[Newsmaker] Top prosecutors offer to resign en masse in protest over reform legislation

Prosecutor General Kim Oh-soo, his deputy and the chiefs of all six high prosecutors' offices across the nation offered to resign en masse Friday after the ruling and opposition parties agreed on legislation that would reduce and eventually scrap the prosecution's investigative powers. The unprecedented move came after the ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition People Power Party reached agreement on prosecution reform legislation in a breakthrough compromise that defused tensions over

April 22, 2022

[Newsmaker] YouTube threatens to cut down investments in Korea over ‘network usage fee’ bill

For the first time, YouTube has openly expressed concerns over the South Korean parliament’s push for global content providers to foot the bill for creating excessive network traffic. Gautam Anand, Vice President and Managing Director at Google’s YouTube Asia Pacific, wrote on Wednesday on the official YouTube Korea blog that if the revisions are enacted, it could “undermine YouTube’s opportunity to make continuous investments for Korean creators to be successful.&rdquo

April 21, 2022

[Newsmaker] S. Korea’s longest serving fiscal chief to retire amid mixed reviews

SEJONG -- Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki spent his five-year term dealing with major economic tasks, from the pandemic-triggered market crisis to controversial real estate measures. However, assessments of Hong -- South Korea’s longest serving fiscal chief -- appear divided. Proponents say that the minister has been faithful to principles to boost the economy and weather a variety of barriers on the growth of the country’s gross domestic product. They also s

April 20, 2022

[Newsmaker] Large retailers jump into e-commerce market for designer goods

Large retailers including Hanwha and Shinsegae are keen to jump into the e-commerce market for designer brands as existing online platforms are struggling to beat off a counterfeit luxury goods scandal. Online shopping malls for designer brands such as Mustit, Balaan and Trenbe have enjoyed a boom in Korea by offering convenience and prices lower than department stores or duty-free shops to the country’s growing number of luxury consumers who spent more during the pandemic. These online

April 19, 2022

[Newsmaker] Retailers hope for sales recovery as social distancing rules removed

With the government lifting nearly all social distancing measures, retailers in South Korea are now pinning high hopes on a business recovery after enduring two years of strict pandemic restrictions that limited operating hours, private gatherings and even food tasting at the grocery store. Supermarkets, which have been hit hard due to pandemic restrictions, are in talks with the government to return to offering in-store samples, which has been banned since last July. An Emart official and a

April 18, 2022

[Newsmaker] 'I feel so lost': The elderly in Ukraine, left behind, mourn

MYKULYCHI, Ukraine (AP) -- This was not where Nadiya Trubchaninova thought she would find herself at 70 years old, hitchhiking daily from her village to the shattered Ukrainian town of Bucha, trying to bring her son's body home for burial. The questions wore her down, heavy like the winter coat and boots she still wears against the chill. Why had the 48-year-old Vadym gone to Bucha, where the Russians were so much harsher than the ones occupying their village? Who shot him as he drove on Yabluns

April 17, 2022

[Newsmaker] Lawmakers vote to start special probe on Air Force sexual assault case

South Korean lawmakers passed a bill Friday to open a special inspection into a sexual assault case linked to the suicide of an Air Force master sergeant, after a monthslong investigation into the case failed to satisfy the victim’s family. The bill, passed during a National Assembly plenary session on Friday afternoon, will allow the National Court Administration and the Korean Bar Association to recommend a total of four candidates to serve as the lead investigator for the special inspe

April 15, 2022

[Newsmaker] Transition team chief's actions hint at rift with president-elect

A rift may be forming between President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and transition committee chief Ahn Cheol-soo, raising concerns over the conservative bloc’s party merger and plans for a coalition government. On Thursday, Ahn canceled his scheduled visit to the Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters in the morning, after dropping out of a dinner meeting with Yoon and other officials the previous day. Ahn’s recent schedule decisions are fanning speculation that he is showing d

April 14, 2022

[Newsmaker] [Feature] Not everyone is ready to unmask

Omicron appears to be losing its grip in South Korea, raising hopes for a return to pre-pandemic life. For many Koreans, this would entail a farewell to face masks, a daily nuisance that they had to get used to for the past two years.  But not all are happy to ditch their masks. Some say masks are one of the good things that came out of the pandemic in a society obsessed with looks.  “After two years (of wearing masks), it doesn’t bother me too much to wear one for a l

April 13, 2022

[Newsmaker] Clashing ideas on military exemption for BTS

Whether the members of K-pop sensation BTS should be granted military exemptions has become the talk of the town, with the final date for the enlistment of the seven-member group’s oldest member, Jin, near the end of the year. In South Korea, nearly all able-bodied men in their 20s are obliged to serve in the military for about 18 months. There is an exemption and alternative service system where athletes and artists recognized to have promoted national prestige -- winning designated int

April 12, 2022

[Newsmaker] In France, it's Macron vs. Le Pen, again, for presidency

PARIS (AP) -- Incumbent Emmanuel Macron will face far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen in a winner-takes-all runoff for the French presidency, after they both advanced Sunday in the first round of voting in the country's election to set up another head-to-head clash of their sharply opposing visions for France. But while Macron won t heir last contest in 2017 by a landslide to become France's youngest-ever president, the same outcome this time is far from guaranteed. Macron, now 44, emerged ahead

April 11, 2022

[Newsmaker] Eating out more expensive due to rising costs, demand

Eating-out costs in South Korea saw the sharpest on-year surge in 23 years in March with a 6.6 percent on-year increase, according to the Korean Statistical Information Service on Sunday. Of the 39 types of foods that people normally eat while dining out, including hamburgers, jajangmyeon (noodle with black soybean sauce), and gimbap, all saw a price increase. Galbitang (beef soup) showed the highest spike in price last month compared to the same month last year with an 11.7 percent increase,

April 10, 2022

[Newsmaker] MMCA recruits foreign residents to promote Korean art

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea is recruiting foreigners living in South Korea to collaborate with the museum in promoting Korean art and the national museum globally, as the number of overseas visitors have plummeted during the pandemic. Under the “#helloMMCA” program, the museum will pick 10 foreign residents in Korea to work for its campaign from May 2 to July 31. The influencers will post a variety of contents about the museum and exhibitions on their

April 8, 2022

[Newsmaker] In Bucha, Ukraine, burned, piled bodies among latest horrors

BUCHA -- One blackened body had arms raised in supplication, the face contorted in a horrible scream. The skull of another had a bullet hole in the left temple. The small blackened foot of a child could be seen in the tangle of charred bodies piled together in Bucha, the town outside of Kyiv where graphic evidence of killings and torture has emerged following the withdrawal of Russian forces. The six burned and blackened corpses were just the latest gruesome scene to emerge from Bucha as world l

April 6, 2022

[Newsmaker] UN warns Earth 'firmly on track toward an unlivable world'

BERLIN (AP) -- Temperatures on Earth will shoot past a key danger point unless greenhouse gas emissions fall faster than countries have committed, the world's top body of climate scientists said Monday, warning of the consequences of inaction but also noting hopeful signs of progress. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change revealed "a litany of broken climate promises" by governments and corporations, accusing them of stok

April 5, 2022

[Newsmaker] Former vice ministers considered likely members of Yoon’s Cabinet

In shaping his Cabinet, the president-elect office is considering several former vice ministers and seasoned politicians as likely members, including Rep. Park Jin for Foreign Ministry and Rep. Choo Kyung-ho for the economy, according to sources Monday. 　 Kim Eun-hye, the spokesperson for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday that Yoon would be spending much time reviewing the potential candidates for his Cabinet this week. “We are making efforts so that we can release the formatio

April 4, 2022

[Newsmaker] 65% of Millennials, Gen Z choose ethical consumption over price

Some 65 percent of South Korean millennials and Generation Z said they would buy products manufactured by ethical businesses even if they are more expensive than nonethical ones, a survey showed Sunday. In a survey conducted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry with 380 young people last month, 64.5 percent of respondents said they would choose products from businesses that uphold environmental, social and governance values over price. Some 4 percent said they are willing to pay ove

April 3, 2022

[Newsmaker] Dozens of dog carcasses dumped by vet clinic

A veterinary clinic employee allegedly dumped the remains of dozens of animals at a mountain in Eumseong County in North Chungcheong Province, police said Thursday. Police summoned a veterinary hospital employee to investigate the charges of dumping about 70 dead dogs, including newborn puppies and skeletal remains, on a mountain in Geumwang-eup. An animal registration chip was found in one of the carcasses that contained medical records of the dog for the clinic where the suspect is emplo

April 1, 2022

[Newsmaker] Subway protesters face online abuse

Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination, a disability advocacy group that has recently been staging protests at subway stations, is facing increasing hatred online, with some especially emboldened by a conservative political leader. 　 In a series of Facebook posts People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok has called the protest “uncivilized” and “illegal.” He blamed the protesters for deliberately causing subway delays during busy hours and accused them of staging the

March 30, 2022

[Newsmaker] SsangYong Motor back on sale as Edison’s acquisition fails

South Korean mid-sized automaker Edison Motors’ proposed acquisition of SsangYong Motor has been cancelled due to payment failure, putting the debt-laden SUV maker’s journey to search for new owner back to starting line. 　 According to SsangYong Motor on Monday, its acquisition contract with a consortium led by Edison Motors was terminated after the buyer failed to pay 274.3 billion won ($223.7 million) by March 25, the deadline date designated by the Seoul Bankruptcy Court to pay

March 28, 2022