Korea suffers longest streak of tropical nights in history

This year marked the longest streak of tropical nights in South Korea's recorded history, with regions across the country averaging 20.2 tropical nights so far, the state-run weather agency said Sunday. The total number of tropical nights this year surpassed 16.8 in 1994 and 16.7 in 2018 -- years that are infamous among residents for being among the hottest years, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. An average of 11.3 tropical nights was recorded in the month of August, ma

Sept. 1, 2024

ASF outbreak in Gimpo spurs emergency response ahead of Chuseok

The government said Saturday it has ramped up disinfection efforts and inspections following a confirmed African swine fever outbreak at a pig farm in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, aiming to prevent the disease from spreading as the nation prepares for the upcoming Chuseok holiday. The Central Disaster Management Headquarters convened an emergency meeting to review and implement preventive measures, particularly critical with Chuseok approaching in two weeks. The outbreak, confirmed Saturday, mark

Aug. 31, 2024

Ex-baseball player ordered to pay W800m won to Padres' Kim Ha-seong in contract dispute case

A former baseball player has been ordered to pay a substantial penalty to San Diego Padres' shortstop Kim Ha-seong for violating an agreement between the two. The Seoul Central District Court ruled in Kim's favor on Friday in a lawsuit against Lim Hye-dong for breach of contract, mandating the defendant to pay 800 million won ($597,000). The dispute originated from a scuffle between the two at a Seoul bar in February 2021. Lim had demanded a settlement from Kim, who was then completi

Aug. 31, 2024

Uber CEO says seeing 'double-digit growth' in S. Korea

The head of US ride-hailing giant Uber said Friday that the company was seeing double-digit growth in South Korea and was "committed" to the country, despite currently having a small market share. The popular platform entered the country a decade ago but was met with large-scale protests by taxi drivers, prompting a ban by Seoul city authorities. Officials in the capital also deemed the company's UberX service illegal as private drivers were matched with passengers despite lacking

Aug. 30, 2024

S. Korea to hike fees for surgeries, reduce reliance on junior doctors

South Korea will raise medical service fees for essential procedures and surgeries and reduce large hospitals' dependence on junior doctors as part of a medical reform package introduced amid a prolonged medical confrontation between the government and doctors over the quota expansion of medical schools. Noh Yun-hong, who chairs the presidential special committee on medical reform, said Friday that the government would push forward in creating "physician-centered hospitals" nationwide

Aug. 30, 2024

History textbook controversy reignites in Korea

Contention over Korean history textbooks with the political left and right divided over perspectives on the past has sparked again, as the Education Ministry on Friday announced the results of a review of new textbooks to be used in schools next year under the new curriculum. A total of 681 textbooks have been approved to be introduced to schools in March next year. Among the history books, seven middle school and nine high school publishers received the government's seal of approval. Every

Aug. 30, 2024

Another road crack near sinkhole detected, road controls underway

Another road subsidence was found Friday morning near the area where a sinkhole in western Seoul had occurred the previous day, swallowing an entire car and injuring two people, with one in critical condition. The Seoul Metropolitan Government's road division and police have controlled two nearby lanes since 8:30 a.m. Friday in Seongsan-ro, which runs from Yonsei University to Sacheon Bridge, about 30 meters from the spot where the accident occurred. “We are working with experts to de

Aug. 30, 2024

Korean American astronaut to launch to space station next year

Jonny Kim, the first Korean American to become a NASA astronaut, will head to the International Space Station in March 2025, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced Thursday. On his first mission to the ISS, Kim will serve as a flight engineer and crew member for the Expedition 72/73. “I’m incredibly honored to represent NASA in our continued commitment to international collaboration and scientific discovery,” Kim wrote via Instagram. Kim will board the Rosc

Aug. 30, 2024

Majority of Korean workers engage in or consider side gigs

As the household economy deteriorates, a growing number of Korean workers are either pursuing or contemplating side jobs, with the most popular options involving operating social media services like blogs and YouTube channels, according to a survey released Thursday. In the survey conducted by job research newspaper Flea Market, involving 1,328 workers, 81.5 percent of respondents reported that their household economy had worsened this year compared to the previous year. The primary factor cit

Aug. 30, 2024

Seoul City to celebrate 3rd anniversary of 'Seoul Learn'

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will hold an event on Saturday to celebrate the third anniversary of its free online lecture platform for students here and unveil the program's new identity, officials said Friday. Dubbed "Seoul Learn," the program, launched in August 2021, offers free online lectures to underprivileged students to bridge the achievement gap among students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. It has also provided high-quality education without students hav

Aug. 30, 2024

6 in 10 deepfake victims are minors: police

Nearly 6 out of 10 victims of deepfake sexual crimes investigated by South Korean police were found to be minors, according to newly released data Friday. Out of 527 cases of deepfake crimes reported to police between 2021 and 2023, 315 victims, or 59.8 percent, were identified as teenagers, according to data from the National Police Agency submitted to Rep. Yang Boo-nam of the Democratic Party of Korea. This proportion far exceeds other age groups, with those in their 20s at 32.1 percent, follo

Aug. 30, 2024

Top court ruling dismisses Seoul education chief

South Korea’s Supreme Court has upheld an 18-month suspended prison sentence for Cho Hee-yeon, the superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, for abuse of power in reinstating five dismissed teachers six years ago. The ruling effectively removes Cho from his position as the longest-serving education chief in the country. The court delivered its verdict on Thursday, confirming the suspended sentence, which means Cho will not serve prison time unless he commits another o

Aug. 29, 2024

Carbon neutrality law violates basic rights: Constitutional Court

South Korea's carbon neutrality law does not conform with the Constitution because the absence of post-2030 targets violates the basic rights of the people, the Constitutional Court ruled Thursday. In a unanimous decision on Thursday, the court ruled that first paragraph of Article 8 of the country's Framework Act on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth for Coping with Climate Crisis is unconstitutional. This marks the first court decision in Asia to recognize an inadequate climate respo

Aug. 29, 2024

Foreign, multicultural students rise amid declining school population

The number of Korean students in kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school nationwide fell by nearly 100,000 in a year to 5.68 million while the foreign national or multicultural student populations increased, showing a stark contrast to the country's low birthrate crisis. According to the Ministry of Education's "2024 Basic Education Statistics Survey" results Thursday, as of April 1, there were 5.684 million elementary, middle and high school students in Korea. This

Aug. 29, 2024

Deceased K-pop star's brother celebrates passage of 'Goo Hara law'

Koo Ho-in, the older brother of deceased K-pop star Goo Hara, celebrated the news of the National Assembly on Wednesday passing a law revision that would prevent parents who neglected child-rearing duties from collecting their child's wealth. "It (the bill) finally passed thanks to all the attention (from the public). I thank you all in this time of difficulty," Koo wrote on his Instagram page late Thursday. He shared the news that the long-pending bill had finally been passed,

Aug. 29, 2024

S. Korean food agency bans 34 imported drug-laced candies

The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced Thursday that it has banned 34 imported sweets after detecting illegal substances, including marijuana. The ministry said it tested 34 items, including gummies, chocolate, candy and beverages, suspected of containing drugs imported from countries where recreational marijuana is legal. The inspection confirmed that these products purchased directly from overseas websites contained drugs or substances prohibited here. Officials reported t

Aug. 29, 2024

Police bust crypto scammer who received plastic surgery to evade arrest

South Korean police said Thursday that they have arrested the leader of a cryptocurrency scam operation that defrauded investors of 16 billion won ($12 million) and who even underwent plastic surgery to avoid capture. The man, in his 40s, was apprehended earlier this month for deceiving 158 victims between November 2021 and June 2022 by promising a monthly return of 18 percent on investments in a so-called cryptocurrency mining business, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Police

Aug. 29, 2024

Coach jailed for sexual exploitation of underage athlete

A coach for the national jump rope team was sentenced to five years in jail for his yearlong sexual exploitation of a teenage athlete, in a ruling Wednesday by a local court. The Uijeongbu District Court found the 28-year-old defendant guilty of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sex Offenses, specifically Article 7 that prohibits sex with a juvenile by a deceptive scheme. He was also banned from working at facilities for juveniles or people with disabilities for

Aug. 29, 2024

Ruling bloc seeks tougher sentences for deepfake sex crimes

The government and the ruling party agreed on adopting longer prison sentences of up to seven years for deepfake sex crimes Thursday, as South Korea grapples with a surge in female victims of such illegal pornography. The decision made during an emergency meeting at the National Assembly followed President Yoon Suk Yeol’s order, on Tuesday, of a crackdown on the latest reports of digital sex crimes involving the production and circulation of fake sexually explicit images of women and girls

Aug. 29, 2024

Aricell CEO arrested in first case under industrial accidents law

The chief executive of lithium battery manufacturer Aricell and his son, who oversees factory operations, have been arrested over the deadly fire at the company’s Hwaseong plant that claimed the lives of 23 -- 17 Chinese nationals, five Korean nationals and one Laotian national. The incident marks the first time a company head has been formally arrested under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which came into effect in January 2022. The law mandates a minimum prison sentence of one year

Aug. 29, 2024