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Multicultural families in Korea show signs of deeper integration, but disparities remain
Families with multicultural backgrounds in South Korea are experiencing greater integration into Korean society, with notable progress in children's education, household income and social inclusion, according to the latest government survey. On Thursday, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family released the 2024 National Survey on Multicultural Families, conducted on a sample of 16,014 households nationwide. Under Korean law, a multicultural family refers to a family comprising an immigrant by
July 31, 2025 -
Construction supervisor linked to deadly underpass flooding dies after suicide attempt
CHEONGJU -- A construction supervisor linked to a deadly underpass flooding in 2023 died Thursday after attempting to take his own life at prison, officials said. The man was serving a four-year prison term in Cheongju, about 110 kilometers southeast of Seoul, for poorly managing the construction of a river embankment in the city, contributing to the deaths of 14 people in an underpass flooding during heavy rains in July 2023. The man attempted to take his own life inside the prison and was take
July 31, 2025 -
Seoul hit with longest nighttime heat wave ever for July
Temperatures in Seoul never dipped below 29.3 degrees Celsius between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, which meant the city had set a new record: the highest number of tropical nights in July since modern weather observations began over a century ago. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the nation's most populated city has now experienced 22 tropical nights this month, breaking the previous record of 21 set in July 1994. A tropical night is a meteorological term referring
July 31, 2025 -
As Korea simmers, bananas grow in Seoul, Jeju's pumpkins cook on the vine
A record heat wave has led to bananas growing outdoors in Seoul and pumpkins baking on the vine on Jeju Island. Photos taken Wednesday at Chungsoo Weekend Farm in Nowon, northeastern Seoul, by News 1 show a banana tree taller than an average adult with three bunches of bananas growing beneath its leaves. At the time the photos were taken, the temperature was 35.8 degrees Celsius with 73 percent humidity. This is the second consecutive year bananas, a tropical fruit typically grown in Southeast A
July 31, 2025 -
Man caught wandering around street with knife, says he wanted to cut up fruit
Citizens of Gwangjin-gu, eastern Seoul had a scare Wednesday night as a man in his 30s wandered around with a knife, before he was arrested by local police. After the suspect refused repeated orders from the police to put down the knife, police took him down with a stun gun. The man told officials that he took the knife to cut up fruit for himself. Surveillance footage showed that he was holding a fruit knife, although he did not attack or threaten anyone. It is unclear why he did not comply wit
July 31, 2025 -
Crime ring swindles W2.6b from 2,500 people via fradulent sales online
A scam ring has been busted for a fraud scheme totalling 2.6 billion won ($1.88 million), in which they deceived some 2,500 people by pretending to sell products and pocketing the payments. The cybercrime unit of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said Wednesday that they have transferred 15 individuals to the prosecution, 11 of whom are currently under arrest. The suspects are accused of carrying out a series of scams on online marketplace platforms for used products between October to
July 30, 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 -
South Koreans live longer, but suicide rate remains highest
South Korea’s life expectancy reached 83.5 years as of 2023, surpassing by 2.4 years the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's average of 81.1 years, a report released by the Paris-based organization showed Wednesday. The same OECD Health Statistics 2025 report released via South Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare showed that the country continues to report the highest suicide rate among OECD member nations, despite progress in life expectancy and health outcomes. Life expe
July 30, 2025 -
Special counsel seeks warrant to arrest Yoon
A special counsel team investigating former first lady Kim Keon Hee applied for a warrant on Wednesday to arrest former President Yoon Suk Yeol, after he snubbed summons for questioning over his alleged illegal meddling in the 2022 by-elections. "We have repeatedly requested former President Yoon to appear for a scheduled questioning scheduled at 10 a.m. today, but Yoon did not attend (for two consecutive days) without any explanations," special prosecutor Oh Jeong-hee said during a regular pres
July 30, 2025 -
Joint probe to revisit Itaewon tragedy
South Korea’s Supreme Prosecutors’ Office on Wednesday decided to launch a joint investigation team comprising the prosecution and police to probe the Itaewon crowd crush. The decision came two weeks after President Lee Jae Myung pledged to the bereaved families of victims in the Itaewon tragedy that he would form a separate task force to thoroughly look into the crowd crush that claimed 159 lives during Halloween festivities in 2022. The joint investigation team is set to revisit the overall ci
July 30, 2025 -
Man rapes girlfriend who dumped him over electronic tag
A man in his 30s has been arrested for the rape of his girlfriend, who ended their relationship after seeing that he was wearing an electronic tag on his ankle for a past crime. The suspect has been indicted by the Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office for his attack against the victim at his home in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, at around 3 a.m. on June 24. The victim, who was in a romantic relationship with the suspect, told him that she wanted to end the relationship when she found ou
July 30, 2025 -
Suspect in Songdo shooting 'delusional': police
The father who shot and killed his son at a birthday family gathering appeared to be under the delusion that the victim's family had ostracized him, police investigating the case said Tuesday. Police officials said that the suspect had increasingly felt alienated and alone and had lost self-esteem, which eventually led him to begin planning the attack in August last year. He believed he was being victimized, telling officials that the other family members "set me up." According to the Incheon Me
July 30, 2025 -
Lottery winner says he received 'blessing' from Buddhist monk
The winner of last week's Annuity Lottery 720+ said his win was forecast by a Buddhist monk, who said that the winner would run into considerable wealth in August. Dong Hang Lottery, the operator of the Annuity Lottery and Korean Lotto, revealed the story of the winner for the 273rd edition of the weekly lottery. As the name suggests, the jackpot payout for the Annuity lottery is sent to the winner in monthly payments, dividing up the winning sum over 20 years. The winner, whose identity is with
July 30, 2025 -
Korean-born permanent resident of US seized at airport, trapped in detention for 8 days
A Korean green-card holder and resident of Texas was detained by US federal agents at San Francisco International Airport and held for eight days without access to legal counsel, an advocacy group said Wednesday. According to the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium, Tae-heung Kim, 40, is a Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University where he researches Lyme disease. He has lived in the US since the age of five, and was returning from South Korea after attending his brother’s weddin
July 30, 2025 -
Chinese nationals caught using fake IDs to take Korean language test for others
Several Chinese nationals have been caught trying to take the Test of Proficiency in Korean, or TOPIK, on behalf of others using fake foreign resident registration cards. According to police on Tuesday, a Chinese woman in her 30s was caught while taking the TOPIK exam at Soongsil University in Seoul on July 13. She showed a forged residence card to the test supervisor and was immediately arrested. Police said her smartphone contained evidence that she had arranged to take the test as a proxy thr
July 30, 2025