Stalking crimes could lead to up to 5 years in prison custody

Amid growing calls for stronger punishment for stalking, the Supreme Court’s Sentencing Committee on Monday said it had decided to recommend a maximum prison term of five years, depending on the gravity of the offense. The decision comes after the commission, affiliated with the Supreme Court of Korea and consisting of 13 commissioners, held its 128th meeting on Friday to review sentencing guidelines for stalking. For what it calls a general stalking crime with mitigating factors, the Sent

Nov. 13, 2023

Drug scandals intoxicating the entertainment scene

Last week, former YG Entertainment chief Yang Hyun-suk was hit with a suspended jail term for his alleged attempt to cover up a 2016 drug scandal involving one of his artists. It came as the latest in a series of drug-related issues that have recently plagued South Korea's entertainment scene. Police are currently conducting drug crime investigations into two top stars, “Parasite” actor Lee Sun-kyun and K-pop superstar G-Dragon, the latter of which previously had a brush with

Nov. 13, 2023

[Graphic News] Nearly 40,000 S. Koreans die by suicide over past 3 years: data

　Nearly 40,000 South Koreans took their own lives over the past three years, with the suicide rate increasing among the younger generation, data showed. 　A total of 39,453 people killed themselves from 2020 to 2022, according to data from the Health Ministry and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency submitted to Rep. Baek Jong-hean of the ruling People Power Party. 　The tally of suicides here was greater than the 32,156 deaths due to COVID-19 recorded over the same period here. 　Ko

Nov. 13, 2023

Suneung to take place Thursday, but without 'killer questions'

The Suneung, South Korea's national college entrance exam, is less than a week away, with this year's test seeing a number of changes. The Education Ministry in June announced that it would exclude "killer questions" -- excessively difficult questions, the material for which is often not covered in the public education system. The change came following President Yoon Suk Yeol's comments that such questions might create an excessive dependence on private education. The mi

Nov. 12, 2023

SK Chairman, estranged wife lock horns in divorce battle

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won hit back at his estranged wife Sunday, accusing her of deliberately stirring the pot to get the upper hand in their ongoing divorce settlement litigation. In a statement released through his lawyer, Chey said that their marriage was broken long before he started dating his current partner. “We’ve been a wife and husband merely on paper for decades,” stressed the tycoon, who had a child out of wedlock in 2015 with his current partner, Kim Hee-young

Nov. 12, 2023

Air pollution causes 43 premature deaths per 100,000 population in Korea

Poor air quality contributed to about 1 1/2 times more premature deaths in South Korea than the average of countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, data showed Sunday. According to the 2023 OECD Health at a Glance report, South Korea had 42.7 premature deaths from ambient air pollution per 100,000 population in 2019. The OECD average stood at 28.9 deaths per 100,000 in 2019. In contrast, some countries, such as New Zealand, Sweden and Finland, had relatively low mo

Nov. 12, 2023

[Photo News] Protest in Seoul

Major South Korean umbrella unions the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions staged large-scale protests in Seoul on Saturday in a bid to encourage the immediate promulgation and enforcement of the "yellow envelope bill" -- a bill which aims to guarantee the negotiating rights of workers in indirect working arrangements. The FKTU held protests starting from 1 p.m., in area between Yeouido station and Yeouinaru station, while KCTU staged protests

Nov. 11, 2023

All cattle now vaccinated against lumpy skin disease

The agriculture ministry said Saturday it has completed its nationwide campaign to vaccinate all cattle against lumpy skin (LSD) disease, less than a month after the country reported its first-ever infection. The ministry has inoculated some 4.05 million cattle in the country to protect them against LSD after launching the intensive vaccination campaign following its first-ever case of LSD on Oct. 20. Authorities, meanwhile, plan to remain vigilant for the time being as it will take three weeks

Nov. 11, 2023

Leadership vacuum looms at S. Korea’s 2 top courts

South Korea’s two top courts are facing a leadership vacuum following Constitutional Court President Yoo Nam-seok’s retirement on Friday, while the position of chief justice has remained vacant for 47 days. President Yoon Suk Yeol named Lee Jong-seok as the nominee for the president of the Constitutional Court of South Korea last month and a parliamentary confirmation hearing for Lee is set to take place on Monday. Lee is currently one of nine justices in the Constitutional Court. Si

Nov. 10, 2023

Carrot knife craze: Parents panic over fidget toy fad

Plastic fidget toys resembling colorful pocket knives are a hit among Korean kids, but parents have expressed concern that they could encourage children to play with actual knives -- or worse. On Monday, the South Chungcheong Province’s Office of Education became the latest authority to prohibit the possession of the toy, locally known as a "carrot knife," on school premises. They stated, "Carrot knives are not toys; they are deemed dangerous items that could provoke vio

Nov. 10, 2023

'Snub' of police officers who helped catch fugitive stirs controversy

A police commendation process following the arrest of escaped criminal Kim Gil-soo has stirred up controversy, after it was discovered that two of the police officers who caught the fugitive were not properly awarded or recognized for their contributions. The National Police Agency on Tuesday granted special promotions to Sgt. Lee Seon-ju of Uijeongbu Police Station and Senior Officer Kim Min-gok of Anyang Dongan Police Station for their role in Kim’s arrest the day before. Lee had closely

Nov. 10, 2023

Unionized Seoul subway workers threaten second strike

Unionized Seoul subway workers opposed to their company's downsizing plans are set to end a two-day "warning" strike Friday evening but threatened to go on a general strike sooner or later unless their demands are met. The latest strike was launched Thursday by the biggest of the three labor unions of Seoul Metro, the operator of subway lines 1-8, in protest of the city-run company's bid to reduce its workforce by 13.5 percent, or 2,212 employees, by 2026 to address its chron

Nov. 10, 2023

[Graphic News] 500 bird strikes reported in past 5 years: data

A total of 500 aircraft incidents involving collisions with birds have been reported in airports across South Korea over the past five years, according to data. According to data unveiled by Rep. Heo Jong-sik of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, the total number of aircraft bird strike cases during takeoff and landing has totaled 500 since 2019. The lawmaker cited data submitted by airport authorities. Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul and Gimhae International Airport in

Nov. 10, 2023

Seoul holds official discussions to counter bedbugs

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon invited health and infectious diseases experts for official talks on methods to counter bedbugs in the capital city, Thursday. To respond to the recent outbreak of bedbugs in Seoul, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a comprehensive scheme on Nov. 3 to achieve a “zero-bedbug city.” Residents can report bedbugs to their local public health center or by calling 120. The city government also conducted special inspections on 3,175 bedbug-prone public facil

Nov. 10, 2023

Gangnam-gu receives safety award at Smart City Expo World Congress

Gangnam-gu in southern Seoul was selected as the winner of the safety and resilience award at the Smart City Expo World Congress’ World Smart City Awards in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday. The World Smart City Awards are an international competition among cities around the globe that recognize projects, ideas and strategies that make cities more livable, sustainable and economically viable. Gangnam-gu received the safety and resilience award for its smart city policy supporting the welfare

Nov. 9, 2023

Unionized Seoul Metro workers launch 2-day strike

As the Seoul Metro, operator of the city's subway system, initiated a two-day warning strike Thursday to protest the company's downsizing plans, disruptions are expected outside of rush hour. The labor union of the Seoul Metro is holding a strike from 9 a.m. on Thursday to 6 p.m. Friday as the final negotiations broke down the previous day. Seoul Metro operates Seoul subway lines 1 to 8 and some sections of line 9. During rush hour, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., all subway trains will operate

Nov. 9, 2023

[Contribution] Weathering severe storms with weather radar

By Yoo Hee-dong According to the 2022 Annual Report on Natural Disasters by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, 96 heavy rainfall events occurred in South Korea during the summer season between 2012 and 2021, resulting in 1.6 trillion won ($1.2 billion) in property damage and 63 fatalities. Furthermore, last year and this year, unprecedented torrential rainfall caused 3.4 trillion won in property losses and 95 deaths. In just two years, this amount has surpassed the total damage of the past

Nov. 9, 2023

ACRC touts role in handling civil complaints, shielding people from unfair treatment

South Korea’s Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission on Wednesday stressed its pivotal role in handling and resolving civil complaints and mitigating against the unfair treatment of citizens and foreign residents alike. Over the past five years, some 30,000 complaints have been lodged to the ACRC, while 23,887 cases have been addressed, including those filed by foreign residents. “Handling a complaint not only means dealing with the unjust situation of an individual citizen, b

Nov. 9, 2023

Top court orders Oxy to compensate indirect victim of toxic humidifier sterilizer

South Korea's top court on Thursday ordered Oxy Reckitt Benckiser and a Korean vendor to pay 5 million won ($3,820) in damages to a woman who developed a pulmonary disease after using Oxy's toxic humidifier sterilizer, but whose illness was seen as being less likely associated with the product. The Supreme Court of Korea upheld the decision at the appellate court that found Oxy -- a Korean arm of United Kingdom-based consumer goods maker Reckitt Benckiser -- liable for violating the Pr

Nov. 9, 2023

Cattle vaccination for lumpy skin disease nears completion

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Thursday it has vaccinated 99.5 percent of cattle in the country against lumpy skin disease. The authorities have inoculated more than 4.05 million out of the country's 4.08 million cows so far to protect them against LSD, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The government launched the intensive vaccination campaign last month after reporting its first-ever case of LSD on Oct. 20 under the plan to vaccinate all catt

Nov. 9, 2023