Korea to offer W5m stipend to 1,000 science masters

To support the growth and development of science and technology talent, the South Korean government and the ruling party announced Thursday that it will launch a new program to provide 5 million won ($3,800) a year to 1,000 masters in science and engineering. The government and the People Power Party held a consultation meeting at the National Assembly to discuss the “Strategy for the Growth and Development of Science and Technology Talents.” According to the plan, the party will pro

PoliticsSept. 26, 2024

Seoul wins WHO award for age-friendly policies

Seoul has received an award from the World Health Organization for its policies dedicated to improving the management of senior health in the city, the city government said Thursday. Presented at the 10th Global Conference of the Alliance for Healthy Cities at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul from Wednesday to Friday, the Healthy Cities Recognition Award for Age-Friendly Cities highlights Seoul's commitment to promoting the health and well-being of its aging population, according to city of

Social AffairsSept. 26, 2024

Bus driver helps wheelchair user stranded in crosswalk

South Korean internet circles have been buzzing over a heartwarming tale of a bus driver who rushed to help a man in a wheelchair stranded in the middle of a crosswalk on a rainy night. Several citizens during the Chuseok holidays posted online compliments about the driver of Seoul bus No. 470 for his actions in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, at around 9:40 p.m. on Sept.13. A man on a self-propelled wheelchair was wheeling himself across the crosswalk when the light changed and he was barely halfw

Social AffairsSept. 26, 2024

University student council catches suspect in knife attack threat

After police caught a man who warned of a knife attack at the Kangwon National University festival on Tuesday, it was revealed that members of the school's student council had played a crucial role in apprehending the suspect. The suspect -- who was revealed to be a 21-year-old student of the school -- posted on his Instagram page at 6:50 p.m. Tuesday that he would attack those at the student-run bar at the festival on the university's main campus in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. He w

Social AffairsSept. 26, 2024

[Contribution] Turkmenistan celebrates the 33rd anniversary of its Independence

This year Turkmenistan celebrates the 33rd anniversary of its Independence and marks the 32nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Korea. Thirty-three years ago, the Constitutional Act on the independence and state structure of Turkmenistan was adopted, according to which Turkmenistan was proclaimed as an independent democratic state. From the date of its independence, under the wise leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Turkmenistan has confiden

PoliticsSept. 26, 2024

S. Korean FM cites N. Korea-Russia arms transactions as case of UNSC 'limitations'

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Wednesday pointed out "limitations" of the UN Security Council in effectively addressing pressing security issues, citing North Korea's transfers of weapons to Russia in breach of relevant UNSC resolutions. Cho made the remarks during a UNSC open debate on the leadership for peace, where high-level participants discussed a range of issues, including Russia's war in Ukraine, instability in the Middle East, and the civil war in Sudan

North KoreaSept. 26, 2024

About 2 in 3 Asian American voters support Harris in tight US presidential race

Roughly two in three Asian American voters support Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris over her Republican rival Donald Trump, a recent survey showed, amid expectations over the role of the rapidly growing voting bloc in the Nov. 5 general election. APIAVote, a nonpartisan organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, and AAPI Data, a research entity, released the outcome of the survey conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the Universi

Foreign AffairsSept. 26, 2024

Ex-lawmaker Cho, honorary SNU professor Jung picked as final candidates for Seoul's education chief

Cho Jun-hyuk, a former lawmaker of the predecessor of the ruling People Power Party, was chosen Wednesday as the conservative bloc's single candidate for the Oct. 16 by-election for Seoul's education chief. The conservative bloc's candidacy merger committee said Cho defeated two other right-leaning candidates in a public opinion poll conducted last Saturday. Educator Ahn Yang-ok and Korea University professor Hong Hoo-jo previously raised objections to the method of electing a sin

PoliticsSept. 25, 2024

OECD cuts S. Korea's 2024 growth outlook to 2.5 pct

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) slashed the growth outlook for the South Korean economy to 2.5 percent this year, Seoul's finance ministry said Wednesday. The latest figure marked a 0.1 percentage point fall from its projection presented in May and is on a par with the forecasts by the International Monetary Fund. The South Korean government expected a 2.6 percent expansion, and the Bank of Korea (BOK) forecast a 2.4 percent growth this year. "Growth is

Social AffairsSept. 25, 2024

Yoon declines to respond to query on alleged remarks over Marine's death

The presidential office has declined to respond to a court-approved query on whether President Yoon Suk Yeol had made remarks last year accused of interfering with a probe over a young Marine's death. Earlier this month, the court martial in central Seoul accepted Col. Park Jung-hun's request to inquire whether Yoon had made remarks opposing the booking of Maj. Gen. Im Sung-keun over the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who served in Im's unit, during a search mission for victims of he

PoliticsSept. 25, 2024

Wild boars killed as over 20 spotted around rural village

Around 20 wild boars unsettled a hillside village in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, prompting a hunt that resulted in the killing of three boars by Wednesday noon, authorities said. According to Chungcheongnam-do Fire Headquarters, the initial report was made to the 119 emergency operations center at 8:05 a.m., alerting them to the sighting of dozens of wild boars rushing down from the mountain in Unjeong-ri, Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province. The call prompted the immediate dispatch

Social AffairsSept. 25, 2024

Herald to host 1st Hangeul Olympiad

To celebrate Hangeul Day, which commemorates the invention and proclamation of the Korean alphabet, the 1st Sejong Hangeul Olympiad and 2024 Hangeul Run will take place Oct. 8-9 in Sejong Special Self-governing City. The two-day event is co-organized by Sejong City, the Sejong Culture and Tourism Foundation and Herald Media Group, publisher of The Korea Herald. As a Korean-language proficiency competition for learners, the Hangeul Olympiad will take place at the Government Complex Sejong Conve

Social AffairsSept. 25, 2024

Court upholds 4-year prison term for W2.3b embezzlement by funeral home employee

A South Korean appellate court upheld the four-year prison sentence Tuesday for a woman in her 50s for embezzling about 2.3 billion won ($1.73 million) over eight years from a funeral home. The 54-year-old employee was convicted in June for embezzlement and had appealed her original sentence, claiming it was excessively harsh. However, the Daejeon High Court rejected her appeal. The woman was accused of siphoning company funds while working as a bookkeeper at a funeral home in Asan, South Chungc

Social AffairsSept. 25, 2024

Panel decision put prosecution in dilemma over Dior bag case

South Korea's prosecution is facing a dilemma over the high-profile luxury Dior bag case involving first lady Kim Keon Hee, as the investigation review committee for the nation's top prosecution body gave the upper hand to the pastor who wishes to be indicted in the graft case in hopes of bringing the first lady to the court. A 15-member independent review committee for the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Tuesday night recommended that Korean-American pastor Choi Jae-young be indicted for his allege

PoliticsSept. 25, 2024

Less than 20% of this year's E-9 migrant worker quota filled

Despite the South Korean government increasing the quota of non-professional work visas to an all-time high this year, less than 30,000 have actually been recruited so far, data from the Ministry of Employment and Labor showed Wednesday. As of July, 29,316 foreign nationals were issued the E-9 visa for non-professional employment this year, according to the ministry data submitted to Rep. Kim Ui-sang of the ruling People Power Party. A total of 13,102 workplaces have received permits to hire wor

Social AffairsSept. 25, 2024

Twin brothers convicted of academic fraud via proxy testing

A pair of 35-year-old twin brothers were convicted after one impersonated the other to take an exam that is part of the official recruitment process for the Financial Supervisory Service. The younger brother who orchestrated the fraud received a prison sentence, while the older brother who took the test as his proxy was given a suspended sentence. Judge Kang Ji-yeop of Namyangju District Court on Monday sentenced the younger brother to one year in prison on charges of the obstruction of business

Social AffairsSept. 25, 2024

Student violence on rise since pandemic

The number of elementary, middle and high school students reporting being bullied at school increased for the fourth straight year, pushing the corresponding rate to 2 percent for the first time in 11 years. With 1 out of 50 children having experienced school violence, the proportion of victim students was higher among younger students. The modality of violence became more insidious and adroit as the ratio of verbal and cyber violence took over physical bullying, according to the report by the M

Social AffairsSept. 25, 2024

Yoon, ruling party leadership take flak over ‘meaningless’ dinner

Tuesday's dinner between President Yoon Suk Yeol and the ruling party leadership, including Chair Han Dong-hoon, sparked criticism from both sides of the partisan divide on Wednesday, with critics pointing to the absence of meaningful discussions at the event. There was no fixed agenda for the dinner meeting, but they were widely expected to discuss issues such as the country's deepening medical crisis, caused by the monthslong walkout of thousands of junior doctors protesting the gove

PoliticsSept. 25, 2024

Rwanda seeks stronger ties with S. Korea to shift economy from aid to trade

Rwanda's top diplomat emphasized that building stronger partnerships with South Korea -- particularly in fostering human and technological capital and attracting more investment and Korean companies -- is key to accelerating the country's transition from aid dependency to a self-reliant, trade-driven economy focused on industrialization In an interview with The Korea Herald, Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Olivier Nduhungirehe shed light on the signifi

Foreign AffairsSept. 25, 2024

1,200 accidents at kids cafes since 2019 -- trampolines the biggest culprit

Accidents at kids' cafes are rising, with trampolines accounting for the largest proportion, prompting a government agency to issue a warning. According to the Korea Consumer Agency, 1,205 accidents occurred at kids' cafes -- indoor playing facilities for children -- from 2019 to 2023. The number of accidents went from 397 to 150 in 2020 and 97 in 2021, likely due to COVID-19 social distancing -- but the number rebounded to 225 in 2022 and 337 in 2023. The data showed that by equipme

Social AffairsSept. 25, 2024