N. Korea's 8,400-strong hacking group escalates attacks on S. Korea

North Korea's state-sponsored cyberunit, comprising some 8,400 hackers, has mounted over 10,000 attacks against South Korea this year, South Korea's cyber operation command said Wednesday. The Cyber Operations Command revealed these findings during a parliamentary audit session, according to Rep. Lee Seong-kweun of the ruling People Power Party and Park Sun-won of the main opposition Democratic Party. The North Korean hacking group has intensified its cyberattacks on South Korea's

North KoreaOct. 30, 2024

Ex-union official charged with using claimed labor connections to swindle

A retired labor union member at a prominent company in Ulsan has been arrested for fraud, police said Wednesday, after he allegedly convinced others to pay him in exchange for getting jobs for their children at the company. Officials of the Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency had the suspect, in his 60s, arrested and forwarded his case to the prosecution for fraud. He is accused of swindling a total of 500 million won ($363,000) from three acquaintances from March 2017 to January 2024, promising to

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

Doctors group to vote for impeachment of embattled chief

South Korea's largest doctors' association is set to hold a vote of confidence against its controversy-ridden president, who has been at the center of controversy for his comments and actions, as well as bribery allegations. The operating committee of the Korean Medical Association held an emergency meeting Tuesday evening and decided on an assembly of representatives on Nov. 10 at 2 p.m., with a motion of no confidence in KMA chief Lim Hyun-taek included in the agenda. They will als

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

Han says controversies surrounding first lady must be resolved in November

Ruling People Power Party Chair Han Dong-hoon on Wednesday said that the controversies surrounding first lady Kim Keon Hee must be resolved by the end of next month, as he stressed the need to regain public trust in the conservative bloc. Han’s remarks made at a press conference marking his first 100 days in office came as a widening rift is observed within the ruling party over how to deal with multiple allegations regarding the president's wife, including her alleged involvement in

PoliticsOct. 30, 2024

From 'superstars' to 'privileged and spoiled': Doctors fight souring image

It used to be that when Park Ji-sun, a 45-year-old office worker, thought of a Korean doctor, it was the 2020 tvN drama series "Hospital Playlist" that first came to her mind. The series became an instant hit in South Korea, depicting the lives of five doctors battling to save lives together. It was so successful that it was renewed for a second season, which is rare for a Korean drama. "They were heroes with white gowns during the day, sometimes sacrificing their private lives in

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

Cousin marriage ban poised to lose effect

Marriages between third cousins or closer relatives are prohibited in South Korea, with the ban enforced by nullifying the effects of such unions when they are discovered. However, the ban on consanguineous marriages within the eighth degree of kinship looks set to lose its effectiveness, as a legal article governing the annulment of such unions will expire at the end of this year, with no substitute measures drafted or prepared to date. Of the two Civil Act articles on consanguineous marriage

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

Seoul weighs monitoring team in Ukraine, affirms no artillery shell supply plans

South Korea on Wednesday acknowledged the need to send a "monitoring team" to the Ukraine battlefield, but it denied allegations that it was considering supplying 155 mm artillery shells upon Ukraine's request. "We are obliged to look into, analyze and monitor North Korean armed forces' activities (in the Russia-Ukraine war) while taking a defensive posture," an official of the presidential office said on condition of anonymity Wednesday. "We feel the need to create and

PoliticsOct. 30, 2024

Why one man's move is shaking Korea: Child rapist’s relocation sparks controversy, fear

Cho Doo-soon, notorious for one of the most shocking crimes in South Korean history, has once again sparked public outrage and concern after his recent move to a new residence. Cho, who was released from prison in December 2020 after serving 12 years for raping an 8-year-old girl, has relocated from his previous home in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, to a nearby neighborhood. His move to a new residence, located just 2 kilometers away from his previous home, has stoked fears and controversy among nea

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

North Korea prepared for nuclear test, possibly before US election: Seoul defense intel agency

The Defense Intelligence Agency in Seoul said Wednesday that North Korea may conduct its first nuclear weapons test in seven years ahead of the US presidential election, in what would be its seventh such test. In a closed-door briefing to the National Assembly intelligence committee, the Defense Intelligence Agency said North Korea will attempt to draw Washington’s attention by staging a major provocation such as a nuclear test ahead of the election that is less than a week away. “No

PoliticsOct. 30, 2024

Koreans prefer animated videos that are 20-29 minutes long: report

South Koreans' most preferred length for an animated video is between 20 and 29 minutes, a report by a state-run content industry agency showed Wednesday. The Korea Creative Content Agency released the 2024 Animation Industry White Paper, in which they surveyed 3,500 Koreans between the age of 10 and 69 who watched an animated video regularly -- at least once in two to three months -- in the past year. When asked what was their most preferred length of an animation, 33.6 percent of the resp

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

Celebrity revelations raise issue of marital sexual abuse

After a series of recent revelations of unwanted sexual behavior within marriages surrounding South Korean celebrity couples came to light, these allegations have raised issues about the accountability of spouses in cases of marital sexual abuse. FT Island's Choi Min-hwan is at the center of a controversy after his ex-wife, Yul-hee, opened up in a 37-minute YouTube video posted on Oct. 24 that he would allegedly "fold cash in half and place it in my cleavage in front of family members&

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

Half of schools have sex offenders living nearby

Roughly half of public educational institutes across South Korea have at least one convicted sex offender living within a 1-kilometer radius, data showed Wednesday. Over half of the day care centers and high schools in the country -- 59 percent and 53 percent, respectively -- have one or more sex offenders living within 1 kilometer, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family data submitted to Rep. Baek Seung-a of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Some 51 percent of ki

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

150 new K2 tanks to feature domestically produced power packs

The state-run Defense Acquisition Program Administration on Monday announced its bid to make 150 new K2 tanks' power packs -- which comprise a 1,500-horsepower engine and transmission -- fully homegrown. The tanks with South Korean-made 1,500-horsepower engines and gear shifts will be manufactured by 2028, according to the plan. A notable change in the manufacturing plan, according to DAPA, is the adoption of a transmission system produced by a South Korean company SNT Dynamics. Currently,

PoliticsOct. 30, 2024

Authorities shoot dead wild boar in subway station, 1 person bitten

A wild boar wrought havoc at a metro station in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province Tuesday afternoon, leaving one person injured and forcing an evacuation, local authorities said Wednesday. The incident began around 4:45 p.m. when the wild boar was first spotted near a local restaurant in Dong-myeon, Yangsan. By 5:10 p.m., it had crossed the street and made its way into Hopo Station on Busan Metro Line 2, officials said. The boar, estimated at 1.5 meters in length and weighing approximately 100

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

N. Korea, Russia hold joint IT exhibition in Pyongyang for 1st time in 18 yrs

A joint exhibition aimed at promoting information technology exchanges between North Korea and Russia has opened in Pyongyang, the North's state media said Wednesday, marking their first such event in 18 years. The exhibition, held at the People's Palace of Culture, opened Tuesday, according to the Korean Central News Agency, as international attention has focused on North Korea's troop deployment in Russia in apparent support for Moscow in its war with Ukraine. With no mention of

North KoreaOct. 30, 2024

[Graphic News] Lottery sales on constant increase to hit all-time high in 2024: data

Lottery sales in South Korea rose 7 percent on-year during the first half of this year to reach an all-time high, data showed. Sales of lottery tickets stood at 3.62 trillion won ($2.67 billion) in the January-June period of 2024, compared with 3.38 trillion won the previous year, according to the data from the Finance Ministry. The figure has been on a constant increase, surging 38 percent in four years. Sales came to 2.62 trillion won in the first half of 2020, 2.94 trillion won in the same

Social AffairsOct. 30, 2024

China confirms detention of S. Korean national on suspected espionage charges

China confirmed Tuesday that it has detained a South Korean citizen on suspicion of violating the country's anti-espionage law, marking the first case where a South Korean national has been arrested in China since the revised law took effect last year. "A South Korean national was arrested by Chinese authorities on charges of espionage," Lin Jian, a spokesperson at China's foreign ministry, told a press briefing, without disclosing other details. He said China has notified th

Foreign AffairsOct. 29, 2024