Seoul’s monthly transit pass, known as the “Climate Card,” will be available for use starting Jan. 27, 2024, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday. The Climate Card is a rechargeable monthly transit pass that gives commuters access to public transport systems within the administrative boundaries of Seoul. It is intended to help relieve the increasing cost of living and encourage public transportation use to cut greenhouse gas emissions. “The card readers installe

Social Affairs Dec. 19, 2023

The Incheon Metropolitan Government stated on Monday that it will provide up to a combined 100 million won ($76,969) in subsidies cumulatively over the life of a child up until age 18. Titled “100 million+i dream,” the policy proposes to provide cumulative monetary support for every child born in Incheon from 2023 from birth until they reach age 18. The total cumulative 100 million won figure comes from combining 28 million won in new funds and 72 million won that is already currentl

Social Affairs Dec. 18, 2023

A day after issuing a cold wave advisory, the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sunday announced that the weather warning will remain in effect as temperatures continue to drop. “The lowest temperature on Saturday was recorded at minus 3.6 degrees Celsius and the lowest temperature from Sunday morning was minus 12 C, 8.4 degrees lower than the previous day,” said the Seoul Metropolitan Government in a press release. “The city government decided to keep the cold wave watch issued

Social Affairs Dec. 17, 2023

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea criticized the Ministry of Education on Thursday for insufficient subsidies and kindergarten programs for foreign children, urging the government to take action. “Initially, the Ministry of Education stated that it would investigate ways to expand its tuition program subsidies further than it is now. However, not only is their plan to do so insufficient, but no concrete data has been submitted to back up its plan,” said the NHRCK. “

Social Affairs Dec. 14, 2023

In a crowded but somewhat solemn atmosphere, some 60,000 people gathered at Seoul's New Year's Eve celebration near Bosingak on Dec. 31, 2022, braving the cold and waving their smartphone flashlights while watching prominent figures here ring a 3.2-meter-tall bell 33 times after a countdown. For this year's New Year's celebration, the Seoul Metropolitan Government, as the host of the event, is looking to spice things up by adding festivities to boost touristic appeal. Immersi

Social Affairs Dec. 13, 2023

South Korea ranked as the ninth-largest recent contributor to the global climate change crisis, with a financial liability of 517.7 trillion won ($392.7 billion), according to an analysis released by the nonprofit Solutions for Our Climate on Tuesday. Assuming the same liabilities for both developing and underdeveloped countries affected by the climate crisis every year until 2050, the organization concluded that Korea’s climate debt will average 20 trillion won per year. Among Korean comp

Social Affairs Dec. 13, 2023

Following rain across South Korea in the past few days, the Korea Meteorological Administration stated Tuesday that temperatures will begin to drop below zero from Wednesday morning. “After the low-pressure system that brought nationwide rain ebbs away, Korea will be on the edge of the high pressure over northern China,” said the KMA. “This will bring in northern winds and colder temperatures into the country.” According to the weather authorities, Wednesday morning tempe

Social Affairs Dec. 12, 2023

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Monday the expansion of services on the city’s travel app, TripPass, to allow international tourists to easily access various services, such as personal identification and mobile payments. With TripPass, tourists can issue mobile passports for use in stores that require identity verification or for tax refund services. TripPass was developed by Lordsystem, which introduced the first mobile passport service in South Korea through a competition

Social Affairs Dec. 11, 2023

The Seoul city government named 15 foreign nationals from 13 countries as honorary citizens on Friday for their contribution to the city's development. Rahil Ahmadova, a honorary citizen from Azerbaijan, was recognized for her efforts as a lecturer to spread awareness about multiculturalism and for her efforts to help other foreign nationals adjust to living in Seoul. Daniel Chukwunonso Nwagbala, another recipient from Nigeria, was recognized for his fundraising efforts for people with deve

Social Affairs Dec. 8, 2023

Cases regarding school violence will now be in the purview of specialized investigators employed by education offices around South Korea, along with an increase in the number of police officers deployed at schools, starting from March 2024. In a joint press conference Thursday, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Interior and Safety and the Korean National Police Agency said the measures were devised to lessen the burden on teachers handling rising school violence cases among students. &l

Social Affairs Dec. 7, 2023

Nearly half of the youth population residing in Seoul now lives in poverty, with many seeking financial support from their parents, according to a new study released by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Institute on Wednesday. According to the 2022 Seoul Young Adult Panel Study, 55.6 percent of the youth population in Seoul faced asset poverty, meaning that they lack sufficient liquid assets to cover their basic needs for three months. In particular, the asset poverty rate for the yout

Social Affairs Dec. 6, 2023

The Ministry of Environment said on Tuesday that the ministry will toughen requirements for zoo and aquarium licenses as part of efforts to ensure the welfare of animals at these facilities. According to an amendment to the Act on the Management of Zoos and Aquariums approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday, facilities must go through a separate licensing system following the requirements set by the ministry to operate as zoos and aquariums. To be licensed as a zoo or aquarium, the facilities must pro

Social Affairs Dec. 5, 2023

Temperatures are expected to become warmer this week compared to previous years, the Korea Meteorological Administration said Tuesday. “Over Tuesday and Wednesday, temperatures are expected to reach up to 12 degrees Celsius in Seoul,” said a KMA official. On average, low temperatures in South Korea were expected to reach up to 6 C on Tuesday morning, with high temperatures expected to rise to 16 C. Normally, temperatures at this time of the year are colder, with lows of around 4 C an

Social Affairs Dec. 5, 2023

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday announced two new services for foreign tourists: a taxi-hailing app and real-time translation services in subway stations. The city government has launched Taba, a taxi-hailing service specifically designed for overseas visitors to the city. The new app is expected to resolve limitations in existing domestic taxi-hailing apps, making it easier for tourists to request taxis with their phones. Existing taxi-hailing services require authentication to occu

Social Affairs Dec. 4, 2023

South Korea's Supreme Court belatedly revealed that it had confirmed the infection of computers used in courts with malware earlier this year. However, the court said it could not conclusively determine the connection of cyberattacks to North Korea. "Earlier this year, a malware infection was detected during a routine cybersecurity scan," the Office of Court Administration of the Supreme Court said in a statement issued Thursday. "During our response to the malware detection,

Social Affairs Dec. 1, 2023