The United States will stand by South Korea and other allies to counter North Korean provocations, the Democratic Party's 2024 policy platform has showed, reiterating the party's commitment to cementing regional alliances for stronger deterrence. The party released the platform Sunday, the eve of the four-day Democratic National Convention, where Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are to be celebrated as the Democratic nominees for president and

Foreign Affairs Aug. 20, 2024

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Monday instructed officials to closely monitor Typhoon Jongdari, which is anticipated to begin impacting the Korean Peninsula starting the next day. He urged officials to conduct thorough inspections, and proactively secure seashores and other vulnerable areas to "prevent any casualties." Additionally, he instructed them to take measures to protect fishing infrastructure, buildings and other structures from strong winds. He also highlighted the importance

Social Affairs Aug. 19, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol called for bolstering readiness against North Korea's "gray zone" provocations and hybrid warfare as South Korea and the United States kicked off their annual joint exercise on Monday. Yoon said during a Cabinet meeting that this year's Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise will focus on integrating the allies' capabilities under various crisis scenarios to deter North Korea's evolving military threats, psychological warfare and cyberattacks. "W

Politics Aug. 19, 2024

The leader of the ruling People Power Party said Monday he welcomes an offer of talks that opposition leader Lee Jae-myung extended upon his reelection as leader of the main opposition Democratic Party the previous day. PPP leader Han Dong-hoon made the remark at a party meeting while congratulating Lee on his reelection and voiced hope their envisioned meeting could lead to "substantial progress" on several stalled livelihood-related issues. "I hope we can set a time and place as

Politics Aug. 19, 2024

Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres exited his latest game with a shoulder injury after a dive back to first base on a pickoff attempt. Kim hurt his right shoulder during the top of the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver on Sunday. He opened that inning with a single off the starter Bradley Blalock, and with Luis Arraez at the plate, Kim dove safely back to the bag when the right-hander tried to pick him off. After the safe call, Kim immediately signaled to the d

Baseball Aug. 19, 2024

South Korean stocks opened nearly flat on Monday as investors cashed in profits following recent gains amid the eased fears of a potential recession in the United States. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) edged down 0.58 points, or 0.02 percent, to 2,696.65 in the first 15 minutes of trading. South Korean stocks tumbled by the most on record to a near nine-month low on Aug. 5 amid intensifying fears over a US economic slowdown, crashing 8.77 percent to close at 2,441.55. Se

Market Aug. 19, 2024

The South Korean baseball league set a new single-season attendance record on Sunday, surpassing a 7-year-old mark with more than a month left on the season. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced the attendance for the season reached 8,407,887 as of Sunday afternoon, after all 23,750 tickets were sold out for the evening tilt between the Kia Tigers and the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. The previous record had been 8,400,688 fans from the 2017 season, covering 720 ga

Baseball Aug. 18, 2024

The state weather agency said Sunday it will publish its first-ever white paper on heat waves as South Korea experiences record-breaking temperatures this summer. The paper, set to be released by the end of this year, will cover the history and causes of heat waves, provide midterm and long-term forecasts, and examine the impact of heat waves on society, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. Although the KMA has previously issued papers on monsoons and typhoons, this will be the

Social Affairs Aug. 18, 2024

The state media watchdog said Sunday that it will swiftly review punitive measures against public broadcaster KBS for airing an opera performance featuring Japan's national anthem that many South Korean viewers found inappropriate for Liberation Day. A series of complaints have been filed since KBS' airing of "Madama Butterfly," an opera featuring traditional Japanese attire and Japan's national anthem, on Liberation Day that commemorates the end of Japan's 1910-45

Social Affairs Aug. 18, 2024

South Korea's two largest cities of Seoul and Busan have shattered records for the longest streaks of tropical nights as a relentless heat wave grips the nation. Seoul experienced its 27 consecutive tropical night, with the lowest temperature of 27.2 degrees Celsius recorded between Friday night and early Saturday morning, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. This extended the record for the longest number of tropical nights in a row since modern meteorological observations

Social Affairs Aug. 17, 2024

Following the World Health Organization's declaration of mpox outbreaks in Africa as a global health emergency, South Korean authorities have decided to ramp up quarantine and surveillance measures. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced the decision after a meeting with medical and academic experts Friday to discuss the potential of mpox entering the country and response strategies. KDCA officials and experts determined that the current domestic mpox situation remains ma

Social Affairs Aug. 17, 2024

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has attended a demonstration class for children from flood-hit regions, state media reported Saturday, as part of a series of efforts to emphasize his concern for the victims of recent heavy downpours. Kim visited the school located at their accommodation in Pyongyang on Friday, which had been prepared for victims from flood-affected areas in the North Phyongan, Jagang, and Ryanggang provinces, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Heavy rains in late July

North Korea Aug. 17, 2024

Interpark Commerce filed for a debt restructuring program with the Seoul Bankruptcy Court on Friday, following in the footsteps of two sister e-commerce giants amid a liquidity crisis. The company's request for an autonomous restructuring support (ARS) program came 18 days after TMON and WeMakePrice filed for the same program to negotiate with creditors for rescheduling overdue payments. With Friday's decision, all three Korean e-commerce companies under Qoo10 are now subject to the co

Social Affairs Aug. 16, 2024

Health authorities said Friday they plan to supply treatments for 260,000 COVID-19 patients, as the nation saw a surge in cases due to a summer wave. "We have started contacting global pharmaceutical companies after recognizing that treatments are being used more widely than before, and the supply will start this week," Park Ji-young, a senior official from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), said. The KDCA added that it will have treatments available nationwide by

Social Affairs Aug. 16, 2024

The presidential National Security Council (NSC) held a meeting Friday to discuss measures to enhance cybersecurity for defense contractors to address concerns about hacking attacks targeting military technology. Shin Yong-seok, the presidential secretary for cybersecurity, led the meeting with officials from the state-run arms procurement agency, the spy agency, the police and the Defense Counterintelligence Command, following recent reports of alleged hacking attempts on local defense companie

Politics Aug. 16, 2024