Lawmakers call for probe into 4 trillion-won cryptocurrency fraud

SEOUL, October 8 (AJP) - Democratic Party lawmakers Yang Moon-suk and Min Hyung-bae called for a thorough investigation into a cryptocurrency fraud that has caused an estimated four trillion won ($29.7 billion) in damages, during a National Assembly audit in Seoul on Monday. The so-called "KOK" token, promoted through a multi-level marketing scheme, attracted 1.86 million domestic and international investors. Promises of monthly interest rates between 4 percent and 20 perc

October 8, 2024

Two dozen minors earn millions annually in Korea

SEOUL, October 7 (AJP) - About two dozen minors in Korea have earned over 100 million Korean won annually over the past five years, according to data released by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) on Monday. Data also showed that there were 360 business owners who are teenagers or under, as of August this year. Among them, 20 earned over 100 million won, 41 between 50 million and 100 million won, and the rest below 50 million won. One of these young high-earners was under

October 7, 2024

Korean regulator to investigate TikTok's potential privacy law violations

SEOUL, October 7 (AJP) - Korea's media regulator plans to investigate TikTok for potential violations of information and data protection rules, industry sources said Monday. The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) is examining the social video platform's policy, which automatically requires users to consent to receiving marketing and advertising materials during sign-up, while such consent should be optional under the nation's information act. The KCC plans to inves

October 7, 2024

Surge in unpaid wages for foreign workers in Korea amid economic downturn

SEOUL, October 7 (AJP) - An increasing number of foreign workers in Korea have faced issues with receiving their wages or experiencing delays in receiving their wages. According to a report by People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Kim So-hee based on data from the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service on Monday, government payouts to cover these unpaid wages have nearly doubled over the past four years. In 2022, about 79.1 billion Korean won (US$58.8 million) in back wa

October 7, 2024

North Korea continues to send trash-filled balloons toward South Korea

SEOUL, October 7 (AJP) - North Korea sent more trash-filled balloons toward the South, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Monday. The isolated country resumed this bizarre campaign just three days after a similar launch occurred late last week. Since late May, North Korea has sent thousands of these balloons in retaliation for leaflets sent across the border by North Korean defectors and activists here. The JCS warned that these balloons could drift into Gyeonggi

October 7, 2024

Ex-president's daughter faces summons for DUI

SEOUL, October 06 (AJP) - The police have booked former President Moon Jae-in's daughter, Da-hye, on charges of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and are coordinating the schedule for her summons. CCTV footage shows a car driven by Da-hye collided with a taxi while changing lanes in front of Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon, Seoul, at around 2:50 a.m. on Saturday. Da-hye was seen stumbling around, unable to stand properly, about 30 minutes before the accident. She got into a parked

October 6, 2024

South Korea evacuates 96 nationals from Lebanon

SEOUL, October 05 (AJP) - A South Korean military aircraft successfully brought home 96 nationals from Lebanon on Saturday, marking its first evacuation operation in response to the escalating tensions in the region. The KC-330 military transport plane landed at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, at approximately 12:50 p.m. On Wednesday, President Yoon Suk Yeol had ordered the immediate dispatch of military transport aircraft to bring South Korean citizens home. As

October 5, 2024

Yoon to hold talks with Japan's new prime minister in Laos

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol will embark on a week-long trip later this week to attend the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Laos. According to the presidential office, Yoon will stop by the Philippines and Singapore to hold bilateral talks before heading to Laos for the summit scheduled for Oct. 8 to 11. It will be his third ASEAN summit since taking office in 2022 and his administration is ramping up efforts to expand c

October 4, 2024

Octogenarian becomes oldest contestant at beauty pageant in Seoul

SEOUL, October 2 (AJP) - Choi Soon-hwa, the oldest contestant at this year's beauty pageant, narrowly missed winning the crown in Seoul early this week. At 81, she looked exquisite and graceful on stage with her silver hair at the pageant on Monday. Organizers said it was the first time a model of that age participated in the pageant, but Choi proudly stood out among younger rivals in their 20s and 30s. The pageant allows the winner to represent Korea in November's Miss Univ

October 2, 2024

Golfer Pak Se-ri wins Van Fleet Award for strengthening US-Korea relations

SEOUL, October 2 (AJP) - Korean golf pioneer Pak Se-ri received an award in New York on Tuesday for her contributions to strengthening Korea's relations with the U.S. The Van Fleet Award, named after General James Van Fleet, the U.S. commander who fought in the Korean War, is presented annually by the U.S.-based non-profit organization Korea Society to individuals who have contributed to promoting Korea and its relationship with the U.S. Previous recipients include former UN

October 2, 2024