The government-affiliated horse racing authority recently deleted a YouTube video depicting its horses as anime-style woman, after complaints that the content was sexually-suggestive. Rep. Yi Byeong-jin of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea confirmed Tuesday that the Korea Racing Authority has deleted the video introducing its racehorses. The video featuring horses illustrated as anime-style women wearing skimpy outfits, is thought to be inspired by a mobile game that also depicted

A man in his 40s has confessed to a 2008 robbery and murder case in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, local police said Wednesday. The suspect told investigators that he had been the one who stabbed a supermarket owner on Dec. 9, 2008 in Siheung, 26 kilometers southwest of Seoul. "I stabbed him. I'm sorry," was what he said, according to Siheung Police Station. The suspect has not elaborated on his motive for the crime. Authorities have been questioning the suspect since apprehending

One of the alleged perpetrators in the notorious 2004 Miryang gang rape case recently posted a video apologizing to the victim, continuing controversy surrounding the 20-year-old case. Forty-four male high school students were accused of subjecting a middle school girl to months of sexual and physical assault. "I want to say I am so sorry to the victim, who would have been living in unimaginable pain since 2004. ... I know no apology would absolve me, but I sincerely would like to apologi

President Yoon Suk Yeol postponed his planned trip to the southern region Wednesday due to heavy rain, sources said. Yoon was scheduled to attend a meeting on regional cooperation in South Chungcheong Province, but the presidential office, mayors and governors agreed to delay the schedule to focus on measures against the heavy downpour, sources said. "The president is receiving real-time reports on damage across the nation and has urged the heads of each local government to concentrate reco

A heavy rain watch was issued across parts of northern Gyeonggi Province on Wednesday, with 100 millimeters of rain per hour pouring in the border city of Paju, the state weather agency said. As of 7 a.m., heavy downpours of 100.9 mm per hour had been pounding Munsan, a town in Paju, 37 kilometers northwest of Seoul, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. The accumulated precipitation was recorded at 342.5 mm in the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom, 202 mm in Namyangju, 18

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday ordered an increased emergency response posture against the ongoing heavy downpours, giving instructions for a thorough evacuation of affected residents, according to his office. The order was issued following briefings on the forecast of heavy concentrated rainfall, including in the wider Seoul area, said Jeong Hye-jeon, a presidential spokesperson, in a written press briefing. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo also instructed relevant ministries

Amid monthslong medical disruptions, Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Cheonan said Tuesday that its ER would run at minimum capacity this week as several emergency medicine professors have tendered their resignations. The medical institution said that four out of eight professors, who juggle as senior doctors at the hospital, had left their posts. Emergency room operations will be suspended for 24 hours until Wednesday at 8 a.m., while nighttime emergency services at the ER will be halted fr

Hiring cost set at minimum wage, shifting from earlier W1m per month proposal

Abortion is neither legal nor illegal in Korea

A Filipino child with congenital heart disease successfully underwent surgery in Korea with support from JYP Entertainment. The 7-year-old child named Kim Abibg Rosello recovered from surgery and treatment at Severance Hospital in Seoul, the hospital announced Tuesday. He was born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart condition characterized by severe heart defects that can cause cyanoderma and brain damage in the most serious cases. The child had not been treated properly because of fina

The South Korean police said Tuesday a man in his 50s is under investigation on suspicion of starting a fire at an apartment complex, leading to its evacuation and the injuries of eight residents. According to the Gyeongju Police Station, the suspect was allegedly arguing with his wife at home on the third floor of their 13-story apartment building in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province at 6:45 p.m. on Monday. In the heat of the argument, he set a blanket on fire, which spread to the entire ho

The three YouTubers accused of exploiting popular YouTuber Tzuyang issued an apology regarding the incident, as the victim plans to file criminal charges against them and the video-sharing platform disabled monetization for their channels. Gu Je Yeok, Caracula and Jeon Gukjin all issued some forms of apology Monday, while still denying that they had blackmailed Tzuyang. It was revealed last week in a recording of their discussion that the three were potentially involved in a blackmail of Tzuya

The state-run tax agency said it seized 28.6 billion won ($20.6 million) in unpaid taxes from local hagwon last year, over four times the amount collected the previous year. The additional taxes were collected after a series of nationwide tax evasion crackdowns on hagwon by the National Tax Service, according to NTS data submitted to Rep. Lim Gwang-hyeon of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. Last year, the figure hit 6.6 billion won, compared to 5.1 billion won in 2021 and 18.9 bil

A Busan court on Tuesday held a hearing for a teacher at a private academy who was accused of sexually harassing a 5-year-old girl in May, with the defendant saying he had been drunk at the time. The defendant, identified only as a US citizen in his 30s, told the Busan District Court that he drank seven bottles of soju before making the unwanted physical contact on the child during a class at a hagwon in Dongnae-gu, Busan, on May 22. His lawyer told the court that his client was admitting the

South Korea is experiencing a growing number of elder abuse cases as its population rapidly ages, according to a recent report from the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The data, compiled from complaints received by senior abuse hotlines and welfare centers, highlights an alarming trend. In 2023, reported cases of elder abuse increased by 12 percent compared to the previous year, rising from 19,552 to 21,936. The percentage of confirmed cases also saw an uptick, increasing by 3.2 percent to acc