The Ministry of Environment issued guidelines for the safety of hikers, as moon bears inhabiting the mountainous area of Jirisan are about to end their hibernation, Friday. Asiatic black bears, also known as moon bears due to the moon-like pattern on their chest, are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s endangered animal list as "vulnerable." As of this year, 86 Asiatic black bears are known to be living at Jirisan, which includes seven cubs born this ye

The ocean holds greater importance for the survival of humanity than people realize, environmental experts said, calling for people's active participation in building sustainable oceans with thriving ecosystems, at the H.eco Forum held in Seoul, Wednesday. Transformations in the seas cause significant climate change, warned speakers for the annual forum, stressing that the world needs to pay more attention to marine life and realize that drastic change in the seas would have irreversible co

South Korea is expected to see higher temperatures and more precipitation than usual this summer, the weather forecaster said Tuesday. Temperatures from June to August are 40 percent likely to be higher than usual or similar to the average year, a Korea Meteorological Administration briefing showed Tuesday, citing climate forecast models provided by 10 weather agencies. During the summer, a possible El Nino could bring more rain to the peninsula than usual. Precipitation tends to increase mainly

A family is under police investigation assaulting their middle school-age daughter in the middle of downtown Seoul. Gangnam Police Station said Sunday it had opened an investigation into the girl's parents, in their 40s, and her older brother on respective charges of child abuse and assault against the girl, whose exact age remains undisclosed. The three allegedly assaulted the victim for about 20 minutes, punching and kicking her on a road near an apartment complex in Gangnam, Seoul, aroun

INCHEON – After months of heated competition, Incheon was named the city to house South Korea's new office responsible for handling administrative affairs of overseas Koreans returning or visiting their home country in May. The Overseas Korean Office, which starts its physical operations in the city in June, holds significance more than just being a single state bureau, according to Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok. The establishment of this office will lay the grounds for the city's transiti

High concentrations of micro dust appeared in most parts of the country on Monday and will remain through Tuesday, due to an influx of yellow dust from across the West Sea. As of 12 p.m. Monday, Korea Meteorological Administration said that yellow dust has been observed covering the country nationwide including the Seoul metropolitan area. The KMA added that the southern part of the country would also see showers mixed with the yellow dust, urging people to avoid exposure to the polluted rain. O

A teacher who was accused on charges of child abuse after scolding students has been ruled not guilty, according to news reports on Sunday, quoting the court's ruling. A homeroom teacher in his 40s, who works at an elementary school in Ulsan, was accused of child abuse for scolding some students. The teacher scolded a student who talked during class by making him stand in front of the class and asked other students what the student had done wrong. Additionally, when the student asked if he

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on Thursday a plan to survey people at risk of dying alone and target assistance toward the vulnerable group, as it seeks to halt the increase in "lonely deaths." An annual survey will be conducted to document the number of people at risk of dying alone, and services regarding health, employment and medical care will be provided according to their needs by age groups. The number of people at risk of lonely deaths in Korea is estimated to be

Many people would have heard eating red meat is bad for the planet, but they are less aware of the environmental impacts of the seafood on our plates, said Ali Tabrizi, a documentary film director who shed light on the dark side of the fishing industry with his film "Seaspiracy" (2021). Tabrizi, who is visiting Korea for the first time this month, will be the keynote speaker at the H.eco Forum hosted by Herald Corp. at Shilla Hotel, Seoul, on Wednesday. His speech, titled "Solutio

For local Belgian TV personality Julian Quintart, South Korea, the country where he has lived for the last 19 years, is a society where consumption is highly prioritized and maximized. The 35-year-old, who has become a vegan and an environmental activist in recent years, said he believes that this aspect of Korea's culture will fade away because it is not sustainable. “Koreans are used to early morning deliveries and 24-hour services, but these cultures will ultimately change, as they are

The military revised the enforcement regulations of the Military Disciplinary Decree and removed the part that stipulated sexual relationships between members of the same sex as "harassment." In November last year, the military announced a legislative amendment to the Enforcement Rule of the Military Disciplinary Enforcement Decree, adding a new sentence that said "sexual harassment includes anal sex, oral sex or similar acts between the same sex against soldiers." The part t

The city of Seoul is looking for just a pair of people wishing to spend a night at the landmark Dongdaemun Design Plaza in September. One of the venues in the building, JandiSarangbang, will be turned into a hotel room under a collaborative project with Airbnb as part of a tourism campaign, according to the Seoul Design Foundation, which runs DDP. The guests, whose stay will be from Sept. 4-5, will get the front-row treatment at Seoul Fashion Week, sitting alongside celebrities. They will also g

Microsoft's MSN Weather app forecast for South Korea in July has gone viral here for predicting nearly a full month of rain. However, the country's weather agency has said that the probability of actually having such weather is slim, saying the method the US company uses is not reliable. Screenshots of monthly weather forecasts provided by the Microsoft website and app have spread on Twitter and in online forums. MSN Weather forecast that Seoul will be rainy for the entire month except

Former Defense Minister Song Young-moo and other high-ranking officials underwent a search and seizure Friday over allegations that Song had committed an abuse of power. He is alleged to have coerced subordinates to lie about his remark on the legitimacy of a hypothetical military crackdown on peaceful protesters demonstrating against former President Park Geun-hye. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials raided the homes and offices of former Minister Song, former reserve

Excitement at going back to normal life and a sense of relief was what Lee Ji-eun felt when she heard the news on Thursday morning that South Korea will lift nearly all COVID-19 restrictions, three years and four months after the country recorded its first case. “It gives me a complicated feeling that the pandemic that struck us so hard is fading. Many hospitals have already eliminated beds dedicated to COVID-19 patients, so it is unlikely that there will be any major changes in our work a

A cluster of minor earthquakes and tremors have hit Donghae, Gangwon Province, this year in a rare phenomenon known as an "earthquake swarm." The latest was a magnitude 2.5 earthquake struck at 4:32 p.m. on Wednesday, 4 kilometers south of Donghae, marking a total of 44 earthquakes around the area this year, according to the Korea Methodological Agency. An earthquake swarm is defined as relatively small earthquakes clustered within a small area and short period. Of the 44 earthquakes t

A coffee shop's decision to ban elderly customers has sparked renewed criticism amid ongoing controversy over "no kids zones," where some restaurants or commercial venues prohibit the entry of children based on the owners' preferences. A photo posted on an online community on Monday showed a cafe with text on the door that reads: "No senior zone (no entry for elderly over 60).” Beside the text is a sticker that welcomes guide dogs. The netizen who posted the photo

JEONJU, North Jeolla Province -- As a region traditionally known for its vast agricultural land, North Jeolla Province has been one of the pillars of the farming economy in South Korea. The province's governor, Kim Kwan-young, who took office in July last year, has set his sights on even bigger ambitions. Despite the province's declining population as well as its high financial dependence on the central government, North Jeolla Province has the capacity to become the center of the bio

The Supreme Court judged that a construction company was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of parrots in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, Yonhap News reported Friday, citing legal sources. The plaintiff, who runs a parrot farm, filed a lawsuit against the construction company, claiming that noise and vibrations from a construction site nearby caused the deaths of parrots. From January 2017 to December of the same year, total 427 parrots died on the plaintiff’s farm. The plaintiff filed 16 c

Amid growing concerns over drug crimes, lawmakers suggested a bill amendment to allow the police to conduct undercover investigations in drug-related cases. Rep. Lee Jang-seop of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea proposed a bill revision Wednesday, noting that foreign countries including the United States and Germany have introduced undercover investigation systems to effectively manage drug crimes. Nine other lawmakers of the party signed up for the bill proposal. Under the current