Seoul police agency issues level B emergency following martial law

Following South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of an emergency martial law late Tuesday, the Korean National Police Agency issued a level B emergency for all police officials, effective as of 1 a.m., Wednesday. A Level B Emergency is a part of the police’s emergency response system, activated during escalating public security crises or other emergencies. When this level is declared, police officials and leading commanders must remain within their command locations and m

Dec. 3, 2024

Seoul mayor to file charges against power broker Myung Tae-kyun, news outlets

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Tuesday that he plans to take legal action against self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun and other related individuals over allegations regarding their involvement in influencing public opinion polls during the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election. “I will begin resolute legal action against the fraudulent group that undermines the fairness of elections and threatens democracy, as well as deceitful forces that amplify and distort the truth,” Oh said, durin

Dec. 3, 2024

Seoul voted 'Best MICE City' for 10th year in row

South Korea’s capital city, Seoul, was voted the “Best MICE City” for the 10th year in a row during the Global Traveler Tested Reader Survey Awards, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization, Monday. MICE is an acronym that stands for the meeting, incentive travel, convention, exhibition and event sectors. According to the Seoul city government, Global Traveler is a travel magazine publishing company based in the US that annually collects

Dec. 2, 2024

UN talks on plastic treaty end without agreement

Negotiations at the fifth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-5) in Busan ended with delegations failing to reach a deal and agreeing to resume talks next year. The INC-5, which started based on a resolution passed during the UN Environment Assembly meeting in March 2022, started Monday in Busan, with hopes of reaching an agreement to end plastic pollution. The meeting concluded late Sunday without a deal, despite making “significant progress&rd

Dec. 2, 2024

Talks on UN plastic treaty remain stalled with 2 days to deadline

Negotiations at the fifth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-5) in Busan, were seen making little progress with only two days left before the Dec. 1 deadline. The INC-5, which was started after a resolution passed during the UN Environment Assembly meeting in March 2022, is the final round of negotiations before delegations are expected to finalize the legally binding treaty text. The gathering started Monday and is scheduled to end on Sunday. Challe

Nov. 29, 2024

Heavy, wet snow to fall more often this winter

Korea is expected to face a winter marked by the more frequent occurrence of heavier, wetter snow than usual, the Korea Meteorological Administration projected on Friday. Starting Wednesday, Korea already witnessed a historic two-day spell of record-breaking November snowfall. According to the KMA, the unprecedented heavy snowfall nationwide was due to the warmer temperatures of the West Sea compared to previous years, due to the unusually warm weather South Korea experienced during summer and a

Nov. 29, 2024

Chaos unfolds as rare November snowstorm grips Korea for 2nd day

South Korea was thrown into disarray on Thursday as unusually heavy November snowfall continued for a second day. Treacherous conditions led to widespread transportation delays and caused power outages in parts of Seoul. Heavy snowfall of over 40 centimeters blanketed the densely populated Greater Seoul area. Thursday’s snowfall was the third-highest amount ever recorded for Seoul in November, reaching up to 40.2 cm in Gwanak-gu, while Yongin and Gunpo in Gyeonggi Province saw up to 47.5 c

Nov. 28, 2024

Seoul blanketed by heaviest Nov. snow, with more expected

Heavy snow warnings were issued across the country as South Korea -- especially the Greater Seoul area and Gangwon Province -- experienced heavy snowfall nationwide, with more expected overnight. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, more than 20 centimeters of snow covered parts of Seoul as of 7 a.m., Wednesday morning. Normally, a warning is issued by the KMA when snowfall is expected to reach above 20 cm within 24 hours. The last time a snowfall warning was issued by the KMA

Nov. 27, 2024

UN talks on plastic pollution treaty begin with grim outlook

BUSAN -- Delegates from 177 countries gathered in Busan on Monday for the fifth round of negotiations to clinch a deal for a legally binding United Nations treaty to combat plastic pollution, though doubts linger as to whether a final agreement can be reached. From Monday through Sunday, delegates to the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee are expected to finalize a legally binding treaty to address plastic pollution. This initiative emerged from a resolution passed duri

Nov. 25, 2024

Final push to forge UN treaty on plastic pollution set to begin in Busan

All eyes turn to Busan as delegations from 175 countries gather for the final round of negotiations to clinch a legally binding United Nations treaty to combat plastic pollution. Kicking off Monday and running through Dec. 1, the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee could define the global response to one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. The initiative stems from a resolution passed during the UN Environment Assembly meeting in March 2022, which

Nov. 24, 2024