Two local courts on Thursday turned down government applications to deposit compensation for late forced labor victims under Japan's 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean Peninsula, citing opposition from the bereaved families. A government-affiliated foundation handling the compensation matter had submitted the requests to the Jeonju District Court and the Pyeongtaek branch of Suwon District Court, each, to deposit compensation for two victims' bereaved family members. But the courts r

The government has launched a higher-accuracy voice analysis model aimed at curbing rampant voice phishing scams and other voice-based crimes and plans to share the technology with foreign investigative bodies, a senior interior ministry official said Thursday. South Korea sees more than 20,000 cases of voice phishing scams every year, wrecking damage worth about 700 billion won (US$537.6 million). A total of more than 156,000 voice phishing crimes were reported during the 2018-2022 period, with

Prison terms have been requested for a dog owner and her male accomplice who buried a poodle alive, the Jeju District Prosecutor's Office revealed on Thursday. During the final trial at Jeju District Court, the prosecutors sought sentences of 18 months and 10 months for the woman in her 30s and the man in his 40s, respectively. They were indicted on charges of violating the Animal Protection Act. According to Article 10 of the Animal Protection Act, those who commit animal abuse face up t

A ward at a facility for disabled people has been booked over allegedly stabbing 11 other wards, causing skin necrosis, the Anseong police said Thursday. According to the police, the 19-year-old suspect is accused of injuring 11 patients since the start of 2022, stabbing them with hypodermic needles, resulting in necrotizing fasciitis, a severe skin condition commonly known as flesh-eating disease. Relatives of two of the victims filed a police report, saying the victims, who had been stabbed mu

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is making another attempt to transform Jamsu Bridge, a submersible bridge connecting Yongsan and Seocho, into the first pedestrian-only Han River bridge and a new leisure and cultural space. The city government announced on Thursday that it will hold an international design contest to reimagine the bridge, with the hope of completing the project by 2026. The contest is a part of the Great Han River Project of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon to enhance the convenience and

Gang wars and bloody power struggles over territory and clout may be a thing of the past, as a new young generation of gangsters utilizes social media for communication and hold meetups, prosecutors have revealed recently. According to local media reports, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office recently discovered that young gangsters of the same age belonging to different factions and families hold regular social meetings among themselves. The prosecutors came to learn of such meetups

Ahn Hye-ji, 29, used to spend 13,500 won ($10.32) per month on Netflix, but has recently cancelled her subscription. Instead, she has found a way to pay for the streaming service on an hourly basis, which costs only a fraction of the monthly subscription fee. “There are many reality shows and drama series that are streamed exclusively on certain platforms. It is a waste of money to subscribe to so many different platforms," Ahn said. She found people sharing their streaming accoun

Downpours to resume Friday, followed by heat wave

More English teachers at public schools would cut hagwon costs, says Seoul education chief

Former South Korean soccer player Lee Chun-soo apprehended a drunken hit-and-run driver on Seoul's Olympic Expressway, police said Wednesday. According to Seoul Dongjak Police Station, at around 10:50 p.m. Tuesday, Lee handed over the drunken driver to police when they arrived at the reported crime scene where the driver had crashed into a taxi and tried to flee. On his way back home after filming for a TV show, Lee got out of his car after he heard a taxi driver asking for help to catch

A man suspected of stealing money from drunk people by using their fingerprints to unlock their phones has been apprehended, police said Thursday. The suspect in his 30s is accused of luring inebriated people into secluded areas without surveillance cameras to extort a total of 55 million won ($42,184) in the Gangnam area. Over 11 instances of the crime were reported from July 2022 until last month. He is also suspected of blackmailing the victims who have no recollection of the event afterwards

A mother has been put under emergency detention on charges of secretly burying her 1-day-old baby girl in a family vegetable garden after she died in the western city of Incheon, police said Thursday. The woman in her 40s, who was detained Wednesday on charges of abandonment of a corpse, told police that her newborn died a day after she was born in August 2016 at a hospital in Incheon and she abandoned the body in a garden in Gimpo, just north of Incheon. She also told police that she buried the

South Korea has no legal obligation to track them down, authorities say

As summer's first heatwave warnings struck this week, medical professionals on Wednesday urged individuals with diabetes to exercise greater caution against the increased risk of a severe complication of the condition called diabetic foot disease. Diabetic foot disease encompasses a range of foot problems afflicting diabetics, with foot ulcers being the most debilitating, as explained by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Summertime coincides with a heightened risk of the dise

Senior government and military officials and other citizens attended ceremonies unveiling a statue of Korean War hero Gen. Paik Sun-yup and marking the third anniversary of his death in a southern county on Wednesday. The ceremonies took place at a war memorial in Chilgok, the site of a major battle during the 1950-53 conflict. Participants included Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, Veterans Affairs Minister Park Min-shik and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park Jeong-hwan. The late general, who died on J