Why bullying still plagues S. Korea's hospitals

A series of deaths among young healthcare workers has put renewed pressure on South Korea to confront a workplace bullying culture in hospitals that critics say has survived years of public outrage, legal reform and government pledges. The latest cases have revived scrutiny of what is widely known in Korea as "taeum," a practice often described as senior staff “burning” junior workers through verbal abuse, humiliation and excessive workloads under the guise of training. The practice drew nationw

2026-07-09 15:34:30:00

First K-culture master's degree to go to Filipino student

A Filipino student at Sungshin Women’s University is expected to become the first person in Korea to receive a master’s degree specifically in K-culture, the university said Wednesday. Abigail Jazmine Llamo, 29, recently passed her thesis defense for the university’s master’s program in K-Culture and Entertainment and is awaiting final approval for graduation. If approved, she will receive the degree in August. Although Korean cultural content, including films, television dramas, music and fashi

2026-07-08 14:53:16:00

Violent ER patients could face removal, access limits

South Korea is moving to allow emergency medical facilities to remove and restrict the future access of patients who assault medical workers, as part of efforts to curb recurring violence in emergency rooms. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Monday it has put a proposed revision to the Enforcement Rule of the Emergency Medical Service Act up for public comment through Aug. 18. If promulgated, the revised rule will take effect immediately. The proposal is intended to implement recent amendm

2026-07-08 13:18:54:00

S. Korea officially launches digital nomad visa with eased eligibility rules

South Korea has launched its digital nomad visa with more relaxed eligibility requirements than those applied during its pilot program, the Ministry of Justice said Tuesday. The F-1-D visa, also known as the "workation" visa, became officially available on June 30. It allows foreign nationals employed by overseas companies to live in Korea while working remotely, unlike a work visa, which requires employment with a Korean employer. The program follows a pilot that ran from January 2024 through M

2026-07-07 20:45:35:00

Seoul Nat'l University renames Russian language major to broaden Eastern European studies

Seoul National University's Department of Russian Language and Literature will be renamed the Department of Russian and East European Languages and Literatures, according to local media reports Tuesday. The change was approved by the university's academic council on June 18 and is expected to take effect in 2028, pending final approval by the university's board of trustees. It will mark the department's first name change since it adopted its current name in 1984. Originally established in 1946 f

2026-07-07 20:20:25:00

Gwangju school seeks leniency for players who mocked May 18 Democratization Movement

Gwangju Jeil High School called Tuesday for leniency toward Paichai High School baseball players disciplined for mocking the 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement, while urging the high school baseball community to confront how such ridicule was allowed to take place. The statement came a day after Paichai students visited Gwangju to apologize over the incident, which occurred during a June 29 high school baseball game between the two schools. At a press conference Tuesday, Gwangju Jeil official

2026-07-07 18:41:39:00

Man dies after being run over by taxi in Gangnam alley

A man died after being run over by a taxi in a narrow alley in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul, after he reportedly lay down on the road early Saturday morning, according to local media reports Tuesday. The incident occurred at around 4:41 a.m. in a commercial area of the district. Surveillance footage shared online and witness accounts showed the man stumbling, making minor contact with a passing car and then lying down in the middle of the alley while looking at his smartphone. He was later run ove

2026-07-07 11:35:55:00

S.Korea may lose Canada's multibillion-dollar submarine bid: local media

A South Korean consortium may lost its bid for Canada's multibillion-dollar submarine procurement program, with the Canadian government selecting Germany's Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems as the preferred bidder, The Globe and Mail reported Monday, citing anonymous sources. According to the report, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to officially announce the decision later Monday in Halifax, bringing to a close the competition launched in August 2025. The bidding process drew sweeping

2026-07-06 21:28:26:00

Presidential deregulation official resigns amid Gwangju mockery controversy

Lee Byung-tae, vice chair of the Regulatory Rationalization Committee, resigned Monday after criticizing the punishment imposed on high school baseball players for mocking the Gwangju Democratic Uprising, according to Cheong Wa Dae. The committee was established to advance deregulation across a wide range of sectors as part of the administration's efforts to promote innovation, with President Lee Jae Myung serving as chair and the prime minister as a vice chair. Lee, a business professor at Kore

2026-07-06 20:56:05:00

Familiar voice of Seoul subway lives on after actor's death

The familiar voice that has guided Seoul subway riders for nearly three decades is expected to remain on the network for now, despite rumors online that it would be replaced following the death of voice actor Kang Hee-sun. Kang, whose voice has guided passengers on Seoul Subway Lines 1 to 8 since 1996, died in Seoul on Saturday. She was 65. Following her death, unverified claims circulated online that Seoul Metro had an internal rule requiring announcement voices to be replaced when the voice ac

2026-07-06 17:54:25:00