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Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol indicted for abuse of power
The prosecution investigating former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Dec. 3, 2024 declaration of martial law on Thursday indicted Yoon for abuse of power. Yoon will face a criminal court trial for his alleged obstruction of the exercise of rights through the abuse of power, constituting a violation of Article 123 of the Criminal Act, when he declared martial law nearly five months ago, according to the prosecution’s special investigation team led by Park Se-hyun, chief prosecutor at the Seoul High Pro
May 1, 2025 -
Young diabetics in Korea double in 10 years: study
The number of Koreans in their 20s and 30s diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes has more than doubled in a decade, with approximately 370,000 people in this age group now living with the disease, a recent study shows. According to research published in the Diabetes and Metabolism Journal of the Korean Diabetes Association, 2.02 percent of Koreans aged 19-39 had Type 2 diabetes in 2020, up from 1.02 percent in 2010. The increase of diabetes cases among young adults is especially noticeable among those
May 1, 2025 -
Seoul’s monthly transit pass to cover more of Seongnam
Seoul’s all-inclusive "Climate Card" monthly transit pass will be usable at subway stations on the Suin-Bundang Line and the Gyeonggang Line in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, starting Saturday, according to the municipal government on Thursday. The Climate Card is a rechargeable monthly transit pass that gives commuters access to public transport systems within the administrative boundaries of Seoul as well as select neighboring cities on the city's outskirts. From Saturday, the Climate Card can b
May 1, 2025 -
As unused homes increase in rural South Korea, govt. mobilizes nationwide response
South Korea on Thursday announced a pangovernment plan to tackle the growing problem of unused houses, as rural areas face the looming threat of extinction amid population decline. While there are an estimated 134,000 so-called empty houses nationwide, making up 7.9 percent of all residential buildings, the problem is particularly acute outside metropolitan areas. As of 2023, 42.7 percent of these empty houses, or 57,223 homes, were concentrated in 89 regions experiencing population decline. The
May 1, 2025 -
Main blaze in wildfire in Daegu contained
The main blaze in a wildfire that reignited on a mountain in the southeastern city of Daegu has been contained, forest service authorities said Thursday. About 40 helicopters and 900 personnel were deployed to put out the wildfire that reignited on Mount Hamji in Daegu, with firefighters trying to extinguish smoldering fires, according to officials at the Korea Forest Service. The fire, which began Monday afternoon, was extinguished nearly 23 hours later on Tuesday afternoon after scorching 260
May 1, 2025 -
Emergency response order issued again as wildfire reignites in Daegu
The National Fire Agency on Wednesday issued an order to mobilize available personnel and equipment nationwide to combat a fire that reignited in the southeastern city of Daegu. The NFA issued the order shortly after the fire reignited on Mount Hamji in the city some 230 kilometers southeast of Seoul in the afternoon. The fire, which began Monday afternoon, was extinguished nearly 23 hours later on Tuesday afternoon after scorching 260 hectares of land and forcing more than 2,000 people to evacu
April 30, 2025 -
Fast-tracked Lee Jae-myung verdict stirs talk of political timing
As the Supreme Court of Korea decided to deliver its verdict on Lee Jae-myung’s election law violation case on Thursday, just nine days after it first reviewed the case on April 22, speculation is growing over the reason for the top court’s earlier-than-expected ruling date. While many election law violation cases that are appealed to the Supreme Court take more than three months to process, Lee’s case has garnered both public and legal analysts’ attention because the court conducted two hearing
April 30, 2025 -
Intermittent heavy rain to fall nationwide from Labor Day
Following a few days of sunny, warm weather, the Korea Meteorological Administration announced during its press briefing Wednesday that South Korea will see heavy rain nationwide on Labor Day morning. According to the KMA, as warm air from the south and cold air from the north collide above the Korean Peninsula, heavy rain will fall nationwide from Thursday. The Greater Seoul region -- including Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province -- as well as the inland parts of Gangwon Province, the North an
April 30, 2025 -
Over 40% of child sex exploitation victims targeted via chat apps: report
Four out of 10 child and teenage victims of sex exploitation in South Korea last year were targeted through online chat applications, according to a new government report set to be released Thursday. The 2024 annual report by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Korea Women’s Human Rights Institute found that the most common method of exploitation was through so-called “compensated dating,” often initiated on anonymous online platforms. The findings are based on support data collec
April 30, 2025 -
2 suspects in massive Gyeongsang wildfires to be handed over to prosecution early May
Two men suspected of starting deadly wildfires that spread across southeastern South Korea and claimed 33 lives in late March could be referred to prosecutors in early May at the earliest, North Gyeongsang Province police said Wednesday. The suspects are currently not in physical detention, as a local court rejected the police’s request for arrest warrants last week. The court stated that investigators had already acquired enough evidence to prove the suspects’ involvement, and that the suspects
April 30, 2025 -
Seoul bus 'slowdown' causes minor commuting disruptions
Seoul’s public bus drivers launched a “work-to-rule” protest Wednesday morning, marking the first time that the city’s bus union has taken such action instead of a full strike. A "work-to-rule" action, also known as an "Italian strike" or "slowdown," is a form of industrial action in which employees strictly adhere to the rules of their job contract, doing only the minimum required. This can reduce productivity and disrupt operations, serving as a form of protest without a complete work stoppage
April 30, 2025 -
Korea rolls out air safety measures after Jeju Air tragedy
The South Korean government on Wednesday announced a series of air safety measures, including strict penalties for fatal accidents and new rules targeting potentially hazardous conditions at airports — factors believed to have attributed to the deadly Jeju Air crash landing in December that killed 179 of the 181 onboard. Strict punitive actions for airlines responsible for deadly aviation accidents are part of the plans announced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Such airlin
April 30, 2025 -
Korea’s intelligence agency urges SKT USIM card replacements across all ministries
South Korea’s top intelligence agency has ordered all government ministries and public agencies to replace SK Telecom USIM cards used in official devices, following a cyberattack that compromised the core systems the company uses to verify mobile users on its network. The National Intelligence Service confirmed to The Korea Herald that it issued the directive on Tuesday, requiring USIM replacements in all SKT-connected work phones, tablets, and even mobile routers that support essential services
April 30, 2025 -
Yoon Suk Yeol's apartment raided over wife's alleged gifts
Prosecutors carried out a search and seizure of the private residence of former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee on Thursday, as part of an investigation into alleged corruption via ties between the former presidential couple and a shaman, Jeon Seong-bae, also known as Geon Jin. Wednesday’s raid by the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office is seen as an effort to secure evidence related to Jeon’s alleged violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, and his alleged
April 30, 2025 -
Just tap the screen: Police discreetly rescue callers reporting dating violence
A police officer who received a silent emergency call recognized that the caller was in danger and guided her to use nonverbal signals to request help, according to the National Police Agency. On Tuesday, the NPA released a video highlighting a recent case handled by the Jeju Provincial Police Agency, in which a victim of dating violence called the 112 emergency hotline but was unable to speak. Senior Patrol Officer Kim Hye-jin, who responded to the call, suspected a foul play and told the calle
April 30, 2025