Author: Jae young
July 28, 2025SEOUL – South Koreans’ financial burden for maintaining the National Health Insurance Service could rise to a quarter of income due to population aging and increasing life expectancy, a study showed Sunday.The study, carried out by Seoul National University’s Tech-biz Innovation Platform, estimated the financial impact of population aging on the state-run health insurance. As of last year, South Korea officially became a “superaged” society by the United Nations’ definition, as one out of every five Koreans was at least 65.The team derived three possible scenarios, and the most probable of the three showed the mandated insurance rate…
July 28, 2025SEOUL – Seoul is racing to finalize a tariff deal with Washington before the Aug. 1 deadline, as Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol prepares to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday in a bid to avert a 25 percent tariff on Korean exports, including autos.According to the industry and government sources on Sunday, the meeting between Koo and Bessent has been rescheduled for Thursday, likely at the US Treasury Department. Their meeting was initially planned for Friday with Korea’s Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, but was postponed by the US side.Korea’s industry…
July 28, 2025SEOUL – Lim, a 30-year-old office worker, was taken aback when she first saw her new boyfriend’s altered anatomy.He had undergone surgery to insert silicone implants in the shape of beads or rings beneath the skin of the glans, transforming the penis into a sunflower-like shape, commonly known as Sunflower Surgery or T-Ring Surgery here.“I was surprised, but it was a good surprise — a positive one,” she remarked.This surgery is primarily used to increase girth and enhance sexual pleasure by allowing the implants to rub against the vaginal walls during intercourse, delivering intense orgasmic sensations, according to…
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July 25, 2025SEOUL – At Hyundai department stores in Seoul, long lines are nothing new. Shoppers regularly queue for designer handbags or the latest dessert trends. But this summer, one of the longest lines is for the watermelon — or more precisely, to have it cut.At seven Hyundai locations, including The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, customers wait for hours to have their fruit sliced and packed into containers, ready to be eaten or stored in the refrigerator.The service, called “Fresh Table,” was launched in 2021 as Korea’s first in-store station dedicated to slicing fresh fruits and vegetables.Customers must first purchase…
July 25, 2025SEOUL – A special counsel team on Thursday carried out a search and seizure operation at the residence of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, accused of involvement in impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s attempt to impose martial law.The team led by special prosecutor Cho Eun-suk, formed to investigate the Dec. 3 martial law debacle, sent investigators to raid Han’s residence in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, in the morning.Han is accused of adding his signature to the martial law decree, drafted by then-presidential secretary Kang Eui-gu, after martial law had already been declared to add legitimacy to the former…
July 25, 2025SEOUL – In the first half of this year, no ballet in Korea stirred up more buzz than “Gat,” a 70-minute contemporary ballet inspired by traditional Korean hats.Created by the newly established Yunbyul Ballet Company, “Gat” completed a six-city national tour, selling out every seat along the way — a rare feat for a fledgling company barely a year old.The second run, following its 2024 premiere, drew a wave of fans eager to see the ballerinos who rose to stardom through Mnet’s hit dance competition “Stage Fighter.”But the excitement didn’t stop there. Following the global success of Netflix’s…
July 25, 2025SEOUL – A South Korean YouTuber who posted a video detailing what she said was an abortion at 36 weeks of pregnancy, and the doctors who performed it, have been indicted for murder.The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said Thursday that they have indicted three on murder charges in connection with the death of the baby: A hospital director surnamed Yoon, a surgeon surnamed Shim and the YouTuber surnamed Kwon. Two brokers who introduced patients to the hospital were charged with violating the Medical Service Act.According to the prosecutors, the baby was allegedly born alive through a C-section and later…
July 25, 2025SEOUL – In “KPop Demon Hunters,” food is more than just a background addition — it’s central to the characters’ energy and their culture.The film follows Huntrix, an all-female K-pop trio who moonlight as demon slayers. And slaying all those demons leaves them with an appetite. Their meals, featured throughout the film, are packed with iconic and sometimes lesser-known Korean dishes, revealing a deep culinary layer to the storytelling.For writer-director Maggie Kang, the choice to incorporate a variety of Korean dishes wasn’t just aesthetic. It was personal.“I remember telling the crew I only want kimchi on the table,”…
July 24, 2025KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia and South Korea have agreed to continue expanding strategic cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, green transition, digitalisation, and defence, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.He said the matter was discussed during a courtesy visit by South Korean President’s Special Envoy Kim Young Choon, who is currently on a working visit to Malaysia.“Alhamdulillah, both countries continue to agree to expand cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, green transition, digital and defence,” he said in a post on Facebook on Wednesday (July 24).Anwar said that South Korea is now Malaysia’s eighth-largest trading partner,…