An average of 65 unlicensed Chinese fishing boats have been appearing in waters near the western inter-Korean sea border every day this month ahead of the April-June crab catching season, a sharp rise from about 15 boats on average during the same period last year. According to the Coast Guard, the average number of illegal Chinese fishing boat entries across the western inter-Korean sea border, known as the Northern Limit Line (NLL), for March represents a fourfold increase compared to 2020. Th

About half of South Koreans are against President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's plan to move the presidential office out of Cheong Wa Dae, while some 44 percent support the idea, a poll showed Wednesday. According to the poll of 1,004 adults, conducted by pollster Embrain Public on Sunday and Monday, 51.9 percent said the presidential office should remain at Cheong Wa Dae and 44.3 percent said they back the relocation plan. Yoon has decided to move the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae to what

South Korea's new daily COVID-19 cases rose to over 420,000 Wednesday amid concerns over the continued rise in seriously ill patients and deaths over the fast spread of the highly transmissible "stealth omicron" subvariant. The country added 424,641 new coronavirus infections, including 42 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 12,774,956, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The daily count shifted to an upturn Tuesday after five days of a consta

Transition Committee Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo has withdrawn from consideration for prime minister in the incoming government, political sources said Wednesday. Ahn has been considered a top candidate for the No. 2 political office after he dropped out of the presidential race to support the campaign of now President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol. On Tuesday, he met with Yoon and expressed his intent not to serve as prime minister, saying he would like to focus on the transition team, according to the source

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol proposed a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at an early date after the Ukraine-Russia war ends, his spokesperson said Wednesday. Yoon made the proposal during a phone call with Zelenskyy on Tuesday, Kim Eun-hye said during a press briefing when asked if she could disclose details of the conversation. Kim initially said Tuesday that details would not be revealed "as Ukraine is currently in a state of war." "Fruitful cooperation h

WASHINGTON -- The United States is still analyzing the nature of North Korea's last missile test that probably involved an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a Pentagon spokesperson said Tuesday, amid reports that Pyongyang may have falsely claimed success in developing a new ICBM. John Kirby, however, said the US continues to remain concerned about North Korea's efforts to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities. "We are still analyzing this last test," the depa

US President Joe Biden (R) and visiting Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong are seen holding a joint press conference following their bilateral talks at the White House in Washington on Tuesday in this image captured from the White House' website. (White House' website) WASHINGTON -- US President Joe Biden and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called on North Korea to engage in serious dialogue Tuesday, reaffirming their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean P

South Korea on Tuesday protested against Japan’s approval of textbooks that it said distorted history by renewing claims over disputed islands and removing words that show the coercive nature of Japan’s wartime forced labor and sexual slavery.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, expressed “deep regret” over the Japanese government’s approval of textbooks that distort historical facts to suit its own perspective, and urged Tokyo to immediately re

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday evening spoke on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia. “President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol held a phone call with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at 5 p.m. on Tuesday,” Yoon’s spokesperson said in a written statement. “As Ukraine is currently in a war situation, please understand that it is difficult to disclose the details of the call,” the s

End of isolation not always full recovery

Presidential pledge has nation discussing whether to press criminal charges on 12-year-olds

N. Korea could ‘rapidly restore access’ to yet unused tunnel for seventh nuclear test

Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday denied recent rumors regarding the first lady’s expenses over clothes and fashion items, saying that no state funds had been used. “The groundless assertions related to first lady Kim Jung-sook using special activity expenses for costumes to wear at official events are completely false,” Shin Hye-hyeon, deputy spokesperson for Cheong Wa Dae, said at a briefing Tuesday. “National budget, including special activity expenses, have not been drawn

Protests turn into political strife; opposition parties lash out at ruling party leader

Australia has imposed its own sanctions against two Russian entities and a North Korean company linked with the reclusive regime’s recent test of an intercontinental ballistic missile. 　 Canberra also condemned the launch as a serious escalation of the North’s “destabilizing behavior” that poses an “unacceptable risk to our region.” 　 The Pyongyang-based Korean Ungum Corp. and two Russian firms, Russian Financial Society and Commercial Bank Agrosoyuz have be