South Korea going 100 percent renewable by 2050 is not a sci-fi fiction, but will become reality, if only it stays committed, a global environmental leader said. Currently, renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, accounts for just 2 percent of the country’s electricity production, while coal-fired power plants generate about 40 percent and nuclear reactors 30 percent. The Moon Jae-in administration is making a strong push for renewables, aiming to raise its share to 20 percent by 2030, w

Social Affairs Aug. 24, 2017

Police said Monday that they are chasing a suspected multi-ethnic group of thieves for taking a bag filled with cash amounting to 360 million won ($316,000) at Seoul Station earlier this month. The suspects, consisting of six men and women, allegedly ran away with the bag at a restaurant located in Seoul Station on Aug. 2 at around 4:20 p.m., police said. Surveillance camera footage suggests the group includes some Hispanic-looking individuals. According to Namdaemun Police Station, the black ba

Social Affairs Aug. 14, 2017

The South Korean government on Thursday postponed its plan to conduct a comprehensive environmental survey of a US anti-missile system deployed in Seongju, due to strong resistance from local residents and adverse weather conditions. The ministries of defense and environment had planned to measure the level of electromagnetic radiation and noise from the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province. Two THAAD launchers and a radar are currently operational at

Defense Aug. 10, 2017

At least six people have died and over 2 million livestock were killed due to the heat wave sweeping South Korea this summer, the government said Tuesday. Electrics fans are in full motion inside a pig farm in the southern city of Ulsan on Tuesday, as a heat wave continues to engulf Korea. (Yonhap)According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 1,284 people have fallen ill due to heat-related illnesses as of Tuesday, while six have lost their lives.A woman in her 60

Social Affairs Aug. 8, 2017

South Korea is moving to raise standards for airborne pollutants to international levels, as part of its ongoing efforts to fight air pollution. On the left is the Air Visual's air pollution ranking as of Tuesday 2:30 p.m. On the right shows Korea's air quality map at the same time.Currently, the country classifies air quality into four categories -- good, normal, bad and very bad -- based on a set of criteria, which includes daily average concentrations of PM 10 and PM 2.5. PM 2.5 are ultrafine

Social Affairs Aug. 8, 2017

Traces of narcotics found in wastewater in Busan, a coastal city with several beaches that are very popular among South Koreans, show a notable increase during the peak summer vacation season, according to a study released Friday.  Pictured above is Haeundae Beach, the most famous beach in a southeastern coastal city of Busan, South Gyeongsang Province. (Yonhap)According to a team led by Oh Jeong-eun, a professor of environmental engineering at Pusan National University, at least seven kinds of

Social Affairs Aug. 4, 2017

The number of people who have joined or applied to join the online cafe of a controversial nudist club in North Chungcheong Province has increased after a battle with local residents increased awareness of it. Screen capture of the official homepage of the resort used for the gatherings of a private naturists’ club in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province.A local media reported Thursday that at least 66 people joined the online cafe for the naturists’ club this week, with 12 more waiting to be acc

Social Affairs Aug. 3, 2017

A powerful typhoon moving up from the waters south of Jeju Island, is expected to bring heavy rains and strong winds to southern parts of South Korea over the weekend, Korea’s weather agency said Thursday.  (Yonhap)Typhoon Noru, packing gusts of up to 176 kilometers per hour, is not projected to make landfall on the peninsula, instead heading east to Japan. As of Thursday, the typhoon was moving toward Seogwipo on Jeju Island from 730 kilometers east of Japan’s Okinawa Island, the Korea Meteorol

Social Affairs Aug. 3, 2017

Seoul City announced Thursday that it will provide free nutritional supplements to some 1,000 elderly, underprivileged and homeless people every month. The city decided to expand the program in partnership with social enterprise Vitamin Angels, after a two-month pilot that ended in July. Starting this month and for over the next two years, nutritional supplements worth 100 million won ($88,700) will be given to residents living in shanty towns in old districts such as Dongja-dong in Yongsan-gu a

Social Affairs Aug. 3, 2017

A nudist facility on private property in a rural village in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, faces a crackdown after villagers staged a protest calling for its permanent closure, sparking public controversy in South Korea’s traditionally conservative society.  On the main road leading to a nudist resort in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, graffiti written by villagers reads “Go away you nudists.” (Yonhap)Public nudity is illegal here, but naturists are free to gather in their birthday su

Social Affairs Aug. 2, 2017

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Wednesday its plan to inject a total of 80 billion won ($70 million) by the year-end to reduce the number of old diesel cars to fight air pollution in the metropolitan area.The city government’s plan is in line with the government’s effort to reduce the emissions from diesel engine cars, blamed as a major source of fine dust. (Yonhap)With the money, the city will subsidize the early scrapping of old diesel cars, installation of exhaust reduction device

Social Affairs Aug. 2, 2017

Seoul City said Tuesday that it will begin analyzing soil and groundwater in areas near the US military base in central Seoul over alleged oil leaks, following the kickoff of the US 8th Army’s relocation. The investigation is set to begin this month in a joint effort with Rep. Song Ok-joo of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. It will focus on determining whether soil and groundwater have been polluted, the city said. Samples for analysis will be extracted from six of nine sites around the mil

Social Affairs Aug. 1, 2017

The freedom of the Asian black bear tagged KM-53 is fueling discord between environmental activists and the government over the bear restoration project.An Asian black bear is captured earlier this month at Sudosan in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province. (The Species Restoration Technology Institute)The bear in question was released into the mountainous Jirisan for species restoration, but was found 80 kilometers away, raising concerns of both human safety and habitat protection.In 2004, the Min

Social Affairs July 30, 2017

The government will inspect and refurbish some 300 underused riverside parks and sports facilities built along the country’s four major rivers, turning some of them back into farmland. One of the underused riverside park built in 2008. (Yonhap) The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Wednesday it would inspect 297 riverside parks created in 2008 under the four rivers development project, which was conceived and pushed by former President Lee Myung-bak. The 22 trillion won ($19.6

Social Affairs July 26, 2017