An employee of Woori Bank, one of South Korea's largest domestic banks, has been taken into custody after he turned himself in for embezzling about 50 billion won ($39.5 million) from the company, police said Thursday. The employee, whose identity was withheld, confessed to his actions at Namdaemun Police Station in central Seoul at around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to officials. The confession was made while police were taking measures to issue a travel ban on the employee after they recei

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases went down to fewer than 60,000 on Thursday as most of the country's virus restrictions have been lifted amid the slowdown of the omicron wave. The country added 57,464 new COVID-19 infections, including 21 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 17,144,065, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Thursday's tally is slightly down from 76,787 cases reported Wednesday and sharply down from 90,867 a week earlier, the

WASHINGTON -- US President Joe Biden will visit South Korea and Japan in late May for summit talks with his counterparts, the White House announced Wednesday. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the president will visit South Korea and Japan from May 20-24, without providing further details of his planned trip. An official in Seoul said the US president is scheduled to visit Seoul from May 20-May 22. "President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will visit the Republic of Korea and Japan from May

Severe cases drop to 500s for first time in about nine weeks

The presidential transition team’s vice spokesperson on Wednesday denied a report that President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s wife, Kim Keon-hee, might lead an art exhibition at Cheong Wa Dae. It refuted a Yonhap report on Wednesday which quoted an aide to Kim saying that the incoming first lady could categorize artworks owned by Cheong Wa Dae and introduce them to the public. “It’s only a natural idea that Kim, who has expertise in art curation, helps open the art collection

Kim In-chul, the nominee for deputy prime minister and education minister, denied allegations that his family unfairly received Fulbright scholarships from an association he was closely related to, arguing all procedures were fair. On Wednesday, the parliamentary confirmation hearing team for the Education Ministry representing Kim released a statement denying the allegations brought against his family over the scholarship. “Suggesting Kim’s family was selected as recipients becau

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol comes into office as South Korea’s huge omicron wave is subsiding. Daily cases have been falling for six consecutive weeks, now down by nearly 80 percent from the peak in mid-March. The presidential transition team’s COVID-19 task force on Wednesday unveiled a plan illustrating how the new administration would handle the recovery phase of the pandemic. Last week incumbent President Moon Jae-in celebrated “the return of normal” before the

Rodong Sinmun calls for people to realize leader’s efforts to protect country as war, instability span globe

Lack of weaponry support leaves Seoul, Tokyo off list

People Power Party looks to fight with filibuster citing negative public opinion

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol will meet separately with World Economic Forum (WEF) Chairman Klaus Schwab and US think tank Heritage Foundation founder Edwin Feulner on Wednesday to discuss cooperation in economic and security issues, his spokesperson said. With Schwab, Yoon is expected to exchange views on the Fourth Industrial Revolution and plans regarding the upcoming WEF Forum in Davos, Switzerland, according to Yoon's spokesperson Bae Hyun-jin. "As the Yoon government pledged to make t

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's spokesperson hit back at President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday for criticizing Yoon's plan to relocate the presidential office out of Cheong Wa Dae, saying the outgoing president should focus on his duties in the little time he has left in office. Moon voiced his concern during an interview with JTBC that aired Tuesday, saying he personally did not think it was "appropriate" to move the presidential office without thoroughly collecting the public's opinions

Fine dust will rise to "very bad" levels in South Korea's central region, including the greater Seoul area, on Wednesday morning due to the influx of yellow dust originating from deserts in northern China and Mongolia, the state weather agency said. The density of fine dust particles smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter, known as PM 10, will reach "bad" levels in the eastern Gangwon Province and most of the southern region, including Jeju Island, according to the Korea Met

Seven politician-turned-ministers in the outgoing Moon Jae-in administration are likely to step down on May 9, a day before incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol is inaugurated, a political source said Wednesday. The seven ministers, including Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae, Justice Minister Park Beom-kye and Interior Minister Jeon Hae-cheol, have agreed to resign on the day that Moon's term ends, according to the source. Four other ministers are Unification Minister Lee In-young, Environment Ministe

WASHINGTON -- The United States' objective remains the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, a state department spokesperson said Tuesday, despite North Korea's pledge to further strengthen its nuclear capabilities. Ned Price also reiterated the US holds no hostility toward the North, urging the reclusive country to return to dialogue. "Our goal remains the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,:" the department press secretary said in a press briefing. The rem