Instant coffee, or soluble coffee powder with sugar and creamer, is the most popular Korean beverage among foreign visitors, a survey found. More than 50 percent of the surveyed (491 travelers out of 926) who visited here between September and October said the Korean instant coffee mix was their favorite when asked to pick the top Korean beverage that they enjoyed while staying, according to a local travel agency, Cosmos Jin on Monday.  YonhapThe most common reasons for the affection was conveni

Social Affairs Oct. 10, 2016

A high school student accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend was found dead in an apparent suicide, police said. According to Haeundae Police Station in Busan on Monday, the incident occurred Sunday after the couple got into an argument at the victim’s apartment. (Herald DB)The victim, 25, told the 19-year-old suspect she wanted to end her relationship with him, police said. The suspect asked her to reconsider the decision, but she stayed firm. Choi grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed he

Social Affairs Oct. 10, 2016

Two wild boars were spotted in downtown Uijeongbu at 12:05 a.m. on Monday, according to the police. Residents in the region reported sightings after they came across a couple of wild pigs near an intersection in Uijeongbu-dong. One of the boars was killed immediately after local police officers and fire fighters arrived on the scene. The other escaped into the nearby mountain, according to the police.  Video footage showing two wild boars spotted in the city of UijeongbuIn recent months, a growi

Social Affairs Oct. 10, 2016

The former bookkeeper at a Busan-based firm was caught embezzling more than 1 billion won ($900,000), police said on Thursday. According to Yeongdo Police Station in Busan, the 41-year-old woman, surnamed Kim, is accused of stealing corporate funds and making false entries in the corporate books. From 2011 until 2016, Kim deposited the corporate funds into personal accounts, marking the transactions as purchasing goods under the name of the company’s head. (123rf)The suspect carried out the ille

Social Affairs Oct. 6, 2016

A former taxi driver was caught intentionally hitting his hand against side-view mirrors as vehicles drove by and demanding compensation, police said Thursday. Dongdaemun Police Station in Seoul said the 64-year-old man is in custody on the charge of intentionally injuring his wrist and swindling drivers of around 5 million won ($4,500).(Herald DB)Police said the suspect had targeted cars on narrow streets in Gangbuk-gu since last year, causing injuries to himself by punching the side-view mirro

Social Affairs Oct. 6, 2016

New testimony Thursday revealed that a missing pet dog named “Heart” was still breathing before it was approached by villagers and eaten, police said. Iksan Police authorities are reviewing a statement from the witness, as well as previous statements from others, who testified the dog was alive when a 73-year-old suspect surnamed Cho and three others took him to a village hall in Iksan to slaughter. A photo of Heart, who was later found slaughtered and eaten.Other witnesses in the town offered s

Social Affairs Oct. 6, 2016

A 23-year-old college student will serve a 30-year prison sentence for breaking into his neighbor’s home and killing the elderly couple inside, the South Korean Supreme Court ruled on Thursday.  (Herald DB)The high court decision confirmed the previous ruling of the lower courts that had sentenced the defendant surnamed Seol to 30 years in jail.The killing occurred on Aug. 10, 2015, when Seol, while intoxicated, trespassed into the victim’s house in downtown Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province,

Social Affairs Oct. 6, 2016

Around 40 percent of town bus drivers in Seoul leave their job within a year, a report showed. According to a report released on Thursday by Seoul Labor Rights Center, town bus drivers who left their job within a year accounted for 41 percent, while those who stayed for more than five years stood at 9 percent. The average employment period of town bus drivers in Seoul is around two years. YonhapThe staff turnover of 60 percent since 2010 is seen as an issue for the bus companies in Seoul, accord

Social Affairs Oct. 6, 2016

Seven men were caught after intentionally causing car crashes with drunken drivers in an attempt to demand money, police said Thursday. Seocho Police Station in Seoul said that the seven men, all in their 20s, are facing charges of causing intentional car accidents and blackmailing drunken drivers for compensation. When their demands were refused, they threatened to report the victims to the police.  (Herald DB)The group is accused of extorting around 1.2 million won, or $1,000 worth of cash fro

Social Affairs Oct. 6, 2016

진행자: 손지영, Paul Kerry1. 식약처, 한미약품 ‘올리타정’ 제한적 사용 허가　기사요약: 심각한 부작용이 나타나 한 명의 사망자까지 발생한 한미약품의 신약 표적 폐암 치료제 ‘올리타정’에 대해 식품의약품안전처가 ‘제한적 사용 허가’ 라는 결정을 내렸다. 기존 폐암 치료제에 내성이 생긴 환자들을 위해 개발된 신약인 만큼 식약처는 지난 5월 올리타정의 국내 시판 허가를 내린 바 있다. 하지만 최근 본 약의 해외 임상시험 도중 심각한 부작용 및 사망사례가 보고되면서 기존애 내려진 시판 허가에 대한 재논의가 진행됐다.　아이튠즈(아이폰): https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/koliaheleoldeu-paskaeseuteu/id686406253?mt=2 팟빵 (안드로이드): http://www.podbbang.com/ch/6638Drug Ministry maintains approval of Hanmi’s lung cancer drug　[1] The S

Podcast Oct. 5, 2016

The apparent brutal abuse of a missing dog by villagers is causing controversy over animal welfare in Korea, with an activist group heaping blame on the country’s lax animal protection law. An Old English Sheepdog named Heart was found butchered on Sept. 28, two days after the owner reported it missing, according to Iksan Police Station in North Jeolla Province. The police, holding three villagers in custody over charges of burglary, said a thorough investigation is needed to determine if the ca

Social Affairs Oct. 5, 2016