Top South Korean and US presidential aides had phone discussions Wednesday on strengthening partnerships on the economy, trade and global issues, Cheong Wa Dae said. During the 35-minute talks with Kim Sang-jo, President Moon Jae-in's chief of staff for policy, Brian Deese, top economic adviser for President Joe Biden, took note of South Korea's anti-coronavirus fight and efforts for economic recovery, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok. Deese, director of the White House Natio

Samsung Electronics Co. was the second-largest vendor in Russia's online smartphone market in the fourth quarter of 2020, a report showed Wednesday, amid the pandemic-induced stay-at-home trend. The South Korean tech giant accounted for 27 percent of online smartphone shipments in Russia in the last three months of 2020, up from 24.9 percent a year ago, according to market researcher Counterpoint Research. Samsung was the top brand in the overall Russian smartphone market in the October-Decemb

A foreign national has been arrested for helping about 80 Pakistanis submit asylum applications to South Korean authorities using forged documents, the immigration office in this southern port city said Wednesday. The Busan Immigration Office said it has referred the foreign refugee broker, whose identity was withheld, to the prosecution to be indicted on charges of violating the Immigration Control Act. The broker is accused of taking about 1 million won ($900) from each of the false asylum s

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong spoke by phone with his Canadian counterpart, Marc Garneau, on Wednesday and discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations, the foreign ministry said. During the talks, the ministers agreed to closely work together in tackling global challenges like the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change as "responsible middle powers and strategic partners that share the values of democracy and free trade," the ministry said. The two sides also agr

North Korea has been expanding missile development facilities, but has shown no unusual signs at its demolished nuclear testing site or its long-suspended plutonium-producing reactor, the defense ministry said Wednesday. The assessment was made in a report the ministry presented to the National Assembly's defense committee for a policy briefing session. "No special movement has been spotted since May 24, 2018, when the North demolished the Punggyeri nuclear test site. The 5-megawatt nucle

New Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Koichi Aiboshi has stressed the importance of trilateral cooperation between the two countries and the United States for regional stability, according to its embassy on Wednesday. "Japan and South Korea are mutually important neighbors, whose people share a deep interest in each other's politics, economy, society and culture," Aiboshi said in his first message posted on the embassy's website since his arrival in Seoul on Friday. "To keep th

More than 110 workers at a factory east of Seoul have tested positive for the new coronavirus, officials said Wednesday, becoming the latest in a recent string of mass infections at industrial workplaces. According to the municipal officials of Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, as many as 114 employees from a single plastic manufacturing plant in the city's Jingwan General Industrial Complex, about 40 kilometers from Seoul, have been diagnosed with COVID-19. The newest cluster of factory worker in

Cold weather once again gripped the country Wednesday, with temperatures dipping into the double digits below zero in Seoul and several other areas. The capital city posted a morning low of minus 10.2 C, while the surrounding cities of Incheon and Suwon saw the mercury drop to minus 9.6 C and minus 9.5 C, respectively, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The weather authorities issued a cold wave advisory for most parts of Gangwon Province in the northeast, one of the c

South Korea and the United States share a "clear commitment" to strike a deal on the sharing of the cost for stationing 28,500 America troops here before April, a diplomatic source said Wednesday. Seoul and Washington have been stepping up final-stage efforts to reach the deal, called the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), as South Korean civilians working for the US Forces Korea (USFK) could be forced to go on unpaid leave on April 1 absent a new deal. "We mutually have a clear

South Korea's antitrust regulator said Wednesday it will file complaints with the prosecution against four steelmakers for colluding to fix the purchase price of steel scrap. Last month, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) decided to fine seven steelmakers, including No. 2 player Hyundai Steel Co., a combined 300 billion won ($270 million) for price fixing. The corporate watchdog said it has decided to file complaints with the prosecution against Hyundai Steel and three other steelmakers, n

No additional coronavirus cases have been reported among members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) since a civilian JCS employee tested positive earlier this week, the defense ministry said Wednesday. The employee tested positive Monday, marking the first case since November reported from the Yongsan compound where the ministry and the JCS headquarters are located. "Around 80 people, including those who came into contact with the man, underwent virus tests so far, and all of them tested

North Korea's state media have used "president" as the official English title of leader Kim Jong-un, instead of the previous title of "chairman," in what experts see as intended to rev up the image of a "normal state." The North's Korean Central News Agency used the new title for the first time in an English article last Thursday while reporting on a Cuban leaders' message to Kim. On Wednesday, KCNA also referred to Kim as "president" in reporting on his

Samsung Electronics Co. on Wednesday said it has launched a kiosk machine in South Korea that highlights advanced security and hygiene features as the South Korean tech giant enters the self-service machine business amid the pandemic-induced contactless trend. Samsung Kiosk is an all-in-one self-service machine that allows consumers to select, order and pay for services and products at restaurants, marts and pharmacies. Samsung said its first-ever kiosk machine will be globally available in th

Kia Corp. South Korea's No. 2 carmaker, on Wednesday revealed the exterior design of the new large sedan K8, the first model that bears its new brand logo. The K8 is a successor of K7, better known as Cadenza in the United States, which has sold over 500,000 units globally since its launch in 2009. Its new corporate image features elongated 5,015 mm body with a low roofline, which combines sportiness and sleek exterior design. At the front sits a new signature frameless tiger nose grille that

India's foreign secretary expressed hope Wednesday that South Korea will join a set of New Delhi-initiated global organizations to help fight climate change, stressing they will mesh with Seoul's drive for green growth. In a contribution to Yonhap News Agency, Harsh V. Shringla also pledged India's efforts to cooperate with Korea in finding "synergies" between the two countries' initiatives to tackle climate challenges and related international efforts. "We have initiated intern

President Moon Jae-in paid his respects Wednesday to Paek Ki-wan, revered for his lifelong pro-democracy activities and devoted campaign for the reunification of the two Koreas. The president visited the funeral home set up at Seoul National University Hospital in the capital for the condolence call to the bereaved family. Paek died Monday at the age of 88 after suffering symptoms of pneumonia. He spent much of his life for pro-democracy, pro-unification and social activists, having written n

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Wednesday expressed concerns over the public's seemingly waning vigilance against the new coronavirus, with the number of new daily cases having risen substantially since authorities eased social distancing rules just days ago. "It's been three days since the easing of social distancing rules but the number of patients has surpassed 600 for the first time in 39 days," Chung said during an interagency meeting on the COVID-19 response held at the governm

SK Telecom Co., the country's largest mobile carrier, said Wednesday it joined hands with its security subsidiary ADT Caps Co. and local video management solution company Innodep Inc. to develop artificial intelligence (AI)-based video analysis services. Under an agreement, the three companies will develop such services to effectively manage video surveillance systems in the growing local market in the private and public sectors, according to SK Telecom. The mobile carrier said it will optimiz

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases increased by the most in more than a month to over 600 on Wednesday, prompting concerns over a virus resurgence after the Lunar New Year holiday amid eased social distancing rules. The country reported 621 more COVID-19 cases, including 590 local infections, raising the total caseload to 84,946, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The country added four more deaths, raising the total to 1,538. Wednesday's caseload was the high

South Korean stocks opened steeply lower Wednesday amid strong institutional and foreign selling, led by tech and auto losses. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 27.65 points, or 0.87 percent, to 3,135.6 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Stocks came off to a lackluster start as the KOSPI's three-day gain increased valuation pressure, in addition to the yield hike concerns on Wall Street. Top cap Samsung Electronics lost 1.41 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix she