Elementary school musical: Seoul schools to teach breakdancing

Breakdancing will be included in after-school classes provided by elementary and middle schools in Seoul starting next year, the city’s education authorities said Wednesday. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and the Korea Breaking Federation -- the administrative body of breakdancing events and competitions in South Korea -- are slated to sign an agreement on creating breakdance classes tailored to students. The KBF will organize education courses and teaching materials while fost

Dec. 28, 2022

Busan launches Climate Clock, calls for environmental protection

The Busan Metropolitan City Government on Wednesday installed a "Climate Clock" at the south gate of Busan Citizens Park in Busanjin-gu, as part of the port city's efforts to raise awareness on environmental protection. Climate Clock is the name of a New York-based climate action group and also the name of the group's project involving scientists, artists and climate activists from around the world that aims to spread awareness on the seriousness of the global climate crisis.

Dec. 28, 2022

S. Korea's COVID-19 cases over 80,000 for second day

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed above 80,000 for the second straight day Wednesday amid lingering concerns over a wintertime surge. The country confirmed 87,517 new coronavirus infections, including 56 from overseas, bringing the total to 28,859,713, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Wednesday's tally is slightly lower than the 87,596 reported the previous day. The country confirmed 88,160 cases last Wednesday and 84,548 on Dec. 14. The KDCA reported 69 COVI

Dec. 28, 2022

[Graphic News] Life expectancy of S. Koreans rises to 83.6 years in 2021

The life expectancy of South Korean babies born last year reached 83.6 years, data showed, hovering above the average of major advanced countries. The average life expectancy at birth in 2021 marked a slight rise from the 83.5 years tallied a year earlier, according to the data from Statistics Korea. Compared with 1970 and 2000, the average life expectancy became 21.3 years and 7.6 years longer, respectively. Boys and girls born in 2021 are expected to live 80.6 years and 86.6 years, respectivel

Dec. 28, 2022

S. Korea reports another bird flu case at chicken far

South Korea confirmed one more avian influenza case at a chicken farm Tuesday in the latest in a series of infections at local poultry farms in recent weeks.The new case of a highly pathogenic avian influenza strain of H5N1 was found at a farm in the county of Yesan, 134 kilometers south of Seoul, which raises according to the agricultural ministry. Some 114,703 chickens are being raised at the farm. It brought the total caseload of this season at local poultry farms to 55, with the first one be

Dec. 27, 2022

South Chungcheong Province sets up bee food forest to combat bee loss

The South Chungcheong Province Office announced Tuesday that it has built a large "bee food forest" as part of efforts to prevent the ongoing mass death and disappearance of bees. The size of the bee food forest constructed by the province is equivalent to 4,733 soccer fields -- 31 percent larger than the original target of 25.79 million square meters. More than 8 million honey trees have been planted in the forest. Honey trees refer to those that provide food and habitat for honeybees

Dec. 27, 2022

Chinese national convicted of health insurance fraud

A Chinese national was sentenced by the Daegu District Court on Tuesday to six months in prison and two years of probation for illegally using a Korean citizen's resident registration number to get health insurance coverage for medical services. From 2012 to May 2022, the female Chinese national received medical treatment using a Korean citizen's resident registration number. According to the police investigation, the Chinese national received about 9.5 million won ($7,500) worth of be

Dec. 27, 2022

Depression among men in 30s, 40s increases after pandemic: study

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in depression disorder among men in their 30s and 40s, especially those with a lower education level or an unmarried status, data showed Tuesday. A report on adult mental health analyzed by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency based on a Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey said groups are considered at risk when the odds ratio, or relationship between a variable and the likelihood of an event occurring, is higher tha

Dec. 27, 2022

KH Group raided over alleged collusive bidding, NK money transfer

  The prosecution launched on Tuesday a search and seizure over KH Group's alleged interference with bidding regarding the sale of a ski resort in Pyeongchang, as well as its role in supporting illegal cash transfers to North Korea. The investigation led by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office took place in about 20 locations, including offices of construction-to-electronics KH Group and state-run Gangwondo Development Corp., as well as houses of KH Group officials and former Gang

Dec. 27, 2022

Civic group submits petition to UN amid ongoing conflicts over mosque construction in Daegu

A local civic group supporting Muslims in the conflict over a mosque construction in Daegu announced Monday that they filed a petition to the UN requesting emergency relief. The activists condemned the central government, Daegu Metropolitan Government and Daegu’s Buk-gu office, accusing them of inaction in the issue. “The fact that the government, Daegu and Daegu Buk-gu turn a blind eye to ongoing acts of religious discrimination and racial hatred constitutes a serious human rights v

Dec. 27, 2022

S. Korea's COVID-19 cases over 87,000 amid lingering concerns over winter surge

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases rose over 87,000 Tuesday, a significant hike from the previous day but a similar level reported last week. The country confirmed 87,596 new coronavirus infections, including 66 from overseas, bringing the total to 28,772,196, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Daily coronavirus case numbers tend to be lower on Monday due to fewer tests over the weekend and go up during weekdays. The country confirmed 25,545 new cases Monday, 87,536 last Tu

Dec. 27, 2022

[Graphic News] Nearly half of newlywed couples had no kids in 2021

　Nearly half of recently married couples in South Korea had no children in 2021, data showed, amid the country’s chronic low birthrate and changing social norms. 　Some 45.8 percent of the country’s 871,428 couples who were legally married in the five years up to November 2021 did not have children, rising from the 44.5 percent tallied in 2020, the data from Statistics Korea showed. 　The statistics cover couples who tied the knot for the first time from November 2016 to October 202

Dec. 27, 2022

[Out of the Shadows] Recovering drug users at rehab call for more help

A two-story redbrick house surrounded by trees in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, looks like any of the other ordinary suburban homes in the neighborhood. But residents in the house have a special purpose in common -- to put themselves on a path to recovery from drug addiction. The 165-square-meter house is the Gyeonggi branch of the Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Center, a private halfway house agency for recovery from drug addiction that aims to help drug users kick the habit without medical assi

Dec. 26, 2022

Teacher convicted for humiliating students

An elementary school teacher has been convicted of child abuse for publicly humiliating students, according to local experts and news reports Monday. The Seoul Central District Court sentenced the teacher to six months in prison and two years of probation for violating the child abuse punishment act. The court also ordered the teacher to attend a 40-hour lecture on child abuse prevention and mandated a two-year restriction on employment at any child-related institutions. From August until Novemb

Dec. 26, 2022

S. Korea reports first death from 'brain-eating amoeba'

South Korea reported its first case of infection from Naegleria fowleri, commonly referred to as “brain-eating amoeba,” health authorities said Monday. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency confirmed that a Korean national in his 50s had died after returning from Thailand. The man came back to Korea on Dec. 10 after a four-month stint there. He was admitted to a hospital the next day and died Wednesday last week. The KDCA said it had conducted genetic tests on three types o

Dec. 26, 2022

S. Korea's COVID-19 cases fall below 30,000 on fewer tests

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell below 30,000 Monday due to fewer tests during the Christmas weekend. The country confirmed 25,545 new coronavirus infections, including 67 from overseas, bringing the total to 28,684,600, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. The tally on Monday, which tends to be lower due to fewer tests over the weekend, is down by around 1,000 from a week ago. It is also slightly lower than the 25,657 reported two weeks ago. The KDCA reported 42 more

Dec. 26, 2022

2.6 magnitude earthquake hits southeastern S. Korea

A 2.6 magnitude earthquake struck near the southeastern city of Andong on Sunday, the state weather agency said. The quake struck 10 kilometers southwest of the city, 191 km southeast of Seoul, at 7:31 p.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. The epicenter was at a latitude of 36.51 degrees north and a longitude of 128.65 degrees east at a depth of 14 km. (Yonhap)

Dec. 25, 2022

Han River freezes early this year amid continued cold wave

The Han River in Seoul was declared frozen by South Korea's state weather agency for the first time this winter Sunday, as a cold snap has continued for days. The first freeze of the river was observed on the river running through the capital city more than two weeks earlier than in previous years, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. According to the KMA, the river is officially frozen when it has thick ice in a 100-meter-long area between the Han River Bridge's secon

Dec. 25, 2022

New Year’s bell-ringing ceremony returns in 3 years

After three years of pandemic-related setbacks, the traditional bell-ringing ceremony is returning as an offline event on Saturday night at Bosingak in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, to ring in the new year. Amid growing anxiety over public safety at high-density events following the Itaewon crowd crush, the city said it would deploy 1,000 safety personnel. The roads in the Bosingak area will be fully controlled from Saturday, 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. the next day. More than 100,000 people are expected to

Dec. 25, 2022

Ex-TV personality sentenced to 3 years in jail for repeated drug use

Amy Lee, a former TV entertainer who goes by her first name, has been sentenced to three years in prison, according to legal professionals and news reports Sunday. The Supreme Court ruled for a three-year imprisonment for Lee for violating the Narcotics Control Act, they said. Lee, who holds US citizenship, pleaded not guilty during the trial, saying she committed the crime “involuntarily” because of an accomplice surnamed Oh, although her innocence claim was rejected. She was on tri

Dec. 25, 2022