1 out of 3 households in Gyeonggi live alone

A full 31.2 percent of the 5.5 million total households in Gyeonggi Province consist of just one person as of last November, a report by the regional government showed Wednesday. As of November 2023, there were a total of 1.71 million single-person households in the province, up from 1.63 million the previous year. A full 21.9 percent of all single-person households nationwide are in Gyeonggi. South Korea's most populous province, Gyeonggi has a population of 13.67 million as of August 2024

Social AffairsSept. 4, 2024

Number of foreign students in Korea hits record high

The number of foreign students enrolled in South Korean universities exceeded 200,000 this year, stepping closer to the government's goal of attracting 300,000 by 2028. The number of international students enrolled at colleges in 2024 is 208,962, a 25 percent increase from 2022, the year before the plan was implemented, according to the education ministry at a briefing on its Study Korea 300K Project. It follows separate Justice Ministry data, which measures by visa rather than enrollment,

Social AffairsSept. 4, 2024

Yoon administration proposes 1st hike in pension charges in 27 years to slow fund depletion

The South Korean government on Wednesday laid out plans to raise the mandatory national pension contribution rate by 4 percentage points from the current 9 to 13 percent starting next year, with the intention of extending the life span of the state-sponsored public retirement pension scheme by at least 16 years. This reform plan comes as the national postretirement fund's financial viability remains doubtful, with the country suffering from the double whammy of low birth rates and an aging

PoliticsSept. 4, 2024

First responders' request to locate ERs doubles amid medical strike

As South Korea suffers from the prolonged disruption of medical services across the country, government data showed Wednesday that rescue workers' requests for ERs have more than doubled this year compared to the same period last year. From February to June 25, 119 emergency control centers have selected hospitals for emergency patients on 1,196 occasions, according to the National Fire Agency. This marks an increase of 131 percent compared to 519 such cases in the same period last year.

Social AffairsSept. 4, 2024

DP proposes special counsel probe bill on Marine's death for 4th time; PPP unlikely to accept

The main opposition Democratic Party has proposed a bill mandating a special counsel recommended by the Supreme Court chief justice investigate the military's response to a Marine's death last year. The bill, proposed Tuesday, mandates that the chief justice recommend four candidates to the special counsel. They will be narrowed down by the opposition parties to two, from which the president will make the final appointment. The special counsel will be tasked with looking into allegatio

PoliticsSept. 4, 2024

Gyeonggi's unionized bus drivers call off planned strike after wage deal

A powerful union of bus drivers in Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, called off a strike planned for Wednesday after reaching a last-minute wage hike agreement with their employers before dawn. The union, which has about 90 percent of city and intercity bus drivers in the nation's most populous province under its wing, and representatives of the province's bus company owners agreed to a 7 percent wage increase around 3 a.m. Wednesday after marathon negotiations that began at 3

Social AffairsSept. 4, 2024

[Graphic News] Nearly 60% of Koreans see AI's benefits outweighing risks

A recent survey conducted by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT found that 57 percent of South Korean nationals believe the benefits of artificial intelligence technology surpass its risks. Additionally, 23.7 percent of respondents felt that the risks and benefits were roughly equal, while 19.1 percent expressed concern that the potential risks outweighed the benefits. When asked about AI’s advantages, 30.6 percent of respondents highlighted “improved convenience in da

Social AffairsSept. 4, 2024

US may reconsider approach to NK-Russia military ties under Harris' leadership: senator

The United States may need to reevaluate its strategy on the expanding military ties between North Korea and Russia if Vice President Kamala Harris becomes president as Pyongyang's alleged arms support for Moscow's war in Ukraine is deeply troubling, a US senator said Tuesday. In an interview with Yonhap News Agency, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del) said the Biden administration's North Korea policy has focused on its denuclearization and recently has been pressing the North to stop s

Foreign AffairsSept. 3, 2024

Democratic Party fans claims Yoon is planning martial rule

The Democratic Party of Korea continues to fuel unsupported claims that President Yoon Suk Yeol is trying to declare martial law nationwide with his recent shake-up of the defense leadership. Democratic Party lawmakers, including the party’s chair Rep. Lee Jae-myung, have repeatedly raised suspicions that Yoon is preparing to establish martial law in South Korea, claiming to have “sources.” The main opposition party claims that Yoon nominated his close ally Kim Yong-hyun -- ret

PoliticsSept. 3, 2024

Ex-N. Korean diplomat in Cuba proposes paths to regime collapse from within

Ri Il-gyu, the former second-ranking North Korean diplomat in Cuba, on Tuesday publicly proposed strategies to destabilize the Kim Jong-un regime from within by promoting societal change in the North, including the inflow of external information to the North Korean populace. "The so-called elite class, or the cadre class, has undergone a significant shift in their perception of the regime," Ri, who served as a counselor at the North Korean Embassy in Havana, said during the Global Kore

North KoreaSept. 3, 2024

Mother of abuse victim thanks perpetrators, urges no punishment

The mother of a 17-year-old girl who died from severe abuse by church members said she was "thankful" to the perpetrators, reiterating that she did not want them to be punished. The 52-year-old woman testified in a court hearing held at Incheon District Court on Monday and stated that there was no coercion from the defendants for the child to be sent to the church. A 52-year-old leader of an Incheon church choir and two other members are currently being tried on allegations of child

Social AffairsSept. 3, 2024

Bus drivers urge passengers to give up seats for pregnant women

Stories of bus drivers encouraging passengers to give up seats for pregnant women have been circulating online, most recently with a woman's compliment posted on the Seoul Bus Labor Union website on Monday. A woman who identified herself as 12 weeks pregnant said she got on a Seoul bus No. 440 at around 6 p.m. on Monday with no real hopes of getting a seat during rush hour. But when the driver saw her pregnancy badge, he asked the passengers sitting in the priority zones to give up their se

Social AffairsSept. 3, 2024

Incheon airport to prevent 'excessive private security' for celebrities

Incheon Airport will introduce a new manual on dealing with private security personnel employed by celebrities, in light of the recent controversy surrounding what was alleged to be excessive security measures for actor Byeon Woo-seok. The manual will detail proper responses for when the terminals get crowded due to high-profile personnel leaving or arriving at the airport, according to the Incheon International Airport Corp. report submitted to Rep. Jeon Yong-gi of the main opposition Democrati

Social AffairsSept. 3, 2024

Uzbekistan touts deepening ties with S. Korea on Independence Day

Uzbekistan touted deepening ties with South Korea, marking the 33rd anniversary of the country's independence and the 32nd year of their bilateral relations Friday. Uzbekistan, which became part of the Soviet Union in 1924, declared its independence on August 31, 1991. "Today, we celebrate remarkable achievements, including more than a one-and-a-half-fold increase in GDP, a doubling of business entities, and over 40 percent growth in the industry," said Uzbek Ambassador-designate

Foreign AffairsSept. 3, 2024

Adult-only gaming arcades mushrooming in rural Korea

The number of adult-only gaming centers and internet cafes, known here as “PC bangs,” has seen a rapid increase in rural areas where agriculture and fishing are prevalent, data showed Tuesday. According to data provided by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, a total of 278 establishments received business permits to operate as adult-only gaming halls last year across the country, up from 215 in 2022. Of the total, Gyeonggi Province had the highest number with 52 newly licensed

Social AffairsSept. 3, 2024

Outgoing Japanese PM to visit Seoul on Friday

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will hold talks during Kishida's two-day visit to South Korea from Friday, in what would be his final one-on-one with Yoon before his planned departure from his post, the presidential office announced Tuesday. Yoon's office said in a note to reporters that the talks will highlight the past achievements through bilateral cooperation and ways to boost ties between the two East Asian countries in bilateral, regional and int

PoliticsSept. 3, 2024

What's really going on in ERs?

Last month, 33-year-old office worker Kim A-young experienced a nightmare when a first responder refused to take her to the emergency room despite her severe stomach pain. "I was informed that ERs at university hospitals wouldn't accept patients with stomach pain, which was later diagnosed as acute appendicitis," she said. "I was taken to a nearby community hospital but couldn't have the surgery immediately. Although the doctor indicated that my case was severe, I had to

Social AffairsSept. 3, 2024

Seoul opens first dog-friendly campground

Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Tuesday that it would open a dog-friendly campground for dog owners at Noeul Park in Mapo-gu, western Seoul, as part of the city government’s initiative to establish a pet-friendly culture in the city. The city government will operate a trial run of its new service after taking reservations from 64 groups starting Wednesday at 3 p.m. After monitoring the trial run, the city government will officially begin running the dog-friendly camping sites fr

Social AffairsSept. 3, 2024

Yoo Ah-in sentenced to one year in prison for drug abuse

Actor Yoo Ah-in was sentenced to one year in prison by the Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday for repeated drug use. The court ordered Yoo's immediate detention after handing down the sentence, which included a one-year prison term, a 2 million won fine ($1,489) and a surcharge of 1.54 million won. Yoo was ordered to pay a surcharge for the value of items obtained illegally. "Prescription narcotics, like propofol, are tightly controlled because of their potential for dependence an

Social AffairsSept. 3, 2024

Fu Bao experiencing ‘pseudopregnancy’ amid health concerns

Fu Bao, a beloved giant panda born in South Korea and now living in China, has entered the “pseudopregnancy” stage, according to the Chinese panda center, amid growing concerns about her health. The four-year-old Fu Bao has recently been seen displaying unusual behaviors, decreased appetite and lower activity levels since August in videos, sparking concerns from local fans that the panda may have health problems due to China’s extreme heat or that she may be mistreated in the c

Social AffairsSept. 3, 2024