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  Peruvian Embassy in Seoul celebrates Independence Day SEOUL, July 26 (AJU PRESS) - Envoys and special guests gathered at a hotel in central Seoul on Thursday to celebrate the 203rd anniversary of Peru's Independence Day, hosted by the Peruvian Embassy in Seoul. During the opening ceremony, Peruvian Ambassador to Korea Paul Duclos highlighted the 60th anniversary of the South American country's diplomatic relationship with Korea, which was commemorated in 2023. Peru celebrates its independence from Spain, achieved by Jos&ea July 26, 2024
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  Children in Seoul feel happier after pandemic blues, survey shows SEOUL, July 25 (AJU PRESS) - Children and teenagers living in Seoul are feeling happier compared to a few years ago during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a recent survey released by the Seoul Metropolitan government on Thursday. The biannual survey of Seoul's 2,520 households with children aged 18 and under showed that their level of happiness was 2.3 points on a 3-point scale, up 22 percent from an average of 1.88 points in 2021. During the pandemic, al July 25, 2024
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  Aging Korea sees daycare centers vanish while elderly facilities increase SEOUL, July 25 (AJU PRESS) - Amid Korea's super-low birth rate, an increasing number of daycare centers are closing down while facilities catering to the growing elderly population are on the rise. According to statistical data released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on Thursday, some 28,954 daycare centers across the country closed last year, down nearly 2,000 from 30,923 the previous year. The massive closure is mainly attributed to the country's rapidly shrinki July 25, 2024
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  Korea's birth rate increases for two consecutive months for first time in nearly a decade SEOUL, July 24 (AJU PRESS) - Korea saw an uptick in the number of newborns for the second consecutive month in May, marking the first such increase in nearly a decade, according to Statistics Korea data released on Wednesday. Some 19,049 babies were born in April this year and 19,547 babies the following month, up 2.8 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively, compared to the same months a year ago. It marked the first time since October 2015 that the country saw an increase in the nu July 24, 2024
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  Actor Yoo Ji-tae speaks out on N. Korean human rights situation at US conference SEOUL, July 24 (AJU PRESS) - South Korean actor Yoo Ji-tae addressed North Korea's dire human rights situation at a conference in Washington D.C. on Monday (local time). "I urge you to extend your hands to the darkest places," Yoo said at the International Dialogue on North Korean Human Rights co-hosted by the Washington-based National Endowment for Democracy and the Ministry of Unification. "It is not injustice itself but our indifference that nurtures inj July 24, 2024
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  Han Dong-hoon assumes role as new leader of PPP SEOUL, July 24 (AJU PRESS) - Han Dong-hoon, the justice minister-turned-politician who was newly elected as the leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), began his official duties on Wednesday by visiting the National Cemetery in Seoul. Visiting the cemetery has become a customary practice for many politicians before assuming their roles, as they pay respects to deceased political figures, war veterans, and freedom fighters who contributed to the country's development. T July 24, 2024
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  Smallest Olympic squad in decades reflects Korea's youth sports woes SEOUL, July 24 (AJU PRESS) - With the countdown to the Summer Olympics in Paris ticking down this week just ahead of its opening on Friday, Korea is fielding some 144 athletes in 22 disciplines. This is the smallest squad the country has assembled since 1976 when it sent around 50 athletes to Montreal, Canada. It is also a significant decrease from about 230 athletes who competed at the pandemic-delayed 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2021. The nation's sports crisis is particu July 24, 2024
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  Yoon's estranged former aide returns as ruling party chief despite April election defeat SEOUL, July 23 (AJU PRESS) - Han Dong-hoon, a former interim leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) was elected a new head of the conservative party on Tuesday. At the embattled party's national convention held at KINTEX, northwest of Seoul, Han avoided a run-off vote by securing a majority vote of 62.84 percent (320,702 votes), far ahead of three other candidates. Former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong was the distant runner-up with just 18.85 percent of the votes (96,177 July 23, 2024
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  Seoul to mandate temperament tests for dogs to curb biting accidents SEOUL, July 23 (AJU PRESS) - To prevent dog-biting accidents that could sometimes lead to fatalities, a temperament test to access the aggressiveness of man's four-legged best friends will become mandatory next week, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday. Depending on the test results, the city government may enforce euthanasia for dogs deemed to have dangerous levels of aggression. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, over 2,000 dog-bit July 23, 2024
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  Koreans' chicken consumption peaks during summer SEOUL, July 22 (AJU PRESS) - Koreans consumed an average of 26 chickens per person last year, according to a survey conducted by the Korea Rural Economic Institute. The survey of 2,000 adults nationwide released on Monday revealed that each Korean ate around 20 local chickens and six imported ones. Per-capita annual chicken consumption in Korea was a just 1.4 kilograms in 1970, but rose to 7.8 kilograms in 2003 and 17.6 kilograms so far this year. The survey also shows that Korea July 22, 2024