Korean vegan skincare brand Siita's sustainable hand cream released in May sold more than $9 million worth of product over the last three months, selling out a year's worth of inventory on its day of release. Former K-pop star and activist Lee Hyo-ri, a figure who swore off commercial advertising, has been actively publicizing Siita's new sustainable hand cream. Through Siita, public engagement in sustainability has been increasing in Korea. Biodegradable plastic was deemed unatta

Industry Aug. 30, 2023

Overseas Korean teens whose families originate from North Gyeongsang Province on Monday visited the provincial government and Hahoe Folk Village in Andong as part of K-Diaspora, a program for people of Korean ethnicity living overseas to explore their Korean roots. According to K-Diaspora, there are over 7.5 million overseas Koreans living in over 193 countries, and those between the ages of nine and 24 number about 2 million. Forty-four teens from the US, Australia, Canada, the UK, South Africa

Social Affairs Aug. 30, 2023

SBS' "Revenant," an occult thriller series crafted by star screenwriter Kim Eun-hee, ended with an 11.2 percent viewership rating last month. The positive response for a terrestrial broadcaster whose ratings have plummeted in recent years is thought to be a result of the use of folklore to shed light on today's social issues. "Revenant" takes familiar characters from folklore and puts them in a modern setting, dealing with day-to-day life problems. While the story r

Television Aug. 29, 2023

Everland, the largest theme park and zoo in South Korea, located in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, is running a naming contest for its newly born twin pandas, which will be selected through a poll and unveiled in autumn when the twins turn 100 days old. Submissions can be made via a Google form shared on Everland's online community, or by commenting on a community post shared on Everland's YouTube channel. The contest instructions require participants to provide names for both pandas along

Social Affairs Aug. 24, 2023

A man was arrested on Monday for robbing a convenience store with a toy gun in Iksan, North Jeolla Province. He is accused of stealing 500,000 won ($373) from a convenience store while intimidating the clerk with a toy gun at 7 p.m. on Monday. The suspect, an Uruguayan national, is reported to have used a translator to demand money while threatening the clerk with the toy gun, which he kept concealed beneath his clothing. The police issued a code zero, denoting the highest response level, after

Social Affairs Aug. 22, 2023

A woman who stripped down and assaulted a prison guard at a detention center in Incheon was sentenced to an eight-month jail sentence suspended for two years on charges of assault and obstruction of justice Tuesday. The woman, who was imprisoned in Incheon Detention Center for unrelated charges, was reportedly protesting unsatisfactory sleeping arrangements on Feb. 7. She started cursing at the prison guard and swung her arm at guards who tried to stop her. When one of the guards called for back

Social Affairs Aug. 16, 2023

A man was taken into police custody on Aug. 7 for carrying a weapon concealed in an umbrella, on charges of special intimidation in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.. The suspect, who is in his sixties, was engaged in an argument with the internet cafe owner, who called the police after sensing the suspect was armed with a weapon. The National Police Agency released the surveillance footage of the internet cafe via its official YouTube channel, where the agency has been sharing content related to its in

Social Affairs Aug. 16, 2023

Any packages shipped after Thursday are highly likely to be delivered mid-next week, due to consecutive holidays and torrential rain in the wake of Typhoon Khanun. Aug. 14 is "No Parcel Day" in Korea, designated in 2020 by the Ministry of Employment and Labor to ensure a day off for delivery workers. The next day is Liberation Day, and as most companies rest Sundays, deliveries will likely resume on Wednesday. Major shipping companies, including Korea Post (EMS), CJ Logistics, Hanjin,

Social Affairs Aug. 11, 2023

The ill-prepared and ill-fated World Scout Jamboree has been a source of embarrassment and shame for many South Koreans. But amid all the negative publicity over the event's numerous problems -- from the heat wave, to the partially flooded campsite, to the insect bites, hygiene issues, insufficient food and even an alleged peeping tom incident -- there have also emerged stories of unexpected kindness and friendship. In one such story shared with The Korea Herald, a team of adult volunteer

Social Affairs Aug. 10, 2023

A manhole cover exploded and struck a running bus in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on Thursday at 8:05 a.m., due to heavy rain and wind propelled by Typhoon Khanun which struck Korea Thursday morning. Over 300 millimeters of precipitation is estimated to have fallen overnight in Changwon. There were six passengers on the bus, but no casualties have been reported. The bus promptly halted and all passengers were disembarked immediately. The bus was traversing along its course near an apartm

Social Affairs Aug. 10, 2023

From sharing a treat of 300 ice creams and delivering boxes of assorted snacks for Scouts, ordinary Koreans couldn’t help but do something to make amends for the botched World Scout Jamboree that took place in Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province. Fredrik, an adult member of the Swedish contingent, shared with The Korea Herald the story of a mystery man who wanted to buy some ice cream for jamboree participants suffering from extreme heat. “We don’t know his name, but he wanted

Social Affairs Aug. 10, 2023

Animals at the Seoul Zoo in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, enjoy a mix of summer fruit to cool off from the sweltering heat on Thursday. Summer fruit, which are high in water content and rich in minerals, are effective in preventing heat-induced illnesses. The highest temperature on Thursday reached to 38 degrees Celsius nationwide, while the average temperature in Seoul was 33.2 C.

Social Affairs Aug. 4, 2023

Jang Won-young of K-pop group Ive has come under fire in some "mom cafes" -- online boards frequented by mothers -- over a clip of the singer avoiding the touch of a young child. The video shows the 18-year-old K-pop star flinching away from a young boy who approaches her and attempts to touch her arm. One of her bandmates, Gaeul, is also shown glancing at the boy. A staff member who was walking behind the singers quickly stepped to stop the boy from making further contact. Some mom ca

Social Affairs July 27, 2023

A man is facing trial for animal cruelty after shooting a stray dog with a 70-centimeter-long arrow on Jeju Island last year, prosecutors said Tuesday. The man was indicted without detention on charges of violating the Animal Protection Act and is accused of shooting the dog, which was walking on his property, using a handcrafted bow on August 25, 2022. The arrow penetrated through the dog's spine. The dog survived the attack and received treatment after it was discovered by a neighbor on t

Social Affairs July 25, 2023

Seoul Summer Beach 2023, part of government-planned water festivals installed throughout Seoul, kicked off Friday in Gwanghwamun Square and run through Aug. 13. The festival features various attractions, including Korea-themed splash pads, a 20-meter-long waterslide, and an air bounce house surrounded by 600 years of history. All attractions are available free of charge. Splash pads will run for 50-minute sessions from 10 a.m. to 9:50 p.m., with 10-minute breaks between each session. The watersl

Travel July 25, 2023