Police grill reporter who bought gifts given to first lady

Police on Friday questioned an internet news reporter on defamation and other charges related to the purchase of a luxury handbag and other gifts delivered by a Korean American pastor to first lady Kim Keon Hee two years ago. Lee Myeong-soo, a reporter for the internet news outlet Voice of Seoul, was grilled at the Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station in the morning, as he is known to be the buyer of the Dior handbag and Chanel cosmetics, both given by pastor Choi Jae-young to Kim between June and

June 14, 2024

PM asks medical professors to cancel planned walkout

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo appealed to medical professors Friday to cancel their planned walkout next week, saying doctors have a "legal constraint" to protect people's lives. Medical professors, who serve as senior doctors, at four hospitals affiliated with Seoul National University have vowed to stage a collective walkout next Monday in support of trainee doctors who have remained off the job since February in protest of a medical school enrollment hike plan. Professors at the

June 14, 2024

Fundraiser set for victim of Miryang gang rape

A civic group supporting victims of sex crimes kicked off a fundraiser on Thursday in support of a victim in the infamous 2004 Miryang gang rape case, which has resurfaced recently following multiple YouTubers revealing the information of some of the alleged suspects. As of Friday morning, over 57 million won ($41,000) had been raised from over 1,400 people in the campaign set up by the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center at its homepage. One can participate in the fundraising via the pop-up b

June 14, 2024

[Graphic News] 3,444 shade canopies installed in Seoul

The city of Seoul has installed a total of 3,444 shade canopies at crosswalks across its 25 districts as of late April, according to data from the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The top three districts with the most shade canopies are Songpa-gu (268), Gangnam-gu (239) and Seocho-gu (232), which are collectively referred to as the Gangnam area. In contrast, the districts with the fewest shade canopies are Seodaemun-gu (78), Mapo-gu (71) and Jongno-gu (57), all north of the Han River. Seoul rout

June 14, 2024

[Herald Interview] Philippines prepared to send more workers under improved working conditions: Philippine politician

A Philippine politician who represents and advocates for overseas Filipino workers sees South Korea as a rising destination for Filipinos seeking overseas employment, with its higher living standards and pay, along with its attractive culture, being major draws. In an interview with The Korea Herald, Rep. Marissa Magsino of the Philippine House of Representatives said that preparations to send 100 Filipina caregivers to Seoul in a pilot program are "sailing smoothly," with the Korean

June 13, 2024

More public spaces enhances national dignity: commission head

Public spaces hold symbolic meaning to South Koreans and it is important to build more of them in cities to enhance national dignity, said Chairperson Kwon Young-gull from the National Architecture Policy Commission at the Global Business Forum held in Seoul on Wednesday. The GBF, organized by The Korea Herald, is an association of experts from various fields such as business leaders, scholars, diplomats and celebrities, who come together to provide comprehensive views on industrial changes. Sev

June 13, 2024

First refugee status granted to Russian fleeing draft in S. Korea

A Russian national who fled to South Korea to avoid military conscription amid his country’s invasion of Ukraine has become the first here to be granted refugee status. The Seoul Administrative Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by the Russian against the commissioner of the Seoul Immigration Office on May 22 to cancel its decision to deny asylum, judicial officials said Wednesday. The case marks the first instance of a Russian fleeing forced conscription due to the c

June 13, 2024

Ministry warns of stern action against doctors who go on strike

Amid growing concerns about significant disruptions expected in South Korea's medical services due to a nationwide doctor strike next week, the government warned Thursday of a stern response, saying that such collective action would be considered an illegal "refusal to provide medical care." The Korea Medical Association, Korea's largest doctors' group, has announced a one-day general strike for Tuesday, while medical professors at major hospitals have decided to initiat

June 13, 2024

[Contribution] Uzbekistan-Republic of Korea: commitment to centuries-old ties, special strategic partnership

By the Uzbekistan Embassy in Seoul President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol will pay a state visit to Uzbekistan at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on June 13-15, 2024. Established on Jan. 29, 1992, Uzbek-South Korean relations have become an example of successful cooperation between the two countries in various fields. In more than thirty years of interaction, the relations have developed and strengthened, passing through several key milestones. In 2006, the Joint Decla

June 13, 2024

Lawyer whose absence lost school bullying death case ordered to compensate victim's family

Kwon Gyeong-ae, a lawyer whose repeated failures to show up to court lost a case involving a teenage girl's death caused by school bullying, was ordered by another court to pay 50 million won ($36,000) in compensation to the bereaved family of the victim. The Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday ruled against Kwon in the civil damages suit filed by the girl’s mother, Lee Gi-cheol, and her family, in which they requested a total of 200 million won in financial and psychological dama

June 12, 2024

Church member indicted for murder in death of 17-year-old

A member of a local church has been arrested and indicted for the abuse and murder of a 17-year-old girl, the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office said Wednesday. The 55-year-old suspect initially faced child abuse resulting in death, but the prosecution altered the charge to child abuse and murder after an additional investigation it conducted since taking the case from police on May 24. Child abuse and murder can be punished by at least seven years in prison, and up to a death sentence

June 12, 2024

S. Korea cracks down on misleading growth hormone ads

South Korea announced a crackdown Wednesday on false or exaggerated advertisements for growth hormone treatments, as the private market for height-enhancement products grows here. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it has launched the crackdown in collaboration with 17 local governments. The initiative will continue through June 21. Hospitals, pharmacies, and pharmaceutical companies found to be overstating or falsely advertising information will be subject to administrative guidance and

June 12, 2024

Women protest ministry's ban on simultaneous use of childbirth pain meds

A backlash is coming from South Korea's pregnant women over the Health Ministry's decision not to allow the simultaneous use of epidurals and a continuous local anesthetic colloquially referred to as a "pain buster" here during childbirth starting next month, lambasting the government for restricting womens' right to choose. The ministry has recently announced that pregnant women will no longer be able to use epidurals and pain busters, also known as severe pain reliever

June 12, 2024

Professors at 40 med schools decide to shut down services on June 18

The Medical Professors Association of Korea said late Wednesday that it has decided to join the one-day shutdown of services on June 18 planned by the largest doctors' group here. Kim Chang-soo, a preventative medicine and public health professor at Yonsei University who heads the group of professors at 40 medical schools, said medical professors will take a day off next week to demand the scrapping of the medical school quota hike. They have continuously demanded that the government scrap

June 12, 2024

[Community Discovery] Mapo's Hyodo Babsang program becomes model for senior welfare

"Godoksa," or lonely death, has recently become a nationwide concern in South Korea, challenging the deeply rooted Confucian belief in filial piety. According to the health ministry's 2023 report, approximately 1.525 million people in Korea are at risk of dying alone. The number of lonely deaths has increased by 8.8 percent over the past five years, reaching 3,378 in 2022. Mapo-gu, a university neighborhood in northwestern Seoul, has been particularly attentive to this rising soci

June 12, 2024

How to find earthquake shelters near you

An early morning 4.8 magnitude earthquake jolted South Korea on Wednesday, leading to minimal damage and no casualties, but causing a shock in a country where most residents are not accustomed to such tremors. In light of the recent quake, how to find the nearest earthquake shelter instantly became a topic of interest. Information about earthquake shelters near one's residence can be accessed via various websites and applications. To access information about the earthquake shelters, one can

June 12, 2024

119 reports by text, video calls, app increase 36% last year

Reports to emergency number 119 through channels other than direct phone calls increased by 36 percent last year, data showed on Wednesday. According to the National Fire Agency, a total of 896,049 reports were made to the hotline outside of conventional voice calls last year, up from 235,360 the previous year. Since 2011, people have been able to request emergency assistance via text messages, video calls, photos sent via text message or reports via the 119 mobile app, in addition to calling 11

June 12, 2024

4.8 magnitude earthquake strikes Buan, strongest of year

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck near Buan-gun, North Jeolla Province, Wednesday morning, marking the strongest earthquake in South Korea's southwestern region's history and the most powerful quake of the year, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. The earthquake that occurred at 8:26 a.m. was the 16th strongest earthquake since 1973, when the country started compiling relevant records. The quake’s depth was measured at 8 kilometers and it was followed by 17 afte

June 12, 2024

Yoon orders swift damage assessment, safety check after 4.8 magnitude quake

President Yoon Suk Yeol instructed the government Wednesday to carry out a swift damage assessment and safety check in response to a 4.8 magnitude earthquake that struck near the southwestern county of Buan early in the day, his office said. Yoon gave the instruction upon being briefed on the quake, the strongest on the Korean Peninsula and in its surrounding waters this year, while on a state visit to Kazakhstan, according to presidential spokesperson Kim Soo-kyung. He also called for continual

June 12, 2024

PM orders thorough govt. response to 4.8 magnitude earthquake

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo instructed the government Wednesday to take thorough and effective measures in the aftermath of a 4.8 magnitude earthquake that struck near the southwestern county of Buan early in the day, his office said. The quake struck 4 kilometers south of the North Jeolla county at 8:26 a.m., the strongest on the Korean Peninsula and in its surrounding waters this year, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. Han ordered the interior minister to thoroughly manage

June 12, 2024