National News

South Korea’s Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) emerged as the preferred bidder for the Dukovany nuclear power plant expansion project in July 2024. This marks a significant win for South Korea, positioning it as a strategic player in Europe’s nuclear power market. The project involves building two APR1000 reactors, each with a capacity of over 1,000 megawatts, and is part of the Czech Republic’s broader energy strategy to increase its reliance on nuclear energy to ensure energy security and re

Chuseok, traditionally celebrated under cool, crisp autumn skies, has seen a significant shift in weather patterns in recent years. Historically, this mid-autumn festival brought mild temperatures, with average daytime highs ranging between 20°C to 25°C, providing an ideal backdrop for outdoor family gatherings and ancestral rituals. However, this year’s Chuseok has been marked by an unprecedented heatwave, with temperatures in Seoul hitting a record 35°C—levels unseen in September since 1939. T

Philadelphia — Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump clashed fiercely in their first presidential debate, held in Philadelphia, which may significantly impact the trajectory of the 2024 election. The debate was a crucial moment for both candidates as they sought to win over voters in key swing states that could determine the outcome in November. Harris, who stepped into the race after President Joe Biden withdrew from re-election, has been rallying the Democratic base a

SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea is facing an unprecedented healthcare crisis, driven by a controversial government decision that has thrown the medical community into turmoil and left the nation’s hospitals struggling to maintain essential services. At the heart of this crisis is the government’s poorly planned and hastily executed decision to increase medical school admissions by 2,000 students—a move that has been widely criticized as shortsighted and irresponsible. In an attempt to address

Seoul, South Korea - The South Korean government's recent decision to increase the medical school admissions quota by up to 2,000 students in 2025 has ignited a complex debate. While the policy aims to address the ongoing doctor shortage and improve healthcare access across the country, it has also raised concerns about its potential impact on the quality of medical education and the rise of repeat applicants (N수생). As public sentiment largely supports the expansion, driven by the need for more

Seoul, South Korea — As the global urban population continues to swell, now making up about 60% of the world’s total population, the role of cities in addressing climate change has never been more critical. In a landmark decision, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has approved two pivotal reports that lay out a comprehensive strategy for urban areas to combat the climate crisis. The Special Report on Climate Change and Cities, alongside the Methodology Report on Short-Lived Cl

Seoul, South Korea – In a significant step towards enhancing cultural exchange and providing opportunities for youth, Korea and Latvia have signed a Working Holiday Agreement, enabling young people from both countries to experience each other's cultures through travel, work, and study. The signing ceremony took place on July 31, 2024, with South Korea's Ambassador to Latvia, Lee Tong-q, and Latvia's Minister of Interior, Rihards Kozlovskis, officiating the event. The newly signed agreement allo

Seoul, South Korea - A significant intelligence breach has rocked the South Korean military, involving the leakage of classified information to North Korean hackers. This incident, which compromised the identities and operations of undercover agents, has profound implications for South Korea's intelligence capabilities. The breach was uncovered in mid-June 2024 when South Korean cybersecurity experts infiltrated a North Korean server and discovered a list of South Korean intelligence operatives

In a landmark discovery, Professor Geun-Su Kim and his team at Yonsei University have identified the presence of 'dark electrons' in solid materials, a finding that has been published in Nature Physics on July 29, 2024. This discovery has significant implications for the field of quantum physics and could provide insights into several unresolved issues, including the mechanisms behind high-temperature superconductivity. Dark states, where electrons neither absorb nor emit light, were previously

Tmon and Wemakeprice, subsidiaries of Singapore-based e-commerce giant Qoo10, are currently embroiled in a severe financial crisis, marked by substantial capital depletion. This alarming situation has raised widespread concerns about the financial stability of these companies and their impact on the broader industry. Recent reports have highlighted the dire financial state of Tmon and Wemakeprice, with their combined capital deficit approaching a staggering 900 billion KRW. As of last year, Wem

Seoul, South Korea – The Korea National University of Heritage recently concluded its inaugural 'K-Heritage Summer School' program. Held from July 3 to July 17, this initiative is part of the broader K-Heritage Academy, a non-degree program aimed at offering a comprehensive heritage education to international students. The 'K-Heritage Summer School' was specifically designed to provide international students with a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experiences related to Korean herit

Seoul, South Korea - The Ministry of Government Legislation convened a roundtable on July 16th at the Seoul Smart Work Center conference room to improve the quality of the foreign language legal information service. This event aimed to gather insights from field experts who regularly provide consultations to foreigners living in Korea. The Ministry's Easy Law service (www.easylaw.go.kr) is a comprehensive platform designed to help citizens easily access legal information categorized by daily li