Spray-type bubble cleansers used by children during bath time have been found to pose fire and explosion risks due to their use of liquid petroleum gas as a propellant, according to a report released Friday. A joint investigation by the Korea Consumer Agency and the Korea Gas Safety Corp. revealed that all 40 bubble cleanser products for children tested were found to use LPG as a propellant. It didn’t disclose the names of the products. When used in enclosed spaces like bathrooms, the gas,

Social Affairs Nov. 29, 2024

The Global Youth Powerhouse Summit 2024 brought together leaders, innovators and young professionals in Hong Kong to tackle pressing global challenges and create new momentum for economic growth and innovation. Under the theme “Empowering professionals for a Global Initiative: A Voice from Hong Kong,” more than 200 participants attended in person at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum, along with 4,500 virtual attendees from over 30 countries. The inaugural summit, hosted by the Hong Kon

Industry Nov. 29, 2024

Eleven Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered South Korea’s air defense identification zone without notice Friday, prompting the South Korea’s Air Force to send its fighter jets to the scene. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, five Chinese military planes and six Russian aircraft entered the KADIZ over the East and South Seas between 9:35 a.m. and 1:53 p.m. and exited it. They did not violate the country's airspace. The JCS said it identified the Chinese and Russian

Defense Nov. 29, 2024

Heavy snow beset Seoul and the surrounding areas for a second consecutive day Thursday, with the total snowfall in the capital marking the third heaviest snowfall on record in the city. At 8 a.m., Seoul’s accumulated snowfall reached 28.6 centimeters at the capital's official measurement site in the Jongno-gu district. This was the most in November since records began in 1907. The heaviest snowfall ever recorded in Seoul was 31 cm on March 24, 1922, followed by 30 cm on Jan. 31, 1969. Unti

Social Affairs Nov. 28, 2024

More than 50 cars crashed into each other on an icy road in Wonju, Gangwon Province, injuring 11 people as record heavy snow hit the country on Wednesday. The crash occurred at 5:49 p.m. on National Route 409, between Manjong and Simpyeong intersections in Wonju, according to the Gangwon Fire Headquarters. The accident began when a Matiz compact car skidded to a stop on a downhill stretch of a highway. The vehicles that followed were unable to stop because the road was icy and collided in a ch

Social Affairs Nov. 27, 2024

A joint South Korean-Chinese fraud ring that swindled of 12.2 billion won ($8.73 million) from more than 80 victims in a romance scam has been caught, police said Tuesday. The Busan Metropolitan Police arrested 12 suspects, including a Korean leader in his 20s and a Chinese leader in his 30s, on charges including conspiracy to defraud. Eight additional suspects were charged without detention. According to police, the group recruited South Korean accomplices in their 20s and 30s and flew them to

Social Affairs Nov. 27, 2024

More than half of the participants at the matchmaking program organized by the Seoul city government were paired up, officials said Wednesday. Among the 100 unmarried men and women who participated in the event Saturday on Sebitseom, a floating island on the Han River, 27 couples emerged, achieving a 54 percent matching rate. Picked from a competitive pool with a 33-to-1 applicant success ratio, the 100 attendees took part in a variety of activities, including relationship coaching, yacht rides

Social Affairs Nov. 27, 2024

Prosecutors have requested seven-year prison sentences for a bar hostess and a former actress accused of extorting a total of 350 million won ($250,000) from the late actor Lee Sun-kyun. At a hearing on Monday at the Incheon District Court, prosecutors argued that the defendants -- a 30-year-old hostess surnamed Kim and a 29-year-old former actress surnamed Park -- committed the crime with malicious intent, exploiting Lee’s celebrity status. Kim was arrested and indicted in January for a

Social Affairs Nov. 26, 2024

South Korea’s fertility rate is projected to reach 0.74 this year, which would mark the first increase in nine years, according to a government body addressing the country’s declining birth rate and aging society. Joo Hyung-hwan, vice chairman of the Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy, announced the estimate during a keynote address at the Global Symposium on Low Fertility and Aging organized by Statistics Korea and UNFPA on Tuesday in central Seoul. &ldquo

Social Affairs Nov. 26, 2024

A mobile map that locates vendors of the fish-shaped bun bungeoppang has returned, making it easier for locals to find Korea’s beloved winter treat. Karrot Market, South Korea’s largest community marketplace platform, announced Tuesday the return of its seasonal map for winter snacks, rebranded as the “Bungeoppang Map” this year. Originally launched in 2020, the service allows users to share the locations of food stalls selling winter snacks. While previous maps included

Food Nov. 26, 2024

As the year draws to a close, many South Koreans have named exercise and dieting as their top year-end resolutions, according to survey results Monday. The survey, conducted by Karrot Market, South Korea’s largest community marketplace platform, between Nov. 12 and 17, asked users what they most want to achieve before the year ends. The result showed that 39.5 percent of respondents identified exercise, health and dieting as their main priorities. Popular goals included walking for two hou

Social Affairs Nov. 25, 2024

Toxic substances up to 622 times Korea’s permitted levels were found in children’s winter clothing sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Friday. In the latest safety inspection conducted by the city government on 26 items of winter clothing for children and infants from Temu, Shein and AliExpress, toxic chemicals were found in seven products from Temu and AliExpress. One children’s jacket sold on Temu contained phthalate plasticizers -- t

Social Affairs Nov. 23, 2024

Two business owners were jailed Thursday for luring two teenage girls with intellectual disabilities to an entertainment establishment they ran and forcing them into prostitution. On Thursday, the Suwon District Court sentenced two defendants to five and four years in prison. They were also ordered to complete 40 hours of sexual violence treatment and banned from employment at institutions dealing with children, youths and disabled people for seven years. The two men were indicted on charges of

Social Affairs Nov. 22, 2024

Nearly 700 high-income tax evaders have been uncovered in South Korea, including who hid millions of won in kimchi containers and another who drove a Rolls-Royce while dodging taxes, the National Tax Service said Thursday. The agency revealed a list of 696 individuals suspected of evading taxes through sophisticated methods. These include 216 who concealed assets despite having the means to pay, 81 who transferred wealth to family members through fraudulent transactions and 399 who lived extrava

Social Affairs Nov. 22, 2024

Smugglers who attempted to disguise 230 tons of black soybeans, known as “seoritae,” from China as an additive for diesel engines, have been arrested, customs officials said Thursday. The Incheon Regional Customs said it has referred 11 suspects to prosecutors without detention for alleged violations of customs law. The authorities have also issued wanted notice for two accomplices who are believed to be in China. The suspects are accused of smuggling 230 tons of black soybeans, wort

Social Affairs Nov. 21, 2024