President Yoon stresses importance of increasing medical school admissions by 2,000

SEOUL, April 01 (AJU PRESS) - Amid prolonged chaos in major hospitals caused by resident doctors' mass resignation movement, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stressed that the government's decision to increase the number of medical school admissions by 2,000 per year is a minimum increase rate to nurture at least 15,000 new doctors by 2035. In recent years, there has been a decline in the number of trainee doctors applying for essential departments such as internal m

April 1, 2024

Ruling camp on edge as South Korea's April 10 polls approach

SEOUL, March 29 (AJU PRESS) - South Korea's upcoming general elections, scheduled for April 10, are shaping up to be a nail-biter, with pre-election surveys painting a conflicting picture and a resurgent third party threatening to shake the traditional two-party dominance. While the ruling People Power Party (PPP) is vying to regain control of the National Assembly, its position appears precarious. Discrepancies among major polling firms highlight the uncertainty: Hankook Rese

March 29, 2024

Seoul's bus labor union launches strike for first time in 12 years

SEOUL, March 28 (AJU PRESS) -- The operation of about 98 percent of buses running in Seoul came to a halt, Thursday, as unionized bus drivers began a general strike for the first time in 12 years, since 2012. Despite extensive negotiations lasting more than 11 hours, they failed to reach an agreement with management authorities. The two parties had been engaged in talks since 3 p.m. (0600 GMT) on Wednesday and continued for over 11 hours. However, they failed to reach an agreement

March 28, 2024

Life expectancy in South Korea decreases for first time since 2000

SEOUL, March 27 (AJU PRESS) -- Recent data released by South Korea's state statistical information service has shown that South Koreans' life expectancy dropped to 82.7 years in 2022 from 83.6 years in 2021. This marks the first decrease in life expectancy since 2000, which stood at 76 years. Cancer was the primary cause of death in 2022, while deaths from Alzheimer's disease have surged by over 75 times compared to two decades ago. In 2022, the main reason for death w

March 27, 2024

S. Korean middle market enterprise federation shares strategies for compliance management

SEOUL, March 26 (AJU PRESS) -- South Korea's middle market enterprise federation has shared strategies for adapting to regulations related to fair trade and other business-related policies. During the briefing, the association stressed the importance of understanding relevant regulations to ensure businesses maintain effective compliance amidst the shifting legal environment. According to data released by the Federation of Middle Market Enterprises of Korea (FOMEK), middle mar

March 26, 2024

Pulmuone's kimchi museum sees 40% increase in foreign visitors in 2023 from pre-COVID-19 period

SEOUL, March 25 (AJU PRESS) -- "Museum Kimchikan," a kimchi museum run by South Korean food product maker Pulmuone, was visited by some 14,000 foreign visitors in 2023, up 40 percent from 2019, before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pulmuone will increase the number of kimchi-related programs from the current two to four within March 2024 targeting foreigners. Kimchi, a traditional Korean side dish, is typically crafted by fermenting cabbage or radish with a blend

March 25, 2024

Seoul Mayor highlights 'Dongdaemun Design Plaza' as must-visit landmark for tourists

SEOUL, March 23 (AJU PRESS) -- Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon highlighted the "Dongdaemun Design Plaza" as a must-visit landmark for tourists during his visit to the capital city's iconic venue to celebrate its 10th birthday. The mayor expressed pride in the plaza's transformation into a destination beloved by both Seoulites and foreign visitors. Accompanied by Seoulites, he explored the plaza's art hall and posed for photos at a special photo zone. Dongdaemun Design

March 23, 2024

Researchers propose Meta-Medicine as key healthcare method for S. Korea's aging society

SEOUL, March 23 (AJU PRESS) -- In an era marked by rapid advancements in healthcare technology and the increasing challenge of an aging population, a novel approach known as Meta-Medicine has emerged. Positioned as a fusion of integrated medicine and contemporary innovations, Meta-Medicine presents itself as a patient-centric model that integrates various medical practices and technologies for comprehensive care. The concept of Meta-Medicine originated from Dr. Kwon Soon-yong, Pre

March 23, 2024

S. Korean middle market enterprise federation proposes re-categorization of enterprises based on detailed data

SEOUL, March 20 (AJU PRESS) -- South Korea's middle market enterprise federation has stressed the importance of re-categorizing enterprises based on detailed data, rather than solely relying on the number of employees or sales. The association criticized the current national enterprise-related statistics, which classify companies based only on the number of regular employees or sales volume. According to the Federation of Middle Market Enterprises of Korea (FOMEK), each indust

March 20, 2024

Seoul to display popular foreign poems at safety screen doors in subway stations

SEOUL -- As part of the capital city's culture project aimed at promoting poetry and creating a comfortable ambiance in subway stations, Seoul will exhibit foreign poems on platform screen doors. While primarily serving as safety barriers, the screen doors in Seoul's subway stations also function as notice boards and art installations to improve the platform environment. Poems authored by both renowned poets and amateur writers will be showcased on transparent doors. Se

March 20, 2024