Wait, can’t we fix these before throwing them away?

A broken umbrella. A toy that no longer works. A chair with a wobbly leg. How many of these have you thrown away simply because you didn’t know how or where to get them fixed? In Seoul, local governments operate 126 public repair programs, but finding the right service can feel like a scavenger hunt in a society where buying is easier than repairing. In September, the Seoul branch of the Korea Federation for Environmental Movements and the Resource Circulation Society and Economy Institute relea

2026-10-17 16:00:00:00

Police identify suspect in Incheon knife attack

South Korean police on Friday revealed the identity of the assailant in Incheon who seriously injured eight people in a knife attack on Tuesday. The Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency disclosed the suspect’s name, age and photos on its website, identifying him as Choi Chung-rak, 59. The information will remain public until Nov. 16. The move comes after a seven-member police review panel unanimously approved the disclosure, citing the brutality of the attack, the serious harm it caused and suffic

2026-10-16 19:30:57:00

An autumn stroll full of flowers

Visitors stroll along a path lined with colorful chrysanthemums at Peace Park in Nam-gu, Busan, on Friday. The park is hosting the Gukhwa Culture Festival, which aims to bring colorful chrysanthemums and a touch of autumn to the southern port city from Friday through Nov. 8. (Photos: Yonhap)

2026-10-16 11:37:16:00

South Korea’s oldest hippo, Hasun, dies at 46

Hasun, South Korea’s oldest hippopotamus, has died at 46, Seoul Grand Park said Friday. In a notice posted on its website, the park said Hasun had been eating well and remained healthy despite her age until her strength suddenly began to decline. The park did not specify the date of her death. “Our veterinarians and keepers stayed by Hasun’s side and did everything they could," the park said. "She passed away peacefully in their care, with no signs of a particular illness.” Born in 1980, Hasun l

2026-10-16 10:22:20:00

Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan to skip season, ends contract with Seoul City Hall

Leading South Korean figure skater Cha Jun-hwan announced Tuesday that he will sit out the current season and step away from the national team, raising questions about his competitive future as many speculate he will take on more entertainment work. The 24-year-old wrote on Instagram that his contract with Seoul City Hall had ended and that he needed time to consider his next step. “After wrapping up last year’s season, I spent a lot of time thinking about what to do next. After much considerati

2026-10-13 12:49:37:00

Woman unplugs freezer to charge phone, leaving shop owner with melted ice cream

Frozen desserts at an unstaffed shop were left melted after a woman unplugged a freezer to charge her phone and left without plugging it back in. The shop owner on Monday vented the frustration in a post on FMKorea, a major South Korean online community and internet forum, sharing a photo of a notice posted inside the store. The notice included images from security footage showing a woman charging her phone on top of a freezer. “Reported for obstructing business. Turned off the freezer to charge

2026-10-12 11:49:56:00

AI-powered attacks on Korean financial sectors linked to Chinese DDoS group: report

A recent series of AI-backed cyberattacks on South Korean banks may be linked to a Chinese group that carries out distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks for hire, according to a report released Sunday by a Seoul-based cybersecurity firm Logpresso. The company said the Telegram account “YY520CN,” linked to the bank hackings, was listed as a moderator of an online community called GodNet in September 2024. The community was created by Vitas, a Chinese group that carries out DDoS attacks for

2026-10-11 14:38:13:00

Jailed ex-president Yoon, wife received W2.19b in inmate funds

Jailed former president Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, collected about 2.19 billion won ($1.62 million) in inmate funds during their first year of detention, according to data from the Justice Ministry released Sunday by Rep. Lee Sung-yoon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. Yoon received 1.95 billion won across 45,770 deposits from July 10 through Sept. 9 this year. Kim received 240 million won across 10,415 deposits from her arrest on Aug. 12 last year through the same date. Th

2026-10-11 11:06:18:00

Korea’s biggest tax debtor agrees to pay after 15 years

Cido Shipping Chairman Kwon Hyuk, charged with offshore tax evasion, has agreed to pay 393.8 billion won ($294 million) in overdue taxes after leaving them unpaid for 15 years, the National Tax Service said Wednesday. The country’s biggest individual tax debtor paid 100 billion won in cash in July and put up five vessels overseas as collateral for the remaining balance, which he plans to pay in installments. The tax agency said the ships appeared to be worth more than what Kwon still owed. Offic

2026-10-07 16:47:31:00

Two mega churches hit by suspected data breaches

At least two of South Korea’s largest churches appear to have suffered data breaches as a wave of cyberattacks, potentially involving artificial intelligence, continues to sweep the country. Yoido Full Gospel Church in Yeouido, billed as the world’s largest Protestant church by registered membership, said Wednesday that its internal review found that the names, dates of birth and other personal details of 850,000 members may have been leaked. The announcement followed an SBS TV report the previo

2026-10-07 12:32:52:00