Mothers of 13 kids honored by government

The Ministry of Health and Welfare recently gave awards to two Korean mothers who gave birth to 13 children, including the mother of actress Nam Bo-ra, who is well-known for being the youngest of her 13 siblings. Eom Gye-suk, 60, was given the Seongnyu Medal, the fifth grade of the Order of Civil Merit given to those to recognize contributions to the country and welfare of the people with their outstanding accomplishments in the field of politics, economics, society, education or academics. She

Social AffairsOct. 13, 2024

Govt fines journalists who revealed names of Itaewon tragedy victims

A government report showed Sunday that a local group of citizen-journalists has been fined in connection with its decision to publish the names of those who lost their lives in the October 2022 crowd crush in Itaewon without getting consent from the victims' bereaved families. Mindle News, an independent media outlet founded in 2022, was fined 3 million won ($2,200) in late July by the Personal Information Protection Commission for violating the Personal Information Act, according to PIPC

Social AffairsOct. 13, 2024

Employee fired for taking gift mugs ruled unfair dismissal

A local court said Sunday it ruled against a company that fired an employee for taking without permission five mugs and one calendar intended as promotional gifts for customers. Seoul Administrative Court has ruled against Porsche Korea's official dealer, Autostadt, who challenged the National Labor Relations Commission's ruling on its firing of the employee. The company had dismissed the employee -- who had worked there nine years -- in February last year, arguing that he had taken th

Social AffairsOct. 13, 2024

[From the Scene] SLW program explores tech integration for better, happier urban lives

An exhibition program hosted by the Seoul city government last week explored innovative ideas for urban challenges in areas such as transportation, environment and safety, with private companies showcasing tailored solutions to global cities from 18 countries. The Presentation for Your City program was the centerpiece of Seoul Smart Life Week, held from Thursday to Saturday at Coex in southern Seoul, as it conveyed fresh urban solutions that can be applied not only to Seoul, but other metropolit

Social AffairsOct. 13, 2024

Man is injured rescuing a driver from burning car

Local rescue authorities said passengers of a bus managed to rescue a person from a burning car, with one sustaining an injury in the process. According to the Gyeongbuk Fire Service Headquarters, a sedan caught fire after colliding with a truck while backing up at the Goryeong junction in Goryeong-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, on the Gwangju-Daegu Expressway at around 9:13 a.m. on Oct.10. Passengers on a passing tour bus came over and pulled the driver out of the burning car, and one passenge

Social AffairsOct. 13, 2024

Some of N. Korea's trash balloons equipped with GPS transmitters: S. Korean military

Some of the balloons floated by North Korea to dump trash across South Korea have been equipped with GPS transmitters, South Korea's military said Sunday. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, GPS transmitters were found in some of the North Korean balloons, and Pyongyang may be using them to look into the balloons' flight data. A South Korean military official said the military is "tracking North Korea's possible development of balloon flotation technology a

North KoreaOct. 13, 2024

Senior diplomats of S. Korea, US, Japan to hold talks in Seoul this week: foreign ministry

Senior diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan will gather in Seoul this week for trilateral talks on ways to further boost their partnership, Seoul's foreign ministry said Sunday. First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun will host US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano for the dialogue scheduled for Wednesday, the ministry said in a release. Kim will also hold separate bilateral talks with Campbell on the same day and wit

Diplomatic CircuitOct. 13, 2024

N. Korean leader's sister warns of 'horrible disaster' if S. Korean drones found again

The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned Sunday that South Korea will face a "horrible disaster" if South Korean drones are flown again over the North's capital. Kim Yo-jong made the remark in a statement carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency, just a day after the reclusive regime floated trash balloons toward South Korea, claiming the South had sent unmanned drones over Pyongyang three times this month. "We have no concern about who i

North KoreaOct. 13, 2024

S. Korea, US, Japan summit expected near end of 2024: national security adviser

The leaders of South Korea, the United States and Japan are expected to hold a trilateral summit near the end of this year, according to South Korea's national security adviser Saturday. Earlier in the day, Seoul's presidential office said US President Joe Biden has proposed holding a trilateral summit by the end of this year. He made the proposal in a message conveyed to South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol through Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Association of Southeast Asia

Diplomatic CircuitOct. 12, 2024

[EYE] He left his heart in Africa

In 2008, as a 25-year-old university student, Steven Heo boarded a plane bound for Tanzania, seeking an extraordinary experience before graduation. However, what was meant to be a one-year stay turned into a life-changing journey that reshaped the path of the philosophy and psychology major. Now in his early 40s, Heo leads Africa Insight, a Seoul-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting cultural understanding and combating stereotypes, while fostering cultural exchange between Korea and Africa. In

Social AffairsOct. 12, 2024

More homeroom teachers asking to be replaced amid teachers rights dispute

As South Korea struggles with increasing reports of abuse against teachers, government data showed that a growing number of homeroom teachers are requesting to be replaced. In 2023, 124 homeroom teachers were replaced at their own request, which is more than double compared the 54 who were in 2020, according to Ministry of Education data submitted to Rep. Jeong Sung-kook of the ruling People Power Party. The figure has been rising for three years. It was 90 in 2021 and 118 in 2022, and 55 have

Social AffairsOct. 12, 2024

N. Korean media report claim that Seoul sent drones over Pyongyang

North Korea's news media for the domestic audience on Saturday reported the reclusive regime's claim that the South sent unmanned drones carrying anti-North propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang three times this month. The Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper, as well as the country's state radio and TV, reported the news by carrying a statement from the North's foreign ministry issued the previous day. It is unusual for North Korea to publicize the South's sendin

North KoreaOct. 12, 2024

N. Korea sends 20 more trash balloons toward S. Korea: JCS

North Korea has floated more trash balloons toward South Korea, the military said Saturday, after the reclusive regime claimed the South had sent unmanned drones over Pyongyang three times since last week. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea sent around 20 balloons starting late Friday until early Saturday morning, with some 10 of them landing in the inter-Korean border county of Cheorwon in Gangwon Province. The JCS said the bundles consisted of household garbage, such as scrap paper and

North KoreaOct. 12, 2024

Russian ambassador to N. Korea hosts reception to mark diplomatic ties

The Russian ambassador to North Korea has hosted a reception to reaffirm bilateral ties ahead of the 76th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Pyongyang's state media reported Saturday. The event, hosted by Russian Ambassador Alexandr Matsegora, was held in Pyongyang on Friday, with the attendance of Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, ahead of the anniversary, which falls on Saturday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. North Korea and Russia have been bolstering military ties, as well

North KoreaOct. 12, 2024

Biden proposes holding trilateral summit this year

US President Joe Biden has proposed holding a trilateral summit with the leaders of South Korea and Japan by the end of this year, according to South Korea's presidential office Saturday. The proposal was made through US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during a dinner hosted by the prime minister of Laos at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit Thursday (local time). Biden said the proposed summit would build on the "Camp David sp

Foreign AffairsOct. 12, 2024

No South Korean military drone entered Pyongyang skies: JCS

No South Korean military unmanned aerial vehicle has entered North Korean skies, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday in response to North Korean Foreign Ministry claims of such infiltration into Pyongyang. “The South Korean military has not sent any UAVs or flyers. We don’t know yet if a civilian drone flew in,” an official from the South’s JCS told The Korea Herald. In a statement, the North’s Foreign Ministry claimed that South Korean UAVs had flown

DefenseOct. 11, 2024

Yoon returns home from 3-nation Southeast Asia trip

President Yoon Suk Yeol returned home Friday from his trip to the Philippines, Singapore and Laos that focused on diplomacy to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian nations and draw support for his policy on North Korea. During the six-day trip, Yoon attended a series of annual summits involving the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Laos on Thursday and Friday, and made state visits to the Philippines and Singapore. It marked Yoon's third consecutive year attending

PoliticsOct. 11, 2024