North Korea's missile launch on Monday was a major success in improving its weapons systems, the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Tuesday. "The Missile Administration announced that the technological upgrades to key components verified through the test represent a major achievement that heralds significant advances in the performance and precision of all offensive weapons systems," the KCNA said. The agency said the launch was part of routine activities by the Missile Admini

President Lee Jae Myung is doubling down on communicating through social media, despite criticism and mixed assessments of his communication style. "I may be criticized for lacking dignity or authority, but I will continue visiting back alleys where ordinary people live, with minimal security, communicating through social media and engaging with people in their own language," Lee wrote on X late Saturday. "That is because the president is the people's foremost public servant," he added. Lee also

An antipersonnel land mine believed to have washed ashore from North Korea was discovered on a beach in Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, on Thursday, prompting authorities to urge residents and visitors to exercise caution. According to Ganghwa officials on Friday, the mine was found around 3:20 p.m. Thursday near Daebinchang Beach on Jumun Island, Seodo-myeon, by an environmental cleanup worker. The worker immediately reported the discovery to the relevant authorities. The Marine Corps' 2nd Division dispa

Rep. Na Kyung-won of the main opposition People Power Party on Friday slammed the Lee Jae Myung administration over the ongoing dispute with Ukraine, accusing the Seoul government of pushing relations with Kyiv into crisis. Na is a five-term lawmaker and former floor leader of the People Power Party’s predecessor, the Liberty Korea Party. Na revealed in a Facebook post that she planned to send a letter of gratitude to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to “correct the government’s misguided

President Lee Jae Myung has ordered the government not to apply to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership this year, saying trust with farmers and fishers must come before any push to enter the major regional trade pact. Senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Thursday that Lee issued the instruction following discussions at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting over South Korea’s potential CPTPP membership. But Lee decided against pursuing an application w

Gangneung, Gangwon Province, is making final preparations for the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress, which will bring together experts, industry leaders and government officials to discuss the future of smart mobility in midsized cities. This year’s congress will run from Oct. 19 to 23, with about 60,000 participants from more than 90 territories expected to attend a range of events, including ministerial talks, high-level roundtable discussions, exhibitions, demonstrations and public

Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister, on Thursday denounced South Korea’s plan to provide medical equipment to the North, calling it an “insult” and a “political provocation.” In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency, Kim criticized Seoul for seeking a sanctions exemption from the UN Security Council’s North Korea sanctions committee, known as the 1718 Committee, to send medical equipment to a hospital in Pyongyang. Kim described the aid initiative as “another fa

When I visited Bangnyeon Falls near Kaesong during April’s spring drought, the diminished flow revealed names carved into cliffs normally obscured by falling water. Among them was Hong Sun-hyeong, a former minister of justice who served as governor of Kaesong in 1892. His name remains prominently carved in stone. But the city’s most enduring names suggest other ways to outlive one’s time. Kaesong, historically known as Songdo, celebrates three treasures as Songdosamjeol: Bangnyeon Falls, one of

South Korea is responding firmly to North Korea, Minister of Defense Kang Shin-chul said Tuesday, rejecting criticism that Seoul is remaining passive despite provocations. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Kang said that South Korean military’s demining operation carried out the previous day was the first of its kind, and that it was a “firm response.” “(South Korean soldiers) were serious injured by land mines North Korea planted as part of their so-called ‘border fortification.’ Our military t

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Friday called on Pyongyang to come to dialogue and clearly define the Military Demarcation Line, saying that disparity in the two Koreas’ views on its location was the fundamental cause of the Sept. 21 incident in the Demilitarized Zone. On Sept. 21, three South Korean soldiers were injured during a scheduled search operation in the DMZ. The South Korean military has since said that the explosions were caused by North Korean mines, while the United Nation

Gung Ye began a new Goryeo in 901. Wang Kon (also known as Taejo of Goryeo) inherited its reunification project and built a political order that helped forge an enduring Korean identity. Inside the Demilitarized Zone at Chorwon lie the remains of a royal capital that most Koreans have nearly forgotten. The walls and palace site belonged to Taebong, the kingdom founded by Gung Ye amid the political upheaval that accompanied Unified Silla’s decline. Today, military fences, guard posts and the Mili

President Lee Jae Myung pledged to protect South Korea’s agriculture, fisheries and livestock industries as concerns grow over the potential impact of the country joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. “Agriculture, fisheries and livestock are strategic industries tied to national security. Please do not worry,” Lee wrote on X, stressing that the government would fully consult affected industries before moving forward with CPTPP accession. His remarks

South Korea is committed to strengthening economic cooperation with Europe, Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said Tuesday, stressing the strong foundations of the relationship. Speaking at a special reception hosted by the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Han reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting greater investment and business collaboration. “Germany, France and other EU countries have long been steadfast partners

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday approved the appointments of three Cabinet ministers, Cheong Wa Dae said. The appointees are Lee Hyoung-il, deputy prime minister and minister of finance and economy; Kang Shin-chul, minister of national defense; and Hong Jee-sun, minister of land, infrastructure and transport. The National Assembly’s Finance and Economy Planning Committee adopted Lee Hyung-il’s confirmation hearing report Thursday with bipartisan agreement. The report included a favorable asse

South Korea has selected the construction of a gas-fired combined-cycle power plant in Encinal, Texas, as the first project under its $200 billion strategic investment initiative in the United States. Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources Kim Jung-kwan reported the decision to the National Assembly on Tuesday. According to officials, the Encinal project is designed to respond to rapidly growing electricity demand in Texas, where semiconductor factories and artificial intelligence data center