The KT&G Scholarship Foundation said Monday it is hosting a social innovation idea contest for college students to showcase creative business ideas that can tackle social challenges. Students can participate in groups of two to four, and may submit business proposals that create products or services to combat a wide range of social issues including climate change and education. Proposals are being received through the foundation’s website until Nov. 6. The first round of evaluations wi

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has shelved plans to visit South Korea this year, a presidential official said Monday. The two countries had been in talks to arrange the visit for next month, but the plan fell through for reasons that were not immediately clear. "It appears the crown prince's visit to South Korea this year will be difficult," the official told Yonhap News Agency by phone. "We still remain in close consultation over the timing of the visit

A Seoul court has granted an injunction suspending Chang Ho-kwon, the chair of a state-funded association of national independence fighters and their descendants, over alleged irregularities in the group's latest chairman election. Chang, the eldest son of the late independence activist Chang Jun-ha, won the by-election in late May to lead the Heritage of Korean Independence (HKI), defeating Kim Jin, the eldest grandson of another national independence hero, Kim Gu. Members of HKI later acc

Unification Minister Kwon Young-se plans to meet with families of South Koreans detained in North Korea this week and explain the government's commitment to resolving the issue, his office said Monday. Kwon plans to meet with family members of two out of six detainees Friday in a bid to console them and express the government's willingness to win their release, according to Seoul's unification ministry. It will be the first time that a unification minister meets with families of s

Prosecutors raided Ssangbangwool Group on Monday over allegations the underwear maker smuggled a huge sum of foreign currency out of the country about three years ago. The Suwon District Prosecutors Office sent prosecutors and investigators to the Ssangbangwool headquarters in the central Seoul district of Sindang in the morning to secure documents and materials related to the currency smuggling allegations. Prosecutors have been investigating the allegations that Ssangbangwool secretly sent sev

The last Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin kept in a South Korean aquarium has been released into the wild after 17 years following monthslong rehabilitation training, the oceans ministry said Monday. Bibong was set free on Sunday from a pen in the sea off South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju, where he had stayed for about 70 days for training to adapt to the new environment upon the government's release plan, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. Experts said Bibong

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell below 20,000 on Monday as its spread continues to slow down amid high levels of vaccinations and eased restrictions. The country reported 11,040 new COVID-19 infections, including 81 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 25,131,505, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The country has seen a gradual downtrend in new infections since peaking at over 180,000 cases on Aug. 17. Monday's tally fell from 21,469 on Sunday b

The office of President Yoon Suk-yeol has been on 24-hour standby as North Korea has been expected to conduct its seventh nuclear test at any time, officials said Sunday. North Korea's recent series of missile launches and other provocations are believed to be part of the regime's preparations for a seventh nuclear test, according to the officials. "As North Korea's provocations have become more frequent, we're putting all of our effort into maintaining a readiness posture with a sense o

Airlines working to extend 16-hour limit for pilots after New York-Incheon flight forced to stop to replace crew

The family of Otto Warmbier has set an important precedent for North Korea victims all over, according to Rep. Ha Tae-keung of the ruling People Power Party. Speaking with The Korea Herald, the ruling People Power Party Rep. Ha Tae-keung said, “The Warmbier family has played a pivotal role in the fight against North Korea human rights abuses, and their efforts have marked a significant turning point in accountability-seeking.” About a month ago, Ha met with Cindy and Fred Warmbier

N. Korea expresses confidence in Xi's power consolidation in letter celebrating opening of party congress

Nearly half of unmarried South Koreans in their 30s and 40s were living with their parents, according to a study released last week. According to a report released by the state-run think tank Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, 49.7 percent of those in their 30s and 48.8 percent of those in their 40s who are not married were living with their parents. In both age groups, women showed a higher rate of living with their parents. Some 54.5 percent of women in their 30s and 50.6 percent

Bibongi, the last Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin held in captivity in South Korea, was returned to the wild after 17 years. The government said on Sunday it had released Bibongi, at 9:40 a.m. in the sea after 70 days of training. There were a total of eight in domestic aquariums in 2012, but seven returned to nature from 2013 to 2017.

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases stayed below 30,000 for the fourth consecutive day Sunday as infections have been on a decline in recent weeks. The country reported 21,469 new COVID-19 infections, including 87 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 25,120,465, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The country reported 32 deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 28,840. The number of critically ill patients came to 247, up two from a day earlier, the KDC

From a Korean student abroad to a foreign professor here, the impact of the won’s historically weak performance is felt by many