[Korean History] In 2004, serial murderer with goal to kill 100 was stopped at 20

In the summer of 2004, South Korea was jolted by one of the most gruesome crime stories the country had ever witnessed. Driven by hatred for the rich and women, Yoo Young-chul committed 20 murders before he was apprehended, a fraction of his self-imposed mission to kill 100. The serial killer’s dramatic capture, along with shocking details of his crimes, which involved claims of cannibalism and dismemberment, left a lasting impact on the nation’s collective memory. The chilling sag

Nov. 8, 2023

SNU medical grad students experience more abuse than other majors: report

Graduate students at Seoul National University’s Colleges of Medicine and Nursing reported experiencing a higher incidence of abuse compared to graduate students in other departments, data showed Wednesday. According to a survey jointly conducted by the SNU’s Human Rights Center and the Institute for Social Development and Policy Research Center, 24.8 percent of respondents pursuing education in the medical field answered “yes” when asked if they had been subject to offen

Nov. 8, 2023

Nearly all cattle vaccinated against lumpy skin disease

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Wednesday it has vaccinated 98 percent of cattle in the country against lumpy skin disease. The authorities have inoculated more than 3.9 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 cattle

Nov. 8, 2023

Gov't to combat bedbug infestations with major 4-week campaign

The government on Tuesday unveiled a plan to conduct massive inspections and take preventive measures against bedbug infestations over the next four weeks amid escalating panic over the bloodsucking bugs. The move comes as bedbugs have increasingly appeared in lodging facilities, bathhouses and other vulnerable places nationwide, causing various health damage to the public. The recent surge is alarming as only nine cases of bedbug appearances had been reported to the health authorities in the

Nov. 7, 2023

S. Korea retracts bans on disposable cups at cafes, restaurants

The South Korean government on Tuesday announced the withdrawal of a ban on disposable paper cups for food service businesses such as cafes and restaurants, along with provisional approval for the use of plastic straws at cafes and plastic bags at convenience stores. The Environment Ministry's announcement came as the grace period for the policy was coming to an end. A ban on single-use products, including paper cups, plastic straws and stirring sticks, was part of disposable product regula

Nov. 7, 2023

American-Korean Foundation’s legacy hangs in the balance

On a gentle hill nestled between two wooded areas in Sosa-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, lies a long-neglected training compound for farmers. Occupying nearly 66,000 square meters of land, the compound’s dormitory building, silo for livestock feed storage, pigpen, chicken coup and conference hall, among other facilities, remain tucked out of sight of the surrounding community. The compound's history is unknown even to many of its most immediate neighbors, despite its presence here fo

Nov. 7, 2023

Defense minister rejects plans for J-Hope to host military event

Plans to have J-Hope of BTS host a military cooking competition have been canceled on orders of the defense minister. Speaking at the National Assembly on Tuesday, Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik confirmed that he canceled the plans to have J-Hope host the International Military Cooking Competition. "I think that it is only right that (a person) carries out the military duties just like any other soldier, regardless of being BTS," Shin said. According to Shin, plans to have J

Nov. 7, 2023

Seoul proposes safety measures to prevent poor construction

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Tuesday unveiled a set of safety measures designed to prevent substandard construction practices in both the public and private sectors. Aimed at stamping out poor construction practices, the city government's proposal came after an underground parking lot collapsed at an apartment complex construction site in northern Incheon’s Geomdan New Town in April, and after a pedestrian overpass in Yeongdeungpo-gu, western Seoul, collapsed in January. &ldqu

Nov. 7, 2023

S. Korea goes all-out to eradicate bedbugs as reports surge nationwide

South Korea has launched a pangovernmental initiative to comprehensively combat the proliferation of bedbugs, fueled by a recent surge in reports of bedbug infestations and concerns over the pest spreading nationwide. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has taken the lead in assembling a pangovernmental task force, initiated last Friday, comprising ten relevant ministries and local governments. The objective of this joint effort is to promptly and efficiently stop the spread of bedbugs by mo

Nov. 7, 2023

[Newsmaker] Fugitive captured after 3 days on the lam

After a dayslong search for a fugitive who escaped custody Saturday, police officers on late Monday captured Kim Gil-soo after he was seen at a public phone booth in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, just to the north of Seoul. The 36-year-old escapee was caught at around 9:26 p.m. He was reportedly calling his girlfriend at that moment, according to police. “I didn’t plan it,” the fugitive told local reporters when asked if he had premeditated his escape. He also denied that he ha

Nov. 7, 2023

Seoul offers 10,000 sets of portable SOS emergency bell ‘Zikimi’

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Tuesday that it will distribute a portable SOS emergency bell called “Zikimi” as part of a campaign to relieve citizen’s anxiety caused by a series of violent crimes. Each emergency bell set contains a safety alarm and will be given first to 10,000 victims of crimes such as sexual and domestic violence, as well as stalking. Once the bell is activated, it sends out a warning alert that can call for help around the area and an emergency

Nov. 7, 2023

Marking independence, Poland highlights ties with Gyeonggi Province

Poland highlighted growing ties with Gyeonggi Province in Korea, marking the 105th anniversary of Polish independence on Monday. Poland reappeared on the world map after a 123-year absence and reestablished its independence on Nov. 18, 1918. The country celebrates Independence Day to commemorate the restoration of Poland's sovereignty in 1918. “Losing the statehood does not mean losing the identity — and this is the solid foundation of the power and will for life,” said Po

Nov. 7, 2023

Child hurt after angry dad pushes the swing too hard

A man has been booked for child abuse after security footage showed him pushing a small child on a swing too hard, causing her to fall off, suffering abrasions. The man was her father, apparently angered after a fight with his wife, Channel A reported Monday evening. A neighbor who saw them at a playground of an apartment complex in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, on Oct. 24 reported the incident to the police. In the footage broadcast by the cable network, the toddler is shown sitting on a swing alone. A

Nov. 7, 2023

Cold wave hit S. Korea amid forecast of even chillier morning

A cold wave hit South Korea on Tuesday, bringing temperatures below the freezing point in some regions in the mountainous Gangwon and Gyeonggi provinces amid forecasts that even colder weather is likely to grip the nation Wednesday. Seoul also saw the coldest weather of this fall with 3.8 C, while the morning temperatures dipped below zero in northeastern Gyeonggi Province and the inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon Province, with Mount Seorak recording minus 6.6 C as of 5:58 a.m. The lowest

Nov. 7, 2023

[Graphic News] Number of foreign nationals convicted for drug-related offenses in Korea triples over 4 years

The number of individuals of foreign nationality convicted of drug crimes in South Korea nearly tripled in the past four years, data showed. From 2018 to 2022, the number of foreign nationals convicted of drug-related offenses here reached 6,423 after registering a steady rise each year, according to National Police Agency data released by Rep. Lee Sang-min of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Since reaching 596 in 2018, the figure rose to 1,072 in 2019, 1,428 in 2020 and 1,606 in 2

Nov. 7, 2023

Fugitive caught 3 days after escape from hospital

A prison fugitive, who had been on the run for three days after escaping during outside hospital treatment, was caught Monday on the northern outskirts of Seoul, police said. Police officers captured Kim Gil-soo at a public phone booth in Uijeongbu, just north of Seoul, at 9:24 p.m. He was calling his girlfriend, according to police. The manhunt began last Saturday when the 36-year-old fugitive, who was detained at the Seoul Detention Center, south of Seoul, on charges of special robbery, ran aw

Nov. 6, 2023

S. Korean family returns home after fleeing Gaza via Egypt

A South Korean family who fled the besieged Gaza Strip via an Egyptian border returned home Monday. The Emirates plane with the family on board landed at Incheon International Airport, the main gateway to the country, west of Seoul, at around 5:05 p.m. The plane made a stopover at Dubai before flying to Seoul. The family of five departed from Cairo late Sunday (local time), where they had taken shelter after evacuating from the war-torn region by crossing the Rafah border last Thursday. The fami

Nov. 6, 2023

Yoon vows to move up completion of GTX commuter rail networks

President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed Monday to move up the completion of the Great Train Express commuter rail networks as he visited a train station in Seoul's suburbs to check progress on a new service line. The GTX networks are set to enter service next year, starting in March with the GTX-A line connecting Suseo Station in Seoul's Gangnam Ward with Dongtan Station in Hwaseong, 45 kilometers south of the capital. The GTX-C line connecting Yangju, 29 km north of Seoul, to Suwon, just south of the cap

Nov. 6, 2023

Visa applications open for additional 12,900 foreign workers

South Korea is issuing an additional 12,900 E-9 visas for nonskilled foreign workers, the Ministry of Labor and Employment announced Monday, in the latest move to address the deepening labor shortage spurred by the country's demographic collapse. The newly issued visas will be distributed across sectors in need: 5,000 in manufacturing, 4,000 in agriculture and 2,500 in the services sector, as outlined in the announcement. Depending on industry demand, the ministry said it plans to add anoth

Nov. 6, 2023

W10m reward offered for information leading to fugitive on the run for third day

In the hunt for a fugitive who escaped custody Saturday during an assisted hospital visit, South Korean authorities have raised the reward money for information leading to his capture to 10 million won ($7,700). According to the wanted poster released by the Justice Ministry, the man on the run is 36-year-old Kim Gil-soo, who is a suspect in the robbery of approximately 740 million won. He is described as a man of strong build, standing 175 centimeters tall and weighing around 83 kilograms. Kim,

Nov. 6, 2023