An individual charged with illegal drug possession and use is now facing a another trial for filing what he claimed was a petition containing a character reference letter from the head of a local sports association, but which was allegedly forged by the suspect's friend using ChatGPT, arguing for leniency from the court, state prosecutors said Thursday. He was subsequently indicted for document forgery. The letter, submitted to the prosecution during the man’s first trial on drug char

"Would you like to come and see my cat?" has become a trendy pickup line among young Koreans today, akin to "Want to Netflix and chill?" It also hints at cats' elevated status in South Korea. In the past, felines were shunned for their association with bad luck and superstitions, with many finding their infant-like cries and eyes particularly unsettling, but now cats enjoy a positive image in both the literal and figurative senses. Cats not only grace households with

Visitors to Myeong-dong's street stalls will soon have the option to make payments via cards, along with improved hygiene measures such as the food vendors wearing gloves, masks and caps. These are some of the voluntary efforts of the area’s merchants, announced by Seoul’s Jung-gu district office on Monday, to bolster their reputation among tourists and enhance the overall visitor experience. One of the most popular tourist destinations in Seoul, Myeong-dong’s image ha

Seoul plans to overhaul its street stands, city officials said Sunday, saying the existing ones were aging and poorly managed. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the city will conduct monthly inspections on street sales facilities and shops for enhanced safety and design management. As of 2022, the city hosted 613 street newsstands and 830 shoe repair stands, most of which have been in operation for over a decade. There are a total of 5,443 other street vendor stalls, such as thos

The days of flagging down busy servers are almost becoming rare here. At many Korean restaurants, diners are now being asked to order -- and often pay up front -- via a digital device installed at each table, or at standalone kiosks. Digitalization’s reach is not only limited to ordering systems, as at some venues, reserving and waiting for a table have been moved online. And there is a small but growing number of server robots being deployed. Using digital devices to order and pay purpo

A septuagenarian was rescued after being trapped in a confined evacuation area within a high-rise apartment building in Incheon, South Korea's police authorities announced Tuesday. According to the Korean National Police Agency's Facebook page, on Dec. 1 last year, the police broke through a fire door to rescue a man in his 70s who had been locked inside the evacuation room for 20 hours. The rescue operation was initiated in response to a neighbor's call reporting an SOS sign ha

People who undergo regular medical check-ups are more likely to live a longer and healthier life, a study showed Monday. An article published in the Journal of BMC Medicine, authored by University of Oxford researcher Celeste McCracken, revealed that participants in the UK's National Health Service "Health Check" program showed lower health risks associated with multiorgan disease, cardiovascular issues and overall mortality, compared to a control group of equal size. Recipients

“You must have been very busy lately.” So starts many a conversation as a polite kind of South Korean icebreaker, often after having not met someone for quite a while. Responding to it by correcting its speaker with one's actual level of busyness is generally not advised. In practice, the ideal response would be, “You must be far busier than me,” redirecting the statement back to the speaker to compliment them on their relative societal importance, thereby boosting

South Korea's food and drug safety authorities on Wednesday issued a warning not to eat toothpicks -- specifically the green ones made of corn starch. In response to a growing social media trend of cooking and eating the toothpicks, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said the starched toothpicks are supposed to be used only for sanitary purposes. The officials explained that the toothpicks are hygiene items, just like cups and straws, and are not subject to the safety regulations that app

It might seem an ordinary domestic scene -- a picture of someone grilling pork belly on the enclosed balcony of their apartment -- but it touched off a storm of debate. The person who uploaded the photo said a neighbor living above them had taken exception to the smell and smoke coming from the barbecuing downstairs. Expressing bewilderment about how grilling in one’s own home could be deemed inappropriate, the anonymous poster posed the question: “Was this really a public nuisan

In response to the severe cold, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has doubled its personnel to protect the safety of vulnerable groups, its officials said Tuesday. Since the cold wave warning was issued at 9 p.m. Sunday, a total of 124 city workers, up from the usual 50, have been dispatched to carry out emergency response and relief tasks, with a particular focus on people without homes, who are highly susceptible to harsh weather conditions. The daily low in Seoul plunged to minus 14 degrees

Train users are most prone to forgetting their bags on trains or at train stations, data showed on Monday. According to state-run railway operator Korea Railroad Corp., the total number of lost items found on trains and at train stations nationwide reached 247,225 last year, marking an on-year increase of 51.9 percent. The translates to an average of 677 lost belongings daily. Breaking down the list of lost property, bags topped the list, accounting for about 15 percent of the total, followed by

Heavy snowfall pounded the mountainous Gangwon Province on Sunday, where the Winter Youth Olympics are underway, disrupting outdoor competitions and scheduled side events. In the capital Seoul, a cold wave advisory was to take effect from 9 p.m. Sunday, with a significant decline in temperatures expected throughout Monday and Tuesday. According to the Games’ official website, the starting time of the men’s super-G final for Alpine skiing, originally to be held in Jeongseon at 1:30 p.

Seoul’s southern district of Seocho has started providing one million won ($745) in longevity cash bonuses to its 99-year-old residents, the district office said Thursday. Starting this year, adults aged 99, or born in 1925, with their residential registration in Seocho-gu, for at least one year, are eligible to receive the cash gift to commemorate their long lives. Additionally, this particular district office will extend the same financial benefits to those aged over 100 -- only for this

"There is a person in the river, but they are not moving.” When the report came in Saturday evening, it seemed to be suggesting a tragic accident or yet another case of suicide in the Han River. But when police arrived on the scene around 8:24 p.m., about 17 minutes after receiving the report, the situation took a grim turn. Floating motionlessly near the Olympic Bridge in Seoul’s Gwangjin-gu was a young woman, with a knife lodged in her chest. Despite initial circumstances th

Nearly half of the population in Busan, South Korea’s second largest city, is over age 50, a report compiling statistics on those over 50 in Busan showed, Wednesday. The report by Busan Metropolitan City revealed that, as of 2022, 46.5 percent of the city’s population, totaling 1.53 million, belongs to the age group of 50 and above. The figure breaks down into two subgroups: approximately 830,000 residents who are age 50 to 65, and the remaining 702,000 residents who are aged 65 or

“Cuteness or charm, esp. of a sort considered characteristic of Korean popular culture. Also: behavior regarded as cute, charming or adorable. Cf. kawaii n.” – Oxford English Dictionary Ever encountered someone deliberately using or prolonging their “ng” or “o” sounds to sound cute? Like saying, “hajang,” instead of “haja” (let’s do it). This intentional mispronunciation, akin to baby talk, functions as one form of "

Almost half of Korean adults are not moving their bodies enough, failing to meet the physical activity standards set by the World Health Organization, a health report revealed on Sunday. According to the “Physical Activity Guidelines for Koreans Revised Edition,” released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as of 2021, 47.1 percent of Korean adults fell short of recommended physical activity levels, compared to the global average of 72 percent who meet the WHO's recommended p

It is the pulsating heart of everything – from business and fashion trends to education and culture. Seoul's dynamic energy is infectious, drawing people from all corners of the country and beyond. Yet, the city is also a place where life is often consumed like a commodity, where the pace of life operates in overdrive. We asked nine people whose lives have intersected with the city what Seoul meant to them. A family’s ticket to wealth Kim Hee-yong’s move to Seoul 1 1/2

"I really shouldn't have drunk so much last night” is a common reflection worldwide the morning after a night of indulgence. In Korea, this sentiment often includes an additional regret: “I should have at least taken one of those hangover cures." As one of the world’s heaviest drinking nations -- particularly of liquor -- this Northeast Asian country has a thriving market for hangover remedies, available in all imaginable forms, flavors and price points. A typica