S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases at 10,000 level for 4th day

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed at the 10,000 level for the fourth consecutive day Friday, as the country is nearing to pre-pandemic normalcy. The country reported 13,791 cases, including 22 imported cases, bringing the total caseload to 31,142,861, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Friday's tally is lower than the 14,284 a day earlier but a tad higher than the 13,596 a week ago. Daily infections fell to 5,027 on Monday after staying above 10,000 for the

April 28, 2023

Opposition-controlled parliament unilaterally passes nursing act

The opposition-controlled National Assembly on Thursday passed a nursing act aimed at defining the roles and responsibilities of nurses in a clearer manner amid fierce opposition from the ruling party and doctors. The bill was approved in a plenary session with 179 votes in favor and two abstentions out of 181 lawmakers present. All but two members of the ruling People Power Party, which has opposed the bill, boycotted the vote and walked out of the chamber en masse before voting began. The

April 27, 2023

Young Koreans don't want children to receive same education they had: survey

Nearly half of Korea's young people don't want their children to receive the same kind of education they had, a survey showed Thursday. According to a survey conducted by the Educational Broadcasting System (EBS) last August, 49.6 percent of Korean respondents reacted negatively to the question of whether their children should receive the same kind of education they had. Among the respondents of other countries who also answered the question negatively, Japanese ranked second at 39.5

April 27, 2023

Fewer multicultural students advancing to university

The percentage of children from multicultural families entering university has sharply fallen behind the total figure for all kids in South Korea, data showed Thursday. As of 2021, 4 in 10 multicultural kids were admitted to higher education institutions, according to data suggested by the Prime Minister's Office. This showed a contrast from the nationwide general figure, as over 70 percent of Koreans advanced to higher education. The gap between the figure for Koreans overall and that of multic

April 27, 2023

6 soldiers caught smuggling drugs into army

Six soldiers stationed in a division in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, were caught smuggling illegal narcotics into the army, according to local media and the South Korean military. The military said late Wednesday that the soldiers are currently under internal investigation for allegedly sneaking cannabis into the garrison through a parcel and smoking the banned substance inside the military base. One is facing a police investigation following his discharge from the military after the incident.

April 27, 2023

Supreme Court confirms 6-yr sentence for Eastar Jet founder over embezzlement

The Supreme Court on Thursday finalized a six-year prison sentence for the founder of South Korean budget carrier Eastar Jet Co. convicted of embezzlement of company funds and breach of trust. Eastar founder and former Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Sang-jik was indicted for causing about 43 billion won ($32 million) in losses to the airline by underselling company shares to a subsidiary owned by his children in 2015. He was also charged with embezzling 5.36 billion won from Eastar and its affili

April 27, 2023

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases above 10,000 for 3rd day amid eased virus curbs

South Korea's new coronavirus cases remained above 10,000 for the third consecutive day Thursday as the country is on track to return to pre-pandemic normalcy. The country reported 14,284 cases, including 43 imported cases, bringing the total caseload to 31,129,070, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Thursday's tally is lower than the 16,383 a day earlier but slightly higher than the 14,088 a week ago. Daily infections fell to 5,027 on Monday after staying above 10,0

April 27, 2023

[Graphic News] Nearly half of one-person households ‘poor’: report

Nearly half of single-member households are considered poor, and it is nearly 3 in 4 for senior citizens living alone, a report showed. The relative poverty rate of one-person households came to 47.2 percent in 2020, compared to 15.3 percent for all households, according to the report from the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. The rate refers to the percentage of people with income below 50 percent of the median income. The figure for single-person households, however, has been decl

April 27, 2023

Full text of Washington Declaration

President Joseph R. Biden of the United States of America and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (ROK) met on this 26th day of April, 2023, to mark the 7oth anniversary of the US-ROK Alliance. The Alliance between our two nations has been forged in shared sacrifice, fortified by enduring security cooperation, and nourished by close kinship that has enabled both countries to leverage their diplomatic resources to peaceably achieve crucial, strategic outcomes. What began as a secur

April 27, 2023

21 colleges to consider school violence records in 2025 admissions

The Korean Council for University Education said Wednesday that 21 universities in South Korea will consider school violence records in their regular admission processes for the 2025 school year. The colleges include Seoul National University, the country’s top-ranked university, Korea University, Hanyang University, Konkuk University, Korea University Sejong Campus, Kookmin University and the University of Seoul. The decision comes after the government announced strengthened policies agai

April 26, 2023

CEO sentenced to 1 year for failing to prevent death at industrial site

Hankook Steel & Mill's co-Chief Executive Officer was sentenced to one year in prison Wednesday for his failure to prevent an outsourced employee's death at an industrial site. The 69-year-old surnamed Sung, who led the company alongside Ha Jong-sik, was the first individual in South Korea to be sent to prison for the failure to ensure workplace safety. The worker was in his 60s when he was killed in March 2022 at a Hankook Steel & Mill plant in Haman-gun, South Gyeongsang Province. Sung

April 26, 2023

Gangwon Province, K-Diaspora sign MOU for overseas Korean youth

Gangwon Province said Tuesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with K-Diaspora World Solidarity in an attempt to cultivate the identity of overseas Korean youth. "K-Diaspora" refers to the Korean diaspora, a group of people of Korean origin regardless of nationality. K-Diaspora World Solidarity is a nonprofit organization aimed at providing young overseas Koreans with opportunities to develop their sense of identity and talent. According to the Gangwon provincial gove

April 26, 2023

Seoul to run ‘booknic’ sites at Han River

The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Hangang Project Headquarters said Wednesday that it would welcome visitors looking for a new way to read books along the banks of the Han River. Starting on May 5, the city government will operate “Reading at the Han River” at the parks in Yeouido, the plaza near Ttukseom Han River Park and near Banpo Bridge, where people can enjoy a “booknic,” a term combining the words “book” and “picnic,” where visitors

April 26, 2023

Seoul subway application for foreigners to go into service this week

Seoul Metro, the operator of the subway service in Seoul, said Wednesday it will launch a mobile application this week that will help foreigners navigate the cobweb of the metropolitan city's subway lines. The application for foreigners, named Seoul Subway, will enter into service on Thursday, providing information on subway routes, train schedules, and tourist spots around major subway stations, according to Seoul Metro. The GPS-based app will automatically register a user's current l

April 26, 2023

Northeast coast hit by second minor tremor in 2 days

A 2.2 magnitude earthquake struck in waters off the northeastern coastal city of Donghae on Wednesday, following a 3.5 magnitude tremor in almost the same area the previous day, the Korea Meteorological Administration said. The quake occurred at sea 51 kilometers northeast of Donghae at 6:51 a.m., according to the KMA. Donghae, which is in Gangwon Province, is located 182 km east of Seoul. The epicenter was at 37.86 degrees north latitude and 129.51 degrees east longitude, and the depth was 28 k

April 26, 2023

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases above 10,000 for 2nd day amid eased virus curbs

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 10,000 for the second straight day Wednesday amid eased virus curbs aimed at regaining pre-pandemic normalcy. The country reported 16,383 cases, including 13 imported cases, bringing the total caseload to 31,114,786, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Wednesday's tally is slightly higher than the 14,817 a day earlier but lower than the 16,499 a week ago. Daily infections fell to 5,027 on Monday after staying above 10,0

April 26, 2023

Seoul city plans cultural events at public parks in May

The Seoul city government said Tuesday that it will host a range of cultural festivities and events in public parks throughout the city next month, in a bid to provide families with diverse cultural experiences. The planned events include a list of musicals, cultural performances and hands-on activities related to both nature and Korean culture. They are set to take place at 20 parks across the city, including Boramae Park, Mapo World Cup Park, Mt. Baebong Park, Seoul Botanic Park, Seoul Grand P

April 25, 2023

Are Koreans really fat?

For 27-year-old Choi, the main focus in her life recently has been getting her weight down. The after-work dinners at her new job and frequent dates with her new boyfriend have resulted in her tipping the bathroom scale into the above-55-kilogram range for the first time in her life, prompting her to panic-buy a gym membership, exercise equipment and organic meal kits. “I just feel so big since I’ve put on the extra weight. I want to get my weight down to below 50 kilograms,” s

April 25, 2023

Woman gets 3-year prison term for killing newborn baby

A three-year prison sentence has been handed to a mother in her 20s for killing her newborn baby soon after giving birth and for concealing the body. The Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday also sentenced the father, also in his 20s, to two years in prison, saying that he was an accomplice to the crime. The couple was indicted on charges of killing their newborn shortly after birth at their residence in Seoul’s Gwanak-gu in January 2021. They hid the dead body inside a bag and placed i

April 25, 2023

Korea faces new social challenge: isolated people

You Seung-gyu, after finishing high school, isolated himself, staying holed up at home for about five years in his 20s. Fulfilling military duty did not stop his isolation. He didn't look for a job and disconnected himself from society until 2021. It was a rehabilitation program provided by the Seoul branch of Japanese social enterprise K2 International Group that helped him step out of his home. The 30-year-old has been lending a helping hand to other socially isolated individuals here for

April 24, 2023