Sunfull Foundation hosts event to support multicultural families

The Sunfull Foundation and the Sunfull National Assembly Committee jointly launched a preliminary meeting to respect multicultural families and foreigners residing in Korea. The Sunfull Foundation led by Chairman Min Byoung-chul, jointly with the Sunfull National Assembly Committee, held a preliminary meeting at AC Hotel by Marriott on Tuesday under the title, “Respect for Multicultural Families and Foreigners in Korea Campaign.” The event was attended by Rep. Lee Che-ik, a member of

Jan. 20, 2023

[Newsmaker] Inha University student sentenced to 20 years prison for rape resulting in death

A court sentenced 20 years to the perpetrator charged with raping and causing the death of schoolmate at a university campus in July last year, Thursday. Instead of murder, a charge of "quasi-rape" resulting in death was applied, implying that the court judged that the perpetrator did not intentionally cause the victim’s death. Article 299 of the Criminal Act defines quasi-rape as sexual intercourse or an indecent act "by taking advantage of the other's condition of unconsci

Jan. 20, 2023

Disability rights group resumes protest after failure to meet with Seoul Mayor

A disability rights advocacy group on Friday resumed its subway rush-hour protests, a day after the city government of Seoul did not accept its request for a one-on-one meeting with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon. After a two-week hiatus, the group gathered again after multisite protests to call for increased budget and measures to ensure the mobility rights of the disabled. Member of the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination began simultaneous demonstrations at several stations, including Oido,

Jan. 20, 2023

Cold wave and snow expected for holiday

Subzero temperatures are expected throughout 4-day Lunar New Year holiday and could plummet to minus 17 degrees Celsius Tuesday morning, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. On Saturday, the first day of the four-day holiday, clear skies are expected for the central region but southern regions are projected to have some rain. Temperature is expected to drop for most regions by five to 10 degrees Celsius, compared to the day before, with officials saying there is a possibility of

Jan. 20, 2023

Newborn suffers concussion during postpartum caregivers’ fight

A postpartum caregiver ended up giving a newborn a concussion as she tried to hit her coworker who was holding the infant at an apartment in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, in November. Video footage released by SBS TV Thursday evening showed the attacker in her 60s swinging her fist toward her coworker’s head during an argument. As her target turned around, her fist hit the one-month-old baby in the face. The blow came shortly after the attacker said to the other caregiver, “Don’

Jan. 20, 2023

Face masks no longer required indoors in Korea from Jan. 30

Starting Jan. 30, wearing face masks will no longer be required indoors in Korea -- a move that comes three years after the mandate was introduced. Prime Minister Han Duk-soo told a government meeting Friday that with the exception of some high-risk places including hospitals, pharmacies and public transit, face masks will cease being mandatory. “COVID-19 cases have been on the decline for three weeks in a row, and the situation has remained stable in Korea,” he said, adding that he

Jan. 20, 2023

Court issues arrest warrant for ex-Ssangbangwool chief over corruption allegations

SUWON -- A business tycoon who was nabbed in Thailand after months on the run was formally arrested Friday over high-profile corruption allegations. The Suwon District Court issued an arrest warrant for Kim Seong-tae, former chairman of underwear maker Ssangbangwool Group. He is facing multiple charges, including embezzlement, bribery and the illegal transfer of cash to North Korea. Prosecutors, however, have not yet charged Kim over allegedly paying attorney expenses by proxy for opposition lea

Jan. 20, 2023

Fire breaks out at Guryong village in Gangnam, 500 evacuated

Firefighters extinguished a fire that broke out in Guryong Village in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, the only remaining slum area in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed. At 11:46 a.m., the fire authorities announced that the fire has been completely extinguished. About 60 households were destroyed and 62 people lost their homes but no casualties have been confirmed. The exact property damage is under investigation. According to the Gangnam-gu Office, a total of 666 households are

Jan. 20, 2023

[Graphic News] 5.3m people per day move during Lunar New Year

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year holiday, or Seollal in Korean, many people travel across the nation to reunite with family in their hometowns or pay respects to their ancestors. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, an average of 5.3 million people nationwide are expected to travel per day during the upcoming holiday. Between Friday and Tuesday, the ministry will implement special measures to ensure safe and convenient holiday travel, such as expressway toll exem

Jan. 20, 2023

A look back on three years of COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea

Three years ago on Friday, South Korea detected its first case of COVID-19 or novel coronavirus disease as it was known then. Since then, the total count of cumulative cases here reached 29,927,958, as of midnight Wednesday. This means that about 58 percent of the population in South Korea have tested positive for the virus, public health authorities say. The country is now readying to move on from the pandemic. As the threat of a winter surge abates, public health authorities are now debating w

Jan. 19, 2023

29-year-old woman awarded for taking down thief

A 29-year old woman is to be awarded by the police for taking on and helping to apprehend a thief. According to the police, the woman caught the thief at the cosmetics store she works in North Jeolla Province on Dec. 30, 2022, around noon. The woman, identified by the surname Lee, spotted him taking money from the counter as she left the bathroom. Lee grabbed the man, and called the police with her free hand. The man resisted, choking and biting Lee, but she clung on to him and tackled his leg.

Jan. 19, 2023

Crackdown on labor unions intensifies

Authorities have ramped up pressure on labor unions for two straight days, with police seizing documents at the offices of the two umbrella labor unions of the country over illegal activities at construction sites, Thursday, Seoul police sent investigators to five construction workers' offices under the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, three offices of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and eight houses of related officials from 8:10 a.m. Thursday, securing information on union oper

Jan. 19, 2023

Sejong University clinches 7th among Korean peers in US News rankings

Sejong University ranked 397th in the annual listing of the world’s best global universities in 2023, the ranking released by the US News showed Thursday. It is also the seventh-best global university in South Korea and the 79th-best global university in Asia now. The university's world ranking climbed up sharply from No. 506 last year. Its ranking among domestic peers went up by two notches. The US News provides an assortment of universities in the world by region or country and subj

Jan. 19, 2023

American brought back to S. Korea for probe over graffiti on subway trains

INCHEON -- A 27-year-old American man has been extradited to South Korea for allegedly breaking into subway train garages across the country and spray-painting graffiti on trains, police said Thursday. The American is under suspicion of breaking into nine subway train garages in Seoul, Incheon, Daejeon and six other regions together with a 28-year-old Italian accomplice in September and spray-painting graffiti on the outer walls of trains. On one of the occasions, the pair left a 2-meter-wide

Jan. 19, 2023

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases down to lowest Thursday tally in 13 weeks

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell to the lowest Thursday tally in 13 weeks, in a sign that the country is past the peak of the latest winter COVID-19 wave. The country reported 29,816 new COVID-19 infections, including 63 from overseas, bringing the total to 29,927,958, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Among the imported cases, 36 cases, or 57.1 percent, were from China. Thursday's tally is down by nearly 14,000 from the previous week and almost half the daily

Jan. 19, 2023

S. Korean senior citizens remain mired in poverty: report

South Korean senior citizens' poverty rate has been on the mend but is still high among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a report showed Thursday. The relative poverty rate of South Koreans aged 65 and older stood at 37.6 percent in 2021, down 1.3 percentage points from a year earlier, according to the report on sustainable development goals by Statistics Korea. The figure for male senior citizens came to 31.3 percent, while that for women amounted to 42

Jan. 19, 2023

Police raid umbrella labor union offices over alleged wrongdoing at construction sites

Police on Thursday raided some offices of the construction unions affiliated with the country's two biggest umbrella labor organizations as part of an investigation into alleged wrongdoing at construction sites. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency sent investigators to five offices belonging to the construction union of the Korean Confederation of Trade Union and three construction union offices of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions to seize evidence, officials said. Eight houses belong

Jan. 19, 2023

Warrant demanded for tycoon allegedly linked to opposition leader

Prosecutors in South Korea demanded an arrest warrant on Thursday at around 12:40 a.m. for Kim Seong-tae, the former chairman of underwear maker Ssangbangwool who was returned home after fleeing for eight months, to look into links between Kim and President Yook Suk Yeol's political opponent. Kim went through 13 hours of interrogation by prosecutors in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, beginning Tuesday afternoon. The interrogation resumed at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. The crime ring member-turned-entre

Jan. 19, 2023

US soldier in 20s found dead in S. Korea

A US Forces Korea service member has died from a fall in the southern county of Chilgok, North Gyeongsang Province, police and the provincial fire station headquarters said Wednesday. The 28-year-old woman was found dead at the parking lot of her residence at 3:03 a.m. on Wednesday in the town of Waegwan, where the US Army base Camp Carroll is located, according to local media reports. The US staff sergeant was transferred by fire authorities to a hospital, but died. South Korean police hav

Jan. 18, 2023

Yongin aims to become center of chip industry, green city

Yongin City said it will push for new projects this year in infrastructure, transportation, welfare and disaster prevention with the largest New Year's budget in its city’s history. The city's total budget for this year is 3.2 trillion won ($2.6 billion), up 7.6 percent from 2.9 trillion won last year. With the budget increase, Yongin Mayor Lee Sang-il has come up with ambitious policy plans, promising that all spending will be used for the balanced development of citizens and th

Jan. 18, 2023