The revelation of toxic substances in toothpaste products, albeit at a minuscule level, has further fanned the fires of public frustration over the government’s lax regulations, amid ongoing safety concerns on the use of chemicals in everyday products in South Korea. On Monday, Rep. Lee Jeong-mi of the minor Justice Party said that a total of 11 toothpaste products sold by the local cosmetics co...

Approximately 5,000 to 6,000 animals are hit and killed on the streets of Seoul every year, a lawmaker said Tuesday. According to the opposition The Minjoo Party Rep. Song Ok-joo, Seoul Metropolitan Government data showed that 17,036 animals were killed on the streets of Seoul over the past three years, with the number rising each year. A total of 7,465 animals were killed on Seoul streets in 2...

Despite the shrinking number of HIV infections and AIDS patients worldwide, the rates of HIV and AIDS among South Koreans has increased sharply over the past decade, data showed Tuesday. According to World Health Organization data gathered by the ruling Saenuri Party’s lawmaker Yoon Jong-pil, the number of new HIV infections and AIDS patients around the world decreased 35 percent from 2000 to 20...

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday that it will start a campaign to fix the incorrect use of English, Chinese and Japanese on signboards. Any Seoul resident or visitor can participate by reporting incorrectly written instructions -- including signs installed at subway stations, bus stations, cultural assets and more -- to visitseoul1@seoul.go.kr from Sept. 21 to Oct. 4. To check Kor...

Seoul stands to see the third biggest economic loss globally -- approximately $103.5 billion -- if faced with natural catastrophes and man-made economic shocks between the period of 2015 and 2025, a report showed Monday. Based on the original research by the Cambridge Center for Risk Studies at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School, UK insurance firm Lloyds’ City Risk Index 2015-2025...

The government and the ruling Saenuri Party on Sunday held an emergency meeting and decided to review whether to designate the quake-hit southeastern city of Gyeongju as a disaster area to provide it with state funding for recovery works. They also agreed on the need to strengthen safety measures against earthquakes and prepare detailed guidelines to measure the damage of public facilities, hous...

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday it will remove eight additional overpasses starting from next year in an aim to create pedestrian-friendly streets. Since 1968, a total of 101 overpasses had been constructed in the capital to relieve traffic congestion. With a more developed transportation system and changes in city infrastructure, the metro government said it decided to remove an ...

The South Korean government should step up efforts in building a chemical-safe society and Oxy Reckitt Benckiser should sincerely apologize to all victims affected by their products since 2006, the United Nations special rapporteur said in a report. Baskut Tuncak, the UN special rapporteur for human rights and disposal of hazardous substances, underlined the “government’s obligation to protect a...

This is the third installment of a three-part series on Seoul’s battle against three types of urban pollution: smell, noise, and light. -- Ed. Office worker Wi, 26, often plays soccer at a public field near Gangnam, but he recently faced resistance from some residents who live nearby. An official from the district office asked Wi and his teammates to avoid playing soccer there at night, as ther...

Another subway maintenance worker died in an accident over the weekend while repairing subway facilities, rekindling concerns regarding the safety management of subway operator Seoul Metro. According to Gwangjin Fire Station, 28-year-old employee surnamed Park fell down below the railroad bridge during maintenance operations near subway line No. 2 Seongsu Station at 1:12 p.m. on Saturday. The a...

Despite the different drinking cultures around the world, there is one universal truth that no one can escape from after a night of heavy drinking: the hangover. As studies technically show, the only way to avoid the dreaded hangover is to drink less, but there are other tactics people use to reduce the pain and suffering that come having one too many. While the go-to cure for many people is to...

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon on Wednesday denounced the central government’s overlapping plan to utilize the land in Yongsan following the scheduled relocation of the US troops next year. He said the city will continue to draw up detailed plans to create an urban park upholding the historical value of the site. After several rounds of talks stretching decades, South Korea and the US agreed in 2004 ...

Citizens are perhaps the most important factor in defining public art, said Ahn Kyu-chul, a formative arts professor at Korea National University of Arts. “Citizens can call hanging love locks at N Seoul Tower in Namsan public art if they like, why not?” said Ahn during a lecture to a hundred participants who had gathered at Dongdaemun Design Plaza on Saturday for Seoul City’s project to uncover...

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that it has confirmed this country’s second case of cholera in Geoje, South Gyeongsang province. The confirmation comes two days after the discovery of South Korea’s first case of cholera in 15 years. According to the health authorities, a 73-year-old woman was confirmed to have been infected with cholera after she ate defrosted...

The National Health Insurance Service, a public corporation managing health care here, is reaching out abroad with South Korea’s health insurance models to share its expertise and accomplishments. For decades, the NHIS has provided low-cost access to quality health care for citizens and its health insurance system has also gained recognition as one of the most efficient in the world. It attract...