N. Korea's trash balloons cause disruptions at Incheon Airport

Trash-filled balloons sent by North Korea disrupted the takeoff and landing of multiple airplanes at Incheon Airport early Wednesday. According to the Incheon International Airport Corp., the balloons caused delays of operations related to domestic and international flights that were scheduled to take off or land there between 1:46 a.m. and 4:44 a.m. The runways were fully operational as of Wednesday morning. Officials explained that the restriction was due to concerns that balloons could get

June 26, 2024

3 battery factory officials booked over deadly fire

Three officials at lithium battery maker Aricell were booked Wednesday for allegedly violating the industrial safety laws in connection with this week's deadly factory fire that claimed 23 lives, labor authorities said. The labor ministry's special investigation team said the government issued an order for Aricell to completely suspend the entire operations of its gutted plant in Hwaseong, 45 kilometers south of Seoul, as of 9 a.m. Wednesday. As many as 23 employees, mostly foreigners,

June 26, 2024

[Graphic News] Samgyeopsal prices surge in Seoul, breaking 20,000 won mark for first time

Samgyeopsal, or grilled pork belly, has long been a beloved staple of South Korean cuisine, cherished by locals for its affordability and pairing with soju. However, this popular after-work favorite is growing increasingly out of reach as average prices in Seoul surpassed 20,000 won ($14.39) per serving for the first time, according to data from the Korea Consumer Agency. This price increase represents a more than 20 percent increase from three years ago, when one serving — 200 grams &md

June 26, 2024

Descendent of Korean War veteran feels 'pride, responsibility' for grandfather's legacy

Stephanie Arguello Gaona and Valentina Rojas Martinez, both from Colombia, stood before one of the 23 memorial statues at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul, Tuesday. It was 74 years ago on that day when the Korean War broke out, marking the beginning of their connection to this distant Asian country. Their grandfathers, who were teenagers at the time, fought as part of the United Nations troops to defend South Korea from communist invaders. “My grandfather’s name is Santiag

June 25, 2024

[From the Scene] Hwaseong factory fire raises concerns over foreign worker safety

HWASEONG, Gyeonggi Province -- The deadly fire that engulfed Aricell, a lithium battery manufacturing factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, was finally out by 8:48 a.m., Tuesday, 22 hours after the fire was first reported to authorities. Although the fire was out, the smell of smoke still lingered in the air as fire officials, police officials and forensic services prepared their gear to conduct a joint forensic investigation. Tuesday’s joint forensic investigation began close to noon af

June 25, 2024

City of Miryang apologizes for 2004 gang rape case

Government officials and community leaders in the southeastern city of Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province, jointly issued a public apology Tuesday for an infamous gang rape case that occurred two decades ago, saying it was "all of our responsibility." "We all share the responsibility to make a better community, yet we (the people of Miryang) have not apologized or reflected on this tragedy, just because it is not directly related to our family or friends," said Mayor An Bye

June 25, 2024

Probe into Hwaseong fire begins

HWASEONG/SEOUL -- The deadly fire that killed at least 23 people at a lithium battery factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, may have been worsened by deficiencies in prevention measures and unsafe working environments, with a report that a fire had broke out two days before the Monday outbreak. While the exact cause of the fire will be determined through further forensics, experts believe that the lack of a proper evacuation route may have worsened the fire's effects. The proximity of the

June 25, 2024

Controversy surrounds late transgender soldier’s placement in national cemetery

A transgender soldier, who died by suicide in 2021 following a forcible discharge from the Army, has been laid to rest at a national cemetery in Daejeon this week, but dissenting voices questioning the appropriateness of her burial there persist. The burial of Byun Hee-soo at the cemetery on Monday followed the Defense Ministry’s decision in April to recognize her death as occurring in the line of duty. The ministry said her depression was linked to her forced discharge following her gen

June 25, 2024

6 out of 10 willing to buy hybrid or electric cars: survey

The majority of car owners in South Korea are willing to buy more eco-friendly models for their next vehicle, a survey indicated Tuesday. A local pollster Open Survey recently surveyed 1,500 car owners on what type of car they wish to buy next. Of the 675 who said they plan to buy another car, 39.7 percent said a hybrid vehicle -- powered by both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor -- would be their first choice. Another 26.7 percent who plan to buy another car said they would

June 25, 2024

S. Korea unlikely to grant temporary K-ETA exemption to Thailand

An official from the Ministry of Justice said Tuesday that it would be “difficult” to temporarily waive travelers from Thailand from the requirement to obtain travel authorizations before entering the country. The official’s remarks follow the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s request to the Justice Ministry to temporarily exempt Thailand from the country’s electronic travel authorization system K-ETA, at least until the end of this year, as the number of Th

June 25, 2024

Battery site fire raises alarm on chemical facility risks

Monday’s blaze at a lithium battery plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, has highlighted yet again the dangers associated with chemical processing facilities. A fire, once it breaks out, often results in significant casualties, due to the dense presence of flammable or combustible materials within a confined space. The worst chemical factory fire to date occurred in 1989 at the Lucky Chemical plant at an industrial complex in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province. The blaze, triggered by a massi

June 25, 2024

Deadly fire ravages battery plant

A fire that broke out at a lithium battery factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, has left at least 22 workers dead, eight injured and one missing as of 6:30 p.m., according to local authorities Monday. Most of the deceased were among the 21 workers who were trapped inside and unaccounted for during the initial fire rescue efforts. The Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters confirmed the deaths of 22 people, including 19 foreign workers, following a fire that occurred at 10:31 a.m. at Aricell&

June 24, 2024

Why firefighters struggled to put out the battery blaze

Fire accidents involving lithium batteries, like the one at Korean lithium battery manufacturer Aricell's facility, are challenging to extinguish due to the batteries’ potential for water to exacerbate the situation. Primary, or single-use, lithium batteries differ from more commonly known lithium-ion batteries in several fundamental ways. They use lithium metal or lithium compounds as the anode and are ready-charged and non-rechargeable. While they do not suffer from issues like th

June 24, 2024

Father and son found dead in suspected murder-suicide

The South Korean police said Monday they are investigating a case in which a man and his son were found dead after the two men were heard arguing inside their home. According to the Daejeon Yuseong Police Station, the two were found stabbed and fatally injured at around 3:24 a.m. on Sunday, with the father found inside the master bedroom and the son inside the bathroom. The older victim's daughter reported the case to the police, saying her father appeared to have been murdered. The two m

June 24, 2024

Series of conscript deaths raises concerns about military fatalities in S. Korea

A South Korean conscript was found dead Sunday at a military base in Gyeonggi Province, marking the third military death in just two months this year, raising concerns about the recurring issue of fatalities among enlisted personnel in the Korean military. According to military authorities, the deceased soldier, a private first class -- the Army's second-lowest rank for conscripts -- in his 20s was found at around 5:00 a.m. Sunday when he was supposed to be on sentry duty. He had been sta

June 24, 2024

[Online Predators] The 'helpers' preying on runaway teens

In South Korean online communities and social networking sites, the word "helper" has taken on a troubling connotation. The term is often hashtagged alongside others such as "gachul" (runaway from home), "jatei" (high school dropouts), and "yeoja" (girls). This combination of hashtags serves as an emergency code, typically used by runaway teenage girls seeking a place to sleep and eat. But this distress signal also attracts predators looking to take advant

June 24, 2024

Climate anxiety worsens following extreme June weather

Following scorching heat waves nationwide and record-breaking heavy rain on Jeju Island over the last few weeks, South Korea's residents are grappling with "climate anxiety," as many have found themselves concerned about the increasingly unpredictable extreme weather. Climate anxiety -- related to "climate depression" -- is a term used to describe feeling distressed due to worries about climate change and its impacts on the Earth and human existence. “I always thou

June 24, 2024

Most international students are based in Seoul area: report

Even foreign students are stuck in Seoul-centric mode. A recent report showed that over half of them were studying in the Greater Seoul area as of last year. A total of 181,842 international students were in South Korea as of 2023, according to a report issued Monday by the government-affiliated Korean Council for University Education, more than double the 85,923 in 2023. Of those, 119,237 were studying for a university degree while 52,602 were in a non-degree programs such as language study cou

June 24, 2024

Hwaseong factory fire leaves multiple casualties

At least 16 people have been confirmed dead in Monday's battery factory fire in Hwaseong as of 5 p.m., with the final death toll expected to rise above 20. Of the 23 people who had earlier been reported missing in the fire, 20 were confirmed to be foreign nationals. The rescue authorities commenced a search of the lithium primary battery plant, run by Aricell, after firefighters got the blaze under control at 3:10 p.m. It was over three hours after the fire first broke out on the secon

June 24, 2024

Only 1 out of 10 victims of workplace bullying report it: survey

Most victims of workplace bullying in South Korea refrain from filing formal complaints about it to the authorities or their employers, a survey showed Monday. Gabjil 119, a civic group that assists victims of workplace abuse, conducted a survey of 1,000 employees and found that only 10.3 percent of respondents said they have filed a report against such cases. The survey allowed respondents to pick multiple responses. Of those who sought outside help, only 8.1 percent reported such cases to th

June 24, 2024