Unseasonably hot weather continues; Seoul hit by latest tropical night on record

Summertime temperatures have persisted and likely will for some time, with the state-run weather agency projecting the current late heat wave to continue. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration's forecast, temperatures in Seoul may rise above 30 degrees Celsius into late September. The nation's capital also saw its first-ever heat wave advisory in September on Tuesday. Korea defines "heat wave days" as when the daily high is 33 degrees Celsius or higher. Seoul s

Social AffairsSept. 11, 2024

Defense chief says 'fundamental' solution to N. Korean threats lies on free, unified Korean Peninsula

Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said Wednesday that the "fundamental" solution to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats lies in achieving a free and unified Korean Peninsula. He made the statement during the Seoul Defense Dialogue, an annual security forum in Seoul. Kim emphasized that "the fundamental solution to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and North Korean human rights issues lies in establishing a free and unified Korean Peninsula." He added that

North KoreaSept. 11, 2024

Prosecutors to finalize decision on first lady's luxury bag case after chief retires

Prosecutors are expected to finalize their decision on the luxury bag scandal involving first lady Kim Keon Hee after an independent investigation review panel examines the Korean American pastor who gifted the bag to her, sources said Wednesday. Legal sources said that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office has decided to finalize the results of its investigation into allegations that Kim illegally received a Dior handbag and other expensive gifts from the pastor in 2022 after the review

Social AffairsSept. 11, 2024

[Graphic News] Fruit leads as top Chuseok gift choice

A survey conducted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry on "Chuseok Gift Purchase Intentions" among 1,000 consumers aged 20 and older revealed that 56.2 percent of respondents plan to spend a similar amount on gifts as last year, while 29.1 percent indicated they would spend more. Fruit emerged as the most preferred Chuseok gift, chosen by 43.8 percent of respondents across all age groups. Following fruit were health supplements (32.4 percent), meat (30.5 percent), processed

Social AffairsSept. 11, 2024

BTS' Suga summarily indicted over DUI offense

Prosecutors have summarily indicted Suga of K-pop superband BTS on charges of driving an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol, officials said Tuesday. Late at night on Aug. 6, police officers found Suga trying to get up after falling off his electric scooter under the influence of alcohol near his residence in the Hannam neighborhood of the Yongsan district. His blood alcohol concentration was measured at 0.227 percent, far exceeding the 0.08 percent threshold, which is subject to the

Social AffairsSept. 10, 2024

Korean teachers handling larger classes, but starting pay lags behind OECD average

South Korean teachers handle larger classes, but earn less compared with several of their counterparts in other members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Education Ministry said Tuesday. According to the latest edition of a government report analyzing the OECD's annual "Education at a Glance," the number of students per teacher in South Korea stood at 15.8 in elementary schools and 13.1 in middle schools, respectively, in 2022, which was higher than

Social AffairsSept. 10, 2024

Syphilis cases in S. Korea surge amid stricter reporting rules

Amid reports of a spike in syphilis infections in the US, Japan, and other countries, recent data shows that South Korea is also experiencing a similar rise in its own cases after reporting requirements were tightened. According to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, obtained and provided Tuesday by the Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Seo Mi-hwa, the country recorded 1,881 syphilis cases in the first eight months of this year. This figure represents a 4.5-fold increase

Social AffairsSept. 10, 2024

Battery factory safety measures proposed

The South Korean government announced a set of measures to prevent fires and explosions in battery production factories by proposing specific safety management standards for such factories on Tuesday. The recent set of measures comes after the fatal fire at a lithium battery plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on June 24, which resulted in 23 deaths. Since the incident, a task force consisting of officials from the Ministry of Interior and Safety as well as other ministries and experts was for

Social AffairsSept. 10, 2024

Seoul-Gimpo commuter line still jam-packed, despite expanded operation

Government data showed Tuesday that the notoriously crowded commuter rails connecting Seoul and the satellite city of Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, continue to be full beyond capacity, despite additional subway trains being dispatched recently to address the issue. The subway trains of Gimpo Goldline, which connects Seoul and the Gimpo, were carrying as much as 208 percent of the stated maximum capacity of passengers during rush hour, between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., early this month, according to the G

Social AffairsSept. 10, 2024

Seoul summit charts framework on responsible AI military use

A comprehensive framework establishing guidelines and principles for the ethical and regulated use of artificial intelligence in military operations spanning nuclear weapons systems, endorsed by 61 countries, was adopted at a high-stakes summit in Seoul. The two-day 2024 summit on Responsible AI in the Military Domain or REAIM concluded Tuesday with the adoption of a "Blueprint for Action," drawing 1,952 participants from 96 countries, including 38 ministerial-level officials, accordin

Foreign AffairsSept. 10, 2024

Forager strikes gold in Suncheon: Rare ginseng roots valued at $52,000

In the mountains of Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, a 77-year-old forager stumbled upon a jackpot: a cluster of 13 ginseng plants with long, thin roots. Their value? A whopping 70 million won ($52,000). The discovery, reported Monday by a group calling itself the “national association of ginseng harvesters," has set the country’s ginseng enthusiasts abuzz. It has also left those unfamiliar with the plant's cultural significance scratching their heads, wondering what's

Social AffairsSept. 10, 2024

Warm temperatures to continue into Chuseok holiday

Though Chuseok is drawing near, the weather for Korea's traditional midautumn harvest festival remains similar to summer conditions, as heat wave advisories were issued in most parts of the country Tuesday. As of Tuesday, several major cities in Korea saw their highest September temperatures on record, with cities such as Daejeon seeing daytime temperatures reach as high as 35.3 degrees Celsius, marking the first time since 1969 that the city saw a temperature as high as 35 C in September.

Social AffairsSept. 10, 2024

Korea pledges W5tr to improve medical training amid prolonged standoff

Amid a monthslong stalemate between the government and medical communities over the state's decision to increase the medical school enrollment quota, South Korea said it will inject about 5 trillion won ($3.7 billion) by 2030 to improve medical education conditions. In line with the expansion of medical schools, the Ministry of Education and related ministries announced an investment plan Tuesday, including increasing the number of professors at national universities by 1,000 over three yea

Social AffairsSept. 10, 2024

Yoon raises ER physician fees temporarily

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday laid out a plan to raise physicians' fees temporarily during the next two weeks, as the crisis in short-staffed emergency rooms in South Korean hospitals is expected to deepen during the Chuseok holiday in mid-September. Yoon said in a Cabinet meeting that fees for emergency room doctors -- supported by the nation's universal single-payer health care system -- will be temporarily raised 3.5 times what they currently are during the period. The hikes wi

PoliticsSept. 10, 2024

Korea strengthens educational ties with Kazakstan

South Korea and Kazakhstan launched the Global Education and Innovation Alliance to foster international partnerships in education and research. Lee Ju-ho, South Korea's deputy prime minister and minister of education, and Sayasat Nurbek, Kazakstan's minister of science and higher education, discussed possible educational cooperation while emphasizing Korkyt Ata University and SeoulTech's successful collaboration on the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence Institute as a mo

Social AffairsSept. 10, 2024

[Herald Interview] GPE Deputy CEO urges global support for better education

Funding education is crucial in developing countries, particularly for those vulnerable to natural disasters and climate change. According to Charles North, Deputy CEO of the Global Partnership for Education, a World Bank-supported initiative focused on enhancing education in low-income nations, investing in education not only builds a future workforce but also strengthens communities' resilience and ability to recover and progress in the face of adversity, as evidenced by the experience

Social AffairsSept. 10, 2024

Busiest spots in Seoul? Seoul shows foot traffic in popular districts

Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday it has added information on foot traffic in major shopping districts to the real-time information service it provides on the most popular areas in the city. The service, accessible at the Seoul Open Plaza website, provides an overview of popular areas in the city with information including the estimated foot traffic, road and weather conditions, empty parking spots, adjacent public transportation routes and rentable bicycles. For example, Seoul Plaza ne

Social AffairsSept. 10, 2024

Kenya studying Korean tech for housing

Kenya is studying South Korea's advanced technology to improve housing infrastructure and address the African country's housing challenges. “Our goal is to build 200,000 housing units annually, and we’ve already started over 100,000 units since July 2023,” Charles Hinga, principal secretary of Kenya's State Department for Housing and Urban Development, said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Saturday. Kenya plans to use Korean technology, such as aluminum f

Foreign AffairsSept. 10, 2024

[Hello India] India's Rajasthan government woos Korean investors

The Indian state of Rajasthan sought to encourage Korean companies at the Rising Rajasthan Roadshow event in Seoul on Monday. The roadshow comes in the lead-up the Rajasthan's government's Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit, to be held from Dec. 9-11 in Jaipur, the capital city of the state. Led by Rajasthan’s Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, the roadshow delegation highlighted the state's opportunities in renewable energy and automotive manufacturing, electronics an

Foreign AffairsSept. 10, 2024

Mapo-gu to offer house call pet funeral services

Mapo-gu, a district in Seoul, is set to introduce a house call pet funeral service in collaboration with Petmun, a local pet services firm, district official said Tuesday. This service centers around a specialized vehicle equipped with a smokeless, odorless cremation facility. This vehicle will visit the home of the deceased pet, conduct a funeral service there and transport the pet’s body for cremation. Although the vehicle itself is a moving crematorium, the district plans to set a rul

Social AffairsSept. 10, 2024