South Korea suspends new downloads of DeepSeek over privacy concerns SEOUL, February 17 (AJP) - New downloads of Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) app DeepSeek have been temporarily suspended due to excessive data collection and privacy concerns, South Korea's data protection watchdog said on Monday. The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) said it decided to suspend the service here since last Saturday, after a probe raised concerns over the app's compliance with data protection regulations. The suspension applies to Apple's App Store and Google Play, though existing users can continue using the app. But the PIPC recommended that users "avoid entering personal information" into the app. The latest suspension follows an earlier ban on the app by South Korean firms and government agencies. PIPC launched its probe in late last month amid concerns about DeepSeek's excessive data collection. The probe revealed that the app lacked transparency in third-party data sharing and collected excessive amounts of personal information. DeepSeek reportedly admitted its shortcomings, saying, "We had not fully been aware of South Korea's data protection regulations and pledge to cooperate with authorities." PIPC plans to thoroughly review DeepSeek's data handling practices during the suspension period and come up with new guidelines for foreign AI developers seeking to operate in South Korea. Meanwhile, a wide range of topics including regulations related to AI-assisted chatbots, will be discussed at the upcoming Global Privacy Assembly (GPA), a global forum scheduled for September in Seoul, offering insights on data protection and privacy. 2025-02-17 17:42:31

Around 2,000 teachers take sick leave every year SEOUL, February 17 (AJP) - Nearly 2,000 teachers in South Korea take a leave of absence from school every year due to illness, a report reveals. According to the report submitted to the National Assembly by the Ministry of Education on Monday, 1,973 full-time teachers took sick leave between April 2023 and April 2024. More than half of them were teachers from primary schools, with 412 from middle schools and 289 from high schools. Despite the number of those taking sick leave steadily rising in recent years, specific reasons for their absences are not readily available, making it difficult to determine whether they are due to physical or mental illness. But more and more teachers are complaining about their work-related stress, with cases surging from 7,936 in 2020 to 34,066 in 2023. The number of teachers undergoing mental treatment has seen a five-fold increase, rising from 1,498 to 7,502 during the same period. The increasing number of such cases raises concerns after last week's tragic incident in Daejeon, where a teacher who had suffered from depression lured an 8-year-old girl and stabbed her to death. The ministry plans to require teachers who take sick leave twice or more to undergo a psychiatric screening before returning to work. Safety measures for students will also be strengthened through enhanced facility inspections and the deployment of additional security personnel. But some fear that these measures may discourage teachers with depression from seeking help. 2025-02-17 16:53:41

South Korea adds one more gold on last day of Winter Asiad in Harbin SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - South Korea added one more gold in the women's curling on the last day of this year's Winter Asian Games in Harbin on Friday. Led by skip Gim Eun-ji, the South Korean curling team defeated China, earning the country's 16th and final gold medal at the quadrennial sporting event. But the men's curling team settled for silver after a loss to the Philippines, while the men's ice hockey team claimed bronze by defeating China. South Korea, which fielded about 150 athletes and sports officials, finished second in the overall gold-medal count with 16 gold, 15 silver, and 14 bronze medals, trailing host country China, which secured 32 gold, 27 silver, and 25 bronze medals. Meanwhile, North Korea concluded the event with just one medal, as figure skating duo Ryom Tae-ok and Han Kum-chol won silver in pair free skating the previous day. The next Asiad will be held in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan in 2026. 2025-02-14 17:40:30

North Korea 'poised to mass-produce ICBMs,' US commander says SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - North Korea is likely to soon begin mass production of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, a U.S. military commander speculated on Thursday. In a written statement to the Senate Committed on Armed Services, Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, claimed North Korea "probably can deliver a nuclear payload to targets throughout North America," citing Pyongyang's test-launch of an ICBM with solid fuel in October last year. Solid-propellant missiles are more threatening than liquid-fuel ones as they need less time to prepare for launch, making surprise launches possible. According to Guillot, Kim appears to be shifting from missile development to mass production and deployment, which could rapidly expand North Korea's ICBM arsenal. Amid such a move from the North, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order late last month, instructing officials to develop a multilayered defense shield against emerging missile threats within 60 days, modeled after Israel's "Iron Dome." The order suggests that previous U.S. missile defense policies primarily focused on rogue states, failing to address the growing threats posed by advanced state-of-the-art missiles. The U.S. currently operates around 40 Ground-Based Interceptors (GBIs) to counter incoming ICBMs in Alaska and California, with the Pentagon planning to procure 20 Next-Generation Interceptors (NGIs) by 2028. 2025-02-14 16:32:14

South Korea, US to hold ministerial talks in Germany SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul is set to hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Germany. The three-day conference, one of the world's largest annual security forums, kicked off on Friday. Their first one-on-one meeting scheduled for Saturday comes about a month after U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20. The two are expected to discuss various topics including the bilateral alliance and economic cooperation between the two countries. Included among the key agenda is North Korea's nuclear weapons program. With uncertainties still remaining about the U.S. policy toward Pyongyang, South Korea aims to emphasize the need for close coordination to ensure it is not sidelined in future negotiations on the matter. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently referred to North Korea as a "nuclear power," raising concerns that Washington may be shifting its stance on North Korea's denuclearization. That prompted the White House to reaffirm that the U.S. remains committed to North Korea's complete denuclearization. On the other hand, economic concerns would be one of the key topics of their talks, particularly with Trump's tariff offensive affecting almost every sector, triggering trade wars and putting global industries in the crosshairs. The issue of defense cost-sharing may also arise, as Trump has reiterated South Korea should pay more for the upkeep of U.S. Forces Korea. U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce hinted at such moves earlier this week, saying that Rubio "will discuss a range of U.S. priorities with international partners." A trilateral meeting between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan will also be held to discuss regional security cooperation. 2025-02-14 14:44:08

North Korea 'begins dismantling inter-Korean facility at Mt. Kumgang' SEOUL, February 13 (AJP) - North Korea has begun dismantling an inter-Korean facility at Mt. Kumgang, the Unification Ministry said on Thursday. Once a symbol of inter-Korean cooperation, the facility, used for reunions of families separated by the Korean War at the scenic resort, is the last remaining one among those built by the South for inter-Korean projects amid a thaw in relations between the two Koreas in the early 2000s. "North Korea's unilateral demolition of the facility..... constitutes a serious violation of South Korea-owned property," said a ministry spokesperson, denouncing it as an act against humanity. It also urged Pyongyang to halt the demolition immediately. The ministry is reviewing possible legal actions and seeking the support of the international community to respond to it. Separated families bid farewell to their relatives after a reunion event at Mt. Kumgang, in this file photo from October 2015. Yonhap Completed in July 2008 at a cost of over 50 billion won (US$35 million), the facility served as the main venue for family reunions until 2018, with the first gathering held in September 2009. The latest demolition came after North Korea's destruction of parts of the inter-Korean roads along the border last summer. In June 2020, the North also blew up a cross-border liaison office in Kaesong, which had been refurbished with billions of South Korean taxpayers' money. Meanwhile, several U.S. senators introduced a bill earlier this week to help reunite those who immigrated to the U.S. and were separated from their family members and relatives still in North Korea since the Korean War. But it remains to be seen whether it could help resume the long-suspended inter-Korean family reunions. 2025-02-13 17:02:36

Foreign Ministers of South Korea, China, and Japan to meet in Tokyo next month SEOUL, February 13 (AJP) - The foreign ministers of South Korea, China, and Japan are expected to hold talks in Japan next month. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya will have a trilateral meeting in Tokyo on March 22, Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun reported on Thursday, citing multiple government sources. If held, this will be the first such meeting since November 2023, when the ministers from the three Asian neighboring countries met in the southern port city of Busan here. Discussions are expected to focus on boosting exchanges and cooperation among them. On the sidelines of the trilateral meeting, Cho is expected to hold separate talks with his Chinese and Japanese counterparts as well. 2025-02-13 11:08:21

Schoolchild died from multiple stab wounds, autopsy reveals SEOUL, February 12 (AJP) - An autopsy revealed that the cause of death of an 8-year-old, who was killed by a school teacher in Daejeon earlier this week, was due to multiple wounds from a sharp object, police said Wednesday. According to police, the teacher in her 40s confessed that she was searching for targets for her knife attack last Monday and ended up coaxing the girl into an extracurricular room after class, telling her she had a book for her. After the rampage, she reportedly attempted suicide, but it was not fatal. She is currently recovering after emergency surgery. The suspect, who had shown signs of violent behavior before the incident, is believed to have planned the crime, purchasing a knife in advance due to her anger over being excluded from teaching assignments. She had been receiving treatment for depression for several years and returned to work late last year after taking a leave of absence. Police raided her home, searched her vehicle, and have been analyzing her phone records. They plan to arrest her once she is discharged from the hospital. The frightening incident has sparked nationwide outrage, raising concerns about school safety and the need for better monitoring of teachers' mental health. Later in the day, Acting President Choi Sang-mok visited the child's memorial altar to offer condolences to her family. "With the spring back-to-school season just around the corner, I will urge the Ministry of Education and relevant agencies to ensure a safe environment for students," he pledged. 2025-02-12 17:06:19

South Korea eases travel advisory for parts of Israel SEOUL, February 12 (AJP) - South Korea lowered its travel advisory for parts of Israel starting Wednesday, according to the Foreign Ministry. With the adjustment, which came about a year after improved security conditions following last year's Middle East escalation, residents and other South Korean expats in Israel are no longer advised to leave the country. However, travelers are still recommended to refrain from visiting the region. Travel bans also remain in place for Gaza and areas near the Lebanon border. The ministry said it will continue monitoring the situation and consider further adjustments if necessary. Meanwhile, North Korea on Wednesday condemned U.S. President Donald Trump's recent comments that came after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, in which he abruptly brought up his spontaneous idea of Gaza turning into a Mediterranean resort. "The world is now boiling like a porridge pot over the U.S.' bombshell declaration," the official state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) lambasted. "The U.S. should wake up from its anachronistic delusion and immediately stop violating the dignity and sovereignty of other countries and peoples," it added. Trump's proposal for the U.S. to "take over" and "own" the devastated Gaza while resettling Palestinians elsewhere resembles the ex-real estate developer's earlier comments about North Korea's coastal condominiums. "I think has tremendous condo capabilities. He's got a lot of shoreline," he said on his first day in office last month, referring to a tourism zone in Wonsan, Kangwon Province, which many pundits speculated could hint at a possible small deal with North Korea in exchange for denuclearization. 2025-02-12 14:34:08

Yoon's former close aide denies allegations in botched martial law debacle SEOUL, February 11 (AJP) - Former Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min broke his silence to side with President Yoon Suk Yeol during a hearing for his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court of Korea on Tuesday. Lee, a close aide to Yoon, had previously refused to answer, citing his right to remain silent over Yoon's botched martial law debacle last December. But Lee, who appeared at the hearing as a witness, changed his stance this time, giving detailed explanations to deny most of the allegations related to the Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. When asked whether Yoon had ordered the cutoff of power and water supply to several media outlets, Lee said he had never received such an order, although he had glanced at similar memos on his desk. But he added, "I don't know exactly what the memo was or whether it was actually carried out." Former Defense Minister Shin Won-sik, who also appeared as a witness at the hearing, recalled that Yoon had brought up the issue of "emergency measures" sometime in March or April last year, but he had never thought of martial law at the time and voiced his opinion that it would be "inappropriate" in any case. Meanwhile, the court is set to hold another hearing on Thursday, with top intelligence officials and police officers scheduled to testify. The upcoming hearing may be the last one, although there is still a possibility of additional hearings as the court is reviewing whether to summon more witnesses. Otherwise, the court will begin its deliberation to determine whether to impeach or reinstate the president, which normally takes about two weeks, meaning that any decision is expected to be made by early March. Should the impeachment be upheld, Yoon would be ousted from office, leading to a snap presidential election within 60 days. 2025-02-11 17:32:09