Signs warning against feeding pigeons have appeared across major squares and parks in Seoul as the city launches a monthlong crackdown on the practice. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday it will carry out intensive enforcement throughout June in designated no-feeding zones before shifting to periodic inspections. People caught feeding pigeons in the restricted areas can face fines of up to 1 million won ($665). Originally native to mountainous and natural habitats, feral pigeons have

A midsummer-like heat lingered Saturday night in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, as the city recorded its first tropical night of the year. A tropical night refers to a weather phenomenon in which the temperature does not fall below 25 degrees Celsius between 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. the following day. Early Sunday morning, members of a sea swimming club enjoyed a morning swim at Gyeongpo Beach in Gangneung. As the blazing sun rose over the horizon after a night of lingering heat, they dived into the sea

South Korea's professional baseball league surpassed 4 million spectators for the 2026 season in just 222 games, the fewest ever needed to reach the milestone. The Korea Baseball Organization said Thursday that a combined 68,838 fans attended games at five ballparks across the country, bringing the season's cumulative attendance to 4,035,771. The league reached the 4 million mark eight games faster than last year, when it took 230 games to hit the milestone. The sight of packed stands at ballpar

Seoul's annual Lotus Lantern Festival, or Yeondeunghoe, lit up Jongno on Saturday, celebrating the Buddhist tradition of sharing joy and overcoming hardship ahead of Buddha's Birthday. Held under the slogan "Peace in the mind, Harmony in the world," this year's festival featured a lantern parade, traditional Buddhist rituals and cultural programs, while robot monks and self-driving robots added a modern touch to the centuries-old celebration. Ven. Jinwoo, president of the Jogye Order of Korean B

About 30 dogs registered for regular blood donations and their owners attended a commemorative event Wednesday at Konkuk University. Three donor dogs received special recognition at the event. Bokhui, a former rescue dog, received the Life Sharing Award after donating blood 12 times since 2022. Sundol, an emergency donor dog, received the Life Guardian Award, while Tree was honored with a retirement award for regularly donating blood from the center’s pilot phase until retirement. Wednesday's ev

Eighty-three-year-old Rep. Park Ji-won, the oldest sitting member of the National Assembly, is running in the Democratic Party of Korea’s race to become speaker for the latter half of the 22nd National Assembly. In a Facebook post late Tuesday, Park said he would “give everything” for the country, the public and President Lee Jae Myung, calling it “realistically his final challenge.” Born in 1942 and turning 84 in June, the liberal politician also suggested he would retire from politics after se

The Daejeon Metropolitan Government on Tuesday awarded commendations to 15 people for their roles in safely capturing Neukgu, a young wolf that escaped from Daejeon O World earlier this month, including a citizen whose voluntary tracking efforts proved crucial in locating the animal. The citizen, 27-year-old Kang Jun-su, encountered the wolf on the night of April 14 while driving near wooded areas near the zoo in search of it. Footage he recorded helped authorities track down the animal during t

President Lee Jae Myung will wrap up his three-day visit to India on Tuesday, marking a South Korean president's first state visit to the country in eight years. In a summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two leaders agreed to elevate bilateral ties to “a whole new level,” while acknowledging that the partnership has yet to realize its full potential, according to Cheong Wa Dae. They also pledged to double bilateral trade from $25 billion to $50 billion by 2030. The meeting highli

Cold wave advisories warning of a temperature drop of more than 10 degrees Celsius were issued Monday for parts of Gangwon Province as well as South Chungcheong and North Jeolla provinces, marking the latest such issuance since records began in 2005. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, morning lows on Tuesday in the southern mountainous areas of Gangwon, as well as Gongju and Geumsan in South Chungcheong Province and Muju in North Jeolla Province, are expected to range between

As warmer-than-usual weather boosts demand for summer foods, supermarkets are looking to cash in with early watermelons sales. From April 1-16, Emart’s watermelon sales jumped 82.8 percent from a year earlier, while sales of ice cream and sports drinks rose 40.4 percent and 27.9 percent, respectively, the company said Sunday. At Lotte Mart, sales of watermelons and ice cream also climbed 40.5 percent and 10.4 percent, respectively, over the same period. Day-time temperatures on Sunday were expec

Starting Wednesday, Seoul will roll out a “1-in-5” parking system in more than half of its public parking lots, meaning drivers can only park on certain days depending on their license plate numbers, city officials said Tuesday. The move comes after the government raised the national oil resource security alert to “warning” and introduced emergency measures nationwide. Under the system, vehicles with plate numbers ending in 1 or 6 will be barred on Mondays, 2 or 7 on Tuesdays, 3 or 8 on Wednesda

The 20th International Security Conference will be held Aug. 11-12 at Coex in Seoul, bringing together global cybersecurity leaders amid rapid industry growth and rising digital threats, organizers said Thursday. Under the theme “The Future of AI-Driven Autonomous Security,” the event is expected to serve as a key platform for discussing evolving cyber risks and the accelerating transition toward AI-based security systems. South Korea’s cybersecurity industry has expanded following a string of m

Online posts purporting to disclose the pharmaceuticals used by Kim So-young, 20, who is suspected of killing two men with drug-laced drinks at Seoul motels, are circulating via social media, raising concerns over possible copycat crimes. In a since-deleted post titled “Guys, the recipe is out,” an X user on Monday shared details of eight drugs allegedly used in Kim’s crimes, listing the names, dosages and typical medical uses, along with a warning not to accept such substances from others. The

Stage installation has begun at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, five days ahead of K-pop group BTS' upcoming comeback live performance. Workers were seen setting up the stage Monday at the square, preparing for the group's "BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang," scheduled for March 21 at 8 p.m. Buildings surrounding Gwanghwamun Square have also hung banners welcoming the group's return and promoting the upcoming performance. Notices have been posted across the area informing the public of a partial road

Jang Hang-jun, director of South Korea’s latest box-office phenomenon, “The King’s Warden,” treated fans to free coffee in central Seoul on Thursday at an event celebrating the film’s surpassing of the 10 million admissions milestone. Standing beside a “coffee truck” parked in front of the Korea Press Center, Jang thanked moviegoers for their support and expressed hope that the film’s success would help revive South Korea’s struggling film industry. “I’m grateful for the overwhelming support,” h