Among the seven people who died in Thursday's hotel fire in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, was a 28-year-old woman whose final moments have deeply resonated with the public. The woman, surnamed Kim, made her last desperate phone call to her father at 7:42 p.m., just three minutes after the fire broke out, according to reports by the JoongAng Ilbo. "Something terrible has happened. The smoke is so thick I can’t get out," she said. In a second call, just over five minutes later, she a

Social Affairs Aug. 23, 2024

Seven people were killed and a dozen others injured Thursday following a fire at a hotel in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, with authorities on Friday strongly suspecting "an electric fault" as the main cause. The blaze started on the eighth floor of the nine-story building at around 7:39 p.m. at a hotel in Jung-dong, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, according to fire authorities. The fire, which was confined to the hotel’s upper floors, quickly filled the corridors with thick b

Social Affairs Aug. 23, 2024

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Thursday that it is expanding translations of its local self-government laws, a crucial service for foreign nationals living, studying or working in the city, who now account for nearly 5 percent of the total population. Local self-government laws are sets of ordinances and regulations issued by local councils in addition to citywide laws. This initiative to provide local self-government laws in foreign languages began in 2010 during Mayor Oh Se-hoon&#

Social Affairs Aug. 22, 2024

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office has decided to drop the anticorruption charges against first lady Kim Keon Hee, closing its investigation into allegations that she received a luxury Christian Dior handbag and other expensive gifts in exchange for favors. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office, which is in charge of the first lady's case, has recently decided not to press charges and report its decision to Prosecutor General Lee One-seok, according to legal circle

Social Affairs Aug. 21, 2024

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission officially announced on Monday an increase in the meal expense limit for public officials from 30,000 won ($22) to 50,000 won, citing the need to account for inflation since the limit was set in 2016. The commission’s chairperson, Ryu Chul-whan, stated that the new cap is to take effect on Aug. 27 following the approval of a revised enforcement ordinance during a Cabinet meeting on Monday. This change comes eight years after the Improper Soli

Social Affairs Aug. 19, 2024

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

Social Affairs Aug. 18, 2024

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

Social Affairs Aug. 15, 2024

A total of 157 households in Seoul, primarily dual-income families, have been selected to participate in the newly introduced foreign nanny program, according to the Seoul city government. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday it had received 751 applications by the deadline of Aug. 6, meaning there was significantly more demand than could be met by the pilot program. The city government chose the successful applicants by prioritizing single-parent households, pregnant women, families

Social Affairs Aug. 14, 2024

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon voiced strong confidence in the city's ability to host a profitable and successful 2036 Summer Olympics, citing Seoul's well-established infrastructure and robust public safety measures as key factors that would contribute to the event's success. In a Facebook post on Sunday titled "Again, the Seoul Olympics," Oh reiterated his commitment to bringing the Olympics back to Seoul, a pledge he first made two years ago. After visiting the Paris Olympics

Social Affairs Aug. 12, 2024

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Friday emphasized that easing greenbelt development restrictions is crucial to addressing the city's housing demands, particularly for newlyweds, as part of broader efforts to tackle South Korea's pressing low birth rate. Oh acknowledged Seoul's historical reluctance to lift greenbelt restrictions but argued that current challenges, including population decline due to low birth rates and the urgent housing needs of young couples, make this change necessar

Social Affairs Aug. 9, 2024

A senior official from South Korea's anti-corruption body, who had spearheaded high-profile and politically sensitive investigations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee and former opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, was found dead Thursday. The official was found deceased in his apartment in Sejong City with a suicide note at around 9:50 a.m. Thursday by a person who visited the apartment after the official failed to show up to work or answer calls. Police are looking into the exact circumstance

Social Affairs Aug. 9, 2024

The South Korean government has embarked on a task to bring about a major overhaul of the nation’s minimum wage system, launching an in-depth study into how key economies determine their minimum wages, officials said Thursday. The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced Thursday that it has recently commissioned a study titled "International Comparative Analysis of Minimum Wage Determination Systems." The move aims to address long-standing criticisms of South Korea’s min

Social Affairs Aug. 8, 2024

Migrant rights organizations on Wednesday urged South Korea's government to implement measures to protect the rights of the 100 Filipina caregivers who arrived yesterday to undergo a month of training before being assigned to families in Seoul. The Migrant Workers' Equality Coalition, a coalition of civic groups, emphasized that the lack of clarity in the caregivers' job responsibilities might lead to significant conflicts and potential exploitation, citing the ongoing ambiguities

Social Affairs Aug. 7, 2024

Brimming with anticipation, 100 Filipina childcare workers landed at Incheon International Airport early Tuesday morning, ready to participate in the new pilot program to support the care needs of participating Seoul families. Dressed in matching blue jackets emblazoned with the Philippine national flag, the workers emerged from the arrivals gate with their luggage. Some paused to make the heart gesture with their fingers toward the assembled reporters, a move reflecting their excitement and cur

Social Affairs Aug. 6, 2024

  A group of 100 Filipina caregivers is scheduled to arrive in South Korea early Tuesday morning to undergo a month-long specialized training program before being assigned to families in Seoul next month, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Monday. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Employment and Labor have been advancing a project to introduce foreign caregivers in response to the declining number of local domestic workers amid an aging population and the rising

Social Affairs Aug. 5, 2024