By , SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean state media on Wednesday made no mention of leader Kim Jong Un’s health or whereabouts, a day after intense international speculation over his health was sparked by media reports he was gravely ill after a cardiovascular procedure.North Korean media presented a business as usual image, carrying routine reporting of Kim’s achievements and publishing some of his older, or undated, comments on issues like the economy.South Korean and Chinese officials and sources familiar with U.S. intelligence have cast doubt on South Korean and U.S. media reports that he...…By , SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean state media on Wednesday made no mention of leader Kim Jong Un’s health or whereabouts, a day after intense international speculation over his health was sparked by media reports he was gravely ill after a cardiovascular procedure.North Korean media presented a business as usual image, carrying routine reporting of Kim’s achievements and publishing some of his older, or undated, comments on issues like the economy.South Korean and Chinese officials and sources familiar with U.S. intelligence have cast doubt on South Korean and U.S. media reports that he...WW…

By SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Tuesday it plans to tighten border checks for all arrivals from overseas to prevent new cases of coronavirus coming into the country at a time when domestically transmitted infections are subsiding.The stricter checks for all arrivals will start on Thursday and come as China also stepped up monitoring of foreign travellers, in the latest sign of the pandemic’s shifting centre of gravity from Asia to Europe.“We’ve assessed that there’s a need for universal special entry procedures for all arrivals, given rapid increases in new cases not only in Europe...…By SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Tuesday it plans to tighten border checks for all arrivals from overseas to prevent new cases of coronavirus coming into the country at a time when domestically transmitted infections are subsiding.The stricter checks for all arrivals will start on Thursday and come as China also stepped up monitoring of foreign travellers, in the latest sign of the pandemic’s shifting centre of gravity from Asia to Europe.“We’ve assessed that there’s a need for universal special entry procedures for all arrivals, given rapid increases in new cases not only in Europe...WW…

×ViewSEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un apologised on Friday for the shooting death of a South Korean man to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the South's national security adviser said, as public and political outrage over the killing grew.The apology came in a letter from the North's United Front Department, which handles cross-border ties, to South Korean President Moon Jae-in a day after South Korean officials said the North's soldiers killed the man, doused his body in fuel and set it on fire. The rare conciliatory message from the North Korean leader came as...…×ViewSEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un apologised on Friday for the shooting death of a South Korean man to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the South's national security adviser said, as public and political outrage over the killing grew.The apology came in a letter from the North's United Front Department, which handles cross-border ties, to South Korean President Moon Jae-in a day after South Korean officials said the North's soldiers killed the man, doused his body in fuel and set it on fire. The rare conciliatory message from the North Korean leader came as...WW…

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSEOUL, April 23 (Reuters) - South Korea granted conditional approval on Friday that will allow the public to use two coronavirus self-test kits for the first time, as a surge in infections has rekindled calls to step up testing.The decision comes as a nationwide rise in cluster infections has prompted authorities to demand tougher enforcement of distancing rules to avert a fourth wave of the pandemic.The makers of the kits, SD Biosensor Inc and Humasis Co Ltd , got approval on condition that they provide further clinical trial data on...…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSEOUL, April 23 (Reuters) - South Korea granted conditional approval on Friday that will allow the public to use two coronavirus self-test kits for the first time, as a surge in infections has rekindled calls to step up testing.The decision comes as a nationwide rise in cluster infections has prompted authorities to demand tougher enforcement of distancing rules to avert a fourth wave of the pandemic.The makers of the kits, SD Biosensor Inc and Humasis Co Ltd , got approval on condition that they provide further clinical trial data on...WW…

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSEOUL, April 9 (Reuters) - Iran released on Friday a South Korean ship and its captain detained since January after South Korea promised to try to secure the release of Iranian funds frozen in South Korean banks under U.S. sanctions, a South Korean official said.The Iranian foreign ministry said the chemical tanker, HANKUK CHEMI, was released after an investigation into environmental pollution, and at the request of the South Korean government and its owner, state news agency IRNA reported.The seizure of the tanker in the Strait of Hormuz...…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSEOUL, April 9 (Reuters) - Iran released on Friday a South Korean ship and its captain detained since January after South Korea promised to try to secure the release of Iranian funds frozen in South Korean banks under U.S. sanctions, a South Korean official said.The Iranian foreign ministry said the chemical tanker, HANKUK CHEMI, was released after an investigation into environmental pollution, and at the request of the South Korean government and its owner, state news agency IRNA reported.The seizure of the tanker in the Strait of Hormuz...WW…

By SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s ruling party suffered a devastating defeat in a special election for key mayoral posts amid political scandals and policy blunders, vote counts showed on Thursday.Millions of South Koreans went to the polls on Wednesday to elect chiefs of the country’s two largest cities, the capital Seoul and port city of Busan, among 21 local offices up for grabs.The election was widely seen a key barometer for potential political shifts for Moon’s progressive party with less than one year before the March 9 presidential election.Moon and his...…By SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s ruling party suffered a devastating defeat in a special election for key mayoral posts amid political scandals and policy blunders, vote counts showed on Thursday.Millions of South Koreans went to the polls on Wednesday to elect chiefs of the country’s two largest cities, the capital Seoul and port city of Busan, among 21 local offices up for grabs.The election was widely seen a key barometer for potential political shifts for Moon’s progressive party with less than one year before the March 9 presidential election.Moon and his...WW…

By SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday fired his top economic policy adviser for raising the rent on an apartment he owns in Seoul’s affluent Gangnam district amid a public furore over skyrocketing home prices.Kim Sang-jo raised the rent by about 14% in July, two days before a 5% cap on rent increases took effect as part of government efforts to protect tenants from unreasonable hikes.“I am very sorry that I’ve disappointed the people at this grave time when we should be making all-out efforts to root out real estate speculation,” Kim told a briefing.Kim had...…By SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday fired his top economic policy adviser for raising the rent on an apartment he owns in Seoul’s affluent Gangnam district amid a public furore over skyrocketing home prices.Kim Sang-jo raised the rent by about 14% in July, two days before a 5% cap on rent increases took effect as part of government efforts to protect tenants from unreasonable hikes.“I am very sorry that I’ve disappointed the people at this grave time when we should be making all-out efforts to root out real estate speculation,” Kim told a briefing.Kim had...WW…

By SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Monday that the U.N. Security Council showed a double standard as its sanctions committee criticised the country’s recent missile test as a violation of U.N. resolutions.North Korea launched a new type of tactical short-range ballistic missile last week, prompting Washington to request a gathering of the U.N. Security Council’s (UNSC) sanctions committee.At the committee meeting on Friday, the United States called for imposing additional sanctions and tightening the implementation of existing measures, denouncing the test as a violation of U.N....…By SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Monday that the U.N. Security Council showed a double standard as its sanctions committee criticised the country’s recent missile test as a violation of U.N. resolutions.North Korea launched a new type of tactical short-range ballistic missile last week, prompting Washington to request a gathering of the U.N. Security Council’s (UNSC) sanctions committee.At the committee meeting on Friday, the United States called for imposing additional sanctions and tightening the implementation of existing measures, denouncing the test as a violation of U.N....WW…

By SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Saturday that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden had taken a wrong first step and revealed “deep-seated hostility” by criticising its self-defensive missile test.North Korea on Friday said it had launched a new type of tactical short-range ballistic missile. Biden said the test violated U.N. Security Council resolutions but he remained open to diplomacy with Pyongyang.Ri Pyong Chol, secretary of the North’s ruling Worker’s Party’s Central Committee, said the test was self-defensive against threats posed by South Korea and the United...…By SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Saturday that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden had taken a wrong first step and revealed “deep-seated hostility” by criticising its self-defensive missile test.North Korea on Friday said it had launched a new type of tactical short-range ballistic missile. Biden said the test violated U.N. Security Council resolutions but he remained open to diplomacy with Pyongyang.Ri Pyong Chol, secretary of the North’s ruling Worker’s Party’s Central Committee, said the test was self-defensive against threats posed by South Korea and the United...WW…

By , SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - South Korean and Chinese officials and sources familiar with U.S. intelligence on Tuesday cast doubt on reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is gravely ill after a cardiovascular procedure, while the White House said it was closely monitoring the matter.U.S. President Donald Trump, who held unprecedented summits with Kim in 2018 and 2019 in an attempt to persuade him to give up his nuclear weapons, said the reports had not been confirmed and he did not put much credence in them.“I just hope he’s doing fine,” Trump told a White House news conference....…By , SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - South Korean and Chinese officials and sources familiar with U.S. intelligence on Tuesday cast doubt on reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is gravely ill after a cardiovascular procedure, while the White House said it was closely monitoring the matter.U.S. President Donald Trump, who held unprecedented summits with Kim in 2018 and 2019 in an attempt to persuade him to give up his nuclear weapons, said the reports had not been confirmed and he did not put much credence in them.“I just hope he’s doing fine,” Trump told a White House news conference....WW…