While Mexican soccer fans are celebrating Mexico’s advancement to the World Cup’s knockout stage, thousands of South Korean fans are more concerned about Son Heung-min’s now inevitable enlistment in the nation’s army. South Korea’s victory against Germany on Wednesday eliminated Son’s chance of bypassing the 2-year military duty, which is required for all abled-bodied men before they turn 28. Son Heung-min (Yonhap)Titled “I will serve in the military on behalf of Son Heung-min,” a petition on th

Mexico desperately needed South Korea to beat Germany in order to qualify for the next round in the 2018 World Cup. Surprisingly, Mexico got what it wished for. South Korea’s 2-0 victory over Germany on Wednesday united South Korean and Mexican soccer fans all around the world. Hundreds of Mexican fans flocked to the South Korean embassy in Mexico City to show their gratitude for helping Mexico progress to the knockout stage despite its defeat against Sweden. With some holding the South Korean f

Just as Uruguay and Russia were about to face off for the Group A teams’ third match, the crowd went wild, as it appeared North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had made a sudden appearance at Samara Arena, local media outlets reported. According to 24 Horas, a Kim Jong-un lookalike, wearing thick-rimmed glasses and an all-black suit, turned heads as he walked into the stadium without a security detail. The crowd reportedly was hesitant at first, but soon surrounded him in hopes of getting a picture to

A car rammed into a group of pedestrians in front of a retail store in Taepyeong-dong, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, around 9 p.m. Tuesday, injuring two people, with the driver still on the run, police said. Shortly after hitting the two victims, the Sorento reportedly started going into reverse. It crashed into two parked cars on the side of the street and then overturned.  (Yonhap)A 70-year-old man and another victim sustained injuries from the collision, according to reports. The driver of the

A government survey showed Friday that over 15 percent of South Korean elementary and middle schoolers are addicted to either the internet or smartphones. According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the survey polled a total of 1.29 million students -- fourth graders, seventh graders and 10th graders -- in March and April. The results indicated that some 196,337 schoolchildren, or 15.2 percent, refuse to put down their phones or stop going on the internet, an increase from 14.3 perc

A 65-year-old man has been sentenced to one year in prison for physically abusing his mother, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, court officials said Friday. According to the Daejeon District Court, the man beat his mother in the face, back and arms on two separate occasions in April 2017. The victim was hospitalized for 10 days due to the injuries she sustained, authorities said.  (Yonhap)Police said they received reports of the abuse and indicted him on the charge of battery of a fami

Biracial couples who speak in Korean are gaining subscribers and viewers on YouTube, carving a niche for themselves amid the staggering number of videos that appear on the online video platform daily.It is a noteworthy feat considering that 50 million users upload 300 hours of videos on YouTube every minute. In addition, the world’s largest online video platform attracts over 30 million visitors who watch around 5 billion videos every day, according to YouTube. Here are three such couples who ar

Police on Wednesday said they have expanded their search for a teenage girl who went missing Saturday afternoon, as no one has reported seeing her alive for the past five days. Search and rescue teams consisting of some 600 police officers have been searching for the girl since 8 a.m. Wednesday, with the help of heat-sensing helicopters and police dogs. According to Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency on Monday, the 16-year-old failed to return home after leaving for her part-time job around 2 p.m.

Anyang police on Monday said they have booked a man for allegedly taking naked photos of himself near multiple schools in the area. The 31-year-old man, surnamed Oh, is being charged with open lewdness and disorderly conduct, according to Anyang Manan Police Station. Oh reportedly shared 10 naked photos of himself on social media, posing in front of 10 girls’ schools in the early morning hours since January. Anyang Manan police officers. (Yonhap)Oh is reported to not have entered the school prem

Skeletal remains of a man were found Monday inside a multiunit house in Sasang-gu, central Busan, authorities said Tuesday. According to Sasang police, the 55-year-old surnamed Jang is believed to have been dead for two months prior to the discovery. Police said they received a call from the head of the village, who said he had not seen Jang for nearly two months and that there was an “odor coming from inside the house.”  (Yonhap)Accompanied by a social worker and the village chief, police and f

Police on Monday said they are growing increasingly concerned for the welfare of a teenage girl who went missing Saturday afternoon, as no one has reported seeing her alive for the past three days. According to Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency on Monday, the teen failed to return home after leaving for work around 2 p.m. Saturday in Gangjin, South Jeolla Province.  (Yonhap)In her last conversation, the missing girl reportedly told her friends via social media that the part-time job was offered b

A man has been taken into police custody after he allegedly killed his ex-girlfriend’s father and injured three others, Busan police said Monday. According to the Busan Haeundae Police Station, the suspect, 21, is being charged with the murder of his ex-girlfriend’s father. The suspect reportedly went to his ex-girlfriend’s house with a knife and stabbed the 53-year-old victim in the neck at approximately 7 a.m. Monday.  (Yonhap)The victim was rushed to the hospital, but died soon after due to e

Seventy pigs died after a fire broke out early Monday morning at a pig farm in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, local authorities said. According to the Paju Fire Department, the fire started at approximately 1 a.m. Monday and was put out an hour later. (Yonhap)The fire reportedly burnt through three farm houses, killing 70 pigs and causing an estimated 26.25 million won ($23,800) in damage. The fire department of the city said it is working closely with the police to find the exact point of origin and

The Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency said Sunday it would start performing random roadside sobriety tests during the morning rush hour, as part of efforts to curb impaired driving in the morning after a night of binge drinking. The agency also plans to set up sobriety checkpoints with the help of local traffic cops and regular officers.  (Yonhap)In addition, police officers will be checking for any suspected impaired driving right after corporate lunch hours in order to prevent workers from dr

Models took to the streets of Sejong-daero in Gwanghwamun to celebrate Seoul’s “carless street day” on Sunday. The main avenue of Sejong-no in central Seoul became the runway for models to showcase two separate fashion shows -- one at 2:30 p.m. and another at 4 p.m. -- under the theme of “Fantasy Seoul.”According to a fashion show official, the theme seeks to highlight the beauty of Korean fashion and its rising prominence in the global fashion industry. Photos by Yonhap Written by Catherine Chu

A 77-year-old taxi driver died as his Sonata crashed into a wall near Gwangju Metro’s Airport Station on Saturday afternoon. Authorities said the man surnamed Park was already dead when they arrived at the scene.  (YouTube)The fatal accident occurred at the intersection near the subway exit 6 in Sinchon-dong, Gwangsan-gu at approximately 2:40 p.m. Saturday, according to reports. Police said Park was driving straight ahead at the intersection when the collision happened. They are currently lookin

A 68-year-old man has been booked without physical detention after police discovered opium poppies growing in his apartment’s terrace garden, authorities said Sunday. According to Guro Police Station, the alleged grower, surnamed Lee, is being accused of harvesting 349 opium poppy seeds in the 33-square meters garden, located on the first floor of an apartment in Guro-gu, southwestern Seoul.  Photo provided by Guro Police Station. (Yonhap)Lee reportedly planted tall plants along the garden’s ext

Home is a place that invites a feeling of warmth and comfort.From the color of the walls to the living room furniture, each added element to a home tells a different story. Overstuffed furnishings, draperies and accessories displayed on a bookshelf are some examples that can offer a glimpse into the life of a home owner. In the past, older generations of Koreans preferred simplistic features for their home decor. Now, a growing number of 20- and 30-somethings are bringing together creativity and

The Seoul Central District Court said Thursday it has sentenced a top vocalist to seven years in prison and 120 hours of sexual violence treatment for sexually assaulting his male student and acquaintances during the first hearing. The vocalist is reported to be a prominent figure in the music scene, having appeared in multiple entertainment shows on television as a mentor for young students dreaming to become a singer.  (Yonhap)The vocalist was indicted last year in December for allegedly rapin

A 7-year-old girl who choked on an after-school snack died Wednesday in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, police said. According to local authorities, the victim was eating fish cake provided by her elementary school when she choked around 3:40 p.m. Tuesday.  (Herald DB)She was rushed to Cheonan’s Dankook University Hospital via a helicopter. Doctors reportedly found her in a coma upon arrival. The victim was receiving treatment in the intensive care unit when she died at 9:20 a.m. Wednesday,