North London Collegiate School Jeju’s Class of 2021 scored an average of 39 points in the International Baccalaureate diploma program, demonstrating academic excellence even with the virus-ridden year. The IB diploma program is a two-year educational assessment that provides internationally accepted qualification for entry into top universities across the globe. According to NLCS, it marked the second year in a row for the school’s graduate class to post an average score of 39. T

Buddhist monks are facing criticism after seven of them were caught having a private gathering in violation of local social distancing guidelines. According to the local government of Haenam in South Jeolla Province, there was a report of several Buddhist monks having a meal together with alcoholic drinks on Monday evening, when the region’s social distancing guidelines prohibiting private gatherings of more than four people had come into effect. A photograph showed eight people sitting

Korea’s Environment Minister Han Jeoung-ae will attend the G-20 environment ministers’ meeting and climate and energy ministers’ meeting that kicks off Thursday in Italy, the Ministry of Environment said Wednesday. As a multilateral forum that addresses major global issues such as international finance, climate change and sustainable development, the G-20 consists of 19 countries and the European Union. The countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, F

The Ministry of Environment has once again come up empty-handed in its attempt to find a local government willing to build an alternative landfill to take in waste generated from Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. Incheon’s Sudokwon Landfill has been handling garbage from Seoul and Gyeonggi Province since 1992, but the city government announced last year that it would scrap the arrangement after 2025 when the contract expires. The Environment Ministry first conducted a search for po

The Korean military is facing mounting criticism after more than 80 percent of the 301-strong Cheonghae unit tested positive for the coronavirus while carrying out anti-piracy operations in the waters off Africa. “The (COVID-19) test results on all 301 crew members of the unit showed that 247 tested positive and 50 negative. The samples of four individuals were undecipherable,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday. The government sent two KC-330 tanker transport planes to bring

High school seniors began receiving their coronavirus shots Monday, becoming the first teenagers in the country to be inoculated. According to the Education Ministry and health authorities, high school faculty members including teachers, school administrative staffers and other workers who are in close contact with students started getting their shots Monday along with the teenagers. The students and teachers are getting Pfizer’s vaccine. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved i

An area rich in history and culture, the hill street of Ahyeon-dong has one of 10 walking paths that Seoul’s western district of Mapo is promoting to visitors. The district has set up multiple signposts marking notable sights along the paths.  The course begins at Ahyeon Market, near Ahyeon Station on Subway Line No. 2, Exit No. 4. Since the market opened in 1930, it has embodied a typical Korean traditional street market.  On a corner along the hill street, Doijissal Supermark

Only about 6 in 10 university faculty members, including professors and graduate students, are aware of what research misconduct is and the process of investigating it, according to a report by the National Research Foundation of Korea. Titled “2021 Study on the Level of Research Ethics Recognition of University Faculty Members,” the report conducted a nationwide survey on 2,292 professors and graduate students who had participated in NRF research projects in the past two years.

Under the theme “The World Connected,” the International Youth Fellowship’s 2021 online world camp kicked off its five-day journey on Monday evening. Back for its 24th edition, the IYF world camp invited university students from 90 countries across the world for the online event. Before moving online due to the coronavirus pandemic, the camp used to be held across the country every year. As this year’s event is streamed live via the IYF’s YouTube channel in six d

Seoul recorded the year’s first “tropical night” from Monday evening through Tuesday morning, the Korea Meteorological Administration said Tuesday. Usually observed during summertime in Korea, tropical nights are defined as when minimum temperatures hit 25 degrees Celsius or above after 6 p.m. and before 9 a.m. According to the KMA, this year’s first tropical night in Seoul happened 23 days earlier than it did last year. The sweaty nighttime phenomenon was also recor

Starting Monday, the most restrictive social distancing measures are taking effect in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province and Incheon for the next two weeks to control the surging number of COVID-19 cases in the country. The number of newly confirmed cases recorded 1,324 in the 24 hours ending Saturday at midnight, marking the third day in a row that the figure had stayed in the 1,300s. On Friday the country set a record for the highest number of new infections reported in one day, with 1,378 p

The International Youth Fellowship has grown into a global youth organization that has opened nearly 100 branches worldwide since it was founded as a non-governmental organization in 2001. “There was a problem with a student (who was participating in illegal activities, such as drugs) in LA and his mother asked me to help him,” the Rev. Park Ock-soo, founder of the IYF, said during a recent interview with The Korea Herald at the IYF headquarters in southern Seoul. “But how c

People aged 50 or older are expected to account for half of the South Korean population in the next decade, government data showed Wednesday. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s population statistics, based on the resident registration system as of June 30, people in their 50s accounted for the largest percentage of the total population at 16.6 percent or 8.6 million people. The second-largest group was the 40-somethings, who made up 15.6 percent of the total. Analyz

Gov. Lee Jae-myung of Gyeonggi Province asserted his determination to root out unfairness and inequality in a recorded speech released Thursday, in which he announced his presidential bid. The video was made public on social media. Reiterating his signature policy, universal basic income, Lee vowed to turn a crisis into an opportunity to make Korea a world-leading economy, with the public sector paving the way for the private sector to increase investment and innovation. Similarly, the Gyeon

Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung officially announced his presidential bid Thursday, vowing to ensure fairness and to turn a crisis into an opportunity with powerful economic policies. Using a prerecorded video released via social media channels including YouTube and Facebook, Lee signaled the beginning of his presidential campaign by reading Article 1 of the Constitution. “The Republic of Korea shall be a democratic republic. The sovereignty of the Republic of Korea shall reside in

South Korea’s daily new COVID-19 case count surged to its highest since April as eased social distancing guidelines were set to take effect. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Wednesday reported 794 virus cases confirmed the previous day. Over 80 percent of the new infections were found in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. With the less strict social distancing guidelines set to take effect Thursday, health authorities are closely monitoring daily infection tallies. “

Korea’s first dose vaccination rate reached 29.8 percent as of Saturday, health officials said Sunday. So far, nearly 15.3 million people across the country have received their first jabs since the vaccination drive kicked off on Feb. 26. Of them, 4.6 million, or 9 percent of the population, have been fully inoculated. Health authorities aim to administer the first rounds of COVID-19 vaccine shots for 70 percent of the population or 36 million people by September, aiming to have 70 perc

Starting in 2026, all police hopefuls will have to take the same physical test regardless of gender. The National Police Committee on Monday passed a plan to introduce a physical examination that requires the same standard for both men and women, the National Police Agency said. The new physical exam is a timed event involving five stations -- running an obstacle course, skipping hurdles, pushing and pulling a 32-kilogram object, carrying a 72-kilogram human-like doll for 10 meters and pullin

As a male in my early 30s, and an Army reserve, I was able to receive the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. I work out three times a week, and have no underlying conditions or drug allergies. This is my experience. Before vaccine The online reservation system for Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 Janssen vaccine opened at midnight on June 1. As tens of thousands of people tried to book for their shots at the same time, a waiting list prevented me from accessing the system. I exited

Police across the country apprehended 2,626 people on drug charges in the second quarter and detained 614, the National Police Agency said Tuesday. Teenagers and people in their 20s made up 40 percent of all those apprehended, an increase of about 28 percent on year. People in their 30s accounted for 24.5 percent of the total. Police in South Gyeongsang Province brought in 42 teenagers accused of violating the Narcotics Control Act by obtaining fentanyl patches on false pretenses, then selli