진행자: 최정윤, Naomi Ng 1. Choosing children over career: Fatherhood changing in modern Korea 기사 요약: 커리어 대신 양육을 우선시하는 한국 아빠들의 바뀐 모습 Men’s gradual pivot to parenting comes in line with women’s career progress, past paternal trauma, experts say [1] A 37-year-old executive at a tech startup in Seoul surnamed Choi made what seemed a bold decision after welcoming the birth of his first child two years ago: he took three months of paternity leave. *paternity leave: 남자의 출산 휴가 (maternity leave

Podcast Nov. 23, 2023

RM, Jimin, Jungkook and V of South Korean mega group BTS have started their military enlistment process, BTS' label, BigHit Music, announced Tuesday. According to the company, the group's remaining four musicians have undertaken procedures to fulfill their national service obligations, following the other three members, Jin, Suga and J-Hope, who are already serving their duties. Specific details on the enrollment are expected to be announced later. All men of South Korean nationality a

K-pop Nov. 22, 2023

The Supreme Court on Thursday confirmed the 1-year prison sentence given to President Yoon Suk Yeol's mother-in-law, and rejected her application for bail. Yoon's mother-in-law, Choi Eun-soon, 76, was detained in July on charges of forging a financial document to purchase real estate in the Dochon-dong neighborhood of Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province in 2013. Choi also falsified bank balance records on four separate occasions to indicate that she had 34.9 billion won ($26.7 million) in depo

Social Affairs Nov. 16, 2023

A fodder plant in the southwestern city of Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, exploded Sunday, killing two, including a foreign worker. According to the Suncheon Fire Department, the explosion occurred at 3:19 p.m., killing two welders. One of the victims is a 50-year-old Thai national. Following the accident, eight rescue and emergency vehicles were dispatched to the scene, while the National Institute of Forensic Science is now conducting an on-site investigation. Police and fire authorities hav

Social Affairs Oct. 22, 2023

진행자: 최정윤, Naomi Ng 1. Seoul to add more public trash cans by 2025 기사 요약: 길거리의 쓰레기통이 부족하다는 불만이 지속적으로 제기되자 서울시에선 2,500여 가량의 쓰레기통 추가 설치 계획을 발표. [1] The city of Seoul said Thursday that it will add over 2,500 new trash bins on the streets by 2025. The difficulty in disposing of trash in public spaces has been among the most common complaints from foreign visitors to the capital, as well as residents. Across Seoul, a city of some 10 million residents, there are currently fewer than 5,000 trash can

Podcast Oct. 19, 2023

진행자: 최정윤, Beth Eunhee Hong 1.Korea to enforce public release of mugshots, identities of those who commit serious crimes 기사 요약: 중대범죄 피의자의 머그샷을 공개할 수 있도록 하는 ‘머그샷 법’이 국회에 통과됨에 따라 피의자의 최근 사진이 공개됨. [1] South Korea's parliament on Friday passed a bill that will allow law enforcement to release the mugshots of suspects arrested for serious crimes without their consent. *enforcement: (법률 등의) 집행/ 강요하다, 집행하다 *mugshot: 범인 식별용 얼굴 사진 *consent: 동의 [2] The passage of the law will create l

Podcast Oct. 12, 2023

진행자: 최정윤, Beth Eunhee Hong 1. What drove Korea's once-revered teachers to despair? 요약: 논란이 계속 되고 있는 교사들의 교권 침해, 무엇이 한 때 존경 받던 선생님들을 절망으로 몰아 넣었나 [1] For Kim, a retired teacher in her late 60s, teaching was one of the greatest gifts of her life. Recalling students’ laughter and small parties in classrooms celebrating Teachers’ Day every year, she was a teacher who was revered and appreciated by both students and parents. *despair: 절망/ 체념하다 *revere: 숭배하다, 존경하다 (respect, admire, th

Podcast Sept. 21, 2023

진행자: 최정윤, Ali Abbot 1. Tipping culture sparks controversy among Koreans 기사 요약: 늘어나는 '팁 문화'에 한국서 상반된 반응 나타나 [1] A popular Seoul-based bagel shop recently became a lightning rod when a photo from the shop went viral online. Sitting next to the cash register was a tip jar -- a sight that touched the nerves of many Koreans who feel store owners are shifting the burden of rising operating costs to consumers by attempting to introduce gratuities. *rod: (쇠)막대기, lightening rod: 피뢰침, 논란의 대상 *t

Podcast Aug. 31, 2023

On Wednesday, Kim Kyu-jin became the first openly gay Korean woman to give birth. While the birth of her child is a unique event here, it was a casual conversation over lunch which first sparked the idea of becoming a mother. “You are married? You are going to have a baby, right?” The question was posed to her by her boss at a multinational company in France. The question got her thinking, “If this kind of question can be so easily asked over lunch on the first day of work beca

People Aug. 30, 2023

How music shapes a city and accords identity: Scenes of 19th Jecheon International Music and Film Festival JECHEON, North Chungcheong Province -- The 19th edition of the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival -- the only internationally recognized festival that encompasses both music and film -- came to a close Tuesday with dampened festivities and controversy. The festival got off to a rocky start this year, suffering from budget cuts and leadership changes. This year's budget was

Film Aug. 15, 2023

Upon alarming incidents of random attacks against pedestrians in South Korea in recent weeks, the police held a press conference on Friday and vowed special security measures that include inspecting anyone suspected of carrying weapons. “We declare special measures for public peace and safety until the anxiety felt among the people subsides,” National Police Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun said in a live televised address. He said the police will selectively inspect anyone who is

Social Affairs Aug. 4, 2023

Monsoon rains have battered South Korea over the past few days, creating a number of bizarre commuting scenes. People in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province on Monday waded through the mud to get to work. High tides meant that the rain, which reached 200 millimeters overnight, was unable to discharge into the river. More than a dozen shops, including gas stations, financial institutions and cafes, were closed this morning as the eight-lane road around Seokhyeon Samgeori, dubbed the gateway to Mokpo, wa

Social Affairs July 24, 2023

진행자: 최정윤, Beth Eunhee Hong 1. A wake-up call on landslide dangers in S. Korea 기사 요약: 7월 호우 피해로 인해 한국 사회가 산사태 예방 및 대책에 얼마나 미흡한지가 들어나 [1] When torrential rain continues for days, hillside homes can be just as dangerous as riverside dwellings. This served as a painful lesson for South Korea, as several landslides caused casualties across the country. *torrential: (엄청난 양의/ 양동이를 들이붓듯) 많이 내리는 *casualty: 사상자, 피해자 [2] The record July downpour has left 50 people dead or missing nationwide as of 11

Podcast July 20, 2023

A couple under police investigation for burying their 5-day-old male infant in secret have been detained over suspicion of murder. It was the latest in a series of shocking child abuse or infanticide cases revealed after the government launched an investigation to check the well-being of more than 2,000 undocumented babies born since 2015, following the discovery of two unregistered newborns in a home refrigerator last month. An arrest warrant was issued for a man in his 20s and a woman in her

Social Affairs July 2, 2023

South Korea dispatched an emergency firefighting team to Canada on Sunday to support extinguishing the wildfires raging across the North American nation. The 151 workers from the Korea Disaster Relief Team, consisting of firefighters as well as government agency and medical personnel, are headed to Quebec, where they will work for about one month. The dispatch of the KDRT marks the second mission of its kind this year following its activities in Turkey to provide disaster relief following the ma

Foreign Affairs July 2, 2023