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APEC education leaders gather in Korea to prepare for digital transformation, tackle learning inequality
SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island — Education leaders and global experts from across the Asia-Pacific region gathered Wednesday on Jeju Island for the 7th APEC Education Ministerial Meeting, opening a high-level dialogue on advancing inclusive and sustainable education in the era of digital transformation. Hosted by South Korea as the 2025 APEC chair, the meeting brought together some 200 participants, including ministerial delegations from 20 out of 21 APEC member economies. The forum convened for the firs
May 14, 2025 -
Father kidnaps, threatens teen for posting videos of his son
A 40-year-old man is under police investigation for allegedly kidnapping, threatening and emotionally abusing a 13-year-old boy who posted videos of the man's son despite his warnings. Daejeon Dongbu Police Station said Tuesday that the suspect and his friend are being investigated for illegal confinement and child abuse. The two men allegedly abducted the boy near a middle school in Dong-gu, Daejeon, at around 5 p.m. on Monday. The incident occurred after the suspect became enraged when the vic
May 14, 2025 -
Court orders punishment canceled for bullying victim who acted in self-defense
The Incheon District Court said Wednesday it recently ruled in favor of a 16-year-old who accused the local education authorities of wrongfully punishing him for school violence even though he was only resisting a bully. The court ordered the disciplinary action against the 16-year-old to be revoked, saying his actions did not constitute school violence. On March 17, 2023, the then-middle school student was subject to verbal and physical assault from a classmate, inflicting injuries that require
May 14, 2025 -
Man lent name for $14 per SIM card, now faces fines
The Supreme Court has ruled that a 76-year-old man should be held legally responsible for lending his name to register SIM cards, some of which were later used for phone scams, overturning a lower court’s decision that cleared him of all charges. The man, identified by his surname Yoo, was approached by a mobile phone dealer in 2020 and offered a small cash reward in exchange for registering prepaid SIM cards under his name. Yoo registered nine SIM cards and received between 20,000 won ($14) and
May 14, 2025 -
K-water looks to innovation for chip manufacturing, water positivity
With growing demand for advanced technologies like semiconductors, countries worldwide are racing to produce high-quality chips. Korea has taken significant strides to maintain its competitive edge. In addition to government-led investments in the semiconductors sector, major companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have focused on developing cutting-edge semiconductor technologies, such as next-generation chips and AI-integrated systems, to meet growing demand from industries like art
May 14, 2025 -
Yoon Suk Yeol supporters sentenced to prison for storming court, assaulting police
A Seoul court has sentenced two men to prison for forcibly entering a courthouse and assaulting police officers during a protest earlier this year. The Seoul Western District Court on Monday handed down prison terms of one year and six months to a 35-year-old man surnamed Kim, and one year to a 28-year-old man surnamed So, for their roles in the incident at the same court on Jan. 19, when it issued an arrest warrant for then-President Yoon Suk Yeol. Both men were convicted on charges including s
May 14, 2025 -
Justice who impeached Yoon likely to move into legal education
The former acting Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of Korea who presided over the landmark impeachment trial of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, is likely to begin a new chapter as a law professor. Moon Hyung-bae confirmed that he had received a faculty recruitment notice from the University of Seoul’s law school, but said he had not yet made a final decision. “The recruitment process has not yet begun. I am considering whether to apply, but I am not thinking about applying to any other
May 14, 2025 -
Korea does not respect teachers, 60% of them say in a survey
One-third of the teachers in Korea are satisfied with their jobs while over half of them think their profession is not respected by South Korean society, a survey conducted by the federation of teachers' associations nationwide showed Wednesday. The Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations conducted the survey on 8,254 teachers -- from kindergarten to university-level educators -- across the country in commemoration of the annual Teachers' Day on Thursday, which showed 32.7 percent of the res
May 14, 2025 -
All 8 crew members rescued from capsizing fishing boat off coast of Jeju Island
All eight crew members were rescued from a fishing boat that was capsizing off the coast of the southern island of Jeju on Tuesday, according to officials. According to authorities, a distress signal was received at 6:11 p.m. from the 29-ton fishing vessel approximately 563 kilometers southwest of Moseulpo port in the southern part of Jeju Island. The eight people aboard the vessel -- one South Korean captain and seven Indonesian crew members -- were rescued from the sinking ship, the authoritie
May 13, 2025 -
Fishing boat capsizes off coast of Jeju Island; casualties yet to be reported
A fishing boat capsized off the coast of the southern island of Jeju on Tuesday, with casualties yet to be reported, according to officials. According to authorities, a distress signal was received at 6:11 p.m. from the 29-ton fishing vessel approximately 563 kilometers southwest of Moseulpo port in the southern part of Jeju Island. The ship had reported 10 people as being aboard according to its departure records, but only eight were on the vessel at the time of the accident as two had gotten o
May 13, 2025 -
Video of middle schooler being slapped by classmate goes viral, police launch probe
An undoctored video of a middle school student slapping her classmate has been circulating online despite police intervention, fueling concern that the victim may be subject to secondary damage due to her face being publicly exposed. Officials at the Incheon Yeonsu Police Station said they have launched an investigation into the reported violence and possible defamation charges against students who filmed and distributed the video online. The Incheon Metropolitan City Office of Education is also
May 13, 2025 -
Man rescued from under bridge after passerby heard cry for help
A man in his 40s who fell under one of the largest bridges in Busan was rescued Tuesday morning by the Coast Guard, after his frantic cry for help was heard by a person who happened to be walking by. Officials said the victim was rescued at approximately 5:11 a.m., about an hour after an initial report of a person in the waters below Namhang Bridge was received around 4:14 a.m. He was treated for hypothermia but had not sustained any other injuries. The victim’s rescue was made possible by a ser
May 13, 2025 -
Supreme Court chief skips hearing as debate over judiciary grows
Controversy surrounding the independence and impartiality of South Korea's judiciary intensified Wednesday. Politicians are locked in debate over the Supreme Court’s unusually fast ruling that reversed a lower court's verdict and thereby convicted Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, for spreading false information during the 2022 presidential race, which he lost. Amid growing public scrutiny, the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, led
May 13, 2025 -
State not responsible for Pohang earthquake: Daegu court
An appellate court on Tuesday overturned a lower court ruling that two Pohang earthquakes were triggered by an experimental geothermal power plant. The appellate trial at the Daegu High Court dismissed the earlier ruling that ordered the state to compensate up to 1.5 trillion won to almost 500,000 Pohang residents affected by the earthquakes in 2017 and 2018. The court agreed with the lower court’s decision, which found two earthquakes — a 5.4 magnitude earthquake in 2017 and a 4.6 magnitude qua
May 13, 2025 -
Summer to be hotter, wetter than last year
Following a spring of extremes — from snow and hail to temperatures reaching about 30 degrees Celsius — summer is expected to be hotter and rainier than usual. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration’s 3-month outlook, average nationwide temperatures will be higher than in previous years from May to July. The forecast predicts a 50 percent chance that May and July temperatures will be higher than in previous years, with a 40 percent prediction for June. The KMA cited “elevated sea s
May 13, 2025