Navy medical officers save unconscious woman from choking

Two medical officers of the Navy recently resuscitated an older woman who had lost consciousness after choking on tteok (rice cake), according to the Republic of Korea Navy. Lt. Lee Jin-ho and Petty Officer Choi Hwan-yeong, were visiting a phone repair center in Seogwipo City in Jeju Island last Wednesday when they found a woman in her 70s lying unconscious across the street. The two men had gotten off their ship to repair their phones after the salvage and rescue vessel Gwangyang of the Navy

Nov. 12, 2024

Dogs gifted by Turkmenistan's president move into zoo

Two dogs that President Yoon Suk Yeol received from Turkmenistan settled into their new home at Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon, South of Seoul, the presidential office said Tuesday. A pair of Turkmen shepherd puppies known as “Alabai” were gifted to Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee from the Central Asian country’s president Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov during their meeting in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat in June. The Alabai puppies, Happy and Joy, have been living at the presid

Nov. 12, 2024

Murder suspect claims victim 'stabbed herself'

A 26-year-old man is being tried for the murder of his girlfriend, in another case drawing attention to the issue of dating violence in South Korea. The suspect surnamed Kim is believed to have killed a 27-year-old woman surnamed Im, his girlfriend of two weeks, by stabbing her in the heart at his home in August. Kim, who turned himself in by calling the 119 emergency line, claims self defense. He told police that Im had attacked him with a knife, and unintentionally stabbed herself in the che

Nov. 12, 2024

Banks to adjust operating hours on college entrance exam day

South Korean banks will begin operations an hour later than usual on Thursday due to the national college entrance exam, a local association of banks said Tuesday. Around 520,000 high school seniors and graduates were to take the College Scholastic Ability Test on Thursday. In a move to help ease traffic in the morning hours, banks will open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rather than their usual operating hours from 9 a.m. through 4 p.m., according to the Korea Federation of Banks. Such an adjustment i

Nov. 12, 2024

Flight takeoffs, landings to be suspended for noise control during college entrance exam

The government said Tuesday all aircraft takeoffs and landings across South Korea will be temporarily prohibited to keep noise down during this year's annual College Scholastic Ability Test later this week. According to the transportation ministry, aircraft takeoffs and landings will be restricted for 35 minutes between 1:05 p.m. to 1:40 p.m. on Thursday when the English listening evaluation portion of the national college entrance exam will be taken. The measure is aimed at preventing airc

Nov. 12, 2024

Driver racks up over 20,000 tickets, owes W1.7b in unpaid administrative fines

A single driver has accumulated more than 1.7 billion won ($1.21 million) in unpaid administrative fines as of Oct. 10, police data has revealed. Administrative fines are imposed on car owners for speeding and parking violations, not by police officers but by cameras, according to the Road Traffic Act. Rep. Youn Kun-young of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on Monday revealed a police list of the top 100 delinquent drivers who have not paid the largest amounts in administrative fine

Nov. 11, 2024

Man charged with murder in fatal robbery for petty cash

South Korean police said Monday they are investigating a man in his 40s for a murder in which he allegedly targeted another man in his 40s in a random robbery because "he looked wealthy." The suspect is charged with murder in the killing that took place Friday in the city of Seosan, South Chungcheong Province. He told investigators that he committed the crime to pay his gambling debts, and targeted the victim because he was drunk and looked to be a wealthy man. The suspect spotted the

Nov. 11, 2024

Man who threatened knife attack released with warning

A man in his 50s who called police and warned of a random knife attack was recently released with just a warning, local media outlets reported Monday. According to a News1 report, officials of the Ilsan Seobu Police Station arrested a man in his 50s at around 9:50 p.m. on Nov. 5 after he called the 112 police emergency number and said he would kill many people at a bus terminal. "I will kill everyone at the terminal with a knife. Come quickly," he reportedly told police. Officials foun

Nov. 11, 2024

Search for crew of sunken fishing boat continues; 1 more body found

The Coast Guard on Monday expanded the area in which it is searching for the crew members who went missing last week when a fishing boat sank off the coast of Jeju Island, as another body found the day before brought the death toll to four. The Jeju Coast Guard said 47 boats and eight aircraft were mobilized in the day's search for the 10 missing crew members across an area measuring 64 kilometers by 28 kilometers. The search continued for a fourth straight day in the waters near the wrecka

Nov. 11, 2024

What is South Korea’s 4B movement?

The South Korean "4B" movement has gained attention in the United States following President-elect Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 election. Emerging around 2018, the "4B" movement is a voluntary female celibacy movement, encouraging women to refuse heterosexual marriage, childbirth, dating or sex with men. The term "4B" comes from bihon (no marriage), bichulsan (no childbirth), biyeonae (no dating) and bisekseu (no sex), with "bi," or "B,&quo

Nov. 11, 2024

Seoul to begin UAM demonstration services in 2025

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will officially begin the demonstration of the urban air mobility service -- or transportation system that uses aircraft to move people and cargo within urban areas -- by 2025, according to Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Monday. During the city government’s conference on new technologies such as UAM, artificial intelligence and quantum technology, Oh announced the city government’s upcoming plans to officially launch the future public transportation servi

Nov. 11, 2024

Dialogue launches without junior doctors, main opposition

A consultative body, comprising the government, medical sector, and ruling party, was launched on Monday to seek a resolution to the standoff that began in February and deliver tangible results by year-end. It was held with opposition from the main opposition party and striking junior doctors and students against the expansion plan boycotting the meeting. The move comes after ruling People Power Party Chair Han Dong-hoon proposed the formation of a four-way consultative body in early September t

Nov. 11, 2024

Teens' prank spoils Busan's biggest fireworks festival

An unexpected lighting failure that occurred during the 19th Busan Fireworks Festival on Saturday was caused by three teenagers, according to the event’s organizers on Sunday. The teens' unauthorized entrance into the control room for the festival led to the light failure, according to the organizing committee of the annual festival in the second-largest Korean city. The teens touched a cable connected to light controls on the bridge Gwangandaegyo while being escorted out by security,

Nov. 11, 2024

[Graphic News] Rising wedding costs raise cash gift expectations

Amid “weddingflation” in South Korea, wedding expenses have surged, leaving guests uncertain about how much to give as cash gifts. Koreans commonly base cash gifts on the cost of the wedding meal and their closeness to the couple. In Seoul, most wedding meals now cost between 70,000 and 80,000 won ($51-$59), raising concerns for guests planning to give only 50,000 won. A Shinhan Bank survey found that people in their 20s to 40s primarily determined cash gift amounts based on their

Nov. 11, 2024

Only one-third of young diabetic Koreans receiving treatment: data

Suspected diabetes cases are surging among young Koreans, but only one-third are receiving treatment. Nearly 1 in 5 Koreans aged 19-39 are showing signs of prediabetic conditions, with the ratio rising to 1 in 3 among men in their 30s. These are some of the key findings of a study conducted by the Korean Diabetes Association, which analyzed blood test data of Koreans who underwent state-offered medical checkups from 2019 to 2022. According to its analysis, 307,965 Koreans aged 19 to 39 had high

Nov. 10, 2024

Fire at Posco plant in Pohang extinguished, but raises safety concerns

A fire erupted early Sunday morning at a Posco factory in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, and was brought under control within hours. Yet, a series of incidents, including multiple fires at Posco’s steel plant, has heightened anxiety among local residents this year. According to fire authorities, a fire erupted with multiple explosions at the Posco plant’s third Finex factory at around 4:20 a.m. Sunday. After initiating an emergency response at around 4:50 a.m., deploying 43 fire

Nov. 10, 2024

Will ousting KMA chief on eve of new talks shift medical standoff?

Hopes for a decisive breakthrough in the monthslong medical stalemate are rising as the consultation body intended to join the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, rival parties and the medical circle for talks is set to launch Monday morning, a day after a major leadership change in the Korean Medical Association. The body's launch comes after ruling People Power Party Chair Han Dong-hoon proposed in September the formation of a four-way consultative body in an attempt to resolve the ongoing medi

Nov. 10, 2024

Student backlash erupts as Dongduk Women's University weighs coed future

Dongduk Women's University, one of South Korea’s seven remaining women’s colleges, is weighing a possible shift to coeducation, a move igniting opposition among students who warn it could erode the institution’s mission of championing women’s empowerment and diminish women’s representation in society. According to the student council Naran of Dongduk Women's University on Sunday, the university will soon initiate discussions on becoming a coeducational ins

Nov. 10, 2024

Deer incidents put Seoul's southern suburbs on alert

Residents south of Seoul are watching their step as another deer incident has put local authorities on high alert, just days after attacks left two people injured. A deer was spotted late Saturday on a roadway in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, prompting an immediate response from fire officials. The emergency call came in around 11:55 p.m. from a resident fearing possible vehicle collisions with the animal, local authorities said. Two emergency vehicles carrying eight personnel responded to the scen

Nov. 10, 2024

Police uncover over 4,700 minors in crackdown on online gambling

Police said Sunday they have identified over 4,700 minors involved in online gambling activities over the past year. The National Police Agency said 4,715 individuals under the age of 19 were discovered during a special crackdown on illegal online gambling conducted from September 2023 to October this year. No arrests of minors have been made. The figure accounts for 47.2 percent of all age groups involved in the crackdown. Initially, police focused on targeting illegal gambling operators and ha

Nov. 10, 2024