Childhood is no longer filled with dreams. Instead it is beset by competition, pressure and anxiety, as more children are exposed to an overheated education environment from an early age. But some students and their families are taking a step away from the heat, traveling south for a sabbatical at a countryside school. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, in charge of the primary and secondary education of the capital city, has been encouraging students to try out a school life in the cou

Social Affairs Dec. 3, 2022

The South Korean won rose to a four-month high on Thursday, as the US Federal Reserve hinted at a possible slowdown of its aggressive rate hikes. The Korean currency strengthened to 1,299.7 won against the greenback as of closing time, back below 1,300 won for the first time in four months. “The time for moderating the pace of rate increases may come as soon as the December meeting,” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday at an economic forum. The Fed has hiked interest r

Market Dec. 1, 2022

Foreign investors purchased a net of more than 6 trillion won ($4.5 billion) worth of shares on South Korea's stock market in October and November as they picked up chips and other related tech shares, the Korea Exchange's data showed Wednesday. According to the securities exchange operator, foreign investors purchased net 6.78 trillion-won worth of shares on the benchmark Kospi from Oct. 1 to Nov. 29, while they sold 30 billion won on Kosdaq. The Kospi purchase was heavily focused on

Economy Nov. 30, 2022

The Korea International Trade Association is hosting a two-day trade fair from Tuesday to help local companies form international partnerships with global buyers. The 2022 Korea Grand Sourcing Fair, a hybrid event held both online and offline, is taking place at the Coex Convention and Exhibition Center in southern Seoul with 211 buyers from 36 nations and around 750 Korean companies participating. Held after the COVID-19 pandemic-related travel restrictions were eased, this year’s lineup

Industry Nov. 29, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol will announce the road map for a "space economy" on Monday which includes a plan to launch a space agency by next year, the presidential office said Sunday. "President Yoon will announce the road map for a future space economy tomorrow, including six state agendas for Korea to become a powerful nation of space economy," Lee Jae-myung, a deputy presidential office spokesperson, said at a briefing held at the presidential office in Yongsan. Lee also said

Politics Nov. 27, 2022

Over the years, the average energy intake of Koreans has been on a decrease. While the consumption of carbohydrates has dropped, protein consumption has increased with changes in dietary habits. According to the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey published by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the average energy intake by Koreans per day was 2,129 kcal for men and 1,576 kcal for women in 2021. The numbers have been on a consecutive decline since 2015. Koreans ar

Social Affairs Nov. 27, 2022

A significant number of foreign students who come to Korea to study stay in the country after their visa expires, a report showed. The Education Ministry deemed the COVID-19 pandemic as the main reason why. According to a monthly report released by the Korea Immigration Service, the number of foreign students staying in Korea with a D-2 student visa, which guarantees a three-year stay, was 137,779 as of October. This is 19,881 students more than the year before. Those staying in Korea with a D-4

Social Affairs Nov. 24, 2022

From Thursday, the government will expand its ban on single-use merchandise with a yearlong grace period, adding plastic bags, straws, stir sticks and more to its list of restricted items. Single-use plastic bags will be banned from retail stores including convenience stores and bakeries. The ban, previously applicable to large stores with a floor space of 3,000 square meters or more and supermarkets with a 165 square meters of floor space or more, will be expanded to more retail stores. Though

Social Affairs Nov. 23, 2022

The Interior Ministry claimed it does not hold responsibility over the Itaewon tragedy, following criticism the ministry was at the center of control for police response to the incident. The ministry issued an official statement Monday claiming the police bureau did not have authority to intervene in police operations, except at an organizational level. And so the police bureau, as a separate organization from police administration, was not relevant to the police’s response. The police bur

Social Affairs Nov. 22, 2022

The special investigation team set up by the National Police Agency to look into the crowd crush in Itaewon summoned Lee Im-jae, then-chief of the Yongsan Police Station, and Yongsan Fire Chief Choi Seong-beom for questioning, Monday. Lee and Choi have been named as suspects regarding their response to the tragedy. "I am sorry and once again sorry as a police station chief. I will live with guilt for the rest of my life," Lee said as he showed up for questioning at the Seoul Metropolit

Social Affairs Nov. 21, 2022

The Supreme Court upheld the lower courts' ruling that found a person guilty of child abuse for their threatening behavior around their neighbor's children during a noise dispute. The person was sentenced to a six-month prison term, suspended for one year, 80 hours of social service, and 40 hours of education on child abuse prevention. On April 10, 2020, the person scolded the neighbor's 4-year-old child up close, asking "Why are you so loud these days? You run around a lot

Social Affairs Nov. 18, 2022

A comprehensive plan to reform the safety control measures of the Korean government will be announced by the end of the year, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min said Friday. "The government is concentrating its capability on damage control, investigating the causes and response related to the accident, while preparing prevention measures," Lee said at meeting held to discuss reform measures of the state's disaster and safety controls. “The government is also making efforts on al

Social Affairs Nov. 18, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Friday that banning MBC reporters from the presidential plane departing for the summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Group of 20 was an act to “protect the Constitution.” The presidential office told MBC reporters they would not be allowed to board the presidential plane on Nov. 9, two days before Yoon embarked on his six-day trip to Cambodia and Indonesia. When asked by a reporter on the matter while heading to the presidential offic

Politics Nov. 18, 2022

Students and parents bid goodbyes to each other at the gate of Myoungji High School Thursday, giving hugs and some in tears, as Suneung, the national college entrance exam, took place. A total of 450,477 out of 510,000 test takers flocked to 1,265 test sites in 84 test districts across the country to take the annual exam, also known as the College Scholastic Ability Test, which plays an important part in deciding which universities they will be admitted to. Even before sunrise rose, test taker

Social Affairs Nov. 17, 2022

Police said they will book Interior Minister Lee Sang-min on suspicion of dereliction of duty and professional negligence resulting in death, over the deadly crowd surge in Itaewon, following a complaint filed by a union of fire department workers. The independent investigation team set up by the National Police Agency announced Wednesday it is looking into the allegations against Interior Minister Lee Sang-min as a suspect in connection with the crowd crush, following a complaint filed agains

Social Affairs Nov. 16, 2022