National
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Funeral held for South Korean volunteer killed in Ukraine
SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - A funeral was held in Kyiv earlier this week for a South Korean man who died fighting in Russia's war in Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here said on Thursday. Ukrainian authorities informed the South Korean government of his death, and his funeral service was held last Tuesday, with South Korean consular officials in attendance. Identified by his last name Kim, the man in his 50s is believed to have been killed earlier this year during c
November 27, 2025
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2.2-magnitude earthquake shakes Wanju in southern South Korea
SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - A magnitude 2.2 earthquake struck near Wanju in southern South Korea, prompting several residents to report feeling tremors in the area. According to fire authorities, the earthquake occurred at around 8:06 p.m. on Wednesday, 6 kilometers southeast of Wanju in North Jeolla Province. The epicenter was located at 35.89 degrees north latitude and 127.23 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 5 kilometers. Tremors, accompanied by a loud noise, were ob
November 27, 2025
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UNESCO official expresses regret over redevelopment project near Jongmyo Shrine
SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - Lazare Eloundou Assomo, head of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, reiterated the need for a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) amid controversy over a redevelopment project near Jongmyo Shrine. During a meeting in Paris, France on Wednesday with Huh Min, head of the Korea Heritage Service (KHS), Assomo expressed strong regret over the project. The controversy began after the Seoul Metropolitan Government abruptly decided late last month to raise the hei
November 27, 2025
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Fire at Hallym University forces hundreds of students to evacuate in Chuncheon
SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - Hundreds of students were evacuated overnight after a fire broke out at a university in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, in the early hours of Thursday. The fire occurred at around 1:27 a.m. on the fourth floor of a dormitory at Hallym University. Fire alarms sounded, prompting 346 students to evacuate, and no injuries were reported. The blaze damaged part of the building including two electrical panels before being extinguished in about 20 minutes. Po
November 27, 2025
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National Assembly set to vote on arrest motion for PPP's former floor leader
SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - The National Assembly is set to decide on whether to pass the arrest motion for Choo Kyung-ho, the main opposition People Power Party (PPP)'s former floor leader over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law debacle in December last year. Choo has been accused of interfering with parliamentary efforts to lift the martial law declared by Yoon on Dec. 3. The motion, initiated by independent prosecutors investigatin
November 27, 2025
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Investigation underway after Eastar Jet's passenger flight lands with cargo door open
SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - An Eastar Jet passenger plane landed at Jeju International Airport with its cargo door partially open earlier this week, the budget carrier revealed on Wednesday, days after the incident. The incident occurred last Monday when a flight carrying 177 passengers from Gimpo touched down with the door ajar, prompting an investigation by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. With no injuries reported, the aircraft's pressurization system r
November 26, 2025
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Korean marriage cases spike in Sept in upside for birth growth streak
SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - The number of marriages in Korea reached the largest tally in a decade in September. The sharp rise in marriages — widely considered a leading indicator of births — has raised expectations that the recent rebound in childbirth numbers could continue in the coming months. According to Statistics Korea's population trends for September released on Wednesday, 18,462 couples married last month, an increase of 3,005 cases from a year earlier.
November 26, 2025
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Online sexual violence on the rise among teenagers, report finds
SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - Nearly 30 percent of teenagers have experienced sexual violence over the past three years, according to a report released by the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center (KSVRC) on Wednesday. Based on an analysis of reported cases from 2022 to 2024, the report found that there were 14,146 cases in 2022, 15,542 in 2023, and 14,874 in 2024. Among them, cases involving those under 19 increased from 27.6 percent in 2022 to 28.6 percent in 2024. The report also r
November 26, 2025
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Prosecutors seek 15-year sentence for former PM in martial law case
SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - Independent prosecutors on Wednesday sought a 15-year prison sentence for former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo over his involvement in disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law debacle late last year. During the final hearing of Han's trial at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, the request was made, making him the first among dozens of defendants facing charges related to Yoon's Dec. 3 declaration of martial law.
November 26, 2025
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Agriculture Minister calls for strict measures after avian influenza cases detected
SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryeong on Wednesday stressed the increased risk of avian influenza, urging enhanced safety measures such as restricting access to migratory bird habitats and thorough disinfection. Song's remarks came after a series of highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks were reported at farms in Hwaseong and Pyeongtaek, both located in Gyeonggi Province. During a visit to an egg storage facility in neighboring South Chungcheon
November 26, 2025