SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea will mandate drug tests for all soon-to-be conscripts to disqualify drug addicts and ensure safety in the military, the military manpower agency said Wednesday. Until now, prospective enlistees have undergone drug testing only if they have disclosed past drug use or a medical officer deems it necessary, [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — Student enrollment in elementary schools nationwide is expected to drop below 400,000 for the first time this year due to the nation’s rock-bottom birth rate, officials forecast Wednesday, citing data from the education and interior ministries. According to the government data compiled as of Dec. 20, 413,056 children are [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — The year 2023 was the warmest year of all time for South Korea as global warming heated up the Korean Peninsula to reach the average temperature of 13.7 C last year, the state weather agency said Wednesday. It marks the highest annual mean temperature since 1973, the year considered [...]
SEOUL/BUSAN, Jan. 3 (Korea Bizwire) — Police said Wednesday they plan to seek an arrest warrant for the suspect in the stabbing attack against opposition leader Lee Jae-myung during his visit to the southeastern port city of Busan. The suspect, identified only by his surname Kim, 66, is accused of stabbing Lee, the chairman of [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – The Seoul Metropolitan Government has reported significant success with its pilot operation of a ‘Smartphone Tax Delinquency Notification and Payment Service’ that informs citizens of their unpaid taxes via KakaoTalk. Launched as part of a pilot project, the service has seen a notable impact in encouraging prompt tax payments. Implemented [...]
INCHEON, Jan. 3 (Korea Bizwire) – On the first day of 2024, a joyous event took place at the Gachon University Gil Hospital: the birth of a healthy baby girl weighing 3.4 kg. The newborn, affectionately nicknamed ‘Horam’, combines the characters ‘Ho’ from her father Choi Ho-kyu (40) and ‘Ram’ from her mother Kim Bo-ram (36). [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – The Army conducted live-fire artillery and mechanized unit maneuver drills Tuesday to reinforce readiness against possible North Korean provocations in the new year, its officials said. The exercise took place in areas near the front line, involving the Capital Mechanized Infantry Division and the 2nd Quick Response Division, among [...]
SEOUL/BUSAN, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who was stabbed in the neck during a visit to the southeastern port city of Busan earlier in the day, had his emergent surgery completed, the Democratic Party (DP) said Tuesday. “It took longer than expected and we are closely following his progress,” the party [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) – Drug addicts and sexual offenders will be banned from working in the social service sectors from next year, the health ministry said Tuesday. Under the revised law, those who have not completed their sentences after being charged with drug addiction or sexual assault charges will be banned from providing [...]
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a New Year’s Day performance by young students and emphasized the importance of education, state media said Tuesday. Kim made the remarks as he attended the performance at the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace in Pyongyang the previous day, according to the Korean Central News [...]