Low-income patients less likely to survive cancer: study

Low-income patients are less likely to survive any type of cancer, as they have a lower prevalence of cancer screening than wealthier patients, data showed Wednesday. The five-year survival rate for stomach cancer patients receiving medical aid was 22.7 percent lower than for patients covered by health insurance, 20.4 percent lower for colorectal cancer, 27.2 percent lower for liver cancer, 13.5 percent lower for breast cancer and 16.6 percent lower for cervical cancer. The data was presented

Social AffairsOct. 23, 2024

'No tattoo' policies at hotels spark dispute

Controversy over tattoos is brewing again, following reports about several five-star hotels in Seoul banning customers with "excessive tattoos" from using some facilities. One hotel in Yeouido, Seoul, reportedly has a clause allowing it to restrict gym and swimming pool access to customers with "an excessive amount of tattoos, to the extent of causing anxiety or discomfort to others." Another hotel in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, was reported to ban pool use for those with tatto

Social AffairsOct. 23, 2024

S. Korea to allow driver's license tests on EVs

South Korea is planning to allow those taking tests for driver's licenses to do so with electric vehicles, the National Police Agency said Wednesday. According to the NPA, the revision of the Road Traffic Act allowing battery-powered cars to be used at state-run driver's test centers was passed at the Korean National Police Committee meeting on Wednesday. The revision is expected to come into effect as early as this year, in which case test-takers will be able to use EVs next year. Und

Social AffairsOct. 23, 2024

Celebrities to use special security lane at Incheon Airport

Incheon Airport said Wednesday it will allow celebrities to use the security lane that had previously been reserved for flight crew, in a bid to prevent fans from overcrowding the gates. The Incheon International Airport Corp. recently sent guidelines for a process that will allow celebrities to use exclusive security lane at the terminal during departure. This is a bid to minimize the crowd-gathering near the entrance, and is expected to be implemented on Oct. 28. "Celebrities tend to at

Social AffairsOct. 23, 2024

Jail term sought for man who gave baby away in illegal online adoption

The South Korean prosecutors said Wednesday they recently requested a two-year prison term for a man in his 30s for giving up his baby for adoption to someone he met online. In a hearing at the Daejeon District Court, the prosecution sought a jail term and a five-year restriction on the suspect's employment at any institutes related to children. They charged the suspect with violating Article 17 of the Child Welfare Act, which prohibits abandoning or neglecting a child. Last year, the suspe

Social AffairsOct. 23, 2024

Top security officials of S. Korea, Poland express concerns over NK-Russia military ties

The top security officials of South Korea and Poland on Wednesday expressed concerns over growing military ties between North Korea and Russia and agreed to expand their nations' security and defense industry cooperation in response, the presidential office said. National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik held a meeting with his Polish counterpart, Jacek Siewiera, ahead of a summit between South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Polish President Andrzej Duda on Thursday. The two officials disc

PoliticsOct. 23, 2024

PM vows to closely communicate with Natl. Assembly to enact law for AI industry

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Wednesday the government will collaborate with the National Assembly to promptly enact a law supporting the artificial intelligence industry. Han underscored the importance of the proposed AI Act, which aims to establish a legal framework promoting the AI industry while ensuring the safe use of the technology. "(The government) will closely communicate with the National Assembly to promptly pass the AI Act," Han said during a conference in Seoul. "

PoliticsOct. 23, 2024

N. Korean leader urges bolstering war deterrence, citing US nuclear threats

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has once again called for enhancing the country's war deterrence, including the readiness of its nuclear capabilities, in response to what he described as growing nuclear threats from the United States, state media said Wednesday. Kim made the remarks during his inspection of "strategic missile bases," the Korean Central News Agency said in an English-language dispatch. The report did not specify the location or the date of the inspection. "As

North KoreaOct. 23, 2024

NK leader's sister accuses S. Korea, Ukraine of provocation, likens them to 'bad dogs bred by the US'

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un slammed South Korea and Ukraine on Tuesday for what she claimed was a military provocation against Pyongyang, likening the two countries to "bad dogs bred by the US." The statement by Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party, came days after South Korea's spy agency said the North was sending troops to fight alongside Russia in the war in Ukraine. "A military provoca

North KoreaOct. 22, 2024

[ASEAN Plus Korea] 'Restrictive immigration may dampen Southeast Asian interest in Korea'

South Korea's attempts to make its immigration rules more restrictive to reduce the number of unregistered immigrants here could easily backfire, a veteran diplomat said, adding that the current popularity of the Korean Wave is far from everlasting. Kim Jae-shin, secretary-general of the ASEAN-Korea Center, noted much interest among people in Southeast Asia in learning about South Korea and its culture. However, he cautioned that making immigration procedures for citizens of the 10 countrie

Foreign AffairsOct. 22, 2024

Hybe staff deny insider trading in first trial hearing

Three employees of subsidiaries of Hybe, parent company of the agency representing K-pop superstars BTS, denied insider trading during the first hearing of their trial on Tuesday, claiming they were unaware that BTS member Jin's enlistment is considered "material, non-public information." The Seoul Southern District Court held its first hearing for the three defendants, who include a former employee of BigHit Music, a former employee of Belift Lab and a current employee of Source

Social AffairsOct. 22, 2024

No. of foreign nationals on old-age pension crosses 10,000

Over 10,000 foreign nationals are receiving South Korea's Old-age Pension, the main benefit provision of the country's national pension system, a figure that has continuously increased since 2019, data showed Monday. Subscribers to the mandatory pension become eligible for benefits when they fulfill two conditions: They must have paid premiums for at least 10 years and reached the pension age, which is currently 63 for the Old-age Pension, and 58 for a reduced Early Old-age Pension. Ac

Social AffairsOct. 22, 2024

Arrest warrant sought for doctor in 36-week abortion case on murder charge

Police on Tuesday requested an arrest warrant for the head of an obstetrics hospital and the doctor who performed an abortion on a 36-week fetus, facing murder charges. The Seoul Metropolitan Agency said it has sought warrants to detain the head of the hospital where the abortion took place and the surgeon who operated on a woman in her 20s. The Seoul Central District Court are to review the police request on Wednesday. The case became known in June when a woman posted a video on YouTube, purpor

Social AffairsOct. 22, 2024

International World in Korea holds awards ceremony

International World in Korea, a civic group promoting multiculturalism and diversity, held an award ceremony in Seoul on Saturday to honor several Koreans and foreign nationals for their contributions to Korean society and their efforts in promoting international exchange. The National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee Chairman’s Awards were presented to Chukhlantseva Mariia, Berdibekova Aiperi and Idil Ayral; the Seoul Metropolitan Council Chairman's Awards went to I

Social AffairsOct. 22, 2024

Yoon says will reshuffle aides if 'misdeeds' emerge

President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed to implement a staff shakeup at his office if issues involving his aides emerge, while promising that his wife Kim Keon Hee will limit her public role, according to Yoon's office on Tuesday. Yoon’s remarks followed a highly sensitive meeting with Han Dong-hoon, leader of the ruling People Power Party and his estranged political protege. Han, the former justice minister, urged Yoon to address the growing controversies surrounding First Lady Kim, as politic

PoliticsOct. 22, 2024

UNDP chief calls for stronger ties with Korea in fight against global challenges

The world we once knew, shaped by decades of work toward multilateralism, international governance and legal systems, is drifting apart. Conflicts, crises and rising hostilities are making international cooperation and development efforts increasingly difficult. Yet in this time of challenges, South Korea has been a valued partner and contributor to the United Nations Development Programme, stepping up to play a bigger role in several areas, chief Achim Steiner said in a recent interview with

Foreign AffairsOct. 22, 2024

Seoul to mull more Ukraine support based on Pyongyang’s level of involvement: official

South Korea may mull expanding its support to Ukraine, including supplies of “offensive” weapons, depending on the extent of how deeply North Korea engages with Russia in the war efforts, a Seoul official said Tuesday. Kim Tae-hyo, the South Korean deputy national security director, told reporters following a National Security Council meeting convened on this day that Seoul would be tuning its response to match the role Pyongyang plays in the war. “All weapons, whether defensiv

PoliticsOct. 22, 2024

S. Korea, UK to initiate 2+2 talks, boost defense ties

Top diplomats of South Korea and the United Kingdom have agreed to launch foreign and defense ministerial "2+2" talks early next year in a bid to strengthen their joint response to regional and global security threats, while pledging further cooperation on co-developing defense capabilities, according to a joint statement released Tuesday. South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy met for the 9th Korea-UK Foreign Ministers' Strategi

Foreign AffairsOct. 22, 2024

Korea has more workers 60 or older than any other age group: data

Government data showed Tuesday that of all the South Korean workers in the month of September, the largest portion of them were age 60 and over. According to Statistics Korea and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the country had 6.75 million workers in the 60-and-over age group as of September. The figured marked an all-time high for workers in this age group, with an increase of 272,000 compared to the previous month. September also marked the first time ever that the number of workers aged 60

Social AffairsOct. 22, 2024

Govt. to strengthen crowd management ahead of Halloween festivities

With Halloween and other festivities fast approaching, the government announced on Tuesday that it will strengthen its crowd safety measures for areas expecting large gatherings. During a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min stated that the ministry will implement a series of intensive crowd management measures in 27 areas expecting large gatherings for eight days from Oct. 25. The ministry’s crowd control measures come two years after South Korea’s deadliest cr

Social AffairsOct. 22, 2024