1 in 5 ticketed Seoulites neglect parking fines; highest offender receives 752 fines in 5 years

One in 5 drivers in Seoul to have been ticketed has unpaid parking violation fines, resulting in an accumulated unpaid sum of 11.3 billion won ($8.5 million), the city of Seoul reported. According to data released by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sunday, the capital city witnessed approximately 1.42 million parking violation instances during an eight-month period from January to August this year. A total of 55.2 billion won was levied in fines, but approximately 20 percent, amounting to

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2023

N. Korea's Kim holds talks with Russian defense minister on strengthening military cooperation: state media

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has held talks with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on strengthening bilateral military cooperation and exchange, state media reported Sunday. Kim held the talks in Vladivostok on Saturday as he is on a tour of Russia's Far East after holding a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin last Wednesday, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. They "exchanged their constructive opinions on the practical issues arising in further strengthe

North KoreaSept. 17, 2023

Statue of Korea's first Catholic priest officially unveiled in Vatican

A statue of Korea's first Catholic priest, St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon (1821-1846), was officially unveiled at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican during a Mass on Saturday, the anniversary of his martyrdom. The 3.8 meter-high marble statue was erected at a niche of St. Peter's Basilica, making it the first Asian saint's statue to be installed at the universal headquarters of the Catholic Church. Created by Korean sculptor Han Jin-sub, the statue wears a traditional Korean hat, ca

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2023

Democratic Party to introduce motion for prime minister's dismissal

The main opposition Democratic Party said Saturday it has decided to introduce a motion calling for the dismissal of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and take action to open an independent counsel to probe the case of a young Marine's death. "We call for the resignation of the Cabinet and will immediately file a dismissal motion for Prime Minister Han Duck-soo," the DP's floor leader Park Kwang-on read from a resolution during a media briefing after an emergency meeting of party l

PoliticsSept. 16, 2023

Italy's invasive blue crab has Korean seafood fans excited

An Italian crustacean infestation is fanning culinary excitement in Korea, with a local seafood importer reaching out to Italy for possible imports. Italy's northern Adriatic coast has been dealing with an invasive crab species called the Atlantic blue crab in recent years, with the species wreaking havoc on the country’s ecosystem and causing millions of dollars worth of damage. First introduced through the bilges of foreign vessels several years ago, the Atlantic blue crab found a h

Social AffairsSept. 16, 2023

N. Korean athletes arrive in Hangzhou for Asian Games: reports

A group of North Korean athletes has reportedly arrived in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou to participate in the upcoming Asian Games. North Korea has registered 191 athletes to attend the Hangzhou Asian Games set to run from next Saturday to Oct. 8, according to the organizer's website. Some 60 North Korean athletes and coaches arrived at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport on Friday evening, Chinese media reported. They first arrived in Dandong, northeastern China, on Friday by b

North KoreaSept. 16, 2023

Trains operate at nearly 80 pct capacity on 3rd day of rail strike

An ongoing strike by unionized rail workers entered its third day Saturday, forcing passenger trains to operate at just less than 80 percent capacity nationwide. The Korean Railway Workers' Union began its first strike in four years Thursday, demanding improved working conditions and an expansion of the KTX bullet train service to Suseo Station in southern Seoul, which is exclusively used by another high-speed railway service called SRT. The ministry said the national train operation rate w

Social AffairsSept. 16, 2023

State audit agency to begin inspection of hosting of World Scout Jamboree next week

The state audit agency said Saturday it will launch a comprehensive inspection next week into the country's hosting of the World Scout Jamboree last month after the event faced much criticism for poor preparations. The 12-day event, which kicked off Aug. 1, underwent significant challenges, including a heat wave and a powerful typhoon, which forced the relocation of around 40,000 participants from a campsite in Saemangeum, a reclaimed wetland on the southwestern coast, to various parts of t

Social AffairsSept. 16, 2023

IAEA, China discussing Fukushima info mechanism similar to S. Korean arrangement: Grossi

The International Atomic Energy Agency has been in discussions with China over establishing a joint information mechanism over the water discharge from Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, similar to the agency's arrangement with South Korea, according to the agency's chief. In light of the water discharge that began late last month, South Korea and the IAEA have established the IAEA-ROK Fukushima Information Mechanism, allowing the agency to share the latest informatio

Foreign AffairsSept. 16, 2023

US to seek further action over NK provocations, intl. law violations: NSA Sullivan

The United States will press for further action over North Korea's provocations and other breaches of international law, a senior US official said Friday, after a recent summit between Pyongyang and Moscow deepened concerns about a potential arms deal between them. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan made the remarks, assessing that North Korea's talks with Russia over its potential supply of weapons for use in the war in Ukraine have continued to "advance." North Korean

North KoreaSept. 16, 2023

N. Korea's Kim meets Russian defense minister, inspects nuclear-capable bombers, warship

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met with Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and inspected Russia's nuclear-capable bombers, missiles and a warship Saturday after he arrived in Russia's far eastern city of Vladivostok, Russian media reported. Kim has been touring Russia's Far East after his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday at the Vostochny space center amid growing concerns over possible military cooperation between the two countries. Russia'

North KoreaSept. 16, 2023

Freedom fighters’ descendants return honorary degree to protest relocation controversy

The descendants of Korean freedom fighters said they will return the honorary degrees from the Korea Military Academy on Friday, in protest of the KMA's recent decision to relocate the statues of independence fighters. Jeong Cheol-seung, the grandson of freedom fighter Yun Gi-seop, told local media that he and descendants of other independence fighters Yi Sang-ryong and Ji Cheong-cheon would visit the academy on Friday afternoon and return the degree, which they received in behalf of their

DefenseSept. 15, 2023

Allies say Kim, Putin will pay price for military cooperation

Senior South Korean Foreign and Defense Ministry officials and their US counterparts said Friday North Korea and Russia will pay the price for military cooperation because it violates United Nations Security Council resolutions, urging Moscow to live up to its role as a permanent UNSC member. “The alliance of South Korea and the US is stronger than ever. The Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group meeting today where we discussed issues in depth will make the alliance more powe

Foreign AffairsSept. 15, 2023

Cases of teachers treated for depression rise 180% in four years: data

The number of cases of teachers getting treated for depression has risen by about 180 percent over the past four years, data showed, another worrying sign that teachers are being pushed to the brink in and outside the classrooms. According to data from the National Health Insurance Service obtained by Rep. Shin Hyeon-young, the number of cases of teachers getting treated for depression surged 179.4 percent to 158,066, up from 88,127 in 2018. Similarly, the number of cases involving anxiety disor

Social AffairsSept. 15, 2023

Mother throws poopy diaper at daycare center teacher

A mother allegedly threw a poopy diaper at a daycare center teacher, complaining that her son had been abused. On Sunday, the teacher at the daycare center located in Sejong City visited a hospital where the mother’s child was hospitalized. The teacher said that she visited the hospital to apologize for the scar on the child's neck. The child got hurt while fighting with other children at the daycare center, so the teacher went to the hospital to apologize, she said. But when she arri

Social AffairsSept. 15, 2023

Korea to establish surveillance system in wake of toxic humidifier disinfectant case

Health authorities announced on Friday plans to launch a real-time surveillance system to prevent future health disasters akin to the toxic humidifier disinfectant case, a string of lung disease outbreaks linked to chemicals found in humidifier disinfectants between 2006 and 2011. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced it has allocated 735 million won ($553,000) in the upcoming year's budget to create the Integrated Health Risk Information Management System. The

Social AffairsSept. 15, 2023

S. Korea identifies remains of another Korean War soldier

South Korea's military has identified the remains of another soldier killed during the 1950-53 Korean War, nearly two decades after their discovery at a former battle site, the defense ministry said Friday. The ministry's Agency for KIA Recovery and Identification recovered the remains of Pfc. Park Dong-geun in Pohang, 262 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in 2005. KIA stands for killed in action. The agency identified the remains as his through a DNA analysis using a sample from a family

DefenseSept. 15, 2023

Pentagon warns N. Korea's arms support would prolong Ukraine war

The US Department of Defense warned North Korea Thursday that its arms support to Russia would not only prolong the war in Ukraine but also be tantamount to "directly" joining the killing of innocent Ukrainians. Deputy Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh made the remarks after this week's summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the prospects of Pyongyang sending more ammunition to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. "I thin

Foreign AffairsSept. 15, 2023

N. Korean leader's train apparently en route to Russia's Khabarovsk after summit with Putin

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's special train appears to be moving toward Russia's Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk on Thursday, a day after his rare summit with President Vladimir Putin, according to sources. According to the sources, Kim's olive green, bullet-proof train appears headed toward the Russian city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, where he will visit an aircraft factory, following his meeting with Putin held Wednesday at the Vostochny spaceport where he

North KoreaSept. 14, 2023

Yoon's UN speech to warn on NK-Russia military exchanges

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is slated to begin a six-day visit to New York starting Monday to attend the 78th United Nations General Assembly, which comes after a summit on Wednesday where North Korea leader Kim Jong-un offered his full support to Russia's "sacred fight" against the West. During his visit, Yoon is likely to issue warnings regarding increasing military activities between North Korea and Russia, as well as Pyongyang's evolving nuclear ambitions. At the

PoliticsSept. 14, 2023