Kremlin rejects S. Korean claim of N. Koreans fighting in Ukraine

Russia on Thursday rejected a recent South Korean claim that North Korean soldiers were likely fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. During a parliamentary audit session in Seoul on Tuesday, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said it was "highly likely" that North Korea had deployed troops in support of Russia, because the two countries have a mutual treaty "akin to a military alliance." Kim also said a recent media report on North Korean troop casualties in

Foreign AffairsOct. 10, 2024

Literature honor marks S. Korea’s 2nd Nobel Prize

Author Han Kang became the second South Korean to win a Nobel Prize on Thursday, as she was recognized with the laureate honor in literature by the Swedish Academy. Preceding Han was Kim Dae-jung, the late South Korean president who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 to honor his efforts to revive democracy in South Korea and improve relations with North Korea. The Nobel Prize committee said the award motivation was “for his work for democracy and human rights in South Korea and in East Asi

PoliticsOct. 10, 2024

South Korean same-sex couples make push for marriage equality

Eleven gay and lesbian couples will attempt to register their marriages in South Korea on Friday, expecting to launch a legal process they hope will get the country to recognize marriage equality. The couples expect the local authorities will decline to register their marriages because South Korea does not currently recognize same-sex unions. They plan to file a lawsuit if they cannot register and, eventually, to force the constitutional court to give a ruling. One of the women planning to regis

Social AffairsOct. 10, 2024

Rival parties clash over first lady's alleged involvement in nominations

Lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party clashed Thursday over allegations that first lady Kim Keon Hee was involved in nominating candidates for a 2022 by-election and the April 2024 parliamentary elections. During a parliamentary audit of the National Election Commission, the state election watchdog, the People Power Party lawmakers dismissed the allegations, which have been raised by the media and the opposition bloc, as having nothing to do with the

PoliticsOct. 10, 2024

Teenage N. Korean defector shares horrific story of life in reclusive regime

A North Korean teenage defector on Thursday shared her horrific story of life in the reclusive regime during a forum hosted by South Korea's unification ministry. "I wear makeup and go out here in South Korea, but my friends in North Korea can't even wash properly, let alone wear makeup. Some friends smell because they can't bathe, but we live understanding each other," Noh Jin-hae recalled. The 16-year-old girl, who defected from North Korea in 2019, recalled her harsh

North KoreaOct. 10, 2024

Yoon, Ishiba discuss travel agreement

VIENTIANE, Laos -- President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japan's newly elected Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba discussed a new bilateral travel agreement that would allow their citizens' free movement between the two countries through a streamlined immigration process, according to Yoon's office on Thursday Kim Tae-hyo, first deputy director of the presidential National Security Office, said in a briefing in Vientiane, Laos that Yoon and Ishiba pledged to accelerate discussions for the new tr

PoliticsOct. 10, 2024

Global voices celebrate Hangeul at 1st Sejong Hangeul Olympiad

SEJONG -- Two events kicked off a new campaign this week to celebrate and elevate Hangeul, the Korean writing system and cornerstone of the nation’s culture, by cultivating legions of Hangeul ambassadors around the world. On Tuesday, the day before Hangeul Day, the inaugural Sejong Hangeul Olympiad brought together 105 contestants from 24 countries to showcase their Korean language skills. Designed to encourage Korean learning and reward exceptional learners, the competition, held in the

Social AffairsOct. 10, 2024

Gyeonggi starts temperament tests on 'dangerous' dogs for ownership

Gyeonggi Province has initiated temperament tests for dogs with aggressive traits on Thursday, as part of the new ownership approval process aimed at enhancing public safety and promoting responsible ownership. According to provincial government officials, the province's initial evaluation Thursday includes only three dogs, but a total of 549 registered dangerous dogs must be assessed within the next two weeks, as the six-month deadline for obtaining ownership permission approaches on Oct

Social AffairsOct. 10, 2024

Seoul unveils new perks for pregnant women

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Wednesday rolled out a package of benefits for pregnant women, a move to provide support for expectant mothers amid the city's record-low fertility rate. Effective immediately, pregnant women in the capital will enjoy priority access and discounts at various municipal facilities. The Gocheok Sky Dome and Jamsil Indoor Swimming Pool are offering a 50-percent discount on usage fees and sports lessons. The Seoul World Cup Stadium is waiving entrance fees fo

Social AffairsOct. 10, 2024

‘Speak with confidence. Nobody laughs at your mistakes’

A trio of young language enthusiasts from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Morocco who met through a chat group, triumphed at the first Sejong Hangeul Olympiad on Tuesday where they demonstrated their exceptional Korean language skills. United as the team "Stars of Sejong," they won the grand prize in a competition that brought together 105 participants from 24 countries to celebrate Hangeul ahead of Hangeul Day. A total of 35 teams, each comprising three members, participated in the Hange

Social AffairsOct. 10, 2024

North Korea already cut off inter-Korean roads in Aug.: JCS chief

North Korea has already blocked the inter-Korean passages under leader Kim Jong-un’s instructions, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff chief Adm. Kim Myung-soo said Thursday. The South’s JCS chairman was responding to National Assembly questions about the announcement by the North Korean army on Wednesday that the reclusive regime planned to cut off all roads and railways leading to South Korea and build fortifications in the border areas. “North Korea began closing off

DefenseOct. 10, 2024

Korean proficiency test to expand to more countries

The Ministry of Education on Thursday announced plans to double the number of internet-based sessions for the Test of Proficiency in Korean next year. Starting in 2025, 15 TOPIK sessions will be held annually. The new schedule will include six internet-based tests and six paper-based tests focusing on the listening, reading and writing sections, while the speaking section will be administered through three additional internet-based tests. This marks a significant increase in the frequency of int

Social AffairsOct. 10, 2024

S. Korea clinches seat on UN Human Rights Council

South Korea has secured a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, positioning itself for leadership in three key UN bodies in 2025: the Economic and Social Council, the Human Rights Council and the Security Council. South Korea was elected to the UN Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 term during a vote at the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, local time, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul announced Thursday in a statement. This term marks South Korea's sixth on the Human Rights Coun

Foreign AffairsOct. 10, 2024

Cabinet approves bill revision to punish possessing, watching deepfake porn

The Cabinet on Thursday approved the revision of a bill to punish both the possession and viewing of deepfake pornography. The revision of Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes calls for punishing individuals who are caught possessing, purchasing, storing or viewing sexually explicit deepfake content with up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won ($22,200). The law has recently faced criticism following a recent chain of deepfake pornography crimes f

PoliticsOct. 10, 2024

Yoon mulling 1-on-1 meeting with Han after by-election

President Yoon Suk Yeol and ruling People Power Party Chair Han Dong-hoon might hold talks after the Oct. 16 by-election next week, according to the presidential office on Thursday. The Yoon administration and the ruling party "are communicating with each other over the matter," a source at the presidential office said on condition of anonymity. Also, the presidential office is reportedly open to a one-on-one meeting with Han, a format Yoon has long disapproved of. The meeting would oc

PoliticsOct. 10, 2024

Side effects of growth hormone injections surge

The side effects of growth hormone injections, which are being used to increase the height of children, are on the rise, according to government data Thursday, in line with the increase in the number of adolescents receiving the injections. A total of 124,997 individuals aged 19 and under received growth hormone shots in the first half of this year, following 247,541 in the full year of 2023 and 190,001 in 2022, reflecting parents' passion for making their children grow taller. The figures

Social AffairsOct. 10, 2024

Leaders of S. Korea, ASEAN agree to elevate ties to highest level

VIENTIANE, Laos -- South Korea and ASEAN inked the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Thursday, with ASEAN placing South Korea alongside superpowers such as the United States and China in the organization's hierarchy of diplomatic relationships. South Korea has become the sixth country that ASEAN is in dialogue partnership with, after the United States, China, Japan, India and Australia. ASEAN, or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is comprised of 10 countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indone

PoliticsOct. 10, 2024

Busan police part traffic to help pregnant woman to hospital

Police officers in Busan recently escorted a pregnant woman to a hospital to receive urgent medical care, officials revealed in a video posted Monday. In a video posted on the official YouTube page of the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency, a woman in her 30s parked her car in front of a patrol car and ran toward the officers at around 7:20 p.m. on Sept. 12. Senior Patrolman Gwon Jeong-hwan -- who was at the scene -- said the woman was in her 13th week of pregnancy, and that she told him she was

Social AffairsOct. 10, 2024

Paju blaze kills woman, 6-year-old son rescued by neighbor

A blaze that occurred late Wednesday in a multiunit residential building in Paju, Gyeonggi Province left a woman in her 30s dead, while her six-year-old son was rescued by their neighbor. According to the Paju Police Station, the fire is believed to have started at around 11:30 p.m. at a unit on the first floor of the building. A neighbor saw smoke and helped bring the boy who was inside to safety, but was unable to rescue his mother. The child is currently being looked after by another family i

Social AffairsOct. 10, 2024

Court to deliberate on issuing arrest warrants for Qoo10 CEO over massive payment delays

Qoo10 CEO Ku Young-bae attended a court hearing held on Thursday to determine whether to issue an arrest warrant on fraud and embezzlement charges related to his e-commerce group's large-scale payment delays to vendors. Ku appeared at the Seoul Central District Court for his hearing, which will be shortly followed by arrest warrant hearings for Ryu Kwang-jin and Ryu Hwa-hyun, CEOs of Qoo10's e-commerce subsidiaries TMON and WeMakePrice, over the massive insolvency incident Ku denied sp

Social AffairsOct. 10, 2024