Lawmakers and ambassadors were among the 1,122 people who gathered in Gwangju and Seoul Friday to make kimchi to donate to underprivileged people. The 2024 Korea Kimchi Grand Festival was held for two hours in the National Assembly’s courtyard in Yeouido, central Seoul and May 18 Democracy Square in central Gwangju simultaneously. The event was organized by Herald Media Group, local broadcaster Gwangju MBC and Rep. Ju Chul-hyun of the main opposition Democratic Party. The event at the Nati

A local court ruled against a Daegu hospital that challenged government's decision to withdraw funding after the institution's refused to admit a teenage emergency patient, leading to her death. Th Health Ministry decided not to provide government subsidies to four universities, including the Daegu Catholic University Medical Center (DCMC), for six months in response to their actions concerning a 17-year-old emergency patient in March. The girl sustained a serious injury after fallin

South Korean police apprehended nearly 300 doctors for drug-related offenses this year, government data showed Sunday, highlighting the need for stricter monitoring of medical professionals who have access to controlled substances. A total of 294 doctors were caught for drug-related offenses in the first 10 months of this year, according to the Korean National Police Agency's data submitted to Rep. Yang Bu-nam of the main opposition Democratic Party. Drug offenders here are those involved

Temperatures are expected to drop significantly from Wednesday, with some regions likely to see the first snow of the season, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Sunday. A low-pressure trough and a cloud band developing over the West Sea are expected to bring rain to most parts of the country on Tuesday. Following the rain, temperatures are forecast to drop significantly starting Wednesday, with morning temperatures as low as minus 8 degrees Celsius in Seoul, the KMA said

A 26-year-old man was found guilty of evading national service after he was found to have deliberately gained weight to avoid serving in the military. Seoul Eastern Dongbu District Court recently sentenced the defendant to one year in prison, suspended for two years, for violating the Military Service Act. The act stipulates that those who evade their mandatary military service without justifiable cause can be punished by up to three years in prison. The defendant deliberately gained weight by

Starting next month, all newly registered cars seating for five or more passengers will be required to have a fire extinguisher, fire authorities said Sunday. Currently, the mandatory installation of fire extinguishers applies to vehicles that carry seven or more passengers. According to the National Fire Agency, the change aligns with the revision of the Act on Installation and Management of Firefighting Systems, set to take effect in December after a three-year grace period. The mandate does

Toxic substances up to 622 times Korea’s permitted levels were found in children’s winter clothing sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Friday. In the latest safety inspection conducted by the city government on 26 items of winter clothing for children and infants from Temu, Shein and AliExpress, toxic chemicals were found on seven products. One children’s jacket sold on Temu contained phthalate plasticizers -- toxic chemicals that can di

There have been 80,368 calls made with possibly malicious intent to the 120 Dasan Seoul Call Center from 2020 to October this year, the state-run foundation for the city's official information service said during a conference on Wednesday. The 120 Dasan Call Foundation hosted a seminar on the emotional labor of call center workers at the Seoul City Hall, during which it revealed the statistics related to problematic complaints or calls made to the call center. It defined malicious petitio

Two business owners were jailed Thursday for luring two teenage girls with intellectual disabilities to an entertainment establishment they ran and forcing them into prostitution. On Thursday, the Suwon District Court sentenced two defendants to five and four years in prison. They were also ordered to complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment and banned from employment at institutions dealing with children, youths and disabled people for seven years. The two men were indicted on charges of

Dongduk Women’s University has reached an agreement with student representatives to temporarily suspend discussions on transitioning to a coeducational institution, weeks after the college's proposal reignited debates over the future of women’s universities in South Korea. The university confirmed that the coeducation talks would be paused indefinitely and that any future discussions would involve direct consultation with students. As part of the agreement, the student council pledge

Nearly 700 high-income tax evaders have been uncovered in South Korea, including who hid millions of won in kimchi containers and another who drove a Rolls-Royce while dodging taxes, the National Tax Service said Thursday. The agency revealed a list of 696 individuals suspected of evading taxes through sophisticated methods. These include 216 who concealed assets despite having the means to pay, 81 who transferred wealth to family members through fraudulent transactions and 399 who lived extrava

A recent state-conducted health survey revealed a significant drop in smoking and alcohol consumption among South Korean teenagers over the past 20 years, but other negative trends in mental health and dietary habits are emerging. The Ministry of Education and Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency revealed Friday that the “current smoking rate,” -- measuring students who smoked at least once in the past month -- dropped from 11.8 percent in 2005 to 3.6 percent this year. Simi

An electric vehicle without a driver at the wheel crashed into a restaurant building in Gangnam, Seoul, injuring four pedestrians, police said Friday. The incident occurred at around 5:17 p.m. on Thursday, leaving pedestrians with minor injuries. According to authorities, the vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz electric car, was parked when the accident happened. The car owner, a woman in her 30s, was seated in the passenger seat changing her shoes. She claimed to have pressed the car’s “auto

South Korea expects to achieve an economic effect worth 59 trillion won ($42 billion) by enhancing the country's "zero carbon energy ecosystem" by 2033, the industry ministry said Friday. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has announced the 5th Energy Technology Plan, outlining its energy technology vision and R&D investment strategy for the next 10 years through 2033. Under the plan, the government will focus on increasing the use of nuclear power, hydrogen, and ren

Seoul Metro, the operator of subway lines 1-8, said Friday that 27 trains were delayed by more than 20 minutes on the previous day, marking the second day of a slowdown strike by its unionized workers. With 3,189 subway trains in operation Thursday, their on-time rate stood at 99.1 percent, the operator said, noting that the current law defines a delayed train as one delayed by more than 20 minutes. Compared with the first day of the unionized workers' "work-to-rule" protest, th

Hackers linked to North Korea’s military intelligence agency were found to be responsible for extorting ethereum cryptocurrency worth 58 billion won ($41.5 million) back in 2019, according to the National Office of Investigation of the Korean National Police Agency, Thursday. According to the KNPA, North Korea’s state-sponsored hacker groups Lazarus and Andariel were found to be involved in the theft of 342,000 ethereum tokens from the South Korea-based cryptocurrency exchange Upbit

Smugglers who attempted to disguise 230 tons of black soybeans, known as “seoritae,” from China as an additive for diesel engines, have been arrested, customs officials said Thursday. The Incheon Regional Customs said it has referred 11 suspects to prosecutors without detention for alleged violations of customs law. The authorities have also issued wanted notice for two accomplices who are believed to be in China. The suspects are accused of smuggling 230 tons of black soybeans, wort

Complaints related to deepfake sex crimes have surged in South Korea this year, government data showed Thursday. From January to October, an average of 50 complaints per month related to deepfake sex crimes were reported to public complaint platforms, such as the state-run e-People website and local government channels, according to data compiled by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. This represents a 1.7-fold increase from the 30 monthly complaints reported on average in 2023. Dee

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday that it will host a large-scale, city-wide winter festival next month, accompanied by media art and radiant sculptures decorating the city. Also known as Seoul Winter Festa, the city government combined several winter-themed events into one large-scale festival for the first time in 2023. According to the city government, the event saw around 7.4 million visitors. This year’s event will kick off on Dec. 13 and run until Jan. 5 at six location

Concerns are rising over Wegovy being available at pharmacies without proper prescription, as some people are grappling with side effects. Wegovy is a popular weight-loss drug known to be used by celebrities like Elon Musk and Rebel Wilson. Recently, users of the weight-loss injection have taken to social media to share their reviews of Wegovy, with many of them experiencing headaches, itching and skin rashes due to allergic reactions, as well as stomach issues. "The most unpleasant side ef