The Korea Herald

Park, Obama talk over N.K. nuke test

South Korean President Park Geun-hye and U.S. counterpart Barack Obama spoke over the phone about North Korea’s latest nuclear provocation for about 20 minutes Thursday morning, Cheong Wa Dae said.The two leaders shared the gravity of Pyongyang’s fourth nuclear test and the need for stern countermeasures in the phone call that was made at 09:55 a.m., sources said. President Park Geun-hye at the meeting of the National Security Council in Seoul on Wednesday. YonhapA day before, defense ministers

Foreign Affairs Jan. 7, 2016

Nuclear safety committee launches radiological monitoring

Seoul’s nuclear safety agency began radiological monitoring to look out for radioactive fallout from the North’s nuclear test, officials said Wednesday. The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission said it mobilized two state-of-the-art radioactive xenon detection devices and 134 automatic radiation monitoring systems across the country. The commission has launched an emergency operation team upon cooperation with other government bodies including the Korea Meteorological Administration and Korea

North Korea Jan. 6, 2016

Park calls N.K. H-bomb test ‘grave provocation’

President Park Geun-hye on Wednesday called North Korea‘s claimed hydrogen bomb test a “grave provocation” and warned Seoul and the international would not condone it.Park presided over the National Security Council over North Korea’s claim to have successfully conducted a hydrogen nuclear bomb test to discuss measures.While further analysis is needed to evaluate Pyongyang's claim for a successful test, Park said the latest provocation could bring important changes in the security of the Northea

North Korea Jan. 6, 2016

N.K. quake magnitude raised to 4.8

South Korea’s weather agency raised Pyongyang’s estimated artificial earthquake level to magnitude 4.8, officials said Wednesday. Earlier in the morning, the Korea Meteorological Administration estimated the earthquake scale to be magnitude 4.3.The KMA added that the epicenter of the earthquake was latitude 41.30 degrees north and longitude 129.09 degrees east, north of Kilju-gun, North Hamgyeong Province, in North Korea. The epicenter was initially stated as 41.39 degrees north and 129.31 degre

North Korea Jan. 6, 2016

Park presides NSC over N.K. H-bomb test

President Park Geun-hye presided over the National Security Council over North Korea’s claim to have successfully conducted a hydrogen nuclear bomb test on Wednesday.The NSC will convene at 1:30 p.m. to discuss the measures to deal with the North’s latest provocation.The foreign affairs and unification ministries entered into emergency mode.The Defense Ministry said it is working closely with the U.S. following the North’s announcement that came a few hours after the world’s seismic analysis cen

North Korea Jan. 6, 2016

Seoul vows sanctions against N.K. hydrogen bomb test

The Seoul government said Wednesday it would not tolerate North Korea's hydrogen bomb test, warning it would pay for the consequences, indicating an immediate implementation of sanctions against Pyongyang.The government also said that the test violated the U.N. Security Council resolution and that it was a serious threat to international peace.The South entered into an emergency mode upon detection of an artificial earthquake by the world’s seismic analysis centers at around 10:30 a.m.The North

North Korea Jan. 6, 2016

S. Korea calls on Japan not to hurt deal on sex slaves

South Korea reiterated its call on Japan Monday to refrain from making comments or taking actions that could damage the spirit of their rare deal over Tokyo's sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II.Seoul's reaction came as Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said earlier in the day that there is no change in Japan's understanding that a statue symbolizing South Korean victims of Tokyo's sex slavery in front of Japan's Embassy in Seoul will be relocated at a proper manner.The

Foreign Affairs Jan. 4, 2016

N.K. top diplomat may attend Davos forum after 18 years of no-show: sources

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong may attend this year's annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, the first move in 18 years by a North Korean top diplomat, sources said Monday.A North Korean delegation to be headed by Ri may attend the so-called Davos forum to be held in Switzerland from Jan. 20-23, according to sources. The North is discussing the details over with the host, they said.If confirmed, it would be the first time in 18 years that a North Korean foreign minister was to joi

North Korea Jan. 4, 2016

Assembly ends with little achieved

The National Assembly held its last general assembly Thursday morning to pass some 210 pending bills, but only without disputed labor and economic bills. The revised election bill to redraw electoral districts, also remained up in the air.Parliamentary Speaker Chung Ui-hwa, who had refused to push ahead with the bill on his own authority, said that he would submit his version for review to the National Election Commission at midnight.“There will be a legislative emergency situation starting from

Social Affairs Dec. 31, 2015

Non-emergency patients to face ER fee hikes

Non-emergency patients will face much higher medical costs if they use emergency rooms starting this month, as part of the government’s measures to limit the unnecessary use of emergency rooms, officials said Thursday. The Welfare Ministry said patients visiting the top 140 emergency rooms in the country will be classified into five categories depending on the urgency and severity of their condition, and charged different fees accordingly. Non-emergency patients who show mild symptoms such as f

Social Affairs Dec. 31, 2015

Non-emergency patients to face ER fee hikes

Former teacher dedicates 30 years to charity work

As volunteers of all ages, occupations and causes lined up wearing Korean Red Cross uniforms and chef hats at the headquarters in Jongno, central Seoul, one instructor took them through how to split the dough to make cream cakes.Hours later, sponge cakes and sweet bread came out from the oven. Looking at their warm, puffy creations, the cooks’ beamed as they imagined them being doled out to those in need, a daily routine for the volunteers.Standing among them was Yoon Kyung-ae, an 83-year-old vo

Social Affairs Dec. 31, 2015

Former teacher dedicates 30 years to charity work

General election a warm-up for presidential race

Once again, election season is high. The forthcoming April general election to constitute the 20th National Assembly will be a race for parliamentary seats as well as a prelude to the 2017 presidential election.The rival parties are mired in a power struggle of their own as their eyes are singularly set on individually and collectively winning the next Assembly seats, the configuration of which is likely to decide the fate of the incumbent administration’s initiatives to cope with the approachin

Politics Dec. 31, 2015

General election a warm-up for presidential race

Saenuri blood boils at Choi’s return

A major factional feud looms at the ruling Saenuri Party upon the imminent return of Rep. Choi Kyung-hwan, the president’s top aide with a mission to sway parliamentary election nominations in favor of pro-Park figures.Choi is coming back to his third-term seat after his successor as finance minister was named in a Cabinet reshuffle Monday. He is expected to spearhead the faction loyal to President Park Geun-hye, and bracing for his return is the party’s chairman Rep. Kim Moo-sung, who represent

Politics Dec. 22, 2015

Former JCS chief indicted over bribery

Investigators said Sunday they have indicted without arrest retired Adm. Choi Yoon-hee, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for receiving bribes from an arms dealer in connection with the Navy’s purchase of multi-mission maritime helicopters.The joint investigation team for corruption involving arms procurement projects said that Choi is suspected of ordering officers to forge an assessment report to show that the AW159 Wildcat supplied by Agusta Westland meets the Navy’s requirements

Politics Dec. 20, 2015

Another NPAD lawmaker leaves

Rep. Kim Dong-cheol announced Sunday he was leaving the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, bringing the number of defectors from the embattled opposition party to four in just a week.“The only way to accomplish new politics and administrative change at this point is through the new party to be created by Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo,” Kim, whose defection was widely predicted, said at a press conference.Rep. Kim Dong-cheol YonhapKim’s defection marked the first time for a lawmaker representing the oppos

Politics Dec. 20, 2015

Articles by Lee Joo-hee