Mosquitoes increase due to climate change

South Korea is expected to see more mosquitoes this summer as the acceleration in climate change is amplifying mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria across the nation. "The weather agency predicts this year's summer to be hotter than usual. ... Extremely hot weather leads to a surge in mosquito activity. This means that people will notice more mosquito bites this summer, and thus be more uncomfortable," Lee Hee-il, the head of the division of vectors and parasitic diseases at th

May 28, 2024

Seoul to open world's first hotel on bridge in July

Seoul will open the first-ever hotel built on a bridge, connecting the northern and southern parts of the city, the city government announced Tuesday. Named Sky Suite, the hotel is located on the northern end of the Hangang Bridge, where scenic views of the Han River can be enjoyed all day. The hotel is set to open to the public in July. “With the opening of Sky Suite Hangang Bridge, the city is looking forward to sharing the charms of the Han River and Seoul with the world," said

May 28, 2024

May 23 declared as K-Respect Day in Seoul

Lawmakers and diplomats were among those attending the declaration ceremony for K-Respect Day and No Hate Comments Day at the National Assembly in Seoul, on March 23. The event was organized by the Sunfull Foundation to raise awareness and promote understanding and respect for people of different cultures and backgrounds and to root out the toxic cultures of cyberbullying and hate speech, according to Min Byoung-chul, founder and chairman of the Sunfull Foundation. Launched in March last year, t

May 28, 2024

[Feature] Ignorance about Africa still rampant in Korea

Taiwo Victoria Anuoluwapo recalled a scene from her favorite K-drama, “Shooting Stars,” which aired in 2022. It depicted a protagonist leaving for Africa to help dying children and provide clean water. Whenever similar scenes appear in K-dramas and movies, Taiwo cannot hide her bewilderment. “We love K-culture a lot in Nigeria, and it’s always painful when we see stuff like that,” said Taiwo, 28, a Nigerian studying in Chungnam National University in Daejeon. &ldquo

May 28, 2024

[Graphic News] Decline in adoption continues: Just 229 children find new homes last year

Last year, a total of 229 children found new homes through both domestic and international adoption, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. This figure marks a decline for the fourth consecutive year, with 150 children adopted domestically and 79 adopted internationally. The cumulative number of adopted children now stands at 249,959. In domestic adoption, 89 girls and 61 boys were adopted, though the proportion of girls saw a slight decrease of 4.9 percent compared to the previous y

May 28, 2024

S. Korea to clamp down on 'excessive' use of medical services

Starting July, the government will start charging extra medical fees for those who use the medical services an "excessive" amount. The recent revision of the National Health Insurance Act will kick in on July 1, which means that the current coverage of the state-run health insurance program will be limited to 365 outpatient treatments in a year. Those visiting the hospital more frequently will still be covered by the National Insurance, but will have to pay 90 percent of the medical bi

May 27, 2024

Violation found in soldier's death during training exercise: Army

A violation of military regulation occurred with a recent trainee soldier's death during a training exercise, an Army official told local media Monday. In a meeting with reporters, the unnamed official confirmed that there "had been a situation that was not in accordance with (military) regulation" during the exercise. The official refused to elaborate, saying the case was still under investigation by the police and the military. According to the Army, the trainee soldier died Sat

May 27, 2024

Students inventive effort to return lost credit card goes viral

The story of two students who found a lost credit card and returned it to its owner in a creative way has gone viral. According to a report by a local TV network Jeju International Broadcasting System, on the evening of April 19, a Jeju resident surnamed Han received a text message informing him of a charge of 300 won ($0.2) at a convenience store made with his lost credit card. At that point, he did not even know that it was missing. The next day, he called the card company to report the mi

May 27, 2024

Financially active women bear fewer children, report finds

Working women or dual-income households in South Korea have fewer children on average than households with a single breadwinner, as child care is disproportionately also done by women, reports showed Monday. Based on household surveys of partners aged 25 to 44, dual-income households had an average of 1.36 children while single-income households had 1.46 children last year, according to Statistics Korea's study of fertility disparities based on economic and social factors. Elite families with a

May 27, 2024

Seoul to host triathlon festival along Han river in June

The 1st Sium Sium Han River Triathlon Festival inviting participants to complete swimming, cycling, and running events within 48 hours will take place along the Han river in Seoul in June. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Monday that the festival would take place on June 1 and 2 at the Ttukseom Han River Park in Seoul. Under the slogan, “Sium Sium” meaning "chill-out" in Korean, the festival is intended to ensure that everyone, regardless of age or gender, can

May 27, 2024

S. Koreans' average TOEIC score ranks 16th

South Koreans scored 677 points on average in the Test of English for International Communication last year, ranking 16th out of 44 countries around the globe and fifth among its Asian peers, the Korea TOEIC Committee said Monday. The latest figure is up two points from an average of 675 points in 2022. The TOEIC exam assesses non-native speakers' English-language listening and reading proficiency, and test takers can get up to 990 points. It's widely used in Korea to gauge the English

May 27, 2024

Less than 2% of those questioned over dating violence arrested

Approximately 4,400 people were accused of dating abuse during the first four months of this year, but only 1.9 percent faced a formal arrest, a police report showed Monday. According to the Korean National Police Agency data received by People Power Party Rep. Kim Mi-ae, out of 25,967 allegations of dating violence reported to police from January to April, 4,395 suspects were brought in for questioning. Of these suspects, 82 were arrested, representing a rate of 1.87 percent. Among the suspec

May 27, 2024

Govt. vows to continue efforts to mend discord with medical community

South Korea's health ministry said Monday it plans to continue efforts to resolve the ongoing discord with doctors following the finalization of the university admission plan, which includes the controversial medical school quota hike, last week. The remark came after the Korean Council for University Education, an association of university presidents, approved an increase in next year's medical school admission quota last week despite strong protests from trainee doctors, finalizing t

May 27, 2024

Man arrested for attempted murder after stabbing mother in broad daylight

A 41-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after attacking his mother in the street with a knife, police said Monday. The Incheon District Court on Sunday issued an arrest warrant for the suspect on the ground that he is a flight risk, according to the Incheon Michuhol Police Station. The suspect is believed to have stabbed his mother, who is in her 60s, at around 11:52 a.m. on Thursday, in the streets of Michuhol-gu, Incheon. Police detectives who were passing by in a

May 27, 2024

Teen found dead in river, hours after jumping in with friend

A high school student who had gone missing after jumping into a river was found dead Sunday, close to where he had gone missing. According to officials, The boy jumped into the Ganggyeongcheon in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, at around 5:50 p.m., and was swept away. He was found dead three hours later, about 70 meters away from where he had been playing. A boy who had been playing with him told local police that they were "messing around" when they decided to jump into the water.

May 27, 2024

[Photo News] Fashion show promotes diversity, environmental protection

Models and organizers pose for a photograph holding banners with messages supporting diversity and protecting the environment after the 2024 SWG&IWIK ESG Fashion Show, held at Sebitseom cultural space, Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul on Sunday. The event, organized by local civic group International World In Korea, emphasized social responsibility for diversity and environmental protection alongside the development of the tourism industry, its officials said. (IWIK)

May 27, 2024

Provincial students to gain wider access to med schools

For aspiring medical doctors in South Korea, where they live is likely to play a major factor in shaping their chances of entering medical school, as the new admissions plan envisions clear advantages for students living outside the capital. According to the Korean Council for University Education and universities, out of the total 4,567 enrollments set for the nation’s 40 medical schools in the 2025 academic year, at least 1,801 slots are exclusive to those who completed their high scho

May 26, 2024

Star dog trainer faces workplace bullying claims

Celebrity dog trainer Kang Hyung-wook and his dog training business Bodeum Company are facing criticism for allegedly mistreating employees. According to several reviews on Job Planet, an online recruitment and job search platform, Kang and his wife Susan Elder, who serves as the company executive, surveilled employees’ work messages that were sent using an instant messaging app, used violent language, gaslighted employees, and asked them to run excessive errands on their days off. Startin

May 26, 2024

UN Public Service Forum to be held in Incheon next month

South Korea will host the UN Public Service Forum next month to discuss ways to transform and innovate the public sector, focusing on digital transformation and artificial intelligence, the Ministry of Interior and Safety said Sunday. This year’s UN Public Service Forum will be held for three days at Songdo, Incheon, from June 24 to 26. It will be jointly organized by the Interior Ministry and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The UN Public Service Forum is an annual intern

May 26, 2024

Govt. to set up support plans for medical schools to prepare for quota hike

The government plans to introduce measures to support medical schools as they prepare for an increased number of freshmen starting next year, medical sources said Sunday, amid concerns that the hike could compromise the quality of education. The government plans to announce comprehensive measures to assist universities based on their specific needs within the first half of the year, according to the sources. Last week, the Korean Council for University Education, an association of university pre

May 26, 2024