Seoul Fireworks Festival ends smoothly, but leaves piles of trash

The Seoul Fireworks Festival, which organizers said attracted around 1 million people, concluded without major disruptions Saturday night. However, the large amounts of trash left behind by visitors cast a shadow over the event. Yeouido Hangang Park was packed with families, friends and couples from early morning as they secured prime spots for the fireworks show, which began at 7 p.m. There were no significant incidents during the festival or while people left afterward. Fire authorities report

Social AffairsOct. 6, 2024

Yoon set for talks with Marcos in Philippines

MANILA, The Philippines -- President Yoon Suk Yeol on Sunday arrived in the Philippines for a state visit, as part of a weeklong trip to three Southeast Asian countries that will culminate in the ASEAN summit later this week. Yoon is the first South Korean leader to make a state visit to the Philippines in 13 years. Upon arrival at Manila, the Philippine capital, Yoon attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Korean War Memorial Pylon at the Heroes' Cemetery in Manila, in memory of the 112 F

PoliticsOct. 6, 2024

Seoul revises pilot program for Filipina domestic workers after initial trial

Seoul revises pilot program for Filipina domestic workers after initial trial The Seoul city government said Sunday it has revised its pilot program for providing Filipina domestic workers to households, following about a month of the program's implementation. The revisions, made during meetings between the labor ministry and other relevant parties, will take effect this month to address issues that arose during the initial phase of the program, such as some workers leaving their workplaces

Social AffairsOct. 6, 2024

N. Korea to hold parliamentary meeting to amend constitution, remove unification provisions

North Korea is set to convene a key parliamentary meeting on Monday, where it is expected to revise its constitution by removing unification-related clauses and clarifying the nation's territorial boundaries, including the maritime border. The 11th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) is anticipated to address these revisions, nine months after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un redefined inter-Korean relations as being between "two hostile states" and vowed to no

North KoreaOct. 6, 2024

N. Korea's Kim, China's Xi exchange messages marking 75 years of relations

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to further develop relations between the two countries as they exchanged messages marking the 75th anniversary of relations, state media reported Sunday. Kim said in the message to Xi that it aligns "with the fundamental interests of the two countries to invariably carry forward and develop the DPRK-China friendship with a long history and good traditions," according to the Korean Central News Agency. DPRK stands

North KoreaOct. 6, 2024

2 US B-1B bombers conducted joint drill with S. Korean Air Force on Oct. 1 Armed Force Day

Two US B-1B heavy bombers conducted a joint drill with the South Korean Air Force on Oct. 1 Armed Forces Day, before one of them participated in a national ceremony, the US Indo-Pacific Command said Saturday. In a show of force, a US B-1B bomber flew over Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just south of the capital, alongside two F-15K jets during the ceremony marking Armed Forces Day, demonstrating the US security commitment to South Korea. According to the US Indo-Pacific Command, two US B-1B bombers

DefenseOct. 5, 2024

Firefighters’ 3,000 won meals spark nutrition concerns

The average budget for firefighters' meals has been found to be as low as 3,100 won ($2.33), sparking concerns over the quality and nutritional adequacy of their food. Data from the National Fire Agency, provided to Rep. Han Byung-do of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Friday, showed significant discrepancies in meal budgets across the country’s fire stations. In some areas, fire stations are left without the support of nutritionists, prompting further concerns about w

Social AffairsOct. 5, 2024

60% of rain forecasts wrong during Seoul's rainy season

Nearly two-thirds of South Korea's weather agency's forecasts for Seoul during the rainy season this year were incorrect, data showed Thursday. Rep. Lim Lee-ja of the ruling People Power Party analyzed Korea Meteorological Administration's rain forecast for Seoul from June 29 to July 27, and compared it to the actual weather in the South Korean capital. The KMA predicted rain for 27 of the 29 days. Lim found that of the 27 days it was supposed to rain, forecasts for 16 of these

Social AffairsOct. 5, 2024

Nearly 2 in 3 mothers give birth via cesarean section

Nearly two-thirds of Korean women who gave birth last year did so via cesarean section, data shows. According to data from the National Health Insurance Service, obtained and released Thursday by the ruling People Power Party Rep. Kim Mi-ae, the proportion of women undergoing surgical delivery stood at 64.2 percent last year. The data highlights a consistent rise in C-section deliveries over the past five years, from 51.1 percent in 2019 to 61.6 percent in 2022. The upward incline continued in

Social AffairsOct. 5, 2024

'Will AI steal my job?' Koreans among nationalities feeling most threatened by AI

Local researchers conducted an analysis on a recent international survey about various social challenges, and found that South Koreans are among the people who are the most likely to feel that AI technology could threaten their jobs. Scholars of the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs studied the data provided by the study "Societal Challenges, Public Opinion and Public Policies in 10 Countries," a survey of 10 countries conducted by the Digital Futures at Work Research Cente

Social AffairsOct. 5, 2024

PPP urges swift ratification of new S. Korea-US defense cost deal

The ruling People Power Party on Saturday called for efforts by the opposition-controlled National Assembly to swiftly ratify a new defense cost-sharing deal between South Korea and the United States. Seoul and Washington inked the five-year deal, named the Special Measures Agreement, on Wednesday, about a month before the US presidential election to be held Nov. 5. Under the agreement, South Korea will pay 1.52 trillion won ($1.14 billion) in 2026, up 8.3 percent from the previous year, for the

PoliticsOct. 5, 2024

Military aircraft evacuating S. Koreans in Lebanon returns home

A South Korean military aircraft evacuating Korean nationals and their families from Lebanon returned home Saturday, as Israel intensifies ground operations against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah inside Lebanon, the South Korean government said Saturday. A total of 96 South Korean nationals and one foreign family member who had been residing in Lebanon arrived at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, at 12:50 p.m. local time aboard a South Korean Air Force KC-330 Cygnus transp

Foreign AffairsOct. 5, 2024

Additional case of lumpy skin disease confirmed in S. Korea

South Korea has reported another case of lumpy skin disease in cattle, government officials said Saturday, raising the number of confirmed cases this year to eight. The case broke out Friday at a livestock farm located in Goseong, about 160 kilometers northeast of Seoul, according to the agriculture ministry. The new case was reported just one day after similar cases were confirmed at farms in Yangyang, 154 km northeast of Seoul, and Pyeongtaek, 64 km south of the capital. To prevent further inf

Social AffairsOct. 5, 2024

FM Cho holds 1st phone talks with Japan's new foreign minister

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Friday held his first phone talks with Japan's new foreign minister, Takeshi Iwaya, and discussed bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said. During the 25-minute conversation, Cho congratulated Iwaya on his inauguration and proposed the two sides closely communicate to expand cooperation between South Korea and Japan, the ministry said. Describing the Seoul-Tokyo ties as "very important" re

Foreign AffairsOct. 4, 2024

Arrest warrant sought for Qoo10 CEO over massive payment delays

Prosecutors on Friday requested an arrest warrant for Ku Young-bae, CEO of Singapore-based Qoo10, which owns Korean online shopping platforms Tmon and WeMakePrice, for alleged fraud, embezzlement and breach of duty over large-scale e-commerce insolvency incidents. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office also sought warrants to arrest Tmon CEO Ryu Kwang-jin and WeMakePrice CEO Ryu Hwa-hyun. The prosecution said it filed for the warrants for them considering the significance of the incident,

Social AffairsOct. 4, 2024

First state-run center promoting studying in Korea to open in LA

A Korean government-run institution to attract international students from the US interested in studying in Korea will be established and operated for the first time in Los Angeles, the Education Ministry has said. Consisting of office space and an exhibition room to promote studying in Korea, the Study in Korea Information Center in LA will provide assistance to students by connecting them with universities in Korea, according to officials. The establishment comes after the ministry acknowledge

Social AffairsOct. 4, 2024

D-1: Seoul outlines safety plans for grand fireworks festival

Ahead of the Seoul International Fireworks Festival, anticipated to draw around 1 million spectators this Saturday, both the government and the city of Seoul have announced extensive safety measures to ensure crowd control and public safety. The annual Seoul International Fireworks Festival, hosted by Hanwha Group, will take place over the Han River near Yeouido and Ichon Hangang Park. Marking its 20th edition, the event will feature stunning displays by participants from Korea, the US, and Japa

Social AffairsOct. 4, 2024