[Out of the Shadows] War on drugs comes to Korean campuses

A 30-something graduate student at KAIST, South Korea's top science-specialized university, was recently arrested by the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office for distributing and using drugs within a social fraternity he created in 2021 which included members from 13 other elite universities. Three other university students were also apprehended, and two others were indicted without physical detention for breaching the Narcotics Control Act. Eight other students who took drugs b

Aug. 19, 2024

Experts downplay COVID-19 threat despite resurgence

COVID-19 cases have been trending upward since the summer wave arrived in South Korea, with more people admitted to hospitals for treatment compared to previous weeks and health authorities seeing an increase in COVID-19 levels in wastewater. Despite growing concerns about COVID-19's summer spread, health care experts and authorities said Monday that an increase in virus cases should not be a cause for fear. Instead, they noted that taking precautions could minimize the potential spread of

Aug. 19, 2024

Typhoon Jongdari approaches S. Korea

Typhoon Jongdari is slowly approaching South Korea, and it is expected to bring heavy rains accompanied by strong winds to the southern parts of the country, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Monday. The KMA said Typhoon Jongdari, the ninth typhoon of this year and the first typhoon to hit Korea this year, formed on the southwestern coast of Okinawa at 3 a.m., Monday, moving at a slow speed of 10 kilometers per hour. Typhoon Jongdari is expected to approach Jeju Island on T

Aug. 19, 2024

Meal expense cap for public officials raised to 50,000 won

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission officially announced on Monday an increase in the meal expense limit for public officials from 30,000 won ($22) to 50,000 won, citing the need to account for inflation since the limit was set in 2016. The commission’s chairperson, Ryu Chul-whan, stated that the new cap is to take effect on Aug. 27 following the approval of a revised enforcement ordinance during a Cabinet meeting on Monday. This change comes eight years after the Improper Soli

Aug. 19, 2024

Govt. to crack down on illegal file-sharing websites

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday that a crackdown on online copyright infringements of content will run until the end of the year in collaboration with the National Police Agency and Interpol. In a joint probe that will continue throughout the remainder of this year, the officials will clamp down on the illegal sharing of webtoons, movies, dramas and other video content at websites. "Illegal site operators take away legitimate profits from creators and threaten the ec

Aug. 19, 2024

379 taxed for sales made via secondhand goods trading

Nearly 400 users of second-hand trading platforms that logged "substantial" revenue were taxed by the government this year, tax agency data showed Monday. A total of 379 people that were taxed by the National Tax Service reported an accumulated 17.7 billion won ($13.2 million) in sales this year, equivalent to about 46.7 million won per person, according to the National Tax Service data revealed by Rep. Park Seong-hoon of the ruling People Power Party. The report showed that the 10 mos

Aug. 19, 2024

[Bills in Focus] Shareholder rights, e-commerce safeguards

Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Commercial Act Proposed by Rep. Kim Hyun-jung (Democratic Party of Korea) ● Although corporate directors have a duty of loyalty towards their company, they have no obligations toward their shareholders. Therefore, to protect shareholders from the decisions of directors, this bill imposes a duty of fairness on directors. Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Act on the Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce Proposed by Rep. Cheon Jun-ho (Democratic

Aug. 19, 2024

Bandit of brothers: Former war veteran swindles another veteran

A South Korea veteran of the Vietnam War in his 70s has been arrested on suspicion of defrauding money from another war veteran suffering from dementia, police said Monday. According to Suwon Jungbu Police Station, the suspect is being investigated on the charge of quasi-fraud, stipulated by Article 348 of the Criminal Act as taking advantage of a minor or one suffering from a mental disorder by taking one's property or obtaining financial advantages. He is believed to have taken some 86 mi

Aug. 19, 2024

Japanese claims to Dokdo being spread through fake Instagram accounts of Korean professor

A local professor known for his years-long promotion of Dokdo said Monday that social media accounts attempting to impersonate him have been spreading false claims related to the South Korean islets. Seo Kyung-duk, a professor of liberal arts at Sungshin Women's University, shared a screenshot of a fake Instagram account that says, "I love Japan (heart). Takeshima is Japanese territory and rising-sun flag is beautiful flag." Takeshima is what Japan calls Dokdo. "Some users on

Aug. 19, 2024

[Graphic News] South Korea’s population inches up thanks to foreign residents

South Korea’s total population rebounded in 2023 thanks to the growing number of foreign residents after two years of on-year declines, though the country continued to experience falling birth rates and rapid aging, data showed. The country’s total population rose 0.2 percent, or 82,000, from a year earlier to 51.77 million as of Nov. 1, according to the 2023 census by Statistics Korea. It marked the first on-year increase in three years. The country logged its first on-year popula

Aug. 19, 2024

Woman found dead inside police car, footage suggests fatal mistake

A woman reported missing by her family was found dead in the back of a police vehicle in Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province, Saturday. In an unexpected turn of events, local police revealed Sunday that she appeared to have entered the empty, parked car for unknown reasons and was unable to get out for 36 hours amid blistering heat, leading to her death. The backseat doors of police vehicles cannot be opened from the inside, a feature designed to prevent suspects from escaping. The front seats a

Aug. 18, 2024

Two-thirds of S. Korean-made tear gas exported to Iraq in H1

Iraq was the destination for nearly 70 percent of South Korea's tear gas exports in the first half of this year, making it the largest buyer by volume, police data showed Sunday. Data from the Korean National Police Agency, obtained and provided by the minor Basic Income Party's Rep. Yong Hye-in, shows that Iraq imported 478,000 of the 713,000 tear gas canisters exported by South Korea in the first half of this year, accounting for 67 percent of the total. The data, available from 2019

Aug. 18, 2024

Debate flares over strict drunk driving laws named after trot singer

Several proposed laws named after popular trot singer Kim Ho-joong to raise public awareness aim to prevent drunk drivers from evading punishment by obstructing accurate alcohol level readings, sparking intense debate in Korean society. Lawmakers who proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Act, being dubbed the “Anti-Kim Ho-joong Law” following the singer’s hit-and-run accident in May, have faced intense criticism from his fans, who have demanded the bills be opposed or withdra

Aug. 18, 2024

Police launch investigation into Mercedes-Benz EV fire

Police have launched an investigation into a massive fire caused by a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle at an underground parking lot of an apartment complex in Incheon on Aug. 1, while reviewing criminal charges against the management staff at the complex, officials said Sunday. According to the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency, they recently interviewed the first witness and the owner of the vehicle involved in the incident. The Mercedes owner reported that the vehicle had undergone routine mai

Aug. 18, 2024

COVID-19 levels in wastewater surge amid summer wave: KDCA

South Korea is seeing a pronounced rise in the levels of COVID-19 in wastewater as the number of confirmed cases continues to swell throughout this month and is expected to peak in late August, health authorities said Sunday. The surge in wastewater virus concentrations -- one of the key gauges to track and estimate community spread -- has more than quadrupled from late April to early August. Amid the ongoing summer COVID-19 wave, the average concentration of the virus at local sewage plants s

Aug. 18, 2024

Weather agency to publish white paper on heat waves for 1st time

The state weather agency said Sunday it will publish its first-ever white paper on heat waves as South Korea experiences record-breaking temperatures this summer. The paper, set to be released by the end of this year, will cover the history and causes of heat waves, provide midterm and long-term forecasts, and examine the impact of heat waves on society, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. Although the KMA has previously issued papers on monsoons and typhoons, this will be the

Aug. 18, 2024

Media watchdog to review punitive measures against KBS for airing Japanese anthem on Liberation Day

The state media watchdog said Sunday that it will swiftly review punitive measures against public broadcaster KBS for airing an opera performance featuring Japan's national anthem that many South Korean viewers found inappropriate for Liberation Day. A series of complaints have been filed since KBS' airing of "Madama Butterfly," an opera featuring traditional Japanese attire and Japan's national anthem, on Liberation Day that commemorates the end of Japan's 1910-45

Aug. 18, 2024

Seoul, Busan set records for consecutive tropical nights

South Korea's two largest cities of Seoul and Busan have shattered records for the longest streaks of tropical nights as a relentless heat wave grips the nation. Seoul experienced its 27 consecutive tropical night, with the lowest temperature of 27.2 degrees Celsius recorded between Friday night and early Saturday morning, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. This extended the record for the longest number of tropical nights in a row since modern meteorological observations

Aug. 17, 2024

S. Korea to enhance mpox surveillance following WHO emergency alert

Following the World Health Organization's declaration of mpox outbreaks in Africa as a global health emergency, South Korean authorities have decided to ramp up quarantine and surveillance measures. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced the decision after a meeting with medical and academic experts Friday to discuss the potential of mpox entering the country and response strategies. KDCA officials and experts determined that the current domestic mpox situation remains ma

Aug. 17, 2024

Interpark Commerce seeks debt restructuring following TMON, WeMakePrice

Interpark Commerce filed for a debt restructuring program with the Seoul Bankruptcy Court on Friday, following in the footsteps of two sister e-commerce giants amid a liquidity crisis. The company's request for an autonomous restructuring support (ARS) program came 18 days after TMON and WeMakePrice filed for the same program to negotiate with creditors for rescheduling overdue payments. With Friday's decision, all three Korean e-commerce companies under Qoo10 are now subject to the co

Aug. 16, 2024