King Sejong Institute set to open more Korean classes overseas

SEOUL, June 24 (AJU PRESS) - Korea will open more Korean-language centers overseas to encourage more foreigners to learn Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday. Named after Sejong the Great (1387~1450) who invented Hangeul, the state-run King Sejong Institute opened its first center in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in 2007 to promote Korean language and culture globally. As of 2023, there were some 248 institutes in about 85 countries, with som

June 24, 2024

Battery factory fire in South Korea kills 22, mostly Chinese workers

SEOUL, June 24 (AJU PRESS) – At least 22 people, mostly Chinese migrant workers, were killed in a fire that swept through a lithium battery manufacturing plant in Hwaseong, south of Seoul, on Monday, firefighters said. Eight others were injured, including two seriously, and one person was unaccounted for. The blaze started at 10:31 a.m. at a three-story factory building owned by Aricell, a local primary battery maker, in the industrial city in Gyeonggi Province. The cau

June 24, 2024

One dead, mass casualties feared in battery factory fire in South Korea

SEOUL, June 24 (AJU PRESS) - A fire broke out at a battery manufacturing plant in Hwaseong, south of Seoul, on Monday, leaving at least one worker dead and six others injured, authorities said. Officials fear the casualty count may rise, as an estimated 23 people, including 20 foreign nationals and two Koreans, are believed to be trapped inside the facility. The blaze started at 10:31 a.m. at a factory operated by Aricell in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. The cause of the

June 24, 2024

500 yoga practitioners gather in southern Seoul to celebrate 10th International Yoga Day

SEOUL, June 24 (AJU PRESS) - Despite heavy showers, 500 yoga practitioners and enthusiasts gathered last Saturday at COEX, a massive underground shopping mall complex in Seoul's southern district of Gangnam, to celebrate the 10th International Yoga Day. The event, jointly hosted by the Embassy of India to Korea and the Korea Yoga Association (KYA), was attended by Indian Ambassador Amit Kumar and KYA President Cheon Jun-pil, who greeted guests and yoga practitioners at the ope

June 24, 2024

Foreign students flock to Seoul, shunning provincial universities

SEOUL, June 24 (AJU PRESS) - Foreign students are increasingly choosing Seoul and surrounding areas for their studies in Korea, according to a report released by the Korean Council for University Education (KCUE) on Monday. The influx is further exacerbating the country's ongoing issue of urban concentration, with nearly half of the population now residing in the capital region. According to the Bank of Korea, more than 40 percent of Korea's population lives in the Seoul met

June 24, 2024

Weak yen draws more Korean travelers to Japan

SEOUL, June 21 (AJU PRESS) - The weak Japanese yen has attracted over 10 million Korean travelers to Japan during the first five months of this year, up about 46 percent compared to the same period last year. According to data released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Friday, some 10.26 million people traveled to the island country between January and May, up 46.2 percent from last year's 6.95 million. The figure is the highest ever recorded since the m

June 21, 2024

Korea imposes stricter penalties on delinquent parents

SEOUL, June 20 (AJU PRESS) - Those who neglect paying child allowance now face more inconvenience and restrictions, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said Thursday. The ministry has decided to publicly unveil the names of these delinquents, suspend their drivers' licenses, and impose travel bans. In Korea, divorced couples, either the mother or father without custody, are responsible for financially supporting their former spouse until their child turns 18. The amount

June 20, 2024

Season's first heatwave advisory issued as temperatures soar in Seoul

SEOUL, June 19 (AJU PRESS) - This year's first heatwave advisory was issued for Seoul and other inland areas on Wednesday. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued the advisory as the mercury soared to 34.4 degrees Celsius in the afternoon in Seoul. It also issued heat advisories for many other parts of the country. The advisory is issued when the highest "feels-like" temperature is expected to climb above 33 degrees Celsius for more than two consecutiv

June 19, 2024

Medical service disruptions set to worsen as more doctors join strike

SEOUL, June 18 (AJU PRESS) - Doctors at private clinics went on a full-scale strike on Tuesday, joining the ongoing protest by trainee doctors at university hospitals. This worsening situation, sparked by the government's radical reform plans to increase admission quotas at medical schools, could lead to disruptions for patients, resulting in an unprecedented medical service vacuum in Korea. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on Tuesday, only 4.02 percent of docto

June 18, 2024

Korea to streamline entry procedures for tourists to revitalize tourism

SEOUL, June 17 (AJU PRESS) - In a bid to attract more tourists and boost revenue, the government Monday announced a series of plans to simplify entry procedures and enhance travel conveniences for foreign travelers. Korea's tourism industry was severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, with the number of foreign visitors plummeting from 17.5 million in 2019 to 970,000 in 2021. Thanks to the increasing popularity of K-pop and Korean dramas in the global market, tourism is

June 17, 2024