A significant number of foreign students who come to Korea to study stay in the country after their visa expires, a report showed. The Education Ministry deemed the COVID-19 pandemic as the main reason why. According to a monthly report released by the Korea Immigration Service, the number of foreign students staying in Korea with a D-2 student visa, which guarantees a three-year stay, was 137,779 as of October. This is 19,881 students more than the year before. Those staying in Korea with a D-4

Social Affairs Nov. 24, 2022

From Thursday, the government will expand its ban on single-use merchandise with a yearlong grace period, adding plastic bags, straws, stir sticks and more to its list of restricted items. Single-use plastic bags will be banned from retail stores including convenience stores and bakeries. The ban, previously applicable to large stores with a floor space of 3,000 square meters or more and supermarkets with a 165 square meters of floor space or more, will be expanded to more retail stores. Though

Social Affairs Nov. 23, 2022

The Interior Ministry claimed it does not hold responsibility over the Itaewon tragedy, following criticism the ministry was at the center of control for police response to the incident. The ministry issued an official statement Monday claiming the police bureau did not have authority to intervene in police operations, except at an organizational level. And so the police bureau, as a separate organization from police administration, was not relevant to the police’s response. The police bur

Social Affairs Nov. 22, 2022

The special investigation team set up by the National Police Agency to look into the crowd crush in Itaewon summoned Lee Im-jae, then-chief of the Yongsan Police Station, and Yongsan Fire Chief Choi Seong-beom for questioning, Monday. Lee and Choi have been named as suspects regarding their response to the tragedy. "I am sorry and once again sorry as a police station chief. I will live with guilt for the rest of my life," Lee said as he showed up for questioning at the Seoul Metropolit

Social Affairs Nov. 21, 2022

The Supreme Court upheld the lower courts' ruling that found a person guilty of child abuse for their threatening behavior around their neighbor's children during a noise dispute. The person was sentenced to a six-month prison term, suspended for one year, 80 hours of social service, and 40 hours of education on child abuse prevention. On April 10, 2020, the person scolded the neighbor's 4-year-old child up close, asking "Why are you so loud these days? You run around a lot

Social Affairs Nov. 18, 2022

A comprehensive plan to reform the safety control measures of the Korean government will be announced by the end of the year, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min said Friday. "The government is concentrating its capability on damage control, investigating the causes and response related to the accident, while preparing prevention measures," Lee said at meeting held to discuss reform measures of the state's disaster and safety controls. “The government is also making efforts on al

Social Affairs Nov. 18, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Friday that banning MBC reporters from the presidential plane departing for the summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Group of 20 was an act to “protect the Constitution.” The presidential office told MBC reporters they would not be allowed to board the presidential plane on Nov. 9, two days before Yoon embarked on his six-day trip to Cambodia and Indonesia. When asked by a reporter on the matter while heading to the presidential offic

Politics Nov. 18, 2022

Students and parents bid goodbyes to each other at the gate of Myoungji High School Thursday, giving hugs and some in tears, as Suneung, the national college entrance exam, took place. A total of 450,477 out of 510,000 test takers flocked to 1,265 test sites in 84 test districts across the country to take the annual exam, also known as the College Scholastic Ability Test, which plays an important part in deciding which universities they will be admitted to. Even before sunrise rose, test taker

Social Affairs Nov. 17, 2022

Police said they will book Interior Minister Lee Sang-min on suspicion of dereliction of duty and professional negligence resulting in death, over the deadly crowd surge in Itaewon, following a complaint filed by a union of fire department workers. The independent investigation team set up by the National Police Agency announced Wednesday it is looking into the allegations against Interior Minister Lee Sang-min as a suspect in connection with the crowd crush, following a complaint filed agains

Social Affairs Nov. 16, 2022

The government will allot an extra 11.2 trillion won ($8.4 billion) for higher and lifelong education, redirecting 3.2 trillion won from the budget for early childhood, elementary and secondary education, the Ministry of Education announced Tuesday. The Korean government has been stepping up its efforts to increase support for higher education, following President Yoon Suk-yeol’s initiative to expand the local semiconductor and technology industries. From earlier this year, the ministry

Social Affairs Nov. 15, 2022

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo called for extra crowd safety measures after the national college entrance examination, or Suneung, which will take place on Thursday. “Suneung will involve some 500,000 people across the nation," Han said at a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting held Monday. "Related authorities should do their best regarding COVID-19 disinfection so test takers can take the exam in a safe environment." Han also mentioned the import

Social Affairs Nov. 14, 2022

A union of fire department workers filed a complaint against Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, alleging he failed to perform his duties regarding the crowd surge in Itaewon that has taken the lives of at least 158 people. The union filed a complaint against Lee on Monday on charges including dereliction of duty and professional negligence resulting in death to the special investigation division set up by the National Police Agency to look into the tragedy. "The special investigation divisio

Social Affairs Nov. 14, 2022

After zeroing in on police leadership, the special investigation team set up by the National Police Agency to look into the causes behind the Itaewon tragedy that took the lives of at least 157 people, is now looking into the response of related authorities. The division said Sunday it will bring in officials from the Yongsan-gu Office and Seoul Metro to testify to how they responded to the tragedy. The team deems that the Yongsan-gu Office failed its duty for disaster control as a local gover

Social Affairs Nov. 13, 2022

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- President Joe Biden is formally kicking off his participation at a conference of southeast Asian nations on Saturday, looking to emphasize the United States' commitment in the region where a looming China is also working to expand its influence.   Biden's efforts at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit are meant to lay the groundwork ahead of his highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping _ the first face-to-face encounter of Biden's pr

International Nov. 12, 2022

The music video for K-pop girl group BLACKPINK's debut song "Boombayah" has surpassed 1.5 billion views on YouTube, the group's agency said Saturday. YG Entertainment said the video passed the milestone at about 3:50 a.m. the same day, six years after the K-pop quartet launched its debut EP album, "SQUARE ONE," in August 2016. Boombayah is one of the two songs on "SQUARE ONE," along with "Whistle." As of Saturday, three BLACKPINK videos have garn

Performance Nov. 12, 2022