More extreme rain expected in drenched southern regions

South Korea is bracing for another bout of heavy rainfall this week, just a day after powerful downpours swept through southern portions of the country. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Monday, a narrow band of concentrated rain clouds is expected to stretch across the country from north to south between Wednesday and Thursday. “Rain clouds resembling such a shape and pattern could bring another round of extreme, localized torrential rainfall — specifically focused on the

Aug. 4, 2025

Filibuster anticipated as DP floats 'Yellow Envelope' bill

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Sunday reaffirmed its intention to unilaterally push forward a pro-labor bill — dubbed the “Yellow Envelope Law” — through a plenary session scheduled for Monday, with the People Power Party vowing to launch a filibuster to block its passage. Labeling the bill — which would revise Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union Act — as “corporate-killing legislation,” the People Power Party has hinted at delaying its passage for 24 hours through an unlimited debate d

Aug. 3, 2025

Dual rainstorms on path to hit S. Korea this week

Following days of intense heat, South Korea is bracing for another round of intense rainfall, with back-to-back nationwide downpours forecast this week. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, moisture brought into the Korean Peninsula due to the lingering impact of Typhoon Co-may — which struck Shanghai a week earlier and has since reduced to a tropical depression — are set to bring extreme rainfall across the country, with a particular focus in the Greater Seoul region, which inc

Aug. 3, 2025

Seoul downplays US claim it will take 90% of Korean investment fund profits

South Korea’s presidential office on Thursday sought to downplay remarks by US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick that “90 percent of the profits” from Korea’s investment into the US will go to the American people, saying it understood the figure as part of a “reinvestment concept.” Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced that the US and Korea have established a “full and complete” trade deal, saying that Korea pledges to invest $350 billion into sectors “owned and controlled by the Unite

July 31, 2025

Is South Korea on track for its hottest summer yet?

As South Korea sizzles under extreme heat and tropical nights, attention turns to whether this year's summer temperature will once again drive the nation into record-breaking territory. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on Wednesday, Seoul’s average low temperatures from the previous day were recorded at 28.3 degrees Celsius, as the capital recorded its 11th consecutive tropical night. Seoul experienced a total of 21 tropical nights between July 1 and Tuesday. According to the

July 30, 2025

Defiant medical students to return in fall semester; criticism of 'special treatment' grows

Medical school students who boycotted the previous administration’s medical school admissions plan will be allowed to return to school in the upcoming fall semester with few restrictions, the Ministry of Education said Friday. During its briefing, the Education Ministry announced that it would respect the decision submitted by the Korea Association of Medical Colleges earlier in the day to accept students wishing to return in the fall. The decision to switch from a year-based academic system to

July 25, 2025

Father who shot son with homemade gun at birthday party says he ‘felt betrayed’

A 62-year-old man accused of fatally shooting his son with a homemade firearm said had “felt betrayed” after being cut off financially by the family, local media reported Friday. According to multiple media reports, the suspect told profilers during a recent questioning that he had been receiving around 3 million won ($2,179) a month from the family business. The payments, made in the form of a salary, with him registered as an employee, stopped “at some point last year.” He had since relied on

July 25, 2025

Temperatures could soar to 38 C this weekend as record heat wave grips South Korea

South Korea is on track to see one of its hottest summers in history, as forecasters warn that the heat will intensify over the weekend due to the combined influence of two high-pressure systems. The Korea Meteorological Administration said Thursday that the country has already broken several summer weather records. During a press briefing, the KMA stated that average daily temperatures from June 1 to Wednesday reached 24.5 degrees Celsius nationwide — the highest average temperature seen during

July 24, 2025

Innovations at major dams helped limit floods during record-breaking rain: K-water

The Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-water) said Wednesday that it managed to mitigate downstream flooding despite rainfall exceeding dam design capacities in some regions after last week's record-breaking downpours. Together with weather forecasts, this was achieved by securing additional water storage capacity and capitalizing on technologies, such as digital twins, in response to the torrential rain, according to K-water. A digital twin is a virtual, dynamic model of a real-world dam and its su

July 23, 2025

Fatal shooting sparks alarm over DIY firearms

A deadly domestic shooting in Songdo, Incheon, has reignited alarm in South Korea over the lack of regulation on homemade firearms and the ease of access to online content that teaches users how to build them. On Sunday, a 63-year-old man was arrested on charges of murder after allegedly shooting his son with a homemade shotgun filled with metal pellets at their residence in Songdo, Incheon. The victim, a 33-year-old man, was rushed to the hospital but did not survive his injuries. Police offici

July 22, 2025