Lee Jin-sook appointed as broadcast watchdog chief despite opposition protest

Lee Jin-sook, the nominee to head South Korea's broadcasting watchdog, was appointed by President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday despite protest from opposition parties over her alleged misuse of corporate funds in the past. Lee, a former journalist at public television network MBC, reported to work at the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) at the government complex in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, after being officially appointed. The newly appointed KCC chief underwent a rare three-day confirm

PoliticsJuly 31, 2024

Driver behind deadly car crash in downtown Seoul arrested

The driver in the fatal car crash near Seoul City Hall was arrested Tuesday, about a month after the accident that left nine people dead. The Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for the driver, known only by his last name, Cha, citing a flight risk. The court held a hearing earlier in the day to determine whether to issue a writ for the 68-year-old. Ahead of the hearing, Cha, who appeared in public for the first time, repeatedly said he was sorry to the victims and their famili

Social AffairsJuly 30, 2024

S. Korea condemns deadly Golan Heights attack

South Korea condemns the deadly rocket strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that killed 12 children and calls on all parties to avoid escalating tensions, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. "We condemn the attack on the Druze community village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights and extend heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the family members of the 12 children who lost their lives in the attack," the ministry spokesperson said in a commentary. "We urge all parties

Diplomatic CircuitJuly 30, 2024

Official at military's intelligence command arrested for alleged leak of 'black agents' info

A military court has issued a warrant to arrest an official at the military's intelligence command for allegedly leaking information of South Korean espionage agents operating overseas, the defense ministry said Tuesday. The civilian official at the Korea Defense Intelligence Command, whose identity is withheld, is suspected of handing over personal information of so-called black agents to a Chinese national of Korean descent. Black agents refer to intelligence officials conducting undercov

DefenseJuly 30, 2024

S. Korea to provide $1m in humanitarian aid for Ethiopia's landslide disaster

South Korea has decided to provide $1 million in humanitarian aid to support relief efforts following a devastating landslide in southern Ethiopia, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. "Our government hopes this aid will assist in the recovery of the affected areas and help the local residents return to their daily lives as quickly as possible," the ministry said in a release. According to recent reports, the death toll from the landslide in the mountainous village of Gopa in southern

Diplomatic CircuitJuly 30, 2024

S. Korea, Australia to launch 'economic security dialogue'

South Korea and Australia agreed Tuesday to launch an "economic security dialogue" aimed at enhancing communication and cooperation in the economic security field between the two countries, Seoul's foreign ministry said. The agreement was reached during bilateral talks in Seoul between Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yu and his Australian counterpart, Penny Wong, the ministry said in a release. The chief secretary for economic security from the presidential office and the deputy secretar

Diplomatic CircuitJuly 30, 2024

Foreign ministry to check for need to amend Sado mine exhibits on wartime forced labor

The South Korean foreign ministry said Tuesday it will check if there is a need to make changes to the exhibits on Japan's wartime forced labor of Koreans at a museum near an old Japanese mine complex newly registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Seoul government has come under criticism for what critics call a lack of efforts to ensure Japan reflects the coercive nature of its forced mobilization of Koreans to the Sado gold and silver mines during World War II, before the mine co

Diplomatic CircuitJuly 30, 2024

Man kills neighbor with sword

The South Korean police said Tuesday that it has arrested a 37-year-old man for murdering another man with a Japanese-style sword at an apartment complex in Seoul. The suspect is believed to have attacked the victim in his 40s at around 11:30 p.m. on Monday near the entrance of the complex's parking lot in Eunpyeong-gu, northwestern Seoul. He and the victim were both residents of the complex and were acquainted, but not particularly close. It was reported that the suspect picked a fight wit

Social AffairsJuly 30, 2024

Man who tortured duck to death 'didn't know it was a crime'

A man in his 50s is being investigated for allegedly torturing and killing a wild duck in Seoul, local police said Tuesday. Officials of Seoul Dobong Police Station are questioning the suspect, identified only as a Vietnamese national, for his actions on 11:20 a.m. last Friday at a stream in Dobong-gu, northeastern Seoul. He is believed to have thrown stones at a eastern spot-billed duck living in the stream to knock it out, after which he tortured and killed the animal. His reasons for killi

Social AffairsJuly 30, 2024

No exchange between Koreas' separated families since Feb. of last year

South Koreans with relatives in North Korea have not been in contact with their kin across the border for over a year, government data showed Tuesday, highlighting the increasingly worsening relations between Seoul and Pyongyang. According to the Ministry of Unification, there has been no contact between the separated families of the Koreas at the civilian level since February of last year. This refers to individuals connecting with their relatives through a non-government broker, which must b

North KoreaJuly 30, 2024

Driver behind deadly car crash apologizes at court hearing

The driver behind the fatal car crash that killed nine pedestrians near Seoul City Hall earlier this month repeatedly apologized as he attended an arrest warrant court hearing Tuesday morning. “I’m very, very sorry to the deceased and bereaved families,” the 68-year-old, surnamed Cha, said as he entered Seoul Central District Court at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday morning. Cha showed up to the hearing with his face covered with a cap and a mask while being asked several questions by repo

Social AffairsJuly 30, 2024

'You're Still Here': Exhibition honors UN forces in Korean War

Seventy-four years ago, troops from 22 nations, led by US Gen. Douglas MacArthur under the United Nations flag, were dispatched to defend South Korea against North Korean aggression. The bloody conflict left millions dead, with over 100,000 UN casualties. July 27, commemorated annually as National Korean War Armistice Day, marks the signing of the 1953 agreement that ended the three-year conflict. This day of national recognition honors all those who served, fought and died during the Korean War

Social AffairsJuly 30, 2024

Cabinet approves launch of strategic command

South Korea's Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposed presidential decree to establish a strategic command aimed at effectively countering North Korea's increasingly sophisticated nuclear and missile threats, according to the presidential office. South Korea's strategic command will also play a central role in integrating the country's advanced conventional forces with US nuclear forces, thereby strengthening integrated deterrence between the treaty allies against potential No

DefenseJuly 30, 2024

66% of Gen Z get beauty treatments to land a job

About two-thirds of young job seekers in South Korea said they had obtained beauty care to land a job, with many of them believing that physical appearance plays a key role in increasing their chances of being employed, a survey showed Monday. Local job platform Catch revealed the results of a survey it conducted with 1,455 young job seekers belonging to Generation Z -- adults born after the mid-1990s. According to the survey, some 66 percent of the respondents said they received care for their

Social AffairsJuly 30, 2024

Assembly passes all 4 broadcasting bills despite ruling party objection

All four contentious bills aimed at reducing the Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s influence over public broadcasters here were passed by the opposition-led National Assembly Tuesday. The Assembly passed the revision to the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act, railroaded by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, in a 189-0 vote during a plenary session in the morning. The move marks the passage of the last of four contentious broadcasting bills, with the amendments to the Broadc

PoliticsJuly 30, 2024

Environment ministry unveils sites for 14 new dams

The Ministry of Environment announced Tuesday that it has chosen 14 different sites to build new dams to guarantee South Korea’s safety and readiness for heavy rain, floods and droughts. “Since May 2023, the Ministry of Environment has been trying to promote the construction of dams that can combat extreme weather conditions,” said Environment Minister Kim Wan-sup during a press briefing Tuesday. Kim, an ex-vice finance minister, recently became the new environment minister on

Social AffairsJuly 30, 2024

Jangma ends, leaving Korea under subtropical heat

Jangma, the rainy season, finishes in South Korea around Saturday and scorching hot days will last for, the Korea Meteorological Administration announced its analysis Tuesday. South Korea came under the influence of a strong subtropical high and the rainy front moved to North Korea, and it can be interpreted as the end of jangma, the forecast agency said. This year’s jangma lasted over a month -- 31.5 days in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi and Gangwon Province, 31.4 days in southern provinces

Social AffairsJuly 30, 2024