Focus on Headline

1. VIce Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong said Sunday that South Korea and Japan are both continuing to discuss ways to resolve their differences over how to deal with the issue of Japan’s wartime forced labor.

2. According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pfizer vaccines made specifically for children aged 6 months to 4 years old will be offered from today. The vaccines will be administered in three doses at intervals of 8 weeks.

3. Over 34,000 people have lost their lives across Turkiye and Syria since a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck a week ago on Monday.

1. HYBE, the entertainment agency behind global K-pop phenomenon BTS on Friday, officially confirmed that it’ll be acquiring a 14-point-8 percent stake in its rival K-pop agency SM Entertainment, by signing a deal with SM's founder Lee Soo-man.

2. Starting Saturday, the South Korean government has decided to resume issuing short-term visas to travelers from China. The announcement comes after South Korea suspended the issuance of visas in January.

3. According to the officials and Syrian civil rescue team White Helmets, the earthquake that hit Turkiye and Syria took the lives of at least 21-thousand. Korean companies continue to offer relief support to the area.

1. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a display of a new, solid-fuel Intercontinental ballistic missile during a nighttime military parade on Wednesday which marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army.

2. A motion to Minister Lee Sang-min passed the plenary session of the National Assembly on Wednesday afternoon, with 179 lawmakers voting in favor. Lee is now suspended from his duties as interior minister.

3. The death toll from the devastating earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria has risen to more than 15,000. Korean disaster relief personnel arrived in the area and reported the rescue of four survivors.

1. The National Assembly voted on Wednesday to impeach Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min for his mishandling of the Itaewon crowd crush.

2. According to the Korean Central News Agency, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the barracks of Pyongyang’s military to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army.

3. A team of 118 South Koreans arrived in Turkiye on Wednesday to support the country's search and rescue operation after a deadly earthquake that struck the nation and killed more than 8000.

1. According to the Korean Central News Agency on Tuesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Central Military Commission to discuss ways to boost readiness posture for war.

2. South Korean top diplomat Park Jin said Tuesday that the country will dispatch a 60-person search and rescue team and medical supplies to Turkey. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Turkiye and Syria and killed at least 5000 people.

3. According to the spokesperson of the European Council on Monday, EU’s chief, Charles Michel, invited Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Brussels to participate in person at a summit of the 27 EU nations on Thursday.

1. After holding a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin said yesterday that there will be a stronger alliance between the two countries this year based on the achievements of the recent trip to the US.

2. The main opposition Democratic Party decided on Monday to introduce an impeachment motion against the Interior Minister Lee Sang-min. This comes a day after the 100th day of the Oct. 29 Itaewon tragedy.

3. A deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit South-eastern Turkey near the Syrian border on Monday, killing at least 500 people.

1. Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk was sentenced to 2 years in prison and a fine of 6 million won on charges related to document forges of his children among others.

2. The Korea Economic Research Institute revised down its economic outlook for South Korea from 1.9% to 1.5%, lower than the outlook report released by the International Monetary Fund at 1.7%.

3. South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin will hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington D.C. on Friday local time.

1. The Federal reserve delivered a small rate hike of 25 basis points on Wednesday, implying that its combat against inflation is showing effect. Meanwhile, according to Statistics Korea, South Korea’s consumer prices grew 5.2% in January compared to the same period last year.

2. The White House on Wednesday has rejected North Korea’s claim that conducting joint military exercises on the Korean Peninsula is a provocation, and made it clear that the United States has no hostile intent toward Pyongyang.

3. Japan’s radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant is planned to be released soon, raising global concerns.

1. South Korea posted the worst on-year decline in January with exports falling for 4 consecutive months, triggered by weak demand in semiconductors and other flagship items.

2. The South Korean government announced measures on Wednesday to reduce the burden of heating bills on underprivileged or lower-income households. About 2.1 million households, therefore, will receive a heating bill subsidy of 592 thousand won for December to March.

3. South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin departed for the United States on Wednesday to engage in talks on reinforcing the U.S.-South Korea relations.

1. South Korean defense minister Lee Jong-sup and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met on Tuesday to discuss means to reinforce the U.S. extended deterrence.

2. The International Monetary Fund revised its 2023 economic growth forecast for South Korea down from 2.0% to 1.7%. This was according to the agency’s World Economic Outlook Update released on Tuesday.

3. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered the Cabinet to create measures to reduce the burden of heating bills on not only the vulnerable but also the middle class households during a Cabinet meeting on Monday. The president also approved the emergency use of 100 billion won in reserve funds to support the vulnerable.