Supreme Court rules 'room cafes' off-limits to minors

The Supreme Court has ruled that entertainment venues known in Korea as “room cafes,” where customers rent private booths equipped with televisions, mats and pillows, qualify as businesses off-limits to minors. The Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling that acquitted a room cafe operator charged with violating the Youth Protection Act and sent the case back to the Suwon District Court for a new trial. The top court ruled that businesses prohibited to minors could not be limited to those

2026-08-31 14:33:01:00

Maserati driver arrested over fatal drunk-driving crash in Seoul

A Maserati driver accused of causing a five-vehicle crash while intoxicated in southern Seoul, killing a delivery rider, was arrested Sunday. The Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for the driver, a man in his 40s surnamed Hwang, citing a risk that he could flee. Hwang is accused of causing death by dangerous driving after allegedly crashing into five vehicles near Bangbae Intersection in Seocho-gu at around 11:40 p.m. Thursday. The vehicles included a delivery motorcycle, a p

2026-08-31 11:33:56:00

University presidents urge stable funding as gov't overhauls education financing

SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island -- University presidents urged the government Friday to provide more predictable, long-term funding for higher education, saying universities need stable financing to make major investments in areas such as artificial intelligence and aging campus infrastructure. The call came as the government prepares to launch the Future Response Fund next year, which is expected to increase investment in higher and lifelong education. Some 140 presidents from the Korean Council for Univ

2026-08-30 10:17:32:00

Private university presidents protest state-funded full scholarships for national universities

SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island — Presidents of private universities held an emergency meeting in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, on Friday to protest the Education Ministry’s plan to provide free tuition to students at regional public universities, arguing that the policy would put private institutions at a competitive disadvantage. “If the government provides full tuition scholarships to students simply because they attend public universities, regardless of their income, while excluding private university studen

2026-08-28 17:32:12:00

Foreign children born in Korea must be allowed birth registration, court rules

South Korea’s Constitutional Court ruled Wednesday that children born in the country must have access to birth registration regardless of nationality or immigration status, finding lawmakers’ failure to create such a system unconstitutional. “The legislative omission of provisions allowing foreign nationals born in Korea to register their births under Korean law is unconstitutional,” the court said in a unanimous decision. The case was brought by a Vietnamese man and his daughter, who challenged

2026-08-27 17:04:43:00

US Embassy in Seoul suspends immigrant visa interviews through Aug. 31

The US Embassy in Seoul has suspended immigrant visa interviews through Aug. 31 as the part of a worldwide pause while the US State Department conducts “in-depth training” for consular officers on applicant screening. The embassy canceled immigrant visa interviews scheduled between Aug. 25 and 31 and notified affected applicants that their appointments would be rescheduled, according to local reports. Some applicants, however, said they had yet to receive new interview dates. Interviews for most

2026-08-27 13:53:31:00

[Exclusive] Ministries weigh visa curbs on Woongji College over unpaid refunds

The Education Ministry and Justice Ministry are discussing whether visa restrictions should be imposed on Woongji Tax and Accounting College, as the school continues recruiting international students despite failing to refund those whose enrollments fell through. “We believe visa issuance needs to be restricted,” an Education Ministry official told The Korea Herald. “We are currently discussing that with the Justice Ministry.” Such restrictions could effectively prevent the college from bringing

2026-08-27 13:01:47:00

Foreign minister says 10 Koreans stranded by Nepal floods are safe

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Wednesday that the safety of 10 South Koreans stranded by flooding in Nepal had been confirmed. Cho made the remarks while presiding over a meeting of the government’s overseas nationals protection task force at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul, which began at 10:30 p.m. “Eight South Korean nationals affiliated with Korea South-East Power Co. and Doosan Enerbility remain out of contact,” Cho said. “Another 10 Doosan Enerbility employees have evacuated together with so

2026-08-26 23:26:21:00

Flash flood in Nepal leaves at least 9 Koreans missing, 10 others confirmed safe

At least nine South Korean workers were missing and 10 others were evacuated after sudden flooding struck Nepal’s Rasuwa region on Wednesday morning, according to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry. The nine missing workers are employees of the Korea South-East Power Co. and Doosan Enerbility who had been working at a hydroelectric power plant construction site in the area. The ministry had initially said eight Koreans were unaccounted for, but the Korean Embassy in Kathmandu later confirmed with Doosan E

2026-08-26 20:29:30:00

Bomb threats emailed to 80 courts nationwide, prompting searches, disruptions

Bomb threats were emailed to 80 courts across South Korea on Wednesday, prompting police searches, tightened security and temporary disruptions to some court proceedings. Police said they first received a report from the Incheon District Court at around 9:17 a.m. after the court received an email threatening an explosion. Authorities deployed 37 officers, 11 members of a police special operations unit and three detection dogs to search the courthouse and surrounding area for approximately three

2026-08-26 17:11:16:00