Most Popular
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Contentious grain bill put directly to plenary meeting for vote
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Yoon's approval rating plunges to all-time low
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Will tug-of-war between doctors, government end soon?
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Climate impacts set to cut 2050 global GDP by nearly a fifth
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Trilateral talks acknowledge ‘serious’ slumps of won, yen
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[Graphic News] More Koreans say they plan long-distance trips this year
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[KH Explains] Hyundai's full hybrid edge to pay off amid slow transition to pure EVs
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North Korea removes streetlights along cross-border roads with South
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Russia's denial of entry of S. Korean national unrelated to bilateral ties: Seoul official
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Farming households dip below 1m for first time in 2023
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Police to wrap up drug investigation into G-Dragon
The National Police Agency said Monday the drug investigation into G-Dragon was nearing the end, with no clear evidence of wrongdoing by the K-pop star discovered so far. "We've conducted an objective verification process (of G-Dragon's allegations) and summoned six people for testimonies. The investigation is more or less in its final stage," Woo Jong-soo, the head of the National Office of Investigation at the NPA told reporters in the regular press briefing. "We will
Dec. 11, 2023
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Divorced men fear freeloaders, women scared to meet a 'man-child'
Male divorcees' biggest fear in finding a new spouse is meeting someone who is a freeloader, while female divorcees said they are afraid to meet someone who needs to be taken care of all the time, a survey showed Monday. Only-You, a local matchmaking company exclusively for divorcees, conducted a survey on 516 people wishing to get married on the issue of "what makes you hesitant toward remarriage." For men, the No. 1 reason was that the potential spouse "may have a tendency
Dec. 11, 2023
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Jongno street vendors close up shop after pricing controversy
A group of street vendors on Jongno 3-ga Pocha Street have decided to temporarily close up shop following controversy over the vendors' supposedly overpriced dishes, according to local media outlets on Monday. According to the Korea Democratic Street Vendors Confederation, an umbrella group of street vendors in South Korea, around 60 street eateries, called "pojangmacha," have conducted an overhaul of their shops late last month. The group said it was in reflection of the rec
Dec. 11, 2023
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Korea increases monitoring personnel for stalkers
South Korea’s Justice Ministry is set to increase the number of personnel in charge of monitoring stalkers. As the revision of the Act on Punishment of Stalking Crimes takes effect next month, individuals convicted of stalking will be required to wear electronic ankle monitors. To manage and supervise this system, the Justice Ministry and probation offices will add 21 people to their staff. According to the revision, if a stalker approaches the victim within a specified distance, the v
Dec. 11, 2023
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Dismissals in Korea
Human resources are crucial for sustaining a business, yet occasionally, intense pressure arises to restructure the workforce due to management challenges or economic fluctuations. Law firm Law-Win outlines essential, general and broad knowledge about the termination of employment relationships that you need to know. Q: How is a termination of employment conducted in Korea? According to the Labor Standards Act in Korea, there is a general/typical dismissal (hereinafter “dismissal”)
Dec. 11, 2023
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[Graphic News] Youth population in S. Korea to halve in 30 years
The number of young South Koreans is forecast to halve in 30 years amid a rapid aging trend and a record low birthrate, the statistics agency said. The number of people aged 19-34 came to 10.21 million in 2020, and the figure is forecast to tumble to 5.21 million in 2050, according to the analysis by Statistics Korea. The proportion of the young population out of the country’s total came to 20.4 percent in 2020, but it is expected to fall to 11 percent in 2050, it added. The number of youn
Dec. 11, 2023
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LGBTQ+ groups vow support for pastor expelled after blessing gay people
LGBTQ+ rights groups have launched a fundraiser for the Rev. Lee Dong-hwan, who was expelled from the Korean Methodist Church for blessing gay people at a queer festival, the groups said in a statement Sunday. Groups including the South Korean Coalition for Anti-Discrimination Legislation and Rainbow Jesus -- a group consisting of Christians in the LGBTQ+ community -- vowed to support Lee "all the way." The groups are conducting a fundraiser for the fees required for the judicial proce
Dec. 10, 2023
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15% of Korean workers beaten or cursed at in workplace: survey
A survey released Sunday by a civic group showed that 15.3 percent of South Korean workers have been subject to direct physical or verbal abuse at work, highligthing the ongoing issue of workplace harassment. Nongovernmental organization Workplace Gapjil 119 conducted a survey on 1,000 employed individuals across the country, asking if they have been subject to abuse. About 14.8 percent of office workers; 17.2 percent of those in manual labor; and 15.2 percent of those in service industries said
Dec. 10, 2023
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Russian asylum applicant caught growing cannabis at home
A Russian national currently seeking refugee status in South Korea has been arrested on suspicion of growing cannabis at his home, the Korea Coast Guard said Sunday. The man in his 20s is accused of growing the plants at his home at a residential-commercial complex in Ulsan. He is also alleged to have smoked the home-grown marijuana multiple times. The drug unit of the Coast Guard had received a tip-off that the suspect was involved in a drug crime, and had managed to catch him in the act on Nov
Dec. 10, 2023
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1 out of 7 teenagers thought of suicide: data
The rate of South Korean teenagers who had thought of suicide recently has been on the rise, with some 1 in 7 students now having considered taking their own lives. Of some 50,000 middle and high school students asked across the nation in 2022, 14.3 percent have thought of suicide over the past 12 months, according to a survey released by the Korea Center for Disease and Prevention Agency on Sunday. First conducted in 2005, the rate had exceeded the 20 percent mark in its first three years, but
Dec. 10, 2023
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Tales of hard work, dashed dreams and disillusionment
In her teens and early 20s, Park Jung-mi (not her real name) viewed herself as an achiever, even if she wasn't one of the highest fliers. In high school, she studied until late into the night on a near-daily basis, aiming for admission to a prestigious university. After successfully getting into one of the top 10 universities here, she maintained her commitment to hard work and self-discipline, graduating with an average GPA above 4 out of 4.5. But from then on, life has been disappointing.
Dec. 10, 2023
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Secret life of pets? Increase in fires caused by pets left home alone
On Dec. 4, a fire broke out at a home in a residential-commercial complex in Jungnang-gu, eastern Seoul, killing a poodle that was home alone at the time. Fire authorities provisionally concluded that the fire was caused by the dog, who is thought to have inadvertently turned on the electric stove. The incident was the second fire in a week thought to be caused by a pet left home alone. The first fire was reportedly caused by a cat that accidentally turned on an electric stove in Geumcheon-gu,
Dec. 10, 2023
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Man fined W2m for throwing his dog from second floor
A South Korean man in his 30s was fined 2 million won ($1,500) for throwing a pomeranian out of the second floor of a building, local court said Sunday. The dog in question survived the fall, but sustained severe injuries to its spine and nervous system, including paralysis of its hind legs. The Seoul Northern District Court recently handed the sentence to the defendant for violating the Animal Protection Act, which states that those inflicting pain on an animal without just cause shall be punis
Dec. 10, 2023
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1,000 retired couples receive W3m in combined pension
The National Pension Service said Friday that 1,035 retired couples across South Korea are receiving 3 million won ($2,300) or more through their combined pension plans, marking the first time the number of such couples has exceeded 1,000. The figure is significant as it means those in retirement are making close to what a couple would make on average while working. According to a Statistics Korea December 2022 report, the average nationwide income per person was 22.2 million won, roughly 1.85 m
Dec. 9, 2023
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Government asks young couples why they refuse to have children
Young South Korean couples without children cited intense competition among students and financial issues as why they decide to go childless, in a meeting with government officials held Thursday evening. The Ministry of Health and Welfare hosted six young couples who do not plan to have children at the meeting hosted in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, in a bid to acquire ideas for policies that will help tackle the issue of the faltering birth rate in South Korea. Several of the participants raised c
Dec. 9, 2023
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Self-suspension, a peculiar 'punishment' for celebrities in Korea
Singer Nam Tae-hyun recently joined the growing list of South Korean celebrities facing drug charges. The prosecution on Thursday requested a two-year prison term for the former member of the boy band Winner, while seeking 1 year and six months for reality show star Seo Min-jae on charges of alleged drug use. It is unclear what the future holds for the 29-year-old K-pop star, but his career had been mostly on hold since the array of controversies surrounding him. After being caught drunk driving
Dec. 9, 2023
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[Weekender] [K-School] From lobster to rose tteokbokki, Korean school food continues to evolve
At around noon on a Friday, hundreds of students filed through the cafeteria at Changdeok Girls’ Middle School in Jung-gu, central Seoul, as they took a school canteen food tray, spoon and chopsticks, quickly scanning the day’s lunch menu offerings. One at a time, the students loaded their trays with fish cake soup, bibimbap, chocolate breadsticks and a mango popsicle for dessert. These school lunches resembled delicious-looking home-cooked meals. “It’s not mass-produced,
Dec. 9, 2023
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Court win for 'comfort women' upheld as Japan declines appeal
A recent court victory for South Korean victims of wartime sexual slavery by Japan was confirmed Saturday after Japan decided not to appeal the earlier ruling, sources said. On Nov. 23, the Seoul High Court overturned a lower court's rejection of a damages suit filed by "comfort women" and ordered Japan to pay 200 million won ($151,780) in compensation to each of the 16 victims. Japan had two weeks to file an appeal but chose not to do so, according to the sources. The victims fil
Dec. 9, 2023
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Footballer Hwang's sister-in-law indicted for disclosing his private videos
A sister-in-law of football player Hwang Ui-jo was indicted Friday on charges of exposing his intimate videos online and threatening to make more revelations, officials said. The wife of Hwang's elder brother is accused of sharing intimate photos and videos of him spending time with women on Instagram in June, pretending to be a former lover of Hwang. She also claimed the South Korea forward had slept with several women and inflicted damage on them, threatening Hwang through text message to
Dec. 8, 2023
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[Photo News] Korean delegation advocates for climate action in Dubai
The Korean delegation at COP28, consisting of representatives from groups Greenfund and Jeski Social Campaign along with climate and environmental activists and experts, said Friday that they held a performance at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, calling for opposition to war and solutions to the climate crisis. (Jeski Social Campaign)
Dec. 8, 2023