Tae Yong-ho announces second bid for Assembly

Ruling People Power Party Rep. Tae Yong-ho, who was formerly a senior diplomat for North Korea, said Monday he will run for a second term in the National Assembly in a Seoul district typically lenient toward the rival party. Tae, who is the first North Korean defector to be elected in a constituency, said he would vie for a second Assembly term in Guro against Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Youn Kun-young. “Gangnam has been my political hometown after I left North Korea and began a new lif

PoliticsJan. 29, 2024

Seoul suspends 'lowest-performing' worker, 1st case for civil servant

Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday said it has suspended one of its allegedly lowest-performing employees of their duties, marking the first time it has suspended an official solely based on their performance. Confirming earlier media reports, Seoul City Hall said it gave the lowest performance evaluation marks to four Seoul employees last month. The other three with the lowest grade have been transferred to other duties. Since 2019, the evaluation committee of the city government has condu

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2024

Pro-gamer tries to dodge draft by faking IQ of 53

A former South Korean professional gamer has been sentenced to a prison term of one year, suspended for two years, for trying to dodge mandatary military service by pretending to have an IQ of 53, an Incheon court said Monday. Incheon District Court found 32-year-old Won Chang-yeon guilty of violating the Military Service Act, which mandates all able-bodied South Korean men serve in the military for at least 18 months. Won was also ordered to complete 120 hours of community service. Police inves

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2024

First public center exposing NK human rights to open in Seoul

Seoul will be home to the first-ever government-run center dedicated to shed light on the North Korean regime's human rights abuses and violations and enhance public awareness of the issue, the Unification Ministry announced Monday. The Yoon Suk Yeol government is actively working to establish an inaugural public center, forming a crucial component of its comprehensive strategy for addressing the harsh realities of the human rights situation in North Korea. The Unification Ministry official

North KoreaJan. 29, 2024

Informing medical fees for pets in advance still in limbo

It has been three weeks since the government passed a bill requiring every veterinary clinic to post the estimated fees for major medical procedures prior to treatment. However, the new change seems yet to have settled in, with medical professionals claiming the policy lacks an understanding of reality and many hospitals still not implementing the change. Starting earlier this month, veterinary clinics are obligated to post the cost of treatment for 11 major categories, including examination, ho

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2024

[Bridge to Africa] Seoul Summit to set momentum for Korea-Africa ties: Tanzania amb.

The geographical distance between South Korea and Africa has historically hindered exchanges, fostering numerous misconceptions about the vast continent consisting of 54 nations and their respective rich cultures and assets, according to the Tanzanian ambassador in Seoul. But he expects an upcoming summit in Seoul in June that brings African leaders to the capital city, is expected to break these barriers and initiate a new era of robust cooperation between South Korea and Africa. "There is

Foreign AffairsJan. 29, 2024

Former first lady's Chanel jacket row revived as ruling party returns fire

Amid escalating tensions over graft accusations against first lady Kim Keon Hee involving a Christian Dior handbag, the ruling party on Monday called for an investigation into similar allegations surrounding the former first lady. The People Power Party brought up long-standing allegations that former President Moon Jae-in's wife Kim Jung-sook used taxpayers' money to purchase a custom-made Chanel jacket in around 2018. "What really needs to be addressed and questioned is the curr

PoliticsJan. 29, 2024

[KH Explains] From cafes to lumberyards, SMEs face risks as safety law expands

Expanded application of the workplace safety law is expected to have a substantial impact on the South Korean business community, as it holds employers with more than five workers legally responsible for deadly accidents. Concerns are growing as this change, which officially took effect Saturday, will cover 837,000 workplaces, including small neighborhood restaurants, bakeries, pubs, cafes and mom-and-pop stores. Regardless of the size of the businesses and their financial capabilities, under th

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2024

North Korea claims of cruise missile performance likely exaggerated: JCS

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff on Monday said in a preliminary analysis it found North Korea’s claims of the capabilities of its new strategic cruise missiles to be exaggerated. The South Korean military detected North Korea launching cruise missiles at around 8 a.m. Sunday toward waters near the port city of Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province, the home to a North Korean base for submarines. “We are looking into the possibility that the flight time claimed by North Korea may h

DefenseJan. 29, 2024

Over 3,700 high-income workers make more than W110m monthly: data

Over 3,700 high-income employees subscribed to the state-run health insurance scheme are earning more than 110 million won ($82,300) per month, paying a medical premium of 4 million won monthly, data showed Monday. The figure translates into an income of at least 1.32 billion won annually. As of October last year, 3,791 people were categorized as employed subscribers paying the maximum amount for health insurance premiums in the data on the status of health insurance subscribers and monthly prem

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2024

Man kills upstairs neighbor for 'slamming the door loudly'

South Korean police on Monday are investigating a man in his 50s on suspicion of killing his upstairs neighbor for making what he claimed was excessive noise, marking the latest incident in which inter-floor noise has led to a violent crime. The suspect is accused of attacking the woman in her 30s at around 4:40 p.m. Sunday in the staircase of their residential building in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, after an argument over noise the victim made. The suspect claimed to harbor resentment f

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2024

Yoon's office mulls action against JTBC for subtitle error

President Yoon Suk Yeol's office is considering taking action against broadcaster JTBC for a subtitled video it aired that the office says misrepresented his remarks. A JTBC news clip showed Yoon on Thursday telling vendors at a traditional market that he would put forward "effort to make the napa cabbage (price) go higher" in the subtitle, while Yoon's office contends the president had actually emphasized "effort to make their sales go higher." "There are many

PoliticsJan. 29, 2024

Nottingham Forest player heads back to UK amid sex video allegations

South Korean police said Monday that it has not extended the travel ban against Nottingham Forest striker star Hwang Ui-jo, who is currently being investigated on allegations of filming sexual intercourse without the consent of his partner. It was reported that the 31-year-old star boarded a UK-bound plane at around 11 p.m. Monday, presumably to return to his team, currently competing in the 2023-24 season of the English Premier League. In a press briefing, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency s

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2024

Routine health check-ups linked to reduced health risks: study

People who undergo regular medical check-ups are more likely to live a longer and healthier life, a study showed Monday. An article published in the Journal of BMC Medicine, authored by University of Oxford researcher Celeste McCracken, revealed that participants in the UK's National Health Service "Health Check" program showed lower health risks associated with multiorgan disease, cardiovascular issues and overall mortality, compared to a control group of equal size. Recipients

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2024

[Bills in Focus] Bills on construction defect liability, contracts

Proposed Bill: Special Act on the Change of Jurisdiction of Hanam-gu from Gyeonggi-do to Seoul Metropolitan City Proposed by Rep. Lee Yong (People Power Party) ● This proposed bill backs up the ruling People Power Party's "megacity" scheme that intends to incorporate cities near Seoul into the capital administratively. The "megacity" scheme attempts to "merge areas where people live with with the matching administrative jurisdiction," Seoul. The bill argues th

PoliticsJan. 29, 2024

4 out of 5 living alone at risk of 'lonely death'

With the number of single-person households on the rise in Korea, a recent study showed that 78.8 percent of them are at some risk of "godoksa," or lonely death. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the state-run Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs jointly conducted a survey on 9,471 single-person households, assessing the likelihood of lonely death based on five criteria: accumulated feelings of failure and loss, loneliness in everyday life, level of social isolation, disc

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2024

DP leader Lee labels govt. 'cold-blooded' over anticipated rejection of Itaewon special bill

Main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung criticized the government Monday for its anticipated rejection of a special bill calling for a renewed investigation into the Itaewon crowd crush in 2022. The main opposition Democratic Party, which holds a controlling majority in the National Assembly, railroaded the special bill on Jan. 9, following the breakdown of negotiations with the ruling People Power Party. However, the Cabinet is set to hold a meeting Tuesday to pass a motion demanding the National

PoliticsJan. 29, 2024

Yoon, PPP chief to have lunch amid signs of reconciliation

President Yoon Suk Yeol and ruling party chief Han Dong-hoon will have lunch at the presidential office Monday, an official said, their second meeting in less than a week after clashing over allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee. Han of the People Power Party will attend the luncheon together with People Power Party floor leader Yun Jae-ok, presidential chief of staff Lee Kwan-sup and senior presidential secretary for political affairs Han Oh-seop, according to the official. The Yoon-Han

PoliticsJan. 29, 2024

S. Korea to develop spy drone deployable from warships by 2028

South Korea aims to develop an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft deployable from warships by 2028, the state arms procurement agency said Monday, amid efforts to boost surveillance against North Korean threats. Last month, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration signed a contract worth 143.3 billion won ($107.1 million) with defense company Hanwha Systems to develop the rotary-wing aircraft by December 2028. DAPA said the aircraft is designed to be deployed from warships, as well as Marine

DefenseJan. 29, 2024

US urges N. Korea to refrain from 'threatening' activity, return to diplomacy

The United States urged North Korea Sunday to refrain from further "threatening" activity and engage in "serious and sustained" diplomacy, after Pyongyang fired several cruise missiles, the latest in a recent series of its weapons tests. A State Department spokesperson made the call, noting that Pyongyang has increasingly engaged in "threatening" and "irresponsible" military activities, including missile launches. Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said th

North KoreaJan. 29, 2024