Foreign students return to Korea as pandemic ends

SEOUL, August 12 (AJU PRESS) - The number of foreign students in Korea surpassed 200,000 for the first time in the first six months of this year, according to data published by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) on Monday. Some 204,000 foreigners visited Korea for educational purposes in the first half of the year, up 50.6 percent from the same period last year, setting a new record high. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the number of foreign students was steadily rising, reach

August 12, 2024

Sports ministry launches probe into Korea's badminton association

SEOUL, August 12 (AJU PRESS) - The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday that it has launched a probe into possible irregularities within the Badminton Korea Association following complaints raised by badminton ace An Se-young during the Summer Olympics in Paris last week. In the probe, conducted by a team of independent sports officials, the ministry will scrutinize the fairness of the national team selection process and assess the association's support and trai

August 12, 2024

Spike in violence in Korea reflects growing political polarization and social divisions

SEOUL, August 12 (AJU PRESS) - Random attacks and other extreme forms of protest against political figures and opposing groups are on the rise and becoming increasingly violent in recent years. These incidents often stem from individuals who resort to violence to express their discontent or opposition, often targeting those they perceive as enemies. The rise in such incidents is a disturbing trend, reflecting heightened political polarization, factionalism and broader social divisio

August 12, 2024

Korea finishes Paris Olympics with 32 medals, one shy of record

SEOUL, August 11 (AJU PRESS) - Park Hye-jeong won the silver medal in the women’s +81-kilogram weightlifting competition Sunday, securing South Korea’s final medal of the Paris Olympics. The 21-year-old lifted a combined 299 kilograms — 131 kilograms in the snatch and 168 in the clean and jerk — to finish second behind China’s Li Wenwen, who successfully defended her Olympic title. Both the snatch and total weight were new South Korean national

August 11, 2024

South Korea tops Germany for table tennis bronze

SEOUL, August 10 (AJU PRESS) - South Korea captured the bronze medal in the women’s table tennis team event at the Paris Olympics on Saturday, defeating Germany 3-0. Shin Yu-bin, Jeon Ji-hee and Lee Eun-hye won two singles matches and the doubles to claim South Korea’s second bronze in the event since its 2008 debut. Shin, 20, added the bronze to the one she won in mixed doubles. She credited her teammates for the victory. “I am so thankful for my two team

August 10, 2024

Indian high school student collaborates with Korean child welfare facility to hold photo exhibition

SEOUL, August 09 (AJU PRESS) - Aditi Kumar, a 17-year-old high school student from India, has partnered with a child welfare facility in Seoul to teach elementary and middle school girls the art of photography. Over an eight-week project, Aditi worked closely with the girls, culminating in a photo exhibition at India House, the residence of the Indian Ambassador to South Korea, near central Seoul on Friday. The exhibition featured the girls' photos, reflecting their l

August 9, 2024

Old Korean building in Washington poised for historic site recognition

Yonhap SEOUL, August 9 (AJU PRESS) - Korea's historic building in Washington, D.C., is expected to be registered as a site of historical significance and worth preserving, the U.S. Federal Register said on Wednesday. Last month, the District of Columbia recommended that the National Register of Historic Places include the Old Korean Legation Museum in its listings, citing its importance in U.S. history. The final decision will be made by the U.S. National Park Service after gath

August 9, 2024

Kim Yu-jin wins gold in taekwondo, 13th for South Korea in Paris

SEOUL, August 09 (AJU PRESS) - Kim Yu-jin of South Korea captured the gold medal in the women’s -57-kilogram taekwondo competition at the Paris Olympics on Thursday. The unseeded Kim defeated four of the top five ranked fighters in the weight class to claim the title. Facing world No. 2 Nahid Kiani of Iran in the final, Kim dominated the match, winning a decisive 2-0 decision. The South Korean’s speed, precision, and tactical acumen proved too much for the Iranian cha

August 9, 2024

Golfer Park In-bee falls short in bid for IOC role

SEOUL, August 8 (AJU PRESS) - Golfer Park In-bee failed to secure a seat on the International Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission. According to voting results announced by the IOC on Thursday, Park's name was not among the four newly elected members who will serve for eight years on the 23-member commission. A total of 29 candidates including Park campaigned for the role with the top four being selected in a vote by some 10,000 athletes competing at the Summer Olympics

August 8, 2024

Brutal murder ignites debate on bladed weapon regulations in Korea

SEOUL, August 7 (AJU PRESS) - On the night of July 30, a man wielding a katana, a traditional Japanese sword, attacked a 43-year-old father of two who was returning home from a smoke break at a Seoul apartment complex. The victim, suffering from severe gashes, fled in terror as the assailant pursued him for over 30 meters. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries before reaching medical care. This grisly incident, the third murder case involving a katana since 2021, has ignited a he

August 8, 2024