[Graphic News] S. Korea’s total rice paddy area down in 2023

  South Korea’s rice paddy area decreased 2.6 percent in 2023 from a year earlier amid a reduction in domestic consumption, data showed. The country’s rice cultivation area came to 708,041 hectares, compared with 727,054 hectares tallied a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea. South Jeolla Province accounted for the largest area at 149,896 hectares, followed by South Chungcheong Province with 131,643 hectares and North Jeolla Province with 107,383 he

Sept. 13, 2023

Seoul plans more tourist-friendly landscape by 2026

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Tuesday announced a set of plans to turn Seoul into a more tourist-friendly city by adding various attractions and increasing its convenience for travelers. During the “Seoul Tourism Future Vision Proclamation Ceremony” held on Sebitseom in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon unveiled the city's vision for what he calls the “3-3-7-7 Tourism Era.” As part of this plan, which the city aims to achieve by 2026, Seoul hop

Sept. 12, 2023

Entry-level teachers’ wages below OECD average

South Korean entry-level public school teachers earn less money than their counterparts in most member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Education Ministry said Tuesday. According to the latest edition of the OECD report “Education at a Glance,” released and analyzed by the Ministry of Education and the Korean Educational Development Institute, the average gross salary of entry-level teachers was $33,615 for elementary teachers and $33,67

Sept. 12, 2023

Man arrested for hurling bricks from Seoul building

Pedestrians in Eunpyeong-gu, northern Seoul, were sent scrambling for cover Monday morning as concrete bricks and wood, some weighing up to 3 kilograms apiece, were hurled from the rooftop of a nearby seven-story building onto the sidewalk and road below. The chaos unfolded at around 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 4, as people were busy heading to work. One of the falling objects struck a moving car. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident. Police responded to the scene and arrested a man in

Sept. 12, 2023

Over 10,000 nabbed for illegal drug use in H1

South Korea apprehended over 10,000 suspected of illegal drug use during the first half of the year as part of the government initiative to stamp out drug-related crimes in what was once considered a drug-free country. The number of suspects caught by law enforcement surged to 10,252, up nearly 20 percent compared with the previous year, according to government data unveiled Tuesday. Throughout 2022, 18,395 were nabbed by law enforcement, hitting an all-time high. The amount of drugs confiscated

Sept. 12, 2023

[Housing Talk] Damages for interference to the quality of housing

  Have you ever had your sunlight blocked or your view blocked by huge skyscrapers in front of your house? Such quality of life interests are also considered a protected right under Korean law. A typical quality of life impairment includes sunlight and view obstructions, both of which the court recognizes as specific rights and therefore prescribes specific remedies. First, let's talk about obstruction of sunlight. In order for an obstruction of sunlight to be considered illegal and liable,

Sept. 12, 2023

A year after Sindang murder, stalking crimes persist, bills pending

A year has passed since the Sindang Station murder, in which a female Seoul Metro employee was killed after being stalked by her ex-colleague, but most bills proposed since to beef up protection for stalking victims remain pending in parliament. Korea's anti-stalking law was revised to punish perpetrators without the consent of stalking victims and a law to support stalking victims was enacted in the wake of the murder case last year. Despite the revision, the scope defining stalking as a c

Sept. 12, 2023

3-meter sinkhole discovered in Gangnam, no casualties reported

A sinkhole has opened up in the middle of a road in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on Tuesday, according to authorities. At around 10:45 a.m., a sinkhole was found near Eonju Station. A man called the police to report that one of his wheels was stuck in the ground due to the sinkhole, which is estimated to be 3 meters deep and 1 meter in diameter, according to the Seoul Gangnam Police Station. Although four lanes from Kyobo Tower to the Cha Medical Center Gangnam are currently closed to prevent further accid

Sept. 12, 2023

Seoul City to offer glimpse of Nodeulseom's makeover

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will hold an open panel discussion to explore ways to transform Nodeulseom, a small artificial islet on the Han River, into a popular destination for Seoul residents. The event, titled "Let's Nodeul," is set to take place at the Nodeulseom Live House on Friday at 10 a.m. All Seoul residents are invited to present their ideas for improving Nodeulseom, according to a statement from the Seoul municipal government. Joining the panel

Sept. 11, 2023

Sex discrimination still widespread issue in S. Korean workplace: survey

South Korean women face widespread sex discrimination in the workplace, experiencing inappropriate comments or remarks three to four times more frequently than men, a new survey found. The survey, conducted online by Embrain Public on behalf of nonprofits Gapjil 119 and the Beautiful Foundation Aug. 2-10, was of 1,000 working adults, including 435 women. Of the respondents, 55.9 percent of women reported being addressed or referred to in inappropriate terms, a rate 4.5 times higher than that of

Sept. 11, 2023

Monthly Seoul transit pass to launch in 2024

An all-inclusive, rechargeable monthly transit pass will be introduced in Seoul from January 2024 at a price of 65,000 won ($49), said Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday. Transit pass holders will have unlimited access to Seoul’s subway and bus lines, as well as bicycle-sharing services. Called “Climate Card,” the city government designed the pass to help alleviate increasing living and transit costs, and encourage public transportation usage to cut greenhouse gas emission

Sept. 11, 2023

Unregistered 4-year-old found near body suspected to be his mother

A 4-year-old boy found last week near the lifeless body of a woman at a home in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, was not registered in official documents, sparking further concerns over loopholes in the nation’s birth registration system. According to the Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency on Monday, the child, whose name was withheld, was found lying unconscious at around 9:55 a.m. on Friday in a low-rise apartment unit in Jeonju. Near him was the body of a 41-year-old woman thought to be his

Sept. 11, 2023

Woman accused of attempting to murder acquaintance met online

A woman in her 20s has been arrested on charges of attempted murder, after she allegedly attacked with a knife an acquaintance who blocked her online. According to Seoul Dongdaemun Police Station, the 24-year-old suspect allegedly stabbed the 27-year-old victim on Friday. The victim sustained injuries to her back and hands, and the suspect was apprehended later the same day. The attack is said to have been motivated by the victim having blocked the suspect on social media after the two had a fal

Sept. 11, 2023

Ministry aims to reduce household private education expenses by 7% this year

The Ministry of Education has set the goal of reducing household spending on private education by 6.9 percent to 24.2 trillion won ($18.15 billion) this year, from last year’s record high of 26 trillion won, according to a plan submitted to the National Assembly. “(The ministry) is currently making efforts to reduce (households’) expenses on private education, and such initiatives will be pushed ahead in the latter half of this year and the first half of this year. … The

Sept. 11, 2023

Yoon likely to reshuffle Cabinet this week

President Yoon Suk Yeol is likely to carry out a Cabinet reshuffle upon his return to South Korea following his weeklong trip to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Indonesia and Group of 20 summit in India. According to sources from the presidential office, Yoon, who arrived at the Seoul Air Base at around 6 a.m. Monday, is set to revamp the Cabinet later this week. Yoon is mulling tapping Rep. Shin Won-sik of the ruling People Power Party for defense minister, according

Sept. 11, 2023

[Subway Stories] Sillim remains young at heart

On the high-traffic Seoul Subway Line No. 2 sits Sillim Station in southwestern Seoul, which recently added the Sillim Line to Seoul’s sprawling web of metro stations. Sillim Station bustles with budding Seoulites, mostly university students and office workers, who take advantage of the neighborhood’s easy accessibility to universities like Seoul National University, as well as key business districts like Gangnam and Yeouido. Yet, it's not solely the location that adds to the

Sept. 10, 2023

Psychological support needed for youth exiting institutional care: report

The South Korean government is being urged to ramp up psychological support for young individuals transitioning from institutional care to independent living, as financial aid alone has proven insufficient to fostering full independence, according to a recent report from a legislative body on Sunday. According to the "Sustainable Independence" report released by the National Assembly Research Service, 11,403 young people were preparing to transition from institutional care, group hom

Sept. 10, 2023

South Korea slashes funding for sex crime prevention initiatives

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has set its budget for next year at 1.7 trillion won ($1.2 billion), marking a 9.4 percent increase from this year. However, funding for teenage sex education and initiatives to prevent the recurrence of sexual and domestic violence have been reduced. The Ministry of Economy and Finance said Sunday that the budget for programs aimed at preventing the recurrence of domestic and sexual violence, including correctional treatment programs for perpetrators

Sept. 10, 2023

Police bust multinational drug ring for smuggling meth into S. Korea

Police have busted a drug ring that operated networks in Cambodia, China and Nigeria to smuggle methamphetamine into South Korea and seized billions of won worth of the drug from its members here, officials said Sunday. The drug ring, run by a Korean, a Chinese and a Nigerian national, based in Cambodia, China and Nigeria, respectively, is suspected of smuggling and distributing methamphetamine in South Korea between November last year and June, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Sept. 10, 2023

Why everyone wants a white coat in Korea

Last week, the college entrance exam academy Jongno Hagwon released its analysis of the state’s official education data that showed 2,131 students in the past five years have dropped out of Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University, the top three most prestigious tertiary education institutes in South Korea. According to other data compiled by SNU and released in May, 6.2 percent of the school’s 3,606 freshmen this year took a leave of absence immediately afte

Sept. 10, 2023