Korea Joongang Daily
Korea JoongAng Daily

Trump nominates former Rep. Michelle Park Steel as U.S. ambassador to Korea

U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated a former Korean American congresswoman as the United States' top envoy to South Korea, according to a presidential nomination document released Monday.

2026-04-14

Wolf spotted for the first time 5 days after escape from zoo

A young wolf that broke out of a zoo in Daejeon has been seen for the first time since his escape last week, sources said Tuesday.

2026-04-14

Human rights watchdog to ask Foreign Ministry to work for transfer of North Korean POWs in Ukraine

The state human rights watchdog said on Tuesday it has decided to ask Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Prime Minister Kim Min-seok to work for the swift transfer of two North Korean soldiers held in Ukraine to South Korea.

2026-04-14

Kim Jong-un sends educational aid to pro-Pyongyang ethnic Koreans in Japan

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent an educational aid fund and stipends to an association of pro-Pyongyang residents in Japan to mark this week's 114th birthday of late state founder Kim Il Sung, the North's state media reported on Tuesday.

2026-04-14

North Korea's Kim again observes missile launches from destroyer Choe Hyon

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has again observed a test-firing of strategic cruise and antiwarship missiles from the destroyer Choe Hyon, stressing the country's top priority is to bolster a nuclear war deterrent, state media reported Tuesday.

2026-04-14

Some care facilities retain top gov't ratings despite confirmed abuses

Dozens of long-term care facilities in Korea retained top government ratings despite confirmed cases of abuse of older adults, a state audit has found, raising questions about oversight of the country’s nursing homes.

2026-04-14

Seoul shares details of 26 Korean vessels waiting to traverse Hormuz with Tehran, sources say

The government has begun negotiations with Iran to secure the release of 26 Korean-flagged vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, officials said Monday.

2026-04-14

Renewed search for unrecovered remains from Jeju Air crash halted after protests from families

A renewed search for unrecovered remains from the Jeju Air crash from December 2024 was halted Monday after just one day, after bereaved families protested what they called chaotic field management and a lack of expertise.

2026-04-14

Why 'English kindergartens' remain popular in Korea despite rising costs and government crackdowns

English kindergartens in Korea, costing around $880 monthly, aim to prepare children for future education despite government concerns over academic pressure. Many parents opt for them for bilingual advantages.

2026-04-14

Korea's public bathhouses disappear amid spiking energy prices, changing lifestyles

Public bathhouses — long a communal hub for Koreans and a de facto welfare space for the socially vulnerable — are disappearing at a rapid pace amid spiraling energy costs linked to the Iran war.

2026-04-14