Japan decides to discharge contaminated water from Fukushima nuclear accident site into sea

SEOUL -- Japan has decided to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear accident site into the Pacific Ocean, about 12 years after the nuclear accident was caused by a massive earthquake. The Fukushima disaster is regarded as the world's worst nuclear accident since the Chornobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. The contaminated water, referred to as "treated water" by Japan, is subterranean water that came in contact with Fukushima's reactor that was melted do

August 23, 2023

Chinese group tourists to visit Busan City via cruise ship in 2024

SEOUL -- A cruise ship owned by an operator based in Shanghai will carry Chinese tourists to the southern port city of Busan in 2024. The ship with a maximum capacity of 1,200 people will visit up to 25 times next year. Busan with a population of some 3.5 million is a popular travel destination for both South Korean people and foreign visitors who seek unique and vibrant cultural experiences. The city is well-known for its beautiful seaside views as well as tasty food menus that incl

August 22, 2023

Police continues manhunt for bank robber in central city

SEOUL -- Police are continuing their manhunt for a bank robber who raided a Credit Union bank branch in the central city of Daejeon. It has been four days since the robber successfully pulled out a bank heist and ran away with some 39 million won ($29,039). South Korea had a detection rate for criminal actions of 81.2 percent in 2020. The detection rate for heavy offenses such as sexual assault, robbery, and homicide is more than 97 percent. Law enforcers are able to maintain high crime

August 21, 2023

President Yoon promises to upgrade trilateral security alliance with US and Japan

SEOUL -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol agreed with leaders from the United States and Japan to upgrade the current security alliance at the trilateral summit meeting held at Camp David, the official U.S. presidential retreat near Washington, D.C. on August 18. The three leaders will meet at least once a year and build a real-time warning system for North Korea's missiles. "The cooperation between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, which remained in regional alliance on t

August 21, 2023

Presidential jet carrying President Yoon Suk-yeol lands on U.S. Air Force base for trilateral summit

SEOUL -- South Korea's presidential jet carrying President Yoon Suk-yeol has landed at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland near Washington D.C. on August 17 (local time). The South Korean president will meet United States President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in a trilateral summit meeting on August 18. On the day of the South Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral summit, President Yoon will move to Camp David, the official retreat for U.S. presidents, with his count

August 18, 2023

S. Korea unveils roadmap to attract 300,000 international students by 2027

SEOUL -- South Korea aims to increase the number of international students to 300,000 by 2027 from about 167,000 in 2022. The country will work with universities, private companies, and local governments, to attract foreign students. Various projects will be carried out such as offering hands-on career training programs and Korean-language classes. Under a project titled "Study Korea 300K Project," the Ministry of Education would secure 300,000 foreign students by 2027. T

August 17, 2023

Busan port operator to build S. Korea's first swing bridge by 2026

SEOUL -- South Korea's main maritime gateway in the southern port city of Busan will create the country's first swing bridge in its northern port area by 2026. A part of the 171-meter-(561-foot)-long bridge would swing to open a bridge span between support columns when yachts and ships approach and one side of the bridge will move in the horizontal direction. The Busan Port Authority (BPA) said the swing bridge that connects a park with a maritime recreation center will be buil

August 17, 2023

President Yoon to visit Maryland for summit meeting with US and Japan

SEOUL -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol will depart Seoul on August 17 to attend the South Korea-U.S.-Japan summit meeting scheduled to be held at Camp David, the official United States presidential retreat near Washington, D.C., on August 18. Yoon will depart in the afternoon from Seoul Airport on a presidential jet for his trip to the U.S. and First Lady Kim Geon-hee will not accompany the president. Yoon's father passed away on August 15 and the president will complete

August 17, 2023

S. Korea's third tallest skyscraper 'Busan Lotte Tower' to be built in southern port city

SEOUL -- Lotte Shopping, a retail company affiliated with Lotte Group, will build a 342.5 meter-(1123.6 foot)-tall tower in South Korea's southern port city of Busan. The new skyscraper called the "Busan Lotte Tower" would become the country's third tallest building after Seoul's Lotte World Tower and Haeundae LCT The Sharp, a residential and commercial complex in Busan. Through the new tower, the retail company aims to attract more than one million tourists annually.

August 16, 2023

S. Korea records highest level of tourism deficit in 1H 2023

SEOUL -- South Korea's tourism deficit for the first half of 2023 has reached the highest level in five years, data released by the main state tourism promotion body showed. The domestic tourism industry now focuses on whether the tourism balance will improve when Chinese group tourists return to South Korea. China imposed a ban on travelers to South Korea as part of retaliatory steps over the installment of an Advanced American missile shield system in 2017. About eight million

August 14, 2023