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  An Se-young says she didn't intend to cause conflict SEOUL, August 07 (AJU PRESS) - Olympic gold medalist An Se-young returned to South Korea on Wednesday, dialing back criticism of the badminton association while the embattled sports body denied any rift with the star athlete. An, who captured the women’s singles title at the Paris Olympics, had publicly accused the association of mismanagement, particularly regarding a knee injury she sustained last year. She claimed the injury was misdiagnosed and poorly treated, forcing h August 7, 2024
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  Netflix unveils Korean survival show featuring influencers SEOUL, August 7 (AJU PRESS) - Netflix's much-hyped Korean survival show "The Influencer" was unveiled on Tuesday, with the release of its first four episodes out of seven. The remaining three episodes are set for release next week, according to the U.S. video-streaming site. The show features some 77 influencers on social media who collectively boast over 120 million followers. They carry out separate missions to compete for a prize money of 300 million won, awarded to August 7, 2024
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  South Korea sizzles under prolonged heatwave SEOUL, August 07 (AJU PRESS) - A blistering heatwave continued to torment South Korea on Wednesday, with temperatures soaring across most of the country. Heatwave warnings remained in effect for all regions except for Jeju Island, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The agency blamed the extreme weather on a persistent high-pressure system trapping hot air over the peninsula. Daily highs of 31 to 36 degrees Celsius combined with high humidity have made August 7, 2024
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  Trial ferry service along Han River available for commuters this fall SEOUL, August 7 (AJU PRESS) - Seoulites will be able to use a ferry service connecting key locations along the Han River this fall. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday that the service will be available on a trial basis in October with full operations slated for March next year. The new transportation service, which was delayed from the city's previous plan to improve safety, aims to ease traffic congestion during busy rush hours and also attract tourists by offeri August 7, 2024
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  Korea sees surge in new COVID variant cases SEOUL, August 7 (AJU PRESS) - Infections with a new variant of coronavirus has been surged recently, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KCDA) said Wednesday. According to the agency, some 465 patients were hospitalized due to COVID-19 in the fourth week of July doubling the previous week's tally of 226 cases. KCDA has identified a variant called KP.3, known for its immune evasion capabilities. COVID-related hospitalizations had been declining since peaking in August 7, 2024
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  Korea logs largest current account surplus in nearly 7 years, driven by chip exports SEOUL, August 7 (AJU PRESS) - South Korea posted the largest current account surplus in six years and nine months in June, driven by strong semiconductor exports, the Bank of Korea said Wednesday. The current account balance recorded a surplus of $12.26 billion in the month, the largest since the $12.34 billion surplus in September 2017. The cumulative surplus for the first half of 2024 was $37.73 billion, up from $1.15 billion in the same period last year. Exports totaled $ August 7, 2024
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  Gov't promises financial assistance, shorter settlement periods to address e-commerce crisis SEOUL, August 6 (AJU PRESS) - The Korean government on Tuesday promised massive financial support to ensure that refunds are completed this week for consumers affected by the ongoing e-commerce payment crisis. Officials from related ministries and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) held a high-level policy consultation to address the financial troubles surrounding Tmon and WeMakePrice, e-commerce platforms owned by Singapore-based Qoo10. “The ruling party and the governm August 6, 2024
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  100 Filipino domestic helpers arrive in Seoul Workers from the Philippines arrive at Incheon International Airport on Aug. 6, 2024. Yonhap SEOUL, August 6 (AJU PRESS) - About 100 workers from the Philippines arrived in Korea on Tuesday. They are set to start working as domestic helpers in Korean homes next month. Hiring them as maids or nannies under a program initiated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government aims to relieve difficulties faced by young couples who struggle to balance childcare and household chores. These helpers w August 6, 2024
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  Over half of N. Korean children remain unvaccinated, report reveals A child gets vaccinated at a clinic in North Korea, in this file photo from October 2012. Yonhap SEOUL, August 6 (AJU PRESS) - More than half of North Korean children remain unvaccinated, leaving the reclusive country still vulnerable to the spread of coronavirus and other diseases, according to a report released by the Korea Institute for National Unification early this week. The report, which compiled data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, showed deteriorating heal August 6, 2024
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  Presidential office calls for probe into badminton star's allegations SEOUL, August 06 (AJU PRESS) - South Korean badminton star An Se-young has publicly criticized the national team’s management, prompting a government investigation. The presidential office on Tuesday called for a thorough review of the allegations made by the Paris Olympics gold medalist, who accused the team of mishandling her knee injury and prioritizing doubles players over singles. In a press release, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said it will investi August 6, 2024