Debate flares over strict drunk driving laws named after trot singer

Several proposed laws named after popular trot singer Kim Ho-joong to raise public awareness aim to prevent drunk drivers from evading punishment by obstructing accurate alcohol level readings, sparking intense debate in Korean society. Lawmakers who proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Act, being dubbed the “Anti-Kim Ho-joong Law” following the singer’s hit-and-run accident in May, have faced intense criticism from his fans, who have demanded the bills be opposed or withdra

Aug. 18, 2024

Police launch investigation into Mercedes-Benz EV fire

Police have launched an investigation into a massive fire caused by a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle at an underground parking lot of an apartment complex in Incheon on Aug. 1, while reviewing criminal charges against the management staff at the complex, officials said Sunday. According to the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency, they recently interviewed the first witness and the owner of the vehicle involved in the incident. The Mercedes owner reported that the vehicle had undergone routine mai

Aug. 18, 2024

COVID-19 levels in wastewater surge amid summer wave: KDCA

South Korea is seeing a pronounced rise in the levels of COVID-19 in wastewater as the number of confirmed cases continues to swell throughout this month and is expected to peak in late August, health authorities said Sunday. The surge in wastewater virus concentrations -- one of the key gauges to track and estimate community spread -- has more than quadrupled from late April to early August. Amid the ongoing summer COVID-19 wave, the average concentration of the virus at local sewage plants s

Aug. 18, 2024

Weather agency to publish white paper on heat waves for 1st time

The state weather agency said Sunday it will publish its first-ever white paper on heat waves as South Korea experiences record-breaking temperatures this summer. The paper, set to be released by the end of this year, will cover the history and causes of heat waves, provide midterm and long-term forecasts, and examine the impact of heat waves on society, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. Although the KMA has previously issued papers on monsoons and typhoons, this will be the

Aug. 18, 2024

Media watchdog to review punitive measures against KBS for airing Japanese anthem on Liberation Day

The state media watchdog said Sunday that it will swiftly review punitive measures against public broadcaster KBS for airing an opera performance featuring Japan's national anthem that many South Korean viewers found inappropriate for Liberation Day. A series of complaints have been filed since KBS' airing of "Madama Butterfly," an opera featuring traditional Japanese attire and Japan's national anthem, on Liberation Day that commemorates the end of Japan's 1910-45

Aug. 18, 2024

Seoul, Busan set records for consecutive tropical nights

South Korea's two largest cities of Seoul and Busan have shattered records for the longest streaks of tropical nights as a relentless heat wave grips the nation. Seoul experienced its 27 consecutive tropical night, with the lowest temperature of 27.2 degrees Celsius recorded between Friday night and early Saturday morning, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. This extended the record for the longest number of tropical nights in a row since modern meteorological observations

Aug. 17, 2024

S. Korea to enhance mpox surveillance following WHO emergency alert

Following the World Health Organization's declaration of mpox outbreaks in Africa as a global health emergency, South Korean authorities have decided to ramp up quarantine and surveillance measures. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced the decision after a meeting with medical and academic experts Friday to discuss the potential of mpox entering the country and response strategies. KDCA officials and experts determined that the current domestic mpox situation remains ma

Aug. 17, 2024

Interpark Commerce seeks debt restructuring following TMON, WeMakePrice

Interpark Commerce filed for a debt restructuring program with the Seoul Bankruptcy Court on Friday, following in the footsteps of two sister e-commerce giants amid a liquidity crisis. The company's request for an autonomous restructuring support (ARS) program came 18 days after TMON and WeMakePrice filed for the same program to negotiate with creditors for rescheduling overdue payments. With Friday's decision, all three Korean e-commerce companies under Qoo10 are now subject to the co

Aug. 16, 2024

Health authorities to supply treatments for 260,000 COVID-19 patients

Health authorities said Friday they plan to supply treatments for 260,000 COVID-19 patients, as the nation saw a surge in cases due to a summer wave. "We have started contacting global pharmaceutical companies after recognizing that treatments are being used more widely than before, and the supply will start this week," Park Ji-young, a senior official from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), said. The KDCA added that it will have treatments available nationwide by

Aug. 16, 2024

Badminton star An Se-young urges for more flexibility in support practices

Olympic badminton champion An Se-young broke her long silence Friday, clarifying her recent criticism of the national badminton federation. The 22-year-old gold medalist sparked controversy when she lashed out at her national team and the Badminton Korea Association (BKA) for their poor handling of her knee injury, and for outdated and inefficient operations, among other things, soon after winning the women's singles event at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 5. But she had not commented further o

Aug. 16, 2024

Pension reform plan to benefit military, mothers

South Korea's pension reform plan will include a proposal to increase benefits for those who served in the military and women who give birth. Aiming to ease the pension burden on young adults, as most military service members and women who give birth are in their 20s and 30s, the presidential office and the government have ramped up measures to credit those who contribute to the community. The government also has decided to apply the “maternity credit,” which is granted from the

Aug. 16, 2024

More patients transferred amid unresolved medical standoff

Government data showed Friday that patient transfers at major hospitals from February to May increased 17.2 percent on-year, amid the mass walkout of trainee doctors across the country since February due the government's announcement of its plan to raise the medical school admissions quota. During this period, there were 289,952 cases in which the patient was sent to a tertiary hospital and then transferred to another medical facility, up from 247,465 in the same period the year before, a

Aug. 16, 2024

Seoul Metro to increase clinics, pharmacies in subway stations

Seoul Metro, the operator of most of the city's subway lines, said Friday it would increase the number of its Metro Medical Zones in the stations from current eight to 12 within this year. The Metro Medical Zones are sections of the subway that provide medical services between 9:30 a.m. and 8 p.m., 365 days a year, housing both the fully-operational medical clinic and the pharmacy. The service first launched with two medical zones in 2022, and have since expanded to have eight zones in oper

Aug. 16, 2024

Seoul records 26 consecutive tropical nights, most on record

  Seoul has endured the longest streak of tropical nights on record, running for 26 consecutive days, and the hot weather is expected to continue. The current streak, from July 21 to Aug. 15, ties the previous record set in 2018 for the most tropical nights observed since modern weather monitoring began in 1907. With the lowest temperature predicted to be 29 degrees Celsius on Saturday, the capital city is expected to surpass this record. Tropical nights are those when the nighttime tempera

Aug. 16, 2024

Vietnamese women who divorced Koreans suffer financially after returning home: report

Vietnamese divorcees of international marriage with South Koreans face financial difficulties after returning to their home country, a recent report by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family showed. The ministry conducted a study between September of last year and January of this year, on 161 Vietnamese women who had previously been married to South Korean men, along with their 130 children. The average age of the women was 37. The study showed that 36 women had no regular income while 18 ma

Aug. 16, 2024

Hospitals set to wrap up hiring of more trainee doctors

Hospitals were set to wrap up the hiring of more junior doctors Friday, but there are expected to be few applicants as many trainee doctors have defied the government's medical reform for nearly seven months, officials said. Hospitals issued new recruitment notices for trainee doctors last week after the medical community was lukewarm to the initial round that ended last month. Some medical professors have even warned of a potential boycott of training new applicants. During the previous ro

Aug. 16, 2024

Over 1,500 reports of N. Korea's trash balloons submitted this year

South Korean authorities have received 1,567 reports of trash-carrying balloons sent by North Korea this year, according to National Fire Agency data revealed Thursday. Over 10,000 firefighters and 2,400 fire engines have been dispatched to deal with the totalitarian communist state's balloons from Jan. 1 to Aug. 13, according to the NFA data submitted to Rep. Yang Bu-nam of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Amid the currently icy inter-Korean relations, North Korea has been fl

Aug. 15, 2024

KBS apologize for airing opera set in Japan on Liberation Day

State-broadcaster Korean Broadcasting System issued an apology after sparking controversy by airing the opera "Madama Butterfly" on National Liberation Day. Aug. 15 is celebrated as National Liberation Day in Korea, commemorating the nation's liberation from Japan in 1945. Early Thursday, KBS aired "Madama Butterfly," a Giacomo Puccini opera set in Japan, as part of its liberal arts program, "KBS Relay Seat." The opera, set in Japan's Nagasaki shortly afte

Aug. 15, 2024

Heat wave death toll rises to 22

A man in his 20s died on Tuesday from what is thought to be an acute reaction from extreme heat exposure, raising the nationwide death toll due to heat-related illnesses to 22 as of Thursday. Twenty-two people have died of the 2,570 who have been diagnosed with heat-related illnesses since May 20 until 4 p.m. Thursday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's latest tally during what has been one of the most severe heat waves in recent years. The total number of peop

Aug. 15, 2024

Removal of Dokdo models from subway stations stirs controversy

The recent removal of models of South Korea's Dokdo islets, originally installed in high-traffic Seoul Metro stations as part of an effort to educate the public and counter Japan's disputed claims to the islets, has ignited widespread controversy. Originally set up in 2010 in six Seoul subway stations -- Jamsil, Gwanghwamun, Jongno-3-ga (later moved to Anguk), City Hall, Itaewon and Gimpo Airport -- the models were part of an initiative based on a 2009 recommendation from the Seoul Met

Aug. 15, 2024