Justice Party lambasts Yoon's martial law declaration

In an emergency statement, the minor opposition Justice Party blasted Yoon's declaration of martial law, claiming that it breaches Article 77 of the country's Constitution. "President Yoon Suk Yeol must immediately withdraw the declaration of martial law. If not, the public will hold the president responsible for violating the Constitutional order. The Justice Party will never tolerate any actions that violate the Constitution," Kwon Young-guk, chief of the Justice Party, sai

Dec. 3, 2024

S. Korea sees rise in smokers, obesity rates last year

South Korea saw a rise in smokers and obesity rates last year, according to the National Health and Nutrition Survey on Tuesday. According to the report, 32.4 percent and 6.3 percent of men and women, respectively, were smoking cigarettes, with a particular increase in women in their 20s and 50-something men. The figures were each a 2.4 percent and 1.3 percent increase from 2022. If e-cigarettes are included, the percentage of adults using tobacco products, went up to 38.9 percent for men, a 2

Dec. 3, 2024

Ministry mulls tougher health warning labels for alcohol

South Korea is mulling introducing tougher health warnings on alcohol container labels to raise awareness on alcohol-related risks, according to officials on Tuesday. The move comes after Rep. Nam In-soon of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, also a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, suggested updating the warning labels to make them more effective in delivering the risks of alcohol consumption. Amid calls for stronger warning labels, the Health Mi

Dec. 3, 2024

Two butane gas explosions start fires in apartments, killing one

South Korea reported a series of fire-related accidents in residential buildings on Monday that resulted in several casualties. A butane gas explosion on the 15th floor of an apartment building in Daegu at around 8:59 a.m. caused a fire and some 30 residents either evacuated on their own or were rescued, according to the Daegu Fire Department. Several residents reportedly experienced difficulties breathing, eye pain and headaches after the fire, according to local reports. Following the fire, au

Dec. 2, 2024

Lotte requests police probe over financial crisis rumors

South Korea's retail giant Lotte Group recently requested an investigation from Seoul Gangnam Police Station into rumors about the company's financial instability that have circulated online since late last month, according to legal professionals on Monday. The decision comes after rumors that the company will declare a moratorium in early December due to a liquidity crisis spread online after two YouTube channels alleged that the group was facing challenges in mid-November. Lotte ha

Dec. 2, 2024

Korea scales back AI digital textbook rollout in classrooms

With just three months remaining before the new school year begins in March, the South Korean government announced Friday it will unexpectedly scale back its plan to introduce AI-powered digital textbooks in classrooms, adjusting the pace and deferring the rollout for some subjects. Under the scheme, the digital conversion of paper-based books for mathematics, English and informatics courses will go ahead as planned for third- and fourth-grade students, seventh-graders and first-year high school

Nov. 29, 2024

‘Green aurora’ is Seoul's color of 2025

Inspired by the splendor of green hues of the trees as the streetlights shone in the city's avenues during summer nights, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday it has chosen "green aurora" as the city's color for next year. As the municipal government expands its color palette every year to roll out the city's identity for the coming year, officials explained that the new soft-tone color aims to offer comfort and support to citizens fatigued from their everyday

Nov. 28, 2024

How $70 funeral wreaths became symbol of protest in S. Korea

Donning red bandanas, launching hunger strikes, raising banners and posters in chants by the crowd in the streets or holding candlelight vigils have long been go-to options for those advocating for change. But South Korea has noticed a slight change in how protests work: they now use funeral wreaths wrapped with sharp words to draw attention to their cause. The term "funeral wreath protest" first appeared in news reports in 2006, when residents who opposed the development of a lake p

Nov. 27, 2024

[Health and care] Getting cancer young: Why cancer isn’t just an older person’s battle

Cancer was a journey Kang Min-ji never thought she would take during her early 30s. She was physically active, a non-smoker and didn't drink that often. But her world shattered in July 2022 after she was found to have thyroid cancer and a brain tumor when she underwent a health checkup. "Little did I know that I would have cancer because I was young and had a relatively healthy lifestyle, although I did have an exhausting work pattern where I stayed up until late at night and early mor

Nov. 26, 2024

Temperatures to dip after rain on Tuesday

Starting Monday afternoon, heavy rain is expected to fall on Jeju Island and the Honam region, which includes Gwangju and South and North Jeolla provinces, and later spread across the country, according to the weather agency. Rain in the southern parts of the country and Jeju Island will mostly stop by Tuesday morning, but it will continue in the central regions until later in the day. The Korea Meteorological Administration added that low-pressure troughs could turn rain into snow in the moun

Nov. 25, 2024