Most Popular
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[Exclusive] Korean adoptee sisters meet for the first time in 39 years
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Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone
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Rose's 'Apt.' redefines K-pop's global appeal
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Yoon calls for measures to protect Koreans amid escalating Iran-Israel conflicts
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Two years on, thousands mourn Itaewon tragedy, calling for accountability
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Civil servant’s death linked to workplace bullying
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[Weekender] Walk around Korea to really get to know the country
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N. Korea slams Seoul-Washington joint air exercise
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[Herald Interview] Love for K-drama, food defines 'Secret Ingredient'
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[Herald Interview] K-pop’s 'best years are ahead of us': Spotify’s general manager for Asia Pacific
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[Newsmaker] Runaway N. Korean defector unlikely to have contracted coronavirus: KCDC
A North Korean defector suspected of having fled back to his communist homeland is unlikely to have been infected with the new coronavirus here despite Pyongyang's claim that he had virus symptoms, Seoul's health authorities said Thursday. North Korea's state media claimed Sunday that a defector returned home from South Korea with suspected virus symptoms, prompting the country to adopt a "maximum emergency system" against the coronavirus. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and P
North KoreaJuly 30, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Seoul to extend visas for foreign workers to address rural labor shortage
The South Korean government will take steps to extend visas for foreign laborers as part of measures to address issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Wednesday. Speaking at a disaster management meeting, Chung said that such measures will be introduced to alleviate labor shortages in rural areas. “Measures to extend the duration of stay for foreign laborers, and temporarily providing opportunities to work in areas such as agricultural communities w
Social AffairsJuly 29, 2020
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[Newsmaker] No larvae found at any regular water treatment center: Environment Ministry
All of South Korea’s regular water purification centers are free of larvae or bugs, an Environment Ministry inspection has found, amid public worries that the country may be experiencing a tap water contamination crisis. The Ministry of Environment said in a press briefing Tuesday that all 435 regular water treatment facilities in Korea had been inspected and no bugs or other foreign organisms were found in their water reservoirs or distribution lines. A small number of larvae were disc
Social AffairsJuly 28, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Defector who swam back to North fled ‘hopeless life’ in North
A North Korean defector believed to have swum across a river to return to North Korea earlier this month spoke of a “hopeless life” in the North and his perilous journey to the South on YouTube last month. Appearing in a video posted by a channel run by defectors, the man, presumed to be in his 20s and surnamed Kim, shared his story of fleeing the North for a better life in 2017, a year after the inter-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex was closed over Pyongyang’s long-range m
North KoreaJuly 27, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Another heavy downpour expected; authorities on alert
With heavy rainfall expected again this week, authorities are on high alert to prevent further damages during the monsoon season, especially down south. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety called an emergency meeting Sunday as the Korea Meteorological Administration forecast torrential rains in Busan, Gangwon Province, and other regions that have yet to recover from a recent downpour. The weather agency issued a special warning about landslides in Busan due to loose soil after the area got
Social AffairsJuly 26, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Police investigating online leak of sex abuse complaint against late Seoul mayor
Police said Friday they have opened an investigation into the possible leak of a complaint memo detailing sexual misconduct accusations against the recently deceased mayor of Seoul, Park Won-soon. The “Park Won-soon memo” has circulated on social media sites shortly after police confirmed on the evening of July 9 that Park was being accused of sexual abuse by one of his secretaries. Several local media outlets reported Friday that police have zeroed in on a potential su
Social AffairsJuly 24, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Korea pushes plan to make more doctors
Medical schools in Korea will admit more students, lawmakers and government officials said Thursday, lifting the admission cap for the first time since 2006. According to the blueprint proposed by ruling Democratic Party lawmakers and the chiefs of Health and Education ministries, the fixed limits on the total number of students recruited by medical schools each year will be expanded by 400 or more for 10 years starting in 2022. This translates to a 13.4 percent increase in the current number
Social AffairsJuly 23, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Larvae found in 7 water-purifying facilities
Worm-like creatures that were first found in tap water in Incheon were detected at seven water-purifying facilities across the country, the government confirmed Tuesday, suggesting that water contamination wasn’t limited to just Incheon. The Ministry of Environment’s three-day inspection which ended Friday found larvae of nonbiting midge and other organisms at seven out of a total of 49 water treatment centers with an activated carbon filtering system. They are two facilities in I
Social AffairsJuly 21, 2020
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[Newsmaker] More suspected larvae discovered in tap water in Korea, authorities on alert
Authorities are on high alert after larva-like creatures were discovered in tap water in Seoul and some nearby areas recently, and are thoroughly examining the local waterworks system. At around 11 p.m. Sunday, a resident of an apartment in Jung-gu, central Seoul, reported finding a centimeter-long, “worm-like creature” the thickness of a hair on the bathroom floor after taking a shower. The creature seemed to be alive and moving. After the report was filed with local authorities,
Social AffairsJuly 20, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Publishers suspend sales of autofiction author Kim Bong-gon’s works containing private messages used without consent
Publisher Munhak Dongne announced Friday that it was suspending sales of books featuring author Kim Bong-gon’s works that have come under fire for using without consent an acquaintance’s private messages. Kim gained attention for his vivid autofiction -- or fictionalized autobiography -- regarding LGBTQ culture when he came out of the closet as he embarked on a writing career in 2016. The personal yet fictional stories involving the intense emotional struggles of LGBTQ characters w
BooksJuly 19, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Arrest warrant hearing starts for TV reporter involved in collusion case
A Seoul court will decide on issuing an arrest warrant for a reporter accused of colluding with a prosecutor to take down a media personality friendly to the Moon Jae-in administration later Friday. The Seoul Central District Court started a hearing at 10 a.m. upon the prosecution’s request for an arrest warrant for Lee Dong-jae from Channel A, a cable TV network owned by Dong-A Media Group, one of the largest media conglomerates here. The allegation was first raised in an investigative
Social AffairsJuly 17, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Another virus outbreak reported on Russian vessel in Busan
BUSAN -- Health authorities said Thursday that 17 crewmen on a Russian ship docked in the southeastern port city of Busan have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, fueling concerns over potential group infections amid a rising number of imported cases in the country. The virus-infected sailors were on the Regul, a Russia-flagged, 825-ton fishing vessel that entered the harbor in Gamcheon last month, according to the city's health authorities. The ship is currently docked at a repair shi
Social AffairsJuly 16, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Appellate court affirms life sentence for woman in murder of ex-husband
JEJU -- An appellate court on Wednesday upheld a lower court's sentence of life imprisonment for a South Korean woman for brutally killing her former husband, mutilating his body and hiding the dismembered body parts. The Gwangju High Court's Jeju branch handed down the life sentence to Koh Yu-jeong, saying a hefty sentence is inevitable because she has persistently denied her crime and showed no remorse or sympathy for her victim. The 37-year-old Koh was indicted for allegedly killing her ex
Social AffairsJuly 15, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Calls grow for investigation into Seoul mayor’s harassment allegations
The controversy over the #MeToo allegations against late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon is showing no signs of abating, with calls for an investigation growing Tuesday. Opposition parties, women’s groups and the alleged victim called for a full investigation into Park’s alleged harassment of his secretary, although a criminal case is usually dropped when a suspect dies. The main opposition United Future Party said Tuesday that it would request a parliamentary hearing in to the case,
Social AffairsJuly 14, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Park’s former secretary adds detail to sexual abuse accusation
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon sexually harassed his female secretary over four years, making unwanted physical contact and sending inappropriate text messages, claimed a lawyer and a women’s group representing the secretary on Monday, shortly after the funeral service for the heavyweight politician concluded. Park was found dead in the early hours of Friday at age 64 while serving his third term as mayor after allegations of sexual misconduct emerged. “This case is a sexual harassm
Social AffairsJuly 13, 2020
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[Newsmaker] S. Korea ends mask rationing scheme after 4-month operation
After a four-month operation, South Korea's mask ration system ended Sunday as the supply of face masks designed to help fight the new coronavirus has stabilized. As prices of protective masks skyrocketed amid the COVID-19 outbreak here, the country introduced the mask rationing scheme in early March in a bid to smooth out high demand. Under the scheme, citizens were allowed to buy a limited number of protective masks every week at pharmacies for 1,500 won ($1.24). The weekly limit started wi
Social AffairsJuly 12, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Seoul mayor’s death highlights Korea’s suicide problem
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon’s apparent suicide on Thursday is once again highlighting Korea’s suicide problem. Park is the latest in a growing list of high-profile figures to take their own life here. The list of public figures includes progressive icons such as President Roh Moo-hyun and Justice Party leader Roh Heo-chan. High-profile suicides occur on an almost routine basis in Korea, with suspected motivations ranging from a damaged political reputation to depression brought on
Social AffairsJuly 10, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Three marathoners killed in car accident during race
Three runners were fatally struck by a drunken driver during an ultramarathon race Thursday morning. According to the police and the Korea Ultra Marathon Federation, the event’s organizer, the accident occurred at 3:30 a.m. in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, four days into the 537-kilometer race which began in the southernmost point of Busan at 6 a.m. Sunday. The deceased were running on the side of a two-lane road, with flashing guide rods on their back, when a Hyundai Motor Sonata sedan cr
Social AffairsJuly 9, 2020
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[Newsmaker] Controversy over multiple homeownership grips government, ruling party
The government and ruling Dmocratic Party of Korea are taking unprecedented steps to douse the controversy over multiple homeownership among their ranks faced with mounting criticism from both conservative and progressive blocs. On Wednesday, Noh Young-min, President Moon Jae-in’s chief of staff, announced that he will sell his southern Seoul home within the month, saying that he has failed to meet public expectations. Noh’s Seoul home became a focal point in the growing controv
PoliticsJuly 8, 2020
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[Newsmaker] New visa guidelines perplex Koreans attending US schools
The recent announcement that foreign students taking online classes in the US should leave the country is creating confusion and turmoil among South Korean students at colleges and universities there. Many of them are now being forced to head back to Korea or shift to in-person classes, taking the risk of contracting the new coronavirus, if they want to maintain their visa status. The latest announcement from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement applies to F-1 and M-1 non-immigrant visa h
Foreign AffairsJuly 7, 2020