Free after-school programs to run nationwide

The Education Ministry announced Wednesday that care programs for elementary schools driven by the state will begin in the second semester of the 2024 academic year, benefiting more than 6,300 schools nationwide. Dubbed "Neulbom school" which directly translates to "always caring" in Korean, the policy is a comprehensive after-school management system that integrates various educational resources from the school, the community and universities in the area in addition to regul

Social AffairsAug. 14, 2024

South Korea’s 1st spy satellite fit for combat

South Korea’s first military reconnaissance satellite has been declared fit for combat and is to be tasked with full-scale missions within this month, according to the country’s arms procurement agency on Wednesday. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said on the same day the spy satellite -- a key surveillance and reconnaissance asset of the country’s “kill chain” -- was deemed to be suitable for combat by the Ministry of National Defense. The ministry c

DefenseAug. 14, 2024

Why has S. Korea seen no typhoons this month?

While Japan is grappling with record rainfall from Typhoon Maria and bracing for three more typhoons, South Korea is experiencing the opposite -- intense heat, heat wave warnings and tropical nights. In the past, after the roughly monthlong monsoon season in July, Korea would see heat waves last to mid-August, accompanied by typhoons and rain after, lowering overall temperatures to ease into fall. However, instead of typhoon warnings and heavy rain this year, Korea has seen more heat wave warn

Social AffairsAug. 14, 2024

157 families chosen for foreign nanny pilot

A total of 157 households in Seoul, primarily dual-income families, have been selected to participate in the newly introduced foreign nanny program, according to the Seoul city government. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday it had received 751 applications by the deadline of Aug. 6, meaning there was significantly more demand than could be met by the pilot program. The city government chose the successful applicants by prioritizing single-parent households, pregnant women, families

Social AffairsAug. 14, 2024

Number of COVID-19 pediatric patients jumps as summer wave spreads

The number of COVID-19 child patients in South Korea jumped this month, as the nation saw a surge in cases amid a summer wave, hospital data showed Wednesday. At 42 pediatric hospitals, there were 1,080 child patients with COVID-19 on Aug. 5-9, compared with 387 child patients on July 22-26, according to data compiled by the Korea Children's Hospital Association. In particular, the number of COVID-19 child patients stood at 301 on Aug. 5-9 in Chungcheong provinces, compared with 54 on July 22-26

Social AffairsAug. 14, 2024

[Hello India] Telangana: Gateway for Korean companies to access India's market

Revanth Reddy, the chief minister of Telangana, a southern-central state in India with a population of nearly 40 million, in line with its "Future State" project, an urban development initiative focused on transforming the state into a smart, technologically advanced hub. Key projects under this initiative include the development of an AI City and Net Zero City, which are set to revolutionize urban living, he said as he sat down for an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Monday

Foreign AffairsAug. 14, 2024

Rwandan president receives Manhae Peace Award

Rwandan President Paul Kagame has been recognized at the Manhae Grand Prize Ceremony for his role in fostering peace and stability in the African nation following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the Rwanda Embassy in Seoul said Wednesday. The president received the Peace Award at the 28th Manhae Grand Prize Ceremony on Monday for his contributions to the African nation's post-genocide recovery, as well as his efforts in promoting forgiveness, reconciliation and nation-building over ret

Diplomatic CircuitAug. 14, 2024

More foreigners visit S. Korea via non-capital region: data

An increasing percentage of foreign visitors to South Korea are opting to use air and sea ports in areas outside of the Greater Seoul region of Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, government data showed Wednesday. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, data showed that 74.4 percent of the foreign visitors who entered the country in the first half of this year used Incheon International Airport, Incheon Port and Gimpo International Airport, which are located in the country's gateway

Social AffairsAug. 14, 2024

Empowering through photography: Indian teenager collaborates with Seoul kids for photo exhibition

Young girls from Sundukwon, a child welfare center, showcased the vibrant life of Seoul through a photography exhibition on Friday. Aditi Kumar, a 17-year-old high school student from India, led an eight-week photography workshop that culminated the "Happy Seoul, Pause for a Cause" exhibition as part of an initiative empowering girls through photography. To fund the project, she sold eco-friendly tote bags featuring her photographs. The proceeds enabled her to purchase compact digital

Foreign AffairsAug. 14, 2024

Seoul develops dog meat testing tech ahead of country-wide ban

Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday it has developed a diagnostic test to identify dog meat, with a recently passed ban on dog-sourced meat set to fully take effect in 2027. The test kit uses polymerase chain reaction to identify dog DNA in meat, and has been developed by Seoul's Research Institute of Public Health and Environment in June. The city government plans to use the system to catch those who attempt to sell dog meat by falsely advertising it as other types of meat. Seou

Social AffairsAug. 14, 2024

Health minister vows stern measures against attempts to hinder return of junior doctors

Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong on Wednesday pledged to take stern measures against attempts to obstruct junior doctors' return to hospitals. Cho's remarks came as lists of junior doctors who decided to return to work were circulating online, with the police conducting an investigation upon the request of the ministry. "So far, we have referred 21 cases regarding the release of lists and defamation, with investigative authorities identifying the suspects and sending the cases to the

Social AffairsAug. 14, 2024

Severe floods in N. Korea could cut its 2024 crop output: FAO

North Korea's crop output for this year could be dented by severe floods from the latest heavy rains and a possible increase in pest infestations, the Food and Agriculture Organization said Wednesday. North Korea is expected to receive above-average precipitation amounts between August and October, according to a report posted on the website of the FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System. "Heavy rains could exacerbate waterlogging and lead to further flooding, causing si

North KoreaAug. 14, 2024

Price cap of meals for public servants to be raised later this month

The government will ease restrictions on the price of meals served to public officials and other professions later this month, officials said Wednesday, in a move aimed at reflecting the current price levels since the anti-corruption law came into effect in 2016. Under the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, commonly known as the Kim Young-ran law, public officials and individuals in specific roles, such as journalists and private school teachers, are not allowed to be served meals worth more t

Social AffairsAug. 14, 2024

FM Cho rebuts criticism over 'humiliating' negotiations with Japan on Sado mines

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Tuesday rebutted the criticism that South Korea backed down in the negotiations with Japan regarding the UNESCO World Heritage listing of an old Japanese mine complex linked to wartime forced labor. Cho made the point during a parliamentary session as criticism persists over the way the government negotiated with Tokyo to demonstrate the Sado gold and silver mines as a site where more than a thousand Koreans were forcibly taken to toil during World War II. Critics

Foreign AffairsAug. 13, 2024

Yoon picks for national security, defense chiefs draw opposition ire

Opposition lawmakers on Tuesday called on President Yoon Suk Yeol to retract his nominations for national security advisor and the defense minister announced the day prior. The lawmakers of the main and minor opposition parties on the National Assembly defense committee held a joint press conference Tuesday, slamming the president as “damaging national interest at the key diplomatic moment” with his picks. In a surprise shake-up, Yoon on Monday tapped Shin Won-sik, who is serving as

PoliticsAug. 13, 2024

Relentless heat sparks surge in heat-related illnesses, livestock losses

The ongoing heat wave continues to take a toll on humans and livestock alike, with men, the elderly and manual laborers most affected, while poultry remains hardest hit among animals. As of Sunday, South Korea reported nearly 2,300 heat-related illnesses and over 700,000 livestock deaths, data showed Tuesday. According to the Interior Ministry, the cumulative number of heat-related illness cases had reached 2,293, with 21 deaths reported. This is the highest number since the record-breaking heat

Social AffairsAug. 13, 2024

Yoon restores ex-governor's political rights, pardons Park's aides

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday officially restored the rights to hold public office for former South Gyeongsang Gov. Kim Kyoung-soo, who had served in jail until late 2022 for illegally conspiring to manipulate online opinions in favor of former President Moon Jae-in ahead of the 2017 presidential election. The reinstatement of Kim's political rights came as part of Yoon's decision to grant special pardons for a total of 1,219 convicts on the occasion of Liberation Day which fall

PoliticsAug. 13, 2024

Cabinet asks Yoon to veto controversial cash handout bill

The Cabinet on Tuesday voted to ask President Yoon Suk Yeol to veto the Democratic Party of Korea bill for handing out 250,000 to 350,000 won ($182 to $255) to every South Korean as economic relief. Earlier this month, the bill was passed in the Assembly by the majority-holding Democratic Party despite the ruling People Power Party pushback. Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said the Cabinet was “once again forced to consider bills that passed the Assembly i

PoliticsAug. 13, 2024

Korea mulls service fee hike for 1,000 critical surgeries

The Health Ministry said Tuesday that medical service fees for complex but essential surgeries, often undervalued despite their high skill and resource demands, will be raised possibly starting early next year. This initiative seeks to correct the long-standing pay disparities in a country where compensation for cosmetic procedures at private clinics is often higher than critical, lifesaving surgeries. The discussion took place during the medical reform committee meeting earlier in the day, whic

Social AffairsAug. 13, 2024

COVID-19 cases to peak by late August: KDCA

The number of COVID-19 cases is expected to reach its peak by the end of this month, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said, vowing to expand its COVID-19 response team and implement stricter antivirus measures. As of the first week of August, the agency said up to 861 cases have been recorded at 220 major medical institutions around the country, a sixfold increase compared to the number of cases from July. “The surge could peak around the end of August, as contacts among peo

Social AffairsAug. 13, 2024