A man who at age 18 killed his mother and lived with her decaying body for eight months in a shocking matricide case in 2011 spoke of regrets over his actions, appearing on a TV program on Monday. The ex-convict, now in his 30s and a father of two children, said he is preparing for the time when he will have to tell his kids the truth. “If there are any 18-year-olds going through similar situations as I did, I hope they do not make the same decisions I did,” he said on a show that ai

Social Affairs June 19, 2024

Looking after a dog used to just mean taking it for a walk, providing necessary care and building a bond, while feeding the canine store-bought kibble, perhaps with an occasional canned treat. But increasingly, pet owners are ditching factory-produced pet food and feeding their furry companions real food -- either cooked at home or prepared by a professional chef. A 30-year-old cat owner living in Seoul, Jung recently enrolled in a one-day pet food cooking class at a local pet food retailer, s

Hashtag Korea June 18, 2024

Lotte World Adventure, one of South Korea's most visited theme parks, announced Tuesday its plan to reunite two-decade-old frozen memories from time capsules kept under its ice rink with their rightful owners. In June 2004, the theme park in central Seoul invited 50 guests to participate in an event celebrating the 15th anniversary of the ice rink. Guests tucked messages and family photos into 13-centimeter capsules, which were then buried beneath the ice as part of the rink's thawin

Social Affairs June 18, 2024

A short clip showing a couple playing tennis at Incheon Airport has ignited widespread online outrage over their disregard for public etiquette. The viral video, which was posted on the online community Bobaedream on Thursday, features two people rallying a tennis ball between them with tennis rackets near an airport entrance. As of Friday, the post has garnered around 120,000 views. The consensus from many comments was that the pair's behavior was “inconsiderate” and displaye

Social Affairs June 14, 2024

올해 30세가 된 영국 브리스톨 출신의 루이스 후퍼 (Lewis Hooper). 한국 생활 4년차인 그는 지금 누구보다 건강한 모습이지만, 한 때는 심각한 섭식 장애로 몸무게가 32kg에 불과한 적이 있었다. 이 때문에 길에서 쓰러져 병원 치료를 받기도 했을 정도였다. 후퍼는 자신이 거식증을 극복하고 다양한 음식을 즐기며 건강하고 활기찬 생활을 하게 된 계기로, 음식을 다른 사람들과 나눠 먹고, 주요리 외에도 항상 다양한 반찬을 곁들여 먹는 한국의 음식 문화를 꼽았다. 그가 한국에 오게 된 것은 코로나가 한창이던 2020년 8월. 영국에서 팬데믹으로 인해 하던 일을 계속할 수 없게 되자, 한국으로 워킹홀리데이를 오기로 결심했다. 항상 배우나 모델 일을 꿈꿨기 때문에 한국에서 모델 일을 찾을 수 있을 거라는 막연한 기대를 품고 서울에 도착했지만, 에이전시에서는 그가 너무 심각하게 말라 건강해 보이지 않는다며 퇴짜를 놓았다. 하지만 한국으로의 이주는 그의 삶을 의외의 방식으로 바꾸어

한국어판 June 14, 2024

A Philippine politician who represents and advocates for overseas Filipino workers sees South Korea as a rising destination for Filipinos seeking overseas employment, with its higher living standards and pay, along with its attractive culture, being major draws. In an interview with The Korea Herald, Rep. Marissa Magsino of the Philippine House of Representatives said that preparations to send 100 Filipina caregivers to Seoul in a pilot program are "sailing smoothly," with the Korean

Social Affairs June 13, 2024

Lewis Hooper, who turned 30 this year, exudes youthful energy, but for much of his 20s, he was dangerously thin. As a result of his struggle with eating disorders, he weighed just 31 kilograms despite standing 170 centimeters tall. In an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul, he shared that a turning point in his path to recovery and developing a healthier relationship with food and his body came when he moved in 2021 to Korea on a working holiday visa. Obsession with body image Hooper

Hashtag Korea June 12, 2024

A legislative bill that would finally close a loophole that has denied US citizenship to tens of thousands of adult adoptees, including around 20,000 from South Korea, was introduced in the US Congress, the Korean American Grassroots Conference said Wednesday. According to officials from the US-based non-profit organization for Korean American voters, the proposed Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2024 was brought forth on Tuesday, local time, by bipartisan leaders Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Sen. Su

Social Affairs June 5, 2024

"Birds fly, fish swim and humans run.” This famous remark by legendary Czech distance runner Emile Zatopek resonates more deeply than ever now in South Korea, where interest in running is leading to a multitude of marathon events and record-breaking participation. According to an online community website for running enthusiasts, Marathon Online, at least 20 public or elite running events took place across the country in the last two weeks of May, offering a variety of distance cours

Hashtag Korea June 5, 2024

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon swam across the Han River on Sunday as a participant in a triathlon festival planned by the city government, praising the water quality and encouraging people to enjoy the city's beloved river through water activities. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the mayor, clad in a full-body wetsuit and swim cap emblazoned with the slogan, “Seoul My Soul,” joined around 2,000 other swimmers in the 1-kilometer swim on the second day of the 1st Sium Siu

Social Affairs June 3, 2024

A chain of butane gas-induced explosions wrecked 10 vehicles parked in a discount supermarket parking lot in Busan due to the resulting fire, fire authorities said Friday. As per the Busan Metropolitan City Fire Disaster Headquarters, a fire broke out at 11:37 a.m. Friday after a series of explosions from butane gas canisters that were piled up in a nearby vacant in Myeongji-dong, Gangseo-gu, Busan. As the canisters flew into the nearby parking lot, 10 parked vehicles caught fire, and the supe

Social Affairs May 31, 2024

A survey by the Korean chapter of the UK charity Save the Children has found that almost all Koreans say parenting education is necessary, but less than 4 in 10 have had any such education. According to the children’s rights nongovernmental organization Firday, 97.5 percent of the poll’s 1,000 respondents supported the idea of education on responsible parenthood in general. On which areas the education should focus on, 77.8 percent identified positive child-rearing approaches, includ

Social Affairs May 31, 2024

Recent casualties in the South Korean military, including the deaths of two Army conscripts at boot camps, have prompted calls for a reevaluation of the safety of soldiers in a country where all able-bodied men are required to serve. On Tuesday, two military officers were referred to the police in connection with the death of a trainee soldier last week who collapsed while being disciplined at a boot camp in Inje, Gangwon Province. According to Gangwon police and local reports, the victim, who

Social Affairs May 28, 2024

In South Korea, where apartment buildings dominate the residential landscape, communal playgrounds within these high-rise complexes serve as a hub for children to play outdoors. However, kids' high-pitched voices can also generate noise pollution for other residents, sparking debate on the necessity of regulatory measures for children's playground use. This issue was raised by a Korea Herald reader surnamed Jeong via email. Jeong expressed concern that the complaints of a few residen

Hashtag Korea May 28, 2024

Approximately 4,400 people were accused of dating abuse during the first four months of this year, but only 1.9 percent faced a formal arrest, a police report showed Monday. According to the Korean National Police Agency data received by People Power Party Rep. Kim Mi-ae, out of 25,967 allegations of dating violence reported to police from January to April, 4,395 suspects were brought in for questioning. Of these suspects, 82 were arrested, representing a rate of 1.87 percent. Among the suspec

Politics May 27, 2024