Restaurant boycotts doctors on medical strike

A Seoul-based restaurant recently posted a notice on its Instagram page that it will not serve anyone taking part in the nationwide medical strike, which has been continuing since the mass walkout by the country's trainee doctors in February. The owners of the Italian restaurant based in Mapo-gu, one recommended in the Michelin Guide Seoul & Busan 2024, said they will refuse service for the doctors on strike from "firm personal beliefs." "For the time being, we will not s

Social AffairsApril 22, 2024

2.6 magnitude earthquake strikes southeastern county of Chilgok

A 2.6 magnitude earthquake struck the southeastern county of Chilgok on Monday, but there have been no reports of damage, officials said. The quake occurred about 5 kilometers west of Chilgok, about 215 km southeast of Seoul, at 7:47 a.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. The epicenter was at a latitude of 36 degrees north and a longitude of 128.35 degrees east at a depth of 6 km. It was the sixth-strongest quake to occur on the Korean Peninsula so far this year, and its dep

Social AffairsApril 22, 2024

[Bills in Focus] Power grid expansion, recycling support

Pending Bill: Special Act on the Expansion of the National Power Grid Proposed by Kim Sung-won (People Power Party) ● The evolving electricity production and high-tech industries have called for expanding the national power grid to address the increased supply of renewable energy and the need for a long-distance power transmission network. In particular, the success of new investments in high-tech industries, such as the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster, hinges significantly on preparing special mea

PoliticsApril 22, 2024

Trade minister holds meeting with Canada's business delegation

Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo held a meeting with a Canadian business delegation led by his counterpart, Mary Ng, in Seoul and they discussed ways to expand bilateral trade and industry cooperation, officials said Monday. The visit by the Canadian business delegation marked the largest of its kind since Seoul and Ottawa forged the so-called comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022. During the meeting, Cheong expressed hope to broaden the bilateral cooperation beyond its current focus on natura

Foreign AffairsApril 22, 2024

DP appoints new secretary general, chief policymaker

The main opposition Democratic Party appointed Rep. Kim Yun-duk, a close confident of party leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung, as its secretary general Sunday, while Rep. Jin Sung-joon was named as new chief policymaker. Both Kim and Jin are two-term lawmakers reelected for another time in this month's general elections. The appointments came after the DP's outgoing secretary general, Rep. Cho Jeong-sik, and party officials related to policymaking functions voluntarily resigned in a reorganiza

PoliticsApril 21, 2024

Med school deans urge for freeze of 2025 quota

The heads of medical schools nationwide on Sunday urged the government to freeze the medical school enrollment quota for next year and start a new set of negotiations for the class of 2026 by forging a joint consultative body with the medical community. The Korean Association of Medical Colleges, consisting of 40 medical schools nationwide, released a proposal calling for the government to draw up a "more scientifically based number" for the enrollment quota hike plan. The proposal com

Social AffairsApril 21, 2024

W13tr cash handout likely top agenda for Yoon's 1st meeting with Lee

Democratic Party of Korea Chair Rep. Lee Jae-myung's proposal to dole out 250,000 won ($182) to every South Korean appears to be the top agenda item in a highly anticipated meeting between Lee and President Yoon Suk Yeol, likely to take place this week after the opposition party's sweeping victory in the general election. Lee said Friday in a live streamed meeting with his party members that he "spoke briefly with President Yoon over the phone and accepted his offer to hold a meet

PoliticsApril 21, 2024

Paraguay introduces Korean as 2nd foreign language subject

Starting this year, middle and high school students in Paraguay can learn Korean at schools as a second foreign language subject, according to the Ministry of Education on Saturday. The Education Ministry disclosed the signing of a memorandum of understanding with its Paraguayan counterpart, which officially added the Korean language to its second foreign language list for schools in Paraguay. Amid growing demand for Korean studies in Paraguay due to the popularity of Korean cultural content, th

Social AffairsApril 21, 2024

Opposition blames Yoon’s ‘China-exclusionary’ policies for South Korea’s G7 summit exclusion

The Democratic Party of Korea said Sunday that President Yoon Suk Yeol’s foreign policies, which it perceives as isolating China, were the reason behind South Korea's exclusion from this year’s Group of Seven summit scheduled for July in Italy. The major opposition party said the exclusion in the forthcoming G7 summit “comes as South Korea, under Yoon, has been strengthening its solidarity with Western countries including the US and Japan at the expense of our relations wi

PoliticsApril 21, 2024

Court orders business suspension for pharmacy opened by former employee in same building

A court ruled in favor of a pharmacy that took legal action against a former employee who opened a competing business in the same building, on the grounds that such action goes against good morals and social order. A court in Ulsan said Sunday that the plaintiff applied for an injunction to prohibit the business operations of a new pharmacy, which was opened in the same building in January by its former part-time pharmacist. The plaintiff claimed that its former employee, after working there f

Social AffairsApril 21, 2024

Over 700 civilians visit military hospitals amid doctors' walkout

Military hospitals nationwide have treated more than 700 civilians since opening their doors to the public at a full scale in mid-February, the defense ministry said Sunday, amid the protracted walkout by trainee doctors. Military hospital emergency rooms became fully accessible to civilians to help address concerns of health care disruptions after thousands of trainee doctors began the walkout on Feb. 19 in protest of a government plan to sharply increase medical school seats next year. As of F

Social AffairsApril 21, 2024

Top N. Korean agriculture official departs for Russia

North Korea's top agriculture official has embarked on a trip to Russia, Pyongyang's state media said Sunday, amid chronic food shortages in the North. A state agriculture commission delegation led by chairman Ri Chol-man, who doubles as a cabinet vice premier, left for Russia by plane Saturday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. In a Facebook post, the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang said Ri is scheduled to hold talks with Russia's Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev and

North KoreaApril 21, 2024

Blinken to discuss N. Korea, Taiwan, Middle East during China visit next week: official

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to China next week to discuss an array of issues, including North Korea's "threatening" rhetoric and "reckless" actions, a senior US official has said. Blinken plans to visit Shanghai and Beijing from Wednesday to Friday for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other senior officials in an endeavor, which the official said builds on America's push to "responsibly" manage the Sino-US relationship t

Foreign AffairsApril 21, 2024

Doctors' association rejects govt. proposal on flexible expansion of med school quota

The Korean Medical Association, the country's biggest lobby group for doctors, on Saturday rejected the government's proposal to grant universities autonomy in deciding their medical school quota by a range of 50 to 100 percent for the 2025 academic year. "We recognize that the government's announcement is a deliberate attempt to address the current situation," the KMA said in a statement after its emergency committee meeting. "But it is not a fundamental solution." The gover

Social AffairsApril 21, 2024

Vice FM visits UAE for talks on economic, energy cooperation

First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun has visited the United Arab Emirates for discussions on strengthening cooperation in core areas of mutual interest, his office said Saturday. Kim met with Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority of Abu Dhabi, and Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, minister of state at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Friday for talks on boosting cooperation in the areas of economy, peaceful nuclear power, the defense industry and energy, according t

Foreign AffairsApril 20, 2024

S. Korean adults read books less than ever before: report

Nearly 6 out of 10 South Koreans read less than one book in a year, a recent report by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism showed Thursday. According to the report, 43 percent of the population read at least one book between September of 2022 and August of 2023. This was down 4.5 percentage points compared to the previous results of the biennial study released in 2021, and was the lowest figure since the government commenced the study in 1994. The survey was conducted on 5,000 adults a

Social AffairsApril 20, 2024

Details of meeting between Yoon, opposition leader undecided: presidential office

Details, including the time and form, of a proposed meeting between President Yoon Suk Yeol and main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung have yet to be set, the presidential office said Saturday. In a message to the press, Yoon's office also dismissed media reports that the date for what would be their first-ever meeting has been confirmed. On Friday, the presidential office said Yoon proposed holding the meeting next week after congratulating Lee of the Democratic Party and other party members

PoliticsApril 20, 2024

Chinese man behind drug scam targeting teens nabbed in Cambodia

A Chinese national suspected of supplying drugs that were used for a high-profile scam case, where young students were deceived into consuming drug-laced drinks, has been arrested in Cambodia, South Korea's spy agency said Friday. The National Intelligence Service, which has been probing the case in cooperation with the Cambodian police, said the 38-year-old charged with supplying methamphetamine to the drug ring that produced and distributed the beverages was apprehended in Phnom Penh on

Social AffairsApril 19, 2024

Seoul envoy for N.K. human rights urges solidarity in Argentina, Mexico

South Korea's envoy for North Korean human rights visited Argentina and Mexico for discussions on improving the rights situation in Pyongyang, the foreign ministry said Friday. Ambassador Lee Shin-wha met government officials, experts and activists from nongovernmental organizations during her four-day trip to the Latin American countries, according to the ministry. In Buenos Aires, she called for the international community's support and attention to the North's human rights viol

North KoreaApril 19, 2024

Yoon, Romanian president to hold summit in S. Korea next week

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis will visit South Korea next week to hold a summit with President Yoon Suk Yeol and discuss cooperation in arms and nuclear energy, among other sectors, Yoon's office said Friday. Iohannis will pay an official visit to South Korea from Monday to Thursday, during which the leaders will meet to discuss areas of "strategic cooperation" between the two countries, the presidential office said. The two held talks last July on the sidelines of a North Atl

Foreign AffairsApril 19, 2024