President Moon Jae-in will preside over a National Security Council meeting Thursday to discuss long-term security threats, Cheong Wa Dae said, amid expectations the session would focus on the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Thursday's meeting was aimed at discussing security challenges between 2021 and 2030, but Russian attacks in Ukraine and their geopolitical ramifications are likely to top the agenda. South Korea said it will ban exports of strategic items to Russia and join inter

UNITED NATIONS -- The UN General Assembly voted at an emergency session Wednesday to demand an immediate halt to Moscow's attack on Ukraine and the withdrawal of all Russian troops, with sustained applause breaking out after a formidable show of support among the 193 member nations against the invasion. The vote on the "Aggression against Ukraine" resolution was 141-5, with 35 abstentions. It came as Russia bombarded Ukraine's second-largest city and besieged two important ports, and a

Last month, a group of men who identified themselves as feminists held a press conference in central Seoul. The move made headlines, bucking the trend in a country where young men, often characterized as anti-feminist, have emerged as an important voting bloc in the upcoming presidential election. “Abolishing the Gender Equality Ministry or sending women to the military will not improve gender equality or solve the issues young men face,” the group, named Ordinary Guys Who Take Acti

Samsung Group heir Lee Jae-yong has been cleared of allegations that he evaded taxes through the establishment of a paper company in the British Virgin Islands, according to police Thursday. The financial crime unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it decided not to file tax evasion and other charges against the Samsung Electronics Co. vice chairman in a case launched after the Youth Justice Party filed a criminal complaint last year. The party filed the complaint after Lee was purpo

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases fell below 200,000 Thursday, with health authorities staying on alert over the spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant. The country reported 198,803 new coronavirus infections, including 198,749 local cases, raising the total caseload to 3,691,488 according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Daily infections surpassed 200,000 for the first time Wednesday, a day after the government suspended the enforcement of the vaccine

North Korea has canceled the annual Pyongyang marathon due to the COVID-19 pandemic for the third consecutive year, a tour agency has said. The event, also known as the Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, was originally scheduled for April 10 in Pyongyang, but Koryo Tours, a Beijing-based tour agency specializing in North Korea tours, said on its website, "2022's Pyongyang Marathon has officially been cancelled." The agency said the marathon for next year will be held on Apr

Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum tested positive for COVID-19 in a rapid antigen test, his office said Thursday. He is currently waiting for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result at his official residence, the office added. Kim reportedly felt symptoms of the novel coronavirus after visiting Daegu on Monday. (Yonhap)

Lee, Sim corner Yoon for insensitive comments on women’s rights

But ruling party candidate vowed earlier he will tax carbon emissions and public land ownership

Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung asked Justice Party candidate Sim Sang-jung to work together to form a unified government when Sim criticized the ruling party for failing to create a safe working environment in a televised debate on Wednesday. Referring to Kim Yong-gyun, who died while working alone at the Taean Thermal Power Plant in 2018, Sim criticized the Democratic Party for failing to keep promises to hire subcontractor workers as full-time workers related to life and safety wo

Ruling party candidate argues state is wholly responsible for all losses incurred from COVID-19 pandemic

South Korea is moving its mission in Ukraine from Kyiv to a "safe area" in the country as Russia is stepping up military actions in the country, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday. Ambassador Kim Hyung-tae and other embassy staff were moving to the new location along with six South Korean nationals who expressed intent to move out of the city, according to the ministry. It was not immediately clear to which city the embassy is relocating. The decision was made as it became &q

Lee will shift strategic focus to enhance capability to counter nuclear, WMD threats

A presidential candidate should know better than to seek going viral with ‘Tangerine support’

Discourse with public diplomacy experts