The storm before the calm: A day before Suneung, cheer rallies echo around Korea

On Wednesday morning, epic cheers echoed across high schools in Korea the day before Suneung, the nation’s annual College Scholastic Ability Test. Suneung is a nine-hour exam that is taking place today, bringing the nation to a near-standstill as students sit for the test that will shape their futures. In support, 10th and 11th graders cheered for seniors taking the test the next day. Joongdong High School stands out every year for its powerful, synchronized cheer rallies. The event, which begin

Nov. 13, 2025

A dog on the loose – and a morning rescue that became something more

It was supposed to be an ordinary morning commute at Gupabal Station in northern Seoul. Then, out of nowhere, a small dog came sprinting through traffic — leash dragging behind it, no owner in sight. “I was at Gupabal Station waiting for my friend Sam at a bus station. We were going to go hiking. And then I saw a small dog, a Chihuahua, running in the middle of the road," said Nelson Cho, 36. "My initial reaction was to run after it.” Little did he know that this small rescue, a simple good Sama

Nov. 11, 2025

Prime minister voices objection to high-rise near Jongmyo Shrine

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has expressed opposition to building a high-rise commercial complex near Jongmyo Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site in central Seoul. In a Facebook post Monday, Kim wrote, “Jongmyo is in distress. After the unimaginable and reckless behavior of Kim Keon Hee was revealed, now the Seoul city government says it will allow high-rise development right in front of it,” referring to the capital city's decision to ease height restrictions in the area. The former first lady

Nov. 10, 2025

Gov't to unveil measures to stabilize housing market this week

The government plans to announce a set of measures to stabilize the housing market this week as home prices in Seoul and some parts of Gyeonggi Province have sharply risen, the ruling Democratic Party (DP) said Sunday. The decision was made after DP leader Jung Chung-rae met with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and senior presidential aides to discuss key policy issues. The meeting came as the National Assembly is set to begin its annual audit Monday. "The government will announce measures to (stabi

Oct. 12, 2025

Traffic heavy on highways nationwide day after Chuseok

Traffic on major expressways across South Korea remained heavy Tuesday as people traveled to their hometowns or returned back home a day after Chuseok. Chuseok, which fell on Monday this year, is the Korean autumn harvest festival marked by family reunions and ancestral rites. This year's extended holiday runs from Friday to Thursday, as it connects with National Foundation Day and Hangeul Day, which commemorates the creation of the Korean alphabet. As of 8 a.m., the estimated travel time to Seo

Oct. 7, 2025

Police raid National Assembly Secretariat over lawmaker's alleged illegal stock trading

Police raided the National Assembly Secretariat on Wednesday over allegations of a lawmaker's illegal stock trading under a borrowed name. The raid on the secretariat's office inside the National Assembly compound came as police are investigating allegations Rep. Lee Choon-suak, formerly of the ruling Democratic Party, traded in stocks using the name of his aide, surnamed Cha. The four-term lawmaker is accused of violating laws on real name financial transactions and conflict of interest prevent

Aug. 27, 2025

Change in government leaves foreign domestic worker program in limbo

South Korea’s pilot program for overseas domestic workers is now hanging in the balance, with no clear path forward after months of delays, labor disputes, and a new administration that had voiced skepticism about the system in the past. The Ministry of Employment and Labor had pledged to finalize a long-term version for the program by mid-2025, but nothing has been put forward. Vice Labor Minister and acting Minister Kim Min-seok said last Sunday that it "won't be easy" to expand beyond the pil

June 15, 2025

Can a city cure loneliness? Seoul is spending millions to try

In Seoul, you can call a city hotline at 3 a.m. just to say you feel lonely. You can walk into a “Maeum (Korean for 'heart') Convenience Store” to eat free ramyeon and talk with someone about the emptiness you’ve been carrying for months. These are not gimmicks. They are part of a sweeping five-year, 451.3 billion won ($330 million) effort by the Seoul Metropolitan Government to confront a crisis few cities have dared to name outright: loneliness. South Korea is facing a growing epidemic of soci

June 1, 2025