S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases hit 66-day high at 41,310

South Korea's new coronavirus cases reached a 66-day high at over 41,000 on Saturday amid the spread of a highly contagious new omicron subvariant. The country reported 41,310 new COVID-19 infections, including 287 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,721,415, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Saturday's figure more than doubled from 20,286 new cases recorded a week earlier, as the country has seen a marked increase in infections from end-June due to the

July 16, 2022

Workplace harassment decreasing after enforcement of anti-bullying law in 2019

Instances of workplace harassment have modestly decreased for the past three years after the implementation of a workplace anti-bullying law in 2019, a poll showed Friday, though the degree of abuse felt by the victims is still serious. According to the recent poll of 1,000 salaried workers by pollster Embrain Public, 29.6 percent said they experienced workplace bullying this year, marking a decline of 14.9 percentage points from 44.5 percent in a similar poll conducted in 2019. In a similar out

July 15, 2022

2019 repatriation of NK fishermen not unusual: DP lawmaker

A lawmaker of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) claimed Friday the previous administration's repatriation of two North Korean fishermen in 2019 is not an unusual case, citing a unification ministry report that shows there were dozens of similar cases since 2010. Rep. Yoon Kun-young made the case amid growing criticism that the previous administration of President Moon Jae-in sent the fishermen back to the North in what critics said was an effort to curry favor with Pyongyang, even though

July 15, 2022

[Photo News] UN-Habitat Korean committee partners with economic institute

The UN-Habitat Korean National Committee signed a deal with the Economic Crisis Management Research Institute on Friday in Yeouido, western Seoul, to establish a cooperative relationship for the realization of the UN‘s Sustainable Development Goals and new urban agenda. (UN-Habitat Korean National Committee)

July 15, 2022

[Interactive] Homeless women: Invisible specters of the streets

July 15, 2022

State rights watchdog to oppose proposal of lowering age of criminal responsibility

The state human rights watchdog is expected to announce its opposition next month to the government's proposal to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility below 14, officials said Friday. Currently, children aged between 10 and 14 cannot be held criminally responsible for their actions and are instead sent to juvenile detention facilities, not prisons, or made to do community service, in accordance with the Juvenile Act. Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon has ordered an amendment loweri

July 15, 2022

S. Korea to tighten quarantine inspections at major airports amid virus resurgence

The government will beef up quarantine inspections at major airports as the number of travelers are expected to rise sharply in the summer vacation season amid a new wave of virus resurgence, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min said Friday. Some 200 quarantine workers will be additionally assigned to Incheon International Airport, the No. 1 gateway to the country, and seven other regional airports in stages to tighten quarantine inspection, the minister said during a government virus response meeting

July 15, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 infections continue doubling on-week to near 40,000

South Korea's new coronavirus cases more than doubled in a week again on Friday to near 40,000 amid the fast spread of a highly contagious new omicron subvariant. The country added 38,882 new COVID-19 infections, including 261 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,680,142, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Friday's figure more than doubled from 19,308 new cases logged a week earlier, as the country has seen a marked growth in infections from end-Ju

July 15, 2022

S. Korea ranks 2nd at int'l youth math competition

South Korea ranked second at this year's youth international mathematics competition in Norway earlier this month, with China clinching the top spot, the event's organizers said Friday. The six-member South Korean delegation earned a combined 208 points with three gold medals and as many silvers at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2022 that took place in Oslo from July 6-15, according the IMO's website. South Korea finished in second place out of 104 countries. Last y

July 15, 2022

Yoon’s first Supreme Court short list down to three names

The committee considering Supreme Court nominations convened a meeting Thursday afternoon and zeroed in on three finalists. The nominees are Daejeon High Court Chief Justice Lee Kyun-yong; Jeju District Court Chief Justice Oh Seok-jun; and Seoul High Court Senior Justice Oh Young-jun. The Supreme Court’s Chief Justice Kim Myeong-soo will pick one of them to be reviewed for appointment by President Yoon Suk-yeol. The three contend to replace Kim Jae-hyung, a Supreme Court judge who is

July 14, 2022

More science, less politics? Yoon’s COVID-19 plan is Moon’s in different words

President Yoon Suk-yeol has said he would handle the pandemic better than his predecessor Moon Jae-in; that his response would be “driven by science rather than politics.” But the shift that the president signaled was not realized in the summer resurgence preparedness plans announced Wednesday -- his administration’s first major COVID-19 measure -- with experts labeling them a repeat of what has already been done. The presidential spokesperson’s office said Monday tha

July 14, 2022

Year-round clinics, pharmacies open in subway stations

Subway stations in Seoul will house more clinics and pharmacies, providing easy access to commuters who need medical services on the go. According to Seoul Metro, operator of Seoul’s subway system, the first two installments of the Metro Medical Zone consisting of medical clinics and pharmacies opened at Yeoksam Station on Line No. 2 and Jongno 3-ga Station on Line Nos. 1, 3 and 5 on Thursday. Both are open 365 days a year from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, including weekends. Some

July 14, 2022

Another worrying omicron mutant, BA.2.75, found in South Korea

South Korea on Thursday confirmed the first case of BA.2.75, another omicron subvariant that is rapidly gaining ground in India and several other countries. The patient, who is in his 60s, lives in Incheon and has no recent travel history, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The KDCA said the BA.2.75 patient tested positive Monday and started experiencing symptoms around three days prior to testing. He is isolating at home, so far in a stable condition. He has not c

July 14, 2022

Constitutional court begins third review of death penalty

The Constitutional Court in South Korea held an open hearing Thursday on whether the death penalty is constitutional or not. It is the first time in 12 years and the third time in the country’s history that the death penalty has been challenged at the Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court ruled in favor of the death penalty system both in 1996 and 2010, with 7-2 and 5-4 decisions, respectively. For The death penalty to be found unconstitutional, at least six out of nine have

July 14, 2022

40-yr prison term finalized for Optimus CEO over massive investment scam

The Supreme Court finalized a 40-year prison sentence Thursday for the CEO of private equity investment firm Optimus Asset Management in one of the country's largest investment scams. Kim Jae-hyun, 52, allegedly raised more than 1.3 trillion won ($992 million) from thousands of private and institutional investors between April 2018 and June 2020, promising the money will be invested in low-risk assets involving public institutions. However, the money was invested in risky assets or used to

July 14, 2022

Child porn website operator appeals 2-yr prison term for concealing criminal proceeds

A 26-year-old man responsible for running one of the world's largest child sexual abuse websites has appealed a two-year prison term sentenced for concealing criminal proceeds, court officials said Thursday. Son Jong-woo filed the appeal with the Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday from a detention center he was put into last week after the court convicted him for hiding the money he had raised from selling child exploitation materials while operating "Welcome to Video." Pro

July 14, 2022

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases more than double in week to near 40,000

South Korea's new coronavirus cases more than doubled in a week to near 40,000 on Thursday, as the country has experienced a resurgence of infections amid the fast spread of a highly contagious new omicron subvariant. The country added 39,196 new COVID-19 infections, including 338 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,641,278, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Thursday's figure also more than doubled from 18,511 cases logged a week earlier, as the country ha

July 14, 2022

Wary parents petition against demonstrations near presidential office

A group of elementary school parents near the presidential office has filed a petition asking police to take steps to safeguard their children from noise and other hazards from constant rallies around the top office. A series of rallies have been held near the new presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul, in recent months, led by protestors ranging from a progressive labor union to a disabled advocacy group. The parents' association of Yongsan Elementary School -- adjacent to the offic

July 14, 2022

[Newsmaker] ‘Congratulations!’ followed by a smack and humiliation

Last month, a Korean Navy sergeant was beaten up by a group of seven fellow servicemen for more than two hours at a unit in Donghae, Gangwon Province. The victim suffered severe ligament tears and bruises all over his body, which required four weeks of medical treatment. About a month before that, four high school girls in Cheonho-dong, southeastern Seoul, were caught by police for assaulting one of their classmates at a construction site.  The two cases may seem unrelated, but they have

July 13, 2022

South Korea won’t bring back social distancing over BA.5

The Yoon Suk-yeol administration faces its first major COVID-19 test, as BA.5, a recent subvariant of omicron, begins to drive up cases across South Korea. In a televised news conference Wednesday morning, top health officials stressed that social distancing will not be making a comeback. Peck Kyong-ran, Yoon’s first Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency commissioner, said, “Social distancing won’t be mandated like it had been in the past.” She said that the c

July 13, 2022