Most Popular
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1 in 3 Koreans live alone, family types becoming diverse
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Korea, Japan finance chiefs vow to tame rampant FX market volatility
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US 'incredibly concerned' about suspected NK-Iran military ties
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K-pop group's manager dismissed for setting up spycam in theater dressing room
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K-pop singer lost consciousness after being hit by foul ball, cancels show
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Korean Muslim YouTuber's plan to build mosque in Incheon goes viral
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Contentious grain bill put directly to plenary meeting for vote
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Why is Apple Pay struggling to get purchase in Korea?
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Yoon's office denies considering liberal figures for key posts
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Seoul says Fu Bao loan 'not going to happen'
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Court dismisses med professors’ request to avert expansion plan
The Seoul Administrative Court on Tuesday dismissed an injunction request filed by 33 representatives of the Medical Professors Association of Korea against the government’s planned hike in medical school enrollment quotas, as well as the administrative lawsuit against the health and education ministers, respectively. The court said in its ruling that the medical professors are not eligible to file an injunction request, but the presidents of universities can. The economic damage asserted
April 2, 2024
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Govt. to expand range of E-9 visas
The South Korean government announced on Tuesday that it would begin accepting applications from business owners that want to hire workers from 16 designated countries eligible for E-9 visas starting later this month. Owners of Korean restaurants, hotels and resorts, forestry and mining companies will now be able to apply for permission to employ workers from these countries, the government said. From April 22 to May 3, business owners can apply for permission to employ workers from the 16 count
April 2, 2024
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Seoul Metro to switch subway seats from fabric to plastic
Seoul Metro, the operator of subway lines 1 to 8, announced Tuesday that it will replace all fabric seats on its subway trains with reinforced plastic chairs by 2029 to keep the trains clean from bedbugs and other pollutants. According to Seoul Metro, fabric chairs account for 54 percent, or 1,955 subway cars of all seats on Seoul’s subway trains. On the other hand, reinforced plastic chairs account for 29 percent of Seoul’s subway trains, while stainless steel seats account for 17 p
April 2, 2024
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Bakery giant SPC chief detained for questioning
Prosecutors arrested Hur Young-in, chair of South Korean bakery giant SPC Group, after he repeatedly failed to comply with being summoned for an investigation. The 74-year-old is under investigation for his suspected involvement in forcing bakers at PB Partners to quit their membership in the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions umbrella labor group, between 2019 and 2022. PB Partners is SPC's subsidiary in charge of recruiting and training bakers for bakery chain Paris Baguette. Prosecut
April 2, 2024
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Foreigners must stay in S. Korea for 6 months to be eligible for state health insurance as dependents
Foreigners and overseas Koreans can only become eligible for the state health insurance coverage as dependents if they reside in South Korea for at least six months, according to the health ministry Tuesday. The tightened rule, which goes into effect Wednesday, comes as some foreigners have reportedly exploited the nation's health insurance system. Media reports have said some foreign nationals working in South Korea register siblings and other relatives as dependents and arrange temporary
April 2, 2024
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Air Force explores replacing patrol dogs with robot dogs
South Korea's Air Force on Monday revealed that it is exploring the possibility of replacing patrol dogs with four-legged robots or robotic dogs, as the number of military dog handlers is expected to decrease due to a reduction in troops. The Air Force intends to initiate a feasibility study to assess whether robotic patrol dogs can effectively supplant traditional breeds such as shepherds and Labrador retrievers at major air base facilities, while maintaining the integrity of the patrol an
April 1, 2024
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Seoul education office to support same-sex schools to turn coed
Seoul plans to boost fiscal support to encourage single-sex schools in the city to transition to coeducational schools, which refers to schools where male and female students are taught together, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on Monday. Same-sex schools that register to change to coed will receive 600 million won ($445,000) for six years. Schools can use the funds for educational programs and activities suitable for each school. Schools will also receive 90 million won
April 1, 2024
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Police vow to take strict action against false reports
The Korean National Police Agency stated Monday that it will begin to strictly respond to false police reports that waste police resources by increasing fines. Currently under the Punishment of Minor Offenses Act, making a false police report through the 112 hotline is punishable by a fine of up to 600,000 won ($445), imprisonment or both. False police reports are also punishable as obstruction of justice under the criminal code. Additionally, if a false police report results in a significant wa
April 1, 2024
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Private physicians, med professors start reducing work hours
Patient anxiety over health care disruptions is growing as medical professors and private physicians started reducing their work hours to protest against the medical school quota expansion plan on Monday, shrugging off the government’s efforts to facilitate talks. The Medical Professors Association of Korea said medical professors, who are senior doctors at major hospitals, began shortening their work time to 52 hours a week to cope with fatigue from trainee doctors’ walkouts. They p
April 1, 2024
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Seoul City uses rabies vaccine bait to protect wildlife
Seoul City has started disseminating vaccine-laced fish cakes to wildlife as a measure to curb the spread of rabies, the city government said on Monday. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said 37,000 square pieces of fishmeal-based bait containing rabies vaccine, each measuring 2-3 centimeters, will be distributed near mountains and rivers from Monday until May 15. This initiative aims to enhance the immunity of wild animals, such as raccoons, badgers and wild dogs, against the viral disease. T
April 1, 2024
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Herald Corp. partners with National Hangeul Museum to spread Hangeul culture
Herald Corp. has set out to promote globalizing and spreading the value of the Korean language in partnership with the National Hangeul Museum. Herald Corp. CEO Choi Jin-young signed a business agreement with Kim Il-hwan, the director of the National Hangeul Museum, to spread the culture of the Korean language at the media firm’s headquarters in Seoul on March 28. Under the agreement, the two organizations have agreed to collaborate in nurturing cultural projects based on Hangeul. Specif
April 1, 2024
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Man refuses tax on brother's inheritance, claims it was a loan paid back by sick sibling
A South Korean man and his wife lost an administrative case related to their refusal to pay inheritance tax on money given to them by the man's now-deceased brother, with the court overruling their claim that the money was in exchange for the financial help they provided him. According to officials, the Seoul Administrative court ruled against the plaintiffs, saying the state's tax authorities are justified in taxing 65 million won ($47,500) for the 260 million won the deceased transfe
April 1, 2024
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Adult products company owner arrested on suspicion of sexually exploiting employees
The head of an adult products company in South Korea was recently arrested on charges related to the alleged sexual exploitation of employees at the company, according to local media outlets. JTBC reported Sunday that the suspect, surnamed Yang, had been detained by police after complaints were lodged against him for fraud, sexual misconduct and filming sexual content without consent. Police arrested the suspect as part of the ongoing investigation into these charges. Some of the claims made by
April 1, 2024
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Shaman cleared of fraud after charging W100m for 'exorcism'
A South Korean shaman who charged two people over 100 million won ($74,000) combined for exorcisms has been cleared of fraud charges by a local court, which said the defendant's action was a "religious action of some type" that does not necessarily warrant a desired result. In March last year, the 50-year-old defendant surnamed Kim told a person surnamed Hong that Hong's illness was due to a ghost possession. Kim was paid around 79.3 million won to perform exorcism rituals ov
April 1, 2024
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Health minister vows to accomplish medical reform
Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong said Monday the government will accomplish medical reform, despite a prolonged walkout by junior doctors that have crippled public health services at major hospitals for nearly six weeks. "The government will accomplish medical reform by only looking at the people," Cho told a government response meeting, repeating his appeal for junior doctors to return to work. Cho urged "medical professors to withdraw their collective resignations and trainee docto
April 1, 2024
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Yoon to address nation on medical reform Monday amid attention to possible change to 2,000 quota hike
President Yoon Suk Yeol plans to address the nation Monday on the government's push for medical reform, his office said Sunday, amid keen attention to whether he may show a flexible attitude toward the state plan to boost the medical school enrollment quota by 2,000 seats. "As there are many opinions saying that the people still want to know about the progress on the government's plan for medical reform and the medical school quota hike, Yoon plans to explain them in detail tomorrow,"
April 1, 2024
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Court issues warrant to arrest man suspected of installing spy cameras at voting stations
A local court on Sunday issued a warrant to arrest a YouTuber suspected of installing spy cameras at some 40 early voting stations ahead of the April 10 general elections. The Incheon District Court issued the arrest warrant for the man in his 40s on charges of trespassing in a structure without permission and violating the law on the protection of communication secrets. The court cited the risk of him fleeing and destroying evidence. The suspect allegedly placed hidden cameras at about 40 early
March 31, 2024
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Police to crack down on crimes by foreign nationals
The Korean National Police Agency will crack down on the main crimes committed by foreign nationals from Monday until June 30, the agency said Sunday. According to the police agency, the main crimes include fraud, gambling, drug-related crimes and crimes involving foreign national workers based at construction sites. In addition, according to the agency's statistics, the number of criminals that are of foreign nationality that have committed what are deemed the four major crimes here -- mur
March 31, 2024
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Police uncover spycams at 40 polling, ballot counting locations
Illegal spycams were discovered at approximately 40 locations nationwide, including polling stations and vote counting venues designated for early voting ahead of the April 10 general election, according to officials from Nonhyeon Police Station in Incheon on Saturday. A suspect appeared for a review of his arrest warrant at the Incheon District Court on Sunday, after police had announced Friday that the suspect in his 40s had been apprehended on Thursday for allegedly installing cameras inside
March 31, 2024
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Government-doctor talks remain at standstill on quota expansion plan
Clouds are hovering over the government’s attempts to seek a breakthrough with medical circles, a week after it left the door open for talks, as doctors refuse to bend and as the government locks horns within the ruling bloc over the expansion plan. Amid a monthlong standoff, the Health Ministry on Sunday expressed regrets over the medical community’s nonchalant attitude toward talks and medical professors’ decision to reduce their working hours to 52 weekly starting Monday, on
March 31, 2024