Demand for 'online seizure search' raised amid another 'Nth Room' crime

Calls for more aggressive investigation methods called “online search and seizure” are rising following reports of another digital sexual exploitation crime similar to the “Nth Room” case. Online search and seizure is a technique in which an investigative agency hacks suspects’ electronic devices and installs a monitoring program to collect criminal evidence in real time. Not only can the agency secure stored information and information in transmission, it can manip

Sept. 5, 2022

S. Korean telcos on guard against possible network outages due to powerful typhoon

South Korea's three major telecom operators have set up emergency measures to deal with potential network disruptions caused by Typhoon Hinnamnor, as the country braces for what could be its most powerful storm ever. Classified as a "very strong" typhoon, Hinnamnor has gradually moved northward to reach waters off the southern island of Jeju on Monday and is expected to make landfall 80 km north-northwest of the southern port city of Busan by 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Korea

Sept. 5, 2022

Yoon says he will be on standby as nation braces for powerful typhoon

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday he will be on "emergency standby" as powerful Typhoon Hinnamnor approached the nation with strong winds and heavy rains already knocking southern regions. "The government will not lower its guard, and do its best for the lives and safety of the people," Yoon told reporters as he arrived for work. Wearing a green civil defense uniform, Yoon said, "Today, I think that I will be on emergency standby." Yoon said the typhoon is expecte

Sept. 5, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases hit lowest for Monday in 6 weeks as virus slows

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases hit the lowest for a Monday count in six weeks, as the virus is slowing at a steady pace. The country reported 37,548 new COVID-19 infections, including 286 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 23,606,740, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The latest tally is the lowest Monday figure since 35,853 on July 25. The recent virus wave has been slowing with the daily infection cases declining from as high as 180,000 in mid-Augus

Sept. 5, 2022

S. Korea braces for powerful Typhoon Hinnamnor

Super Typhoon Hinnamnor has gradually moved northward to reach waters off the southern island of Jeju on Monday, the state weather agency said, as South Korea braces for what could be the most powerful storm ever to hit the country. As of 5 a.m., the typhoon, the 11th this year, was located 550 kilometers south-southwest of Jeju's Seogwipo, moving north at a speed of 22 kilometers per hour, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The speed is faster than an earlier estim

Sept. 5, 2022

Justice Party votes down reform motion advising resignation of 5 party lawmakers progressive party-motion

The progressive minor opposition Justice Party voted down a reform motion advising all five of the party's proportional representation lawmakers to step down over the party's recent election defeats. The motion recommending the resignation of the five Justice Party lawmakers on proportional representation seats, including Reps. Ryu Ho-jeong and Jang hye-yeong, was rejected in a party referendum conducted online from last Wednesday through Sunday, the party announced on its website. A total o

Sept. 4, 2022

Korea braces for typhoon Hinnamnor

Korea is bracing for typhoon Hinnamnor, which is expected to be one of the strongest typhoons to hit the country. It is a “super strong” typhoon, the highest in Korea's four-tier system, with an atmospheric pressure of 920 hectopascals at its center and a maximum wind speed of 54 meters per second. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, Korea's Jeju Island and southern regions are expected to come under influence of Hinnamnor starting Monday. The typhoon is expected t

Sept. 4, 2022

New COVID-19 cases below 100,000 for 4th day amid eased virus curbs

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed below 100,000 for the fourth straight day, according to the country's health authorities Sunday. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said 72,144 new COVID-19 infections, including 241 from overseas, have been confirmed, with the total caseload having risen to 23,569,192. The daily caseload jumped to 115,615 cases on Aug. 30 from 43,114 a day earlier, but it continued to decline in the past six days from Aug. 30 through Sunda

Sept. 4, 2022

[Photo News] Brace yourself for Typhoon Hinnamnor

As Typhoon Hinnamnor is expected to bring heavy rains accompanied by strong winds to the southern part of the country, including the island of Jeju, the coastal towns are preparing themselves ahead of the arrival of typhoon. Fishing boats are either moved onto land or docked at the ports. Parasols at Gwangalli Beach in the port city of Busan are being removed. The South Gyeongsang Provincial Office of Education announced that the schools under the periphery of the typhoon to switch to onli

Sept. 3, 2022

Petition over 2019 North Korea deportation dismissed due to rights watchdog’s ‘limited role,’ says chief

The head of the national human rights watchdog said Friday that the petition regarding the 2019 deportation of two North Korean fishermen had to be dismissed due to “inherent limitations.” At the press conference marking the completion of his first year in office, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea’s Chairperson Song Doo-hwan said that dismissing the petition was a decision “that had been made not to avoid making an opinion but because of its limited authorit

Sept. 2, 2022

Super Typhoon Hinnamnor approaches S. Korea

Typhoon Hinnamnor is approaching South Korea, and it is expected to bring heavy rains accompanied by strong winds to the southern part of the country, including the island of Jeju, the state weather agency said Friday. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, Typhoon Hinnamnor, the 11th typhoon of this year, is currently passing Taiwan's east coast and began to move northward at a slow speed, 2 kilometers per hour. Typhoon Hinnamnor is expected to pick up speed Saturday night to

Sept. 2, 2022

S. Korea’s daily COVID-19 cases stay below 90,000, severe cases remain above 500 for 10th day

South Korea's new COVID-19 infections stayed below 90,000 for the second straight day, the government reported Friday. The number of critically ill patients, however, remained above 500 for a 10th straight day. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the country reported 89,586 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday, including 317 from overseas. The daily tally was up from the previous day’s 81,573. But it was the lowest for a Thursday count in five weeks, dating to A

Sept. 2, 2022

[Newsmaker] Alone in the world: Two young adults talk life after aging out of foster care

Every year in South Korea, some 2,500 adolescents leave the foster care group homes where they spent their formative years, forced to stand on their own two feet. Trying to figure out life on their own, these young people often face financial and psychological difficulties, but their struggles go unheard, as they are legal adults. Last month in Gwangju, two such young people gave up on their lives just days apart, which has brought attention to the strife of those who have aged out of the state

Sept. 2, 2022

New digital sex crime raises questions over 'Anti-Nth Room law'

The ‘Anti-Nth room’ legislation is again facing criticism as the police steps up its investigation into another digital sexual exploitation crime similar to the "Nth Room" and "Baksa Room" cases that shocked Korean society two years ago. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's cybercrime unit said on Wednesday that it has enhanced its investigation team, assigned more personnel to the case and launched a task force on Thursday. As with the "Nth Room" and

Sept. 2, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 90,000 for 2nd day

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed below 90,000 for the second straight day Friday, hitting the lowest for a Friday count in five weeks, as the virus wave is slowing down. The country reported 89,586 new COVID-19 infections, including 317 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 23,417,425, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The latest figure is up by about 8,000 from the previous day but marks an on-week decline considering that all numbers for Fridays w

Sept. 2, 2022

Heavy rain forecast for southern S. Korea throughout weekend

The periphery of Typhoon Hinnamnor is forecast to bring heavy rain to the southern part of South Korea, including the resort island of Jeju, throughout the weekend, the state weather agency said Friday. The southeastern part of Jeju is currently seeing precipitation levels ranging between 10 and 20 millimeters per hour, with the level expected to reach up to 50 mm sometime, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Thunder and lightning are also expected on some parts of the is

Sept. 2, 2022

Finance Ministry draws ire for social media post pitting ‘gourmet burgers’ against regular burgers

The Ministry of Economy and Finance is facing criticism over social media posts pitting consumers who go for regular burgers against those who prefer premium burgers. “Burgers versus handmade burgers. What is your consumer trend?” the post which was uploaded last week read. The post went on to describe two different consumers, one who waited for three hours in line in Gangnam for a gourmet burger and the other who spent less than 30,000 won grocery shopping. On Twitter, users hav

Sept. 1, 2022

S. Korea to start taking reservations for homegrown COVID-19 vaccine

  South Korea on Thursday started taking reservations for South Koreas first COVID-19 vaccine developed by a domestic firm, SK Bioscience. Adults aged 18 and older can make reservations for the country’s first homegrown vaccine if they have not completed the primary vaccination series. Those who make reservations will be able to get the vaccine from Sept. 13. Public health centers and local hospitals will also use the vaccine from Monday. The Ministry of Health and Welfare explained

Sept. 1, 2022

Prosecutors search Moon’s presidential records in slain fisheries official investigation

Seoul prosecutors on Thursday searched the Presidential Archives in the widening investigation into the case of Lee Dae-jun, a South Korean fisheries official who was fatally shot and burned by North Korean troops at sea in September 2020. The prosecutors searched the presidential records to look for evidence relating to the Moon Jae-in administration’s determination that the slain fisheries official had tried to defect to North Korea. As Moon left office in May, his Cheong Wa Dae desig

Sept. 1, 2022

New textbook guidelines spark controversy

The Ministry of Education took a step back as the dispute over history textbook guidelines deepened, saying the plan has not been finalized yet. The Education Ministry released new guidelines for high school history textbooks on Tuesday. In the new guidelines, phrases such as "southward invasion (by North Korea)" and “liberal democracy" were left out. The phrases touch on some sensitive disputes in the country’s modern history. The revision of history textbooks was l

Sept. 1, 2022