National Dec 16, 2020

Suga under fire for year-end dinners as coronavirus cases mount

Suga's outings came after the government abruptly halted a government travel subsidy program he had long defended.

Asia Pacific Oct 28, 2020

South Korea's conscripted doctors feel like 'human shields' in virus battle

As the coronavirus pandemic began sweeping through South Korea late in February, Dr. Nam Ha-jong received an order to report overnight to Daegu, a city that was to become the epicenter of infections. With little formal training in treating virus victims and just two hours ...

Entertainment News Oct 8, 2020

Can K-pop superstars be exempt from military service?

Calls are mounting within South Korea for members of megaband BTS to be granted alternatives or delays to mandatory military service, with some lawmakers and fans arguing they are doing plenty for their country without wearing a soldier's uniform.

National / History Aug 4, 2020

Last Korean war criminal in Japan still pushing for compensation

"Listen to me. Why are they treating us differently? It’s unfair and doesn’t make any sense. How can I accept this unbelievable situation?" 95-year-old Lee Hak-rae says.

National | FOCUS Jul 28, 2020

Cushy coronavirus aid contract puts Japan ad giant Dentsu under spotlight

The ad giant has acquired the task of distributing a $20 billion package to help ailing businesses.

National / Science & Health May 28, 2020

As Japan reopens, coronavirus testing slowed by red tape and staff shortages

Health ministry technocrats wanted to maintain a tight grip on information rather than cooperate with private institutions, critics say.

National | FOCUS May 7, 2020

How lax rules and missed warnings led to Japan's second coronavirus-hit cruise ship

Costa Atlantica cruise ship crew members' movements in Nagasaki went largely unmonitored and unregulated as virus spread across Japan.

Asia Pacific / Social Issues | FOCUS Nov 27, 2019

No money, no hope: South Korea's 'dirt spoons' turn against President Moon Jae-in

Hwang Hyeon-dong lives in a 6.6-square-meter (71-square-foot) cubicle near his university campus in Seoul, which comes with a shared bathroom and kitchen plus all the rice he can eat, that he rents for 350,000 won ($302) a month. The sparsely furnished rooms, in premises called ...

National Jul 28, 2019

Anti-Moon YouTubers in South Korea win fans in Japan

Japanese citizens angry at South Korea's role in a diplomatic row over their wartime history that has spilled into trade have found some unlikely allies: South Korean commentators using YouTube to attack their own president, Moon Jae-in. The South Korean leader has drawn the ire ...