Leaders agree to revive 3-way cooperation, reaffirm security efforts

Leaders of South Korea, Japan and China reaffirmed Monday that maintaining peace, stability and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula serves their common interest and is their responsibility, amid continued provocations from North Korea that have undermined regional peace in Northeast Asia. In the first trilateral summit in 4 1/2 years hosted in Seoul, the three countries represented by President Yoon Suk Yeol, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Qiang reiterated their stan

PoliticsMay 27, 2024

Seoul to host triathlon festival along Han river in June

The 1st Sium Sium Han River Triathlon Festival inviting participants to complete swimming, cycling, and running events within 48 hours will take place along the Han river in Seoul in June. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Monday that the festival would take place on June 1 and 2 at the Ttukseom Han River Park in Seoul. Under the slogan, “Sium Sium” meaning "chill-out" in Korean, the festival is intended to ensure that everyone, regardless of age or gender, can

Social AffairsMay 27, 2024

[Bills in Focus] Tax exemption for strategic tech, subcontracted labor protection

Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Labor Standards Act Proposed by Rep. Yang Kyung-kyoo (Green Justice Party) ● As of March 2023, the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s employment type disclosure system revealed that companies with 300-500 employees hire 25.2 percent of their workforce directly and 3.4 percent indirectly. However, companies with at least 10,000 employees employ 11.7 percent of their workforce directly and 32.0 percent indirectly. This indicates a trend where larger co

PoliticsMay 27, 2024

S. Koreans' average TOEIC score ranks 16th

South Koreans scored 677 points on average in the Test of English for International Communication last year, ranking 16th out of 44 countries around the globe and fifth among its Asian peers, the Korea TOEIC Committee said Monday. The latest figure is up two points from an average of 675 points in 2022. The TOEIC exam assesses non-native speakers' English-language listening and reading proficiency, and test takers can get up to 990 points. It's widely used in Korea to gauge the English

Social AffairsMay 27, 2024

Less than 2% of those questioned over dating violence arrested

Approximately 4,400 people were accused of dating abuse during the first four months of this year, but only 1.9 percent faced a formal arrest, a police report showed Monday. According to the Korean National Police Agency data received by People Power Party Rep. Kim Mi-ae, out of 25,967 allegations of dating violence reported to police from January to April, 4,395 suspects were brought in for questioning. Of these suspects, 82 were arrested, representing a rate of 1.87 percent. Among the suspec

PoliticsMay 27, 2024

Govt. vows to continue efforts to mend discord with medical community

South Korea's health ministry said Monday it plans to continue efforts to resolve the ongoing discord with doctors following the finalization of the university admission plan, which includes the controversial medical school quota hike, last week. The remark came after the Korean Council for University Education, an association of university presidents, approved an increase in next year's medical school admission quota last week despite strong protests from trainee doctors, finalizing t

Social AffairsMay 27, 2024

Man arrested for attempted murder after stabbing mother in broad daylight

A 41-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after attacking his mother in the street with a knife, police said Monday. The Incheon District Court on Sunday issued an arrest warrant for the suspect on the ground that he is a flight risk, according to the Incheon Michuhol Police Station. The suspect is believed to have stabbed his mother, who is in her 60s, at around 11:52 a.m. on Thursday, in the streets of Michuhol-gu, Incheon. Police detectives who were passing by in a

Social AffairsMay 27, 2024

Teen found dead in river, hours after jumping in with friend

A high school student who had gone missing after jumping into a river was found dead Sunday, close to where he had gone missing. According to officials, The boy jumped into the Ganggyeongcheon in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, at around 5:50 p.m., and was swept away. He was found dead three hours later, about 70 meters away from where he had been playing. A boy who had been playing with him told local police that they were "messing around" when they decided to jump into the water.

Social AffairsMay 27, 2024

[Photo News] Fashion show promotes diversity, environmental protection

Models and organizers pose for a photograph holding banners with messages supporting diversity and protecting the environment after the 2024 SWG&IWIK ESG Fashion Show, held at Sebitseom cultural space, Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul on Sunday. The event, organized by local civic group International World In Korea, emphasized social responsibility for diversity and environmental protection alongside the development of the tourism industry, its officials said. (IWIK)

Social AffairsMay 27, 2024

Yoon, Kishida agree on close communication over Naver's Line app row

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida discussed a recent row surrounding Naver Corp.'s Line app in their talks Sunday and agreed to closely communicate to prevent it from hampering bilateral ties, a senior presidential official said. The feud surrounds Japan's LY Corp., the operator of the popular Line messaging app in Japan, which is a 50-50 joint venture between South Korea's top portal Naver and Japan's SoftBank Corp. The Japanese government has

PoliticsMay 27, 2024

N. Korea notifies Japan of plan to launch satellite before June 4: Kyodo

North Korea has notified Japan of a plan to launch a space rocket carrying a satellite between Monday and midnight of June 3, Kyodo News reported, citing Japan's coast guard. The notice on the eight-day window came as South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are set to hold a trilateral meeting in Seoul on Monday, where evolving North Korean threats are likely to figure prominently. It designated three areas where debris will f

North KoreaMay 27, 2024

S. Korea, Japan, China set for summit amid N. Korea's imminent satellite launch

Leaders of South Korea, China and Japan were set to meet in Seoul on Monday for their first trilateral summit in over four years amid rising tension over North Korea's impending spy satellite launch. President Yoon Suk Yeol, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Qiang will sit down for a trilateral summit, the ninth such meeting and the first since December 2019, following a hiatus due to COVID-19 and historical disputes among the Asian neighbors. The leaders are expe

PoliticsMay 27, 2024

South Korea, China to open channel on security, resume FTA talks

South Korea and China have agreed to create a communication channel for diplomacy and security and resume negotiations on an expanded free trade agreement, the Yoon Suk Yeol presidential office said Sunday. The two sides have decided to “establish a new high-level dialogue on diplomacy and security, with the first meeting to take place mid-June” and to “open up our markets beyond the trade of goods to include services such as culture and tourism,” a senior Yoon official t

PoliticsMay 26, 2024

[Africa Forum] Herald forum ‘helps unlock potential’ for Korea-Africa partnership

South Korea and Africa, whose partnership is anticipated to reach another milestone with the 2024 Korea-Africa summit, have a lot to gain from one another, ruling party lawmakers-elect Kim Gunn and Yu Yong-weon say. The two foreign relations and security experts, elected in the April general election, were among top experts, government officials and members of the diplomatic community to attend the Africa Day 2024 Korea Business Forum on Thursday. The forum, co-hosted by The Korea Herald and Afr

PoliticsMay 26, 2024

Provincial students to gain wider access to med schools

For aspiring medical doctors in South Korea, where they live is likely to play a major factor in shaping their chances of entering medical school, as the new admissions plan envisions clear advantages for students living outside the capital. According to the Korean Council for University Education and universities, out of the total 4,567 enrollments set for the nation’s 40 medical schools in the 2025 academic year, at least 1,801 slots are exclusive to those who completed their high scho

Social AffairsMay 26, 2024

Star dog trainer faces workplace bullying claims

Celebrity dog trainer Kang Hyung-wook and his dog training business Bodeum Company are facing criticism for allegedly mistreating employees. According to several reviews on Job Planet, an online recruitment and job search platform, Kang and his wife Susan Elder, who serves as the company executive, surveilled employees’ work messages that were sent using an instant messaging app, used violent language, gaslighted employees, and asked them to run excessive errands on their days off. Startin

Social AffairsMay 26, 2024

[Africa Forum] Korea-Africa summit to open new chapter in ties: AGA dean, Herald president

As South Korea and African countries combat threats from existing global economic risks and the climate crisis, the upcoming Korea-Africa Summit will serve as an opportunity to open a new chapter in ties, the dean of the African Group of Ambassadors and the president of the Herald Media Group said Thursday. “Through the upcoming (first-ever) Korea-Africa Summit (scheduled for June 4-5), the relations between South Korea and Africa will enter a completely new chapter from where it stands no

Foreign AffairsMay 26, 2024

[Africa Forum] Korean, Tanzanian students paint future of co-prosperity

Students from South Korea and Tanzania stressed the importance of achieving a sustainable future through co-prosperity at the Africa Day 2024 Korea Business Forum held Thursday. Pearl Mavura, a 15-year-old student from Tanzania, and Ra Jian, a 16-year-old student attending an international school here, took turns expressing their hopes for a better future, in line with the potential partnership that could form through the upcoming Korea-Africa Summit scheduled June 4-5. Mavura kicked off her spe

Foreign AffairsMay 26, 2024

[Africa Forum] Korea-Africa forum explores pathways to prosperity

Exploring the importance of the Korea-Africa partnership amidst global challenges and its potential for mutual prosperity, the African Group of Ambassadors in Seoul and Herald Media Group, co-hosted Africa Day 2024 Korea Business Forum on Thursday. Under the slogan, "When African Possibilities Meet Korean Capabilities," the event was held in anticipation of an inaugural summit that the South Korean government is set to host in June 4-5 with African countries in Seoul, and also to celeb

Foreign AffairsMay 26, 2024

UN Public Service Forum to be held in Incheon next month

South Korea will host the UN Public Service Forum next month to discuss ways to transform and innovate the public sector, focusing on digital transformation and artificial intelligence, the Ministry of Interior and Safety said Sunday. This year’s UN Public Service Forum will be held for three days at Songdo, Incheon, from June 24 to 26. It will be jointly organized by the Interior Ministry and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The UN Public Service Forum is an annual intern

Social AffairsMay 26, 2024