Local community service centers are easy to spot, but many overlook the services they provide for their communities. Taking the time to become acquainted with these centers can lead to various benefits, from saving money to accessing a wide range of cost-effective or even free programs and informative lectures. Free services Not all community centers across South Korea offer the same services. However, most of them help visitors with everyday needs. Many are equipped with copy, printing and

hashtag Koaea Aug. 2, 2023

Summer heat is becoming increasingly deadly in many parts of the world, as the Earth has entered an "era of global boiling," as declared by the United Nations last week. South Korea is among the countries that are grappling with extreme heat, with the number of victims of heat-related illnesses rising at an alarming pace. According to fire authorities, a total of 23 people have died from May 20 to Monday due to heat-related illnesses. The number is more than triple the total 7 deaths i

Social Affairs Aug. 2, 2023

Jagalchi Station, on Busan Metro Line No. 1, is where one can find some of the seaside city’s oldest, largest and most famous markets, including the famed Jagalchi Market. As such, the station is always bustling with tourists, all hoping to soak up the authentic Busan atmosphere and try a wide array of delectable seafood dishes and street snacks. The Gukje, Bupyeong and Jagalchi markets -- all located within a few blocks from each other -- are famous for their decades-old stores and busi

Culture July 29, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol's mother-in-law was detained Friday after an appeals court upheld a lower court ruling that sentenced her to one year in prison for forging a financial document used in a land purchase deal. The appellate court in Uijeongbu, northeast of Seoul, dismissed an appeal by 76-year-old Choi Eun-soon who demanded the prison sentence handed down to her in 2021 be reconsidered. Choi was accused of falsifying her bank balance certificate in 2013 to make herself appear financial

Social Affairs July 21, 2023

Scores of vehicles were driving through an underpass at around 8:40 a.m. on Saturday morning in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, as flooding hit. The tunnel was only some 600 meters away from the Miho River, a tributary of the Geum River, South Korea's third-largest waterway. Drivers were apparently unaware that a flood warning for the area had been issued about four hours earlier, due to heavy rain across the country. No signs or officials were in place to stop traffic entering the un

Social Affairs July 16, 2023

Two people died and two were injured after a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall overtook a charnel house on Friday in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, authorities said. A pile of mud from a nearby mountain came crashing down on the city-run Yangji Memorial House at 4:02 p.m, according to South Chungcheong Fire Department. A man in his 80s, identified by his surname Yoon, was visiting at the time with his wife in her 70s, their 21-year-old grandson and a 59-year-old cousin. All four people

Social Affairs July 14, 2023

A 29-year-old councilor of the southern island province of Jeju has been expelled from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, amid allegations that he bought sex. Kang Gyeong-hm, who began his four-year term as councilor last year, is being investigated by the police for allegedly buying sex services at a Jeju bar. The police, while probing the bar’s sex trafficking of four foreign women, have unearthed records of money transactions between the councilor and the establishment. A Je

Politics July 13, 2023

The ill-fated replica of Korea's 16th century turtle-shaped warship, which cost 1.6 billion won ($1.2 million) to build, is being disposed of after several failed attempts to find a buyer. The process of dismantling the warship replica kicked off Tuesday and is scheduled to be completed on July 23, according to reports Wednesday. The wooden parts are to be burned, while the steel frame will be sold to a local junk shop. Some 60 percent of the 120-ton vessel was dismantled as of Tuesday. The

Social Affairs July 12, 2023

Shark sightings in South Korea have long been limited to the realm of movies like Steven Spielberg's iconic 1975 film, "Jaws." Being a relatively shark-free zone, encountering dangerous sharks was considered more fiction than reality. But recently, a growing number of sightings of shark that are known to attack humans in the East Sea indicate that Koreans are no longer safe from the predatory creatures. Shark scare On the night of July 8, a fishing boat floating off the coas

Social Affairs July 12, 2023

The United Nations holds a special position in South Korea’s modern history. From the nation-building process following the liberation from the 1910-45 Japanese occupation to the 1950-53 Korean War and postwar recovery and reconstruction efforts, the global governance body played a crucial role by providing South Korea with military and humanitarian assistance. Yet, it wasn't until 1991 when South Korea officially became a member. Joining alongside North Korea, it was the 161st to join the

hashtag Koaea July 12, 2023

Photos of a Seoul mountaintop covered in lovebugs, a species of March fly that are usually found in pairs, went viral after it was shared on social media last week. The photos were taken June 30 on Bukhansan, a mountain located on the northern periphery of Seoul, according to a social media user who uploaded the photos. The mountain, which is at the center of a national park of the same name, is a popular hiking destination for both locals and tourists. The park authorities have decided not to i

Social Affairs July 3, 2023

South Korea’s second-largest city, Busan, entices tourists with its delectable cuisine, vibrant beaches and dazzling cityscape. However, few visitors know that the city’s main attraction used to be its hot springs. Oncheonjang Station, a stop on Busan metro's Line No.1, is wher e the origin of the city’s history as a hot spring destination lies. With the bathhouses and hotels that once adorned the area mostly gone, a replica of the streetcar that once transported visitors

Culture July 1, 2023

One of Kim Sun-min's new joys in life is to visit the local diving pool in Ilsan, a northwestern satellite city of Seoul. It is where the 42-year-old content marketer can become the mythical creature of her dreams -- a mermaid -- for at least a few hours a week. "Mermaiding might seem like wearing a costume and posing for a photo underwater to outsiders," Kim told The Korea Herald at the Mer Freediving Center in Ilsan. "But it's actually a combination of art and sports -

hashtag Koaea July 1, 2023

A high school specializing in educating students in K-pop and related performances will open in Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city, by 2028, the city’s education authorities announced Friday. The school will provide quality vocal, dance, composing and songwriting lessons taught by experienced K-pop faculty. International students will be eligible to apply, Ha Yoon-su, the superintendent of education in Busan, said in an official briefing. An official at the Busan Metropolitan

K-pop June 30, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday named Jang Mi-ran, a physical education professor and former Olympic weightlifting champion, as the vice minister of culture and sports. Jang, 39, will become The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's second vice minister, whose main responsibility is handling sports-related affairs, according to officials. With the ministry having two vice ministers, Jang will cooperate with the current first vice minister Chun Byong-geuk in overseeing the ministry&#

Culture June 29, 2023