A group of delegations from Vietnam held a conference in Seoul on Thursday to promote the Vietnamese province of Bac Ninh to rise as an industrial zone, calling for active investments from South Korean companies. The event -- co-hosted by the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the province’s provincial people’s committee and sponsored by Viglacera, the country’s leading building materials manufacturer and industrial parks operator -- sought to introduce the area&r

Diplomatic Circuit Nov. 10, 2023

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Thursday afternoon passed a contentious pro-labor bill and three broadcasting bills during a plenary session at the National Assembly, a move that comes after the ruling People Power Party announced that it would withdraw threats of a filibuster. The partial amendments to all three broadcasting bills and the pro-labor “yellow envelope bill” were unilaterally passed, with all participating members voting in favor. Members of the ruling

Politics Nov. 9, 2023

South Korea’s Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission on Wednesday stressed its pivotal role in handling and resolving civil complaints and mitigating against the unfair treatment of citizens and foreign residents alike. Over the past five years, some 30,000 complaints have been lodged to the ACRC, while 23,887 cases have been addressed, including those filed by foreign residents. “Handling a complaint not only means dealing with the unjust situation of an individual citizen, b

Social Affairs Nov. 9, 2023

Graduate students at Seoul National University’s Colleges of Medicine and Nursing reported experiencing a higher incidence of abuse compared to graduate students in other departments, data showed Wednesday. According to a survey jointly conducted by the SNU’s Human Rights Center and the Institute for Social Development and Policy Research Center, 24.8 percent of respondents pursuing education in the medical field answered “yes” when asked if they had been subject to offen

Social Affairs Nov. 8, 2023

After a dayslong search for a fugitive who escaped custody Saturday, police officers on late Monday captured Kim Gil-soo after he was seen at a public phone booth in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, just to the north of Seoul. The 36-year-old escapee was caught at around 9:26 p.m. He was reportedly calling his girlfriend at that moment, according to police. “I didn’t plan it,” the fugitive told local reporters when asked if he had premeditated his escape. He also denied that he ha

Social Affairs Nov. 7, 2023

Breaking his silence since rumors began emerging nearly two weeks ago, Kwon Ji-yong, more widely known as G-Dragon of K-pop boy band Big Bang, showed up before police on Monday afternoon for questioning over alleged illegal drug use. The 35-year-old singer and rapper arrived at the Incheon Metropolitan Police building at around 1:20 p.m. to undergo an interrogation and drug test conducted by the drug crime investigation unit. “I have no relation to drug-related crimes. That is why (I came

Social Affairs Nov. 6, 2023

Eight in 10 South Koreans think they should be able to decide whether to mute or enable their camera shutter sound on their phones, a survey showed Sunday. According to a survey conducted by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission from Oct. 23 until Saturday on 3,476 respondents, 86.2 percent of those polled answered “yes” when asked if they think individuals should be able to adjust the camera shutter noise settings. Muting the camera shutter sound is disabled for all device

Social Affairs Nov. 5, 2023

Authorities in Seoul are struggling to control the spread of bedbugs, as a total of 17 bedbug infestations have been reported in seven Seoul districts as of Sunday, according to local reports. The city has set aside 500 million won ($381,000) to prevent bedbug infestations from spreading, particularly in facilities vulnerable in terms of hygiene. As part of this initiative, the city will distribute checklists to residents to know if they’ve got an infestation in those areas. Last Thursday,

Social Affairs Nov. 5, 2023

Police unveiled a four-year blueprint Thursday for using artificial intelligence technology to predict and combat crimes. The police believe the technology can help fill the gaps in security in rural areas caused by the concentration of police personnel in Seoul and the metropolitan area. They will also seek to use it to improve investigative abilities and technology to combat voice phishing, as the crime is mostly conducted through exploiting mobile telecommunications. The plan includes a progr

Social Affairs Nov. 2, 2023

진행자: 박준희, Ali Abbot 1. Opposition lawmakers allege celebrity drug scandals are part of government coverup 기사 요약: 연예인 마약으로 이슈 덮는다? 민주당 '음모론' 제기 [1] While South Korean celebrities’ drug allegations continue to dominate headlines, the main opposition party claimed on Friday that the ongoing investigation into such drug scandals may have been premeditated to divert public attention from current political issues that are unfavorable to the ruling party and the government. * Allegat

Podcast Nov. 2, 2023

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Sunday were honored with the special International Profile in Courage Award from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation for their efforts in improving relations between the countries, despite historical issues and domestic opposition. “I am honored to receive this year’s “Profile in Courage Award,” a symbol of John F. Kennedy’s New Frontier,” Yoon said in a prerecorded acceptance

Politics Oct. 30, 2023

While South Korean celebrities’ drug allegations continue to dominate headlines, the main opposition party claimed on Friday that the ongoing investigation into such drug scandals may have been premeditated to divert public attention from current political issues that are unfavorable to the ruling party and the government. In a radio interview with the news channel YTN on Thursday, Rep. An Min-suk of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea said a series of drug scandals involving big

Politics Oct. 27, 2023

South Korea’s Constitutional Court on Thursday upheld the military criminal code that punishes same-sex sexual activities between soldiers, even if it took place outside of military property and was consensual, saying that the military needs to maintain discipline and combat power. In a 5-4 decision, the highest court upheld the constitutionality of Article 92-6 of the Military Criminal Act, which stipulates that “anal sex and other indecent acts” between military personnel can

Social Affairs Oct. 26, 2023

The Association of International Ministries, a network of English-speaking churches and ministries in the greater Seoul area, said Thursday it would hold a special memorial service Sunday to commemorate the victims of last year's deadly Itaewon crowd crush On Oct. 29 last year, crowds packed into an alley in Itaewon, Seoul, from three directions, forming a crush that claimed the lives of 159 people. “To those who are grieving, we grieve with you and long to pray with you and support y

Social Affairs Oct. 26, 2023

It’s that time of the year again for a 25-year-old officer worker surnamed Na to revel in the whimsical joy of Halloween traditions like dressing up and getting together with friends. She plans to go to Itaewon during the weekend to grab a drink and later stay the night with her friend at an accommodation facility in the area -- hoping there won’t be a repeat of the Itaewon crowd crush that took the lives of 159 people on Oct. 29 last year. Although a somber atmosphere lingers in par

Social Affairs Oct. 25, 2023