'Big 5' hospitals in Seoul attract more than 1 mln cancer patients from other provinces in 2022: data

SEOUL -- The top five most popular hospitals in Seoul have attracted cancer patients from other parts of South Korea in 2022. Patients who live in areas outside Seoul and its satellite cities decide to travel for hours to see doctors in the capital city due to the lack of medical infrastructure for severe illnesses such as cancer or other cardiovascular diseases. A total of 16 university hospitals were established in South Korea during the last 20 years and nine university-operated m

October 5, 2023

Number of visitors to Incheon International Airport surpasses 800 million

SEOUL -- The accumulated number of Incheon International Airport's passengers exceeded 800 million on October 4, about 22 years and seven months after it opened on March 29, 2001. Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) said on October 4 that a traveler, who was scheduled to leave for the United States, received a round-trip ticket as a gift during an event designed to celebrate the 800 millionth passenger. "I appreciate South Koreans for showing interest in our airpo

October 4, 2023

Online phishing attempts made using Coupang's official phone number

SEOUL -- Online phishing attempts were made using the official customer service phone number of Coupang, the South Korean counterpart of Amazon. The online commerce giant urged customers not to access the link provided through text messages. Online phishing is carried out by disguising themselves as popular companies or organizations. Hackers demand personal information such as their bank account numbers and passwords by making them access fake websites or smartphone apps. Hackers

October 4, 2023

​S. Korea launches special management program for local festivals to prevent safety accidents

SEOUL -- In a bid to prevent tragic accidents like the Itaewon Halloween stampede accident that left 159 people dead and dozens of people injured in October 2022, South Korea has launched a special management program that will monitor and examine local festivals for possible safety hazards and prevent accidents. The night of Halloween on October 30, 2022, is remembered as one of South Korea's worst safety accidents. 159 people were killed and 76 others injured during a deadly stamp

October 4, 2023

​'Influencer' gangsters use social media to attract young curious people: data

SEOUL -- Young people who are involved in organized crimes use social media platforms such as YouTube to attract ordinary people by showing off their "know-how" of quickly earning a lot of money or how to become a gangster, police data showed. "Jopock" is a Korean term that is used to describe a member of an organized crime group. The gangsters were irresponsibly glamorized in South Korean films and dramas in the early 2000s. However, such Jopocks were pushed out

October 2, 2023

Burglar suspect caught for breaking into empty stores in Seoul during autumn harvest festival holiday

SEOUL -- A burglar suspect was caught by police for breaking into some 30 stores in the northern area of Seoul during "Chuseok," a three-day autumn harvest festival holiday. This year's Chuseok holiday was coupled with a weekend to become a six-day holiday. Chuseok is celebrated on August 15 of the Lunar Calendar. Many South Koreans visit their hometowns and relatives during the autumn harvest festival. Previously, the government predicted that some 40 million people wo

October 2, 2023

S. Korea asks for Cabo Verde's support to host World Expo in Busan

SEOUL -- South Korean Industry Minister Bang Moon-kyu has visited Cabo Verde to win support for South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in the southern port city of Busan. The minister also discussed with Cape Verdean President Jose Maria Pereira Neves to cooperate in various sectors including agriculture, trade, and energy infrastructure. Despite the two nations' geographical distance, Bang visited the African country with a population of about 600,000 during a six-day &

October 1, 2023

​Number of young S. Korean drug addicts increase by about 55% over 4 years: data

b SEOUL -- The number of teenage South Koreans and people in their 20s who received professional rehabilitation treatment for drug abuse has increased by about 55 percent over the last four years, government data showed. Drugs are not as easy to access in South Korea compared to other countries like the United States or other European countries. However, it is getting easier for ordinary people to gain access to drugs using smartphone messenger apps and websites that are not easy

September 30, 2023

​Homecomers fill highways, airports, and train stations to meet families during autumn harvest festival

SEOUL -- Millions of South Koreans have traveled through highways, bus terminals, airports, and train stations to visit their hometowns and meet family members during a six-day "Chuseok," a traditional Korean autumn harvest festival holiday. Chuseok and Seollal, the Lunar New Year Day in Korean, are the two major traditional three-day festival holidays Koreans celebrate. When the holidays are positioned just before or after a weekend, then the holiday can be extended to m

September 28, 2023

Prices of autumn delicacy Songyi mushroom soar due to climate change

SEOUL -- Prices of Songyi mushrooms (pine matsutake) have soared to reach a record high of more than 1,550,000 won ($1,142) per kilogram (0.45 pounds) due to scarcity caused by climate change and abnormal weather conditions. Songyi mushroom is one of South Korea’s top autumn delicacies which is used for the preparation of menus served for "Charye," a traditional Confucian rite designed to offer food for deceased ancestors. The rare mushrooms are only found in pine fores

September 28, 2023