Fifth-term Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is signaling a broader political role after an appeals court acquitted him of political funding charges, easing a threat to his career. Oh pledged Saturday to help unite Korea’s conservative opposition, a day after the ruling overturned a conviction that could have cost him his job. A fellow conservative heavyweight endorsed cooperation Sunday, adding to attention on Oh as a potential presidential contender. “With the general election approaching, the People Pow

At Unhyeongung, where King Gojong and the future Empress Myeongseong held their wedding ceremony in 1866, visitors are gathering this fall for a quieter occasion: tea and conversation. The former residence of Gojong’s father, Heungseon Daewongun, invites visitors to make traditional Korean desserts, sip tea and share stories about their day, accompanied by live gayageum music. One dessert, gotgamdanji — dried persimmons stuffed with sweet fillings — was chosen to symbolize good fortune. “Every t

Seoul ranked fifth among cities worldwide for public transport in a survey by British city and travel magazine Time Out, with 91.1 percent of respondents in the capital rating its system positively. The city rose three places from eighth last year, when 84 percent of respondents positively rated its public transport, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said. Taipei, Taiwan, ranked first, followed by Singapore, Hong Kong and Edinburgh, Scotland. Time Out surveyed more than 24,000 people worldwide,

Gangnam-gu Mayor Kim Hyeon-ki is building on the district’s established strengths to drive its next phase of growth. Three months into his four-year term, Kim is pursuing what he calls a “major transformation of Gangnam.” His strategy draws on the district’s existing assets while giving its neighborhoods clearer roles in its future development. “Gangnam’s infrastructure, particularly its buildings and residential properties, has aged,” Kim said in a recent interview with The Korea Herald at his

An installation of 40 missile sculptures was removed from a district-run festival in northern Seoul after visitors criticized its suitability for the event. Titled “Thesis-Antithesis-synthesis : latitude37.6538'N longitude 127.0694'E,” the work by artist Park Gun-jae featured sculptures each measuring about 1 meter tall bearing the flags of North Korea and six other countries. The work was displayed at the annual Nowon Moonlight Walk festival, which opened Friday. The Nowon District Office said

Shoppers at Shinsegae Department Store’s Gangnam branch in Seoul were stranded in the underground parking garage for hours on Sunday, as heavy rain and traffic congestion delayed vehicles from exiting. People shared complaints about the situation on social media on Monday. “I was trapped in the underground parking garage at Shinsegae Gangnam. I turned off my engine because we hadn’t moved a bit in two hours,” one person wrote on Threads. “People were getting out of their cars, and it was chaos.”

Use of foreign-issued credit cards at Seoul subway kiosks has increased since the service’s introduction, with Seoul Station recording the highest payment transaction volume in September, according to the Seoul Metro. Overseas card transactions at Seoul Station rose 30.4 percent to 27,835 in September from 21,351 in June. Their total value increased 32 percent to 143.19 million won ($108,000) over the same period. Hongik University Station ranked second in overseas card payment value in Septembe

Only 3.1 percent of foreign visitors' reports alleging taxi fare overcharging in Seoul resulted in administrative penalties between 2021 and August this year, a lawmaker revealed Sunday. Of the 6,481 complaints filed during the period, only 204 led to administrative measures, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government data obtained by Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Mo Gyeong-jong. Of those, 176 resulted in warnings, 26 in driver license suspensions, and two in license revocations. Another 1,

Eggs stacked high, vegetable stacks lining the walls, dried garlic dangling from the ceiling and clothes hanging by the entrance: this photograph captures Seoul's Shinheung Market nearly 36 years ago — a riot of everyday necessities woven into the rhythm of a more workaday Haebangchon. Today, the weathered brick walls remain as traces of the market's past, while restaurants and cafes fill the buildings along with colorful signs and highly photographed alleys. For those who knew the old Shinheung

Gangnam-gu Mayor Kim Hyeon-ki likens his first three months in office to Forrest Gump’s long run. He said he began running alone, but district officials and residents have since joined him in pursuing what he calls a “major transformation of Gangnam.” “I’ve gained considerable confidence. I now believe we can make it happen,” Kim said in an interview with The Korea Herald at his office Tuesday. His priority is to prepare the district for the future rather than rest on its past success. “If we re

Mayor Kim Hyeon-ki says he is prepared to “stake his life” on Gangnam-gu's push to attract an AI research center planned by US chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices. The district is pitching its schools, residential amenities and growing robotics cluster as assets in attracting the hundreds of researchers AMD plans to hire to Korea. AMD CEO Lisa Su said on Oct. 7 that the company plans to establish an AI Center of Excellence in Korea by year-end and hire hundreds of researchers. The center is expecte

South Korea’s daycare center network has shrunk by 41 percent since peaking in 2013, amid persistently low birth rates. The number fell for the 12th consecutive year in 2025, dropping to 26,064 from the 2013 peak of 43,770. The 2025 figure also marked a 4.8 percent drop from 2024, according to Ministry of Health and Welfare data released by the Korean Statistical Information Service. Enrollment fell to 887,764 children last year from 941,303 in 2024. Among children aged 0 to 6, 48.1 percent atte

Seoul's decades-old mecca for electronic devices is set to become a specialized district for artificial intelligence and information and communications technology in central Seoul. The first construction phase of the Yongsan Electronics Market overhaul is scheduled to begin this month, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Sunday. The project marks the first construction work since the city announced a redevelopment strategy in June 2023 aimed at market transformation and stronger ties to the n

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon defended his innocence and pressed his housing agenda Wednesday, weeks before an appellate ruling that could put his hold on office at risk. Speaking at a press conference marking the first 100 days of his latest term following his reelection in June, Oh expressed regret over the trial. “A substantial amount of new evidence that did not emerge at the first trial has been submitted on appeal,” he said. “I am awaiting the outcome with humility. The truth always comes to ligh

As artificial intelligence makes visual forms easier to produce, the value of design increasingly lies in how those creations serve people’s lives, Seoul Design Foundation CEO Cha Kang-heui said in congratulatory remarks at Herald Design Lounge 2026. Speaking Friday at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Cha linked the event’s theme, "Beyond Visuals," to the changing role of designers, placing greater emphasis on understanding people and their daily lives. "Understanding who will use something, in