Japanese forced labor trials to resume in May

High court judges in Seoul are set to resume trials on forced labor issues involving Japanese companies in May, regardless of whether Japan continues not to respond to the court's request to transmit judicial documents to defendants there. The Seoul High Court on Jan. 31 carried out "services of public notice" on two civil court trials where forced labor victims individually seek damages to companies that had mobilized them during World War II. Under the "services of public n

Feb. 12, 2023

Kids sent back to families that abused them: report

Nearly 85 percent of children reported from domestic violence situations were sent back to their homes without measures to protect them, a report showed Sunday. According to the report by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, of the 31,804 reported cases of child abuse at home in 2021, 84.6 percent of children were returned to their families of origin where they had suffered abuse and were likely to face mistreatment again. Only 14.5 percent of the children were separated from their families a

Feb. 12, 2023

K-Diaspora World Solidarity to connect overseas Korean teens

Go Do-won, chairman of the Morning Letter Cultural Foundation and independent lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja will hold a ceremony to inaugurate a foundation for young overseas Koreans around the world on Feb. 23, the two said Sunday in a news release. The foundation, named K-Diaspora World Solidarity, aims to provide young overseas Koreans with opportunities to strengthen their connection to the home country, they added. The organization will serve as a platform to connect 2 million overseas Korean teen

Feb. 12, 2023

New COVID-19 cases below 20,000 for 11th day

South Korea reported 12,051 new cases of COVID-19, the lowest for a Sunday in about eight months, as a downward trend continued. The total caseload came to 30,350,199, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. The new cases marked the lowest daily outbreak reported on a Sunday since July 3, when 10,036 cases were reported. The number of critically ill patients came to 268, down from 284 the previous day, marking the lowest daily figure in 107 days. Sunday's tally is also down fr

Feb. 12, 2023

S. Korea reports new swine fever case

South Korea reported an African swine fever case from a local farm in the eastern region of Gangwon Province, officials said Sunday. The latest ASF case was found in Yangyang in Gangwon Province, some 174 kilometers east of Seoul, according to authorities. It is the fourth ASF outbreak that South Korea has reported this year, following ones in Pocheon, Cheorwon and Gimpo. Authorities issued a 48-hour standstill order for pig farms and slaughterhouses in areas in the province, except for the nort

Feb. 12, 2023

New COVID-19 cases below 20,000 for 10th day

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed below 20,000 for the 10th consecutive day Saturday, signaling a solid downtrend in the spread of the virus here. The country reported 12,805 new cases, including 24 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 30.34 million, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The Saturday tally is down from 14,624 the previous week and 13,504 the previous day. The country added 16 COVID-19 deaths, bringing the death toll to 33,713, the KD

Feb. 11, 2023

Korean students' exchange visit to US thwarted over dog meat issue

A planned exchange visit to a US town by South Korean high school students last year was canceled after animal activists there raised the issue of dog meat farms operating in the area the students are from, it was revealed Friday. Palisades Park, New Jersey – a twin town of Gangwha County in Incheon-- decided to cancel the planned three-week exchange program in June last year. The decision was made after some activists reported to the borough’s council about illegal dog meat activi

Feb. 10, 2023

Big Bang's Seungri finishes 18-month jail term

Seungri, a former member of K-pop boy band Big Bang, was released from Yeoju Prison in Gyeonggi Province on Thursday after completing his 18-month sentence, according to the Ministry of Justice. Seungri, whose real name is Lee Seung-hyun, was indicted in January 2020 over his involvement in the “Burning Sun scandal,” a far-reaching sex and drug scandal since 2018. The 33-year-old singer began his military service during trial and was sentenced to three years in prison in a military c

Feb. 10, 2023

[Newsmaker] Star lecturers: Divas of private education and inspiration for many

In today’s world of live broadcast sports and entertainment backed with mega corporate endorsements, there’s a constant stream of people whose net worth amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars -- sports legends, music greats, movie stars and business magnates. In South Korea, there’s one more profession on the list -- star lecturers. In the tvN drama “Crash Course in Romance,” which began streaming on Netflix last month, the male protagonist Choi Chi-yeol is call

Feb. 10, 2023

Illegal residents from Turkey, Syria temporarily exempted from departure report

The Justice Ministry on Thursday said it would allow illegal residents from Turkey and Syria in South Korea to return home immediately without having to declare their departures in advance. Under South Korea's immigration rule, illegal residents should report their plans to leave the country online within three to 15 calendar days prior to the departure. If not, they are subject to pay a fine. The temporary measure exempting illegal residents from the two quake-hit countries, will be effect

Feb. 9, 2023

South Koreans extend helping hand to earthquake-damaged regions

Celebrities, corporations and ordinary citizens of South Korea are rallying to help Turkey and Syria in the aftermath of the earthquakes. Celebrities including Lee Hyeri of the K-pop girl group Girl’s Day and actor Yoo Inna donated to people affected by earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Lee donated 50 million won ($40,000) to UNICEF’s emergency campaign for children in the earthquake-stricken area, according to her agency Creative Group Ing. Comedian Lee Yong-jin, also known as &ldquo

Feb. 9, 2023

Seoul to turn Han River islet into new city landmark

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced plans Thursday to transform Nodeulseom, an artificial islet in Han River, into a new landmark by embracing a set of regulatory changes to allow architectural landmarks on the island. Under the tentative plan led by the municipal government, construction will begin in January, following feasibility reviews such as research and the architect selection process for the renewal. Vying for the Nodeulseom project are Denmark-based Bjarke Ingels Group, Germany-based Jurg

Feb. 9, 2023

[BREAKING] Korean team rescues 1 survivor in Turkey

A Korean rescue team on Thursday pulled a man in his 70s from the rubble in Antakya, southernmost Turkey, ravaged by the region's worst earthquake in modern history. The team also recovered four bodies from the same site during the rescue and search mission, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul. The survivor was conscious and in relatively good health by the time he was rescued, the ministry added. He was found hours after the Korean team set up base camp at a high school i

Feb. 9, 2023

Actor Yoo Ah-in banned from leaving country over alleged propofol use

Actor Yoo Ah-in is under police probe for the illegal use of propofol, a powerful anesthetic commonly used for routine surgeries, and has been banned from leaving the country, according to the police on Wednesday. A drug crime investigation unit under the Seoul Metropolitan Police questioned Yoo on Monday, on suspicions of violating the Narcotics Control Act. The police questioned Yoo over allegations that he was habitually prescribed propofol through repeat visits to several hospitals. The inve

Feb. 9, 2023

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 20,000 for 8th day

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed below 20,000 for the eighth straight day Thursday, in a sign of a downward trend in new infections. The country reported 14,664 new cases, including 13 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 30,311,979, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The Thursday tally is down from the 16,856 the previous week and from 17,934 the previous day. The country added 34 COVID-19 deaths Thursday, bringing the death toll to 33,680, the KD

Feb. 9, 2023

Actor Yoo Ah-in under police probe for illegal propofol use

Actor Yoo Ah-in has been under investigation for illegal use of propofol, an anesthetic medication, according to police officials Thursday. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's drug investigation unit called in Yoo on Monday to question him about use of propofol for non-medical purposes, which constitutes a violation of the Narcotics Control Act, officials said. Police has sent Yoo's hair samples to the National Forensic Service to secure evidence and placed an overseas travel ban on

Feb. 9, 2023

Nat'l Assembly to submit impeachment motion to Constitutional Court

The National Assembly was set to submit on Thursday a motion calling for the impeachment of Interior Minister Lee Sang-min over last year's Itaewon crowd crush, a day after the main opposition railroaded the motion in a vote. Rep. Kim Do-eup of the ruling People Power Party, who leads the parliamentary legislative committee, said the committee will submit a resolution on the impeachment to the Constitutional Court at 10 a.m. On Wednesday, the main opposition-controlled Assembly passed the motion

Feb. 9, 2023

11-year-old boy dies from alleged abuse by father, stepmother

A 39-year-old father and 42-year-old stepmother were arrested by police in Incheon, west of Seoul, Tuesday, on suspicion of aggravated child abuse resulting in the death of their fifth-grade son. An investigation by Incheon Police Station found that the 11-year-old boy had sustained multiple bruises on his body, which are presumed to be wounds inflicted by physical abuse. According to police, the father himself had called 119 -- a line for emergency and rescue equivalent to 911 in the US -- at a

Feb. 8, 2023

Seoul cancels plan for new bus fare system, but fare hikes still on

The Seoul Metropolitan Government, while moving to raise fares for buses and the subway to cover mounting losses, backpedaled Wednesday on its plan to introduce a new distance-based fare system for buses after facing public backlash. The initial plan, which was recently submitted by the municipal government to the city council, called for raising the basic fare for intra-city buses by 300 won ($0.24) or 400 won from 1,200 won, and the inter-city bus fare by 700 won from 2,300 won. On top of that

Feb. 8, 2023

Seoul mayor elected to C40 Steering Committee

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has been elected by majority vote as vice chairman of the Steering Committee of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group for the East, Southeast Asian and Oceania regions, the city government said Wednesday. In line with the organization’s initiative to make the world’s cities greener and more sustainable, Seoul would take the lead in achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, it added. “We will seek ways to contribute to the fight against the climate crisis thr

Feb. 8, 2023