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2 subcontract workers killed in train accident in Cheongdo

Two subcontract workers were killed and another four were seriously hurt Tuesday when they were struck by a passenger train in the southeastern county of Cheongdo, officials said. The accident occurred around 10:50 a.m. near the Cheongdo Bullfighting Stadium when a Mugunghwa train bound for Jinju in South Gyeongsang Province hit seven workers as they were moving to inspect structures on a slope near the tracks, according to police and the state-run Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL). They were taken to nearby hospitals, but two died. The remaining one worker sustained light injuries. The train hit the seven workers from behind. The group included a KORAIL employee, while the rest were from a safety inspection company. Eighty-nine passengers were on board the train, with no injuries reported so far. The workers were moving near the tracks to inspect damage to the structures from recent heavy rains in Cheongdo, according to KORAIL. A fire agency official said the workers may have not noticed the approaching electric passenger train, which is generally quieter than trains powered by other types of

Aug 19, 2025By Yonhap
2 subcontract workers killed in train accident in Cheongdo

Air-raid siren to be sounded Wednesday as part of civil defense drill

An air-raid siren will be sounded on Wednesday, restricting people's outdoor movement as part of a nationwide civil defense drill this week, officials said Tuesday. The 20-minute drill, slated for 2 p.m. Wednesday, will include civil evacuation training and traffic restrictions in an air raid attack scenario, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety. When the mock air raid warning siren goes off at 2 p.m., outdoor movement will be restricted nationwide for 15 minutes, and people will be required to evacuate to the nearest shelters. Restrictions on outdoor movement will be lifted at 2:15 p.m. with an alert warning. All restrictions will be removed and people can go back to their normal routines at 2:20 p.m., when the warning is completely lifted. This year's four-day exercise, which began Monday, will focus on ensuring emergency passageway for fire trucks and ambulances. Drivers are required to turn on hazard lights, slow down and yield the right of way when fire trucks and ambulances approach. Hospitals, subways, airlines and ships will operate as normal on the day of the drill to

Aug 19, 2025By Yonhap
Air-raid siren to be sounded Wednesday as part of civil defense drill

Lavish hotel proposals catch on with young Korean couples

Proposals staged at high-end hotels, often paired with luxury gifts and carefully curated Instagram posts, have become a rising trend among young Koreans, a new study finds. The study, led by Yang Su-jin, an associate professor of consumer science at Sungshin Women’s University, analyzed 128 Instagram posts. To collect the data, acquaintances with an average age of 29 — considered an ideal marriageable age in Korea — were asked to search the platform for proposal-related content last September. The posts were then reviewed to track how proposal practices are evolving among young Koreans. While the sample does not capture every kind of proposal, the findings point to a growing tendency among young Koreans to stage the moment as a public performance — meticulously crafted for social media and fueled by a desire for recognition and display. The study found that hotels were the most common setting for proposals, representing 42 percent of all posts, or 55 in total. Of those, 38 posts disclosed the venue, including 17 set at five-star hotels. The most frequently featured was Signiel

Aug 18, 2025By Park Ung
Lavish hotel proposals catch on with young Korean couples

Substitute driver in his 60s crashes into Seoul home, killing car owner in passenger seat

A man in his 50s was killed after being ejected from a vehicle when a substitute driver in his 60s crashed into a residential building in a narrow alley in Dongjak District, Seoul, late Saturday night, according to police and fire authorities on Sunday. The accident occurred around 11:34 p.m. in Sangdo-dong, when the driver of the vehicle drove it into a flower bed, exterior wall and utility pole of a house. The impact threw the car’s owner, who had been sitting in the passenger seat, out of the vehicle. He was rushed to hospital in cardiac arrest but later pronounced dead. The substitute driver sustained minor injuries and was also transported to a hospital. Police said there was no evidence of alcohol consumption or drug use at the time of the crash. Authorities are analyzing the car’s black box and nearby CCTV footage to determine the exact cause of the accident. Police said they plan to book the driver on charges of fatal traffic negligence. This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times

Aug 18, 2025By Hankookilbo
Substitute driver in his 60s crashes into Seoul home, killing car owner in passenger seat

More graduates delay finishing school amid hiring freeze

Kim, a 26-year-old physics graduate hoping to work in semiconductors, says he has applied even to jobs outside his field but has repeatedly failed to pass the document screening stage, leaving his confidence badly shaken. “If I had known it would be like this, I would have delayed graduation like my friends,” he added with a sigh. With the job market tightening, more young people are choosing to delay graduation and remain “fifth-year students.” Instead of risking unemployment after graduation, they see advantages in keeping student status, which provides access to career counseling, training and other benefits. According to data from the Korea Educational Development Institute released on Sunday, the number of students deferring graduation reached 17,597 last year, up by about 2,500 from 2023. Statistics Korea also reported that it now takes an average of four years and four months to complete college, the longest since records began in 2007. Creative ways to postpone Graduation delays take many forms. Some complete their credits but officially defer graduation by paying a fee of

Aug 18, 2025By Hankookilbo
More graduates delay finishing school amid hiring freeze

Family requests help searching for missing firefighter traumatized by Itaewon disaster

A 34-year-old firefighter in Incheon who had struggled with depression since responding to the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush has been missing for a week after leaving a note that read “I’m sorry.” According to Incheon Fire Headquarters on Sunday, the firefighter, identified only by the surname A, went out of contact on Aug. 10 after sending the message to family and friends. Police and fire officials said A drove out of the Nam Incheon Tollgate on the Second Gyeongin Expressway at about 2:30 a.m. that day, parked on the shoulder and disappeared. His mobile phone was last detected near an apartment complex in Seochang-dong, Namdong District, Incheon, but no signal has been picked up since. A had been dispatched to the Itaewon disaster site in October 2022 and later received treatment for depression. In a past media interview, he said, “My parents felt distressed just knowing I was there. How much more painful must it be for the victims’ parents? I kept thinking, ‘I wish this wasn’t real.’” His family has been distributing leaflets both online and offline in a desperate search.

Aug 18, 2025By Hankookilbo
Family requests help searching for missing firefighter traumatized by Itaewon disaster

InterviewEwha underscores lasting value of women's university in shaping global leaders

Despite decades of progress, Korea still lags in closing gender gaps in politics, business and leadership. It is in this unfinished push for parity that Ewha Womans University — one of the world’s largest women’s universities by enrollment — casts itself as both a catalyst for change and a training ground for women prepared to lead and compete on the global stage. "If asked whether women’s universities are still needed today, I would say they absolutely are," said Ewha Womans University President Lee Hyang-sook, during a recent interview with The Korea Times. "Ewha has a responsibility to remain a women’s university that nurtures outstanding talent — not just for Korea, but for the global stage. Our graduates are active worldwide, and we continue to expand our role as a global institution through research and international collaboration." Lee stressed that cultivating global women leaders ranks among the university’s central long-term goals, with initiatives in education, research, international outreach and leadership training already underway to bring that vision to li

Aug 18, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Ewha underscores lasting value of women's university in shaping global leaders

Cash handouts exclude migrant workers, prompting debate on fairness

The government's cash handouts to boost domestic consumption have reached nearly every Korean citizen and many long-term foreign residents, but not migrant workers, whose labor remains essential to keeping local economies afloat, especially in rural areas. As Korea’s foreign population approaches 3 million and the government promotes its multicultural identity, critics argue that migrants remain excluded from benefits and subsidies, weakening efforts at social integration and inclusion. As of Aug. 5, about 93.6 percent of the population — some 47.3 million residents — had received the government cash handout coupons. Non-Korean citizens are in principle excluded from the initiative, but exceptions were made for those with permanent residency, marriage immigrants and recognized refugees who are covered by the state health insurance system. Although the program makes limited exceptions for some foreign nationals, its narrow scope leaves out many migrant workers who pay taxes, sustain local economies and face the same strain from the ongoing economic crisis. "Foreign nationals, especia

Aug 17, 2025By Jung Da-hyun
Cash handouts exclude migrant workers, prompting debate on fairness

No extra holiday expected for Chuseok, dimming hopes for 10-day break

The government appears unlikely to designate Oct. 10 as a temporary public holiday, a move that would have extended this year’s Chuseok festival to 10 consecutive days. The move comes despite President Lee Jae Myung’s call last week for proactive steps to boost domestic demand during the Chuseok holiday period, as officials worry the longer break could drive more outbound travel than local spending and cut working days. Korean media reported Friday that the government is currently not considering designating Oct. 10 as a temporary public holiday, citing concerns that it could dampen domestic demand and negatively affect exports and industrial output due to fewer working days. With the Chuseok holiday period overlapping with National Foundation Day and Hangul Day this year, the holiday spans a full seven days. If Friday, Oct. 10, were designated as a temporary public holiday, the break would extend by an additional three days with the weekend, making it a 10-day stretch. Under Korean law, the government can designate temporary public holidays as needed. In recent years, it has occasio

Aug 17, 2025By Park Ung
No extra holiday expected for Chuseok, dimming hopes for 10-day break
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