On early Sunday, the otherwise quiet village of Pyeongsan in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province was disrupted by sounds blaring from a minivan covered with insults about former President Moon Jae-in. “My protest is for Moon to receive legal punishment for the crimes he committed, and be expelled from Yangsan,” said Choi Young-il, a Seoul resident and member of the group calling itself the Freedom-Justice-Truth-Revolution Party. A month had passed after Moon had stepped down as pre

South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell sharply to around 5,000 on Monday due to fewer tests over the weekend, with health authorities working to return to pre-pandemic normalcy. The country added 5,022 COVID-19 infections, including 17 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,168,708, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The daily caseload fell from 9,835 a day earlier, marking the lowest number in 139 days since 4,068 cases were reported Jan. 18. Few

South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 10,000 on Sunday due to fewer tests the previous day as the country works to return to pre-pandemic normalcy. The country added 9,835 COVID-19 infections, including 48 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,163,686, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. The daily caseload is down from 12,048 on Saturday. Daily infections have shown a downward trend after posting an all-time high of over 620,000 in mid-March. The

Police on Saturday apprehended a university student who allegedly posted an online message threatening a terror attack on the home of President Yoon Suk-yeol. The man in his late teens was nabbed on the southern island of Geoje, about 400 kilometers south of Seoul, the Seocho Police Station in Seoul said. The student, currently on leave of absence, told police he posted the threat in anger over Yoon's breach of his campaign pledge to more than triple conscripted soldiers' salaries. The

South Korea's new coronavirus cases inched down Saturday as the country works to return to pre-pandemic normalcy.   The country added 12,048 COVID-19 infections, including 41 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,153,851, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The daily tally is down from 12,542 on Friday and from 14,396 a week earlier. Daily infections have shown a downward trend after posting an all-time high of over 620,000 in mid-March.

Cho Kuk, who was justice minister for ex-President Moon Jae-in, on Friday denied involvement in the college admissions scandal, insider trading tied to a family-owned firm and other charges that his wife was found guilty of and sentenced to jail for. In January, the Supreme Court confirmed a four-year term for Cho’s wife Chung Kyung-shim on a dozen charges. Most notably Chung was convicted of fraudulently securing her two children’s admissions to colleges and grad schools, and tra

The main blaze in a wildfire in the southeastern city of Miryang is expected to be brought under control on its fourth day Friday, officials said. The fire broke out on a hill in Miryang, around 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul, early Tuesday and has so far burned nearly 752 hectares of woodland. About 110 residents have evacuated their homes, but no casualties or property damage have been reported yet. Overnight, 1,300 personnel battled the blaze and the containment rate was raised to 92 perce

Police are investigating an online post threatening a terror attack at the home of President Yoon Suk-yeol in southern Seoul, officials said Friday. The post was uploaded on the online community FM Korea at around 8:40 p.m. Thursday, threatening to launch a terror attack at Yoon's house at 6 p.m. Friday, according to the police officials. After an unidentified person reported the post to the National Intelligence Service, the Seocho Police Station beefed up security around Yoon's home,

South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 10,000 on Thursday due to fewer tests being conducted amid the previous day's local elections. The country added 9,898 COVID-19 infections, including 32 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,129,313, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Daily infections have shown a downward trend after posting an all-time high of over 620,000 in mid-March. The death toll came to 24,212, up 15 from Wednesday, with t

MIRYANG -- Dozens of firefighting helicopters battled to bring a wildfire in the southeastern city of Miryang under control Thursday, as the blaze continued for the third day, scorching nearly 650 hectares of woodland, authorities said. The fire that broke out on a hill in Miryang, around 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul, early Tuesday, is continuing to spread rapidly, driven by strong winds and a dry spell. Forestry and firefighting authorities dispatched 53 helicopters to resume their firefig

The South Korean government on Wednesday mobilized 57 choppers to help contain a wildfire in the southeastern city of Miryang, while vowing to make all-out efforts to put out the blaze. The fire broke out on the previous day on a hill in Miryang, around 280 km southeast of Seoul. As of 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, firefighters said about 62 percent of the blaze had been brought under control. The number of helicopters sent to the scene is higher than 51 deployed to fight another wildfire that broke ou

South Korean film attendance numbers nearly shot back up to the pre-pandemic level in May, data showed Wednesday, with a couple of big hits leading the charge. According to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), movies screened in the country amassed a combined 14.55 million admissions in May, the highest monthly figure since 16.84 million from January 2020 -- the last full month before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The May figure was also a massive jump from just 3.21 million admissions in April. During

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell to below 16,000 Wednesday amid a slowing virus trend, as authorities take steps for a return to pre-pandemic normalcy. The country added 15,797 COVID-19 infections, including 44 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,119,415, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The daily cases have marked a steady decline since the all-time daily high of more than 620,000 in mid-March. The infection numbers have fallen to five di

WASHINGTON -- The countries that sign on to the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) will receive priority consideration for any future investment from American companies, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Tuesday. Raimondo also insisted that US businesses seeking to relocate out of China will look first look at those countries. "This is a perfect concrete example of the potential power of the Indo Pacific Economic Framework, because if we get this right, IPEF will create a

South Korea's transportation ministry is considering lifting the curfew for arrivals at Incheon International Airport, the main gateway to the country, from July at the earliest, as part of efforts to return to pre-pandemic normalcy, sources said Tuesday. Currently, there are no arrival flights allowed at Incheon Airport from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in April that the pre-pandemic returns at Incheon International Airport may be considered aft