'Risk of bioterrorism' from NK's trash balloons: KDCA head

The head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Jee Young-mee, has expressed concern over the risk of bioterrorism posed by the trash-carrying balloons from North Korea and said the agency is planning to stockpile vaccines in preparation, Monday. Jee was responding to Rep. Lee Ju-young of the minor conservative Reform Party, who raised concerns about North Korea's intentions with its trash balloons, during a National Assembly audit held in Yeouido, Seoul. Lee asked if it wouldn

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

SK Bioscience acquires $3m stake in US biotech firm

South Korean biotech firm SK Bioscience said Tuesday it has invested $3 million in the US-based biotech firm Fina Biosolutions to acquire a stake in the company as part of the company’s broader strategy to secure next-generation vaccine technologies and enhance its global competitiveness in the vaccine market. Founded in 2006, Fina Biosolutions specializes in conjugate vaccines widely used in vaccines to prevent illnesses such as pneumonia, meningococcal disease and typhoid. The company is

IndustryOct. 8, 2024

Hyundai reportedly begins EV production at Georgia plant

Hyundai Motor Group has reportedly begun early-stage production of electric vehicles at its new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America facility, located near Savannah, Georgia. According to a report on Saturday by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a major local newspaper in Georgia, Hyundai commenced production at the facility earlier last week. The company also reportedly held a private event on Thursday for employees to mark this achievement. The official completion ceremony for the plant is st

MobilityOct. 8, 2024

Shortening med school courses not a must: Minister

Amid the debate around shortening the medical school curriculum from six to five years, the education minister stated Tuesday that the proposal is an emergency measure and that universities will not be forced to comply. Education Minister Lee Ju-ho said during a parliamentary audit at the National Assembly that the proposal was a measure to ensure there are enough medical professionals in the future to meet the country's health care needs. "(We) will not force medical schools. If unive

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

S. Korea sees surge in foreign patients for beauty care, plastic surgery

South Korean hospitals and clinics have seen a surge in patients from overseas since the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly for plastic surgery and skin care, according to government data on Tuesday. A total of 239,060 and 114,074 international patients received dermatological treatments and plastic surgery, respectively, accounting for nearly 52 percent of the 678,799 foreign nationals in South Korea who received medical services at hospitals and clinics in 2023. The figures are from the Health Ministry

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

Police arrest YouTubers who doxxed 2004 gang rape suspects

South Korean police on Tuesday said they have arrested two YouTubers who revealed the identities of the suspects in a 2004 gang rape case in Miryang, in a show of force against the self-proclaimed vigilantism that was opposed by the victim herself. The two YouTubers, one in his 20s and the other in his 30s, are under investigation for the doxxing that took place on their respective channels between June and August this year, according to the cyber investigation unit of the Gyeongnam Provincial P

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

Fire at multi-unit home in Gwangju kills 1 man

A fire broke out early Tuesday morning in Gwangju, killing one man, local fire authorities said. According to the Gwangsan Fire Station, flames engulfed a multi-unit residential building around 4:32 a.m. The victim in his 50s was unable to escape and was found dead after the firefighters extinguished the fire at around 5:13 a.m. The victim was a resident of a first-floor unit of the building. A couple in their 60s inhaled smoke during the evacuation, but did not suffer any major injuries. The

Social AffairsOct. 8, 2024

[팟캐스트] (625) 팬데믹 이후 늘어나는 학교 폭력

진행자: 최정윤, Chelsea Proctor Student violence on rise since pandemic 기사 요약: 팬데믹 이후 학생들이 교실로 돌아가면서 학교 폭력 늘어나고 11년 만에 피해응답률 최고 높아 [1] The number of elementary, middle and high school students reporting being bullied at school increased for the fourth straight year, pushing the corresponding rate to 2 percent for the first time in 11 years. *bullied: 괴롭힘을 당하는 *corresponding: 해당하는 / corresponding to ~에 상응하는/ correspond: 일치하다, 부합하다 [2] With 1 out of 50 children having experienced school violence, t

PodcastOct. 8, 2024

S. Korea logs current account surplus for 4th month in August

South Korea racked up a current account surplus for the fourth consecutive month in August, driven by robust exports, central bank data showed Tuesday. The country's current account surplus reached $6.6 billion in August, marking a surplus for the fourth consecutive month, according to data compiled by the Bank of Korea. The August surplus was smaller than the previous month's $8.97 billion. The country's goods account racked up a $6.59 billion surplus in August following an $8.33

EconomyOct. 8, 2024

[해커스 TEPS] 텝스 시험대비 단기간 고득점 단어 & 문법 5문제

2) 해커스 텝스 문법 Part Ⅰ Choose the best answer for the blank. 1. A: Selena’s coach ___________________ her dedication. B: Really? Well, that’s an important trait for an athlete. (a) looks kind upon (b) looks kindly upon (c) looks kind (d) looks kindly 해석 A: Selena의 코치는 그녀의 헌신을 좋게 인정하고 있어. B: 그래? 그건 운동선수에게 중요한 특성이잖아. 해설 부사 자리 채우기 문맥상 ‘코치는 그녀의 헌신을 좋게 인정하고 있어’라는 의미가 되어야 하므로 ‘지켜보다’라는 뜻의 구동사 look upon이 포함된 (a)와 (b)가 정답의 후보이다. 동사 look upon을 꾸밀 수 있는 부사 kin

English EyeOct. 8, 2024

Seoul shares open lower over weak Samsung earnings, US losses

Seoul stocks opened lower Tuesday following weaker-than-expected tentative earnings results from Samsung Electronics and overnight US stock losses. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 0.55 percent, or 14.28 points, to 2,596.10 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Ahead of the trading session, Samsung Electronics estimated its third-quarter operating profit to reach 9.1 trillion won, apparently failing to meet market expectations due to the lukewarm performance of its flagship

MarketOct. 8, 2024

Biden, Harris, other US officials mark 1 year since Hamas attack

US President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and other officials marked the first anniversary of the Hamas militant group's deadly attack on Israel on Monday, mourning the death of victims and calling for the return of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza. They issued separate statements, taking stock of what has happened since Hamas militants killed more than 1,200 people, including 46 Americans, and took over 250 people hostage, including 12 Americans, in the Oct. 7 attack. "One

World NewsOct. 8, 2024

N. Korea sends trash balloons toward S. Korea for 2nd straight day: JCS

North Korea floated trash balloons toward South Korea early Tuesday, the South's military said, marking the second consecutive day of such provocation. The Joint Chiefs of Staff raised the possibility of the balloons drifting toward northern Gyeonggi Province and other parts of the Seoul metropolitan area, advising citizens not to touch the balloons and to be cautious of any potential drops. Since late May, North Korea has sent over 5,000 balloons across the border into South Korea. In Mond

North KoreaOct. 8, 2024

[Grace Kao] Why K-pop lip-syncing doesn’t bother me

Lip-synching during stage performances does not bother me. In fact, I sometimes prefer it. I know this is likely a minority opinion. Maybe it’s because I grew up on MTV and also watched shows like “American Bandstand,” “Soul Train,” and British music show “Top of the Pops.” The shows above all featured “live” performances by pop acts, but everyone knew they were lip-synching. Many acts also “played” their instruments on stage with

ViewpointsOct. 8, 2024

[Antara Haldar] Alberto Fujimori's neoliberalism

The script of Latin American politics too often reads like a “dictator novel,” and on Sept. 11, another chapter drew to a close with the death of Alberto Fujimori. As the president who most defined -- and divided -- modern Peru, Fujimori’s legacy remains a topic of heated debate. One version of Fujimori’s epitaph would commend his economics and condemn his politics, but the deeper lesson his life story offers may be that it is impossible to separate the two. Fujimori&rsqu

ViewpointsOct. 8, 2024

Barca hoping to return to Camp Nou 'by end of year'

Barcelona are hoping to return to their legendary Camp Nou stadium, currently undergoing modernisation and expansion work, "by the end of the year," club spokesperson Elena Fort said on Monday. The Catalan giants' construction roadmap was presented to the press on Monday, with officials insisting the club was "actively working" to return to the Camp Nou "by the end of the year" with an initial 62,000 capacity, instead of the 105,000 planned at the end of the wo

SoccerOct. 7, 2024

Nobel Prize in medicine honors American duo for their discovery of microRNA

The Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was awarded Monday to Americans Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNA, tiny pieces of genetic material that alter how genes work at the cellular level and could lead to new ways of treating cancer. The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute, which awarded the prize, said the duo's discovery is “proving to be fundamentally important for how organisms develop and function." “Their groundbreaking discovery r

World NewsOct. 7, 2024

S. Korea to maintain readiness against potential N. Korean provocations: FM

South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said Monday that the government will maintain readiness against potential North Korean provocations through close cooperation with the United States. Cho made the remarks during a parliamentary hearing, citing a series of provocations from North Korea, such as the launch of balloons toward the South and missile tests. "The government will maintain a thorough readiness posture against various potential provocations from North Korea, while ensur

North KoreaOct. 7, 2024

Prosecutors raid home of Namyang Dairy's ex-chairperson over alleged embezzlement

Prosecutors on Monday raided the residence of Namyang Dairy Products Co.'s former chairperson and the company's headquarters as part of an ongoing investigation into embezzlement allegations. Investigators from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office raided more than 10 locations, including former Chairman Hong Won-sik's home. In August, the company filed a complaint against Hong and three other former company officials, accusing them of allegedly embezzling company funds of

Social AffairsOct. 7, 2024