HWASEONG/SEOUL -- The deadly fire that killed at least 23 people at a lithium battery factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, may have been worsened by deficiencies in prevention measures and unsafe working environments, with a report that a fire had broke out two days before the Monday outbreak. While the exact cause of the fire will be determined through further forensics, experts believe that the lack of a proper evacuation route may have worsened the fire's effects. The proximity of the

Social Affairs June 25, 2024

Following scorching heat waves nationwide and record-breaking heavy rain on Jeju Island over the last few weeks, South Korea's residents are grappling with "climate anxiety," as many have found themselves concerned about the increasingly unpredictable extreme weather. Climate anxiety -- related to "climate depression" -- is a term used to describe feeling distressed due to worries about climate change and its impacts on the Earth and human existence. “I always thou

Social Affairs June 24, 2024

Spam text messages promoting stock investments, loans and shopping deals have surged rapidly in South Korea during the first half of this year, prompting a police investigation to determine the cause of the spike. Between January and May 2024, around 170 million spam text messages were reported and detected by the Korea Communications Commission, according to data provided by Korea Communications Commission and released by Rep. Hwang Jung-a of the Democratic Party of Korea on Sunday. Additionall

Social Affairs June 23, 2024

It’s official: South Korea is experiencing its hottest June ever, and by a significant margin. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Sunday, regions across the country recorded an average of 2.4 heat wave days from June 1 to 20, which is four times the average from 1991 to 2020. The previous record was set in 2018, when there were 1.5 heat wave days. A heat wave day, as defined by the KMA, is when daytime temperatures soar above 33 degrees Celsius. This year’s first

Social Affairs June 23, 2024

Lee Won-young, a 26-year-old graduate school student, has recently added a new routine to her busy life -- taking care of a potted plant that she called “Chris.” Chris sits by Lee’s desk in her room. Lee’s routine every Monday is to water her potted plant to make sure it survives another week. Throughout the rest of the week, Lee spends time moving her plant in different locations around the house to make sure it gets enough sunlight and putting it under an LED light to b

Social Affairs June 22, 2024

Hot temperatures from Wednesday continued into Thursday, and are expected to continue into the weekend, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Thursday. Heat wave advisory warnings that had been issued in 92 regions across South Korea consinued through Thursday. Four cities in Gyeonggi Province -- Gapyeong, Goyang, Yongin and Anseong -- raised their heat warning level to the second-highest level in the four-tier system. While the first-level heat wave alert is issued when th

Social Affairs June 20, 2024

Wednesday was expected to record the hottest day in June since weather records started to be kept in many cities nationwide. As of 3 p.m., Wednesday, the heat had broken several daytime temperature records across the country, including in Seoul, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province saw daytime temperatures reaching as high as 37.7 C, recording the highest June temperature in the city since 2010. Gwangju's daytime temperatures reached

Social Affairs June 19, 2024

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will invest 650 billion won ($471 million) over the next five years to help universities train students with the skills needed for the next generation of industries, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said in a press briefing Tuesday. “With a goal to make Seoul one of the top five global cities (in the Global Cities Index), the city government aims to boost the city’s global competitiveness by boosting the competitiveness of universities in Seoul, by helping to

Social Affairs June 18, 2024

Seoul’s total population over the first quarter of 2024 dropped to 9.38 million, a 6.4 percent decline from the total population 20 years ago, 10.2 million, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday. Out of the 25 districts in the city, Nowon-gu in northern Seoul has seen a 20 percent fall in its population over the last 20 years. While the district saw its population reach 630,555 in 2004, these numbers saw a large decline in the first quarter of 2023 to 501,727. Besides No

Social Affairs June 17, 2024

A South Korean appellate court on Friday upheld the life imprisonment of 34-year-old Cho Seon, who was convicted for a fatal stabbing rampage near Seoul’s densely populated Sillim Station that occurred in July 2023. The Seoul High Court once again dismissed the prosecution's demand for the death penalty for Cho. “The incident which occurred in broad daylight near Sillim Station caused great shock to the public,” the Seoul High Court said in its ruling. “The lack of c

Social Affairs June 14, 2024

Public spaces hold symbolic meaning to South Koreans and it is important to build more of them in cities to enhance national dignity, said Chairperson Kwon Young-gull from the National Architecture Policy Commission at the Global Business Forum held in Seoul on Wednesday. The GBF, organized by The Korea Herald, is an association of experts from various fields such as business leaders, scholars, diplomats and celebrities, who come together to provide comprehensive views on industrial changes. Sev

Social Affairs June 13, 2024

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck near Buan-gun, North Jeolla Province, Wednesday morning, marking the strongest earthquake in South Korea's southwestern region's history and the most powerful quake of the year, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. The earthquake that occurred at 8:26 a.m. was the 16th strongest earthquake since 1973, when the country started compiling relevant records. The quake’s depth was measured at 8 kilometers and it was followed by 17 afte

Social Affairs June 12, 2024

South Korea's first tropical night of 2024 hit Gangneung, Gangwon Province, on Monday night, a week earlier than last year, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Tuesday. Tropical nights are defined as ones in which the temperature remains above 25 degrees Celsius from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, according to the KMA. As of 6:50 a.m. Tuesday, the KMA announced that temperatures remained above 25 C in Gangneung and would remain the same or higher until 9 a.m. It is the

Social Affairs June 11, 2024

Summer is right around the corner, with average daytime temperatures nationwide estimated to record over 30 degrees Celsius throughout the week, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Monday. Monday’s average daytime temperatures nationwide were to range between 26 C and 33 C, as South Korea falls under the influence of high pressure coming toward the peninsula from Mongolia while warm air comes in from the west, according to the KMA. On Tuesday and Wednesday, morning te

Social Affairs June 10, 2024

South Korea resumed loudspeaker broadcasts into North Korea on Sunday, in response to North Korea's launches of trash-laden balloons into South Korean territory over the weekend, the Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed. Despite warnings of retaliation from Seoul, North Korea flew 330 additional balloons loaded with trash from late Saturday until 10 a.m. Sunday morning, apparently in response to activists' launches of leaflet-carrying balloons headed the other way. "Our military conduc

Defense June 9, 2024