Arrest warrants dismissed for YouTubers attempted housebreaking Justice Minister

A Seoul court on Friday dismissed arrest warrants sought for two reporters from Citizen Press The Tamsa TV on suspicions of trying to break into Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon’s residence. The Seoul Central District Court rejected the prosecutor’s demand to detain two YouTube reporters, Kang Jin-koo and Choi Young-min, citing the prosecution’s lack of explanation and need to guarantee the right of defense for the suspects. Last month, five reporters from the online media outlet

Dec. 30, 2022

S. Korea's COVID-19 cases down for third straight day

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell for the third consecutive day Friday amid the government's efforts to contain the virus' wintertime resurgence. The country confirmed 65,207 new coronavirus infections, including 68 from overseas, bringing the total to 28,996,347, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Friday's tally has been on the decrease since Tuesday and is down from 68,168 a week ago. The KDCA reported 68 COVID-19 deaths, bringing the death toll to 32

Dec. 30, 2022

Flood control capacity goals raised for Seoul, Gangnam Station area

The Seoul city government has elevated the flood control capacity goals for the city and the flood-prone Gangnam Station area to help the city better prepare against torrential downpours, officials said Friday. The move came after record heavy rains of 100 millimeters per hour flooded many parts of the city, especially Gangnam areas, raising the need to upgrade the city's flood control capacity that has been beefed up with an objective to deal with a maximum of 95 millimeters of rain per ho

Dec. 30, 2022

Supreme Court approves acquittals of doctors, nurses in deaths of four newborns

The Supreme Court has confirmed the not-guilty verdicts of seven doctors and nurses at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital in Seoul in the case of deaths of four newborns by bacterial infection in 2017, court officials said Friday. The top court upheld lower court sentences that found the four doctors and three nurses at the university hospital not guilty of death by occupational negligence over the deaths of the newborns, they said. On Dec. 15, 2017, four infants died within a span of two h

Dec. 30, 2022

[Newsmaker] Owner of Chinese restaurant accused as front for ‘China’s secret police’ says allegations 'unjust'

The owner of a Chinese restaurant in southern Seoul on Thursday requested for police protection, denying media reports that it may be one of the overseas fronts for China’s secret police. Holding a press conference at his eatery Oriental Pearl Tower in Jamsil-dong, Songpa-gu, the owner, identified as Wang, called the allegations “unjust.” The man said there will be another press conference on Saturday for which reporters are required to pay to attend. “The (Oriental Pearl

Dec. 29, 2022

Identity of taxi driver murder suspect revealed

The suspect who admitted to killing a taxi driver and his ex-girlfriend was revealed to be a 31-year-old Lee Ki-young, according to police Thursday. In a rare move, Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency revealed the suspect's name and age. His driver's license photo was also released upon his request. The decision to divulge Lee's identity was because the murder case was considered highly condemnable and that it had enough evidence, it added. A suspect's identity and personal information is ve

Dec. 29, 2022

At least 5 killed, 37 injured in expressway fire

At least five people died and 37 people were injured as of 5 p.m. Thursday as a fire engulfed a soundproof tunnel on a highway in Gwacheon, southern Gyeonggi Province, on Thursday afternoon. President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered the Interior Ministry and Health Ministry to conduct a thorough search at the scene of the incident to prevent more deaths. He also ordered an all-out inspection of the road structures like sound barriers to check whether the materials used are fire-prone, in a move to preve

Dec. 29, 2022

First sunrise of 2023 expected at 7:26 a.m.

The first sunrise of 2023 is expected to be seen at 7:26 a.m. from Dokdo, the easternmost part of Korea, with a forecast of clear skies, according to the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute on Thursday. The last sunset of 2022 will begin at 5:05 p.m, it said. Clear skies are expected for the last day of 2022 and the first day of 2023, making for spectacular sunset and sunrise views, the Korea Meteorological Administration said. Until Jan. 3 of the new year, the country will generally h

Dec. 29, 2022

Volleyball player admits to draft dodging

Days after local media reported that volleyball player Jo Jae-sung tried to avoid his mandatory military service, OK Financial Group OKman’s opposite striker admitted his guilt in a social media post late Wednesday night, saying he had attempted draft evasion with a local broker. “I’m sincerely sorry. I’ve committed an unforgivable crime. I was ignorant because I only knew volleyball,” the Instagram post read, calling it a case of "blurred judgment." All a

Dec. 29, 2022

Seoul to raise subway, bus fares first time in 8 years

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Thursday that it would raise the fares for the public transit system in South Korea's capital by as early as April 2023 for the first time in about eight years. While the city did not confirm the degree of the fare increase, it projected subway and bus fares to rise by 300 won (24 cents) to keep the public transportation system afloat. Currently, adults in Seoul pay 1,250 won for a regular subway fare and 1,200 won for a regular bus ride. The fare

Dec. 29, 2022

S. Korea's COVID-19 cases fall below 80,000

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell below the 80,000 mark on Thursday, with health authorities remaining cautious to prevent a wintertime surge. The country confirmed 71,427 new coronavirus infections, including 72 from overseas, bringing the total to 28,931,140, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Thursday's tally is lower than 87,517 cases reported on the previous day and down from 75,729 a week ago. The KDCA reported 76 COVID-19 deaths, bringing the death toll to

Dec. 29, 2022

[Out of the Shadows] Korea should treat drug abuse epidemic as it did COVID-19: minister

OSONG, North Chungcheong Province – South Korea’s drug abuse epidemic deserves just as much attention as COVID-19, according to Minister of Food and Drug Safety Oh Yu-Kyoung. Speaking with The Korea Herald in a recent interview, Oh said tackling drug abuse has become a “top priority” at the ministry under her leadership. “For so long, drug abuse prevention and rehabilitation has been a barren field in South Korea,” she said. Oh said so far the country’

Dec. 28, 2022

Murder suspect arrested amid widening probe into alleged serial killing

A man who confessed to killing a woman and a taxi driver this week was arrested Wednesday, amid a widening probe into alleged serial killing. The Goyang Branch Court of Uijeongbu District Court in northwestern Gyeonggi Province issued an arrest warrant for the unnamed 32-year-old on charges of beating a 60-year-old taxi driver to death and concealing the body inside a closet in his house in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, citing concerns about him destroying evidence and fleeing. The arrest warrant

Dec. 28, 2022

Govt. designates groups to aid digital sex crime victims to take down abusive materials

Korea Communications Commission designated 17 institutions Tuesday, to take down sexually abusive material distributed online on behalf of the victims, at request. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family defines digital sex crime as taking photos or videos of a person's body or part of the body without consent with cameras or any other digital devices, as well as distributing, threatening to distribute, downloading, displaying, or buying and selling the illegally captured material, and

Dec. 28, 2022

The Importance of The 2030 Busan World Expo

Global cities have already started competing to be the host city for the 2030 World Expo, and South Korea’s largest coastal city Busan is one of them. The World Expo is a world fair that takes place every five years and is a place where representatives from over 170 countries meet to share ideas, technology, and culture. Every World Expo has a different objective to tackle a global issue. The city of Busan wants to highlight the problem of rising sea levels and hopes to be a global leader

Dec. 28, 2022

The Importance of The 2030 Busan World Expo

The World Expo is a global event where the countries of the world display their culture and technological innovations in a single location. One country hosts this event every five years. Because of the attention and the large number of visitors, the host country can get a lot of economic and cultural benefits. If Busan is chosen to host the 2030 World Expo, the city’s economy will grow, and the event will help spread Korea’s technology globally. First, through hosting the Expo, Busan

Dec. 28, 2022

The Importance of The 2030 Busan World Expo

Enjoy finger-licking seafood like juicy crabs? Are you a K-pop fan or, better, a member of the BTS Army? Maybe you’re into Korean soap operas or Lee Jung-jae’s “Squid Game.” If you’re interested in savoring all three in one place, then please support the 2030 Busan World Expo, where you'll be in for a ride! World Expos are global exhibitions aimed at finding solutions to the world’s pressing problems. The first of its kind was held in London in 1851 and h

Dec. 28, 2022

The Importance of The 2030 Busan World Expo

In about 70 years, Busan has risen from the ashes of the Korean War to become the sixth-largest maritime logistics center in the world and a hub connecting countries all around the globe. As much as the themes proposed by all five candidates are regarding the future and innovation, it is time to reconsider the importance of the meaning Busan has on the World Expo 2030. The primary purpose of Expos is to resolve global challenges together as a world and work towards a better future. Busan isn&rsq

Dec. 28, 2022

The Importance of The 2030 Busan World Expo

Driving past the illuminated billboards of Korea’s major cities, you may have once come across an ad for something called the 2030 Busan World Expo. Boasting a history of over 170 years, World Expos have long been known as platforms for innovation and cultural exchange. And in September 2022, South Korea submitted a formal bid to host this extraordinary event. The vote for the 2030 Expo’s host country, organized by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), is set to take place

Dec. 28, 2022

[Best Brand] 100 Classics offers leading English learning programs

As many school-age children spend more time consuming digital media like short-form video content, there are worries that a rapid rise in technology is producing a decline in children’s literacy rates. Young children can still read, but may have difficulty fully understanding the context, which will gradually hinder skill acquisition in learning processes and their English ability. “100 Classics,” an English education service brand for children and teenagers, has drawn young pa

Dec. 28, 2022