Articles by Moon Ki Hoon
Moon Ki Hoon
-
Colleges to have stricter record checks on school bullying
In light of mounting concerns over school bullying, students with disciplinary records for bullying will face stricter scrutiny during the college admissions process in South Korea. Starting in 2026, colleges will be required to consider applicants' school bullying records during admissions, the Korea Council for University Education, the country’s leading body for college admissions, announced on Wednesday. Under the new policy, every applicant will undergo mandatory checks of bullyi
Social Affairs Aug. 31, 2023
-
S.Korea's fertility rate marks record low in Q2 of 2023
South Korea's fertility rate has dropped to a record-low 0.70 in the second quarter of 2023, according to the latest government report, in yet another stark indicator of the deepening demographic crisis in a nation already grappling with the world's lowest birth rate. According to the monthly demographic and census report released on Wednesday by Statistics Korea, the country's statistics body, there were 56,087 newborn babies in the second quarter, a 6.8 percent drop from the sam
Social Affairs Aug. 30, 2023
-
Speed limits in "school zones" to be partially lifted
Nighttime and early morning speed limits in "school zones" – child protection zones on roadways adjacent to schools – will be raised to 50 kilometers per hour from the current 30 kph starting from Sept. 1, the National Police Agency of South Korea announced on Tuesday. Effective from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., the new speed limit aims to accommodate traffic during times when fewer students are present on the streets. The decision follows last year's pilot testing in specific ar
Social Affairs Aug. 29, 2023
-
Online vendors sued over Kim Jong-un T-shirts
An online vendor has become embroiled in legal action for selling T-shirts featuring a smiling image of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in a case highlighting the polarized perspectives of South Koreans towards their northern neighbor. Six right-wing activist groups have filed a joint civil lawsuit against two individual sellers, with e-commerce giants Naver and Coupang also named as defendants for displaying the product on their platforms. According to the complaint submitted to the Seoul Metr
Social Affairs Aug. 28, 2023
-
Illegal whaling bust nabs 55 individuals responsible for killing 17 whales
The Coast Guard nabbed 55 individuals in connection with an illegal whaling operation, officials confirmed on Thursday. Of them, 13 are being held by the Coast Guard, facing charges of unlawfully hunting 17 minke whales from January to June using harpoons and spears. According to officials at the Coast Guard Station at Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, the group had used various tactics to evade capture, including stashing whale meat in underwater buoys and smuggling it to local eateries at nig
Social Affairs Aug. 25, 2023
-
Government removes 11,000 undocumented immigrants in June, July
On Wednesday, South Korea's Justice Ministry reported that nearly 11,000 undocumented immigrants were removed from the country through either deportation or voluntary departure between June 12 and July 31, a move that highlights the Yoon Suk Yeol government's focus on stricter immigration enforcement. The 50-day crackdown was conducted jointly by five central government agencies, including the Ministry of Justice, the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Tra
Social Affairs Aug. 23, 2023
-
Nationwide civil defense drill to take place Wednesday
South Korea will conduct its first nationwide civil defense drill in six years on Wednesday, a move that comes amid rising tensions with North Korea. Set for 2 p.m., the 20-minute exercise will require most people to evacuate to designated shelters or underground safe spaces. The country has identified 17,000 such shelters, with their locations available on widely-used apps like Kakao, Naver, and Tmap. During the drill, drivers must pull over to the side of roads and follow radio instructions. S
Social Affairs Aug. 22, 2023
-
Child overcomes rare heart disorder with successful surgery in Seoul
An Indonesian boy born with his heart outside the chest cavity has been successfully treated at a South Korean hospital. Mikhael, a 7-year-old from Indonesia, was born with ectopia cordis, an extremely rare condition where the heart is located outside the chest cavity. Most infants diagnosed with the condition do not survive beyond their first three days of life. Medical professionals in Indonesia initially predicted he would only live for two years. Despite defying initial prognosis, Mikhael fa
Social Affairs Aug. 18, 2023
-
Seoul unveils logo for "Seoul, My Soul" slogan
The city of Seoul unveiled its new city logo with the "Seoul, My Soul" slogan, as part of an initiative officials say aims to bolster the city's global image. The slogan emerged as the top pick from an open call for idea submissions last August, besting the runner-up "Seoul for You." It then underwent a rigorous review process, incorporating various surveys to finalize the design, city officials said. The new branding will replace "I Seoul U," which had been the cit
Social Affairs Aug. 16, 2023
-
S. Koreans divided on traveling to Japan during Liberation Day
As South Korea marks the 78th Liberation Day from Japan on Aug. 15, a recent poll highlighted a societal divide on how to approach traveling to Japan – a top destination for South Korean tourists – during the holiday. A recent poll by research firm PMI surveyed 3,000 South Koreans aged 15 to 69. Of those polled, 50.6 percent said they believe it is inappropriate to visit Japan on Liberation Day, the most popular view across all age groups. Some 19.9 percent responded they are against
Social Affairs Aug. 14, 2023
-
ADHD diagnoses in South Korea rise by 80% compared to 4 years ago: report
The number of South Korean children and teens diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder has risen by 80 percent over the last four years, a government agency report found. According to data released by the National Health Insurance Service on Sunday, ADHD diagnoses for individuals aged between 6 and 18 rose from 44,741 in 2018 to 81,512 in 2022, marking an 82.2 percent increase. Of these, 63,182 were male and 18,330 were female. The global rise in ADHD diagnoses, including in South K
Social Affairs Aug. 14, 2023
-
Critically endangered Siberian tiger dies unexpectedly at Seoul Zoo
Seoul Zoo confirmed on Monday the unexpected death of Suho, one of their resident Siberian tigers. At just 10 years old, Suho's death came a decade earlier than the typical 20-year life expectancy for Siberian tigers, a critically endangered species. Suho was found unresponsive during viewing hours in the zoo's exhibition hall in Seoul Grand Park, Gwacheon on Sunday. Despite immediate efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead soon thereafter. With the continued heat wave pushing da
Social Affairs Aug. 8, 2023
-
Violent crime spree reignites debate on police use of force
As South Korea has seen a rise in seemingly random knife attacks this summer, some are saying that law enforcement should be granted the authority to take a tougher stance against violent criminals. Several online comments by presumed police officers, expressing frustration for being personally liable for using excessive physical force while on active duty, were widely shared in social media and online communities following a series of recent violent crimes -- including last week's car-ramm
Social Affairs Aug. 8, 2023
-
22-year-old-led nationwide drug ring busted
Ulsan Metropolitan Police Agency reported the arrest of 20 people on Wednesday, including the 22-year-old kingpin of a major drug ring, among 34 individuals nabbed in connection with the nationwide drug trafficking operation. Among those busted was a high schooler who had been recruited into the ring as a drug mule, police confirmed. Since June 2020, the ring has dealt with cannabis and LSD smuggled from Vietnam through overseas mail. The ring's dealers, largely former buyers in their 20s a
Social Affairs Aug. 3, 2023
-
Man stoned to death in bizarre, gruesome case
One man was found dead and another critically injured inside a vehicle parked by a highway near Yeosu, South Jeolla Province on July 31, leading to a police investigation last weekend. Both victims were discovered with severe wounds to the thigh, apparently inflicted by an external object. Police autopsy revealed the man died of excessive bleeding and sepsis, resulting from an injury inflicted by rocks. According to authorities, the two men were friends who met through an online game three years
Social Affairs Aug. 2, 2023
Most Popular
-
1
BTS, NewJeans fandoms clash over Hybe-Min Hee-jin conflict
-
2
N. Korea launches missiles in latest show of military, nuclear strength
-
3
High temperatures may worsen mental health conditions: study
-
4
Yoon leaves for Prague to cement nuclear energy push
-
5
Samsung under pressure after Intel's foundry spin-off: analysts
-
6
Samsung chief travels to France to encourage young talents
-
7
Korean battery makers zero in on global commercial EV market
-
8
[Off the Pages] German bestseller gets new twist in ‘Snow White Must Die -- Black Out’
-
9
N. Korea fires multiple short-range ballistic missiles: JCS
-
10
4th case of lumpy skin disease confirmed in S. Korea