Seven soldiers at an Army base in Yangju, just north of Seoul, have tested positive for the new coronavirus in another cluster infection reported in barracks, the defense ministry said Tuesday. One of the soldiers first tested positive upon returning from vacation after a family member was found to have contracted COVID-19, according to the ministry. In subsequent tests conducted on 50 people who had direct contact with the soldier, six tested positive, while 12 are awaiting their results. The

A state-run Korean language education center said Tuesday it has launched a new Korean learning program using popular K-pop and K-drama content. The new series, titled "K-wave Korean," carries 52 five-minute video clips in English and provides subtitles in four other languages -- Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Russian -- according to the King Sejong Institute Foundation. Twenty-seven videos help viewers learn daily Korean expressions, grammar and culture with scenes from popular

J-hope, a member of popular K-pop band BTS, has donated 100 million won (US$89,000) for children in Tanzania, a Seoul-based charity said Tuesday. According to ChildFund Korea, J-Hope expressed hope that his donation will be a helping hand to children in overseas countries on South Korea's Children's Day, which falls on Wednesday. J-hope has contributed 700 million won through the charity since 2018 as a member of Green Noble Club, a group of high-value donors of ChildFund Korea. (Yonhap) 

The new corruption investigative body's policy to supersede the prosecution has triggered an escalating backlash, offering a potential flash point between the two powerful agencies. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) announced Monday its rules on investigation, including superseding power over indictment in certain cases. The CIO, which began operation in January, is authorized to investigate and prosecute former and current public officials for corruption, in

SK Telecom Co., South Korea's largest mobile carrier, said Tuesday it has decided to cancel 2.6 trillion won ($2.32 billion) worth of treasury shares, over 10 percent of its total floated stocks, in a move to boost shareholder value amid plans to split into two companies later this year. The telecom operator said in a statement that it would retire 8.69 million treasury stocks, or 10.8 percent of its total issued stocks, by Thursday. The cancellation would reduce SK Telecom's total floated sto

South Korea's daily new virus cases bounced back to the 500s on Tuesday amid growing fears that rising cases of COVID-19 variants could become another challenge to the country's virus battle. The country reported 541 more COVID-19 cases, including 514 local infections, raising the total caseload to 124,269, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The country added six more deaths, raising the death toll to 1,840. The daily caseload had been in the 600s since Wednesday, b

South Korean stocks opened lower Tuesday on inflation concerns and the partial resumption of short selling. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 10.66 points, or 0.34 percent, to 3,116.54 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. The KOSPI got off to a weak start after a five-session losing streak. Bio and tech shares dropped amid rising inflation, which could help raise market rates, while bank shares performed strong. South Korea's consumer price index rose 2.3 perc

North Korea's official newspaper on Tuesday urged people to brace for a prolonged fight against the coronavirus pandemic, saying that vaccines are not a cure-all solution, amid the country's apparent failure to secure supplies. "The situations in many countries prove that vaccines are far from a panacea," the Rodong Sinmun said. "Some vaccines, which had been considered highly effective, caused severe side effects, including even death, leading many countries to stop their use.&q

The Korean Cultural Center in Washington said on Monday that it will showcase nine South Korean films to American viewers in a month-long film festival in the United States. The festival will be hosted by the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art, offering streaming services of films such as "Kim Ji-young, Born 1982," which is based on a best selling South Korean novel of the same title. "The Korean Film Festival DC 2021, which will be hosted by the Smithsonian's National M

US President Joe Biden on Monday signed an executive order to sharply increase the number of refugees to be admitted into the United States this year, citing "grave humanitarian concerns." The executive order raises to 62,500 from 15,000 the number of refugees to be allowed into the US in fiscal year 2021. The fiscal year ends Sept. 30. "Given the ongoing unforeseen emergency refugee situation, I now determine, consistent with my Administration's prior consultation with the Cong

The new US policy toward North Korea does not affect the United States' alliance with South Korea or its defense commitment on the Korean Peninsula, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday. John Kirby made the remark when asked if the outcome of the recently concluded North Korea policy review may affect the US defense posture on the Korean Peninsula. "We also have concomitant alliance requirements on the peninsula with our South Korean allies to continue to make sure we are, as the saying goes,

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for coordinated efforts to denuclearize North Korea on Monday while the top diplomats from the Group of 7 (G7) countries were later scheduled to discuss the North Korea issue. In his bilateral meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, the top US diplomat highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in dealing with the North. "Secretary Blinken and Minister Chung stressed their commitment to work together to protect and adv

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged North Korea on Monday to return to the negotiating table, saying his country seeks to make practical progress toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through diplomacy. The call comes after North Korea threatened the US will face "worse and worse crisis." "I hope that North Korea will take the opportunity to engage diplomatically and to see if there are ways to move forward toward the objective of complete denuclearization o

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and his US counterpart, Antony Blinken, agreed Monday to continue close cooperation for complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, the foreign ministry said. The agreement came as they met bilaterally on the margins of a gathering of G7 foreign and development ministers in London, after the Joe Biden administration completed its review of policy toward Pyongyang. "Secretary Blinken shared the results of the US' review of policy on

Nearly 400 South Korean residents in India will return home this week via non-scheduled flights authorized by the government, health authorities here said Monday, as they plan to safely transport the nation's citizens from the coronavirus-hit country.  The authorities said a Vistara flight carrying 173 people, including workers of Hyundai Motor, will arrive in Incheon on Tuesday after departing from Chennai International Airport in India. Also, a flight by Asiana Airlines is scheduled to

Unionized workers at Renault Samsung Motors Corp. said Monday they have decided to lay down their tools again to demand a wage hike.  Renault Samsung's 1,900-strong workforce will launch an eight-hour strike at their plant in Busan, around 450 kilometers south of Seoul, on Tuesday as they are not satisfied with the company's wage proposals.  The announcement came as they staged a six-hour strike Monday. They previously launched an eight-hour strike last Friday.  The union and

Hankook Tire & Technology Co. said Monday its first-quarter net profit jumped 53 percent from a year earlier on a base effect amid the extended COVID-19 pandemic. Net profit jumped to 149.47 billion won ($133 million) for the three months that ended on March 31 from 97.66 billion won in the same period of last year, the company said in a statement. "Corporate taxes were factored in the year-ago quarterly bottom line, but in this past quarter, there was not such a one-off cost factor,&

GM Korea Co. said Monday its sales retreated 25.4 percent last month from a year earlier on weak demand at home and abroad. The South Korean unit of General Motors Co. sold 21,455 vehicles in April, down from 28,749 units the previous year, the company said in a statement. Domestic sales dropped 18.4 percent on-year to 5,470 units, and exports sank 27.5 percent to 15,985 autos over the cited period, it said. The Detroit carmaker has three Korean plants -- two in Bupyeong and one in Changwon -

Kia Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, said Monday its sales soared 78 percent last month from a year earlier on a low base effect and solid demand for SUVs. Kia sold 249,734 vehicles in April, up from 140,262 units a year ago, the company said in a statement. Domestic sales reached 51,128 units last month, climbing 1.5 percent from a year earlier. Overseas sales vaulted 120.9 percent on-year to 198,606 units due to the low base effect from last year when the COVID-19 pandemic hit

Hyundai Motor Co. said Monday its sales more than doubled last month from a year earlier on robust demand for its SUV models despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The country's biggest carmaker sold 345,777 vehicles in April, up from 167,693 units a year earlier, helped by strong demand for the Palisade SUV, the Nexo hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle, and the Genesis GV70 and GV80 SUVs, the company said in a statement. On top of robust SUV sales, the company benefited from a base effect, in which i