South Korea

Ex-South Korean leader plans to give up dogs from North Korea's Kim

SEOUL, Nov 7 (Reuters) - South Korea's former President Moon Jae-in said on Monday he plans to give up a pair of dogs sent by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as a gift following their 2018 summit, citing a lack of support from his successor.

Moon has raised the white Pungsan dogs named "Gomi" and "Songgang" since their arrival in the South and took them to his personal residence after his term ended in May.

North Korea: Missile tests were practice to attack South, US

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea’s military said Monday its recent barrage of missile tests were practices to “mercilessly” strike key South Korean and U.S. targets such as air bases and operation command systems with a variety of missiles that likely included nuclear-capable weapons.

Train derailment injures 30 in South Korean capital

SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Thirty people were injured in South Korea's capital Seoul Sunday night after a passenger train detailed, according to Yonhap news agency.

The train, which was traveling from the Yongsan district in Seoul to the city of Iksan in North Jeolla province, derailed near the Yeongdeungpo station in Seoul at about 8:55 p.m. local time (1155 GMT).

Among 275 passengers on board the train, 30 people were reportedly injured.

The Korea Railroad Corporation, the country's national railroad operator, was investigating the cause of the derailment.

N. Korea fires more missiles as US flies bombers over South

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea added to its recent barrage of weapons demonstrations by launching four ballistic missiles into the sea on Saturday, as the United States sent two supersonic bombers streaking over South Korea in a dueling display of military might that underscored rising tensions in the region.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the four short-range missiles fired from a North Korean western coastal area around noon flew about 130 kilometers (80 miles) toward the country’s western sea.

S. Koreans ashamed over safety failures in Halloween tragedy

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — When Kim Kap Soo watched live broadcasts of the harrowing Halloween party crush that killed more than 150 people in Seoul last weekend, there was shock and sadness — but also the embarrassed realization that this wasn’t the first time he’d seen South Korea suffer a devastating disaster as a result of official incompetence and safety failures.

North Korea keeps up its missile barrage with launch of ICBM

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea fired at least six missiles into the sea on Thursday, including an intercontinental ballistic missile that triggered evacuation warnings and halted trains in northern Japan, adding to a recent barrage of weapons tests that has escalated tensions in the region.

The ICBM test was followed by launches of two short-range ballistic missiles in the morning, drawing swift condemnation by North Korea’s neighbors and the United States, which reacted by extending ongoing joint air force exercises with South Korea.

Trauma of South Korea Halloween party crush is pervasive, expert says

SEOUL, Nov 2 (Reuters) - As South Korea mourns the deaths of more than 150 people in a Halloween party crush, many people - even those not directly involved - are dealing with trauma and a search for answers that has at times blamed the victims, a psychiatry expert says.

Thanks in part to a flood of disturbing images in the first hours of the disaster, the emotional and mental health effects of the disaster could touch all corners of society, said Ulsan University Hospital professor of psychiatry Jun Jin-yong.

North Korea fires 23 missiles, one landing off South Korean coast for first time

SEOUL, Nov 2 (Reuters) - North Korea fired at least 23 missiles into the sea on Wednesday, including one that landed less than 60 km (40 miles) off South Korea's coast, which South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol described as "territorial encroachment" and Washington denounced as "reckless".

It was the first time a ballistic missile had landed near the South's waters since the peninsula was divided in 1945, and the most missiles fired by the North in a single day. South Korea issued rare air raid warnings and launched its own missiles in response.

S. Korea police admit responsibility for Halloween tragedy

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s police chief admitted “a heavy responsibility” for failing to prevent a recent crowd surge that killed more than 150 people during Halloween festivities in Seoul, saying Tuesday that officers didn’t effectively handle earlier emergency calls about the impending disaster.

S.Korea, U.S. Kicked Off Joint Air Drills

SEOUL, Oct 31 (NNN-YONHAP) – South Korea and the United States, kicked off their large-scale joint air drills today, involving about 240 warplanes, according to the South Korean air force.

The Vigilant Storm exercise, will last until Friday, mobilising around 140 military aircraft from the South Korean side, including F-35A stealth jets, F-15K and KF-16 fighters, as well as, KC-330 tankers.

The U.S. air force will deploy about 100 aircraft, such as F-35B stealth fighters, EA-18 electronic warfare aircraft, U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft and KC-135 tankers.

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