Air pollution causes 43 premature deaths per 100,000 population in Korea

Poor air quality contributed to about 1 1/2 times more premature deaths in South Korea than the average of countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, data showed Sunday. According to the 2023 OECD Health at a Glance report, South Korea had 42.7 premature deaths from ambient air pollution per 100,000 population in 2019. The OECD average stood at 28.9 deaths per 100,000 in 2019. In contrast, some countries, such as New Zealand, Sweden and Finland, had relatively low mo

Nov. 12, 2023

[Photo News] Protest in Seoul

Major South Korean umbrella unions the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions staged large-scale protests in Seoul on Saturday in a bid to encourage the immediate promulgation and enforcement of the "yellow envelope bill" -- a bill which aims to guarantee the negotiating rights of workers in indirect working arrangements. The FKTU held protests starting from 1 p.m., in area between Yeouido station and Yeouinaru station, while KCTU staged protests

Nov. 11, 2023

All cattle now vaccinated against lumpy skin disease

The agriculture ministry said Saturday it has completed its nationwide campaign to vaccinate all cattle against lumpy skin (LSD) disease, less than a month after the country reported its first-ever infection. The ministry has inoculated some 4.05 million cattle in the country to protect them against LSD after launching the intensive vaccination campaign following its first-ever case of LSD on Oct. 20. Authorities, meanwhile, plan to remain vigilant for the time being as it will take three weeks

Nov. 11, 2023

Leadership vacuum looms at S. Korea’s 2 top courts

South Korea’s two top courts are facing a leadership vacuum following Constitutional Court President Yoo Nam-seok’s retirement on Friday, while the position of chief justice has remained vacant for 47 days. President Yoon Suk Yeol named Lee Jong-seok as the nominee for the president of the Constitutional Court of South Korea last month and a parliamentary confirmation hearing for Lee is set to take place on Monday. Lee is currently one of nine justices in the Constitutional Court. Si

Nov. 10, 2023

Carrot knife craze: Parents panic over fidget toy fad

Plastic fidget toys resembling colorful pocket knives are a hit among Korean kids, but parents have expressed concern that they could encourage children to play with actual knives -- or worse. On Monday, the South Chungcheong Province’s Office of Education became the latest authority to prohibit the possession of the toy, locally known as a "carrot knife," on school premises. They stated, "Carrot knives are not toys; they are deemed dangerous items that could provoke vio

Nov. 10, 2023

'Snub' of police officers who helped catch fugitive stirs controversy

A police commendation process following the arrest of escaped criminal Kim Gil-soo has stirred up controversy, after it was discovered that two of the police officers who caught the fugitive were not properly awarded or recognized for their contributions. The National Police Agency on Tuesday granted special promotions to Sgt. Lee Seon-ju of Uijeongbu Police Station and Senior Officer Kim Min-gok of Anyang Dongan Police Station for their role in Kim’s arrest the day before. Lee had closely

Nov. 10, 2023

Unionized Seoul subway workers threaten second strike

Unionized Seoul subway workers opposed to their company's downsizing plans are set to end a two-day "warning" strike Friday evening but threatened to go on a general strike sooner or later unless their demands are met. The latest strike was launched Thursday by the biggest of the three labor unions of Seoul Metro, the operator of subway lines 1-8, in protest of the city-run company's bid to reduce its workforce by 13.5 percent, or 2,212 employees, by 2026 to address its chron

Nov. 10, 2023

[Graphic News] 500 bird strikes reported in past 5 years: data

A total of 500 aircraft incidents involving collisions with birds have been reported in airports across South Korea over the past five years, according to data. According to data unveiled by Rep. Heo Jong-sik of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, the total number of aircraft bird strike cases during takeoff and landing has totaled 500 since 2019. The lawmaker cited data submitted by airport authorities. Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul and Gimhae International Airport in

Nov. 10, 2023

Seoul holds official discussions to counter bedbugs

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon invited health and infectious diseases experts for official talks on methods to counter bedbugs in the capital city, Thursday. To respond to the recent outbreak of bedbugs in Seoul, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a comprehensive scheme on Nov. 3 to achieve a “zero-bedbug city.” Residents can report bedbugs to their local public health center or by calling 120. The city government also conducted special inspections on 3,175 bedbug-prone public facil

Nov. 10, 2023

Gangnam-gu receives safety award at Smart City Expo World Congress

Gangnam-gu in southern Seoul was selected as the winner of the safety and resilience award at the Smart City Expo World Congress’ World Smart City Awards in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday. The World Smart City Awards are an international competition among cities around the globe that recognize projects, ideas and strategies that make cities more livable, sustainable and economically viable. Gangnam-gu received the safety and resilience award for its smart city policy supporting the welfare

Nov. 9, 2023

Unionized Seoul Metro workers launch 2-day strike

As the Seoul Metro, operator of the city's subway system, initiated a two-day warning strike Thursday to protest the company's downsizing plans, disruptions are expected outside of rush hour. The labor union of the Seoul Metro is holding a strike from 9 a.m. on Thursday to 6 p.m. Friday as the final negotiations broke down the previous day. Seoul Metro operates Seoul subway lines 1 to 8 and some sections of line 9. During rush hour, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., all subway trains will operate

Nov. 9, 2023

[Contribution] Weathering severe storms with weather radar

By Yoo Hee-dong According to the 2022 Annual Report on Natural Disasters by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, 96 heavy rainfall events occurred in South Korea during the summer season between 2012 and 2021, resulting in 1.6 trillion won ($1.2 billion) in property damage and 63 fatalities. Furthermore, last year and this year, unprecedented torrential rainfall caused 3.4 trillion won in property losses and 95 deaths. In just two years, this amount has surpassed the total damage of the past

Nov. 9, 2023

ACRC touts role in handling civil complaints, shielding people from unfair treatment

South Korea’s Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission on Wednesday stressed its pivotal role in handling and resolving civil complaints and mitigating against the unfair treatment of citizens and foreign residents alike. Over the past five years, some 30,000 complaints have been lodged to the ACRC, while 23,887 cases have been addressed, including those filed by foreign residents. “Handling a complaint not only means dealing with the unjust situation of an individual citizen, b

Nov. 9, 2023

Top court orders Oxy to compensate indirect victim of toxic humidifier sterilizer

South Korea's top court on Thursday ordered Oxy Reckitt Benckiser and a Korean vendor to pay 5 million won ($3,820) in damages to a woman who developed a pulmonary disease after using Oxy's toxic humidifier sterilizer, but whose illness was seen as being less likely associated with the product. The Supreme Court of Korea upheld the decision at the appellate court that found Oxy -- a Korean arm of United Kingdom-based consumer goods maker Reckitt Benckiser -- liable for violating the Pr

Nov. 9, 2023

Cattle vaccination for lumpy skin disease nears completion

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Thursday it has vaccinated 99.5 percent of cattle in the country against lumpy skin disease. The authorities have inoculated more than 4.05 million out of the country's 4.08 million cows so far to protect them against LSD, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The government launched the intensive vaccination campaign last month after reporting its first-ever case of LSD on Oct. 20 under the plan to vaccinate all catt

Nov. 9, 2023

[Graphic News] Data shows 144 teachers died by suicide over last decade

　The number of elementary, middle and high school teachers who have taken their own lives over the past decade amounts to 144, a ruling party lawmaker said, citing data from the Ministry of Education. 　The suicides occurred between 2014 and August this year, Rep. Lee Tae-kyu of the People Power Party said, noting the annual number spiked from six in 2014 to 20 in 2018 and 25 in 2021. 　The number dropped to 20 last year but as many as 14 teachers died by suicide in the first eight months of t

Nov. 9, 2023

Box-lifting robot kills worker at produce center

A worker in his 40s was crushed by an industrial robot that apparently failed to differentiate a human from crates of farm produce for it to move, police said Wednesday. The accident happened Tuesday at approximately 7:45 p.m. when the robotics company worker was inspecting the sensor operations of a robot at a distribution center for agricultural produce in Goseong-gun, South Gyeongsang Province, according to Goseong Police Station. The robot, designed to handle boxes filled with paprika pepp

Nov. 8, 2023

Seoul announces steps to prepare for winter

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Wednesday announced a set of measures to prepare for the upcoming winter season. With the winter season coming up, the city government plans to implement its winter safety measures to protect people who are vulnerable in cold weather, such as the elderly and the homeless. The measures will be taken beginning from Nov. 15 to March 15 next year. The city government plans to operate situation rooms consisting of officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Government,

Nov. 8, 2023

Yoon announces new nominee for Supreme Court chief justice

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday named Cho Hee-dae, a former Supreme Court justice, as the new chief of the highest court, the presidential office has announced. The nomination comes while the position has remained vacant. The opposition-controlled National Assembly declined Yoon's previous appointment for Supreme Court chief justice, Lee Gyun-ryong, early last month, marking the first such instance in 35 years. Cho, born in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in 1957, began his judici

Nov. 8, 2023

Around 30 bedbug infestations reported nationwide

Around 30 recent suspected bedbug cases had been reported across the country as of Monday, according to a governmental task force dedicated to combating bedbugs. Bedbug reports began to surge here in mid-September after a student was reportedly bitten by the insects in a dorm room at Keimyung University in Daegu. Recently, bedbugs have increasingly appeared in public facilities nationwide such as hotels, other accommodations, public saunas and bathhouses. With just nine other reports received pr

Nov. 8, 2023