Telegram designates child protection officer to respond to sexually exploitative materials: S. Korean regulator

Telegram designates child protection officer to respond to sexually exploitative materials: S. Korean regulator The global messaging service Telegram has designated an officer in charge of protecting underage users from illicit content amid criticism over its passive response against sexually exploitative materials circulating on the platform, South Korea's media regulator said Tuesday. The Korea Communications Commission said Telegram made the designation and set up an email account as a h

Nov. 19, 2024

[Graphic News] Most firms favor raising retirement age

A recent survey by online recruiter Saramin showed that 8 out of 10 companies favor raising companies' retirement age. Conducted among 461 firms, 79.8 percent of respondents were in favor of raising the retirement age, with an average ideal age of 65.7 years. Over half of those surveyed, 57.9 percent, saw age 65 as optimal retirement age, citing the value of retaining experienced employees. Furthermore, 52.9 percent indicated openness to hiring workers in their 50s and 60s, to benefit fro

Nov. 19, 2024

S. Korea reports season's 3rd avian influenza case

South Korea has confirmed the season's third case of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a poultry farm west of Seoul, a provincial government said Monday. The case was reported at the chicken farm in Incheon's Ganghwa County, 51 kilometers west of Seoul. Authorities culled over 15,000 chickens at the farm, and plan to slaughter an additional 17,000 chickens raised at nearby farms. The latest case follows Korea's confirmation of the season's second highly pathogenic AI case

Nov. 18, 2024

Oh Hee-ok, last female Korean independence fighter, dies at 98

At South Korea's 72nd annual national liberation day ceremony on Aug. 15, 2017, the usual formalities of the occasion gave way to an unexpected moment. As the then-President Moon Jae-in and other officials rose for the national anthem, a small, elderly woman took the stage alone. In a voice that was thin and trembling but remarkably clear, she began to sing Korea's national anthem to the melody of "Auld Lang Syne." Her rendition echoed the defiant spirit of the colonial era,

Nov. 18, 2024

Korean man caught in Peru airport carrying 320 tarantulas

A 28-year-old Korean man was apprehended at Jorge Chavez International Airport near Lima during an apparent attempt to smuggle out hundreds of arthropods, including 320 tarantulas, on Nov. 8. According to Peru’s nature protection agency, the National Forestry and Wildlife Service (SERFOR), the man was carrying 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes and nine bullet ants, some of which were protected species. All of the creatures were native species of the Peruvian Amazon and were confirmed to have

Nov. 18, 2024

Korean livestreamer arrested in Thailand for attacking massage shop owner

A South Korean man was arrested in Pattaya, Thailand for allegedly assaulting a massage shop owner who objected to him livestreaming his visit, according to local media. The Bangkok Post reported on Thursday that the incident occurred earlier the same day at 12:36 a.m. at a massage shop in Bang Lamung district. The man had reportedly visited the shop several times and livestreamed without permission. The shop owner, 43, initially tolerated the man’s behavior, considering he was a tourist.

Nov. 18, 2024

Police persuade man not to jump off Han River bridge

A man in his 20s was talked out of jumping off a Han River bridge by Seoul police officers, Saturday, police said Monday. Seoul's Seocho Police Station at 8:50 p.m. on Saturday received a report from the man's friend that he appeared to have gone to the Han River alone after getting drunk. The police tracked his cell phone to find him standing near the southern end of the Banpo Bridge, and requested rescue authorities to install an air mattress beneath the concrete floors of the river

Nov. 18, 2024

Smart city expo calls for climate resilience in urban development

BARCELONA, Spain — Scholars, industry leaders and government officials gathered in Barcelona earlier this month to pursue a shared vision of sustainable urban development. The annual Smart City Expo World Congress, in its 14th edition, commenced its three-day run on Nov. 5. Hosted by the city of Barcelona and Fira Barcelona, the congress serves as a global hub for urban development that connects people and companies working to build better cities. Under the theme "Live Better," t

Nov. 18, 2024

Seoul mulls hiring foreign nationals as local bus drivers

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Monday that it is pushing to hire foreign nationals as bus drivers on local community routes as the city struggles to deal with a chronic manpower shortage in the transportation sector. The city government requested last month that the Office for Government Policy Coordination expand the E-9 visa program to include the transportation sector and to extend the employment period for E-9 visa holders from three to five years. Currently, E-9 visas are is

Nov. 18, 2024

Cold wave alerts issued, below-zero temperatures through Wed.

Most regions were issued cold wave alerts Monday as South Korea saw a 10-degree drop in average temperatures compared to the previous day, with the cold expected to continue into Wednesday. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, most parts of Korea saw temperatures dip below freezing, with average morning temperatures reaching as low as minus 5 degrees Celsius and daytime temperatures ranging between 6 C to 13 C, which is 1 C to 3 C lower than previous years. With Seoul seeing mor

Nov. 18, 2024

Traffic delays expected as railway workers stage slowdown

Passengers in the capital region face potential disruptions on their commute, as unionized railroad workers begin a partial "work-to-rule" protest Monday, warning of a potential indefinite strike from next month. On the same day, the main labor union of Seoul Metro, which operates subway Line Nos. 1 through 8, said it had voted in favor of staging a strike to demand better working conditions, a move that could plague transport services in the capital area. The work-to-rule protest --

Nov. 18, 2024

Chinese villains? Seoul Metro apologizes for 'racist' comments

The state-run operator of Seoul's subway system on Monday issued an apology related to its recent comment on an online petition, in which it used the word "villain" to refer to Chinese people. Seoul Metro recently used what have been widely called racist remarks in the official reply to a complaint posted on the Civil Complaint/Proposal Integrated Services (Eungdapso Seoul) webpage of the Seoul Metropolitan Government. "We apologize for the inappropriate language related to

Nov. 18, 2024

Majority of single-person households turn to side jobs amid high cost of living

More than half of South Koreans living alone have side jobs amid a growing cost-of-living squeeze, a report said Sunday. Among 2,000 economically active men and women aged 25 to 29 living alone in the metropolitan area, 54.8 percent of respondents said they earn extra money through a second job, according to a report by KB Financial Group's think tank. The figure significantly grew from 42 percent in 2022. Among the respondents this year, 38.8 percent said they took on a side gig to save

Nov. 18, 2024

Car owner uses fake license plate, possibly to dodge parking fees

A resident of an apartment complex in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, was caught using a fake license plate made of paper to cover the license plate of his or her second car, a local media outlet reported recently. According to the JTBC report, a BMW sedan with a license plate made of paper was spotted by another resident of the apartment complex. The person who found the paper plate reported the case to police and confirmed that the car belonged to another resident of the building. The BMW owner h

Nov. 18, 2024

Housing scam counseling offered in 7 languages

Counseling services for foreign nationals in Seoul who fell victim to "jeonse" housing rental fraud will be offered in seven languages at the Seoul Foreign Resident Center in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday. Starting Monday, the counseling services will be provided in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Mongolian, Russian, Uzbek and Urdu, every Monday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Counselling is delivered by certified real estate agents in English and

Nov. 18, 2024

Court upholds day care center worker's suspension over child's injury

Seoul Administrative Court said Monday that it recently ruled against a teacher at a local day care center, who challenged a three-year suspension of duties imposed after a 5-year-old under their supervision fell and sustained injury. The court upheld the disciplinary action by the Geumcheon-gu Office in November of 2011, who suspended the teacher for three months after the child was injured in February of 2022 at the day care center in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul. The child fell from a 2-meter-tall pla

Nov. 18, 2024

Rookie cop goes into burning building to rescue 22 people

A first-year policeman is earning praise here after he went into a burning building to evacuate all 22 residents, Seoul police said Monday. Oh Hyeon-jun, a 26-year-old patrol officer of the Seoul Gangseo Police Station, was among the team of officers who arrived at the scene of a fire in Gangseo-gu, Seoul on Nov. 7. A fire broke out at a restaurant of the commercial-residential building at around 7:12 a.m., with residents of the building being yet unaware of the situation. Oh ran up to the resid

Nov. 18, 2024

[Herald Interview] Expo sets global standard for urban innovation: director

Korea Herald correspondent BARCELONA, Spain — Amid the burgeoning number of events focusing on urban development and smart cities worldwide, often seen as imitations of Barcelona's pioneering efforts, the annual Smart City Expo World Congress has distinguished itself by hosting its 14th edition as a record-breaking gathering. The 2024 edition of the Smart City Expo World Congress, hosted by the city of Barcelona and Fira Barcelona, marked a success with record-breaking attendance of 25,7

Nov. 18, 2024

[Graphic News] Sea temperatures around S. Korea rise nearly double global average

The average temperature of South Korea’s surrounding seas has risen at nearly twice the global average rate over the past 56 years, according to a government report. The National Institute of Fisheries Science stated in its report, “2024 Impact of Climate Change in Fisheries Sector,” that sea temperatures around South Korea have increased by 1.44 degree Celsius between 1968 and 2023, compared to the global average rise of 0.7 C. The East Sea experienced the most significant i

Nov. 18, 2024

Railway workers to stage work-to-rule strike this week

South Korean railway workers will kick off a "work-to-rule" protest this week to demand higher pay and a bigger workforce, railway officials said Sunday. The Korean Railway Workers' Union said it will launch the work-to-rule industrial action starting Monday, which could cause delays in some train services. Delays are highly likely on subways in the capital Seoul area while regular and KTX high-speed trains could also be affected by the slowdown, according to Korea Railroad Corp.

Nov. 17, 2024