Men and women in the same hospital room? Many Koreans say no

The Ministry of Health and Welfare on Monday withdrew a proposed amendment that would have lifted the long-standing requirement for hospital rooms to be separated by sex, following backlash over privacy and safety concerns. Since 2012, hospital rooms in Korea have been required to be segregated by sex under Article 35 of the Enforcement Rule of the Medical Service Act. Violations can result in administrative penalties, including a corrective order and a 15-day suspension of operations. The lates

2026-06-01 14:31:34:00

Dog rescued from garbage-filled home in Jeju

A dog was rescued from a trash-filled apartment unit on Jeju Island after being left alone for an extended period, news reports said Sunday. A local animal welfare group, Hangbok, and police officers discovered the dog amid piles of garbage inside a fifth-floor residence in a low-rise apartment building, locally known as a villa, in Seogwipo on Tuesday. The dog was alone in the unit when rescuers arrived. Covered in filth and weighed down by severely matted fur, the animal was unable to walk pro

2026-05-31 13:28:40:00

For these young Korean conscripts, military service is no longer lost time

Many Korean men used to describe mandatory military service as a suffocating period spent confined to barracks, bound by rigid routines and largely disconnected from the outside world. Conscription was widely seen as an involuntary pause in youth, rather than a continuation of the lives they had been building. But for Woo Tae-hyun, his 18 months in the military were the exact opposite. It was a strategically planned step toward his future goals. Discharged last December, the 22-year-old, current

2026-05-30 16:00:00:00

Antarctic researcher made 47-centimeter blade before threats: prosecutors

A former member of South Korea’s Antarctic research team, who was brought back to the country earlier this month after threatening fellow crew members with a weapon, allegedly crafted a 47-centimeter blade from a steel sheet, prosecutors said Thursday. According to prosecutors, the man in his 50s, part of the overwintering crew at South Korea’s Jang Bogo Station in Antarctica, was indicted Thursday on attempted murder-related charges. He allegedly manufactured the blade in the station’s workshop

2026-05-28 17:10:57:00

Celebrating Korean ceramics with Chinese-made souvenirs? Yeoju festival faces backlash

Yeoju, one of Korea’s best known pottery hubs, has come under fire after Chinese-made jars were handed out as giveaways at this year’s ceramic festival. According to online communities Thursday, organizers of the Yeoju Ceramic Festival, held May 1-10 at the Silleuksa Tourist Complex, gave away mini moon jars to visitors who promoted the event on social media by uploading photos or videos of festival scenes, such as ceramics exhibitions, pottery wheel experiences or traditional pottery-making per

2026-05-28 11:53:33:00

From sports day to matchmaking, Seoul’s luxury towers form their own league

Seoul’s luxury apartment towers are emerging not only as symbols of wealth, but also as hubs of exclusive social networking. Residents of Raemian One Bailey and Maple Xi, prestigious luxury apartment complexes in Seoul’s Seocho-gu where prices have reportedly surpassed 200 million won ($132,448) per 3.3 square meters, recently held a joint sports festival featuring screen golf, table tennis and basketball, according to news reports Friday. Organized by the residents’ association of Maple Xi in J

2026-05-24 16:00:00:00

American YouTuber’s Korean song sparks buzz among K-pop fans

Trisha Paytas, a popular American internet personality with more than 5 million YouTube subscribers, has been making waves in the K-pop community with the release of a new song written entirely in Korean. Her new song, titled “Saranghae,” Korean for “I love you,” features approximately two minutes and four seconds of Korean lyrics, according to her YouTube channel. One of the lines reads, “Eoduun bam byeolbit arae geudae saenggage jam mot deureo,” which translates to “I couldn’t fall asleep last

2026-05-20 20:53:00:00

Rain expected nationwide through Thursday with heavy rain advisories in some regions

Early summer rain accompanied by gusty winds soaked much of the country Wednesday, with heavy rain advisories issued for parts of Greater Seoul, which includes Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. The Korea Meteorological Administration issued heavy rain advisories at around 4:30 p.m. for parts of Incheon, Gyeonggi Province, South Jeolla Province and South Gyeongsang Province. The alert is issued when rainfall is expected to exceed 60 millimeters over three hours or 110 millimeters over 12 hours. In r

2026-05-20 19:58:41:00

Calls for boycott spread after Starbucks Korea ‘Tank Day’ campaign

Criticism over Starbucks Korea’s "Tank Day" marketing campaign is escalating into a boycott movement, with social media users posting photos and videos of themselves damaging Starbucks products or demanding refunds. Social media posts showing people destroying Starbucks Korea mugs and tumblers have been spreading online, with some users tagging friends and urging them to join the boycott. Some users shared tips on how to receive refunds for prepaid Starbucks Korea cards, explaining the company’s

2026-05-20 14:56:07:00

May roses in full bloom

With spring in full swing, roses are blooming across the country, filling parks and streets with vibrant colors. Roses, one of the signature flowers of May, begin blooming in early May and reach full bloom from late May to early June. In line with the blooming season, a variety of rose festivals are set to take place nationwide. The Ulsan Grand Park Rose Festival, jointly hosted by the southeastern city of Ulsan and SK Innovation, will open Wednesday for five days, attracting picnicgoers with so

2026-05-19 17:24:52:00