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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Heat wave to persist across most of country

The suffocating heat wave will continue through Monday, the state weather service said, after tropical nights were recorded across most of the country the previous night. Both Seoul and Incheon, west of Seoul, recorded a low of 27.6 C, the highest daily minimum temperature for mid-July since modern meteorological observations began in October 1907 and August 1904, respectively, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Records for the highest daily low temperatures in mid-July were also broken in the central city of Cheongju at 27.2 C, Hongseong of South Chungcheong Province at 25.7 C, Changwon of South Gyeongsang Province at 27.3 C and Yeosu of South Jeolla Province at 26.7 C, the KMA said. Notably, the day's lowest temperature remained at 28.2 C on the East Sea island of Ulleung as of 4 a.m. The highest perceived temperatures will reach around 33 C in most regions until Tuesday, the KMA said, adding they will rise to around 35 C in the central, North Jeolla and North Gyeongsang provinces. Temperatures will drop slightly as rain is expected to fall across the country on

Jul 13, 2026By Yonhap
Heat wave to persist across most of country

Korea issues 1st-ever heat wave emergency warning for southeast

A heat wave emergency warning — the highest alert level — was issued for Gyeongsan and Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province at 10 a.m. Sunday, marking the first activation of the alert since it was introduced under the revised advisory system last month. The warning is issued when a region that has already had a perceived temperature of 35 degrees Celsius or higher for at least two consecutive days is expected to have a perceived temperature of 38 degrees or higher, or an actual temperature of 39 degrees or higher, for at least one more day. Heat at that level carries a high risk of heat-related illness, so residents in the affected areas are advised to avoid outdoor activities, particularly between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. when temperatures peak, and to rest in a shaded area or shelter. Water or sports drinks are recommended over caffeinated beverages or alcohol. Sunday marked the warning's first activation since it was introduced last month to alert the public of extreme heat, which the previous heat wave warning could not adequately convey. Under the earlier two-tier system, a heat wave a

Jul 12, 2026By Park Ung
Korea issues 1st-ever heat wave emergency warning for southeast

Inside Korea's largest Telegram sex abuse ring: How victims became perpetrators

A random Telegram message arrives from a stranger. “Hi. Someone is posting your picture and phone number in our channel. I think your information has been leaked. You should talk to this person.” The stranger, seemingly helpful, asks the user to tap “Add Contact.” But as soon as the button is pressed, the user's phone number is shared — and a digital manhunt begins. With only that number, perpetrators scour social media accounts and KakaoTalk to identify the victim’s name, friends and family. Then, without warning, the stranger turns hostile. “I can post your personal information online. I can call your family, your school and your workplace.” The threats grow more menacing. “I can make you quit school. I can make it impossible for you to leave your home.” For the victim, it marked the beginning of a long campaign of intimidation. In a sudden turn, victims were forced to choose between two options: ignore the threat and risk having their names and faces shared online and with people they knew, or follow instructions from a man nicknamed “Pastor.” Some chose to comply.

Jul 12, 2026By Hankookilbo
Inside Korea's largest Telegram sex abuse ring: How victims became perpetrators

Korea faces sweltering weekend with tropical nights as monsoon retreats

As the summer monsoon begins to retreat from the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bracing for an extended spell of intense heat, with daytime temperatures forecast to soar to as high as 38 degrees Celsius over the weekend and heat wave alerts expected to expand across much of the country. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), Friday, rain will linger through the morning in parts of the greater Seoul area, Gangwon Province and Jeju Island, before largely clearing by the afternoon. Once the rain clouds move out, oppressive heat is expected to set in quickly. Heat wave advisories are already in effect for parts of South Jeolla Province, Gyeongsang Provinces and Jeju Island and the KMA expects the warnings to be extended to additional regions in the coming days. Beginning Friday, daytime temperatures in most parts of the country are forecast to exceed 30 degrees Celsius, with the heat index reaching around 31 degrees. In areas under heat wave advisories, the perceived temperature could rise to about 33 degrees. The KMA forecasts daytime highs of 28 to 34 degrees on Friday, cli

Jul 10, 2026By Anna J. Park
Korea faces sweltering weekend with tropical nights as monsoon retreats

TV drama delivers justice, but real-life teachers say they're on their own

A barrage of text messages sent by a parent to a teacher in a scene in "Teach You a Lesson" felt familiar to many viewers. "U-jin’s self-esteem is falling, so don’t make him do math in front of the class." "Please don’t mark incorrect answers with a slash on U-jin’s spelling test. It’s affecting his self-esteem." "Please always take my child’s side in any conflicts with his peers." The character of U-jin's mother starts by sending complaining text messages, but goes on to take issue with the teacher’s clothes and way of speaking. She digs through the teacher’s social media accounts and pries into her private life. "My husband is enraged, so watch out," the mother says before filing a child abuse complaint. For many viewers, it was horrifying to watch, but many teachers said the drama was an almost exact enactment of reality. Some said they failed to finish the drama because it was too painful. A few recounted experiences with parents that had caused them trauma. Unlike in "Teach You a Lesson," however, there is no Korean Educational Rights Protection Bureau in real life t

Jul 9, 2026By Hankookilbo
TV drama delivers justice, but real-life teachers say they're on their own

Heavy downpours cause flooding and damage nationwide

Heavy monsoon rains continued to pound central and other parts of the nation through Thursday morning, causing widespread damage, including flooded homes and fallen trees. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said heavy rain of up to 50 millimeters per hour was falling in the central Chungcheong provinces, where a heavy rain warning had already been issued, as well as in the adjacent areas in North Jeolla, Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces. The cumulative rainfall from Wednesday through 7 a.m. Thursday exceeded 220 mm in the central cities of Daejeon and Cheongju, the KMA said, forecasting up to 200 mm of additional rainfall in the Chungcheong and southern regions through Thursday night. The state weather agency has issued landslide and flood advisories across the country. In the North Chungcheong county of Boeun, 82 people were urgently evacuated to village halls and senior citizen centers early Thursday morning amid concerns about flooding in a reservoir. In the same county, two residents trapped inside a flooded home were rescued by firefighters. An embankment collapsed in Cheong

Jul 9, 2026By Yonhap
Heavy downpours cause flooding and damage nationwide

Former sex workers near US bases seek truth panel probe into rights violations

A group of former sex workers from now-defunct brothels around American military bases called on the state truth panel Wednesday to investigate state-sponsored human rights abuses against them. The group, joined by women's rights activists and other civic groups, urged the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to investigate, saying the government encouraged prostitution through such brothels and violated their rights. The victims have accused the government of abetting these practices by systematically designating such areas, allowing the establishments to operate, which they claim enabled prostitution. In a press conference, the groups said some of the victims who did not have health certificates were detained and forcibly underwent examinations and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases. "(We) strongly request that the victims' dignity and honor be restored through the TRC's investigation," the groups said. They also chanted slogans calling on the Korean and U.S. governments to apologize for the abuses. In 2022, the Supreme Court recognized the state's responsibility for such b

Jul 8, 2026By Yonhap
Former sex workers near US bases seek truth panel probe into rights violations

How Koreans' hate culture differs from West

A Gyeonggi Province teacher, who asked to be identified only by the surname Park, has taught middle and high school students for six years. During that time, hate speech has become a regular part of his classroom, including remarks about the 2009 death of liberal former President Roh Moo-hyun. “Students often use expressions related to Roh's death in class and some even write such content in their assignments,” Park told The Korea Times. “These kids weren't even born during Roh's time, meaning they don't know much about his policies or failures.” Cases like Park's reflect a broader pattern emerging in Korean classrooms, where hate speech rooted in far-right online rhetoric has crept into students' everyday language, alarming teachers who say they are increasingly at a loss for how to respond. A survey by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union, released Tuesday, found that 89.3 percent of 1,109 elementary, middle and high school teachers nationwide had witnessed or heard about students using hate speech, discriminatory language, historical distortions or anti-democratic

Jul 8, 2026By Park Ung
How Koreans' hate culture differs from West

Major umbrella labor union to stage general strike next week

A major umbrella labor union said Wednesday it plans to stage a general strike next week, demanding businesses engage in direct negotiations with subcontracted workers. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) said the collective action will take place next Wednesday, arguing that businesses have resisted directly negotiating with subcontracted workers despite a new amended labor law designed to ensure such negotiations. In March, the so-called yellow envelope act went into effect, expanding subcontracted workers' bargaining rights while increasing the accountability of prime contractors. About 10,000 workers under the umbrella union are expected to take part in next week's strike, with a rally scheduled to take place near Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul. Yang Kyeung-soo, head of the KCTU, said unions under its wing requested negotiations with over 400 primary contractors in the past four months, but actual negotiations have taken place in only four of them. "When the status of the prime contractor is clear yet they evade responsibility, workers have no choice but to fight back

Jul 8, 2026By Yonhap
Major umbrella labor union to stage general strike next week

Court recognizes employee status of delivery riders for 1st time

A court has ruled that delivery riders working through online platforms are qualified as employees under the Labor Standards Act, judicial officials said Wednesday. The Seoul High Court made the ruling last Friday in a lawsuit filed by a member of the Rider Union against a delivery platform company seeking to invalidate the worker's dismissal and recover unpaid wages, the officials said. The court ruled partially in favor of the plaintiff, overturning a lower court's ruling that denied his status as an employee. It marks the first court decision to recognize the employee status of a delivery rider. The appellate court stated that whether a person qualifies as an employee under the current labor law should be determined based on whether they actually provided labor to the employer for the purpose of wages in a subordinate relationship, rather than the form of the contract. It also noted that separate legislation should be enacted on the provision of labor by platform workers but it is now desirable to flexibly interpret the provisions of the Labor Standards Act in individual cases where em

Jul 8, 2026By Yonhap
Court recognizes employee status of delivery riders for 1st time
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