Amid prolonged doctors' strike, Korea faces critical cardiology shortage

South Korea's health care system is grappling with a severe shortage of cardiology residents as a nationwide doctors' strike enters its seventh month. Recent data from The Korean Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery reveals that only 12 of the country's 107 cardiology residents are still on duty. The study, conducted over three days last week, shows 75 residents have resigned and 20 have pending resignation requests. Several major regions, including Gangwon and North Ch

Social AffairsJuly 29, 2024

Korea to tackle wedding charges, housing regulations to boost birth rate

The government announced new measures to boost marriages for young people and support housing for families with children, as a follow-up measure after a "demographic national emergency" was declared by President Yoon Suk Yeol last month. The Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy held its second meeting since its launch in June on Monday to review and accelerate the implementation of over 150 challenges and measures designated to address the aging society and low

Social AffairsJuly 29, 2024

Police chief nominee blasted for alleged special treatment of son in conscription

The National Assembly confirmation hearing for Cho Ji-ho, the nominee for chief of South Korea's National Police Agency, got off to a rough start Monday, with the main opposition party criticizing him over several allegations, including claims that he had assigned his conscripted son to work at his workplace. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers confronted Cho on reports that he had used his position and power to give his eldest son special treatment for military servic

Social AffairsJuly 29, 2024

6 in 10 workers commute despite dangerous weather: survey

A survey released Monday showed that six out of 10 South Koreans reported braving the weather to arrive at work on time, despite government recommendations to work from home or adjust commuting hours due to safety concerns over natural disasters like typhoons and heat waves. According to the survey conducted by the civic group Workplace Gapjil 119, about 15.9 percent of respondents also expressed concern about facing workplace disadvantages for being late during natural disasters. The survey ask

Social AffairsJuly 29, 2024

[Bills in Focus] Tax delay for virtual assets, regulating 'dark pattern'

Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Income Tax Act Proposed by Rep. Song Eon-seog (People Power Party) ● Under the current Act, income from the transfer or lease of virtual assets will be classified as “other income” and be subject to taxation from January 1, 2025. This aims to achieve tax parity between physical assets, such as cash and real estate, and virtual assets, such as cryptocurrency. However, given the deteriorating sentiment towards investment in virtual assets due to

PoliticsJuly 29, 2024

DP criticizes Yoon govt. as Japan's Sado gold mine gains UNESCO status

The main opposition Democratic Party on Monday criticized the government for failing to prevent a Japanese gold mine associated with Korea's wartime forced labor from being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On Saturday, the UNESCO World Heritage committee decided to add the controversial mine as a cultural heritage site after South Korea, which had initially opposed Tokyo's bid, gave last-minute consent to the listing. "The Sado mine was listed as World Heritage, backed by t

PoliticsJuly 29, 2024

Opposition-controlled parliament unilaterally passes contentious broadcasting bill

The opposition-controlled National Assembly passed one of the four contentious broadcasting bills aimed at reducing the government's influence over public broadcasters Monday, with lawmakers of the ruling party walking out in protest. The main opposition Democratic Party led the bill's passage in a 187-0 vote after passing a motion to forcefully end a filibuster by the ruling People Power Party (PPP). The revision to the Foundation for Broadcast Culture Act aims to increase the number

PoliticsJuly 29, 2024

Seoul's support for UNESCO listing of Sado mines sparks backlash

Controversy has rekindled in South Korea over whether the government's decision to support Japan's bid for the UNESCO World Heritage listing of the Sado Island gold and silver mines will compel Tokyo to acknowledge the forced labor of Koreans there. Among the criticisms is Japan's failure to recognize an estimated over 1,500 workers from the Korean Peninsula at the Sado mine as forced labor, as well as its omission of a museum featuring exhibitions on the Korean workers and the harsh, discrimina

Foreign AffairsJuly 28, 2024

Filibuster, veto: Assembly stalemate expected to continue

Gridlock is expected to persist in South Korea's legislature, as the rival parties remain locked in a cycle of the ruling party filibustering opposition-led bills, with the president then vetoing them, with no efforts to find bipartisan consensus. The latest in this ongoing political tug-of-war centers on a series of broadcasting bills to curb government influence over public broadcasters. On Sunday, the opposition-led National Assembly passed the second of four such bills, overriding a fil

PoliticsJuly 28, 2024

1 in 5 students overdependent on smart phones, internet: study

Internet and smartphone use interferes with the lives of almost one out of five students in South Korea, recent data showed. A diagnostic survey on youth media use and habits conducted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family showed that over 221,000 youths have difficulty managing their daily lives due to uncontrolled use of the internet and smartphones in 2024, accounting for 18 percent of the total survey group. More than 1.2 million youths in the school transition period, such as those

PoliticsJuly 28, 2024

No return of trainee doctors pushes hospital overhauls

As the deadlock within South Korea's medical community extends into its sixth month, with no sign of trainee doctors returning to hospitals, the government is set to finalize a structural transformation plan by next month that will allow advanced general hospitals to operate without junior doctors. The government plans to transform advanced general hospitals, which have traditionally depended heavily on trainee doctors, into physician-centered institutions focused on critical and emergency

Social AffairsJuly 28, 2024

IOC apologizes for 'mistake' during Olympics opening ceremony

The International Olympic Committee apologized to President Yoon Suk Yeol, the government, and the country's athletes for the error made during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics Friday afternoon local time, at which the South Korean delegation was mistakenly identified as representing North Korea, with which South Korea is technically still at war. According to the Sports Ministry on Sunday, IOC President Thomas Bach apologized for the "mistake in the audio broadcast of the op

PoliticsJuly 28, 2024

N. Korea's Kim attends events marking 71st anniversary of armistice signing

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met with war veterans and attended celebrations marking the 71st anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War, the North's state media said Sunday. The Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950, when tank-led North Korean troops invaded South Korea. The United States and 20 other allied countries fought on the side of South Korea under the UN flag. The conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, on July 27, 1953. Kim attended a

North KoreaJuly 28, 2024

Fire put out at S-Oil plant in Ulsan

A fire at a plant of S-Oil Corp., a major refiner, was completely extinguished Sunday, about five hours after it started, according to firefighters. No casualties were reported as the fire erupted at 4:47 a.m., with photos showing dense flames rising from the plant. Fifty-six vehicles and some 300 personnel were mobilized to extinguish the blaze. The fire is presumed to have broken out in a heating facility used to produce xylene. Fire authorities are investigating the exact cause and scope of t

Social AffairsJuly 28, 2024

IOC apologizes for S. Korea gaffe in Olympics opening ceremony

The International Olympic Committee apologized Saturday for a gaffe during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in which South Korean athletes were incorrectly introduced as North Korean. As the South Korean delegation sailed down the Seine River in the French capital, they were introduced with the official name for North Korea: "Republique populaire democratique de Coree" in French, then "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" in English. "We deeply apologise

Foreign AffairsJuly 27, 2024

S. Korea's top diplomat calls for sending 'united message' against N. Korean nukes at ASEAN-led gathering

South Korea's top diplomat on Saturday called for sending a "united message" against North Korea's nuclear development program at a foreign ministerial gathering led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul made the call during the ASEAN Plus Three foreign ministers' meeting in Vientiane, noting that North Korea is causing uncertainties on the Korean Peninsula and the region through its provocations and military cooperation with

Foreign AffairsJuly 27, 2024

17-year-old who died at church was subject to severe abuse: document

A high school girl who recently died at a church had been subjected to severe abuse by church members including sleep deprivation and physical labor, a bill of indictment provided by the South Korean prosecution showed. Rep. Yoo Sang-bum of the ruling People Power Party on Wednesday revealed the content of the document he received from the prosecutors, which showed details of their investigation related to the girl's death on May 15. Three members of the Incheon church are currently on tr

Social AffairsJuly 27, 2024

PM says S. Korea will not tolerate any N. Korean provocations

South Korea will not tolerate any provocations from North Korea, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Saturday, as the country marked the 71st anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. Han made the remark during a ceremony in Seoul commemorating the sacrifices made by U.N. forces that supported South Korea during the three-year conflict, which began with North Korean aggression and ended without a peace treaty. "Through overwhelming strength and solidarity w

Foreign AffairsJuly 27, 2024

S. Korea backs Japan's Sado mines UNESCO bid contingent on colonial history disclosure

South Korea on Saturday consented to Japan's long-pursued bid to have the gold and silver mines on Sado Island designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, signaling a step towards reconciliation over historical disputes. Seoul's agreement is contingent on Tokyo's commitment to take concrete actions to confront and acknowledge the dark history of forced Korean labor at the Sado mines during its colonial rule from 1910 to 1945, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said. South Korea approve

Foreign AffairsJuly 27, 2024

Military vetting info leak of agents spying on N. Korea

The military is conducting an investigation into a leak of personal information of agents assigned to an intelligence unit tasked with spying on North Korea, sources said Saturday. The Korea Defense Intelligence Command discovered about a month earlier that classified information, including personal data of its agents stationed overseas, had been leaked, prompting an investigation by the Defense Counterintelligence Command. The leaked information is said to have included those on official cove

DefenseJuly 27, 2024