A South Korean high court ruled on Tuesday that the spouse in a same-sex partnership is eligible for national health insurance coverage under his partner’s subscription. The landmark ruling overturns a lower court's decision in January 2022 that rejected the same-sex couple's petition to cancel the National Health Insurance Service's decision to demand back-payments from the non-earning partner. A spouse without a source of income is exempted from making a health insurance c

Social Affairs Feb. 21, 2023

The South Korean government is not responsible for compensation for a child who was inoculated following a boarding school's vaccination requirement, a court ruling showed Monday. The mother of the deceased son, whose identity was not disclosed, claimed in a lawsuit that the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency had unlawfully rejected the mother's request to review whether the case was subject to state compensation or not. She demanded the case be at least discussed at a committ

Social Affairs Feb. 20, 2023

Mongolia wants South Korea's largest port city, Busan, to become an integral part of a trade corridor for the landlocked country, its Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene told The Korea Herald in an interview Friday. Mongolia currently relies on the sea ports of Russia and China to import foreign goods and sell products to other countries. This means international sanctions imposed on Moscow and Beijing, as well as port lockdowns due to internal policies like zero-COVID, often led to fr

Foreign Affairs Feb. 19, 2023

South Korea and Mongolia will expand cooperation in exploring, developing and trading rare metals in Mongolia to bolster the supply chain of Korea's electronic goods and components. According to the South Korean Prime Minister's office, the two countries agreed to set up a new committee co-led by South Korea’s Second Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Park Il-jun and Mongolia's Mining and Heavy Industry Minister Ganbaatar Jambal, to hold an annual regular meeting on

Social Affairs Feb. 15, 2023

Seoul city is moving to replace its eight-year-old slogan, "I.Seoul.U," by putting two new candidates, "Seoul, My Soul" and "Seoul for You," to an online vote for the next 30 days starting Wednesday. The city government under Oh Se-hoon has stated that a new slogan is needed as the current one lacks popularity and does not make sense. In calling time on the slogan, Oh is erasing one of the legacies of the late Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, who died amid a sexual harass

Social Affairs Feb. 14, 2023

The number of daily novel coronavirus cases in South Korea hit 5,174, its lowest count in seven months, government data showed Monday. It marked the lowest point since June 27, 2022, when Korea counted 3,419 daily cases, according to data by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The latest figure has brought Korea's accumulated number of COVID-19 cases to 30.35 million. In general, figures announced on Mondays tend to be lower due to fewer people taking tests over the weekend. St

Social Affairs Feb. 13, 2023

High court judges in Seoul are set to resume trials on forced labor issues involving Japanese companies in May, regardless of whether Japan continues not to respond to the court's request to transmit judicial documents to defendants there. The Seoul High Court on Jan. 31 carried out "services of public notice" on two civil court trials where forced labor victims individually seek damages to companies that had mobilized them during World War II. Under the "services of public n

Social Affairs Feb. 12, 2023

The Justice Ministry on Thursday said it would allow illegal residents from Turkey and Syria in South Korea to return home immediately without having to declare their departures in advance. Under South Korea's immigration rule, illegal residents should report their plans to leave the country online within three to 15 calendar days prior to the departure. If not, they are subject to pay a fine. The temporary measure exempting illegal residents from the two quake-hit countries, will be effect

Social Affairs Feb. 9, 2023

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced plans Thursday to transform Nodeulseom, an artificial islet in Han River, into a new landmark by embracing a set of regulatory changes to allow architectural landmarks on the island. Under the tentative plan led by the municipal government, construction will begin in January, following feasibility reviews such as research and the architect selection process for the renewal. Vying for the Nodeulseom project are Denmark-based Bjarke Ingels Group, Germany-based Jurg

Social Affairs Feb. 9, 2023

South Korea's parliament passed a bill Wednesday to impeach Minister of Interior and Safety, Lee Sang-min, charging him for the "botched response" to the Itaewon crowd crush disaster. Lee is the first Cabinet member in South Korean history to lose his authority through an impeachment bill. At the National Assembly controlled by the liberal opposition Democratic Party of Korea, the bill passed with 179 votes in favor, 109 votes against and five votes abstained. For the vote to pass

Politics Feb. 8, 2023

Jeon Joo-hwan, who fatally stabbed an ex-coworker at her workplace to seek revenge last year, was sentenced 40 years of imprisonment and labor at a district court on Tuesday. Jeon, 31, was also ordered to put on a tracking device for an additional 15 years after his release from prison. Jeon was earlier sentenced to nine years behind bars for stalking the same victim in a district court, which both prosecutors and Jeon appealed. A judge at the Seoul Central District Court said the murder was int

Social Affairs Feb. 7, 2023

A local court in Seoul on Tuesday ordered the South Korean government to pay 30 million won ($23,900) in compensation to a Vietnam War victim, holding the country accountable for a wartime massacre of civilians. The Seoul Central District Court also ordered that the Seoul government be held responsible for any interest on payments to the plaintiff delayed for five decades, as well as the plaintiff's attorney fees. This is the first court ruling in history here that recognizes the state's account

Social Affairs Feb. 7, 2023

The Korean National Police Agency received the lowest "C" rating in the government's annual performance evaluation over its response to the Itaewon crowd crush that claimed 159 lives in October 2022, the report showed Tuesday. "The lack of measures to prevent the Itaewon crowd crush and the response to address it was why we came up with the rating," Paek Il-hyun, deputy minister for government performance evaluation at the Office for Government Policy Coordination, told

Social Affairs Feb. 7, 2023

Cho Kuk, a former justice minister and close aide of former President Moon Jae-in, was sentenced two years in prison Friday for forging his daughter's credentials which helped her get admitted to medical school. He was also found guilty of abusing his power when he was senior presidential secretary for civil affairs. The court ruled him guilty of using his power to interfere in a probe into bribery allegations against another Moon aide, as well as illegally taking 6 million won ($4,800) fro

Social Affairs Feb. 3, 2023

South Korea's national customs agency said Thursday it would combat drug trafficking activities, as international drug dealers can reach out to users via encrypted internet. The total volume of drugs confiscated upon arrival came to 624 kilograms in 2022, which the authorities estimate to be equivalent to 8.9 million doses of methamphetamine, cannabis, Chinese pain relievers containing phenobarbital and illegal synthetic drugs combined. Although the figure was halved from that of 2021, this is a

Social Affairs Feb. 2, 2023