Concerns are growing as HIV testing has been suspended at most local health centers across Seoul to prioritize the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. All 25 local health centers in the capital used to provide free and anonymous sexually transmitted infection and HIV tests until 2019. Nearly two years into the pandemic, however, HIV and STI testing capacity has been drastically reduced with many locations having stopped testing all together. “We understand that seven community health cen

Social Affairs Jan. 20, 2022

Wearing a mask has become commonplace during this pandemic. Though the act is often encouraged to stop the spread of COVID-19, there is one place where it is definitely frowned upon – dating apps. Users say profiles with only masked up photos can be misleading. Amid growing complaints, some dating app operators are cracking down on those considered a “magikkun” -- a portmanteau from the English word “mask” and the Korean word “sagikkun” which means a fr

Technology Jan. 17, 2022

Discrimination against women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and racial and ethnic minorities is pervasive in South Korea, a new report from the Human Rights Watch said on Thursday. The annual 32rd World Report 2022 highlights the human rights situation in nearly all of the 100 countries where the international organization works. Though South Korea has been described as an “established democracy that largely respects civil, political, economic, social, and cultural right

Social Affairs Jan. 13, 2022

A new culture war is brewing in South Korea. At the center is Starbucks, after vice president of Shinsegae Group Chung Yong-jin -- the largest shareholder of the coffeehouse chain’s operation in the country -- shared several anti-communist posts on social media. In recent weeks, the outspoken billionaire made headlines for using the hashtag “annihilate communism.” While he has gained support for his political statements, mostly from conservatives, some are threatening to boyco

Social Affairs Jan. 11, 2022

Retail giant Shinsegae Group saw its shares plunge on Monday as a controversial social media post from the group’s heir and Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin sparked investor jitters. The company’s stocks shed 6.8 percent to close at 233,000 won ($196.23) Monday against the benchmark KOSPI’s 0.95 percent decline. The plunge in stock value comes after Chung made several politically charged remarks in recent months criticizing communism alongside pictures of Chinese President Xi Ji

Consumer Jan. 10, 2022

The winters in Korea can be notoriously tough with temperatures sometimes falling to below minus 10 degrees Celsius. Seoul saw the coldest day in 35 years in January last year, with a low of minus 18.6 degrees Celsius. Some parts of the city such as Nowon-gu and Eunpyeong-gu registered lows of minus 21.7 and 22.6 degrees Celsius respectively, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. Records also show that winter used to be longer on the Korean Peninsula. The average yearly temper

Culture Jan. 8, 2022

A rendition of Lady Gaga’s LGBT anthem “Born This Way” with a missing lyric by a South Korean group on New Year’s Eve has caused controversy, with experts calling it “LGBT erasure.” The controversy comes after a local TV broadcaster faced criticism last year for editing out kissing scenes between two men in the Freddie Mercury biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody.” During an annual year-end bell ringing ceremony held by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, w

Television Jan. 5, 2022

The conservative opposition People Power Party‘s presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl asked the rhetorical question on Wednesday if he is an “idiot” to take part in a TV debate with his liberal rival Lee Jae-myung. His remark has now become a viral meme in online communities. At a campaign event on Wednesday in Andong, a conservative stronghold, Yoon dismissed a proposal by the candidate from the ruling Democratic Party to debate him. “The Democratic Party candidate w

Politics Dec. 31, 2021

South Korea extended the ban on short-term travelers from 11 African countries for another four weeks on Wednesday in an effort to “prevent the omicron variant from entering the country.” But as cases rise elsewhere, the decision to single out Africa has left many Africans living in Korea angry. The measure to restrict entry from select African countries was first enacted in late November, soon after the omicron variant was first detected in South Africa. The Korea Disease Control a

Social Affairs Dec. 30, 2021

Main opposition People Power Party’s presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl has come under fire over a comment he made on Tuesday that “most South Koreans, especially young people, dislike China.” Following the comment, a spokesperson of the ruling Democratic Party’s campaign committee said the comment was “shocking” and “low” to reduce diplomatic relations between countries to whether who likes who. “China is an important partner in securit

Politics Dec. 29, 2021

Former student protest leader Gabriel Boric has made history in winning Chile’s presidential election on Sunday. And among his coalition of supporters were local K-pop fans -- many of whom, armed with a strong social media presence and digital skills, flocked to support the progressive millennial in the second round of the elections. ‘Like a genius joke that went too far’ For Claudia Patino, a 27-year-old graduate student from Chile who decided to study international relati

K-pop Dec. 24, 2021

In a surprise move earlier this week, feminist politician Shin Ji-ye crossed party lines and joined the presidential campaign of conservative People Power Party candidate Yoon Suk-yeol. A long-time friend believes Shin’s move is driven by a personal vendetta. “I think she’s doing this to get back at (leader of People Power Party) Lee Jun-seok. My view is that she wants to get back at Lee for lambasting her, making fun of her on national TV,” American Green Party member

Politics Dec. 23, 2021

Shin ji-ye, a 31-year-old feminist with liberal political inclinations, made headlines Monday as she crossed party lines and joined the campaign of Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential nominee of the conservative People Power Party. The young politician ran as a Seoul mayor candidate for Green Party Korea in 2018, finishing fourth in the race with over 80,000 votes. Her campaign gained support from feminists and progressives as one of the first candidates in the country’s political history to

Politics Dec. 21, 2021

A glamping site near Bukhansan in western Seoul offers caravans for hire on its booking platform. But the booking site says rentals are only offered to a select few. Among a long list of the type of guests that “cannot make bookings,” are groups consisting of two men, or only men. "Under no circumstances can the groups mentioned above book with us -- no exceptions,” the glamping site said on web portal Naver. Kim Ji-hak, who heads nonprofit organization Diversity Korea

Social Affairs Dec. 10, 2021

Foreign nationals who were fully vaccinated abroad can now register their vaccine status without applying for a quarantine exemption, health authorities said on Thursday. “Foreigners who register their first and second shots received abroad can request for a foreign vaccination certificate which will work as a vaccine pass and allow them to receive a third shot (in Korea),” the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said during a news briefing. To register, foreign nationals n

Social Affairs Dec. 9, 2021