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South Korea, US to start scaled-back combined exercise this week
Posted by Harshit Sabarwal | ANI, Seoul
PUBLISHED ON MAR 07, 2021 02:24 PM IST
According to Yonhap News Agency, whether to hold the regular exercise has drawn attention as the unification ministry and some civic groups have called for its adjustment to help move forward the stalled inter-Korean ties. North Korea has long demanded a halt to such joint manoeuvres.

South Korea's top prosecutor resigns in clash with President Moon Jae-in
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON MAR 04, 2021 02:19 PM IST
- Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, whose public support has risen in the simmering battle with Moon over prosecutorial powers, told reporters on Thursday at the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office in Seoul that he was stepping down.

South Korea probes deaths of 2 who received AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine
Reuters
UPDATED ON MAR 03, 2021 01:32 PM IST
- A 63-year-old nursing home patient with cerebrovascular disease, developed symptoms including high fever, after being given the vaccine four days ago, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) Director Jeong Eun-kyeong told a briefing.

South Korea extends currency swap agreement with Switzerland for 5 years
Reuters, Seoul
PUBLISHED ON MAR 01, 2021 06:18 AM IST
The renewed 10 billion Swiss francs ($11.05 billion) currency swap deal, which was first signed in 2018, will be effective from March 1 and could be extended again if agreed by both sides.

South Korea kicks off vaccination drive, 18,000+ inoculated on Day 1
Reuters, Seoul
UPDATED ON FEB 27, 2021 09:07 AM IST
The government hopes to reach herd immunity, defined as at least a 70% vaccine take-up, by November, as health authorities remain on alert for signs of sporadic infections.

South Korea to extend current social distancing measures for two weeks
ANI, Seoul
UPDATED ON FEB 26, 2021 02:38 PM IST
"The government will decide to extend the current distancing levels for another two weeks starting next week during today's meeting," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said.

Netflix plans $500 million Korea budget this year to crack Asia
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON FEB 25, 2021 10:44 AM IST
South Korea is Netflix’s third-biggest market in Asia by sales, after Australia and Japan, which estimates a growth of more than 5 million in 2021.

Doctors' strike in South Korea threatens Covid-19 vaccine rollout
Reuters, Seoul
PUBLISHED ON FEB 22, 2021 10:48 AM IST
Healthcare workers are set to receive the first batch of AstraZeneca's vaccine from Friday, as South Korea looks to protect 10 million high-risk people by July, on its way to reaching herd immunity by November.

Seoul to administer Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccines from Feb 27, says PM Sye-kyun
Reuters, Seoul
PUBLISHED ON FEB 21, 2021 01:21 PM IST
Plans call for about 10 million high-risk people, including health care workers and staffers and some residents of assisted care facilities and nursing homes, to be inoculated by July.

S. Korea strikes Covid-19 vaccine deal, 23 mn to be inoculated
Reuters, Seoul
PUBLISHED ON FEB 16, 2021 11:09 AM IST
South Korea had already secured supply agreements for enough doses for 56 million, though it has a population of 52 million.

SoftBank-backed Coupang reveals revenue surge ahead of US IPO
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON FEB 12, 2021 09:32 PM IST
Founded in 2010 by Harvard graduate Bom Kim, Seoul-based Coupang made a splash with its 'Rocket Delivery' service that promised delivery within 24 hours, in a sharp blow to the country's family-owned retail conglomerates such as Shinsegae and Lotte.

South Korea to approve AstraZeneca as first Covid-19 vaccine
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON FEB 10, 2021 01:01 PM IST
On Monday, authorities sought to reassure elderly residents after a panel of advisers urged caution over the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for people older than 65 because of a lack of data.

South Korea's trade minister drops bid to become WTO chief
AP, Seoul
PUBLISHED ON FEB 05, 2021 03:31 PM IST
South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said in a news release Friday that its minister for trade, Yoo Myung-hee, will soon tell the WTO she is withdrawing her candidacy.

South Korea revamps social distancing rules amid fourth wave of Covid-19
Reuters
UPDATED ON FEB 04, 2021 09:16 AM IST
As South Korea witnesses a large fourth wave of infections caused by the more transmissible British and South African coronavirus variants with 39 confirmed cases, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun orders a revamp of social distancing guidelines

South Korea approves import of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines: Minister
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON FEB 03, 2021 03:02 PM IST
The country plans to roll out its vaccination campaign targeting about 50,000 frontline health workers and the elderly in February.

South Korea curbing travel, gatherings for holiday
AP, Seoul, South Korea
PUBLISHED ON FEB 03, 2021 10:44 AM IST
South Korean officials are moving to limit travel and gatherings during next week’s Lunar New Year’s holidays by allowing train operators to sell only window seats and passenger vessels to operate at half capacity.

Strengthening of US-South Korea ties cause concerns in China
ANI, Beijing
PUBLISHED ON JAN 30, 2021 06:38 PM IST
According to a report by South China Morning Post, in an early sign of a stronger alliance under President Joe Biden's administration, South Korea Defence Minister Suh Wook has announced that the annual spring military exercises with the US would be resumed this year.

South Korea rebukes opposition over report on nuclear plant in North Korea
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 29, 2021 10:54 PM IST
Kim Chong-in, leader of the main opposition People Power Party, called the potential plan a "shocking and appalling act that abets the enemy".

North Korea, US should aim for initial nuclear freeze: South Korean PM
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 28, 2021 03:41 PM IST
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, in his first interview with a foreign media outlet since taking office a year ago, told Reuters "creative" thinking and mutual incentives were needed to get negotiations going again and prevent another breakdown.

South Korea sees one of strongest recoveries among major economies
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON JAN 27, 2021 09:37 PM IST
South Korea ended the pandemic year of 2020 with a 1% contraction in gross domestic product, likely to be the smallest among OECD members.

Song Yoo-jung, South Korean actress and model, dies at 26
By hindustantimes.com | Edited by Mallika Soni
PUBLISHED ON JAN 27, 2021 04:45 PM IST
Apart from her acting and modeling career, she was a vocal advocate for people with disabilities and also the ambassador for a South Korean group called Warm Accompaniment.

Samsung’s billionaire heir Lee Jae-yong ordered back to prison for bribery
AP
PUBLISHED ON JAN 18, 2021 12:29 PM IST
Lee’s lawyers had portrayed him as a victim of presidential power abuse and described the 2015 deal as part of “normal business activity.”

South Korea's Moon urges Biden admin to follow up on Kim, Trump summit
Reuters, Seoul
PUBLISHED ON JAN 18, 2021 10:21 AM IST
Joe Biden takes office amid a prolonged stalemate in negotiations aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear programme.

What made South Korea crack down on digital sex crimes?
Written by Prashasti Singh, New Delhi
UPDATED ON JAN 16, 2021 12:03 PM IST
In early 2020, new sentencing guidelines were introduced. These increased the prison sentence for producing and distributing sexually exploitative material of minors from 2.6 years to five years.

AI-powered collar that can detect 5 emotions tells dog parents what is in a bark
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON JAN 13, 2021 10:50 AM IST
The collar can tell pet owners through a smartphone application if their dogs are happy, relaxed, anxious, angry or sad.

Hyundai says in early talks with Apple after electric vehicle tieup report
By Reuters| Posted by: Harshit Sabarwal | Seoul
PUBLISHED ON JAN 08, 2021 02:25 PM IST
The report comes weeks after Reuters reported that Apple was moving forward with self-driving car technology and was aiming to produce a passenger vehicle that could include its own breakthrough battery technology as early as 2024.

Iran holds navy drills in Persian Gulf amid standoff over tanker
By Bloomberg | Posted by Mallika Soni
UPDATED ON JAN 07, 2021 11:05 PM IST
Iran has used its influence over the Persian Gulf to push back against US-led attempts to isolate it economically. A government spokesman this week linked the seizure of the tanker to billions of dollars trapped in South Korea by US sanctions.

Arab leaders agree to end Qatar standoff
By Agencies | AL-ULA, Saudi Arabia, Al-ula, Saudi Arabia
PUBLISHED ON JAN 07, 2021 12:39 AM IST
The Saudi decision to open its airspace and borders to Qatar was the first major step towards ending the diplomatic crisis that began in 2017, just as the Trump administration was raising pressure on Iran.

Iran says South Korea holding $7 billion Iran funds ‘hostage’
By Reuters | Posted by Ayshee Bhaduri | Tehran
UPDATED ON JAN 05, 2021 05:16 PM IST
“We’ve become used to such allegations ... but if there is any hostage-taking, it is Korea’s government that is holding $7 billion which belongs to us hostage on baseless grounds,” spokesman Ali Rabiei told reporters at a news conference streamed live online.

Sensex resumes rally, soars past 48,000
By Nasrin Sultana | Livemint
UPDATED ON JAN 05, 2021 07:16 AM IST
“World stock markets hit record highs on Monday, the first trading day of the new year, as investors hoped the rollout of vaccines would ultimately lift a global economy ruined by the pandemic. The post holiday upbeat mood in India should sustain for 1-2 sessions,” Deepak Jasani, head of retail research, HDFC Securities said.