In terms of traffic safety, South Korea has seen a remarkable improvement over the past decade across various metrics. According to the International Transport Forum, the country has seen a 49.2 percent decrease in road deaths between 2012 and 2022. The number of passenger car occupants killed in road crashes dropped by 63.8 percent, while that of pedestrians killed in traffic accidents fell by 54 percent. Industry experts attribute such improvements to an overall enhancement of public awarene

South Korean stocks closed lower for the fourth consecutive day Friday on deepening concerns over a possible delay in US rate cuts. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 34.21 points, or 1.26 percent, to close at 2,687.60. Trade volume was moderate at 491.3 million shares worth 12.01 trillion won (US$8.8 billion), with losers sharply outnumbering winners 618 to 263. Foreigners and institutions dumped local shares worth 377.4 billion w

The finance ministry on Friday warned of uncertainties regarding inflation and vowed preemptive steps by extending tariff quota reduction on imports of agricultural products and boosting government reserves. "Prices of farm produce and petroleum products have fallen recently, but uncertainties remain high over the geopolitical situation in the Middle East and weather conditions in summer," First Vice Finance Minister Kim Byoung-hwan said during an economy-related vice ministers' m

Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Thursday the security situation on the Korean Peninsula is in a "crisis" phase where military conflicts could flare up "at any moment," as he called for diplomatic efforts to promote peace. Moon made the remarks in a video message for a peace forum in Washington, as tensions have persisted on the peninsula with Pyongyang continuing its weapons tests in the absence of bilateral engagements with South Korea and the United States. &

South Korean stocks opened sharply lower Friday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street amid lowering hopes for the US Federal Reserve's early rate cuts. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 34.27 points, or 1.26 percent, to 2,687.54 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The S&P 500 fell 0.7 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 1.5 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite went down 0.4 percent as hotter-than-expected economic reports raised speculations the

South Korea will undertake the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council next month for the first time in a decade, Seoul's top envoy to the UN said Thursday, unveiling plans to push for in-depth discussions on cybersecurity and other global issues. In a press meeting, Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook said that South Korea, a nonpermanent UNSC member, will hold the presidency for one month -- a position that rotates among the council's 15 member states on a monthly basis. Seoul last held the UNSC

Police said Thursday they have arrested a suspect who allegedly commissioned teenagers to paint graffiti on the walls of a historic palace in central Seoul to advertise an illegal streaming website. The 30-something suspect, who was arrested the previous day, faces charges for violating the Cultural Heritage Protection Act, as well as other charges including the distribution of obscene materials, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. The arrest comes about five months after the susp

President Yoon Suk Yeol hosted a dinner for businesspeople from small and medium-sized enterprises Thursday as part of efforts to praise their contribution to the economy, featuring surprise menu items: spicy chicken ramyeon and frozen gimbap. Yoon attended the annual SMEs Entrepreneur's Day held at the presidential office for the third consecutive year, which drew around 500 people from SMEs, venture companies and startups. The guests also included Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong

A Seoul court on Thursday rejected a request by embattled popera star Kim Ho-joong to postpone an arrest warrant application hearing on his reckless driving charges. The previous day, prosecutors applied for an arrest warrant for Kim on charges of ramming into a stationary taxi in the opposite lane with his vehicle late on the night of May 9 in Seoul's southern Gangnam district while driving drunk. He then allegedly left the scene without taking post-accident measures. The Seoul Central Dis

President Yoon Suk Yeol met with former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula, as well as the Seoul-Washington alliance, the presidential office said Thursday. During the meeting held in Seoul with Pompeo, who served as the top US diplomat under then President Donald Trump from 2018 to 2021, Yoon asked him to continue to pay close attention to South Korea's efforts to seek peace on the Korean Peninsula backed by the strong alliance. Yoon also e

South Korea asked the Czech Republic on Thursday to pay closer attention to the ongoing bilateral efforts for cooperation in the commercial nuclear power plant sector, Seoul's foreign ministry said. Kim Hee-sang, deputy foreign minister for economic affairs, delivered the request to Petr Tresnak, deputy industry minister of the Czech Republic, during their joint economic dialogue earlier in the day, the ministry said. Kim used the session to highlight South Korean industry's strengths

South Korea remains committed to respecting the "One China" policy amid tensions in the Taiwan Strait following the inauguration ceremony of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te earlier this week, the foreign ministry said Thursday. Earlier in the day, China's military began two days of what it calls "punishment" drills around the island, just days after the inauguration ceremony, which Beijing strongly condemned. "There is no change in our government's stance of r

First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun visited the Iranian Embassy in Seoul on Thursday to extend condolences over the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi who was killed in a helicopter crash earlier this week, a Seoul official said. The official said South Korean Ambassador to Iran Kim Jun-pyo plans to attend a memorial service to pay respects to the late president on behalf of the government as soon as the venue is arranged by Tehran. Iran's state media confirmed Raisi's deat

The South Korean football club Incheon United announced Thursday they have banned 124 fans from attending their home matches after throwing water bottles onto the field after a recent loss. Incheon said the 124 fans had reported themselves to the team and acknowledged their involvement in the incident in the aftermath of Incheon's 2-1 loss to FC Seoul at Incheon Football Stadium in Incheon, just west of the capital city, on May 11. They will be banned from coming to Incheon's home matc

South Korean stocks closed almost flat Thursday as an increase in big-cap semiconductor shares was offset by hawkish tones in the latest minutes of the US Federal Reserve. The local currency rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index edged down 1.65 points, or 0.06 percent, to close at 2,721.81. Trade volume was moderate at 421.6 million shares worth 11.3 trillion won ($8.3 billion), with losers beating winners 530 to 349. Individual investors and institutions un

Former US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy met with South Korean business leaders on Thursday to exchange views on economic and trade issues between the two countries months before the upcoming US presidential election, a local business lobby said. McCarthy had a breakfast meeting in Seoul with some 20 Korean businesspeople, including representatives from Hyundai Motor Co., SK Group, LG Group and Hanwha Group, arranged by the Federation of Korean Industries. During the event, the participants discus

South Korean stocks opened lower Thursday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street spooked by hawkish tones in the latest minutes of the US Federal Reserve. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 15.57 points, or 0.57 percent, to 2,707.89 in the first 15 minutes of trading. In the United States, S&P 500 fell 0.3 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.5 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite went down 0.2 percent as the Fed minutes showed the disappointment of i

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul spoke by phone with his Japanese counterpart, Yoko Kamikawa, on Wednesday and discussed an upcoming trilateral summit also involving China and other issues of mutual interest, Cho's office said. During the 35-minute talks, Cho expressed hope that the three-way summit will serve as momentum for South Korea and Japan to further develop bilateral ties, as they have through the close communications between their leaders, Seoul's foreign ministry said in a relea

South Korean stocks ended nearly flat Wednesday as investors sat on the sidelines ahead of the release of the US Federal Open Market Committee's meeting minutes. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index edged down 0.72 points, or 0.03 percent, to close at 2,723.46. Trade volume was moderate at 476 million shares worth 12.1 trillion won ($8.92 billion), with losers beating winners 474 to 402. Foreigners bought a net 296 billion won worth of local shares, while individuals offloaded a

Shin Kyung-rim, a prominent figure in Korean poetry and author of the works "Nongmu" (Farmers' Dance) and "A Poor Love Song," died Wednesday, sources in the literary community said. He was 88. He passed away at the National Cancer Center in Goyang, in the northwestern suburbs of Seoul, after a battle with cancer. Considering the high status of the deceased and his works in Korean modern poetry and literary circles, his funeral is planned to be organized by major literary