Cold wave alerts issued, below-zero temperatures through Wed.

Most regions were issued cold wave alerts Monday as South Korea saw a 10-degree drop in average temperatures compared to the previous day, with the cold expected to continue into Wednesday. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, most parts of Korea saw temperatures dip below freezing, with average morning temperatures reaching as low as minus 5 degrees Celsius and daytime temperatures ranging between 6 C to 13 C, which is 1 C to 3 C lower than previous years. With Seoul seeing mor

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2024

Traffic delays expected as railway workers stage slowdown

Passengers in the capital region face potential disruptions on their commute, as unionized railroad workers begin a partial "work-to-rule" protest Monday, warning of a potential indefinite strike from next month. On the same day, the main labor union of Seoul Metro, which operates subway Line Nos. 1 through 8, said it had voted in favor of staging a strike to demand better working conditions, a move that could plague transport services in the capital area. The work-to-rule protest --

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2024

Chinese villains? Seoul Metro apologizes for 'racist' comments

The state-run operator of Seoul's subway system on Monday issued an apology related to its recent comment on an online petition, in which it used the word "villain" to refer to Chinese people. Seoul Metro recently used what have been widely called racist remarks in the official reply to a complaint posted on the Civil Complaint/Proposal Integrated Services (Eungdapso Seoul) webpage of the Seoul Metropolitan Government. "We apologize for the inappropriate language related to

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2024

Majority of single-person households turn to side jobs amid high cost of living

More than half of South Koreans living alone have side jobs amid a growing cost-of-living squeeze, a report said Sunday. Among 2,000 economically active men and women aged 25 to 29 living alone in the metropolitan area, 54.8 percent of respondents said they earn extra money through a second job, according to a report by KB Financial Group's think tank. The figure significantly grew from 42 percent in 2022. Among the respondents this year, 38.8 percent said they took on a side gig to save

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2024

Car owner uses fake license plate, possibly to dodge parking fees

A resident of an apartment complex in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, was caught using a fake license plate made of paper to cover the license plate of his or her second car, a local media outlet reported recently. According to the JTBC report, a BMW sedan with a license plate made of paper was spotted by another resident of the apartment complex. The person who found the paper plate reported the case to police and confirmed that the car belonged to another resident of the building. The BMW owner h

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2024

Housing scam counseling offered in 7 languages

Counseling services for foreign nationals in Seoul who fell victim to "jeonse" housing rental fraud will be offered in seven languages at the Seoul Foreign Resident Center in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday. Starting Monday, the counseling services will be provided in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Mongolian, Russian, Uzbek and Urdu, every Monday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Counselling is delivered by certified real estate agents in English and

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2024

Court upholds day care center worker's suspension over child's injury

Seoul Administrative Court said Monday that it recently ruled against a teacher at a local day care center, who challenged a three-year suspension of duties imposed after a 5-year-old under their supervision fell and sustained injury. The court upheld the disciplinary action by the Geumcheon-gu Office in November of 2011, who suspended the teacher for three months after the child was injured in February of 2022 at the day care center in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul. The child fell from a 2-meter-tall pla

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2024

S. Korea reviews measures to reclaim loans to N. Korea over destruction of land routes

The unification ministry said Monday it is reviewing measures to reclaim loans granted to North Korea for building inter-Korean roads and train tracks after the North blew them up in October. The unification ministry unveiled the tentative measures as part of its policy plan for the second half of President Yoon Suk Yeol's administration, which is now at the midpoint of his five-year term. On Oct. 15, North Korea demolished parts of the roads and train tracks connected to South Korea -- the

North KoreaNov. 18, 2024

Rookie cop goes into burning building to rescue 22 people

A first-year policeman is earning praise here after he went into a burning building to evacuate all 22 residents, Seoul police said Monday. Oh Hyeon-jun, a 26-year-old patrol officer of the Seoul Gangseo Police Station, was among the team of officers who arrived at the scene of a fire in Gangseo-gu, Seoul on Nov. 7. A fire broke out at a restaurant of the commercial-residential building at around 7:12 a.m., with residents of the building being yet unaware of the situation. Oh ran up to the resid

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2024

[Herald Interview] Expo sets global standard for urban innovation: director

Korea Herald correspondent BARCELONA, Spain — Amid the burgeoning number of events focusing on urban development and smart cities worldwide, often seen as imitations of Barcelona's pioneering efforts, the annual Smart City Expo World Congress has distinguished itself by hosting its 14th edition as a record-breaking gathering. The 2024 edition of the Smart City Expo World Congress, hosted by the city of Barcelona and Fira Barcelona, marked a success with record-breaking attendance of 25,7

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2024

Yoon arrives in Brazil for G20 summit

President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday to attend the Group of 20 (G20) summit, a multilateral forum representing the world's major economies. Yoon flew from Lima to Rio de Janeiro to participate in the G20 summit slated for Monday and Tuesday, which marks Yoon's third consecutive attendance at the summit. On the first day, Yoon will join the launch of the Global Alliance for Hunger and Poverty and outline South Korea's contributions to combat global h

PoliticsNov. 18, 2024

Arms agency chief discusses cooperation with Peru defense minister

The chief of South Korea's arms procurement agency has met Peru's defense minister and discussed ways to expand their arms industry cooperation on the ground, sea and air, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said Monday. The meeting between DAPA Minister Seok Jong-gun and Peru's Defense Minister Walter Astudillo in Lima on Saturday came as President Yoon Suk Yeol visited Peru for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. In a separate summit held with his Peruvian co

Diplomatic CircuitNov. 18, 2024

S. Korea's homegrown long-range radar approved for combat suitability

A new long-range radar system developed with homegrown technology has been approved for combat suitability, the state arms procurement agency said Monday, with the equipment expected to bolster surveillance of aircraft in the country's air defense identification zone (KADIZ). The new radar system is capable of conducting around-the-clock surveillance in KADIZ and transmitting real-time data to the Air Force's Master Control and Reporting Center, the Defense Acquisition Program Administ

DefenseNov. 18, 2024

N. Korea sends trash-carrying balloons to S. Korea for 1st time in 3 weeks

North Korea again sent balloons carrying trash toward South Korea on Monday, the military here said, resuming its balloon campaign after about a three-week hiatus. North Korea floated some 40 balloons in the early hours, with approximately half of them falling in the Seoul metropolitan area and surrounding Gyeonggi Province, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The fallen objects were leaflets critical of South Korea and included no hazardous items, it added. Since late May, North Korea has sent more

North KoreaNov. 18, 2024

N. Korea's Kim calls for bolstering nuclear forces 'without limitation,' completing war preparations

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for bolstering the country's nuclear forces "without limitation" and completing war preparations as the country's enemies have increased "frantic" military confrontations with North Korea, state media reported Monday. Kim made the remark during the 4th Conference of Battalion Commanders and Political Instructors of the Korean People's Army on Friday, the final day of the two-day event held in Pyongyang, according to the Korean Centra

PoliticsNov. 18, 2024

Yoon departs for Brazil to attend G20 summit following Peru visit

President Yoon Suk Yeol departed Peru on Sunday for Brazil to attend the Group of 20 summit, concluding his four-day visit to Lima for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Yoon traveled from Lima to Rio de Janeiro, the second stop of his South American trip, to join the G20 meetings slated for Monday and Tuesday. During his stay in Peru, Yoon attended APEC sessions, an economic forum and other events on Friday and Saturday. On the sidelines, he held a trilateral summit with US President

PoliticsNov. 18, 2024

[Graphic News] Sea temperatures around S. Korea rise nearly double global average

The average temperature of South Korea’s surrounding seas has risen at nearly twice the global average rate over the past 56 years, according to a government report. The National Institute of Fisheries Science stated in its report, “2024 Impact of Climate Change in Fisheries Sector,” that sea temperatures around South Korea have increased by 1.44 degree Celsius between 1968 and 2023, compared to the global average rise of 0.7 C. The East Sea experienced the most significant i

Social AffairsNov. 18, 2024

Consultative body on doctors' walkout fails to narrow differences in meeting

A consultative body involving the ruling People Power Party, the government and doctors' groups held their second round of talks Sunday but failed to narrow their differences as they seek to resolve a prolonged walkout by trainee doctors. Thousands of trainee doctors have left their workplaces in a mass resignation since February to protest the government's decision to sharply raise the medical school quota, causing major disruptions to the national health care service. In a press brie

PoliticsNov. 17, 2024

Railway workers to stage work-to-rule strike this week

South Korean railway workers will kick off a "work-to-rule" protest this week to demand higher pay and a bigger workforce, railway officials said Sunday. The Korean Railway Workers' Union said it will launch the work-to-rule industrial action starting Monday, which could cause delays in some train services. Delays are highly likely on subways in the capital Seoul area while regular and KTX high-speed trains could also be affected by the slowdown, according to Korea Railroad Corp.

Social AffairsNov. 17, 2024

Presidential office criticized for haste over potential Trump meeting

South Korea’s bid to secure a surprise early meeting between President Yoon Suk Yeol and US President-elect Donald Trump on the occasion of Yoon’s trip to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the Group of 20 summits in South America, is now facing slim odds. Last week, President Yoon’s office unexpectedly hinted at the possibility of a meeting between the South Korean leader and former US President Donald Trump before Yoon's return to Seoul. This uncertainty was cit

Foreign AffairsNov. 17, 2024