S. Korea, China, Japan in talks to hold trilateral summit May 26-27: official

South Korea is in final consultations with China and Japan to hold a long-stalled trilateral summit of their leaders on May 26 and 27, according to the foreign ministry on Saturday. "South Korea, Japan and China agreed to hold the summit at the earliest date convenient for all sides," an official at the ministry said. "We have been in consultations with Japan and China as the current chair country." Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Qiang are expect

Foreign AffairsMay 4, 2024

Debate rages over ‘overly fatty’ samgyeopsal

As much as "samgyeopsal," the quintessential Korean pork belly cut, translates to three-layered meat, its deliciousness hinges on the perfect balance of fat and meat. This balance delivers a satisfyingly chewy texture bursting with juicy, meaty flavor. In online forums in South Korea now, a heated debate is underway over just how much fat is too much in fat-rich samgyeopsal, as people share their experiences of being served cuts they deem “overly fatty” at restaurants. Th

Social AffairsMay 4, 2024

Underage gamblers getting younger, increasing in number: police

South Korea has seen a continued decrease in the average age of teenagers caught gambling in the past five years, reaching 16.1 years old in 2023, according to the National Police Agency. The country also saw a substantial on-year increase in the number of those aged between 14-18 years who were subject to criminal investigation for gambling, which more than doubled from 74 in 2022 to 171 in 2023. The figure does not include those who were caught but received a summary trial or a warning from po

Social AffairsMay 4, 2024

From fake prostitution ring to nonexistent robber, prank calls hamper police

South Korea has been seeking to curb an increasing number of false emergency reports that hinder police duties, with a law revision for stricter measures set to take effect in July. The recently revised law on 112 emergency call services passed last year will kick in on July 3, allowing the court to hand out an administrative fine of up to 5 million won ($3,600) for false reports to the police, even to first-time offenders. Prank calls to the police had previously been dealt with mostly under th

Social AffairsMay 4, 2024

Police tracking down bomb threat on public facility

South Korean police on Saturday were searching for the individual who sent an email threatening to detonate bombs at a public facility on Children's Day. Police said they received a report from a local news outlet about the email, which detailed plans to place "high-performance bombs in public facilities in Korea, where many children visit," on Sunday. Written in English, the email declared the bombs would go off Sunday, describing the act as retaliation against U.S. President Joe

Social AffairsMay 4, 2024

Man arrested while threatening woman with weapon in Gangnam

A man in his 40s was arrested by police while threatening a woman with a weapon in Seoul's southern district of Gangnam on Saturday morning, officials said. Police said they dispatched officers to the scene after receiving an emergency report that a man is holding a woman hostage in a store selling household items near Gangnam Subway Station at about 9:30 a.m., and the officers arrested the suspect about 25 minutes later. The victim is known to have been safely rescued. Police said they wer

Social AffairsMay 4, 2024

Missing S. Korean traveler in Paris found safe after 2 weeks

A South Korean reported to have been missing for over two weeks while traveling in Paris was found alive and unharmed, ministry officials said Saturday. The South Korean Embassy in France said they were able to identify the whereabouts of the missing 30-year-old male, identified only as Kim. He is reportedly safe, the embassy said, though it did not provide further details as per the family's request. Kim flew into France from India around April 17 but disappeared on April 19, a day after m

Foreign AffairsMay 4, 2024

Marine Corps commander summoned by CIO for questioning on alleged influence-peddling case

The anti-corruption investigation office was questioning the commander of the Marine Corps on Saturday as part of a probe into an alleged influence-peddling case related to the death of a young Marine last year, officials said. Marine Corps Commandant Lt. Gen. Kim Kye-hwan appeared at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, Saturday morning, while remaining tight-lipped when reporters asked him questions. Kim is suspected of being involve

Social AffairsMay 4, 2024

Defense chiefs of US, Australia, Japan decry NK-Russia military cooperation

The defense chiefs of the United States, Australia and Japan denounced growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, including their weapons transactions, during their trilateral talks in Hawaii this week, according to a joint statement released Friday. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Australian and Japanese counterparts, Richard Marles and Minoru Kihara, held the meeting on Thursday to discuss a range of regional and global issues, including North Korea, Russia'

DefenseMay 4, 2024

S. Korea, US share need for joint response to China's solar panel excess capacity

Senior diplomats from South Korea and the United States discussed the need for a joint response to potential ramifications from overcapacity in China's solar industry during their talks on energy security in Houston, Texas this week, a Seoul official said Friday. South Korea's Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs Kim Hee-sang made the remarks as he and US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Energy Resources Geoffrey Pyatt led the 10th Energy Security Dialogue on Tues

Foreign AffairsMay 4, 2024

Top prosecutor orders speedy investigation into first lady's alleged acceptance of luxury handbag

South Korea's top prosecutor has instructed his staff to create a team dedicated to investigating allegations that first lady Kim Keon Hee accepted a luxury handbag in 2022, legal sources said Friday. Prosecutor General Lee One-seok made the call during a regular meeting with Song Kyung-ho, chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, on Thursday, according to the sources. First lady Kim has come under fire after a local media outlet released video footage last November that show

PoliticsMay 3, 2024

Lawmakers express woes over Japan's actions against Naver

Lawmakers denounced Japan's actions against South Korea's top internet portal operator as "excessive," saying they potentially throw cold water on the improving bilateral relations, and urged Japan on Friday to quickly and wisely resolve a simmering row over Japan's demand for South Korea's internet platform operator to reduce its presence in Japan's most popular mobile messenger app. Tokyo demanded LY Corp., the operator of Line, the most widely used messenger

Foreign AffairsMay 3, 2024

Medical students file appeal after court denial of injunction to halt quota hike

Hundreds of medical school students have filed an appeal against a district court's recent decision to deny an injunction they sought to halt their schools from increasing admission quotas, their lawyer said Friday. Earlier this week, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed an injunction request filed by 485 medical students of three state-run universities to stop their university presidents from altering medical school admission plans. The legal action was part of several suits filed by

Social AffairsMay 3, 2024

S. Korea, Japan, China agree to create new financing facility against regional crises

South Korea, China and Japan agreed Friday to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, by launching a new financing facility program meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis, Seoul's finance ministry said. The agreement was made during a trilateral meeting of South Korea's Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, Japan's Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki and China's Finance Minister Liu Kun held

Foreign AffairsMay 3, 2024

[From the Scene] Uzbekistan pursues economic reforms to attract foreign investment

TASHKENT-- Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has pledged to enhance foreign investment through wide-ranging economic reforms, including the implementation of new investment laws specifically designed for foreign investors. At the third edition of the Tashkent International Investment Forum on Thursday, Mirziyoyev delineated Uzbekistan's comprehensive economic reforms aimed at ensuring that "every entrepreneur feels free and confident" in the country. "Our main g

Foreign AffairsMay 3, 2024

East German commissioner calls on S. Korea to seize unexpected opportunities for unification

Eastern Germany Commissioner Carsten Schneider on Friday emphasized the paramount importance of South Korean leadership steadfastly pursuing the goal of unification and remaining vigilant in monitoring the North Korean situation, in order to capitalize on any unforeseen opportunity for achieving unity on the Korean Peninsula. Schneider said that certain events unfold not by random chance, but rather at unforeseeable moments, reflecting on world history, after being asked about the feasibility of

North KoreaMay 3, 2024

Woman dangling from power lines rescued by residents holding blanket

A woman who was hanging from overhead power lines was rescued unharmed after falling onto a blanket held by neighbors, fire authorities reported Friday. Police and fire officials say they received a report at 11:24 a.m. on Wednesday about a woman dangling from power lines 6 meters above the ground in a multiplex housing complex in Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. The woman was later identified as being 46 years old and from Uzbekistan. She fell while firefighters were still in

Social AffairsMay 3, 2024

Rival parties appoint new leadership to brace for next parliament

The rival parties appointed new leadership roles on Friday, with the main opposition electing its new floor leader, while an ex-deputy minister took the helm of the ruling party, as they brace for the next parliament. The Democratic Party of Korea elected Rep. Park Chan-dae, a current two-term lawmaker reelected for another term in the April 10 parliamentary elections and a close aide of main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, as its new floor leader at an intra-party general meeting held around n

PoliticsMay 3, 2024

4 out of 10 Koreans don’t want to get married: report

Four out of 10 South Koreans have no intention of getting married or have not put thought into it, according to a report released by the Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy on Thursday. The committee unveiled the findings of a survey on perceptions regarding marriage, childbirth and child care, which targeted 2,011 men and women aged 25 to 49 nationwide. According to the report, 39.1 percent of the respondents aged between 25 and 49 answered that they do not want to get

Social AffairsMay 3, 2024

Key suspects grilled over alleged abuse of power in Marine death inquiry

The corruption investigation office for high-level officials has called in key suspects for questioning over allegations that presidential and defense officials interfered in a sensitive military inquiry concerning the on-duty death of a Marine last year, multiple sources said Friday. Yoo Jae-eun, a legal affairs official at the defense ministry, and Park Kyung-hoon, a former acting chief of the Criminal Investigation Command under the defense ministry, underwent the Corruption Investigation Off

Social AffairsMay 3, 2024