Joseph Yun, a former US point man on North Korea, has been appointed to lead the Joe Biden administration's negotiations with three small Pacific Island countries, according to the Department of State on Tuesday. Biden picked the former Korean-American career diplomat as Special Presidential Envoy for Compact Negotiations, it said in a press release. "Ambassador Yun has more than 33 years of diplomatic experience, including as the US special representative for North Korea policy and as the

North Korea possesses significant cyber capabilities and works with all kinds of cyber criminals including those from Russia, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Tuesday. The remarks came after President Joe Biden warned of Russian cyber attacks. "All I can say generally is that North Korea cyber capabilities have been manifest in the world and they work with all kinds of cyber criminals around the world, including Russian cyber criminals," Sullivan said in a press briefing

The government should consider asking Pfizer whether it would be possible to produce copies of its COVID-19 antiviral pill Paxlovid in South Korea in exchange for royalties, the chairman of the transition team said Tuesday. Ahn Cheol-soo said the possibility was discussed during a meeting of the transition team‘s special COVID-19 committee the previous day. “We’re experiencing a severe shortage of Paxlovid and other oral treatment pills,” he said during a press briefin

Defense Minister Suh Wook on Tuesday rejected President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s claim that North Korea’s weekend artillery firing violated a 2018 inter-Korean military tension reduction accord. During a parliamentary session, Suh said the North fired shots Sunday from a site “far north” of a buffer zone in the Yellow Sea that the two Koreas agreed to set up under their Comprehensive Military Agreement. Earlier in the day, Yoon called the firing a “clear” viol

COVID-19 vaccinations for younger children are opening up too late in South Korea for them to benefit from the protection, according to a top immunization and pediatric infectious disease expert. The vaccine program for children aged 5 to 11 does not begin here until March 31. At that point the omicron wave would already be in retreat and many would have natural antibodies, said Dr. Choi Eun-hwa, the head of Korea’s national advisory committee on immunization practices. Speaking at a

Even though the global economic situation has dramatically changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and commitments to reach carbon neutrality, Korean companies have sought a way out of the difficulties in the economy through overseas expansion and exports. In order for businesses to enter global markets and achieve successful settlement overseas, it is vital to minimize the possibility of court battles by correctly understanding the laws and systems of other countries. However, Korean companies

South Korea’s daily COVID-19 infections jumped back up above 350,000 on Monday, the country’s health authorities said Tuesday, while the rapid spread of the stealth omicron variant cast doubt on the government’s projection that the peak of the current wave is ending. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the country added 353,980 new COVID-19 cases during the 24 hours of Monday, rising sharply from 209,169 reported a day earlier. The total caseload c

The election for the next director general of the International Labor Organization is scheduled for Friday, with all eyes on whether former Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha has a chance at becoming the first woman and first Asian leader in the organization’s 103-year history. 　 Kang, the country’s first female foreign minister, is competing for the ILO top job along with four other high-profile contenders. They include president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development

The plan to move the presidential office is bringing the incumbent and incoming administrations to a loggerhead, with each side raising concerns and complaints. President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday stressed the need to maintain readiness, in an apparent reference to President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s plans to relocate the offices of the president, Ministry of National Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff. Saying that the country currently faces a dire situation “inside and outside,” M

Military feels burdened with moving during US-South Korea joint military drills

The reason you haven’t contracted COVID-19 yet? Probably because you have no friends. At least, that’s what one South Korean physician believes. “The adults who have not yet been infected with COVID-19 are those who have interpersonal problems,” read a Facebook post uploaded by Ma Sang-hyuk, vice president of the Korean Vaccine Society, on March 16. The post was removed but a screenshot has been widely shared online, sparking controversy. Unlike other virus exper

A popular cherry blossom street in Seoul's Yeouido district will welcome visitors during the blossoming season later this month, the first time in three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said Tuesday. The street in Yeongdeungpo Ward, one of the most well-known spots to enjoy the spring flower in Seoul, is where the cherry blossom festival is held every year, but the festival has been canceled for two consecutive years due to the pandemic. This year, the ward office decided not to hol

Justice minister should be stripped of power to lead investigations, it argues

Poland is committed to supporting humanitarian aid to Ukraine amid dramatic geopolitical and international security changes caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, said Poland’s Ambassador to Korea Piotr Ostaszewski in an email interview with The Korea Herald on Monday. Ostaszewski stressed that Poland is helping Ukraine on an enormous scale in the refugee crisis and has received over 2 million refugees from Ukraine. “No one is left without a help,” he said. According

ASEAN-Korea Center on Monday released the first clip in a series of videos on the ASEAN-Korea startup ecosystem. The 12 videos were produced in collaboration with the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and the ASEAN Secretariat. Two general session videos will feature presentations by Roh Yong-seok, director general for startup promotion policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups; and Le Quang Lan, director of Market Integration Directorate at the ASEAN Secret