S. Korea provides video interviews for refugee status applicants

SEOUL -- South Korea's justice ministry is providing video interviews for refugee status applicants who are unable to find their interpreters. Because the majority of professional interpreters live in Seoul and its surrounding cities, the ministry had difficulty communicating with minority language speakers residing in rural regions. Since 1994, the Ministry of Justice has selected refugees through in-person interviews. As of October 2023, a total of 100,176 people applied for

January 4, 2024

About 42 percent of S. Korean households consist of single people: data

SEOUL -- Among some 23.9 million households in South Korea with a population of about 51 million, about 42 percent consisted of people living alone, data released by South Korea's interior ministry showed. The ministry predicted the large proportion of single households was affected by a rising number of unmarried couples and elderly people who live alone. According to data released by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the number of South Korea's single households

January 4, 2024

Incheon international airport becomes most traveled spot by S. Koreans in new year: data

SEOUL -- Data released by Tmap, South Korea's most-favorite navigation service app, showed that Incheon International Airport's Terminal 1 was the people's favorite destination in the period between December 30, 2023, and January 1, 2024. The navigation map data reflects increased consumer attention on overseas traveling. According to transport ministry data released in December 2023, 6,593,000 people traveled to overseas countries in October 2023, recovering about 90

January 3, 2024

Democratic Party to hold emergency meeting to discuss attack on leader Lee Jae-myung

SEOUL -- The main opposition Democratic Party will convene an emergency council meeting to discuss matters regarding the attempted murder of the party's leader, Lee Jae-myung. The opposition party will also provide information about the attack and the current health status of its leader after the meeting. The attack on Lee Jae-myung occurred on January 2 when an assailant stabbed him in the neck with a knife during the party leader's visit to the site for a new airport on

January 3, 2024

Assailant planned to murder opposition leader Lee Jae-myung: police

SEOUL -- The police have obtained a statement from the assailant who stabbed the neck of the opposition Democratic Party leader, Lee Jae-myung, with a knife. The man in his 60s told the police that he had planned to murder the politician, who had competed against President Yoon Suk-yeol in the 2022 presidential election. Lee was hospitalized after being stabbed in the neck by the attacker during his visit to the southern port city of Busan on January 2. The Democratic Party leader

January 2, 2024

Opposition party leader Lee Jae-myung stabbed in neck during Busan visit

SEOUL -- Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, was hospitalized after he was stabbed in the neck by a man during his visit to the southern port city of Busan. The assailant, who disguised himself as a Democratic Party supporter, approached the 59-year-old leader asking for an autograph. The attacker was apprehended at the scene by police. The Democratic Party leader was visiting the site for a new airport on Gadeok Island southwest of Busan with fellow

January 2, 2024

Majority of S. Koreans born in 1988 are unmarried: report

SEOUL -- Among some 633,000 South Koreans born in 1988, only 49.2 percent tied the knot with their partners, data released by South Korea's statistical information service showed. Among married individuals born in 1988, three out of ten couples do not have a child. Those born in 1988 are currently 34 or 35 years old. Many young South Koreans are less interested in marriage due to costly expenses and unstable employment. In 2022, around 191,700 South Korean couples got married

December 29, 2023

Usage rate of smartphones among people in 60s similar to level of young people: survey

SEOUL -- The usage rate of smartphones among South Koreans in their 60s is similar to that of people in their 20s, a survey showed. More than 66 percent of people aged 70 years and older use smartphones. According to a survey of 7,055 people aged 13 years and older, conducted by South Korea's media and communications watchdog between June and August 2023, 96.2 percent of people in their 60s owned a smartphone while 99.8 percent of people in their 20s had one. The high level

December 29, 2023

AI-based CCTV cameras to be installed across Seoul by 2026 to monitor violent crimes

SEOUL -- Seoul will install artificial intelligence-based closed-circuit television cameras across the city to detect abnormal activities and notify monitoring agents if a person is in need. Among some 160,000 closed-circuit television cameras in the capital city, about 85,000 of them will be replaced with smart monitoring solutions. AI-based CCTV systems that recognize people and their surroundings are used for early signs of accidents or crimes. According to data released by Seoul

December 29, 2023

S. Korea's iconic trauma surgeon becomes head of military hospital  

SEOUL -- Lee Cook-jong, South Korea's iconic trauma surgeon who performed life-saving surgery on a North Korean soldier severely wounded by multiple gunshots during a surprise escape through the truce village of Panmunjeom to South Korea in 2017, was selected to lead one of the largest military hospitals in the country. Lee currently works at Ajou University Hospital in Suwon south of Seoul. The medical professor also performed emergency surgery on Seok Hae-kyun, the former c

December 28, 2023