South Korea's new coronavirus cases jumped to over 260,000 on Tuesday as the spread of the omicron variant slowed down after peaking out last month. The country reported 266,135 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total caseload to 14,267,401, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Tuesday's tally marked a sharp climb from 127,190 reported Monday. The number of new daily cases usually shrinks at the beginning of the week due to less testing over the weekend. The number

The United States has more room to maneuver in waters around the Korean Peninsula to help deter further provocations by North Korea and will continue to cultivate such options, the commander of the US Pacific Fleet said Monday. Adm. Samuel Paparo also said North Korea's recent missiles launches are "deeply, deeply concerning." "We are cultivating some options for a demonstration of our bilateral commitment to the security, the stability and the well being of the Republic of Korea,

Seoul plans to transfer space technologies to private sector, but dismisses chances of dual use

The presidential transition committee for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol has collected reports on current affairs that need to be handled by the incoming government, and will use them to develop tangible policies, the committee spokesperson said Monday. “In the general meeting, each of the subcommittees at the transition committee submitted the first rough draft of reports on current affairs to designate the priority state tasks. The committee will now review the reports to further develo

Ending social distancing in two weeks may be “hasty,” a COVID-19 adviser on President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s transition committee said Monday, raising concerns over the government’s intention to dial back protocols. Dr. Jung Ki-suck, one of the COVID-19 experts on the presidential transition committee, said during an interview with a public broadcaster that “lifting restrictions completely two weeks from now seems a bit hasty.” On keeping mask mandates indo

In shaping his Cabinet, the president-elect office is considering several former vice ministers and seasoned politicians as likely members, including Rep. Park Jin for Foreign Ministry and Rep. Choo Kyung-ho for the economy, according to sources Monday. 　 Kim Eun-hye, the spokesperson for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday that Yoon would be spending much time reviewing the potential candidates for his Cabinet this week. “We are making efforts so that we can release the formatio

Yoon vowed to restore strained relations, but it’s not that simple, experts say

Those recovered find new perspectives on life and friendship, indoor hobbies and quarantine-friendly apps

IT giant eyes expansion into entertainment business, mulling acquisition of SM Entertainment

Government expects number of COVID-19 deaths, severe cases to peak this week or next

Ministry says omicron-driven virus peak at schools has passed

Winner tasked with navigating Democratic Party-dominated assembly

Police on Monday raided the Gyeonggi provincial government building as part of an investigation into allegations that the wife of former ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung misused local government credit cards when Lee was governor. Kim Hye-kyung, Lee's wife, came under fire weeks ahead of the March 9 presidential election following revelations that she used credit cards of the Gyeonggi government for personal shopping and eating. Lee was Gyeonggi governor from 2018-2021. Investig

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will deliver a virtual address to South Korean lawmakers next week, the chairman of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee said Monday. Zelenskyy's speech will be delivered virtually at the National Assembly Library at 5 p.m. on April 11, Rep. Lee Kwang-jae of the ruling Democratic Party said on MBC radio. "We need to clearly raise our voice (against Russia's invasion of Ukraine) in the international community," he said. "Parliamentary

More than 12,000 migrant workers will enter South Korea in the first half of this year to relieve labor shortage in farming and fishing areas, the justice ministry said Monday. Of the total of 12,330 migrant workers invited to the country, 100 from the Philippines first arrived here on Monday, with 200 more expected to come by Wednesday. The 300 Filipino workers have been invited by the Yanggu county government in the eastern Gangwon Province ahead of the busy farming season. Last week, the just