By , SEOUL (Reuters) - A former senior North Korean diplomat apologised on Monday after saying leader Kim Jong Un was likely so ill he could not stand, days before he emerged in state media chain smoking and walking briskly at an event attended by hundreds of officials.Kim disappeared from state media for three weeks, an unusually long time, sparking a flurry of speculation about his health and whereabouts, and worry about prospects for the nuclear-armed state in the event of an unexpected succession.But on Saturday, North Korean media published photographs and video of Kim at a...…By , SEOUL (Reuters) - A former senior North Korean diplomat apologised on Monday after saying leader Kim Jong Un was likely so ill he could not stand, days before he emerged in state media chain smoking and walking briskly at an event attended by hundreds of officials.Kim disappeared from state media for three weeks, an unusually long time, sparking a flurry of speculation about his health and whereabouts, and worry about prospects for the nuclear-armed state in the event of an unexpected succession.But on Saturday, North Korean media published photographs and video of Kim at a...WW…

By , SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea plans to send kits designed to run up to 600,000 coronavirus tests to the United States on Tuesday after an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump, a Seoul official said.Trump made the request in a telephone call with President Moon Jae-in on March 25, as the United States was grappling with fast-growing outbreaks in many states.South Korean companies have previously shipped test kits to U.S. cities including Los Angeles, but this would mark the first bulk order from the U.S. federal government.A U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency cargo plane...…By , SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea plans to send kits designed to run up to 600,000 coronavirus tests to the United States on Tuesday after an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump, a Seoul official said.Trump made the request in a telephone call with President Moon Jae-in on March 25, as the United States was grappling with fast-growing outbreaks in many states.South Korean companies have previously shipped test kits to U.S. cities including Los Angeles, but this would mark the first bulk order from the U.S. federal government.A U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency cargo plane...WW…

By , SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean officials on Friday reported 91 patients thought cleared of the new coronavirus had tested positive again.Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), told a briefing that the virus may have been “reactivated” rather than the patients being re-infected.South Korean health officials said it remains unclear what is behind the trend, with epidemiological investigations still under way.The prospect of people being re-infected with the virus is of international concern, as many countries are hoping that infected...…By , SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean officials on Friday reported 91 patients thought cleared of the new coronavirus had tested positive again.Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), told a briefing that the virus may have been “reactivated” rather than the patients being re-infected.South Korean health officials said it remains unclear what is behind the trend, with epidemiological investigations still under way.The prospect of people being re-infected with the virus is of international concern, as many countries are hoping that infected...WW…

By , SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean officials on Friday reported 91 patients thought cleared of the new coronavirus had tested positive again.Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), told a briefing that the virus may have been “reactivated” rather than the patients being re-infected.South Korean health officials said it remains unclear what is behind the trend, with epidemiological investigations still under way.The prospect of people being re-infected with the virus is of international concern, as many countries are hoping that infected...…By , SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean officials on Friday reported 91 patients thought cleared of the new coronavirus had tested positive again.Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), told a briefing that the virus may have been “reactivated” rather than the patients being re-infected.South Korean health officials said it remains unclear what is behind the trend, with epidemiological investigations still under way.The prospect of people being re-infected with the virus is of international concern, as many countries are hoping that infected...WW…

By , , , MILAN/SEOUL (Reuters) - In Italy, millions are locked down and more than 1,000 people have died from the coronavirus. In South Korea, hit by the disease at about the same time, only a few thousand are quarantined and 67 people have died. As the virus courses through the world, the story of two outbreaks illustrates a coming problem for countries now grappling with an explosion in cases.It’s impractical to test every potential patient, but unless the authorities can find a way to see how widespread infection is, their best answer is lockdown.Italy started out testing widely, then...…By , , , MILAN/SEOUL (Reuters) - In Italy, millions are locked down and more than 1,000 people have died from the coronavirus. In South Korea, hit by the disease at about the same time, only a few thousand are quarantined and 67 people have died. As the virus courses through the world, the story of two outbreaks illustrates a coming problem for countries now grappling with an explosion in cases.It’s impractical to test every potential patient, but unless the authorities can find a way to see how widespread infection is, their best answer is lockdown.Italy started out testing widely, then...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…

By , , TOKYO/SEOUL (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, speaking on the 75th anniversary of Japan’s World War Two surrender, pledged never to repeat the tragedy of war and Emperor Naruhito expressed “deep remorse” over the wartime past, which still haunts East Asia.“Never to repeat the tragedy of war. We will continue to remain committed to this resolute pledge,” said Abe, wearing a face mask at an official ceremony for war dead on Saturday that was scaled back because of the COVID-19 outbreak.Abe, who did not echo Naruhito’s reference to remorse, sent a ritual offering to...…By , , TOKYO/SEOUL (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, speaking on the 75th anniversary of Japan’s World War Two surrender, pledged never to repeat the tragedy of war and Emperor Naruhito expressed “deep remorse” over the wartime past, which still haunts East Asia.“Never to repeat the tragedy of war. We will continue to remain committed to this resolute pledge,” said Abe, wearing a face mask at an official ceremony for war dead on Saturday that was scaled back because of the COVID-19 outbreak.Abe, who did not echo Naruhito’s reference to remorse, sent a ritual offering to...WW…

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSEOUL, April 21 (Reuters) - South Korea hopes its ally the United States will help it tackle a shortage of coronavirus vaccine in return for test kits and masks Seoul sent to Washington earlier in the pandemic, the foreign minister said on Wednesday.The government has drawn fire from the media for not doing enough to secure enough vaccines early, with just 3% of the population inoculated, due to tight global supply and limited access."We have been stressing to the United States that 'A friend in need is a friend indeed,'" the minister,...…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSEOUL, April 21 (Reuters) - South Korea hopes its ally the United States will help it tackle a shortage of coronavirus vaccine in return for test kits and masks Seoul sent to Washington earlier in the pandemic, the foreign minister said on Wednesday.The government has drawn fire from the media for not doing enough to secure enough vaccines early, with just 3% of the population inoculated, due to tight global supply and limited access."We have been stressing to the United States that 'A friend in need is a friend indeed,'" the minister,...WW…

By SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Wednesday it will temporarily suspend providing AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine to people below 60 amid a European review, while approving a Johnson & Johnson shot in a bid to speed up its inoculation rollout.The European Medical Agency (EMA) is due to announce the results of a review on whether some cases of blood clotting in adults may be linked to the AstraZeneca shot.The announcement is due at 1400 GMT.Global controversy over the efficacy and side-effects of some COVID-19 vaccines has caused some delays in South Korea’s vaccination campaign,...…By SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Wednesday it will temporarily suspend providing AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine to people below 60 amid a European review, while approving a Johnson & Johnson shot in a bid to speed up its inoculation rollout.The European Medical Agency (EMA) is due to announce the results of a review on whether some cases of blood clotting in adults may be linked to the AstraZeneca shot.The announcement is due at 1400 GMT.Global controversy over the efficacy and side-effects of some COVID-19 vaccines has caused some delays in South Korea’s vaccination campaign,...WW…

By SEOUL (Reuters) - Fans of the popular South Korean boy band BTS matched its $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter (BLM) in support of U.S. protests against police brutality, an organisation that runs fundraisers for the fans said on Monday.The K-pop group’s music label, Big Hit Entertainment, on Sunday told Reuters that BTS had donated $1 million to BLM in early June.The seven-member BTS wrote on its Twitter account on Thursday that they are against racism and violence with the hashtag BlackLivesMatter.“We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all...…By SEOUL (Reuters) - Fans of the popular South Korean boy band BTS matched its $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter (BLM) in support of U.S. protests against police brutality, an organisation that runs fundraisers for the fans said on Monday.The K-pop group’s music label, Big Hit Entertainment, on Sunday told Reuters that BTS had donated $1 million to BLM in early June.The seven-member BTS wrote on its Twitter account on Thursday that they are against racism and violence with the hashtag BlackLivesMatter.“We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all...WW…