The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will hold an open panel discussion to explore ways to transform Nodeulseom, a small artificial islet on the Han River, into a popular destination for Seoul residents. The event, titled "Let's Nodeul," is set to take place at the Nodeulseom Live House on Friday at 10 a.m. All Seoul residents are invited to present their ideas for improving Nodeulseom, according to a statement from the Seoul municipal government. Joining the panel

South Korean women face widespread sex discrimination in the workplace, experiencing inappropriate comments or remarks three to four times more frequently than men, a new survey found. The survey, conducted online by Embrain Public on behalf of nonprofits Gapjil 119 and the Beautiful Foundation Aug. 2-10, was of 1,000 working adults, including 435 women. Of the respondents, 55.9 percent of women reported being addressed or referred to in inappropriate terms, a rate 4.5 times higher than that of

65,000 won pass to cover Seoul's subway, bus, bicycle-sharing services

A 4-year-old boy found last week near the lifeless body of a woman at a home in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, was not registered in official documents, sparking further concerns over loopholes in the nation’s birth registration system. According to the Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency on Monday, the child, whose name was withheld, was found lying unconscious at around 9:55 a.m. on Friday in a low-rise apartment unit in Jeonju. Near him was the body of a 41-year-old woman thought to be his

A woman in her 20s has been arrested on charges of attempted murder, after she allegedly attacked with a knife an acquaintance who blocked her online. According to Seoul Dongdaemun Police Station, the 24-year-old suspect allegedly stabbed the 27-year-old victim on Friday. The victim sustained injuries to her back and hands, and the suspect was apprehended later the same day. The attack is said to have been motivated by the victim having blocked the suspect on social media after the two had a fal

Taking ‘killer questions’ off Korea’s college entrance exam may reduce students’ reliance on hagwon, official says

President Yoon Suk Yeol is likely to carry out a Cabinet reshuffle upon his return to South Korea following his weeklong trip to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Indonesia and Group of 20 summit in India. According to sources from the presidential office, Yoon, who arrived at the Seoul Air Base at around 6 a.m. Monday, is set to revamp the Cabinet later this week. Yoon is mulling tapping Rep. Shin Won-sik of the ruling People Power Party for defense minister, according

Once a hub for budget-conscious college students and ‘goshi' exam prep students, Seoul’s southwestern neighborhood embraces more diverse, yet still youthful population

The South Korean government is being urged to ramp up psychological support for young individuals transitioning from institutional care to independent living, as financial aid alone has proven insufficient to fostering full independence, according to a recent report from a legislative body on Sunday. According to the "Sustainable Independence" report released by the National Assembly Research Service, 11,403 young people were preparing to transition from institutional care, group hom

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has set its budget for next year at 1.7 trillion won ($1.2 billion), marking a 9.4 percent increase from this year. However, funding for teenage sex education and initiatives to prevent the recurrence of sexual and domestic violence have been reduced. The Ministry of Economy and Finance said Sunday that the budget for programs aimed at preventing the recurrence of domestic and sexual violence, including correctional treatment programs for perpetrators

Police have busted a drug ring that operated networks in Cambodia, China and Nigeria to smuggle methamphetamine into South Korea and seized billions of won worth of the drug from its members here, officials said Sunday. The drug ring, run by a Korean, a Chinese and a Nigerian national, based in Cambodia, China and Nigeria, respectively, is suspected of smuggling and distributing methamphetamine in South Korea between November last year and June, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

S. Korean students’ preference for medical colleges remains strong, with authorities scrambling to resolve ‘overconcentration of talent’

Invasive species cost the global economy a whopping $423 billion annually, a major new study from the United Nations found Monday. Introduced to new environments through human activities, these species adversely impact local biodiversity and human lifestyles by destroying crops and wiping out native species. Korea is no exception to this global concern. The country's natural ecosystems have been significantly disrupted by invasive species over the years. Here are some of South Korea’s

A Seoul court on Friday ruled in favor of a civic group seeking to reverse a police decision to partially ban its plan to march toward the presidential office in protest against Japan's release of treated radioactive water. A civic group, called Collective Action Against Japan's Release of Contaminated Radioactive Water had filed a notification of its plan to stage protest marches toward the presidential office in Yongsan in central Seoul on Saturday and the two following Saturdays. Th

Civic groups filed a complaint against a provincial governor and the culture minister Friday, calling for the reversal of a recent decision to remove sex education books for children from public libraries. Some 10 children's books on sex education have been ousted from 36 public libraries in South Chungcheong Province since July 25, after civic and parents groups complained that they justify homosexuality or promote the premature sexualization of children. The South Korean Coalition for Ant