[Survive & Thrive] Introducing new rain alerts and why you should pay attention

Living in South Korea involves learning to differentiate between various mobile phone alerts and announcements, and deciding which ones to heed and which ones to disregard. These alerts, sent by different authorities such as police, city government and central governmental ministries, may seek assistance in locating missing persons, inform of air quality unsafe for outdoor activities, or warn about occasional trash-carrying balloons sent by North Korea. This summer, there is a new addition:

Social AffairsJuly 8, 2024

Chocolate goes Dubai-style, at least for a while

A gooey chocolate bar from Dubai -- a color-splattered shell filled with dessert-inspired ingredients -- is sparking the new sweet craze in South Korea, with high demand largely being met through homemade versions or replicas crafted by local confectioneries. While this handcrafted chocolate bar filled with pistachio cream and kataifi, a filo-based pastry, is experiencing supply shortages internationally due to Dubai-based Fix Dessert Chocolatier's daily order limit of 500, the scarcity has

Social AffairsJuly 8, 2024

47m passengers used S. Korean airlines in H1, most ever

A record-high 47.56 million passengers used South Korean carriers in the first half of this year, logging a 29.1 percent increase from the same period in 2023. The passenger traffic was the highest in the country's history, up from the previous high of 47.04 million in the H1 of 2019, according to the Air Portal data of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The annual all-time high for passengers of local airlines is 93.47 million, also recorded in 2019. The number of passenge

Social AffairsJuly 8, 2024

Suspected human case of tularemia found in Suwon, raw beef liver suspected

A suspected human case of tularemia, a rare disease carried by rodents, insects and wild animals, was found in a resident of Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, health authorities said Monday. A man in his 20s experienced abdominal pain and fever after eating raw beef liver at a restaurant on June 24. He was admitted to a local hospital, where he tested positive for the tularemia bacterium. Although he dined with a companion, only he exhibited symptoms. He recovered and was discharged from hospital on

Social AffairsJuly 8, 2024

Average smoothie contains 13 teaspoons of sugar: study

The average smoothie served in a cafe contains the equivalent of 13 teaspoons of sugar, a recent study showed. The Health and Environment Institute of Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Monday the results of its analysis of 93 smoothie drinks from small and medium-sized cafes, where the nutritional content of drinks is not labeled. The cafes subject to investigation, which ran from April to June, were located near hagwons, or private cram schools, particularly frequented by teenagers. The a

Social AffairsJuly 8, 2024

Yoon urges Russia to make 'sensible' decision over Koreas

President Yoon Suk Yeol is poised to address military cooperation between North Korea and Russia that the West believes is aggravating the war situation in Ukraine, as he departed for the United States to visit the US Indo-Pacific Command and attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Summit during his five-day trip. South Korea's approval of weapons for Ukraine will be determined at "the level and substance of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea," Yoon was quot

PoliticsJuly 8, 2024

Foul play suspected in Incheon cat deaths

Police in Incheon are investigating a possible case of animal abuse after four stray cats were found dead Thursday at an apartment complex in the city. According to Incheon Namdong Police Station, the cats were found dead at around 4 p.m. at an apartment complex in Guweol-dong, in Incheon's Namdong-gu. One of the cats had its legs cut off. Police are checking the surveillance footage of the area around the apartment complex. They also asked the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency to conduct

Social AffairsJuly 8, 2024

First lady text allegations rekindle tensions between Han, Yoon's office

Tensions between former ruling party chief Han Dong-hoon and the presidential office have surfaced again following allegations Han snubbed text messages from first lady Kim Keon Hee early this year, a development that threatens to consume the party's national convention just weeks away. Han, who served as interim leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) ahead of the April 10 general elections, reportedly ignored five Telegram messages the first lady sent to him in January to offer to r

PoliticsJuly 8, 2024

[Bills in Focus] Shareholders protection, offshore wind power support

Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act Proposed by Rep. Kang Hoon-sik (Democratic Party of Korea) ● Most acquisitions and mergers of listed companies in Korea are carried out through stock acquisitions, where controlling shareholders privately contract to sell stakes and controlling interest. During these transactions, majority shareholders of the target company sell their stakes at a high price, which includes control premiums. However, gen

PoliticsJuly 8, 2024

Govt. to halt administrative steps against striking trainee doctors for breakthrough

The government is likely to halt the suspension of licenses and other administrative steps against striking trainee doctors in an effort to seek a breakthrough in monthslong medical service disruptions, officials said Monday. Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong is scheduled to hold a press briefing later in the day after a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, during which he will announce measures that would help facilitate dialogue and resolve the ongoing standoff

Social AffairsJuly 8, 2024

Ruling party asks Yoon to veto special probe bill on Marine's death

The ruling People Power Party on Monday publicly proposed that President Yoon Suk Yeol veto a bill mandating a special counsel investigation into the military's response to a Marine's death. PPP floor leader Choo Kyung-ho made the appeal during an emergency committee meeting, saying that his party cannot accept such an "unconstitutional" bill that was railroaded by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP). "We strongly ask that the president exercise his veto rights on

PoliticsJuly 8, 2024

Yoon set to travel to US for NATO summit with focus on Russia-N. Korea ties

President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to embark on a trip to the United States on Monday to attend a North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Washington, where he will address concerns over deepening defense cooperation between North Korea and Russia. Yoon will visit Washington from Wednesday and Thursday to meet with NATO leaders for discussions on the ongoing war in Ukraine and enhancing cooperation between the transatlantic security alliance and the Indo-Pacific region. South Korea was invited t

PoliticsJuly 8, 2024

Heavy rain batters central regions; 1 resident missing after landslide

Heavy rain pounded much of the country Monday, leaving roads flooded and many residents evacuating for safety, as rescue efforts are under way to find a person missing in the central county of Okcheon following a landslide. In Yeongyang county in North Gyeongsang Province, 55.5 mm of rainfall hit the region in an hour from 3 a.m., and 52.5 mm of downpours per hour had been recorded as of 3:30 a.m. in nearby Andong, 192 kilometers southeast of Seoul, according to the Korea Meteorological Administ

Social AffairsJuly 8, 2024

NK leader's sister slams S. Korea's resumption of live-fire drills as 'suicidal hysteria'

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Monday denounced South Korea's resumption of live-fire artillery drills near the border as "suicidal hysteria" and warned of possible military actions against such acts. The South has conducted live-fire artillery exercises near the land and sea borders in recent weeks after fully suspending an inter-Korean 2018 military tension reduction agreement that bans such maneuvers and other acts deemed hostile against each other. K

North KoreaJuly 8, 2024

[Graphic News] Over 3 million S. Koreans use ChatGPT app: data

The number of South Koreans using the ChatGPT mobile app has surpassed 3 million, representing 6 percent of the country's total smartphone users, according to a report by market research firm Wiseapp Retail Goods. In just four months, user numbers nearly doubled, rising from 1.62 million in January to 3.15 million in May, underscoring the increasing popularity of the AI-powered chatbot. Demographically, more than half of ChatGPT users in Korea are in their 20s (28.6 percent) and 30s (23.4

Social AffairsJuly 8, 2024

Deadly City Hall car crash fuels hatred toward senior drivers

Following the deadly car crash near central Seoul on July 1, debate has rekindled over whether seniors aged 65 and up should be eligible to drive, with some openly expressing hatred toward older drivers online. On July 1, a vehicle crashed into pedestrians waiting at traffic light at an intersection near Exit No. 7 of Seoul’s City Hall Station in Jung-gu, central Seoul, as it drove in the wrong direction and collided with two vehicles before hitting the pedestrians. In the end, this car cr

Social AffairsJuly 7, 2024

Race for med school under new quota begins with special admissions

The race to enter medical schools here for the 2025 academic year will kick off this week, starting with the admissions process for international students and South Korean nationals residing overseas, officials said Sunday. The announcement comes despite continued protests from the medical circle calling on the government to scrap its planned hike, including medical students' boycott of their medical school classes and junior doctors' walkout since February. Twelve medical schools will

Social AffairsJuly 7, 2024

Partisan gridlock to intensify over contentious bill

Partisan gridlock is expected to dominate the National Assembly in upcoming weeks, fueled by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s expected veto of a contentious bill that mandates a special counsel investigation into the death of a young Marine last year. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, which railroaded the bill that was passed by the opposition-led Assembly on Thursday, is gearing up to respond to a presidential veto that is likely to be announced by July 19, according to its acting c

PoliticsJuly 7, 2024

Koreans indulge more in canned food, cut down on facial makeup: survey

More South Koreans are consuming canned food and smoking, but are also opting to go makeup-free, according to a state-led survey released Sunday. According to the National Institute of Environmental Research's three-year biomonitoring survey of 6,608 Koreans from 2021-2023, 4.2 percent of adults aged over 19 reported consuming canned products, including food and beverages, more than four times a week. This marks an increase of 0.5 percentage points from 3.7 percent in the previous survey

Social AffairsJuly 7, 2024

1 in 5 S. Korean women threatened with sexual extortion: study

  An international study claims that one in five women in South Korea has faced threats of intimate images of them being released, the highest share among the 10 countries surveyed. According to recently released research conducted by RMIT University based in Melbourne, Australia in partnership with Google, which surveyed 16,693 adults across 10 countries, including 1,641 from S. Korea, 19.1 percent of South Korean women reported being victims of sexual extortion. The study defined sexual e

Social AffairsJuly 7, 2024