Students and parents bid goodbyes to each other at the gate of Myoungji High School Thursday, giving hugs and some in tears, as Suneung, the national college entrance exam, took place. A total of 450,477 out of 510,000 test takers flocked to 1,265 test sites in 84 test districts across the country to take the annual exam, also known as the College Scholastic Ability Test, which plays an important part in deciding which universities they will be admitted to. Even before sunrise rose, test taker

Social Affairs Nov. 17, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol is once again facing controversy over his interaction with the media during an overseas trip. Yoon returned home Wednesday from a trip to Cambodia and Indonesia where he attended a series of multilateral and bilateral summits. However, his actions on the international stage are again being overshadowed by actions taken by himself and his office in dealing with the media. Yoon’s six-day trip kicked off Friday amid a prolonged confrontation with MBC. The relationship

Politics Nov. 16, 2022

Controversy over disclosure of the list of Itaewon tragedy victims is intensifying with liberal-leaning online media and Catholic priests' groups releasing the list of victims Monday. Two progressive online media outlets released a list of 155 people who died in the tragedy, on their website Monday. The list included only their names, without photos, ages or any other personal information of the victims. "Bizarre memorial altar even without memorial tablets and picture of the deceased

Social Affairs Nov. 15, 2022

The ruling and main opposition parties remain at loggerheads over the Itaewon tragedy, with the two sides refusing to give way in discussions over a parliamentary investigation. On Monday, ruling People Power Party Floor Leader Rep. Joo Ho-young and Democratic Party of Korea Floor Leader Rep. Park Hong-keun met with National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo to discuss the issue, but parted ways after only confirming their differences. Park urged the ruling party to participate in the parliamentary i

Politics Nov. 14, 2022

Park Byung-hwa, a serial rapist, was released from prison on Oct. 31 and lives in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. Several restrictions have been added to ease residents' anxiety, but calls for eviction still continue. The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office said Thursday that the court had passed the prosecution's request for additional measures to extend Park Byung-hwa's curfew. The original curfew was from midnight to 6 a.m., and the court’s order added three additional h

Social Affairs Nov. 11, 2022

The police special investigation team for the Itaewon disaster is still looking into a number of suspicions and rumors, amid criticism that the investigation is heading in the wrong direction, freeing government authorities from responsibility. Kim Dong-wook, spokesperson for the investigation team said on Friday that they have been examining the suspicion surrounding the Yongsan Police Station intelligence team’s report that warned of danger before the disaster. The report, which included

Social Affairs Nov. 11, 2022

A Yongsan police officer under investigation in connection to the Itaewon tragedy was found dead Friday. The officer, identified by the surname Jeong, faced allegations that he was involved in deleting a report proposing concerns about safety measures during Halloween period. Jeong, 55, was found dead at his home in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul at 12:45 p.m., Friday. Family members found Jeong and reported it to the police. Jeong reportedly sent a message implying suicide to some colleagues the previous da

Social Affairs Nov. 11, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol said that he will hold a trilateral summit with leaders of the US and Japan on the sidelines of a multilateral summit on Sunday. While explaining his itinerary in Southeast Asia to the press during his regular morning briefing on Thursday, Yoon said the Korea-US-Japan summit has been confirmed. The meeting will be held during Yoon's first trip to Southeast Asia to discuss the North Korean nuclear threat issue. The trilateral meeting will be held in Cambodia on Sunday

Foreign Affairs Nov. 10, 2022

The prosecution on Wednesday searched the headquarters of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea in its probe into allegations surrounding a land development project in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. With the latest search and seizure, the prosecution appears to be accelerating the investigation that many watchers expect to ultimately hone in on Democratic Party leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office raided the home and office of Jeong Jin-sang, vice

Politics Nov. 9, 2022

The National Union of Media Workers on Tuesday reported three paper companies to the Fair Trade Commission, accusing them of colluding on price hikes. The three companies -- Jeonju Paper, Paper Korea and Daehan Paper -- raised the price of newsprint paper beginning in May and supplied less product to certain newspaper companies that did not cooperate with their price raise, the union claimed. "If the paper price rises amid financial difficulty, newspaper companies will pass the burden to th

Social Affairs Nov. 8, 2022

Amid criticism over wasted budget and inappropriate use of manpower, President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Kun-hee moved into the new official residence located in Hannam-dong, central Seoul, Monday, six months after Yoon's inauguration. The presidential office said that Yoon and his wife moved from their private residence in Seocho-dong, southern Seoul, to the Hannam-dong residence on Monday. It took nearly 10 minutes for the president to travel from his home in Seocho-dong to the pre

Politics Nov. 8, 2022

Although the national mourning period for the Itaewon disaster ended on Saturday, many people are left traumatized by direct and indirect exposure to tragic scenes. Experts and mental health associations asked hospitals to prioritize the treatment of patients suffering from the disaster. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on Sunday, the Korean Association of Psychiatric Practitioners recently sent a text message to its members saying, "We ask for prompt therapeutic intervention

Social Affairs Nov. 7, 2022

Criticism against the anti-stalking law is rising again following a court's decision to acquit a man of stalking charges, based on the fact that the victim did not answer the defendant's repeated calls. The Incheon District Court announced Sunday that it had acquitted a 54-year-old man accused of stalking. The perpetrator was indicted on stalking charges after repeatedly calling and sending text messages to his former girlfriend from March 26 to June 3. In April, a restraining order wa

Social Affairs Nov. 6, 2022

Police are looking into the cause of a mine collapse that trapped two miners and the mining company's response. The two miners, who were trapped underground when a zinc mine collapsed in Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province, were rescued Friday night. The Gyeongbuk Provincial Police announced Saturday that it had organized an investigation team dedicated to the Bonghwa mine collapse, consisting of 18 investigators. The focus of the investigation will be on how and why the company did not repo

Social Affairs Nov. 6, 2022

Graphic images of the Itaewon disaster still inundate some media outlets, despite repeated calls to refrain from uploading and watching such content. Experts say guilt, curiosity and attention-seeking could be the drive for this continued behavior. Psychiatrist Dr. Lee Hae-kook of Catholic University St. Mary’s Hospital in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, explained that people can repeatedly consume graphic scenes of social disaster out of guilt. “Compulsive guilt and sorrow -- that we

Social Affairs Nov. 2, 2022