Animal rights groups rescue 455 dogs from illegal puppy mill in Busan

Animal rights organizations have rescued 455 dogs from an illegal breeding facility in Busan, highlighting the ongoing issue of unlawful puppy mills in South Korea, a coalition of 15 organizations announced Friday. The dogs, including various high-value breeds, were found crammed into filthy cages across the 230-square-meter site in Daejeo-dong, Gangseo-gu, which had been operating illegally for 25 years, according to the coalition. The coordinated rescue was led by the Lucy's Friends, whic

Oct. 18, 2024

Court recognizes misogyny as motive for hate crime for 1st time

An appellate court ruled Tuesday that the assault on a female convenience store clerk by a man in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, allegedly motivated by her short haircut, constituted a misogynistic hate crime. The landmark ruling is the first time a Korean court has explicitly recognized misogyny as a condemnable motive in a criminal case. The Changwon District Court upheld the lower court's decision to put the attacker behind bars for three years for aggravated assault, destruction of p

Oct. 16, 2024

Seoul's foreign caregiver project, river bus under fire at audit

Various projects driven by the Seoul city government, such as the foreign caregiver scheme involving 100 Filipina workers and the Hangang River Bus, came under fire during a parliamentary audit on Tuesday. Mayor Oh Se-hoon also denied allegations that controversial pollster Myeong Tae-gyun was involved in a mayoral election he won in 2021. In response to questions from Rep. Cho Seung-hwan of the ruling People Power Party regarding Seoul's foreign caregiver pilot program, Oh argued the progr

Oct. 15, 2024

No. of female earners surpasses 10 million

The number of female workers receiving wages and salaries in South Korea has surpassed the 10 million mark this year, government data showed Monday. According to data released by Statistics Korea, the female wage and salaried workforce in 2024 reached 10.15 million, an approximately 17.7-fold increase since the government began collecting such data in 1963. Specifically, 6.962 million of these female workers were regular employees, 2.907 million were temporary workers, and 283,000 were categoriz

Oct. 14, 2024

Confusion over alleged S. Korean drone intrusion: Who's behind it?

North Korea's recent claim that the South had sent uncrewed aerial vehicles over Pyongyang three times since last week has stirred a contentious debate on the veracity of the claim and the implications. As of Sunday, the South Korean government has maintained a noncommittal stance, neither confirming nor denying the allegations, while North Korea has yet to present definitive evidence. In a message delivered Friday through the Korean Central News Agency, the North's Foreign Ministry cl

Oct. 13, 2024

[From the Scene] SLW program explores tech integration for better, happier urban lives

An exhibition program hosted by the Seoul city government last week explored innovative ideas for urban challenges in areas such as transportation, environment and safety, with private companies showcasing tailored solutions to global cities from 18 countries. The Presentation for Your City program was the centerpiece of Seoul Smart Life Week, held from Thursday to Saturday at Coex in southern Seoul, as it conveyed fresh urban solutions that can be applied not only to Seoul, but other metropolit

Oct. 13, 2024

Surge in military enlistment among medical students

The number of medical students opting for military enlistment instead of continuing their medical studies has surged, surpassing 1,000, in response to the government's decision to expand medical school quotas, government data showed Tuesday. Data obtained by Rep. Jin Sun-mee of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea from the Ministry of Education reveals that as of Aug. 23, military leave had been granted to 1,059 students from 37 of the nation's 40 medical schools. This exclude

Oct. 8, 2024

'Risk of bioterrorism' from NK's trash balloons: KDCA head

The head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Jee Young-mee, has expressed concern over the risk of bioterrorism posed by the trash-carrying balloons from North Korea and said the agency is planning to stockpile vaccines in preparation, Monday. Jee was responding to Rep. Lee Ju-young of the minor conservative Reform Party, who raised concerns about North Korea's intentions with its trash balloons, during a National Assembly audit held in Yeouido, Seoul. Lee asked if it wouldn

Oct. 8, 2024

Pay debate plagues foreign nanny pilot

As Seoul's six-month foreign caregiver pilot program marks its first month on Thursday, significant unresolved issues -- particularly over pay. The initiative, led by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Employment and Labor, aims to offer affordable child care and light and incidental help with housework. The six-month pilot, limited to Seoul households, primarily dual-income with multiple children, and employing only Filipino national women aged 24-38, began on Sept. 3 wi

Oct. 3, 2024

Seoul mayor suggests shift in immigration policy

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon called for a paradigm shift in South Korean immigration policy, highlighting the importance of adopting more inclusive visa policies to tackle demographic challenges. "With a total fertility rate of just 0.7 and the elder population set to surpass 20 percent next year, the potential workforce crisis looms large," said Oh at the Foreign Residents and Migration Policy Forum hosted by the city government. Inclusive visa policies can help keep diverse international r

Oct. 1, 2024