South Korea's auto exports sank 21.4 percent on-year in 2020 as the new coronavirus pandemic disrupted global supply chains and sapped demand, data showed on Thursday. The country's shipments of cars reached 1.89 million units last year, compared with 2.4 million units posted in 2019, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. In terms of value, exports also moved down 13 percent to reach $37.4 billion. The number of cars shipped surrendered 33.9 percent on-

An enlisted soldier and a civilian official of an Army unit in the metropolitan city of Suwon tested positive for the new coronavirus, the defense ministry said Thursday. They underwent COVID-19 tests after coming into close contact with another enlisted soldier confirmed to be infected with the virus earlier this week, according to the ministry. The latest cases brought the total number of virus cases among the military population to 526. Currently, 337 service members are in isolation in ac

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Thursday warned of stern measures against those who interfere with the government's antivirus measures, amid growing concerns over a recent COVID-19 outbreak at a church facility spreading throughout the country. "While most religious facilities are actively participating in state antivirus measures, the public has become alarmed after an outbreak at BTJ Center for All Nations has spread throughout the country," Chung said during an interagency meeting

First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun called for Qatar's support for the swift release of a South Korean ship and its crew detained by Iran during his meetings with top Doha officials this week, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday. Choi made the appeal when he met separately with Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, deputy prime minister and foreign minister, and Soltan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, minister of state for foreign affairs, to discuss bilateral issues in Doha on Wednesday

The number of new coronavirus cases in South Korea stayed in the 500s for the third consecutive day Thursday, in yet another sign that the third wave of the pandemic has passed a peak on the back of tighter virus restrictions. The country added 524 more COVID-19 cases, including 496 local infections, raising the total caseload to 70,728, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It marked a slight drop from 562 posted Wednesday. The country, touted as one of the mos

South Korean stocks opened almost flat Thursday on increased valuation pressure after the key index closed at a near all-time high the previous session. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 2.27 points, or 0.07 percent, to 3,150.56 in the first 20 minutes of trading. The main index started on a muted tone as foreigners and institutions are set to lock in gains after the key index's recent bullish run. Most large caps in Seoul traded mixed. Market bellwether Samsung El

US President-elect Joe Biden has picked Kurt Campbell, an assistant secretary of state under former President Barack Obama's administration, to lead his Asia policy, including strategy on China, according to a media report on Thursday. The spokesperson of Biden's transition team confirmed Wednesday that Campbell, the former top diplomat for East Asia policy, will be the "coordinator for the Indo-Pacific" on the White House National Security Council, Reuters reported. Campbell is know

The government will lift restrictions on development in some 100 million square meters of land near military installations, the defense ministry said Thursday. The combined area to be lifted Tuesday is roughly 35 times larger than the size of the financial district of Yeouido in Seoul. It also marks a 31 percent increase from 77 million square meters of land that were freed from restrictions last year, according to the ministry. Under the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act, dev

우리나라 국민 67.7%는 신종 코로나바이러스 감염증(코로나19) 백신을 '지켜보다가 맞겠다'는 의견을 가지고 있다는 설문 결과가 나왔다. '빨리 맞겠다'는 비율은 28.6%에 그쳤다. 서울대학교 보건대학원 유명순 교수팀은 이달 8일부터 10일까지 전국 성인남녀 1천94명을 대상으로 실시한 코로나19 인식조사에서 이런 사실을 확인했다고 14일 밝혔다. 국내 접종 시기에 대해서도 '지켜보다가 맞겠다'는 응답 비율이 59.9%로, '빨리 맞겠다'에 응답한 37.8%보다 많은 것으로 나타났다. 국내 코로나19 백신 상용화 시점에 대해서는 '올해 중반'이 42%로 가장 많았고, '올해 말'(35.4%), '내년 혹은 그 이후'(11.2%)가 그 뒤를 이었다. 백신에 대한 신뢰도는 양호한 수준이었다. '나는 대부분의 백신을 신뢰하지 않는다', '나는 우리나라의 보건의료 체계를 신뢰하지 않는다', '백신이 안전하고 효율적이라고 확신할 정도로 정부를 신뢰하지 않는다'에 대해서 '그렇다'

Nearly two-thirds of South Koreans think they will wait to see how the coronavirus vaccine is working for other people before getting the jab, a poll showed Thursday. A survey of 1,094 adult Koreans across the nation, taken by Seoul National University, showed 67.7 percent of respondents taking a wait-and-see attitude toward COVID-19 vaccination. Only 28.6 percent of them replied that they want to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The findings also showed 42 percent of the surveyed predicti

The Supreme Court on Thursday will render a final ruling in a high-profile corruption case that led to the removal of then-President Park Geun-hye from office in 2017. The country's top court is scheduled to hold a sentencing hearing at 11 a.m. over an appeal filed by prosecutors against a ruling in July that reduced Park's prison term. Park was ousted from Cheong Wa Dae in March 2017 due to her involvement in a massive abuse-of-power and bribery scandal. She was accused of conspiring with he

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has attended a mass art performance held to celebrate the recently concluded party congress, state media said Thursday. The performance took place on Wednesday, a day after the North wrapped up the eighth congress of its ruling Workers' Party, which was held for more than a week since its opening on Jan. 5, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "The grand art performance 'We Sing of the Party' took place with splendor in celebration o

South Korea's export prices fell for the fifth consecutive month in December last year as the local currency continued to strengthen against the US dollar, central bank data showed Thursday. The country's export price index, in terms of the local currency, declined 0.1 percent in December from the previous month, according to the preliminary data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). The reading marked the fifth consecutive month of on-month decline after the index rose for the third month in a row in

President Moon Jae-in will invest a total of 50 million won ($45,600) into new major funds intended to support the government's Korean-version New Deal project, his office said Wednesday. The president plans to sign up on Friday for five funds to be operated by as many local asset managers, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok. Moon will use profits from his investment in a separate fund that was created in 2019 to foster South Korea's parts and materials production industry agai

More than 900 prisoners in South Korea will be released on parole this week as part of the government's precautionary measures against COVID-19 spread, the justice ministry announced Wednesday. The ministry cited the need to ease overcrowding at correctional facilities for a "stable and swift" response to the virus infections. "The early parole (measure) will be taken tomorrow," it said. The ministry has lowered the bar for parole, especially for inmates who are vulnerabl

South Korea is expected to carry out underwater tests of a home-grown submarine-launched ballistic missile this year, having concluded ground tests, a source said Wednesday. South Korea is developing an SLBM based on the home-grown ground-to-ground Hyunmoo-2B ballistic missile with a flight range of around 500 kilometers. It will be used with envisioned 3,000-ton-class or larger submarines, according to defense officials. "Related agencies wrapped up ejection tests of the missile on the

A court ordered Wednesday the government to pay compensation to a man who served a 10-year prison term after being wrongfully convicted of murder in 2000. The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of the 37-year-old man, only identified by his surname Choi, in a damages suit he filed against the government, a police officer and a prosecutor who investigated his case. He was acquitted of murder in 2016. The court ordered the government make financial reparations of some 1.3 billion won (

South Korea's media regulator said Wednesday it will ease rules to allow commercial breaks during TV programs for terrestrial broadcasters in a move to boost the country's slumping broadcast industry. Local terrestrial broadcasters are currently prohibited from airing commercial breaks to ensure viewer rights. Broadcasters, however, have skirted rules by dividing programs in two parts and airing commercials in between amid declining sales. The Korea Communications Commission said it will chan

Financially troubled budget carrier Eastar Jet said Wednesday it plans to file for court receivership this month to find a new investor amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Eastar Jet has had difficulties in finding a strategic investor since July when Jeju Air scrapped its plan to acquire the low-cost carrier. In the same month, Eastar's creditor banks withdrew their plan to extend loans to Jeju Air to help it take over Eastar. "Eastar aims to find a new investor through a court-led rehabilit

A toxic chemical leak at LG Display Co.'s plant in South Korea left seven workers injured, local authorities said Wednesday. An ammonium-type chemical substance was leaked at around 2:20 p.m. at LG Display's factory in Paju, just north of Seoul, according to them. Of the injured workers, two received cardiopulmonary resuscitation after they collapsed, the authorities said. The leaked chemical is believed to be tetra methyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) that is known to be used as a solvent in chi