Yoon names SNU prof. as new science minister, NK defector as unification council head

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday nominated Yoo Sang-im as the new science minister and North Korean defector-turned-lawmaker Tae Yong-ho as the secretary-general of the presidential Peaceful Unification Advisory Council's Secretariat, a vice-ministerial post. Presidential chief of staff Chung Jin-suk told reporters Thursday that Yoo, a materials science and engineering professor at Seoul National University, is the right fit for the position tasked with the conservative administration's scien

PoliticsJuly 18, 2024

Goyang steps up e-scooter regulations amid growing safety concerns

The city government of Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, said Thursday it is imposing a series of safety measures related to electric kick scooters in light of a recent accident that left one dead and another injured. According to the city, it will cooperate with the local police to clamp down on actions such as riding e-scooters without proper license, without safety helmets or with a passenger on the vehicle that is intended for one person. The new city regulations will also ban riding e-scooters ins

Social AffairsJuly 18, 2024

Prominent N. Korean defector named head of unification council

A prominent North Korean defector was named as the new head of the presidential advisory council on unification, the presidential office said Thursday. President Yoon Suk Yeol has tapped Tae Yong-ho, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to Britain, as the secretary general for the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, chief of staff Chung Jin-suk said during a press briefing. Tae is the first North Korean defector to serve in the deputy ministerial post since the council was established in 1

PoliticsJuly 18, 2024

N. Korea discharges border dam water without notice: environment ministry

North Korea appears to have started discharging water from the upstream of a dam near the inter-Korean border in the early hours of Thursday without giving prior notice to South Korea, the environment ministry said. Satellite imagery taken at 3 a.m. showed the downstream of the North's Hwanggang Dam on the Imjin River had broadened in width, a change not visible from photos taken at 10 p.m. Wednesday, according to the environment ministry. However, the amount of water released is not presum

North KoreaJuly 18, 2024

Torrential rain alerts issued across capital area; expressways in Seoul partly closed

Heavy downpours pelted the broader Seoul area and adjacent regions on Thursday, leading to the evacuation of hundreds of residents due to safety concerns and the cancellation of dozens of flights. Northern areas of Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul were among the hardest hit, including Paju near the inter-Korean border, which received hourly precipitation of 75.1 millimeters at one point early Thursday morning. The accumulated rain in the Paju areas from midnight to 6 a.m. reached as much as 1

Social AffairsJuly 18, 2024

US lawmaker says Republicans are united, have 'high expectations' for Trump's victory

A Korean American congresswoman on Wednesday highlighted Republicans' "high expectations" for former President Donald Trump's victory in the November general election as she touched on the atmosphere of an ongoing GOP national convention in Wisconsin. In a phone interview with Yonhap News Agency, Rep. Michelle Park Steel (R-CA) noted a palpable sense of unity among party members at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump was formally nominated as the GOP

Foreign AffairsJuly 18, 2024

Renowned Korea expert released after arrest for allegedly acting as unregistered agent for S. Korea

A renowned Korean American foreign policy expert was arrested this week on allegations of acting as an unregistered agent for the South Korean government, the US attorney's office in New York said Wednesday. Sue Mi Terry, who formerly worked for the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Council and US think tanks, was arrested in New York on Tuesday, the office in the Southern District of New York said in a release, as she was accused of offenses under the Foreign Agents Regi

PoliticsJuly 18, 2024

S. Korean consortium picked as preferred bidder for up to 4 Czech nuclear units

A South Korean consortium led by the state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power was selected as the preferred bidder for the construction of up to four nuclear power plant units in the Czech Republic, beating out a French team that competed for the central European country's largest investment project. The consortium, comprising six South Korean companies, including KHNP, Doosan Enerbility and Daewoo Engineering & Construction, as well as affiliates of the state-owned Korea Electric Powe

PoliticsJuly 17, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kazakh uranium giant seeks ‘permanent partnership’ with S. Korea

ASTANA, Kazakhstan -- Kazatomprom, the world's largest uranium miner, aims to establish a "permanent partnership" with South Korea to ensure a stable uranium supply amid growing demand, CEO Meirzhan Yussupov said in an exclusive interview with The Korea Herald. The company sees "significant potential" in expanding its cooperation into emerging fields, including the development of critical mineral resources, he added. "Successful and mutually beneficial cooperation b

Foreign AffairsJuly 17, 2024

New police team talks teen out of suicide

Two police officers managed to talk a teen out of jumping to his death from an apartment building, officials said Wednesday. According to Seoul Seocho Police Station, the officers were dispatched to an apartment complex in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul after receiving a report at around 8:30 p.m. on Monday that a 16-year-old boy was about to jump from the rooftop of an apartment building. He had climbed over the railing on the roof of the 24-story building and was found crouching on a ledge, appea

Social AffairsJuly 17, 2024

Korea's weapons in war against suicides

How can a nation fight a suicide crisis? On this question, South Korea, known for having one of the world’s highest suicide rates, may become a compelling case study. Here, as of the end of 2021, one person dies by suicide every 40 minutes. While addressing the root causes of the crisis remains daunting, demanding a comprehensive approach to mental health and a stronger social safety net, critical work is being carried out on the frontlines of suicide prevention. These initiatives, some of

Social AffairsJuly 17, 2024

High-ranking NK defector being considered for vice-ministerial post: report

Tae Yong-ho, a former high-ranking North Korean official who defected to South Korea and later became a lawmaker for the conservative ruling People Power Party, could potentially become the first North Korean diplomat-turned-defector to ascend to a vice-ministerial post in South Korea's history, according to a report in local daily Dong-a Ilbo. Tae, 62, is reportedly being considered as one of the candidates for the position of secretary-general of the presidential Peaceful Unification Advi

PoliticsJuly 17, 2024

Climate Clock to drop below 5-year mark for 1st time on Monday

Starting Monday, the Climate Clock will show less than five years remaining until the Earth exceeds the 1.5 degrees Celcius global warming limit, highlighting the rapid global temperature rise due to carbon emissions. The Climate Clock counts down to the 1.5 C deadline according to data presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It is known for its 80-foot digital clock face in New York City’s Union Square, as well as its other clocks located worldwide in cities such as Se

Social AffairsJuly 17, 2024

Seoul's Gyeonghuigung area to become massive historical park

Gyeonghuigung, a palace from the late Joseon era (1392-1910), and its surrounding area will be transformed into an expanded historical and cultural park in a gradual project running until 2035, the Seoul city government said Wednesday. The new park, covering approximately 136,000 square meters, will be 10 times the size of Seoul Plaza. The project aims to shine a light on Gyeonghuigung, a lesser-known palace, which has attracted fewer visitors compared to the nearby Gyeongbokgung and Deoksugung

Social AffairsJuly 17, 2024

Prosecutors seek arrest warrant for Kakao founder over suspected stock manipulation

Prosecutors on Wednesday requested an arrest warrant for Kim Beom-su, the founder of Kakao Corp., on charges of involvement in suspected illegal stock manipulation during the tech giant’s acquisition of K-pop powerhouse SM Entertainment last year. The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office filed a warrant for Kim over allegations of violating the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act. The move comes a week after prosecutors grilled Kim for about five hours on suspicions

Social AffairsJuly 17, 2024

Heavy rain hits Seoul, Gyeonggi

South Korea remained on high alert for torrential downpours Wednesday as heavy rains hit the Seoul metropolitan area and parts of northern Gyeonggi Province, causing rush-hour traffic disruptions and home evacuations. Heavy rains of 100.9 millimeters per hour had battered Munsan in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, for an hour until 7:03 a.m., while Singok-dong in Uijeongbu, just north of Seoul, received 103.5 mm of rain for an hour from 6:22 a.m. Also, nearly 300 reports regarding heavy rains were repor

Social AffairsJuly 17, 2024

Ex-CIA official indicted on suspicion of working with S. Korean spy agency

Sue Mi Terry, a former CIA official and renowned expert on Korean Peninsula issues, has been indicted on charges of acting as an unregistered agent for the South Korean government since at least 2013 and receiving bribes that included luxury handbags and financial support. Terry "advocated ROK policy positions, including published articles and during media appearances, disclosed nonpublic US government information to ROK intelligence officers, and facilitated access for ROK government offic

Foreign AffairsJuly 17, 2024

Horseracing authority takes down 'sexual' YouTube content after controversy

The government-affiliated horse racing authority recently deleted a YouTube video depicting its horses as anime-style woman, after complaints that the content was sexually-suggestive. Rep. Yi Byeong-jin of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea confirmed Tuesday that the Korea Racing Authority has deleted the video introducing its racehorses. The video featuring horses illustrated as anime-style women wearing skimpy outfits, is thought to be inspired by a mobile game that also depicted

Social AffairsJuly 17, 2024

Violence mars ruling party’s leadership race

The ruling conservative party’s leadership race has been plagued by violence, as supporters of different candidates clashed during a joint campaign speech event held early this week. Videos of the speech event held Monday in the central city of Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, showed apparent supporters of former People Power Party interim leader Han Dong-hoon and ex-Land Minister Won Hee-ryong embroiled in a physical altercation. A YouTuber, who is an apparent supporter of Won, yelled

PoliticsJuly 17, 2024

Suspect of 16-year-old unsolved robbery-murder apprehended

A man in his 40s has confessed to a 2008 robbery and murder case in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, local police said Wednesday. The suspect told investigators that he had been the one who stabbed a supermarket owner on Dec. 9, 2008 in Siheung, 26 kilometers southwest of Seoul. "I stabbed him. I'm sorry," was what he said, according to Siheung Police Station. The suspect has not elaborated on his motive for the crime. Authorities have been questioning the suspect since apprehending

Social AffairsJuly 17, 2024