Field trips vanish from Korean schools as teachers fear legal risks

Field trips are fast disappearing from South Korean schools — not because students don’t want to go, but because their teachers are increasingly afraid to take them. A tragic accident in 2022, where an elementary school student was fatally struck by a reversing bus during a school outing in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, triggered a national reckoning. In February this year, a local court found the supervising teacher guilty of death by occupational negligence, sentencing them to six months in prison

April 17, 2025

Shopping scams, taxi rip-offs fuel 71% rise in foreign tourist complaints in South Korea

A Japanese tourist walked into a cosmetics store in Seoul, only to find no prices on display. Pressured by staff, she bought a face mask set — then realized it was being sold elsewhere for one-third of the price. When she tried to return it, the staff instead convinced her to buy a different product, which also turned out to be overpriced. A Singaporean traveler who left their phone in a taxi was told by the driver it would cost 500,000 won ($350.77) to get it back. Under Korean law, that kind o

April 16, 2025

Koreans in their late 20s face worst job market in 12 years

South Korea’s young jobseekers are facing the harshest labor market in over 12 years, with the number of employed people in their late 20s dropping even more sharply than during the COVID-19 pandemic. The downturn — driven by a shrinking economy, a plunge in job openings, and a growing preference for experienced hires — is leaving many young Koreans locked out of work just as they’re trying to launch their careers. According to Statistics Korea, employment among people aged 25–29 fell by 98,000

April 15, 2025

Online hate surged after Dec. 3 martial law in Korea, driven by far-right forums

South Korea saw a sharp spike in illegal and harmful online content in the three months following former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Dec. 3 martial law declaration, with government data showing nearly 3,600 posts flagged for removal across major internet platforms. According to data submitted by the Korea Communications Standards Commission to Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Lee Jung-heon, 3,576 posts were subject to takedown requests between Dec. 4, 2024 and Feb. 29, 2025. Most were from Naver (3,

April 14, 2025

Hong Joon-pyo mocks top rivals on 'SNL' ahead of June presidential election

South Korean presidential contender Hong Joon-pyo, a senior figure in the conservative People Power Party, has drawn fresh attention with a sharp-tongued, satirical appearance on "SNL Korea," taking direct aim at top rivals Lee Jae-myung and Han Dong-hoon ahead of the country’s critical June 3 election. In Saturday's episode of the comedy sketch show in its seventh season, via streaming platform Coupang Play, the former Daegu mayor appears dressed as a convenience store job applicant. The segmen

April 14, 2025

Adoptees urge new investigation and justice after South Korea confirms adoption abuses

'This is no longer just a matter for investigation. It’s a matter for prosecution,' says adoptee group leader Adoptee advocacy groups from all over the world gathered outside South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Seoul on Thursday, calling for a new round of investigations — and legal accountability — over systemic malpractice in the country’s intercountry adoption program. The demonstration comes around two weeks after the independent commission on March 26 announced that it had

April 10, 2025

Foreign residents, global watchers hail S. Korea’s 'democracy in action'

South Korea’s historic decision to remove President Yoon Suk Yeol from office has sparked an outpouring of reactions from foreign residents and international observers, many of whom praised the Constitutional Court’s unanimous 8–0 ruling as a powerful demonstration of democratic accountability. “I’m happy about the verdict,” said Svenja, a German national who has lived in Seoul for six months. Speaking to The Korea Herald outside the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul, where hundreds watche

April 4, 2025

S. Korea's four-month political saga: Twists and turns in photos

A photo recap of four months of political chaos in South Korea, from martial law to today's verdict of Yoon's impeachment and his removal South Korea just removed its president in a historic, sometimes chaotic impeachment saga. After months of turmoil, protests and a high-stakes trial, the Constitutional Court ruled today to oust President Yoon Suk Yeol. Here’s what happened over the past 122 days — from Dec. 3, 2024 to April 4, 2025 — in photos. Dec. 3-14: Martial law, political meltdown, impea

April 4, 2025

S. Korea admitted flawed adoption practices. Adoptees call it 'empty' gesture

In a historic move last week, South Korea officially acknowledged that its past overseas adoption program was flawed and led to human rights violations. While many adoptee groups hailed the announcement by the independent Truth and Reconciliation Commission, adoptees and their advocates contacted by The Korea Herald reacted with caution, some with disappointment, saying the belated action would ring hollow unless it leads to meaningful solutions and addresses key systemic issues. On March 26, th

April 2, 2025

Study finds young Koreans fear risk more than elders. Here's why

In South Korea, Baby Boomers — those in their 60s or older — are the most open to risk-taking, while their younger peers show greater aversion, according to a new national survey. The survey, conducted by the Center for Ambitious Failure at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology with 1,500 adult respondents across age groups, found that 50.3 percent of those in their late 20s to late 30s described themselves as "not adventurous" or unwilling to take risks, the highest percentage

March 29, 2025