The number of crimes committed by non-Koreans in South Korea is on the rise, police said Thursday. 　The National Police Agency said the number of reported crimes committed by foreign nationals was 25,570 cases in the first half of this year. That figure translates into more than 4,200 criminal cases per month.Criminal charges filed against foreign nationals jumped nearly 44 percent to 38,355 last year compared to 26,663 in 2013, due mostly to an increase in cases of assault and traffic offenses.

진행자: 조혜림, Kevin Lee Selzer1. 최순실 딸 정유라의 이화여대 특혜 의혹 논란 기사 요약: 박근혜 대통령 측근 최순실씨의 딸 정유라씨가 이화여대 입학과정에서와 재학 중에 특혜를 받았다는 논란이불거지며 이화여대 총학생회와 교수진이 최경희 총장의 사퇴를 요구했다. 　아이튠즈(아이폰): https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/koliaheleoldeu-paskaeseuteu/id686406253?mt=2 팟빵 (안드로이드): http://www.podbbang.com/ch/6638President of Ewha Womans University under pressure to resign　[1] Calls for Choi Kyung-hee to resign come amid mounting controversy that Jeong Yoo-ra, daughter of Park’s long-term friend Choi Soon-sil, was giv

South Korea’s top streamer, known as “Daedoseogwan” (‘Great Library’ in English), has left the country’s biggest video-sharing platform, AfreecaTV, over profit-sharing conflicts.The 38-year-old streamer, whose real name is Na Dong-hyun, gained fame by streaming online game plays on AfreecaTV. Na has so far attracted 113 million viewers on AfreecaTV since 2011, emerging as one of the most sought-after streamers here. He also has 1.3 million YouTube subscribers. Na Dong-hyun, who uses the alias “G

A law school student who had been caught three times for secretly taking upskirt photos was sentenced to one year in prison without probation, Seoul Central District Court said Tuesday. The court ruling came after the 32-year-old law school student, surnamed Han, was caught taking photographs of female shoppers in Seoul’s Jongno district on July 30. (Herald DB)He had used his smartphone to take photos of more than 100 women at a shopping mall. This is the third time Han has been indicted. He had

Chinese tourists in their 20s and 30s are spending more than other age groups while staying in South Korea, helping boost sales linked to the travel industry. According to Hotel Shilla on Monday, the sales of its affiliated Shilla Duty Free in Jangchung-dong in Seoul from Chinese tourists this year were mostly driven by those in their 20s and 30s, accounting for 36 percent and 41 percent, respectively. The 77 percent total by Chinese tourists in their 20s and 30s marked a sharp increase from 34

(Online) K-dramas boost toasted seaweed sales Sales of toasted seaweed are on the rise as more Chinese people are tuning into K-dramas. According to Lotte Mart, the discount chain operated by Lotte group, sales of the traditional snack sold to Chinese tourists at its wholesale supermarket chain near Seoul Station have jumped by 78 percent over the past three years. In 2012 sales of the product stood at 100, increasing to 178 in 2015.Among the different variations of the product, seasoned seaweed

Police have caught three men accused of distributing child pornography on the internet, according to cybercrime investigation authorities. The cybercrime agency of Busan Police Station said Wednesday that they were currently investigating the suspects who are charged with spreading around 30,000 videos containing illegal pornography, many of which involved underage teens.  Busan Police StationAmong the suspects is a 31-year-old website operator who made the videos available on five different web

Another case of an explosion of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 replacement device was reported Tuesday, following an announcement that the firm would be halting its production. The incident took place at Chungbuk University in northern Chungcheong Province. A Note 7 belonging to a college student surnamed Kim, 21, became “overheated and blew up.”  A college man says his phone blew up from his pocket.Kim who publicized the issue with video footage via social media said he “found it emitting smoke from h

An announcement on a Japanese railway line has rekindled debate about discrimination against foreigners, following a recent case of a sushi restaurant accused of serving excessive amounts of wasabi to Korean customers in Osaka. According to Japan’s Kyodo news agency Monday, a Nankai Electric Railway conductor made an inappropriate comment about foreign passengers during an announcement aired on a train bound for Kansai International Airport Station.During the announcement, the conductor said, “W

Teenagers who engage in extreme dieting are exposed to greater suicide risks, a study shows. Researchers at Yonsei University in Seoul said on Monday that children in middle and high school who were obsessed with dieting, fasting, or binge eating, and the use of unprescribed medication are twice more likely to commit suicide than those on a normal diet. The study’s result came after they had reviewed the previous survey from the Minister of Health and Welfare in 2014, which surveyed around 70,00

Instant coffee, or soluble coffee powder with sugar and creamer, is the most popular Korean beverage among foreign visitors, a survey found. More than 50 percent of the surveyed (491 travelers out of 926) who visited here between September and October said the Korean instant coffee mix was their favorite when asked to pick the top Korean beverage that they enjoyed while staying, according to a local travel agency, Cosmos Jin on Monday.  YonhapThe most common reasons for the affection was conveni

A high school student accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend was found dead in an apparent suicide, police said. According to Haeundae Police Station in Busan on Monday, the incident occurred Sunday after the couple got into an argument at the victim’s apartment. (Herald DB)The victim, 25, told the 19-year-old suspect she wanted to end her relationship with him, police said. The suspect asked her to reconsider the decision, but she stayed firm. Choi grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed he

Two wild boars were spotted in downtown Uijeongbu at 12:05 a.m. on Monday, according to the police. Residents in the region reported sightings after they came across a couple of wild pigs near an intersection in Uijeongbu-dong. One of the boars was killed immediately after local police officers and fire fighters arrived on the scene. The other escaped into the nearby mountain, according to the police.  Video footage showing two wild boars spotted in the city of UijeongbuIn recent months, a growi

The former bookkeeper at a Busan-based firm was caught embezzling more than 1 billion won ($900,000), police said on Thursday. According to Yeongdo Police Station in Busan, the 41-year-old woman, surnamed Kim, is accused of stealing corporate funds and making false entries in the corporate books. From 2011 until 2016, Kim deposited the corporate funds into personal accounts, marking the transactions as purchasing goods under the name of the company’s head. (123rf)The suspect carried out the ille

A former taxi driver was caught intentionally hitting his hand against side-view mirrors as vehicles drove by and demanding compensation, police said Thursday. Dongdaemun Police Station in Seoul said the 64-year-old man is in custody on the charge of intentionally injuring his wrist and swindling drivers of around 5 million won ($4,500).(Herald DB)Police said the suspect had targeted cars on narrow streets in Gangbuk-gu since last year, causing injuries to himself by punching the side-view mirro

New testimony Thursday revealed that a missing pet dog named “Heart” was still breathing before it was approached by villagers and eaten, police said. Iksan Police authorities are reviewing a statement from the witness, as well as previous statements from others, who testified the dog was alive when a 73-year-old suspect surnamed Cho and three others took him to a village hall in Iksan to slaughter. A photo of Heart, who was later found slaughtered and eaten.Other witnesses in the town offered s

A 23-year-old college student will serve a 30-year prison sentence for breaking into his neighbor’s home and killing the elderly couple inside, the South Korean Supreme Court ruled on Thursday.  (Herald DB)The high court decision confirmed the previous ruling of the lower courts that had sentenced the defendant surnamed Seol to 30 years in jail.The killing occurred on Aug. 10, 2015, when Seol, while intoxicated, trespassed into the victim’s house in downtown Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province,

Around 40 percent of town bus drivers in Seoul leave their job within a year, a report showed. According to a report released on Thursday by Seoul Labor Rights Center, town bus drivers who left their job within a year accounted for 41 percent, while those who stayed for more than five years stood at 9 percent. The average employment period of town bus drivers in Seoul is around two years. YonhapThe staff turnover of 60 percent since 2010 is seen as an issue for the bus companies in Seoul, accord

Seven men were caught after intentionally causing car crashes with drunken drivers in an attempt to demand money, police said Thursday. Seocho Police Station in Seoul said that the seven men, all in their 20s, are facing charges of causing intentional car accidents and blackmailing drunken drivers for compensation. When their demands were refused, they threatened to report the victims to the police.  (Herald DB)The group is accused of extorting around 1.2 million won, or $1,000 worth of cash fro

A top university graduate was caught secretly taking upskirt photos, police said on Wednesday. According to Gwanak Police Station in Seoul, the 28-year-old man allegedly took photos of a female student in Seoul National University campus on Sunday. She was studying in front of him at the school’s library. The suspect, who is currently attending another school, is a graduate of Seoul National University. A witness reported the incident to a security office at the university, and called the police