Seoul ranked seventh among 139 cities in the latest Global Financial Centers Index, rising one notch from the previous report, the Seoul city government announced Wednesday. The capital has ranked among the world’s top 10 for the fourth consecutive year. Published jointly by London-based consultancy Z/Yen Group and the China Development Institute, the Global Financial Centers Index compares the competitiveness of major financial hubs worldwide. The index is published twice a year, in March and S

Seoul city bus drivers are set to begin a full-scale strike at 4 a.m. Wednesday, after labor and management failed to reach an agreement during an eight-hour mediation session Tuesday. The talks ended without a settlement at around 10 p.m., prompting the union to proceed with the strike as planned. The walkout is expected to disrupt bus services across the capital, with the Seoul Metropolitan Government preparing alternative transportation measures for commuters. Up to 1,500 chartered buses will

A 33-hour difference in a wage formula brought Seoul’s bus system back to the brink of a citywide shutdown, eight months after a 44-hour walkout left the same dispute unresolved. At issue is whether drivers’ ordinary hourly wages should be calculated using 176 or 209 working hours per month. The figure serves as the denominator, meaning the lower benchmark produces higher hourly pay and, in turn, higher overtime, night and holiday allowances. The dispute follows a December 2024 Supreme Court rul

Days after the removal of Haebangchon's decades-old rows of onggi drew an outpouring of sadness from residents and visitors alike, the state agency managing the land has explained why the pots had to go — and what options remain. The Korea Asset Management Corp., or Kamco, told The Korea Herald that the strip of land beside Hanshin Onggi is state-owned and had been used by the shop to display "onggi" — earthenware used for fermenting foods such as kimchi and gochujang — without a lease. Kamco ha

One of Seoul's largest annual farmers' markets will open at Seoul Plaza on Tuesday for three days, bringing more than 100 farms from across the country to the center of the capital ahead of Chuseok. Selected regional products from participating farms, recommended by 87 local governments, will be sold at discounts of up to 30 percent, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Visitors will be able to buy specialties including garlic from Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province; gat kimchi made w

Oktoberfest Seoul 2026 opened Saturday at Oil Tank Culture Park in Mapo-gu, western Seoul, bringing German beer, food and traditional music to the capital. The 10-day event, which runs through Sept. 21, is the first festival in Korea officially authorized by the city of Munich to use the Oktoberfest name. The original German festival dates back to 1810. Visitors can sample 10 German beer brands alongside dishes including schweinshaxe, sausages, schnitzel and pretzels. Korean fried chicken and lo

Rows of traditional Korean earthenware pots that lined a wall at the entrance to Haebangchon for four decades were removed this week. Hanshin Onggi, a pottery shop that has operated in Haebangchon since 1967 and maintained the decades-old display, began clearing the pots, or onggi, on Monday. According to the shop owner, the store had received a government notice seeking five years' worth of fees for use of its land. "We had no choice but to remove it," owner Yoon Yoo-jin told The Korea Herald.

A disability rights group in Seoul ended nearly five years of rush-hour subway protests Monday after reaching an agreement with Democratic Party of Korea members of the Seoul Metropolitan Council. At a joint news conference held at the city council at 11:30 a.m., Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination and the majority party announced the agreement, under which the party pledged to pass ordinances guaranteeing the rights of people with disabilities to mobility and employment. The group has

South Korean transportation payment operator Tmoney said Friday it had officially launched its tagless payment service across all 25 stations on the first section of Seoul Subway Line 9, from Gaehwa to Sinnonhyeon. The system allows passengers to enter and exit stations without tapping a transportation card or smartphone against a fare gate. Users who activate the tagless function on the Android-based Mobile Tmoney app can simply walk through designated gates, with rides automatically detected t

Smoking or drinking along Cheonggyecheon, a popular stream in downtown Seoul, could result in fines of up to 100,000 won ($70), starting this year. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Wednesday its plans to designate the entire 8.12-kilometer stretch of the stream as a no-smoking, no-drinking zone by the end of 2026, backed by legal authority to issue fines. The city's tougher stance comes after a string of reports of visitors drinking, smoking and bathing in the stream. Under current ad

Seoul’s Seongbuk Global Village Center is offering a Korean language program for foreign residents that uses popular Korean dramas to teach practical Korean and introduce workplace and social culture. The three-session program will feature scenes and conversations from "Misaeng," "Stove League" and "The Dream Life of Mr. Kim." Each class will focus on a different aspect of Korean work and social life. All sessions will be conducted in Korean. The first session will be held Friday, followed by se

As South Korea battles a record-breaking heat wave, Incheon International Airport is emerging as an informal cooling refuge for people with nowhere more convenient to escape the heat. Media reports over the past week have highlighted seniors spending hours inside the terminals playing games, sharing packed lunches and resting on benches. The appeal of the airports appears to be practical: the terminals offer air conditioning, seating, free wi-fi, charging facilities and restrooms, while South K

Seoul’s expanded summer programs at Han River swimming pools have attracted more visitors, along with complaints over music, noise and tattooed guests. The Seoul Metropolitan Government operates six outdoor pools and water playgrounds along the Han River, charging admission of up to 5,000 won ($3.50). This year, it extended operating hours until 10 p.m. and introduced DJ-led pool parties at two locations, drawing families, young adults and foreign tourists. According to local media reports Thurs

At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Euljiro in central Seoul was beginning to empty after another sweltering day. Office workers and tourists drifted away as dusk settled over the neighborhood. Near Exit No. 3 of Euljiro 1-ga Station, a small truck marked “Mobile Bath Vehicle” stood by the roadside. A weary-looking man emerged after a shower, the strain of the day still visible but his expression noticeably lighter. Inside, the shower room was bright and spacious, with gleaming faucets and floors free of rust

Seoul has been named the favorite worldwide city by US travel media outlet Trazee Travel for the fifth consecutive year, becoming the first city to achieve the feat, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Tourism Organization on Wednesday. The Korean capital ranked ahead of Irish capital Dublin, Hong Kong, London and Greek capital Athens in the annual readers' poll conducted by Trazee Travel, a website catering primarily to travelers under 40. Seoul has topped the category ever