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1. Candidate registration for June 1st local elections and parliamentary by-election started today. The official election campaign begins next Thursday.  2. North Korea confirmed their first COVID-19 case on Thursday, and announced the implementation of “maximum emergency” anti-virus system.  3. South Korea reported 35-thousand 9-hundred-6 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday. Meanwhile ,...

1. The Yoon government said on Wednesday, after holding its first consultation meeting, that it will hand out at least 6 million won each for 3.7 million small business owners hit by the pandemic.  2. On the second day of the new administration, president Yoon Suk-yeol held diplomatic meetings with foreign guests from seven different countries individually.   3. South Korea’s new COVID-1...

1. President Yoon Suk-yoel pledged on Tuesday, during his inauguration event, that he will elevate South Korea into a country that belongs to the people. He also stressed freedom, human rights, fairness and solidarity.  2. The number of COVID-19 infections in South Korea tallied 49-thousand 9-hundred-33 on Tuesday, up by 29-thousand 3-hundred-32 from yesterday. The number of critically ill pa...

1. President Moon Jae-in said Monday, during his farewell speech on his last day in office, that he became solemn given how his government fulfilled the people’s hope, referring to the candlelight revolution . 2. President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol will kick off his presidential term as of midnight Tuesday. His very first work as president is to receive a briefing from the Joint Chief of Staff. 3. South...

1. White House said Thursday that president Joe Biden will reaffirm the U.S commitment to providing “extended deterrence” to its allies on Biden’s upcoming visit to South Korea this month.    2. As Victory Day approaches in Russia, The Guardian reported on Thursday that Kremlin officials were seen to flock to the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol to celebrate the holiday.  3. Presiden...

1. The U.S Fed announced on Wednesday that it decided to raise 0.5 percentage point on the benchmark rates, after holding a two-day FOMC meeting.  2. Chief nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan denounced North Korea’s recent provocation on Wednesday and urged the North to return to dialogue.  3. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Thursday that it will proceed wi...

1. The Joint Chief of Staff stated on Wednesday that North Korea launched a ballistic missile off of the East Sea this afternoon. The missile flew 470 km at a top of altitude of 780 km.  2. The National Assembly on Wednesday adopted a confirmation hearing report on Economy and Finance minister nominee Choo Kyung-ho. 3. With 49-thousand and 64 new COVID-19 infections reported on Wednesday in S...

1.President Moon Jae-in officially declared the prosecution reform act was passed, after having reviewed the two bills comprising the act during his final cabinet meeting on Tuesday.  2.Top nuclear envoys for South Korea and China met in Seoul on Tuesday to discuss North Korea’s growing threats. The two sides reaffirmed close cooperation for peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. 3. Acco...

1. South Korea lifted the outdoor mask mandate starting from today. Meanwhile, the number of new COVID-19 cases stands at 20-thousand-84.   2. President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol announced on Sunday that his presidential office will be reorganized into two offices and five secretariats. Former vice foreign minister Kim Sung-han was appointed as the head of the National Security Office.  3. Sou...

1. South Korea saw 50-thousand 5-hundred-68 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. The authorities announced that it will lift the outdoor mask mandate starting from next Monday. 2. Korea Institute for National Unification analyzed on Thursday in a report, that the latest military parade in North Korea was the largest in scale in five years, with 26 different types of weapons identified, and 20-thousand pa...

1. President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S president Joe Biden will hold their first summit in Seoul on May 21 to discuss strengthening “comprehensive and strategic alliance” between the two countries.   2. Samsung Electronics recorded its best first-quarter sales with 18.95% increase on-year at 77.7 trillion won on Thursday. SK hynix also made the best performance for the first-quarter with ab...

1. The Biden administration on Tuesday reaffirmed its will for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s remarks in strengthening the regime’s nuclear capacities.  2. Russian gas giant Gazprom stopped supplying gas to so-called “unfriendly” countries, including Poland and Bulgaria as of Wednesday. Meanwhile, over 40 nations gathered in Germ...

1. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said Monday that its nuclear forces must be ready to exercise, if any force seeks to intrude on the fundamental interests of North Korea.   2. President Moon Jae-in hosted a final press conference as the president on Monday, as his five-year presidency term comes to end on May 9th. 3. The country's gross domestic product is estimated to have grown 0.7 percen...

1. President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s transition team announced today that it decided to relocate a presidential residence to the official residence of foreign minister.  2. North Korea has not yet held a military parade today to celebrate the 90th anniversary of founding the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army.  3. South Korea’s new COVID-19 infections stood at 34-thousand 3-hundred-70 on M...

1. The Moon administration said Friday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said in his recent letter to president Moon Jae-in that inter-Korean relations can be improved if both sides make sincere efforts. 2. The South Korean government took issue with Japan’s repeated claim over the islet Dokdo on Friday. The Foreign ministry urged Japan to retract the “unjust” territorial rights claim swiftly....

1. Rhee Chang-yong officially took office as new head of Bank of Korea on Thursday. He indicated tightening monetary policy to stabilize the economy. 2. Russia test-fired a new nuclear capable Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, “Sarmat” on Wednesday, amid extreme tensions over Ukraine. 3. South Korea’s new COVID-19 cases tallied 90-thousand 8-hundred-67 on Thursday. The number of the deaths stand...

1. The IMF lowered South Korea’s 2022 economic growth outlook to 2.5%, while raising inflation projection up to 4% on Tuesday. 2. The Biden administration plans to announce an additional 800 million dollar military aid package for Ukraine in a few days. 3. South Korea saw 111-thousand 3-hundred-19 new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday. The authorities said they will decide whether to lift the outdo...

1. President Moon Jae-in said in his social media on Tuesday that the April 19 Revolution served as a fuse that ignited the development of democracy in South Korea, marking its 62nd anniversary of the revolution.  2. Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong held a meeting with U.S special envoy for North Korea, Sung Kim, on Tuesday in Seoul. The two agreed on close cooperation for the North’s return t...

1. South Korea’s daily COVID-19 cases stands at 47-thousand 7-hundred-43 on Monday. All anti-virus restrictions, except for mask mandates, have been lifted as of today. 2. South Korea and the United States kicked off the combined military drill on Monday, which will continue for nine days. 3. The South Korean government decided to join CPTPP last week. Malaysia on Monday welcomed South Korea’s bid...

1. The South Korean government has announced on Friday that it will fully lift the current social distancing measures, except for the mask mandates starting from next Monday. Meanwhile, the number of new COVID-19 cases today stands at 125-thousand 8-hundred-46. 2. North Korean media outlets said Friday that it will celebrate the 110th year anniversary of the late Kim Il-sung’s birthday with firewo...

1. The Bank of Korea raised its benchmark interest rates to 1.5% on Thursday, the highest level in about three years to control increasing inflation pressures, as consumer prices jumped over 4% last month. 2. North Korean media outlets announced on Thursday that Kim Jong-un promoted a number of military officials a day before the 110th anniversary of the late Kim Il-sung’s birthday, in an effort f...

1. President-elect Yoon Suk-yoel announced his second list for cabinet members, including Park Jin as foreign minister and Kwon Young-se as unification minister. 2. The United States’ annual country report on human rights practice criticized the North Korean regime’s systematic violation of human rights. 3. South Korea’s new daily COVID-19 cases stands at 195-thousand 4-hundred-19 on Wednesday. Th...

1. President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol said Tuesday that he met former president Park Geun-hye in his visit to Daegu and Gyeongbuk region. 2. U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, arrived at the international waters of the East Sea on Tuesday, as South Korea and the U.S. kicked off its preparatory drills today. 3. South Korea saw 210-thousand 7-hundred 55 new COVID-19 cases on...

1. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy delivered his speech at the South Korean parliament today. He requested more support for military equipments from South Korea. 2. President-elect Yoon Suk-yoel announced eight cabinet members on Sunday, including Choo Kyung-ho, who will be doubling as Deputy Prime Minister and finance minister. 3.  South Korean new COVID-19 infections stands at 90-th...

1. A list of the Yoon administration's cabinet will be released next week. Meanwhile, the Defense ministry began its relocation process for the presidential office today. 2. The U.N. General Assembly suspended Russia on Thursday from its Human Rights Council over the reports of massacre of Ukranian citizens. 3. South Korea tallied 205-thousand 3-hundred 33 new COVID-19 cases on Friday.  The a...