South Korea replaced 14 of its 18 regional police chiefs in a sweeping leadership reshuffle Tuesday, installing new commanders in Seoul, Gwangju and Jeju Island as the force grapples with public anger over recent investigative failures. The Korean National Police Agency said it applied a policy barring chiefs from serving in regions where they have personal ties to all 18 posts, in an effort to strengthen fairness and reduce the risk of collusion between senior officers and local communities. Ki

Police on Tuesday denied allegations that they had changed their position on the death of Jang Mi-ran, the 37-year-old woman who was found dead at a palm tree farm on Jeju Island after being reported missing on May 15. Yoo initially said Jang was suspected to have died by hanging on Aug. 24, the day her body was found. The Jeju Provincial Police Agency also said at the time that it had found no signs of foul play based on the condition and position of her body. But Hong Seok-ki, head of the Nati

A police officer on Jeju Island was sent to prosecutors in custody Tuesday over allegations that he falsely claimed to have contacted two missing people and closed their cases. Both were later found dead. The officer, surnamed Bu, told investigators that he falsely closed the cases because he felt overburdened by the work required to keep them open, according to the Jeju Provincial Police Agency. Police also said their first comprehensive review of 298 missing person cases closed by Bu had ident

As South Korea moves to tighten a disputed pension back payment rule, the head of the National Pension Service says any new limits should be based on how long people have paid into the system, not their nationality. “What is important is not nationality, but how much they contribute and how long they contribute,” Kim Sung-joo, chairperson and CEO of the NPS, wrote in a social media post Sunday evening. “Foreign nationals also pay contributions when they work in Korea. When they pay contributions

Jeju police are reexamining whether a palm tree branch could have supported the weight of a missing woman whose body was found on a palm farm, as questions persist over the circumstances surrounding her death. As part of the investigation, police conducted a reenactment over the weekend at the farm in Hallim-eup, western Jeju City, where the body of Jang Mi-ran, 37, was found on Aug. 24, 104 days after she was reported missing on May 15, according to the Jeju Provincial Police Agency. A local po

Foreign card spending on medical services in South Korea jumped 66.5 percent in July from a year earlier, extending a rapid expansion in the country’s medical tourism industry. Foreign nationals spent 213 billion won ($145 million) on medical services and related products during the month, according to credit card-based data from the Korea Tourism Organization. The increase follows annual growth of 65 percent in 2025 and 78.6 percent in 2024, suggesting the field is becoming a larger part of Kor

Jjorongi, a rescued kestrel who lives at the Hangang Wildlife Conservation Research Center in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, flew onto a visitor’s hand for a piece of meat during a visit Sunday. Just slightly larger than a good-sized fist, she has round, fluffy features and wide black eyes that make her look more cute than fierce. Her sharp talons and hooked beak tell another story. After all, Jjorongi is a raptor. But being a predator does not make her immune to city life. Injured raptors regularly

Industrial users outside southern Seoul and southern Gyeonggi Province could save a combined 2.8 trillion won ($2 billion) a year in electricity costs under a regional pricing system the government aims to introduce by the end of this year. The biggest savings would be available in southern Korea, where industrial electricity rates could be cut by as much as 18 won per kilowatt-hour, or roughly 10 percent of last year’s average industrial electricity rate. For large power users such as semicondu

A police officer accused of falsely closing two missing-person cases on Jeju Island denied the allegations Wednesday, a day after he was detained under an arrest warrant. According to the Jeju Provincial Police Agency, the 35-year-old officer, identified by his surname Bu, maintains that he had contacted the two missing people before closing the cases. Police have so far been unable to find records showing that Bu had contacted either of the two missing people. Bu is being investigated over two

A new study suggests that a combination of cognitive performance and educational background may help identify older drivers at a higher risk of serious crashes, according to researchers at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. In an analysis of police data involving 876 male drivers aged 60 and older, a team led by Kim Ki-woong and Han Ji-won, professors in the hospital’s department of neuropsychiatry, found significant differences in crash risk based on years of education and performance

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

What began as allegations that a police officer had falsely closed a missing-person case on Jeju Island has grown into a broader test of Korea’s system for handling disappearances, prompting nationwide reviews and a presidential call for police reform. A body believed to be that of 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran, who had been missing for more than three months, was found Monday at a palm farm in Hallim-eup, Jeju Island, 104 days after she was reported missing. The case took on added significance after

South Korea is reviewing pension rules for foreign nationals after cases emerged of people qualifying for old-age benefits after contributing for as little as one month and later making years of back payments. Critics argue that some foreign subscribers may be taking advantage of a system designed to help people facing financial difficulties who are unable to make regular contributions. Others, however, say singling out foreign subscribers could be discriminatory because the same system is also

South Korea will extend by one year a rule requiring foreign nationals to obtain government approval before buying homes in Seoul and much of the surrounding capital region, as authorities seek to curb speculative purchases and rising housing prices. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Thursday that foreign-buyer land transaction permit zones, first designated last August, will remain in effect from Aug. 26 through Aug. 25, 2027. The restrictions cover all of Seoul and 23 cit

A Japanese influencer with more than 2 million followers on Instagram has come under fire online for making a racist eye gesture mocking Ateez member San’s performance at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Local media reported Friday that the influencer, who goes by the name Gamix, uploaded a video Thursday recreating the K-pop singer’s dance performance to the song “Bad.” In the video, Gamix wore an Atletico Madrid shirt similar to the one San wore when he participated in a ceremonial kickoff before a ma