South Korea finalized its first basic plan at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday to gradually reduce annual national carbon emissions to address climate change, so that Asia's fourth-largest economy in 2030 would emit 40 percent less greenhouse gases compared to 2018. The five-year overarching implementation plan for Korea to emit a net 436.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and its equivalent in 20...

A soon-to-be prosecutor has been placed on probation without a sentence for assaulting a police officer while under the influence of alcohol, a South Korean court ruled Tuesday. The Seoul Central District Court handed down a suspended imposition of a fine of 3 million won ($2,300) to the woman, only identified by her surname Hwang. Prosecutors had asked the court for a six-month jail term for Hw...

The briefing comes as reports of drug crimes have increased in Korea. In the latest major case, law enforcement authorities are investigating a gang that is alleged to have handed out meth-infused beverages to high school students, telling them the drinks would help them concentrate while studying. The gang members are allegedly connected to a China-based crime ring. According to data from the ...

A coalition of South Korean medical technicians and doctors’ rights activist groups is considering a strike, as long-awaited bills aimed at easing nursing regulations and banning convicted doctors from returning to work are to be tabled at the National Assembly as early as Thursday. A spokesperson of the ruling People Power Party Yoo Sang-bum said Sunday the government and the PPP would try to f...

Park's comments came a day after Specht said, "We had been enthusiastically greeted by the citizens of Busan, ... The welcome that was given to us by the citizens of Busan showed really the support for the project of Expo 2030." Park serves as the chair of the executive committee of the Citizens Committee World Expo 2030 Busan Korea, which has built ties with some 200 civic and religious groups ...

Kerkentzes also said that Busan was trying to propose its bid in a way that would lead to a much stronger participation in World Expos for all participating countries. He was referring to the "Busan Initiative," aimed at helping developing countries find solutions to challenges and crises they face with the help of the host nation, and having them presented via World Expo exhibitions. "Expos ar...

While organizers are looking to use the Busan North Port site to host exhibitions and pavilions, some of the piers and container yards are currently under operation. Cho You-jang, director general of the 2030 Expo Bid Promotion Headquarters under the Busan Metropolitan Government, told reporters earlier in March that a smooth transition of the port is underway. For example, Jaseongdae, a contai...

In addition, Busan is working to build a new airport by 2029 in Gadeokdo, an islet that is 35 kilometers away by car from the proposed World Expo site. Moreover, a hydrogen-powered tram will allow visitors to travel from the new airport to the proposed World Expo site within 15 minutes. The new airport will take the place of Gimhae Airport in western Busan as a main regional airport. While a bil...

Representatives of the BIE are here to assess the feasibility and viability of Busan's Expo project this week. Busan is third on the list for the BIE officials’ visit out of the four candidates: Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Rome in Italy and Odesa in Ukraine. Busan is looking to host Korea's first ever Registered Expo, which would differentiate itself from the previous two events. The two Specialize...

The parliamentary confirmation hearings of new Constitutional Court Justice nominees kicked off Tuesday to replace two outgoing justices. Conservatives hope that the new nominees -- Judge Kim Hyung-du of Seoul High Court and Jeong Jeong-mi of Daejeon High Court, nominated by Supreme Court Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su earlier in March -- would balance out what they see as the Constitutional Court'...

The Ministry of Justice said Tuesday a new type of identification card will be issued to foreigners staying in South Korea for more than 90 days, starting on Saturday. This is the first time in 12 years the ministry will introduce a new design for a Residence Card, formerly known as an Alien Registration Card. A new Residence Card will feature a full-color photo of the holder that is 35 percent...

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday tapped Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Commissioner Woo Jong-soo as the new state investigation chief, ending the leadership vacuum created by an ex-prosecutor who resigned from the post amid a school bullying controversy involving his son. The new chief of the National Office of Investigation will oversee 30,000 investigators under the national police, accordi...

Over 600 elderly citizens from Busan and its neighboring regions have recently rallied support for Busan's bid to host the World Expo in 2030. The so-called "Silver Supporters" will be tasked with taking part in events to promote Busan's World Expo bid and to welcome the Bureau International des Expositions Enquiry Mission visit to Busan in early April. Busan is the third destination for the BIE...

The South Korean Supreme Court revealed Sunday that it recently found a religious man guilty of failing to fulfill his alternative military service as a social service agent, which exempts him from active duty as a soldier. The case to decide whether the 31-year-old Jehovah's Witness, whose further personal identity remains undisclosed, committed a crime has been remanded to a district court in ...

The reform bills stipulate that prosecutors can no longer investigate high-ranking officials, politicians suspected of violating election law, those believe to have committed crimes related to the defense industry and those who may be held responsible for a national disaster. Most of such crimes are now investigated by the police, with investigative powers of police now being consolidated. Inste...