Automobiles were found to be the biggest emitters of volatile organic compounds that cause various illnesses including sick house syndrome and atopic dermatitis, researchers said Friday.A VOC is an urban pollutant that produces ozone and fine dust through photochemical reaction. Some VOCs gives out a bad smell and is even thought to cause cancer. According to research by the Seoul Development Institute, of 56 VOC emitters in two major industrial districts from 2009 to 2010, fossil fuels accounte

Civic organizations are joining hands to launch Korea’s first advocacy group for debt-ridden individuals as early as next month. The group will campaign to protect poor debtors from bankruptcy, property seizure and loan shark abuses, according to the movement’s promoters.Tentatively named “People Who Want to Pay Back,” it will be affiliated with With Save, a financial welfare foundation launched last month under the sponsorship of the Seoul Metropolitan Government.Major nongovernmental organizat

Korean women’s satisfaction with their lives is the 13th highest in the world, according to a recent survey.The Gallup Organization reported Thursday that 55 percent of Korean women said they were “thriving” in employment, security and health. The worldwide report surveyed a total of 191,313 people in 147 countries including South Korea last year.Korean women’s 55 percent satisfaction rating was 13th highest, following New Zealand with 58 percent and Brazil with 56 percent. Women in the U.S. had

Prosecutors have acquitted all people involved in the so-called "false letter" scandal involving an imprisoned Korean-American businessman accused of falsely raising embezzlement allegations against incumbent President Lee Myung-bak during the 2007 presidential race.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, which has been investigating the case since January, said there was no behind-the-sce

A young girl died from complications brought on by the contagious hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) that has been spreading throughout the country, the government's health and safety agency said Thursday.The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) confirmed that a young girl, aged 2 years and 7 months and living in the Gyeongsang region of the country, died from a high fever, con

The fate of four South Korean activists being held in China will likely be high on the agenda during Chinese Public Security Minister Meng Jianzhu’s visit to Seoul later Thursday, diplomatic sources said, as speculation mounts over their possible release.Meng‘s visit comes more than three months after the activists were arrested in the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian on March 29, apparently for their efforts to help North Korean defectors hiding in China. The group is accused of endangering

Police said Thursday they are planning to confiscate vehicles from habitual drunk drivers in a desperate bid to wipe out inebriated drivers. Announcing a comprehensive package of measures to revamp the traffic regulations, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said efforts are underway to adopt the confiscation plan as well as other measures to improve the traffic system.Putting the eradication of drunk driving as the top priority, the police said they will step up the crackdown on those getting

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― In its first formal response to a North Korean performance featuring Disney characters without authorization, the U.S. government on Monday stressed the importance of protecting intellectual property rights.“All countries should abide by the rules and laws of international commerce, including respect for IPR,” a State Department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency on the customary condition of anonymity.The remarks came after North Korea’s state media showed Mickey Mo

The Education Ministry announced Tuesday that it will combine language centers and cultural centers run overseas to enhance efficiency in promoting Korean culture and language.The ministry said a revised bill to the act on education support for Korean nationals residing abroad was passed at the Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday. The amendment removes clauses about the establishment and management of language centers, which will allow the integration of language and cultural institutes. The bill wi

Educational authorities on Tuesday dropped a recommendation to remove the literary works of a poet-turned-politician from textbooks, bowing to a strong public backlash. The state-run Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation said it was considering withdrawing its recommendation to publishers of middle school textbooks to leave out the poems and essays of Do Jong-hwan in the revised editions. It was only a day after the panel’s directive, issued late last month, became known to the public an