With the nationwide temperatures expected to surge to 33 degrees Celsius on Thursday, the weather agency is urging people to keep out of the sun.Ultraviolet rays and ozone saturation were both forecast as ‘bad’ in areas excluding Jeju Island. Daytime highs are forecast between 24 C and 33 C. Seoul will hit 28 C. This file photo dated June 1 shows pedestrians covered in long-sleeved clothes, hats and masks to block the sunlight. (Yonhap)Excessive heat warnings were issued in the inland regions of

Social Affairs June 7, 2018

Famed French rock climber Alain Robert was arrested by Korean police on Wednesday for scaling Korea’s tallest tower without permission. Robert, 55, was intercepted on the 75th floor and taken to the roof of the 123-story building on a maintenance cradle. Fourteen firetrucks and 65 firefighters were deployed to the scene after a Lotte worker spotted Robert ascending the tower’s outer wall at around 8 a.m.  Alain Robert was seen scaling the facade of the tallest building in Korea without safety ge

Social Affairs June 6, 2018

A dog with a record of killing two other canines on the street has attacked a third target, this time resulting in the intercepting dog owner’s two-week hospitalization.The Suwon District Court ruled a 2 million won ($1,870) fine to the attacker dog’s owner for negligence. Despite the dog’s past record of violence, the defendant had neglected to put a muzzle on it while taking it for a walk. (Yonhap)The incident occurred in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, around 11 p.m. in July 2017. The victim had b

Social Affairs June 6, 2018

The Singapore Mint on Tuesday unveiled gold, silver and base-metal medallions to commemorate the upcoming summit in the neutral city between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The medallions not only commemorate the “momentous step to world peace,” but also mark Singapore’s role “as a neutral host, and an economic and security gateway between the East and the West,” according to The Singapore Mint. The two sides of the medallion portray a handshake between Trump and K

North Korea June 5, 2018

Yanolja is the most popular mobile application for domestic hotel reservations among Koreans, according to Wiseapp, which analyzes the use of mobile applications. Among apps that provide services for domestic accommodation and flight reservations, the hotel booking app Yanolja ranked first, followed by the Yeogi-eottae and Hana Tour apps.Yanolja’s user base was estimated to be 1.02 million in April, a twofold increase from the previous year’s 570,000. Yanolja offers discounts for hotels and othe

Industry June 5, 2018

Incumbent Seoul City Mayor Park Won-soon has floated the idea that Seoul Station could send trains all the way to Berlin and Paris by passing through North Korea and China. Park is running for his third term in local elections slated for June 13.“If Seoul Station becomes an international stop, logistics and tourism will rev up. Imagine a world where our youths would go on field trips to Paris and Berlin,” said Park on Monday. Park Won-soon (Yonhap)He brought up the examples of late Olympians Son

Politics June 4, 2018

An off-duty Korean firefighter on a plane bound for Kathmandu, Nepal, rescued an emergency patient who was suffering from acute chest pain and had difficulty breathing.Jeongseon Fire Station in Gangwon Province said Friday that the story of the exemplary officer was spreading and earning praise. Firefighter Jeong Won-yong, 35, was heading to Nepal for a holiday on May 11, when he heard an in-flight announcement searching for a person with a medical background who could help an emergency patient.

Social Affairs June 1, 2018

A feline companion is being blamed for accidentally setting fire to a Jeju house that incurred 2 million won ($1,800) in damage. The fire started in the standalone house’s kitchen at around 8 p.m. Thursday in Aewol, Jeju. An area of about 7 square meters was burnt and 10 square meters were singed.The burnt kitchen (Jeju Seobu Fire Station)The Jeju Seobu Fire Station was able to extinguish the flames in some 20 minutes, before starting investigation into the source of the fire.No one had been ins

Social Affairs June 1, 2018

The Korea International Noodle Expo 2018, the nation’s biggest celebration of instant noodles, has announced it will specially create a zone for products from North Korea.KBS Media, the host of the expo, said Friday that, “In line with the mood for peace created by the South-North summit, we have prepared a special exhibition of North Korean food.”The special zone, named Okryugwan after the famous North Korean naengmyeon restaurant, will showcase instant ramen from the North. Representative Nort

Industry June 1, 2018

Temperatures soared on the first day of June on Friday, with the highest daytime mercury forecast to reach 31 degrees.Clear sky is expected nationwide on this day, with early summer heat during midday. Daytime highs will rise to between 25 and 31 C, up 2 to 4 degrees from the day before. Ozone and ultraviolet levels are in the “bad” range.  (Yonhap)Fine dust concentrations are rated as “normal” in most areas of Korea, but in the capital city and Chungcheong, Gwangju, North Jeolla, Busan, Ulsan a

Social Affairs June 1, 2018

A residential complex for over 800 households is to be built by 2020 in the vicinity of the US military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, the Gyeonggi regional government announced Wednesday. The new development is anticipated to provide stable housing for Koreans employed at the military base.Under the government-led scheme, Anjeong-ri of Pyeongtaek where US Army Garrison-Humphreys is, will have 719 ‘Newstay’ housings and 99 residences built under Gyeonggi Province’s housing-support progra

Social Affairs May 31, 2018

The coastal city of Ulsan, 60 kilometers north of Busan, is susceptible to toxic fine dust all-year-round due to the city’s shipbuilding industrial region, research showed Wednesday. Ulsan’s volatile organic compound emission volume is the highest among cities in Korea, according to a study led by Choi Sung-deuk, professor of urban and environmental engineering at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology. The city’s toxic fine dust levels stay unchanged throughout the year due to the s

Social Affairs May 30, 2018

진행자: 임정요, Paul Kerry　1. Court recognizes 65 as retirement age for physical workers　아이튠즈(아이폰): https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/koliaheleoldeu-paskaeseuteu/id686406253?mt=2팟빵 (안드로이드): http://www.podbbang.com/ch/6638　기사요약: 육체노동자의 은퇴연령을 기존의 60세에서 65세로 연장한 법원의 최근 판례가 주목을 받고 있다. 서울지방법원은 불의의 사고로 택시운전을 그만둬야 한 노동자의 항소를 받아들이며 그 이유로 평균수명 증가, 기업 정년 60세로 확대, 연금수급연령 65세, 실질 은퇴연령 72세를 근거로 들었다.　[1] With longer average life expectancy, courts are increasingly recognizing 65, instead of 60, as the retirement

Podcast May 30, 2018

With the full-fledged summer season just around the corner, South Korea’s water parks are preparing their staff for emergency handling.On Tuesday, theme park Everland’s Carribean Bay water amusement establishment carried out training sessions for their lifeguards at its artificial wave pool. The lifeguards, dressed in bright red-and-white uniforms for immediate recognition for visitors, demonstrated physical training, CPR and other rescue routines.Indoor water parks have increasingly become a co

Travel May 29, 2018

A restaurant in Binzhou, China, came up with a quirky idea to give discounts to customers who can squeeze through narrow metal bars. “People are always thinking about a big meal when they enter a restaurant. If they fail to squeeze through the frame they might think -- maybe we are overweight, maybe we should control the amount of food we order,” said Zhao Lang, the owner of the restaurant, in an interview.Visitors who make it through the narrowest gap, which is 15cm wide, get free beer for thei

World News May 29, 2018