Korea makes parental leave easier to use in a pinch

South Korea will officially introduce short-term parental leave of one or two weeks from Thursday, aimed at helping parents cope with sudden or short-term gaps in childcare. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the new system will take effect Thursday, as revised enforcement decrees under the Equal Employment Opportunity and Work-Family Balance Assistance Act and the Employment Insurance Act come into force. Under Korean law, workers can take parental leave to care for children age

2026-08-19 15:01:54:00

Boryeong seeks foreign visitors for monthlong stay

Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province, is recruiting foreign nationals to stay in the city for up to a month as part of a local tourism promotion program, the city said Wednesday. Five to 10 people total -- either solo or in pairs -- will be selected for support covering accommodation, daily expenses, activity fees and travel insurance. Participants who stay at registered accommodations in Boryeong will receive 50,000 won ($36) per night for each of the five teams, along with a daily allowance of

2026-08-19 14:20:49:00

Don’t panic if you’re in car accident in Seoul

The Seoul Foreign Resident Center has launched a multilingual consultation service for foreign residents seeking help with insurance claims and compensation after car accidents. The center, in partnership with the Traffic Accident Compensation Supervisory Service, will offer in-person consultations every other Wednesday in English, Chinese, Mongolian and Russian. Professional consultants will be available from 10 a.m. to noon on designated days. Reservations by phone are required. Applicants mus

2026-08-19 13:20:02:00

Incheon Airport puts up fence after queue-jumping incidents

A transparent fence has been installed around a check-in counter at Incheon Airport to prevent queue jumping after footage of travelers rushing the counters went viral in July, the airport operator said Wednesday. The fence was installed around counter E in the departure area of Terminal 1. Stickers have been placed on the transparent panels to make them more visible and prevent passengers from accidentally walking into them, Incheon International Airport Corp. said. In the viral video, dozens o

2026-08-19 11:25:36:00

South Gyeongsang reels after summer’s worth of rain falls in less than 3 days

Recovery efforts began Tuesday across southeastern Korea after record-breaking rainfall battered the region, with the hardest-hit cities struggling to return to normalcy. Authorities continued to warn of possible landslides as hundreds of residents remained in evacuation centers, while crews worked to remove soil, fallen trees and other debris from roads and streams by flooding. Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, resumed public transportation Tuesday after a one-day suspension forced by 927.6 mil

2026-08-18 15:11:47:00

Kongju National University boosts smart mobility education

Kongju National University said Tuesday it is partnering with mobility companies to align its curriculum with industry needs. At a partnership ceremony held in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, on Friday, local battery electrolyte maker Enchem and automotive parts manufacturer Yongsan Co. agreed to collaborate on KNU’s Smart Mobility Engineering program. Under the agreement, the university will develop curricula and educational materials reflecting industry demand, while the companies will pr

2026-08-18 14:20:46:00

Illegal boat entries from China via Taean total 31 since 2019

At least 31 Chinese nationals have been caught trying to enter South Korea illegally by boat through Taean, South Chungcheong Province, since 2019, with most having previously stayed in the country, the Korea Coast Guard said Monday. Of the 31 caught, 25 had previously lived in Korea. Most had been deported over immigration violations and later attempted to return by sea after being unable to reenter through regular immigration procedures, according to the Coast Guard. The Taean Peninsula offers

2026-08-17 14:38:05:00

Southeastern Korea hit by over 800 mm of rain, floods and landslides

Torrential rain topping 800 millimeters battered southeastern Korea through Monday, triggering floods and landslides after weeks of drought. At least one person was killed, four others were injured and nearly 160 residents were evacuated as torrential rain and strong winds inundated roads and triggered landslides across the region. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, in South Gyeongsang Province, Geoje received 851.1 millimeters of rain from midnight Saturday through 1 p.m. Mon

2026-08-17 10:58:45:00

Data center boom fuels calls for tighter regulation in Korea

Seoul could soon join a growing number of major cities seeking tighter controls on new data centers as concerns mount over their heavy water and electricity use. The heads of all 25 Seoul districts unanimously agreed Wednesday to ask the Seoul Metropolitan Government for tougher restrictions on new data center construction, Yeongdeungpo-gu District Office said Thursday. The proposal calls for district-level architectural reviews and restrictions on data centers in residential areas. District aut

2026-08-13 15:20:29:00

Should South Koreans be allowed to work longer?

A debate over whether South Korea should loosen its 52-hour workweek for the semiconductor industry is intensifying as the government pushes a major chip project in the country’s southwest. At the center of the debate is a striking gap between the government and parts of the business community that are calling for greater flexibility, as well as chipmakers' limited use of an existing scheme that already allows them to exceed the 52-hour limit. According to Rep. Lee Yong-woo of the ruling Democra

2026-08-12 15:04:00:00