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No. of highly educated youths under long-term unemployment hits 13-month high
The number of people in their 20s and 30s with four-year college degrees who have been unemployed for more than six months has climbed to its highest level in 13 months, data showed Sunday. A total of 119,000 people said they remained jobless for over six months last month despite efforts to find employment, marking the highest figure in four years, according to Statistics Korea. The long-term unemployment rate had remained slightly above the 100,000 range in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pa
Nov. 16, 2025 -
PM urges safety measures after Seoul river bus accident
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok on Sunday instructed the Seoul city government to conduct a joint probe with the interior ministry into a recent river bus accident and draw up necessary safety measures. On Saturday, one of the boats that run on the water bus service along the Han River came to a stop near a dock in southeastern Seoul while passing through shallow waters. All 82 passengers aboard were safely rescued by police and fire authorities. Kim expressed grave concerns over the overall safety
Nov. 16, 2025 -
Korean travel to Southeast Asia takes a hit amid Cambodia scandal
Korean travelers are pulling back from Southeast Asia amid growing reports of scams and kidnappings in Cambodia. In October, the number of travelers flying from South Korea to Southeast Asian countries dropped sharply, with Cambodia seeing the steepest fall. According to passenger statistics released Sunday by Incheon International Airport Corporation, departures to Southeast Asia declined by 7.25 percent from the previous month (to 784,962 travelers). Cambodia alone saw a 15.4 percent drop, fro
Nov. 16, 2025 -
Police to probe e-scooter firms after unlicensed teen crash leaves mother in coma
South Korean police are weighing criminal liability for e-scooter rental companies after a teen riding a scooter critically injured a woman in Incheon last month, a case that has intensified public anger over a service already strained by years of accidents, sidewalk conflicts and government crackdowns. Police confirmed they are reviewing whether rental platforms facilitated unlicensed riding in the Songdo accident on Oct. 18, which involved two middle school students who crashed into a woman wa
Nov. 16, 2025 -
Working parents challenge ban on dawn delivery
Korea’s dawn delivery services are drawing renewed attention after a public petition opposing possible restrictions gained thousands of signatures, following online speculation that the system may be curbed to address working-condition concerns for couriers. The petition posted on the National Assembly’s public petition platform has received more than 5,000 signatures since it was uploaded on Thursday. In it, a working mother raising two children wrote that dawn delivery had become “an important
Nov. 16, 2025 -
Man gets suspended term for assaulting and intimidating a teen
A 63-year-old has been found guilty of assault, trespassing and intimidation against a boy living next door, according to local court officials Sunday. The Chuncheon District Court in Gangwon Province sentenced the defendant to six months in prison, suspended for one year. He has been held responsible for violence, intimidation and forced entry into the 14-year-old victim's home in April. The attack occurred after the victim requested the defendant to keep quiet on April 8, to which the defendan
Nov. 16, 2025 -
'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 -
Cheap AI tools fuel teen-driven rise in deepfake sex crimes in South Korea
A sharp rise in AI-generated sex crimes in South Korea is being driven largely by teenagers, according to police, in what officials describe as a troubling intersection of cheap deepfake technology, digital manipulation and underage offenders. Between November 2024 and October 2025, South Korean police apprehended 3,557 individuals for cybersexual violence. The country’s National Office of Investigation revealed Sunday that deepfake-related crimes now make up the largest single category, with 1,
Nov. 16, 2025 -
Political banners with messages of contempt and ungrounded rumors spark dispute
The South Korean government is reportedly reviewing the guidelines for banners hung by political parties after some stirred controversy for making baseless claims and defaming major figures in and out of the country. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, 18,016 petitions related to such political banners were made in the first half of this year. Of these, 26.5 percent were filed in Seoul and 26.3 percent in Gyeonggi Province. President Lee Jae Myung's administration is reportedly
Nov. 16, 2025 -
Korean men dreamed of being 'friend-like fathers', but became 'busy dads': survey
Most South Korean men aspire to be active playmates for their children but are often unable to fulfill that role due to work obligations, a recent survey revealed Sunday. The government-affiliated Korea Population, Health and Welfare Association surveyed 418 fathers with children aged 18 and younger last month. Participants were asked what activities they had expected to excel at as fathers before they had children and what they believe they actually do best now that they are parents. Before bec
Nov. 16, 2025 -
Long-term unemployment hits 4-year high
As of October, around 119,000 people have failed to find a job despite an extended search. This is the highest figure recorded in four years, according to the state-run statistics agency on Sunday. The number of individuals experiencing long-term unemployment in South Korea, which the government defines as those who have sought employment for at least six months, reached a new high for the first time since the 128,000 recorded in October 2021, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics (fo
Nov. 16, 2025 -
Fire destroys massive Cheonan fashion logistics hub
A towering inferno ripped through one of South Korea’s largest fashion logistics centers on Saturday, leaving the E-Land facility in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, a hollowed-out shell and destroying millions of garments inside. No injuries were reported. The fire broke out early in the morning, at around 6:08 a.m., before employees arrived for work. According to the South Chungcheong provincial fire headquarters, the blaze began on the fourth floor of the warehouse and spread rapidly, fue
Nov. 16, 2025 -
Korean students anxious as Trump pushes tougher US visa controls
When 24-year-old Kim Yeon-joo, not her real name, opens her laptop each morning to resume drafting her personal statement, the first website she checks is no longer her dream university’s admissions page. Instead, she scrolls through the news. For many Korean students hoping to pursue higher education in the United States, a path once seen as competitive but predictable has become increasingly uncertain. Under US President Donald Trump’s renewed push to tighten immigration controls, prospective
Nov. 15, 2025 -
4 in 10 Dongduk students say school alone should cover protest damage repairs
Four in 10 students at Dongduk Women’s University say the campus damage caused by students protesting against the school’s plan to adopt coeducation should be repaired at the school’s expense, according to local news reports Friday. A survey conducted by the student council on Wednesday showed that 95.2 percent of 725 respondents said the campus needs lacquer coating as part of the restoration. Students cited the overall appearance of the campus, the school’s image and the arrival of new student
Nov. 15, 2025 -
Authorities locate last missing person in Ulsan power plant collapse
Authorities said Friday they have located the last remaining person buried under the collapsed boiler tower at a thermal power plant in the southeastern city of Ulsan, with operations under way to recover the individual from the debris. The search had continued to find the last of the seven workers who were trapped when the 63-meter tower collapsed on Nov. 6. The bodies of the six others have been recovered. Firefighting authorities said they are cutting through metal structures around the spot
Nov. 14, 2025