When the Dongdaemun Design Plaza first opened its doors in March 2014, the structure, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, was met with mixed reviews. Replacing a baseball stadium built in 1959 and another sports stadium dating to 1925 nestled in the fashion retail district of Dongdaemun, the DDP faced criticism for its perceived lack of harmony with its surroundings, with some likening it to "a spaceship that crash-landed in Seoul." Now, a decade after it opened, the DDP has finally s

Social Affairs April 27, 2024

The Korea Coast Guard announced that it will transfer a 3,000-ton patrol vessel to Ecuador after signing a memorandum of understanding with its defense minister on Thursday. According to the Coast Guard, Ecuadorian Defense Minister Giancarlo Loffredo signed the memorandum with the KCG to transfer the decommissioned patrol vessel -- the KCG3001 -- and visited the vessel mounted in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, to review the handover process. The KCG3001 was the first 3,000-ton patrol vessel used

Foreign Affairs April 25, 2024

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a set of plans on Wednesday to build a floating office and hotel buildings and create water sports facilities on the Han River by 2030. The recent announcement is part of the city's Great Han River Project, which was first unveiled in March 2023. This initiative seeks to enhance the river's use, improve the quality of life for its visitors, and develop infrastructure to broaden the range of activities available along the river. As part of the

Social Affairs April 24, 2024

The Seoul Design Foundation announced Tuesday that it has decided on a new slogan for the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the first rebrand since opening to the public ten years ago. The new slogan, “Amazing Tomorrow,” will replace the DDP's old slogan, “Dream, Design, Play.” According to the Seoul Design Foundation, the new slogan reflects the foundation’s commitment to delivering experiences that will amaze visitors to the DDP through its exhibitions, futuristic bui

Social Affairs April 23, 2024

Eunpyeong-gu in northwestern Seoul has rebranded itself as a nature-friendly district, as it looks to boost its image and foster a healthy, inclusive community. The district has seen a rise in the number of visits to its parks and green spaces by "those who wish to take a break from their busy city lives,” said Kim Me-kyung, head of the Eunpyeong District Office. Eunpyeong-gu is located near Bukhansan, a mountain boasting popular hiking trails, and the Bulgwangcheon also runs through

Social Affairs April 23, 2024

Organizers behind “2024 KXF The Fashion,” an adult industry exposition featuring Japanese adult film stars, announced Monday that it would return on a “bigger scale” in June, four days after announcing that they were canceling the event due to “safety concerns.” The event, which was originally scheduled to take place on Saturday and Sunday, was marked as South Korea’s biggest sex festival by its organizer Play Joker. It was originally scheduled to be hel

Social Affairs April 22, 2024

A number of South Korea's local governments are actively seeking to attract long-term foreign national residents by offering region-specific work visas, amidst the country's population decline. The city of Busan announced on Friday that it will accept applications from international students who graduated from universities in the Busan area for its F-2-R region-specific visas until May 10. Under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice, the F-2-R visa allows foreign nationals to liv

Social Affairs April 19, 2024

Only 25 percent of 254 directly elected National Assembly representatives during the April 10 general election made climate-related policy pledges, according to a report issued by a coalition of 16 non-profit environmental organizations, including Local Energy Lab, on Thursday. Out of the 63 elected representatives who have presented climate policies, 53 belong to the liberal main opposition Democratic Party of Korea and 10 belong to the conservative ruling People Power Party. Additionally, one

Social Affairs April 19, 2024

More than 2.64 million South Koreans, comprising 5.1 percent of the country's total population, were registered as disabled persons in 2023, according to annual statistics released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on Thursday. Most of the disabled population were also aged 65 and above, making up more than half of the total, the ministry said in the report. The proportion of those with disabilities aged 65 and above has increased annually, with 41.4 percent in 2014, 49.9 percent in 202

Social Affairs April 18, 2024

Kim Sang-hyup, co-chair of the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth, said that the environmental crisis caused by climate change is “not something to consider for the distant future, but a current matter of survival for everyone.” During an interview with Herald Business and The Korea Herald on Mar. 28, Kim mentioned that extreme weather events have recently become more frequent and that climate change has seriously affected people’s daily lives and the

Social Affairs April 17, 2024

South Korean firms will be urged to come up with effective green energy strategies and to work together on building a decarbonization ecosystem, according to the SDX Foundation on Wednesday. Also known as the ReWorld Forum 2024, the non-profit organization’s forum aims to persuade participating firms -- regardless of their size and capacity -- to work with one another in responding to the strengthening of net-zero regulations around the world. The forum will be held on April 24 at the HW C

Social Affairs April 17, 2024

ANSAN, Gyeonggi Province -- On April 16, 2014, 325 students and 14 teachers from Danwon High School in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province were aboard the Sewol ferry heading to Jeju Island for a field trip. Cho Mun-jeong was one of the students on the trip and was hoping to enjoy a brief reprieve from preparing for college entrance exams. After a loud "bang" echoed through the ferry, an announcement was made over the intercom, urging passengers not to move and to wait patiently for rescue. But C

Social Affairs April 15, 2024

ANSAN, Gyeonggi Province/JINDO, South Jeolla Province -- Time appears to stand still in a classroom in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. The classroom is one of several replica classrooms built in memory of the students and teachers of Danwon High School who lost their lives on a school trip to Jeju Island on April 16, 2014, aboard the Sewol ferry. It is filled with the desks, chairs, blackboards, windows and doors used by the teachers and students before the ferry sank off Jindo in South Jeolla Provinc

Social Affairs April 15, 2024

Prosecutors will raise rewards up to 100 million won ($72,200) for reporting drug crimes and assisting in apprehending offenders, according to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office on Sunday. The significant increase, rising from the previous range of 1 million to 50 million, was announced in response to the recent surge in drug crimes with the aim to block and prevent further criminal activities. According to the Prosecutors' Office, the compensation given may be higher than 100 million wo

Social Affairs April 14, 2024

Public elementary, middle and high schools in Seoul will voluntarily observe "Educational Community Safety Week" in memory of the victims of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster, marking a decade since the tragic event, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on Sunday. The Seoul Education Office will distribute educational materials related to the Sewol ferry tragedy to all public schools in the city during this year’s “National Safety Day” week from April 1

Social Affairs April 14, 2024