The top nuclear envoys of South Korea and Japan held talks in Tokyo on Monday to discuss cooperation in resuming dialogue with North Korea, amid renewed tensions caused by Pyongyang's recent cruise missile launches. The talks between Seoul's chief nuclear negotiator, Noh Kyu-duk, and his Japanese counterpart, Takehiro Funakoshi, came on the eve of their trilateral meeting with the US special representative for the North, Sung Kim. Earlier in the day, the North's official Korean Central News Ag

Six American soldiers and three family members have tested positive for the new coronavirus upon their arrival here, US Forces Korea (USFK) said Monday. Four of the service members and a family member arrived at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, on US government-chartered flights, while the others arrived at Incheon international airport, west of the capital, via commercial flights between Aug. 26 and Sept. 6, according to the US military. The latest cases raised the t

The National Assembly on Monday approved the resignation of Rep. Yun Hee-suk of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), who offered to resign following speculation allegations over her father's past real estate transaction. Yun, a former economist and a rising PPP freshman member, had offered to give up her seat and presidential bid last month after being included in a group of main opposition lawmakers who either themselves or their families were suspected of being linked to speculative

Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki on Monday raised the need to strengthen the monitoring of the property market as the latest rate hike and the talks of US tapering could increase market volatility. The minister also called for ways to encourage the private sector to take part in the government's efforts to increase the home supply. "There is a need to strengthen the monitoring of the housing market due to changes in real estate market conditions," Hong told a meeting with senior government

South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries Co. said Monday that it has been in talks with contractors to build liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers to transport the LNG to be produced in northern Siberia of Russia. But "nothing has yet to be determined in the talks," Samsung Heavy said in a regulatory filing. Samsung Heavy's announcement came shortly after a report by a local newspaper that the shipbuilder is likely to win orders estimated at about 3 trillion won ($2.6 billion)

The COVID-19 pandemic slashed South Korea's 2021-22 potential growth rate by 0.2 percentage point to 2 percent, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said Monday. South Korea's potential growth rate, which refers to the maximum possible rate an economy can grow without triggering inflation, has been on a steady decline due to a shrinking working-age population and mounting household debts. But the pandemic prompted the nation's potential growth rate to further decline as it dealt a heavy blow to small merchan

The amount of payments made electronically hit a record high in the first half of this year, central bank data showed Monday, as the COVID-19 pandemic prompted more people to engage in contact-free commerce. The daily average amount of electronic financial transactions came to 863.5 billion won ($738 million) in the January-June period, up 12.8 percent from six months earlier, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). The reading marked the highest amount since the central bank started

South Korea on Monday proposed a new pact on digital trade with Southeast Asia to cope with the changing global business environment and forge deeper economic ties with the region. Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo held a virtual meeting of economic ministers with his ASEAN counterparts to share opinions on various issues, covering trade and the environment, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Th

South Korea's industry ministry on Monday designated eight additional hydrogen-focused businesses eligible to receive state financial support, in line with the country's goal to slowly phase out conventional resources and go carbon neutral by 2050. The country launched a new law on promoting the hydrogen economy in February, under which companies whose business portfolio covers the sector can receive state subsidies of up to 150 million won (US$128,000). So far, 19 companies have been tapped to

Hyundai Motor Co. said Monday it has restarted production at a local plant on the resumed supply of electronic components. Hyundai Motor halted the Asan plant on Sept. 9 and 10 due to lack of chip parts, resulting in production losses of 2,000 vehicles, the company said in a regulatory filing. The 300,000-unit-a-year Asan plant produces the Sonata sedan and the Santa Fe SUV. Previously, the Asan plant suspended operations from July 13 to Aug. 6 to upgrade the facilities before it begins producti

State prosecutors on Monday requested that the judiciary sentence a murder suspect to death for killing three women of the same family in March. The suspect, Kim Tae-hyun, 24, was indicted on five counts of criminal charges, including murder, housebreaking and harassment in April. He was arrested at the victims' home in northeastern Seoul on March 25, where he allegedly killed a woman whom he had stalked, her mother and younger sister two days earlier. In the closing arguments at the Seoul No

South Korea's southern areas will likely receive heavy rain Monday due to the indirect influence of Typhoon Chanthu, currently moving toward the waters near Shanghai, the state weather agency said. The southern island of Jeju is forecast to see precipitation levels ranging between 30 mm to 50 mm per hour, with thunder and lightning expected on some parts of the island, due to the heavy winds from the typhoon approaching from the southwest, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (K

North Korea's official newspaper on Monday criticized officials in flood-hit eastern areas for carrying out flood prevention projects along rivers and streams in an irresponsible manner. "Workers in Sinhung County carried out water management efforts on rivers and streams where they were supposed to be focused in a very irresponsible manner just hoping for a luck," the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North's ruling party, said in an article. "In such counties as Hongwon and Hwad

South Korea will continue to protect freedom of expression of its people, the government has said in response after a UN expert called for the revision of a media bill that she said could seriously undermine press freedom. Irene Khan, the UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, made the request earlier this week, expressing concern that the ruling party-led bill would "severely restrict" the freedom of the press. The le

South Korea on Monday extended its special advisory against overseas travel for another month, the foreign ministry said, amid the continued spread of the new coronavirus. The measure, which calls for citizens to cancel or postpone trips abroad, will remain in effect until Oct. 13. The current advisory was set to expire Monday. The extension came as many countries struggle with the outbreaks of various COVID-19 variants around the world and continue to ban or restrict the entry of people arri