Leaders of doctors' group questioned again over trainee doctors' walkout

Leaders of the Korean Medical Association, the country's biggest doctors' group, appeared before police on Wednesday for another round of questioning over suspicions of instigating a mass walkout by trainee doctors. Joo Soo-ho, the chief KMA spokesperson, and Park Myung-ha, the group's organization consolidation chief, arrived at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's public crime investigation office in Seoul to undergo questioning. Joo and Park are among the five former and current KMA leaders

Social AffairsMarch 20, 2024

Man on the run after attacking Vietnamese woman on bus

South Korean police on Wednesday said they are looking for a local man who is on the run after reportedly assaulting a Vietnamese woman on a bus at around midnight in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. The victim in her 20s told police that the man, with whom she was not acquainted, punched her in the face "just because she was staggering on the vehicle." The incident occurred at around 12:15 a.m. Wednesday while the bus was passing by Seryu Station of the Seoul Metro Line No.1, in Gweonseon-gu

Social AffairsMarch 20, 2024

Police investigate bomb threat on MLB opener in Seoul

South Korean police on Wednesday said they are investigating an anonymous bomb threat on the MLB regular season opener, slated to be held at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul later in the day. According to Guro Police Station, the threat was made via email at around 6 a.m. Wednesday. The threat, issued in English, was traced back to Japan and was sent to the email account of an employee of the South Korean consulate in Vancouver. An initial probe of the arena showed no indications of explosives, but

Social AffairsMarch 20, 2024

S. Korea, US conduct river-crossing drills near border with N. Korea

South Korea and the United States have been conducting river-crossing drills near the border with North Korea to enhance the interoperability of their troops, Seoul's Army said Wednesday. The exercise has been under way on the Imjin River in the border city of Paju, located 37 kilometers north of Seoul, since March 11, according to the Army. Approximately 470 troops from the South Korean Army's 5th Armored Brigade and an engineering battalion under the US 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-US C

DefenseMarch 20, 2024

N. Korea conducts ground engine test for new hypersonic missile

North Korea said Wednesday it has successfully conducted a ground jet test of a solid-fuel engine for a new type of intermediate hypersonic missile amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Hypersonic missiles are on the list of sophisticated weapons North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to develop during a key party congress in 2021, along with nuclear-powered submarines, spy satellites and solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles. Hypersonic missiles travel at a speed of at least

North KoreaMarch 20, 2024

[Contribution] Looking into China's development, Sino-S. Korea ties in 3 keywords

China's Two Sessions for 2024 were successfully held March 4-11. As China's largest annual political event, the Two Sessions were an important opportunity for the world to listen to China's voice and understand its domestic and foreign policies. Recently, many acquaintances in South Korea have been asking me about the main topics addressed at the Two Sessions, the role China aims to assume globally and what steps should be taken for future China-Korea relations. In this article,

Foreign AffairsMarch 19, 2024

S. Korean, Mauritian top diplomats agree to 'substantial cooperation'

The top diplomats of South Korea and Mauritius agreed Tuesday to bolster cooperation across various sectors, encompassing infrastructure, tourism, and maritime security, during their bilateral meeting in Seoul, according to the Foreign Ministry in Seoul. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met with Mauritian Foreign Minister Maneesh Gobin during his visit to South Korea to attend the third Summit for Democracy hosted by the Yoon Suk Yeol government in Seoul. Both sides "exchanged view

Foreign AffairsMarch 19, 2024

Yoon envisions 'villa' redevelopment, culture and art belts

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday pledged a total of 10 trillion won ($7.46 billion) to carry out housing redevelopment in older urban centers of Seoul. Single-family freestanding homes or "dandok jutaek," and low-rise apartment buildings called "villa" will be turned into brand-new buildings, and half of the cost for their development will be through low-interest loans given to land developers by the state-run Korea Housing and Urban Guarantee Corp. In Korea, land developer

PoliticsMarch 19, 2024

Where is Kim Keon-hee? First lady's absence raises questions

Kim Keon Hee is nowhere to be seen. South Korea's first lady has been out of the public eye for four months, and her absence shows no signs of ending. Kim, 51, was last seen in public upon her return from the Netherlands, along with her husband, President Yoon Suk Yeol, in mid-December last year. The presidential office has remained silent about the reason behind Kim's absence, as well as about her whereabouts. No health issues have been mentioned. Her continued absence seems remarkabl

PoliticsMarch 19, 2024

South Korea rebuts China's criticism of Summit for Democracy

South Korea's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday dismissed China's criticism of Seoul hosting the Summit for Democracy and airing the Taiwan digital minister's virtual speech, clarifying that the summit is not aimed at singling out specific countries. "The Summit for Democracy is convened to contribute to the promotion of democracy and human rights, but it is not aimed at targeting any specific countries," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk said during a regular briefing

Foreign AffairsMarch 19, 2024

Spycam victim complains about court video screening

A woman who fell victim to a sex video scandal involving soccer star Hwang Ui-jo complained Tuesday that the court disrespected her during the recent trial of Hwang's sister-in-law, who was convicted for spreading the video in question and threatening Hwang. Last week, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Hwang's sister-in-law to three years in prison for uploading intimate pictures and videos of Hwang and blackmailing the 32-year-old soccer player. The woman featured in the vid

Social AffairsMarch 19, 2024

Koreans more open to foreigners in society than LGBTQ+: data

Koreans are more open to accepting foreigners as members of their society compared with other social minority groups including sexual minorities and North Korean defectors, data by a state-affiliated think tank showed Tuesday. The Korea Institute of Public Administration's annual survey, conducted last year, measuring the social exclusion level of the Korean society involving 8,221 Korean citizens aged 19 or older showed that only 7.2 percent of the respondents were "unwilling to accep

Social AffairsMarch 19, 2024

Government plans more ‘military credits’ for conscripted soldiers’ national pension

The South Korean government said Tuesday it is pushing to increase the benefits for conscripted soldiers by counting their entire service periods towards National Pension plan credits. The National Pension Service requires one to have been enrolled for a minimum of 10 years to receive benefits, but those who have fulfilled their mandatory military duties can currently have their mandated subscription period cut by six months via the "military credit" system. The recent plan by the Mini

DefenseMarch 19, 2024

Huh Kyung-young sued for sexually harassing female followers

Huh Kyung-young, a cult leader, singer and fringe politician who has run in presidential elections multiple times, faces accusations of sexually harassing over 20 female followers. He has denied the allegations. The Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police said Tuesday that 22 members of “Sky Palace,”a cult group founded and led by Huh, filed complaints, asking the police to investigate the leader’s alleged misconduct. They claimed that at the cult’s headquarters in Yangju, Gye

PoliticsMarch 19, 2024

At UN, S. Korea, US, Japan rebuke NK, Russia for nuclear saber-rattling

South Korea, the United States and Japan, in their role as members of the United Nations Security Council on Monday, collectively condemned North Korea for its illicit nuclear proliferation and Russia for its alarming threats to use nuclear weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine. During a ministerial meeting on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation at the UN Security Council, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres remarked, "We meet at a time when geopolitical tensions and mistrust have es

Foreign AffairsMarch 19, 2024

Med professors resigning could lead to medical void

Medical professors’ decision to tender resignations starting next week will lead to a massive medical vacuum next month, setting off a worst-case scenario where only nurses would be left to fill the void, according to experts on Tuesday. The emergency committees of medical school professors at Seoul National University and Yonsei University announced late Monday that they would submit their resignation letters next Monday. This follows Saturday’s announcement by the committee represe

Social AffairsMarch 19, 2024

Health ministry chides medical professors for moving to resign in support of junior doctors' walkout

The health ministry on Tuesday criticized medical professors of Seoul National University for deciding to resign en masse in support of a monthlong walkout by trainee doctors, saying such a move is unacceptable. Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo also stepped up an appeal for medical professors to persuade junior doctors to return to work, as their labor action has disrupted public health services. Park made the remarks a day after the university's medical professors decided to submit

Social AffairsMarch 19, 2024

Disgraced ex-K-pop star released after serving time for sex crimes

Former South Korean singer Jung Joon-young was released from Mokpo Prison in South Jeolla Province on Tuesday morning after serving five years in prison for a string of sex crimes that included the group rape of an intoxicated woman and the distribution of illicitly filmed videos of sexual acts. The 35-year-old exited the prison at around 5:05 a.m., wearing a mask and a hat. He did not address the reporters stationed outside the prison. Jung, who rose to fame after appearing in the 2012 audition

Social AffairsMarch 19, 2024

Yoon says medical licenses should not be used as tool against people

President Yoon Suk Yeol lamented the ongoing walkout by junior doctors on Tuesday, saying their medical licenses should not be used as a tool against the people. Yoon made the remark during a Cabinet meeting as thousands of trainee doctors remained off their jobs for a month to protest the government's plan to increase admissions to medical schools by 2,000 starting next year. The government has stood by the plan, citing the need to supply more physicians especially to rural areas and essen

Social AffairsMarch 19, 2024

Russian cultural delegation visits N. Korea amid deepening ties

A Russian delegation led by Moscow's vice culture minister has arrived in Pyongyang, state media said Tuesday, as the two nations have been strengthening their ties following a rare summit of their leaders in September. The delegation led by Russia's Vice Culture Minister Andrei Maluishev arrived in the North the previous day on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of a bilateral agreement on economic and cultural cooperation, the North's Korean Central News Agency said. The deleg

North KoreaMarch 19, 2024