April 27 through May 14 of the site, north of Pyongyang, indicate ongoing operations at its 5 MWe reactor as well as exp

North Korea's state media outlets remained silent Thursday about the previous day's launch of three ballistic missiles, including an apparent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). As of 9 a.m., the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Korean Central Television and Rodong Sinmun, the daily of the country's ruling Workers' Party, had made no mention of the launches, which marked the North's 17th show of force this year. The South's Joint Chief

North Korea reported no new deaths for the third consecutive day and over 105,000 new suspected COVID-19 cases Thursday amid its virus outbreak. More than 105,500 people showed symptoms of fever, but no deaths were reported 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 in the nation, with a population of 24 million, ca

NEW YORK/ WASHINGTON -- The United Nations Security Council plans to vote this week on a US-led push to impose additional sanctions on North Korea for its recent ballistic missile launches, according to news reports Wednesday. A related session will be held in New York on Thursday, diplomats were quoted as saying amid a view that China and Russia -- the veto-wielding members of the council -- will likely vote against strengthening sanctions against Pyongyang. The US government has called on the

WASHINGTON -- The United States continues to support providing COVID-19 vaccines to North Korea despite the country's recent missile provocations, a senior US diplomat said Wednesday. Mark Lambert, deputy assistant secretary of state for Japan and South Korea, also reiterated that the US remains open to dialogue with the North to discuss any issue. "The US position remains unchanged even in light of these most recent escalatory actions. We continue to support humanitarian assistance an

  Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Wednesday defended a reported nominee for the head of government policy coordination, citing his rich experience as an economic bureaucrat. President Yoon Suk-yeol has been reportedly considering nominating Yoon Jong-won, chief executive of the state-run Industrial Bank of Korea, as the minister for the Office for Government Policy Coordination, which is in charge of assisting the prime minister. The ruling People Power Party voiced opposition to his nom

A group of exchange students at Hanyang University on Wednesday had to face an overtly discriminatory caution sign written in red when they arrived at the university to get tickets for the university’s annual festival. About a hundred foreign exchange students waited in line to get tickets to enter the festival’s main performances, featuring popular celebrities including Psy. However, they were told that they were barred from the “Hanyang Zone,” the area directly faci

Presidential office strongly condemns NK’s missile launch, calling it ‘grave provocation’

The family of Lee Dae-jun, the man killed by North Korean soldiers at sea about a year and a half ago, filed for the release of information now archived as presidential records on Wednesday. “The court sided with the family last November, and ordered Cheong Wa Dae to release the information on the case,” the attorney representing the family, Kim Ki-yun, told reporters outside the Presidential Archives building in Sejong, North Chungcheong Province. “But Cheong Wa Dae appea

With just a few days left until the June 1 local elections, 26-year-old rookie politician Park Ji-hyun dropped a bombshell on the liberal opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Wednesday, openly calling on the party’s old guard to retire. Park, who is only four months into partisan politics yet leads the main opposition party’s interim leadership as its co-head, said the party is in need of drastic reforms, attributing its failure to win over voters to a culture of tolerance tow

Calibrated, planned missile launches aim to deliver protest message to Biden, resist alliance effort to advance combat readiness against N. Korea

As South Korea grows more multicultural, more voices call for legal framework to stop racial discrimination

China and Russia protest as US president travels to Seoul, Tokyo to bolster regional prominence

Korea’s performance test satellite to be loaded on homegrown launch vehicle