Cars accelerating out of a driver’s control is a common fear among South Korean drivers, with suspected cases frequently highlighted in the local media. However, a forensic analysis of 364 alleged incidents found no cases with sufficient evidence to confirm sudden unintended accelerations had occurred. In all 321 cases where analysis was possible, drivers had pressed the accelerator – contrary to their claims of hitting the brake. In its report Wednesday, the National Forensic Serv

YANGPYEONG, Gyeonggi Province -- Gardens are a place of serenity. The Gardens of Medongaule -- formally “Les Jardins de Medongaule,” a garden complex scheduled for full opening next year -- are no exception. Even more, the sheer size of the gardens will leave you awestruck. The compound of Medongaule, meaning a valley (gaule) of bindweed (medon), spans some 200,000 square meters. That’s roughly the size of Ttukseom Hangang Park in Seoul. Medongaule is divided into two main gard

BLACKPINK's Rose has reached No. 2 on the British Official Singles Top 100 chart with "APT.," her collaboration single with American pop star Bruno Mars, setting a new record as the highest-charting female K-pop artist. The single debuted at No. 4 and climbed two spots to come just behind U.S. singer-songwriter Gigi Perez's "Sailor Song," which currently holds the No. 1 position, according to the chart released Friday (British time). With the achievement, Rose has b

Over 300 millimeters of rain has pummeled the southern island of Jeju over two days this week, marking the heaviest November downpour in 101 years for the region, the weather agency said Saturday. Rainfall ranging from 150 mm to 347 mm has drenched Jeju from Friday to early Saturday morning, including 333 mm in the northern mountainous regions, according to the Jeju branch of the Korea Meteorological Administration. On Friday alone, the island's northern regions received 238.4 mm of rain, m

Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on Saturday condemned the United Nations for criticizing the country's recent test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), reaffirming Pyongyang's stance to retain nuclear weapons development. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday denounced North Korea's launch of a Hwasong-19 ICBM as a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the Worke

SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Canada have called for the withdrawal of North Korean troops dispatched to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine, labeling the deployment "a grave escalation" of tension that threatens security in both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. The call was made in a joint statement adopted during a "two plus two" meeting of the two countries' foreign and defense ministers in Ottawa on Friday (Canada time), Seoul's foreign minist

National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik said Friday that South Korea is "not considering the dispatch of troops to Ukraine at all," amid reports of North Korea's imminent participation in the war to support Russia. Shin made the remark during a parliamentary audit when lawmakers asked him about the possibility of South Korea sending troops to Ukraine. The adviser, however, noted that he believes the deployment of a South Korean team of observers and analysts to Ukraine is essential

North Korean Foreign Minister Choi Son-hui said Friday the current situation on the Korean Peninsula requires Pyongyang to make efforts to bolster its readiness against nuclear retaliation, noting that the reclusive regime will not change its nuclear policy. Choe made the remark during her meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, according to a report by Sputnik, which came amid North Korean troops' possible participation in Russia's war with Ukraine. Choe was quoted as saying by the

The Motion Pictures Association of Korea, the organizer of Korea’s oldest film awards, the Grand Bell Film Awards, has gone bankrupt with debts exceeding 800 million won ($580,000), raising doubts as to whether this year’s events will take place in December as planned. The festival was once regarded as the country’s top film awards, but it had been struggling to meet financial and reputational challenges. “After the court announced bankruptcy in December last year, the

The most successful comedy flick in the history of Korean cinema is the 2019 movie “Extreme Job,” which sold 16.2 million tickets and grossed 140 billion won ($101 million). Expectations had been high for “Amazon Bullseye,” which billed itself as the reunion of “Extreme Job” stars Ryoo Seung-ryong and Jin Seon-kyu, as well as screenwriter Bae Se-young. Such expectations were dashed, however, when it opened in theaters on Oct. 30. As the movie unfolds, with f

A dancer in a floppy hat and loose, wide-leg pants steps onto the stage, wielding a white fan with remarkable finesse. With deft movements, he conjures an almost magical sequence -- opening and softly folding the fan with a flick of the wrist, each motion seamless and barely perceptible, while his feet shuffle with agility. Moments later, two more dancers join, positioning their right arms and legs between two tilted mirrors that cast uncanny reflections. Their arms, legs and fans move in harmon

South Korea looks to bolster cooperation with Asian nations to adjust and deal with the spread of legal services utilizing artificial intelligence, an official said Friday. Lee Wan-kyu, minister of government legislation, highlighted the growing incorporation of AI technology in legal services across the world and the need for Asian nations to join heads to brace for future growth, at the 12th Asian Legislative Experts Symposium held in Yeouido, western Seoul. “As you are witnessing the si

The Korean government is pushing to ban medical professionals from prescribing propofol for themselves to reduce the risk of misuse, officials said Friday. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it will propose an amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Narcotics Control Act to prohibit doctors and dentists from prescribing or administering propofol to themselves and receive public opinion on the policy until Dec. 10. Propofol is a sedative used mostly during cosmetic procedures or when pe

The Korean Gallery at the Art Institute of Chicago is reopening Friday, US time, three times larger and showing more than its previous offering of ceramics. “The gallery will feature several themes including Buddhist Art, Celadon and Tea Culture, Symbolism in Motifs, Buncheong ware, Confucianism and White Porcelain and Treasures of Scholars,” an official from the art museum told The Korea Herald. “The new Korean Gallery will provide an opportunity for visitors to see 60 objects

South Korea’s instant ramyeon exports have officially surpassed the $1 billion mark for the first time this year, reflecting surging global demand. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reported on Friday that instant noodle exports from January to October reached an impressive $1.02 billion (1.4 trillion won), representing a 30 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Last year’s exports totaled $952 million, meaning this year's exports exceeded tha

South Korea and the United States have, for the first time, explicitly confirmed that cyber and space threats to either country could trigger mutual defense actions under their bilateral treaty signed in 1953, which forms the basis of their military alliance. The commitment was outlined in a joint statement following the South Korea-US '2+2' foreign and defense ministerial meeting held Thursday in Washington, notably amid rising concerns over deepening security cooperation between Russia and Nor

President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating has fallen to 19 percent, the lowest level since he took office in May 2022, a recent poll by Gallup Korea showed Friday. According to the pollster's survey, conducted on between Oct. 29-31 on 1,005 people aged 18 and older, the positive assessment of the president's performance, which remained at 20 percent in the previous surveys taken in the second week of September and the fourth week of October, respectively, dropped to a new record

Korean platform companies are increasingly setting sights on US listings as the domestic stock market loses momentum. Viva Republica, the operator of financial app Toss, recently paused its initial public offering plans in Korea to explore a US listing instead. “We are considering the US as our listing destination over Korea, but no specific plans or timeline have been set,” a Viva Republica official said Wednesday, noting that both markets remain options. Viva Republica’s pivo

Hankook & Co., the holding firm of Korea's largest tire maker Hankook Tire & Technology, announced Friday that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a stake in Seoul-based automotive parts supplier Hanon Systems. Under the agreement, Hankook & Company will purchase a 23 percent stake in Hanon Systems from private equity firm Hahn & Co. for approximately 1.23 trillion won, finalizing the deal about six months after the two companies signed a memorandum of understand

South Korean stocks fell for the third consecutive session Friday, led by tech share losses. The local currency rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) lost 13.79 points, or 0.54 percent, to close at 2,542.36, extending its losing streak from Wednesday. Trading volume was light at 315.1 million shares worth 7.8 trillion won (US$5.66 billion), with decliners beating gainers 599 to 288. Foreigners and institutions dumped a net 38.8 billion won and 188.4