'Not again' Seoul's running boom sparks frustration

As running becomes one of South Korea’s fastest-growing pastimes, Seoul is facing a new challenge: a marathon calendar packed so tightly that major roads are blocked almost every weekend, prompting widespread complaints that the city’s fitness fever is pushing everyday life off course. Streets in central districts, from Gwanghwamun and Jongno to the Han River bridges, have been repeatedly shut down for early-morning events that funnel tens of thousands of runners through the city’s most heavily

Nov. 16, 2025

Lee apologizes over Ulsan power plant tragedy, vows thorough investigation

President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday expressed “deep sorrow and apology” after the last missing worker from the Ulsan thermal power plant collapse was found dead, raising the death toll to seven. “As the person ultimately responsible for public safety, I offer my sincerest apology,” Lee wrote in a Facebook post. “Despite the desperate hopes of the people, all seven workers who were trapped have returned to their families as cold bodies. My heart breaks.” Lee extended condolences to the victims’ fam

Nov. 16, 2025

2026 Suneung mirrors push to curb reliance on private education

South Korea’s most consequential academic ritual ended Thursday, under unusually warm conditions, as more than half a million students sat for the College Scholastic Ability Test, or Suneung. The 2026 Suneung marks the second year under the government’s policy of eliminating “killer questions,” referring to ultradifficult problems that go far beyond the high school curriculum and require university-level concepts to solve, with critics arguing that they deepen reliance on private tutoring. At a

Nov. 13, 2025

Engines stop, markets wait: Korea stands still for Suneung day

The big day is just a few sleeps away — the day for which every Korean student has been preparing for years, sacrificing weekends and fun: Suneung, the College Scholastic Ability Test. With just some 24 hours to go to Thursday’s nationwide exam, experts are urging students to set aside their books and instead focus on sleep, nutrition and calm preparation. Medical experts warn that last-minute cramming does little good and can even hurt performance. “Many students have been studying long hours w

Nov. 11, 2025

S. Korea to foster AI talent across all stages of life

After South Korea scrapped its ambitious plan to introduce artificial intelligence-powered digital textbooks, the government is taking another step to cement its standing as a global AI leader — this time, by investing 1.4 trillion won ($960 million) to nurture AI talent from elementary school to postgraduate researchers. The Education Ministry on Monday announced its first-ever national blueprint titled “AI Talent Development Plan for All,” aimed at strengthening AI capabilities throughout a pe

Nov. 10, 2025

[팟캐스트] (737) 한국 덮친 "돼지 도살," 뭐길래?

진행자: 최정윤, Chelsea Proctor 'Pig-butchering' takes hold in Korea 기사 요약: 캄보디아 사건을 계기로 새로운 로맨스 스캠 기법 "돼지 도살," 과거 스캠 방식보다 더 정교하고 피해 규모 커져 [1] South Korea is facing a surge in romance scams that are increasingly intertwined with cryptocurrency investment fraud, costing victims more than 100 billion won ($70 million) so far this year, while the arrest rate remains below 50 percent. intertwine: 뒤얽히다, 밀접하게 관련되다 fraud: 사기 [2] According to data submitted to Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Han Byung-do by th

Nov. 6, 2025

Dozens of university applicants rejected for school violence records ― and this gets warm welcome

For generations of South Korean students, college admission has been more than an academic milestone. It has been the gateway to social mobility, job stability and lifelong status. Now, in an unprecedented shift in education policy, flagship national universities across the country, including the nation’s most prestigious Seoul National University, have begun rejecting applicants with records of school violence. According to data obtained by minor Rebuilding Korea Party lawmaker Rep. Kang Kyung-

Nov. 3, 2025

Diplomacy of gifts: Inside Lee Jae Myung’s symbolic summit strategy

Most people won’t turn down a gift. A well-chosen present has the quiet power to warm a room, soften a tone and open a heart. In diplomacy, where every gesture can tilt the balance of trust, gifts do more than mark an occasion — they carry meaning, signal intention, and at times, attempt persuasion. At this year’s APEC Summit, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung turned his attention to that power. From a model of a thousand-year-old royal crown to a handcrafted mother-of-pearl tray, Lee’s “gift

Nov. 2, 2025

[팟캐스트] (736) 중국 혐오에 대응 나선 경찰

진행자: 최정윤, Chelsea Proctor Police to respond strictly to anti-China protests during APEC summit 기사 요약: 반중 정서가 지속되는 가운데, 경찰이 APEC을 앞두고 엄격히 대응할 방침을 밝히여, 혐중 발언과 시위가 가져올 수 있는 외교적, 사회적, 경제적 불이익을 강조했다. [1] South Korean police have drawn up a strict response plan to deal with anti-China protests ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, warning that such demonstrations could harm the country’s diplomatic, social and economic interests as well as affect the nation’s international

Oct. 30, 2025

Korea, New Zealand to strengthen strategic partnership

President Lee Jae Myung and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral summit on Thursday, reaffirming their commitment to deepen cooperation across trade, defense and education as the two countries agreed to establish a “comprehensive strategic partnership.” Meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 APEC Summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Lee praised New Zealand’s historic contribution during the Korean War, noting that the country “sent many troops to defend South Kor

Oct. 30, 2025