AI made work faster. So why are workers more exhausted?

For years, artificial intelligence was imagined as the ultimate workplace liberator, a tool that could remove repetitive tasks, shorten working hours and leave people with more time to think. But now that the tools are part of daily office life, many workers say the opposite is happening. Rather than easing workloads, they say, AI is speeding up the pace of work to exhausting levels. The pressure may be especially acute in South Korea, where long hours and fast-response office culture are alread

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

Seoul mayoral rivals clash over housing, on first official day of campaign registration

Seoul mayoral candidates Chong Won-o of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Oh Se-hoon of the opposition People Power Party on Thursday laid out sharply contrasting visions for Seoul’s housing and redevelopment policies, on the first day of their official candidate registration. At separate sessions hosted by the Korea News Editors’ Association at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in central Seoul, the two candidates sparred over redevelopment speed, housing supply and the future o

2026-05-14 17:25:55:00

Seoul to close major roads for Lotus Lantern Festival

Major roads in central Seoul will be closed this weekend as the city hosts the 2026 Lotus Lantern Festival, a traditional Buddhist celebration inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, city officials said Wednesday. The traffic restrictions will take effect Saturday and Sunday around Jogyesa, Ujeongguk-ro and the Jongno district to accommodate the festival’s signature events, including a massive lantern parade. The Seoul Metropolitan Government will implement phased closures on

2026-05-13 17:06:17:00

Cultural activities linked to slower aging, researchers find

Reading books, listening to music and visiting museums may be linked to slower biological aging, according to a new study that suggests cultural activities could affect health at a biological level. A research team led by Daisy Fancourt, professor of psychobiology and epidemiology at University College London, published the findings in the international academic journal Innovation in Aging. The researchers analyzed survey responses and blood test data from 3,556 adults in the United Kingdom to e

2026-05-12 15:33:06:00

‘Customers vanished overnight’: Homeplus closures hit small shops

The fallout from Homeplus’ decision to suspend operations at dozens of stores is spreading beyond the retailer itself, with small business owners inside the affected branches reporting plunging sales and growing uncertainty over their livelihoods. The major supermarket chain, currently under corporate rehabilitation proceedings, began temporarily suspending operations at 37 of its 104 stores on Sunday as part of its "emergency restructuring plan" that seeks to concentrate resources on profitable

2026-05-12 14:45:41:00

Applications for portable safety alarm jump in Seoul

Demand for Seoul's portable emergency alarm device, "Ansim Help Me," has surged following recent violent crime cases, with more than 110,000 units distributed since the program was introduced in 2024, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday. The city said applications for the device spiked after a high school student was killed in Gwangju in a case that led to the arrest of a man in his 20s about 11 hours later. According to the city government, daily applications for the device averaged a

2026-05-11 15:07:53:00

Seoul opens applications for Korea Migrants' Song Festival

Foreign residents in Korea with a love for singing are invited to take the stage at the 2026 Korea Migrants’ Song Festival. Open to migrant workers, international students, naturalized citizens and members of multicultural families, the competition asks applicants to perform one verse of a Korean song as part of the audition process. The Seoul preliminary round will take place on July 19 at the Seoul Foreign Resident Center Auditorium. Successful applicants will advance to the final preliminary

2026-05-11 13:53:40:00

Multilingual interpreters wanted at Seoul counseling center

The Seoul Counseling Center for Migrant Women is recruiting multilingual volunteers to provide interpretation and translation support for migrant women and multicultural families in Korea. The center, which operates with support from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, offers counseling and emergency assistance on issues including domestic violence, sexual violence, legal disputes, visa concerns and family conflict. Volunteers will assist with interpretation, translation and counseling support se

2026-05-11 13:53:32:00

Lost in the job search? Seoul has free 1-on-1 counseling for international students

For many international students in Korea, preparing for employment can feel like navigating an entirely different culture, from unfamiliar resume formats and networking expectations to complex visa concerns. To help ease the transition, the Seoul Global Student Center has opened applications for the second round of its free one-on-one online career counseling program for foreign students in Seoul. The program offers personalized consultations in Korean, English and Chinese through Google Meet. S

2026-05-11 13:12:54:00

[팟캐스트] (791) 고기 1년치 온실가스…김포-제주 21번 탄 셈

진행자: 최정윤, Tannith Kriel Koreans' meat-heavy diet carries bigger carbon cost than 10 return flights to Jeju 기사 요약: 한국인 한 명이 1년 동안 먹는 육류에서 나오는 온실가스가 김포-제주 구간 편도 항공편을 약 21회 이용하는 것과 비슷한 수준이라는 분석 결과가 나왔다. [1] A South Korean’s annual meat consumption produces greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to about 10 flights across the country and back, a report showed Wednesday, highlighting the heavy climate footprint of Korea’s meat-heavy diet. equivalent to: ~와 같은, ~와 맞먹는 수준의 footprint: 발자국, 흔적 (*climate foo

2026-05-11 06:00:00:00