Police on Thursday arrested a Chinese man who ran away from a quarantine hotel after testing positive for COVID-19. Incheon Jungbu Police Station said the fugitive was caught in a hotel in Seoul at around 12:55 p.m. on Thursday. The 41-year-old, who tested positive for COVID-19 at Incheon Airport after arriving from China, is accused of refusing quarantine and fleeing from a hotel in Yeongjong-do, Incheon, at around 10:04 p.m., Tuesday. A hotel surveillance camera showed the man running away six

Social Affairs Jan. 5, 2023

Police busted a nightclub in Gangnam, southern Seoul, for providing a place for lewd acts such as partner swapping and group sex last year, arresting the owner of the club and four employees. But there will be no criminal charges against the clients of the club as they were there voluntarily, according to local reports quoting investigators. The case was sent to the prosecution in October and is currently being investigated by the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, they said. Five people

Social Affairs Jan. 4, 2023

Police have put a Chinese national on the wanted list after he ran away and refused to be isolated, although he had tested positive for COVID-19 upon his arrival to Korea. According to Incheon Metropolitan Police and disease control authorities, the 41-year-old was tested under the new COVID-19 mandate applied to travelers from China on Tuesday, and was confirmed to have the virus later in the evening. He was sent to a hotel on Yeongjongdo near Incheon Airport, but fled while waiting to be assig

Social Affairs Jan. 4, 2023

Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, which has spread rapidly within the United States, already arrived in Korea last month, authorities confirmed Monday, raising concerns over the spread of the strain believed to have resistance against updated vaccines. "XBB.1.5 variant has been detected in the country on Dec. 8, 2022. So far, a total of 13 XBB.1.5 cases have been confirmed, including six cases in Korea and seven cases from overseas,” the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. Tha

Social Affairs Jan. 3, 2023

The Ulsan District Court said Monday that it has turned down a Chinese national's request to nullify the immigration office's order to leave the country after the long-term resident was convicted of driving under the influence. The court dismissed the plaintiff’s request that was made on the basis of procedural defect, and said the Chinese national, who was caught drunk driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.183 percent in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in July 202

Social Affairs Jan. 2, 2023

Most regions across the country plan to raise public utility charges in the new year, including public transportation fares, water and sewage rates, and prices of standard garbage bags. According to the public utility charge plan of South Korea's 17 provinces and metropolitan cities, most regions have already decided to or are considering raising fares for public transportation such as taxis, subways and buses. Seoul announced last week it would raise the basic fare for taxis from 3,800 won

Social Affairs Jan. 1, 2023

All five victims who died in a fire in a soundproof tunnel on a highway in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday, were identified Saturday. “The identity of the five victims has been confirmed through DNA tests by the National Forensic Service,” the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said Saturday. The forensic service confirmed that, of the five victims, three were women and two were men. Three were in their 60s, while the others were in their 20s and 30s, respectively. Two wom

Social Affairs Jan. 1, 2023

The first sunrise of 2023 is expected to be seen at 7:26 a.m. from Dokdo, the easternmost part of Korea, with a forecast of clear skies, according to the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute on Thursday. The last sunset of 2022 will begin at 5:05 p.m, it said. Clear skies are expected for the last day of 2022 and the first day of 2023, making for spectacular sunset and sunrise views, the Korea Meteorological Administration said. Until Jan. 3 of the new year, the country will generally h

Social Affairs Dec. 29, 2022

The Busan Metropolitan City Government on Wednesday installed a "Climate Clock" at the south gate of Busan Citizens Park in Busanjin-gu, as part of the port city's efforts to raise awareness on environmental protection. Climate Clock is the name of a New York-based climate action group and also the name of the group's project involving scientists, artists and climate activists from around the world that aims to spread awareness on the seriousness of the global climate crisis.

Social Affairs Dec. 28, 2022

A Chinese national was sentenced by the Daegu District Court on Tuesday to six months in prison and two years of probation for illegally using a Korean citizen's resident registration number to get health insurance coverage for medical services. From 2012 to May 2022, the female Chinese national received medical treatment using a Korean citizen's resident registration number. According to the police investigation, the Chinese national received about 9.5 million won ($7,500) worth of be

Social Affairs Dec. 27, 2022

Facing a series of prosecutorial investigations, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung said Monday he would comply with the prosecution's summon over an investigation into alleged bribery, but not on Wednesday as prosecutors originally requested. "I don't understand the prosecution's behavior, but will confidently deal with (the case)," he told reporters at the National Assembly. "As you know, the case has already been cleared," he

Politics Dec. 26, 2022

Indoor masking will be phased out gradually, Korean public health authorities said Friday, with the mask mandate to be downgraded to a recommendation as long as certain conditions are met. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters did not specify when the phase-out would be implemented or any timeline for the measures. In the first stage of the phase-out, indoor masks will be encouraged to be worn voluntarily. The mask mandate will remain intact on public transportation and at

Social Affairs Dec. 23, 2022

Heavy snow has fallen in the southwest of the peninsula since Thursday night, causing a large number of flights to be canceled and schools to be closed on Friday. A number of traffic accidents were also reported overnight. The heavy snow advisories, issued Thursday night around the southwest of the peninsula, continue to be in effect in Jeolla Province, Sejong, Chungcheong Province, Jeju Island, Ulleung Island and Dokdo as of 12:00 p.m., Friday. According to the Jeollabukdo Office of Education o

Social Affairs Dec. 23, 2022

The grandson of the founder of Kiswire Limited, a midsized steel enterprise, was arrested on charges of use and possession of marijuana on Wednesday, amid continued revelations concerning the drug use of chaebol and wealthy families. Prosecutors are accelerating their probe, suspecting more drug offenses and related crimes. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office received an arrest warrant for a man surnamed Hong on charges of violating the drug law, Wednesday. Hong is the grandson o

Social Affairs Dec. 22, 2022

Amid heavy snow in the Seoul metropolitan area from early Wednesday morning, the Korea Meteorological Administration forecast more heavy snow from Thursday to Saturday, urging caution against safety accidents. The KMA said in a briefing Wednesday that heavy snow will continue from Thursday to Saturday morning, mainly in Chungcheong, Jeolla Province and Jeju Island. The snow will last a long time due to the temperature differences between the sea water and lower atmosphere, the official explained

Social Affairs Dec. 21, 2022