S. Korean, Peruvian presidents agree to expand defense, minerals cooperation

President Yoon Suk Yeol and his Peruvian counterpart, Dina Boluarte, agreed to strengthen cooperation in the defense industry and the mineral sector during their summit in Peru on Saturday. The talks, held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, came as Seoul has been seeking to expand cooperation with Peru, an increasingly crucial partner for South Korea given its rich mineral resources and growing potential for deeper bilateral defense industrial collaboration. Yoon a

Foreign AffairsNov. 17, 2024

Biden calls on Xi to use China's clout to prevent NK troop dispatch to Russia, warns of NK provocations

US President Joe Biden called Saturday for China to use its clout to prevent an escalation of Russia's war in Ukraine through the dispatch of more North Korean troops, while raising concerns over the possibility of Pyongyang engaging in provocations, a senior US official said Saturday. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan elaborated on the discussions that Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping had during their talks on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima,

Social AffairsNov. 17, 2024

Yoon affirms S. Korea's commitment to lead carbon-free energy initiatives

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday pledged South Korea's commitment to leading efforts to expand use of carbon-free energy and foster inclusive growth among members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. "South Korea will cooperate with APEC members to achieve their carbon neutrality goals in an economically viable manner through the Carbon-Free Energy Initiative," Yoon said, according to a summary provided by his office. Yoon detailed plans to lead technological collaboration

Foreign AffairsNov. 17, 2024

Yoon, Ishiba voice concerns over NK-Russia military cooperation, agree to continue 'shuttle diplomacy'

Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed "strong" concerns over military cooperation between North Korea and Russia and decided to continue "shuttle diplomacy" during their talks in Peru on Saturday, Yoon's office said. Yoon and Ishiba held their second in-person summit in a month on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Lima, amid rising concerns over North Korea's troop deployment to Russia in support of Moscow's protracted war

Foreign AffairsNov. 17, 2024

Cleaners accused of killing injured cat on street

Cleaning workers contracted by a city government who were asked to help an injured stray cat, killed the animal instead, touching off controversy over alleged animal cruelty, local media outlets reported. The employees of a cleaning company working for the Incheon Seo-gu Office were dispatched to the scene on Nov. 9, following a request to rescue the injured cat, according to the district office on Wednesday. After reaching the street in Seoknam-dong where the cat was found, they used cleaning t

Social AffairsNov. 16, 2024

S. Korea sees decrease in female executives at state-run firms, organizations

The number of female executives at government-run organizations and companies has decreased by 10.7 percent since 2022, a report by a corporate analysis firm showed Thursday. Leaders Index said it analyzed data from the state-run All Public Information In-One system and found that 741 executives at public companies and organizations were women in 2024. This accounts for 20.6 percent of all executives at the state-run bodies. The female portion among higher-ups at state-run groups dropped from 83

Social AffairsNov. 16, 2024

After grueling Suneung, most test-takers want part-time jobs

For high school seniors and graduates who took South Korea’s college entrance exam, or Suneung, on Thursday, the most popular post-exam plan was to work a part-time job, according to a survey. More than half, or 51.3 percent, of 931 test-takers said they want to get a part-time job after the national exam, according to Alba Cheonguk, a job search website on Wednesday. The top reason for wanting a part-time job was “to earn money independently" at 59 percent, followed by desire

Social AffairsNov. 16, 2024

Yoon proposes forum for AI standards among APEC economies

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday proposed establishing a forum among Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation members to set standards to promote the integration of artificial intelligence and manufacturing industries. Yoon stressed APEC's significant role in global manufacturing during the APEC CEO summit, a business forum held alongside the APEC summit in Lima, as he noted the world has ushered in an "era of grand AI transition" that affects corporate competitiveness and national secu

Foreign AffairsNov. 16, 2024

Yoon calls for global solidarity against N. Korea-Russia military cooperation at APEC

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol made an emphatic call for international solidarity against growing military ties between North Korea and Russia and urged the two countries to halt their "reckless" military adventure as he attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru on Friday. In a keynote speech, Yoon condemned "illegal" military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow as intelligence reports have confirmed that North Korean forces have been engaged in

Foreign AffairsNov. 16, 2024

Yoon, Biden hold farewell summit in Peru

President Yoon Suk Yeol and US President Joe Biden held a farewell summit in Peru on Friday as they looked back on their partnership and reaffirmed efforts for enhancing the bilateral alliance, Yoon's office said. The meeting followed a trilateral summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo told reporters. During the 10-minute meeting, Yoon thanked B

Foreign AffairsNov. 16, 2024

Yoon asks China's Xi to play 'constructive' role in N. Korea's provocation, military cooperation with Russia

President Yoon Suk Yeol asked Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday to play a "constructive" role in North Korea's provocations and Pyongyang's deepening military cooperation with Russia in support of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Yoon made the remark at a summit with Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Lima amid heightened concerns over North Korea's repeated ballistic missile tests and troop deployment to Russia, Principal Deputy Natio

Foreign AffairsNov. 16, 2024

S. Korea, US, Japan unveil secretariat establishment, decry NK-Russia decision to expand Ukraine war

  The leaders of South Korea, the United States and Japan announced the establishment of a secretariat for trilateral cooperation and condemned North Korea and Russia's decision to "dangerously expand" Moscow's war in Ukraine as they met on the margins of a multilateral summit in Peru. President Yoon Suk Yeol, US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba issued a joint statement after they held a trilateral meeting in Lima on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Ec

Foreign AffairsNov. 16, 2024

Yoon holds 1st summit with sultan of Brunei to boost bilateral ties

President Yoon Suk Yeol met with Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on Friday (local time) to explore ways to expand bilateral ties across defense industry, infrastructure and digital technologies, Yoon's office said. Their first summit took place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit held in Lima, Peru. Yoon highlighted the bilateral economic ties in crude oil trade and construction projects, expressing hope to expand cooperation to include new areas su

Foreign AffairsNov. 16, 2024

Yoon says military cooperation between N. Korea, Russia aimed at maintaining leaders' power

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has said North Korea and Russia are "colluding" on military cooperation to maintain their leaders' grip on power, according to an interview published Friday. Yoon, who is in Lima to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, made the remark in a written interview with Peruvian newspaper El Comercio, after Seoul's spy agency confirmed North Korean soldiers deployed to Russia's Kursk region on the western frontline have

PoliticsNov. 15, 2024

Court halts Yonsei University admissions process over exam leak

The Seoul Western District Court on Friday accepted an injunction filed by students and parents to suspend the validity of Yonsei University’s early admissions entrance exam in October, following allegations that exam questions were leaked prior to the test. The court ruled to “suspend the continuation of subsequent procedures” related to the early admissions exam until a ruling is made in a lawsuit demanding the exam be readministered. The decision effectively halts the announ

Social AffairsNov. 15, 2024

Suspended prison term puts opposition leader’s Assembly seat, candidacy at risk

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was handed a suspended one-year prison sentence Friday for allegedly making false statements during the 2022 presidential campaign -- a ruling that, if upheld, could cost him his parliamentary seat and derail his presidential ambitions. Lee, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea and a prominent likely contender in South Korea’s 2027 presidential race, announced plans to appeal the ruling, saying the court’s conclusions were “n

PoliticsNov. 15, 2024

Seoul to stay committed to Paris climate pact through Trump’s 2nd term

The Yoon Suk Yeol administration will uphold its commitment to the Paris Climate Accord throughout Donald Trump’s second term, despite mounting global concerns that the US president-elect may once again withdraw his country from the agreement, according to the Environment Ministry. Son Ok-ju, deputy minister of the Environment Ministry’s Planning and Coordination Office, stated, “Even with the Trump administration’s stance toward the Paris Agreement, the international ord

Social AffairsNov. 15, 2024

Seoul’s bid for early Yoon-Trump meeting faces slim odds

South Korea’s bid to secure an early meeting between President Yoon Suk Yeol and US President-elect Donald Trump, leveraging Yoon’s trip to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and G-20 summits in South America, now appears unlikely, a senior presidential official in Seoul said. “Trump’s team has been informing all embassies that, with their focus on key appointments and domestic issues, meetings with foreign leaders are unlikely before the inauguration,” the presi

Foreign AffairsNov. 15, 2024

Man in his 70s airlifted 300 km to Jeju for treatment amid medical strike

A man in his 70s from Busan was airlifted 300 kilometers to Jeju Island for emergency treatment after swallowing a piece of medical equipment during dental implant surgery. According to Jeju National University Hospital on Thursday, the man was receiving an implant procedure in Busan around 4 p.m. last Friday when a dental tool – a screwdriver – entered his airway and became stuck in his bronchial tubes. Paramedics attempted to find a hospital in the Busan area for a bronchoscopy pro

Social AffairsNov. 15, 2024

Police bust $2.8b gambling ring that used deepfake video to lure gamblers

South Korean police have dismantled a massive online gambling ring worth 4 trillion won ($2.84 billion), apprehending 50 suspects accused of running the online operation since 2019 and employing deepfake technology to lure new users, according to the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency on Friday. According to police, out of 50 suspects, 13 have been arrested, including the website operator in his 40s. The remaining 37 have been forwarded to prosecutors. From October 2019 until March 2024, the 50 su

Social AffairsNov. 15, 2024