Parked EV crashes into restaurant; four pedestrians injured

An electric vehicle without a driver at the wheel crashed into a restaurant building in Gangnam, Seoul, injuring four pedestrians, police said Friday. The incident occurred at around 5:17 p.m. on Thursday, leaving pedestrians with minor injuries. According to authorities, the vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz electric car, was parked when the accident happened. The car owner, a woman in her 30s, was seated in the passenger seat changing her shoes. She claimed to have pressed the car’s “auto

Nov. 22, 2024

S. Korea expects to create W59t in economic effect via zero carbon energy sources by 2033

South Korea expects to achieve an economic effect worth 59 trillion won ($42 billion) by enhancing the country's "zero carbon energy ecosystem" by 2033, the industry ministry said Friday. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has announced the 5th Energy Technology Plan, outlining its energy technology vision and R&D investment strategy for the next 10 years through 2033. Under the plan, the government will focus on increasing the use of nuclear power, hydrogen, and ren

Nov. 22, 2024

Union's 'work-to-rule' protest continues to delay Seoul subway trains

Seoul Metro, the operator of subway lines 1-8, said Friday that 27 trains were delayed by more than 20 minutes on the previous day, marking the second day of a slowdown strike by its unionized workers. With 3,189 subway trains in operation Thursday, their on-time rate stood at 99.1 percent, the operator said, noting that the current law defines a delayed train as one delayed by more than 20 minutes. Compared with the first day of the unionized workers' "work-to-rule" protest, th

Nov. 22, 2024

Police claim NK hackers stole cryptocurrency worth W58b

Hackers linked to North Korea’s military intelligence agency were found to be responsible for extorting ethereum cryptocurrency worth 58 billion won ($41.5 million) back in 2019, according to the National Office of Investigation of the Korean National Police Agency, Thursday. According to the KNPA, North Korea’s state-sponsored hacker groups Lazarus and Andariel were found to be involved in the theft of 342,000 ethereum tokens from the South Korea-based cryptocurrency exchange Upbit

Nov. 21, 2024

Smugglers caught disguising 230 tons of Chinese black beans as diesel exhaust fluid

Smugglers who attempted to disguise 230 tons of black soybeans, known as “seoritae,” from China as an additive for diesel engines, have been arrested, customs officials said Thursday. The Incheon Regional Customs said it has referred 11 suspects to prosecutors without detention for alleged violations of customs law. The authorities have also issued wanted notice for two accomplices who are believed to be in China. The suspects are accused of smuggling 230 tons of black soybeans, wort

Nov. 21, 2024

Complaints on deepfake sex crimes surge in South Korea

Complaints related to deepfake sex crimes have surged in South Korea this year, government data showed Thursday. From January to October, an average of 50 complaints per month related to deepfake sex crimes were reported to public complaint platforms, such as the state-run e-People website and local government channels, according to data compiled by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. This represents a 1.7-fold increase from the 30 monthly complaints reported on average in 2023. Dee

Nov. 21, 2024

Seoul to host winter festival from Dec. 13

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday that it will host a large-scale, city-wide winter festival next month, accompanied by media art and radiant sculptures decorating the city. Also known as Seoul Winter Festa, the city government combined several winter-themed events into one large-scale festival for the first time in 2023. According to the city government, the event saw around 7.4 million visitors. This year’s event will kick off on Dec. 13 and run until Jan. 5 at six location

Nov. 21, 2024

Concerns rise over unchecked prescriptions of Wegovy

Concerns are rising over Wegovy being available at pharmacies without proper prescription, as some people are grappling with side effects. Wegovy is a popular weight-loss drug known to be used by celebrities like Elon Musk and Rebel Wilson. Recently, users of the weight-loss injection have taken to social media to share their reviews of Wegovy, with many of them experiencing headaches, itching and skin rashes due to allergic reactions, as well as stomach issues. "The most unpleasant side ef

Nov. 21, 2024

Nationwide rail disruptions feared as union plans strike from Dec. 5

Concerns over possible nationwide rail disruption grew as unionized workers announced Thursday that they would go on an indefinite general strike on Dec. 5 to demand a wage increase and a bigger workforce. If implemented, the strike is expected to affect the operations of high-speed KTX and other regular train services nationwide, as well as subway services in the capital area, including the operation of Subway Line Nos. 1, 3 and 4 and the Suin-Bundang line. The Korean Railway Workers' Unio

Nov. 21, 2024

Sejong Univ. ranks 11th globally in hospitality, tourism management

Sejong University's hospitality and tourism management program secured 11th place globally in the 2024 Academic Ranking of World Universities by subject, released by Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Graduate School of Education. Domestically, the university has maintained its top spot in hospitality and management for five consecutive years since 2020. Considered one of the world’s top three university rankings alongside QS and Times Higher Education rankings, the ARWU subject ra

Nov. 21, 2024

Distress over NK loudspeakers compromising border residents' health: province

Disruptive noises from North Korean loudspeakers have caused residents near the inter-Korean border to suffer for months, with some complaining that their health has been compromised, according to local governments on Thursday. Data from a recent mental health assessment in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, has shown that 28 percent of the assessed residents are experiencing significant mental health concerns. Conducted by the city’s mental health welfare center from Aug. 8 to 14, it assessed 102

Nov. 21, 2024

DC Inside bans minors from depression forum

A local online forum platform that been embroiled in series of crimes involving minors, has imposed a ban on underage users from writing in a forum about depression. DC Inside said Wednesday that underage users have been restricted from writing posts or replies on its "Depression Gallery," as part of the protection policy focused on minors recommended by the Korea Communications Commission. Investigative authorities and operators of the website will monitor the posts and replies on the

Nov. 21, 2024

Yoo Joon-sang inaugurated as head of Korea UN Volunteer Corps

Yoo Joon-sang officially took office as the seventh president of the Korea UN Volunteer Corps on Tuesday, highlighting his vision to foster a culture of sharing and volunteering, aligned with the UN’s peace, development and human rights principles. During his inaugural speech at a ceremony held at the Crest 72 Glass Hall in Jung-gu, central Seoul, Yoo outlined three key priorities: strengthening international cooperation, increasing participation and communication among youth and promoting

Nov. 21, 2024

YouTuber gets life sentence for murder, 'thanks' court after verdict

A 56-year-old YouTuber who killed another YouTuber was sentenced to a lifetime in prison on Wednesday, after which he shouted "thank you" for unexplained reasons. Busan District Court found the defendant surnamed Hong guilty of retaliatory murder, rejecting his claims that he had never intended to kill the victim. The court pointed out that it was a planned crime, and that the defendant stabbed the victim 12 times to inflict critical wounds. South Korea's Criminal Act stipulates

Nov. 21, 2024

Vietnamese teen investigated for abandoning newborn

South Korean police said Thursday a recently born girl was found inside the bathroom of an underground shopping district, and that the mother is under investigation for abandoning the baby. The child was found inside a bag placed in the bathroom of the shopping district in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, at around 5 p.m. Wednesday. The child was in good health, and still had the umbilical cord attached. The child was taken to a nearby hospital for medical care. Police used surveillance footage to

Nov. 21, 2024

Labor union, farmers' association stage large-scale rally in downtown Seoul

South Korea's largest umbrella labor union and the farmers' association held a massive rally in central Seoul on Wednesday against the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, causing traffic congestion, officials said. An estimated 6,000 members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the general association of national farmers, simply known as Junnong, staged a joint rally in downtown Seoul, lashing out at the Yoon government for causing economic hardships for farmers and the p

Nov. 20, 2024

Nearly half of pines at Seoraksan face extinction due to global warming: study

Nearly half of the Korean pines, a tree species emblematic of the nation, are at risk of dying at Seoraksan, a recent study revealed Wednesday. The research, conducted by the Korea National Park Service, examined the state of pine forests across five national parks -- Seoraksan, Odaesan, Chiaksan, Taebaeksan and Sobaeksan -- utilizing satellite imagery, aerial photographs and on-site patrol data. The findings revealed significant pine tree dieback, with 480 trees affected in Taebaeksan, 41 in

Nov. 20, 2024

Porsche driver appeals six-year jail term for DUI killing teen

A man in his 50s who caused a fatal crash while speeding under the influence of alcohol has appealed a six-year prison sentence, according to a court on Tuesday. The Jeonju District Court handed down a jail term of six years with a fine of 1 million won ($718) on charges of drunk driving and violation of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents to the defendant in September. The defendant filed an appeal, arguing that the six-year prison term is too heavy. In respo

Nov. 20, 2024

Labor, farmer groups stage large-scale rallies in central Seoul

South Korea‘s labor groups, including one of the nation’s two major umbrella unions, held a rally Wednesday calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol to step down. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the largest umbrella labor union in the country, and the Korean Peasants League called for Yoon's resignation, claiming he has failed to address the plummeting rice prices and has excessively used low-tariff and duty-free imports, which they argue undermines local agricultural stabi

Nov. 20, 2024

Binding plastic pollution treaty unlikely: ministry

With less than a week left for the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international, legally binding instrument on plastic pollution at its fifth and final session, the Ministry of Environment told the press Wednesday that reaching a deal “could be difficult.” "Out of the five scheduled rounds of negotiations, four have been completed,” said an Environment Ministry official. “However, the process remains deadlocked due to sharp conflict between cou

Nov. 20, 2024