South Korea

SEOUL, Nov 11 (NNN-YONHAP) – South Korea’s employment loss hit the highest in six months, amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, statistical office data showed today.

The number of those employed came in at 27,088,000 in Oct, down 421,000 from the same month last year, according to Statistics Korea. It marked the fastest fall since Apr.

The job loss continued for eight months running, with contractions of 195,000 in Mar, 476,000 in Apr, 392,000 in May, 352,000 in June, 277,000 in July, 274,000 in Aug and 392,000 in Sept.

SEOUL (Reuters) - A North Korean man who crossed the heavily fortified border with South Korea has said he wants to defect to the South, Seoul officials said on Thursday.

The man was taken into custody in the Demilitarised Zone separating the two Koreas on Wednesday, several hours after he was spotted crossing barbed wire fences installed along the border, prompting an urgent search operation.

Authorities have launched an investigation into how the man managed to cross the frontier, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The flood of obituaries for Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-Hee since his death over the weekend have mostly shared his most defining quote: “Change everything except for your wife and children.”

Lee’s rant against what he saw as complacency during a senior management meeting in 1993 reflects the demanding leadership that helped the company grow from an obscure maker of cheap televisions into a technology giant.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s top court upheld a 17-year sentence on former President Lee Myung-bak for a range of corruption crimes in a final ruling Thursday that will send him back to prison soon.

Lee has been convicted of taking bribes worth millions of dollars from big companies including Samsung, embezzling corporate funds of a company that he owned and taking bribes from South Korea’s spy agency. The crimes occurred before and during his 2008-13 presidency.

SEOUL, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's health authorities decided on Monday to continue its flu vaccination program across the country as the suspected deaths after getting flu shots were found to have very little link to inoculation.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said in a statement that there was a very little possibility for any link between flu vaccination and deaths, noting that it will continue its nationwide flu vaccination program.

SEOUL, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's ruling party chief on Wednesday called on Japan to find a middle ground over historical issues through dialogue between the diplomatic authorities of the two countries.

"(South) Korea and Japan both have principles each wants to keep in place. While leaving the principles untouched, (the two countries) can find a middle ground (over historical issues). The diplomatic authorities know the best (how to do it)," Lee Nak-yon, chair of the ruling Democratic Party, told a press conference with foreign correspondents in Seoul.

SEOUL (AP) — Chinese nationalists erupted in anger at South Korean boy band BTS after its leader thanked Korean War veterans for their sacrifices.

The singer, who goes by RM, made the remark in a recorded acceptance speech for an award from the Korea Society for promoting U.S.-Korean relations.

“We will always remember the history of pain that our two nations shared together and the sacrifices of countless men and women,” RM said in the speech, which included no mention of China.

SEOUL, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- South Korea called on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Sunday to return to the dialogue table for substantive progress in the complete denuclearization of and a permanent peace settlement on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it took note of the DPRK's announcement on anticipating the restoration of inter-Korean relations as soon as appropriate conditions are created.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned that his country would “fully mobilize” its nuclear force if threatened as he took center stage at a military parade that unveiled what appeared to be a new intercontinental ballistic missile and other weapons.

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Koreans wearing medical masks have gathered in the capital of Pyongyang, state media reported this week, ahead of what is expected to be a big military parade on Saturday, possibly featuring the country’s latest ballistic missiles.

The holiday marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, and events include concerts, art and industry exhibitions, a light show, visits to monuments and ceremonies to mark the completion of construction projects.