New defense chief inspects readiness at frontline Marine Corps unit

New Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun visited a western frontline unit Monday in his first on-site inspection after taking office last week, the defense ministry said. Kim checked troop readiness at the 2nd Marine Division's observation post at an undisclosed location after assuming his new role Friday, according to the ministry. "If the enemy undertakes a provocation ... punish them fully and sternly until they are unable to carry out more provocations," Kim was quoted as saying. No

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

S. Korea sees spike in confiscation of illegal drugs

South Korean customs officials confiscated 769 kilograms of illegal drugs being smuggled into the country last year, 18 percent more than the year before, data from state-run bodies showed Monday. The confiscated drugs are reportedly worth about 61.3 billion won ($45.7 million), according to the data compiled by the Incheon International Airport Corp. and the Korea Customs Service, submitted to Rep. Jeon Yong-gi of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. The amount of drugs seized by auth

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

First lady likely to escape 'Dior bag' indictment

First lady Kim Keon Hee is unlikely to be indicted for alleged antigraft rule violations, as the final legal procedure concerning her acceptance of luxury gifts totaling over 5 million won ($3,730), including a Christian Dior bag, has been cleared. Outgoing Prosecutor General Lee One-seok told reporters on Monday on his way to his office in Seocho-gu in southern Seoul that he "respects" the recommendation Friday by a 15-member independent review panel of the Supreme Prosecutors' O

PoliticsSept. 9, 2024

KAIST, NYU to implement joint degree for AI

South Korea's science and technology university KAIST and New York University signed an agreement in Seoul to introduce a joint degree program in artificial intelligence on Monday. The agreement came after both universities shared a consensus that strengthening capabilities in the field of artificial intelligence and fostering global talent is an essential element that can contribute to the future development of society as a whole, beyond mere technical education, KAIST explained. The two u

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

Ex-police officer behind murder of Korean in Philippines vanishes after guilty verdict: report

The whereabouts of a dismissed Filipino police officer, reportedly the main culprit behind the 2016 killing of a South Korean businessperson in Angeles City, the Philippines, remain unknown as of Monday, nearly two months after a local court sentenced him to life without parole. According to local sources cited by Yonhap News Agency on Monday, the Philippine National Police has been unsuccessful so far in locating Rafael Dumlao, former head of the Philippine National Police’s Anti-illega

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

[Feature] Constant competition drives Koreans to despair

Kim, a 25-year-old corporate worker, often wonders if others are living better lives than her. She thinks about who might be making more money, getting better recognition at work or more opportunities. When Kim feels she’s falling behind her colleagues, those her age job-wise or in her love life, she feels blue and uneasy. “I’m grateful for what I have -- working at a large conglomerate, being raised in a good family and graduating from a prestigious school. But everything alwa

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

Not just deepfake porn, concerns rise over 'cyberflashing’

Amid growing concerns of fast-spreading digital sex crimes like deepfake pornography, there has been an increase in the number of social media users falling victim to "cyberflashing," or sending someone unsolicited sexual images or videos. According to an official report released jointly by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Women’s Human Rights Institute of Korea, the number of people seeking help at the institute for cyber harassment increased from 251 individua

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

Provincial patients continue to prefer top hospitals in Seoul

Patients from outside Seoul coming into the capital still heavily favor the city's "Big 5" hospitals, government data showed Monday. According to data from the National Health Insurance Service provided by Rep. Kim Mi-ae of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, 60 percent of patients from outside Seoul who sought treatment in the capital's large hospitals during the first half of 2024 went to those hospitals, which have suffered from staff shortages for m

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

S. Korea to expand support for single parent households

With families becoming increasingly diverse in South Korea, support for single-parent households will be expanded, including the introduction of a new budget to increase housing provisions and the amount of the advance payment system for child support. Next year's budget to support single-parent families will be 590.1 billion won ($440 million), an increase of 46 billion won or 8.5 percent from this year's budget, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on Monday. To ea

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

Gangnam-gu's removal of LGBTQ+ dating app ad draws fire

A backlash from the LGBTQ+ community has been mounting over Gangnam-gu office's decision to take down after four days what it called an "indecent" digital advertisement, which featured same-sex couples facing each other, hugging and kissing. Yang Sun-woo, chair of the Seoul Queer Culture Festival organizing committee, told local media that the decision was based on discrimination against LGBTQ+ members of society. "Many advertisements in Korea depict the affection between dif

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

N. Korean trash balloon blamed for Paju warehouse fire

The past five days have seen a flurry of trash and debris littering the greater Seoul area again as North Korea resumed its campaign of floating hundreds of trash-carrying balloons over the border into South Korean territory. On Sunday, one of these balloons touched off a fire in a warehouse in the city of Paju, just 28 kilometers north of Seoul, local fire officials reported Monday. The fire reportedly broke out on the rooftop of a single-story pharmaceutical warehouse at around 1:59 p.m on Sun

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

NewJeans video director accuses Ador of lying about content removal

Another controversy surrounding NewJeans is rising, this time over pages run by production company Dolphiners Films. Shin Woo-seok, best known to the public for directing four NewJeans music videos, demanded a public apology from the group's label Ador through his Instagram page, accusing the label of lying about details behind the removal of videos. All NewJeans-related content on Dolphiners Films' social media pages and its nonprofit YouTube channel Ban Heesoo has been removed. Ban

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

Yoon taps ex-police deputy commissioner for security role

President Yoon Suk Yeol tapped former Deputy Police Commissioner Park Jong-joon as the new head of the Presidential Security Service in charge of the security and protection of the South Korean leader, the presidential office announced Monday. Effective Monday, the 59-year-old Park replaced Kim Yong-hyun, who was appointed minister of national defense on Friday to succeed Yoon's new national security adviser Shin Won-sik. Park told reporters Monday that he recognized the safety of a country

PoliticsSept. 9, 2024

N. Korea holds celebrations to mark 76th state founding anniv.

North Korea has held celebrative events to mark the 76th anniversary of the regime's founding, with senior officials visiting a mausoleum to pay tribute to the country's late former leaders, state media reported Monday. Premier Kim Tok-hun and other key officials on Sunday visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the embalmed bodies of the current leader's father, Kim Jong-il, and grandfather, Kim Il-sung, lie in state, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The North&#

North KoreaSept. 9, 2024

[Graphic News] How to use emergency descent device

An investigation into the Bucheon hotel fire on Aug. 22 revealed that, despite the presence of emergency descent devices, none of the guests used them. This underscores the critical importance of understanding how to properly use these life-saving tools. Emergency descent devices are designed to safely lower individuals from heights of up to 10 floors using their body weight. In situations where rescue personnel may be delayed, these devices can be vital in preventing loss of life.

Social AffairsSept. 9, 2024

Soldier photos in military intranet made unavailable to prevent deepfake crimes

Intranet photos of soldiers, military and defense ministry officials have been made unavailable over concerns they could be abused to make sexually abusive deepfake images, officials said Sunday. Such photos were made invisible from the military's Onnara System intranet and the websites of military units as of Thursday last week, military officials said. Only those with due authority can access such photos. "There was the possibility of the photos being abused for sex crimes because in

Social AffairsSept. 8, 2024

Court upholds stripping license of taxi driver who repeatedly overcharged foreign passengers

A taxi driver who was stripped of his license for overcharging foreign national passengers three times in one year took his case to court, claiming it was "unfair," but the court rejected his appeal, according to local media outlets Sunday. A Seoul Administrative Court judge dismissed the lawsuit filed by a taxi driver, who had challenged the Seoul city government's decision to revoke his taxi license. Most recently, in February last year, the taxi driver dropped off a foreign c

Social AffairsSept. 8, 2024

Doctors' group demands withdrawal of med school quota hike plan for 2025, 2026

A major doctors' lobby group demanded Sunday the government cancel its plan to raise the medical school admissions quota for 2025 and 2026 and discuss the possible quota adjustment for 2027 or afterward. Officials of the Korean Medical Association made the call after the government last week said it is willing to revise the plan for 2026 if the medical community presents a "reasonable" option. The Yoon Suk Yeol administration has vowed to increase the medical school admissions quo

Social AffairsSept. 8, 2024

Substitute military doctors to be immune from medical malpractice damages

Military and public health doctors deployed to emergency rooms to help ease medical staff shortages will be granted immunity from liability for damages resulting from medical malpractice, health authorities said Sunday. Since last Wednesday, 250 military physicians have been assigned to emergency rooms and other understaffed departments after a significant number of junior doctors resigned in February to protest the government's decision to significantly increase medical school admissions

Social AffairsSept. 8, 2024

NK sends over 1,000 trash balloons to S. Korea in last 5 days

North Korea sent more than 1,000 trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea over five consecutive days, resuming its launch of trash balloons following a monthlong hiatus, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sunday. The JCS said that North Korea resumed its balloon launches at around 9 a.m. Sunday morning, just hours after it had sent around 200 trash-filled balloons toward South Korea late Saturday. “Around 50 trash balloons were confirmed to have landed in Seoul and the northern

North KoreaSept. 8, 2024