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[1/4] A man clears away the snow from an alley as it snows on a cold winter day in Seoul, South Korea, January 26, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Hong-JiSEOUL, Jan 26 (Reuters) - South Korea plans to double energy vouchers and a discount of gas prices for underprivileged families to cope with spiralling heating bills amid a prolonged cold wave, officials said on Thursday. Many South Korean households began to feel the impact in recent weeks after turning up the heat amid a cold spell, with monthly gas bills up 34% last month from a year ago, according to Statistics Korea. "There is an inevitable aspect of realising energy prices under these difficult external circumstances," he told a briefing. Many South Koreans expressed concerns over additional hikes in energy bills as freezing winter weather continued.

☆ Heavy snow causes havoc in Japan as cold snap sweeps through Asia
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TOKYO, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Heavy snow blanketed wide swathes of Japan on Wednesday, snarling traffic, forcing hundreds of flight cancellations, disrupting train travel and leaving at least one person dead. An unusually cold weather front and extreme low pressure systems set snow falling and strong winds blowing across Japan from Tuesday after causing havoc in other Asia countries earlier this week. Some 3,000 people were stranded at two train stations in the western city of Kyoto after snow and high winds forced service to be suspended on Tuesday. Strong winds connected to the storm may have caused the sinking of a Hong Kong-registered cargo ship between western Japan and South Korea's Jeju island early on Wednesday. Reporting by Kaori Kaneko, Sugiyama Satoshi and Elaine Lies in Tokyo and Hyonhee Shin in Seoul, writing by Elaine Lies and Miyoung Kim Editing by Chang-Ran Kim, Kim Coghill and Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Some 500 people are evacuated from fire in South Korea shanty town
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, Jan 20 (Reuters) - About 500 people were evacuated on Friday after fire broke out in a shanty town in the South Korean capital, Seoul, fire authorities said. The fire erupted at 6:27 a.m. (0927 GMT) in Guryong Village in southern Seoul, which is home to more than 660 households. [1/4] Smoke rises from a fire at Guryong village, the last slum in the glitzy Gangnam district, in Seoul, South Korea, January 20, 2023. Plans for redevelopment and relocation have made little progress amid a decades-long tug of war between land owners, residents and authorities. Seoul said Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited the village and asked officials to draw up measures to relocate families affected by the fire.

☆ South Korea envoy in Iran summoned over Yoon's 'enemy' remarks -media
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Yoon, speaking with South Korean troops stationed in Abu Dhabi early this week, said South Korea and the UAE are under "very similar" circumstances, each facing North Korea and Iran as "the enemy, biggest threat." His remarks prompted a rare spat between Seoul and Tehran, at a time when relations have already been testy over frozen Iranian funds in South Korea and suspected arms dealings between Iran and North Korea. Iran's deputy foreign minister on legal affairs, Reza Najafi, summoned Yun Kang-hyeon, the South Korean ambassador on Wednesday to protest against Yoon's "interventionist remarks," the official IRNA news agency said. Najafi also accused South Korea of pursuing an "unfriendly approach" toward Iran, singling out its frozen funds. Iran has repeatedly demanded the release of some $7 billion of its funds frozen in South Korean banks under U.S. sanctions.

☆ North Korea calls for normalising factories, economy after COVID 'upheaval'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, Jan 19 (Reuters) - North Korea's parliament has outlined plans to normalise industrial production and meet its economic goals this year, despite the "worst-ever upheaval" amid the coronavirus pandemic in 2022, state media said on Thursday. The reclusive country's rubber-stamp parliament, the Supreme People's Assembly, held a two-day meeting from Tuesday to discuss government budget, economic policy and personnel changes, the official KCNA news agency said. The premier lauded the country for "successfully tackling the worst-ever upheaval since the founding of the country" amid the COVID-19 outbreak, despite "shortcomings" in implementing last year's plans. He called for normalising the production of metal factories and reinforcing iron mines and steel plants, and for operating chemical plants "at full capacity" to accelerate construction projects. The country will also take "strong measures" to supply equipment, materials and funds to boost coal production, Kim said.

☆ South Korea, Iran summon each other's envoys as spat over Yoon remarks deepens
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SEOUL, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Iran and South Korea summoned each other's envoys in a deepening spat over comments by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol that described the Islamic republic as the enemy of the United Arab Emirates. Yoon, speaking to South Korean troops stationed in Abu Dhabi earlier this week, said South Korea and the UAE are under "very similar" circumstances, each facing North Korea and Iran as "the enemy, biggest threat." Relations between Seoul and Tehran had already been testy over frozen Iranian funds in South Korea and suspected arms dealings between Iran and North Korea. Iran has repeatedly demanded the release of some $7 billion of its funds frozen in South Korean banks under U.S. sanctions. South Korea was once one of Iran's biggest crude buyers in Asia, but ceased imports after Washington imposed sanctions on Tehran in 2018.

☆ South Korea hints at compensating victims of Japan's colonial forced labour
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The Foundation for Victims of Forced Mobilization by Imperial Japan said it has secured initial donations from steelmaker POSCO (005490.KS) totalling 4 billion won ($3.2 million). Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, Tokyo’s top spokesperson, declined to comment on Seoul’s compensation plan or its public hearing, saying they were domestic matters within South Korea. The foundation's chief, Shim Kyu-sun, said he would encourage South Korean companies to donate "from the perspective of social responsibility". National flags of South Korea and Japan are displayed during a meeting between Komeito Party members and South Korean lawmakers at Komeito Party's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, July 31, 2019. Under the 1965 deal, South Korea was required to consider all pre-treaty compensation issues settled.

☆ South Korea calls China's visa suspension 'deeply regrettable'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, Jan 11 (Reuters) - China's recent decision to suspend the issue of short-term visas in South Korea was "deeply regrettable", the South's Foreign Minister Park Jin said on Wednesday. Tuesday's suspension by the Chinese embassy in South Korea was China's first retaliatory move against countries imposing COVID-19 curbs on its travellers. "It's deeply regrettable China took such a countermeasure by entirely suspending issuance of short-term visas," Park told a news briefing, adding that South Korea still issues visas to Chinese visitors for urgent business or humanitarian purposes. Some Chinese tourists have complained over such curbs, which are the strictest among the new rules countries have adopted, but South Korea said they were not discriminatory. "I don't think it's desirable for these measures to have any negative impact on the South Korea-China relations," Park added.

☆ South Korea, U.S. plan February nuclear tabletop drills to deter North
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SEOUL, Jan 11 (Reuters) - South Korea and the United States will hold tabletop exercises next month as the allies move to better counter the North's nuclear threats, South Korea's defence minister said on Wednesday. Nuclear-armed North Korea launched an unprecedented number of missiles last year, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. "We're planning to hold tabletop exercises in February between defence officials on operating means of extended deterrence under the scenario of North Korea's nuclear attacks," South Korean defence minister Lee Jong-sup told a news conference. "There is a shared need for it between the two sides, given that North Korea's nuclear threat has become serious not only to South Korea but also to the United States," he said. As part of efforts to step up its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability, South Korea plans to launch its first spy satellite this year and four more by 2025, he added.

"We had such a hard time, and I would rather have more Chinese people come than the government restricting their entry so I can do business." "Tour bus operators who have had their vehicles idly parked for over three years are now gearing up for (bus) inspections," said Thai Tour Bus Association President Wasuchet Sophonsatien. Thailand, Japan, the United States, South Korea, Australia, Macao, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan were the most-searched destinations. Yue Hua Entertainment Korea, which manages Tempest, did not respond to a request for comment. "The pandemic outbreak on the mainland is still vigorous and needs time to recover, while domestic consumption remains weak on the mainland."

SEOUL, Jan 5 (Reuters) - A North Korean drone briefly entered a no-fly zone surrounding South Korea's presidential office when it intruded into the South's airspace last week, Seoul's military said on Thursday, fuelling criticism over its air defences. The drone was among five North Korean drones that crossed into the South on Dec. 26, prompting South Korea's military to scramble fighter jets and helicopters. The border crossing has sparked criticism over South Korea's air defences at a time of the North's growing nuclear and missile threats. Reclusive North Korea has pursued missile and nuclear weapons programmes in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. North and South Korea are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

☆ S.Korea's Yoon warns of ending military pact if North violates airspace again -Yonhap
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SEOUL, Jan 4 (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said on Wednesday he will consider suspending a 2018 inter-Korean military pact if North Korea violates its airspace again, Yonhap news agency reported, citing his press secretary. Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ South Korea's Yoon warns of ending military pact if North violates airspace again, Yonhap reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, Jan 4 (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said on Wednesday he would consider suspending a 2018 inter-Korean military pact if North Korea violates its airspace again, Yonhap news agency reported, citing his press secretary. Yoon made the comment after being briefed on countermeasures to North Korean drones that crossed into the South last week, calling for building an "overwhelming response capability that goes beyond proportional levels," Yonhap said. Yoon has criticised the military's handling of the drone incident, in part blaming the previous administration's reliance on the 2018 pact banning hostile activities in the border areas. "He also called for accelerating the development to produce stealth drones this year and quickly establishing a drone killer system," Kim said, according to Yonhap. Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Tom Hogue and Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ South Korea seeks Chinese national missing from COVID quarantine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Chinese tourists walk into coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing centre upon their arrival at the Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, January 4, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Hong-JiSEOUL, Jan 4 (Reuters) - South Korea authorities said on Wednesday they were trying to track down a Chinese national who tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival but went missing while waiting at a quarantine facility. The person tested positive after arriving at Incheon International Airport near Seoul late on Tuesday and was transferred to a nearby hotel to await admission to quarantine, but then went missing, a health official said. Starting this week, South Korea required travellers from China to undergo a PCR test upon arrival. The case of the missing Chinese national triggered questions in the media about South Korea's system to control and manage infected inbound travellers.

Meanwhile, World Health Organization officials met Chinese scientists on Tuesday amid concerns over the accuracy of China's data on the spread and evolution of its outbreak. China reported five new COVID-19 deaths for Jan. 3, compared with three a day earlier, bringing the official death toll to 5,258, very low by global standards. British-based health data firm Airfinity has said about 9,000 people in China are probably dying each day from COVID. Bookings for international flights from China have risen by 145% year-on-year in recent days, the government-run China Daily newspaper reported, citing data from travel booking platform Trip.com. But there are signs that an increase in travel from China could further spread the virus abroad.

SEOUL/WASHINGTON, Jan 3 (Reuters) - South Korea and the United States are discussing joint planning and implementation of U.S. nuclear operations to counter North Korea, Seoul's presidential office said on Tuesday, although U.S. President Joe Biden said there would be no joint nuclear exercises. The statement came shortly after Biden said the United States was not discussing joint nuclear exercises with South Korea, seeming to contradict earlier remarks by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in an interview with a local newspaper. Yoon's press secretary, Kim Eun-hye, said Biden "had no choice but to say 'No'" because he was simply asked if the two countries were "discussing nuclear war games," whereas joint nuclear exercises can only be held between nuclear weapons states. "In order to respond to the North Korean nuclear weapons, the two countries are discussing ways to share information on the operation of U.S.-owned nuclear assets, and joint planning and joint execution of them accordingly," Kim said in a statement. Neither side has finalised the timing of the planned tabletop exercises, but they would take place "in the not-too-distant future" and cover scenarios beyond nuclear situations, the official said.

☆ North Korea's Kim sacks No. 2 military official
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SEOUL, Jan 2 (Reuters) - North Korea has sacked Pak Jong Chon, the second most powerful military official after leader Kim Jong Un, state media reported. The party's Central Military Commission, which is headed by Kim, is considered the country' most powerful military decision-making body, above the defence ministry. In late 2020, Pak was promoted to the politburo and earned the title of marshal, the highest military rank under Kim, and became a leading voice last November against joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises. Like most other top military aides who went through ups and downs repeatedly under Kim, Pak was briefly demoted in mid-2021 after Kim chided some officials for their handling of North Korea's anti-coronavirus policy, before being promoted again months later. Ri, Pak's successor, is also a senior military commander who held key positions including chief of the army's general staff and defence minister.

☆ South Korea to spend $440 mln until 2027 to counter North Korea drones
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, Dec 28 (Reuters) - South Korea plans to spend 560 billion won ($441.26 million) over the next five years to beef up its ability to fend off North Korean drones, Seoul's defence ministry said on Wednesday. The plan was included in South Korea's midterm defence blueprint for 2023-27 after North Korean drones crossed into the South in the first such intrusion since 2017. Monday's incident triggered criticism over South Korea's air defences as it tries to curb the North's evolving nuclear and missile threats. As part of efforts to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, the ministry seeks to procure more stealth jets, which it said would bolster real-time strike capabilities against moving targets. This year's budget stood at 54.6 trillion won.

☆ North Korea's Kim unveils new military goals at key party meeting -KCNA
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends the sixth enlarged meeting of the eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this undated photo released on December 27, 2022 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERSSEOUL, Dec 28 (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un unveiled new goals for the country's military for 2023 at an ongoing meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, state media reported on Wednesday, hinting at another year of intensive weapons tests and tension. The third-generation leader set the direction for the "anti-enemy struggle" and goals for reinforcing defence power, it added. KCNA did not provide details on those goals, but Kim's remarks could indicate the isolated country will continue to accelerate its military buildup. North Korean leaders previously made speeches on New Year Day, but in recent years, Kim has called days-long party gatherings at the end of the year to announce major policy decisions.

☆ South Korea must respond to N.Korea despite its nuclear arms - Yoon
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"We must not fear or hesitate because North Korea has nuclear weapons," he said. Monday's intrusion triggered criticism in South Korea of its air defences. Yoon chided the military, in particular its failure to bring down the drones while they flew over South Korea for hours. South Korea responded on Monday by sending drones over North Korea for three hours. South Korea will also expand its drone capabilities to three squadrons.

☆ South Korea's Yoon vows to advance creation of military drone unit
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SEOUL, Dec 27 (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said on Tuesday he would advance the creation of a military unit specialising in drones, criticising the military response to a border intrusion by North Korean drones. Five North Korean drones crossed into South Korea on Monday, prompting Seoul to scramble fighter jets and attack helicopters, and try to shoot them down. The incident highlighted the lack of training and readiness by the South Korean military, even though there had been previous intrusions, Yoon said. Reporting by Choonsik Yoo and Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Tom Hogue and Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ North Korea's Kim kicks off key party meeting ahead of New Year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/6] North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends the sixth enlarged meeting of the eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this undated photo released on December 26, 2022 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERSSEOUL, Dec 27 (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has kicked off a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, state media reported on Tuesday, a venue he has often used to announce major policy decisions marking the New Year. The Sixth Enlarged Plenary Meeting of 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) was convened on Monday, the official KCNA news agency said. Kim also faces mounting economic challenges amid international sanctions over its weapons programmes, the fallout from an anti-coronavirus lockdown and natural disasters. North Korean state media previously released its leader's speech on New Year Day, but in recent years, Kim has called party gatherings at the end of the year to make major policy announcements.

☆ South Korea scrambles jets, fires warning shots as N.Korean drones intrude - Yonhap
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, Dec 26 (Reuters) - South Korea scrambled fighter jets and attack helicopters and fired warning shots on Monday after North Korean drones violated its airspace, the South's Yonhap news agency reported. South Korea tracked the drones crossing from North Korea over what is known as the Military Demarcation Line between the two countries, Yonhap reported. South Korea's transport ministry said earlier flights departing from its Incheon and Gimpo airports were suspended following a request from the military. The suspension began at 1:08 p.m. (0408 GMT) at Gimpo and at 1:22 p.m. at Incheon and lasted for about an hour before flight departures resumed at around 2:10 p.m., a ministry official told Reuters. Reporting by Joyce Lee and Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Christopher Cushing, Robert BirselOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ South Korea, U.S. consider live-fire drills amid North Korea threats
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, Dec 22 (Reuters) - South Korea and the United States are considering staging their first large-scale joint live-fire demonstration in six years in 2023 amid North Korea's growing military threats, Seoul's defence ministry said on Thursday. The drills have been floated as South Korea and the United States discuss preparations for the 70th anniversary of their alliance next year, ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-gyu said. "Marking that occasion, we are exploring various ways to showcase our military's presence and the alliance's overwhelming deterrence capabilities against North Korea," Jeon told a regular briefing. On Tuesday, the United States flew its F-22 Raptor stealth fighters for joint drills with South Korea for the first time since 2018, hours after North Korea criticised both countries and vowed more missile tests. North Korea has tested an unprecedented number of missiles this year, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) designed to strike the U.S. mainland.

[1/3] North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un oversees a missile launch at an undisclosed location in North Korea, in this undated photo released on October 10, 2022 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERSSEOUL, Dec 20 (Reuters) - North Korea on Tuesday condemned Japan's planned military buildup outlined Tokyo's new security strategy, vowing to show with action how dangerous it is, state media said. Japan's news security strategy effectively formalised a "new aggression policy" and would bring a fundamental change in East Asia's security environment, the spokesperson said. The spokesperson slammed the United States for "exalting and instigating Japan's rearmament and re-invasion plan," saying Washington no right to raise issue with Pyongyang's efforts to bolster North Korea's defence. Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi and Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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