Photos show glimpse into first steps of alliance

When 23-year-old Dominick Spina was drafted into the US Army in January 1953 and arrived in South Korea’s Chuncheon as a soldier of the 40th Infantry Division in August that year, his mother was constantly worried about him. So he wrote to her often, hoping to quell her nerves. The Korean Armistice Agreement had just been signed in late July, bringing an end to the hostilities of the 1950-53 Korean War, and Dominick was grateful there was no fighting. In October 1953, he was assigned to th

May 23, 2023

Ex-airmen probed for making sexual comments against female superiors

South Korea’s military and police have launched an investigation into former Air Force soldiers for allegedly sexually harassing and insulting their female superiors. The country’s Air Force said late Monday that six former airmen -- whose identities have been withheld -- who were stationed at the unit’s combat squadron in Wonju, Gangwon Province, are accused of sexually harassing higher-up female officers by posting their names and pictures in documents that were being used fo

May 23, 2023

Hotter, wetter summer and possible El Nino: weather agency

South Korea is expected to see higher temperatures and more precipitation than usual this summer, the weather forecaster said Tuesday. Temperatures from June to August are 40 percent likely to be higher than usual or similar to the average year, a Korea Meteorological Administration briefing showed Tuesday, citing climate forecast models provided by 10 weather agencies. During the summer, a possible El Nino could bring more rain to the peninsula than usual. Precipitation tends to increase mainly

May 23, 2023

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases hit around 21,000

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases hit around 21,000 on Tuesday in a steady decline from the previous week, as the country is returning to pre-pandemic normalcy with almost all virus restrictions gone. The country reported 21,385 new infection cases, including 43 imported cases, bringing the total caseload to 31,569,468, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Tuesday's count is a drop from 23,671 a week earlier and 21,674 reported the week before, marking a moderate fall i

May 23, 2023

Father arrested for allegedly injuring 2-month-old son by violent shaking

A 33-year-old father was arrested Monday for allegedly causing a serious brain injury to his 2-month-old baby by violently shaking him. The Incheon District Court issued an arrest warrant for the man on charges of child abuse, citing concerns that he may attempt to flee. He is suspected of injuring his baby son early this month at their home in Incheon, 27 kilometers west of Seoul. He admitted to shaking the baby hard while holding him in his arms. The infant is currently receiving medical tre

May 22, 2023

Korea's most famous fugitive again attempts suicide

Sin Chang-won, Korea's most famous fugitive, has attempted to take his own life but was not in critical condition, according to the Justice Ministry on Monday. Sin, 56, was found by a correctional officer while attempting to commit suicide in Daejeon Prison at around 8:15 p.m. Sunday. After resuscitation, he was immediately transferred to an unnamed hospital nearby. Sin was admitted to the intensive care unit, but is able to breathe without mechanical assistance, the ministry said. It was S

May 22, 2023

Arrest warrant requested for actor Yoo Ah-in over alleged drug abuse

Prosecutors requested an arrest warrant for Korean actor Yoo Ah-in, whose real name is Uhm Hong-sik, on Monday over allegations of illegal drug use. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said at a press conference on Monday that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office requested an arrest warrant for the 37-year-old actor. The actor is suspected of using five illegal or prescription drugs for non-medical purposes -- marijuana, cocaine, ketamine, propofol and the insomnia medication zol

May 22, 2023

[Photo News] The art of spacing out

The annual Hangang Space-out Competition returned Sunday, with a total of 70 teams showing off their art of zoning out. On Jamsoo Bridge over Seoul's Han River, the participants – some of them dressed in costumes -- turned off their phones and sat with blank expressions, while their heart rates were checked every 15 minutes. Anyone who laughs, talks or dozes off was eliminated. A player dressed in a tuxedo took the first prize after successfully spacing out for 90 minutes. The winner

May 22, 2023

[Photo News] Dondeokjeon resurrected

Guests unveil the signboard of Dondeokjeon during an unveiling ceremony on Monday at Dondeokjeon in Deoksugung Palace in central Seoul on Monday. Originally constructed as an event hall to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Emperor Gojong, Dondeokjeon later served primarily as a reception hall and guesthouse for foreign visitors before it was destroyed by Japan in the 1920s. After five years of reconstruction that began in 2017, the building was finally completed in November, almost a century a

May 22, 2023

Flu, common cold maintaining strong grip into late spring

With the COVID-19 pandemic seemingly in the rear-view mirror, South Korea is witnessing a late-season resurgence of seasonal flu and the common cold this spring, with the number of patients five times greater than the average of previous years, officials said Monday. According to government data, the ratio of patients diagnosed with or suspected of having seasonal influenza in the 19th week of the year -- May 7-13 -- came to 23.4 per 1,000, up 26.5 percent from four weeks earlier. The 19th-week

May 22, 2023

Family under investigation for assaulting teenage daughter

A family is under police investigation assaulting their middle school-age daughter in the middle of downtown Seoul. Gangnam Police Station said Sunday it had opened an investigation into the girl's parents, in their 40s, and her older brother on respective charges of child abuse and assault against the girl, whose exact age remains undisclosed. The three allegedly assaulted the victim for about 20 minutes, punching and kicking her on a road near an apartment complex in Gangnam, Seoul, aroun

May 22, 2023

Yellow dust with scattered showers forecast through Tuesday

High concentrations of micro dust appeared in most parts of the country on Monday and will remain through Tuesday, due to an influx of yellow dust from across the West Sea. As of 12 p.m. Monday, Korea Meteorological Administration said that yellow dust has been observed covering the country nationwide including the Seoul metropolitan area. The KMA added that the southern part of the country would also see showers mixed with the yellow dust, urging people to avoid exposure to the polluted rain. O

May 22, 2023

Police officer arrested for having sex with minor

An incumbent police officer has been arrested for having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. The Namyangju branch of the Uijeongbu District Court said Sunday it had issued an arrest warrant for the police officer under the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on charges of rape against a middle school student. The court added that the warrant was issued against the suspect to prevent the officer from fleeing. The police officer was summoned on Thursday on accusations of requesting inappropriat

May 22, 2023

Seoul offers same-day luggage delivery service

Seoul Metro, the operator of Seoul’s subway service, said Monday that it started offering a same-day luggage delivery service, dubbed “T-Luggage,” between Incheon and Gimpo International Airports and subway stations to enhance travel convenience for passengers. Under the service, travelers can leave their luggage at the subway station in the morning and claim it at the airport after work, which would streamline the overall travel process. Foreign travelers can leave their bagga

May 22, 2023

Woman booked for exchanging counterfeit US dollars

A woman in her 20s has been booked on counterfeiting charges for exchanging fake $100 bills at a bank in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, police said Monday. The suspect exchanged 30 $100 bills at a bank in Gimpo on Friday, according to Gimpo police. The bank reported the woman to the police after realizing that the notes were counterfeit. The suspect is reported to have told police that the counterfeit notes were movie props her family had bought, and that she had taken them to the bank by mistake. Po

May 22, 2023

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 7,000

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell below 7,000 on Monday, posting an on-week decline, with the post-pandemic recovery taking hold as the country has almost removed all virus restrictions. The country reported 6,798 new infection cases, including 22 imported cases, bringing the total caseload to 31,548,083, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Monday's tally marks a drop from 7,178 a week earlier and 8,155 logged the week before, showing a steady decline in the virus

May 22, 2023

[Graphic News] Crime rate in S. Korea lowest in 10 years in 2021

South Korea’s crime rate fell to the lowest level in a decade in 2021, data showed, although offenses in the cyber domain shot up amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Asia’s No. 4 economy reported 1,774 cases of criminal violations per 100,000 people in 2021, down 12 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. The number of murders reached 1.3 per 100,000 people in 2021, down 18 percent on-year. The figures for acts of violence and theft fell 16 percent an

May 22, 2023

40% of Korean women suffer from menstrual disorders: survey

Some 40 percent of Korean women suffer from menstrual disorders, including painful cramps, heavy bleeding and premenstrual syndrome, survey showed Sunday. According to the report titled “Menstruation Management in Korean Women," published by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, and Korea University College of Medicine, over 40 percent of Korean women suffer from menstrual disorders, such as painful cramps during menstruation,

May 21, 2023

Teacher accused of child abuse for scolding acquitted

A teacher who was accused on charges of child abuse after scolding students has been ruled not guilty, according to news reports on Sunday, quoting the court's ruling. A homeroom teacher in his 40s, who works at an elementary school in Ulsan, was accused of child abuse for scolding some students. The teacher scolded a student who talked during class by making him stand in front of the class and asked other students what the student had done wrong. Additionally, when the student asked if he

May 21, 2023

Drywood termites, pests commonly found in tropical regions, appear in Seoul

Sightings of drywood termites not known to exist in South Korea until now are on the rise, raising concerns the winged species could breed nationwide and damage the country’s wooden cultural assets among others. Reports of these termites, which are considered pests because they feed on wood, in Seoul’s Gangnam-gu, and Asan, South Chungcheong Province, were recently made on online communities with photos. After an on-site inspection last week, the Ministry of Environment confirmed tha

May 21, 2023