Energy self-reliant town highlights Seoul's energy policy

The energy-independent community is regarded as the living example of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's energy-saving plan. As part of its six-year-old One Less Nuclear Power Plant initiative, the city government has designated energy self-sufficient neighborhoods that produce energy and participate in energy conservation activities.

Police suspect faulty ventilation pipe caused students' deaths

Police said Wednesday that they had found a ventilation defect in a gas boiler at a holiday home in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, tentatively concluding that carbon monoxide poisoning killed three high school students and left seven unconscious the day before.

Four new bed towns to be built near Seoul

The government will construct four new commuter towns - three in Gyeonggi Province and one in Incheon - to provide 122,000 new apartments, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Wednesday.

Airlines to raise penalty for last-minute cancellations

Local carriers are set to raise the penalty fee for passengers who cancel their tickets at the last minute at the boarding gates. The move comes after three obsessive fans of Korean idol band Wanna One recently made a fuss after boarding a Korean Air flight bound to Seoul from the Hong Kong and getting off just minutes before takeoff, resulting in delay of the plane with 360 passengers.

[INTERVIEW] 'Our objective is disbandment'

At the United Nations Refugee Agency Korea's office, employees half-jokingly say that someday they will no longer be needed in this country. The statement carries more than a self-deprecating tone. It is the Korean representative of the international organization's ultimate objective. The agency says achieving the goal is for the good of the Korean government. With its limited authority due to the regional office's geopolitical situation and directives from UNHCR's Geneva headquarters, the agency, in a low-key way, mainly advocates and supports the government and civic NGOs to help refugees.

38% of foreign workers are paid less than 2 million won a month

Nearly 38 percent of 846,000 foreign salaried workers in South Korea were paid less than 2 million won a month this year, a government report on immigrants and foreign workers said.

BOK chief warns of chip downturn

The economy is unlikely to be sustained by exports of semiconductors in 2019 as the industry is facing a down-cycle, Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol said Wednesday. He expressed this concern, while questioning how long the economy can manage to grow only by relying on chips. “It is worrisome when we look five years ahead,” Lee told the press.

Court orders Korean Air to compensate 'nut rage' victim

The Seoul Western District Court ordered Korean Air, Wednesday, to pay former chief flight attendant Park Chang-jin 20 million won ($17,779) in compensation for his suffering from the so-called “nut rage” incident. However, the court dismissed his claim for compensation from the carrier's former Executive Vice President Heather Cho, the elder daughter of the conglomerate's owner.

GS donates 4 billion won to Community Chest of Korea

GS Group donated 4 billion won ($3.6 million) to the Community Chest of Korea, the charity organization, Tuesday, as part of efforts to help neighbors in need.

Possession of 'subversive' pro-North Korean content punishable: court

Kim was prosecuted in October 2013 for possessing video or audio files extolling North Korea's “Juche” ideology or championing the concept of reunification of the two Koreas promoted by the North, in a violation of the National Security Act. He was also charged with distributing these files on internet communities.

S. Korean, US nuclear envoys to discuss sanctions relief Thursday

U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun arrived in Seoul, Wednesday, for high-level discussions that may be centered on easing sanctions on the North. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Lee Do-hoon and his counterpart Biegun will meet Thursday to discuss possible sanctions relief for inter-Korean projects, including a groundbreaking ceremony for inter-Korean railways and roads scheduled to be held Dec. 26. Biegun will be here until Saturday.

Slippery customers: Hundreds of eels fall on to expressway [PHOTOS]

The incident happened at 10:24 a.m. when several sacks of the fish accidently fell from the one-ton truck. The sacks were torn open, spreading hundreds of wriggling eels across the road. No car accidents were caused.

'Park fever' creates K-food, skincare boom in Vietnam

To understand how influential Park Hang-seo is in Vietnam, one need only look at how Korean companies have performed there after the Southeast Asian country clinched the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup title earlier this week, under the guidance of South Korean coach Park Hang-seo.

Kenyan-born marathoner gets Korean name

A Kenyan-born marathoner who acquired Korean citizenship recently has legally changed his name to Oh Joo-han, from Wilson Loyanae Erupe.

Why are KakaoPay, Toss eying securities industry?

KakaoPay and Viva Republica, two budding fintech firms in Korea, are seeking to enter the securities market, unnerving the traditional industry players known for their strong resistance to newcomers and the ensuing disruptions.

Rapper Cheetah dating movie director

Her agency C9 Entertainment confirmed this on Tuesday after an online news outlet broke the story of their romance.

Number of naturalized Koreans nears 190,000 over last 70 years

Nearly 190,000 foreign nationals have become naturalized South Korean citizens over the past seven decades, government data showed Wednesday. The Ministry of Justice said the number of people naturalized here since the enactment of the Nationality Act on Dec. 20, 1948, reached 189,193 as of the end of November. The nation's first naturalization occurred on Feb. 8, 1957, when a then Taiwanese citizen who changed his name to Son Il-seung acquired South Korean nationality.

President Moon welcomes new South Korean head of Interpol

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday welcomed the recent election of a South Korean as the new head of Interpol, calling it a victory for the entire nation. "I sincerely congratulate and welcome your election as (Interpol) president," Moon said while meeting Kim Jong-yang, the newly elected head of Interpol, formerly the International Criminal Police Organization. "I understand Interpol is the largest international organization with 194 member countries, bigger than the United Nations in terms of the number of member countries...

131 sex crime convicts kicked out of child-related facilities

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said Wednesday it uncovered the fact that 131 sex offenders were working at child-related facilities.

Trump signs order to create US Space Command

President Donald Trump launched the Pentagon's new Space Command Tuesday, an effort to better organize and advance the military's vast operations in space that could cost as much as $800 million over the next five years.

Remake of Korean horror film to be released in Indonesia

The remake of Korean horror movie “Whispering Corridors” is gearing up to thrill Indonesian viewers in April. The largest film production company in Indonesia, MD Pictures, has teamed up with Korean production firm Studio-invictus to work on the remake, according to several industry sources. They aim to release the film on April 11 in Indonesia.

TVXQ to release 15th anniversary album

K-pop superstar duo TVXQ will close the year with the release of a special album, “New Chapter #2: The Truth of Love,” on Dec. 26 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of its debut.

Paranoid nationalism spilling onto university campuses

Are new icicles dangling in the surfacing cold war between China and the United States? Mainland Chinese students at U.S. universities number more than 300,000. That's good for China and the U.S., no? Not, we are told, if many are doing more spying than studying.

Chinese rappers hit back at Lil Pump's racial slurs amid backlash

Chinese hip-hop artists have fired back at American rapper Lil Pump, releasing “diss tracks” in response to a song preview he posted on Instagram that included racial epithets and a gesture that is offensive to Asians.