Police raided a large illegal gambling den on Wednesday, confiscating 38 million won ($28,700) at a location in Boeun, North Chungcheong Province. A total of 32 people, including the gambling den organizer in her 60s, were caught at the countryside vacation home, Boeun Police Station announced Monday. They were suspected of playing an alternative form of Go-Stop, also known as Hwatu, where a group of people play the Asian card game from both sides of a line and combine scores on each side to dec

The Constitutional Court on Tuesday ruled that the law that dictates that students who commit school violence can face measures such as a mandatory apology to the victim, prohibition of contact or retaliation and changing classes is constitutional. The Constitutional Court rejected an appeal that claimed the law forcing perpetrators to apologize to victims infringes on their freedom of conscience and personal rights. Six judges out of nine voted that the law is constitutional. The case was filed

The school bullying case involving the son of prosecutor-turned-lawyer Chung Sun-sin has angered many South Koreans, but it sparked a particularly strong outcry among residents and leaders of Jeju Island. According to local reports, Chung’s son constantly abused a classmate who was also his dormitory roommate, calling him a “pig from Jeju” and a “commie,” while they were attending an elite, private high school in Gangwon Province in 2017. Oh Young-hun, governor of t

The Seoul city government takes a big step toward cashless payments on public transportation Wednesday, as cash payments began to be phased out on buses. A quarter of the city's 7,394 buses, on 108 of its 370 routes, will only allow passengers to pay by card or app. The expansion is a fivefold increase from the current 418 buses on 18 routes. Night buses are so far not being included. Following the change, riders on cashless buses will have to tap a contactless bank card or mobile wallet to

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases remained below 11,000 for the sixth straight day Tuesday, as the country is seeing a gradual slowdown in the pace of infections. The country reported 10,817 new COVID-19 infections, including 30 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 30,513,721, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. The daily tally is slightly higher than the weekly average of 9,725 but down by more than 1,000 than a week ago. The virus has been spreading more sl

Amid growing concerns over the deteriorating finances of the National Health Insurance Service, the government plans to reduce provision of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) checkups and ultrasound scans. Reporting on a meeting it held with doctors' groups, the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service and the National Health Insurance Service, The Ministry of Health and Welfare said an agreement had been reached on stricter standards when approving coverage for MRI checkups and ultraso

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will conduct a joint inspection of sexual exploitation and unsuitable businesses to protect children and adolescents from harmful environments. In order to keep children away from potentially damaging environments, the ministry will conduct a crackdown on businesses deemed inappropriate for adolescents to visit or work at. The ministry will first clarify the type of facilities and businesses that teenagers should stay away from, and then conduct a joint

A cable car project on Mount Seorak first proposed in the early 1980s which has been at the center of controversy over its environmental impact received a partial nod from the Ministry of Environment on Monday. The Environment Ministry's grant, though conditional, lifts the biggest administrative hurdle for the project pursued by a municipality in Gangwon Province for decades. The project budget of 50 billion won ($38 million) will undergo a regional finance review by the Ministry of the In

South Korea's first joint venture between foreign and local law firms said it would provide comprehensive legal services for companies facing a growing number of cross-border litigations, touting its competitiveness in practicing both Korean and international law in Korea. "As companies invest internationally, and often into challenging jurisdictions, the result is often cross-border arbitrations and investigations related to compliance with anti-bribery, anti-money laundering and sanc

More than 1 in 5 young adults are suffering huge debt in the face of soaring housing costs or living expenses, data showed Monday. According to a recent study by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, a state-run research institute, more than 21 percent of householders aged between 19 and 39 saw their debt-to-income ratios exceed 300 percent as of 2021, meaning their level of debt was more than three times their income. The proportion of young people with debt ratios above 300 perc

A Seoul court on Monday ruled against a local hospital which mandated a recovering alcoholic to clean its facility as part of its rehabilitation program. The Seoul Administrative Court said the hospital’s policy was tantamount to a violation of patients’ rights in terms of human dignity and access to care. Court documents showed that the hospital in question mandated its in-patients to engaging in manual labor including cleaning, laundry and meal distribution, as part of its recovery

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases hit the lowest tally in eight months Monday amid a gradual virus downtrend. The country reported 4,026 new COVID-19 infections, including 15 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 30,502,904, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. The virus has been spreading more slowly, despite the removal of the indoor mask mandate late last month. Monday's tally is down 298 from the previous week and is less than half of the total caseloa

A large crowd turned out at a series of vigils and rallies held outside the Russian Embassy in Seoul on Friday and Saturday to show support for Ukraine, one year since Russia’s invasion of the country. Chants denouncing Russia -- “Withdraw Russian troops from Ukraine! If Russia stops fighting, there is no war!” -- rung around the square near the embassy, as Ukraine supporters and anti-war demonstrators gathered. One of them was Andrei Litvinov, a Ukrainian teacher at a school i

South Korea's Presidential Office is mulling a revision of the anti-graft law, also known as the Kim Young-ran law, to raise the limit on food price from the current 30,000 won ($22.82) to 50,000 won. Unveiling the plan, Lee Do-woon, spokesperson of President Yoon Suk Yeol's office, said the revision is being discussed to prop up the local economy. Those subject to the law, including public officials, school teachers and journalists, are currently banned from being offered with meals t

Seoul International School offers Maker Education that focuses on the STEAM disciplines -- science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics -- through elementary and middle school programs. Maker Education, also known as hands-on learning, is rooted in the Maker movement that began in 2005, it said. It encourages students to engage in creative processes to gain knowledge and experience rather than simply observing them. Maker Education enhances students' creativity and thinking skills