A KTX bullet train en route to Busan from Seoul derailed in central South Korea on Wednesday, injuring some passengers, the operator said. The Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL) and firefighters said the derailment occurred at 12:58 p.m., when the KTX-Sancheon train was entering a tunnel in Yeongdong of North Chungcheong Province, 214 kilometers south of Seoul. One passenger car from the train went off the tracks near the Yeongdong Tunnel after being apparently hit by a steel structure that fell fr

The chief of South Korean dental implant maker Osstem Implant Co. on Wednesday apologized for its own employee allegedly embezzling a large amount of corporate funds. The employee in charge of managing corporate funds, only identified by his surname Lee, has allegedly embezzled 188 billion won ($157.7 million). Osstem Implant on Friday sued the employee in question on charges of embezzlement. The amount is estimated to be equivalent to 92 percent of Osstem Implant's equity capital of 205 bill

Free gifts at hotels likely to disappear this year under regulations on disposable packaging

South Korean rapper Dok2 has appealed a court ruling ordering him to pay an unpaid jewelry bill to a jeweler in Los Angeles, court officials said Wednesday. Last month, the 31-year-old rapper, whose legal name is Lee Joon-kyung, was ordered by the Seoul Southern District Court to give 41.2 million won ($34,740) and interest on his unpaid jewelry bill to the LA jeweler. The jeweler sued Dok2 in September 2020, claiming the rapper had not paid that amount of money when he purchased seven piece

A drunk 30-something man has swum to safety after his car sank in the Han River near southeastern Seoul, police said Wednesday. The man's car fell into the river near the southeastern district of Jamsil at around 10 p.m. Tuesday. The driver swam out of the sinking vehicle without sustaining major injuries, according to the police. In a following police probe, the man was found to have driven toward the river under the influence of alcohol. The police said he has been booked on charges of drivi

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases bounced back to above 4,000 for the first time in three days Wednesday, putting health authorities on high alert over a possible resurgence amid omicron concerns. The country added 4,444 new COVID-19 infections, including 4,233 local infections, raising the total caseload to 649,669, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Wednesday's figure was up 1,420 from a day earlier and down 963 compared with the same day last week. It

Court suspends educational vaccine pass mandate, citing constitutional rights

42 percent of adult population boosted

Police are tracking the whereabouts of 188 billion won ($157 million) in corporate funds that an employee of a South Korean dental implant maker allegedly embezzled, with information that the money had been divided and transferred through multiple bank accounts in the process of the crime. A police official told media outlets Tuesday the 188 billion won of corporate funds, which accounts for 91.8 percent of Osstem Implant’s 204.7 billion won in equity capital, was confirmed to have been c

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung on Tuesday pledged to establish “workcation” centers in rural areas of the country to allow people working remotely to stay and help struggling local economies. Under the COVID-19 pandemic, over 9 in 10 of the country’s biggest firms have adopted a telework system, according to Lee. “I will support a balanced life between work and rest in line with the changes in the new era and in the

Toxic nationalism manifests online via ‘gukppong’ YouTube channels In 2015, when Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League acquired forward Son Heung-min -- arguably the best soccer player Korea has ever produced -- a curious fad emerged among Korean soccer fans. Whenever Son pulled off a remarkable performance, they would flood online comment sections with the word “Jumo!” It was meant as a compliment. The Korean word refers to the now-defunct profession of a f

Following vaccine plan for youths aged between 12-18, those born in 2010 become eligible for vaccination

Nine out of 10 South Koreans feel climate change firsthand and are willing to accept any inconvenience caused by policies to solve the problem, a poll showed Tuesday. According to the poll of 1,000 adults nationwide by a civic group, 89.2 percent answered that they actually feel the effects of the climate crisis and 88.5 percent expressed a willingness to accept the inconvenience of policies introduced to address the crisis. The poll was conducted by pollster Research View from Dec. 14-18 at t

Prosecutors have decided not to indict the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, who was accused of sexually harassing his secretary, according to local reports Tuesday. The decision was reached by prosecutors at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday. Prosecutors closed the case as they no longer have the right of arraignment to file an indictment against the deceased Park. As prosecutors have closed the case, the connection of his death with the accusation will not b

Seoul's daily COVID-19 cases on Tuesday remained under 1,000 for the second consecutive day in light of the country's extension of tighter social distancing measures for two weeks, officials said. The number of cases in the capital was recorded at 938, 52 fewer than the 990 tally Monday and down 351 compared with a week ago, according to city health officials. Of the total, 903 were local infections and 35 were from overseas. On Monday, Seoul's daily COVID-19 cases fell below 1,000 for the fir