The remains of Korean independence fighter Whang Ki-hwan, the real-life inspiration for 2018 hit TV drama “Mr. Sunshine,” are set to return home some 100 years after he passed away in New York. The Korean patriot, whose English name was Earl K. Whang, inspired the drama series' producers to create the character Eugene Choi (played by Lee Byung-hun), a Korean American US Marine Corps officer who returns to Korea and ends up helping his compatriots thwart a looming Japanese invasi

In 1957, first chartered plane took off for US carrying Korean war orphans, opening doors for massive 'baby exports.' Now adoptees demand answers, truth

Researchers sought to quell concerns that microplastics from disposable masks could cause lung damage, saying their study did not show that simply wearing masks and breathing through them is potentially harmful. "It is not the wearing of the mask itself that causes lung damage, but the microplastics that remain after disposing of the mask," said Yoo Byung-ah, an official at the Korea Institute of Toxicology. "Microplastics cannot be inhaled in one's lungs just by wearing and

In the face of an increasingly globalized labor workforce and a looming demographic cliff, South Korean legal professionals are calling for stronger protection of immigrants' and refugees' human rights in the country. "Refugees' and immigrants' human rights issues have gained ground in this society," Lee Jong-yop, president of the Korean Bar Association told The Korea Herald in a recent interview at the KBA headquarters in Seoul. During his tenure, Lee created a legal aid team for refu

Seoul taxi fares rose for the first time in four years beginning from 4 a.m. Wednesday through a basic rate hike, amid rising fuel costs and inflation, according to the taxi drivers' association. The ordinary taxi's initial charge for the first 1.6 kilometers is now set at 4,800 won ($3.90), up 26.3 percent from 3,800 won applied for the first 2 kilometers four years ago. The initial charge would cover a ride from Seoul Station to the Myeong-dong shopping district, for instance. When moving from

Actor Song Duk-ho is under investigation by a joint investigation team of the prosecution and the Military Manpower Administration on allegations that he illegally evaded military service through a broker, media outlets reported Tuesday. The joint investigation team suspects that the actor had contacted a military broker and asked for help demonstrating false symptoms of epilepsy during a military examination. After submitting an allegedly fraudulent report of his diagnosis, Song was deemed unfi

South Korea has recently rolled out a series of changes for foreign visitors and residents in the country, ranging from new visas to giving young children access to automated immigration gates at airports. The measures are intended to draw more foreigners, from tourists to long-term workers, after a period of pandemic-induced strict border controls. Introduction of new visas Two new visa types will be made available to visitors, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced last mont

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases rose to over 20,000 on Wednesday as the government eased indoor mask-wearing restrictions in an effort to fully restore pre-pandemic normalcy amid a recent overall downward trend. The country reported 20,420 new cases, including 28 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 30,197,066, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The daily count rose from about a seven-month low of 7,416 on Monday to 19,629 on Tuesday. Wednesday's fi

  Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Tuesday South Korea might lift short-term visa restrictions on entrants from China earlier than a new deadline set by the end of February if convincing evidence of declining COVID-19 spread is given. The decision could be made depending on the virus situation here as Korea has just eased indoor mask mandate and both China and Korea had family gatherings to celebrate Lunar New Year holiday. "(The government and health experts) can start reviewing plans

Facilities in South Korea which temporarily detain foreigners subject to deportation have been gradually improved compared to the past, but are still short of fully protecting human rights, the Korean Bar Association and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said as they wrapped up a joint investigation. Since October last year, a special committee on refugees and foreigners under the KBA conducted in-depth interviews with foreigners and employees at several Immigration Processing Center

Residents of Daehyeon-dong, Daegu opposing the construction of a mosque in the area will hold another “meat feast” on Thursday, despite the Supreme Court's earlier ruling that enabled the project to continue. The “Daegu Anti-Mosque Committee,” residents against a mosque in their neighborhood, said Monday they will hold a protest where they will consume boiled pork and beef soup. The town adjacent to Kyungpook National University became a hot spot for conflict after t

Liberals in their early 20s are more likely to use Twitter, while conservatives in the same age group prefer Facebook, according to a local study released Tuesday. Two out of 5 South Koreans aged between 19 and 24 are on their smartphones for more than five hours a day, according to an online poll of 2,214 people of this age group conducted in July last year by the state-funded National Youth Policy Institute. They mostly use YouTube, KakaoTalk, Instagram and Facebook and come across a lot of fa

'Now is time to ditch anti-foreigner sentiment'

Pangovernmental policies cited as instrument for pushing up score by 1 point

The Yongsan District Office said Tuesday that it would operate a Korean-language counseling center in February to assist people who are suffering from trauma after the Itaewon disaster. The center will provide mental and psychological evaluations, counseling and additional group sessions if necessary. Every Wednesday, a psychiatrist from Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital will visit to provide counseling sessions. "Merchants and residents near Itaewon are being hit hard by the depressi