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  • Society

    Paichai High School baseball team suspended 6 months over 'Tank Day' chant against Gwangju school

    The Paichai High School baseball team has been suspended from national tournament play for six months after a chant evoked Starbucks Korea's controversial "Tank Day" promotion during a national tournament match against a school from Gwangju. The Korea Baseball Softball Association held a sports fair play committee meeting Wednesday to review the incident and imposed the suspension after determining the chant violated the spirit of sportsmanship and disrupted order on the field. During Monday's match against Gwangju Jeil High School at the 81st Cheongnonggi National High School Baseball Championship in Seoul's Mokdong Baseball Stadium, some Paichai players repeatedly chanted “Let's go, let's go, let's go to Starbucks” in unison. One student even shouted “Tank Day.” The chant was a direct reference to Starbucks Korea's "Tank Day" promotion launched on May 18 — the 46th anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising — which used the phrase in a reference widely condemned as denigrating the pro-democracy movement. The backlash at the time drew responses from consumers and politicians alike

    2 MIN READBy Park Ung
    Paichai High School baseball team suspended 6 months over 'Tank Day' chant against Gwangju school
  • Society

    Korean high school where 1 in 4 graduates heads straight to Samsung Electronics

    3 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    Korean high school where 1 in 4 graduates heads straight to Samsung Electronics
  • Society

    New PM orders thorough measures with heavy rain forecast to hit southern region

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    New PM orders thorough measures with heavy rain forecast to hit southern region
  • Politics

    Presidential unification body adds over 2,000 advisers, plans overseas expansion

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Presidential unification body adds over 2,000 advisers, plans overseas expansion
  • Defense

    Navy chief to visit Hawaii this week for RIMPAC exercise

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Navy chief to visit Hawaii this week for RIMPAC exercise
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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.

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Society

Busan expands hospital support network for international students

Busan has added two hospitals to its support network for international students, stepping up efforts to attract 30,000 foreign students to the southern port city by 2028. The Busan Metropolitan Government said Thursday it signed cooperation agreements with Good Gang-an Hospital in Suyeong District, Daedong Hospital in Dongnae District and Dong-Eui Medical Center in Busanjin District to improve medical access for the city's international student population. Each of the participating hospitals will offer interpretation in up to four languages — including English, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese and Mongolian — to lower language barriers. For students not yet enrolled in Korea's national health insurance, the hospitals offer discounts on consultations, checkups and vaccinations when they show their student ID. Dong-Eui Medical Center and Daedong Hospital also offer 50 percent off medical bills for students in their volunteer ambassador programs. All three hospitals run dedicated time periods and priority booking for international students, and issue documents in English and Russian. The mo

Apr 16, 2026By Park Ung
Busan expands hospital support network for international students
Global Community

Embassy of Italy in Seoul to host 6th Italian Space Day

The Embassy of Italy in Seoul will host the sixth Italy Space Day Wednesday, bringing together representatives from the aerospace industry, academia and research institutions in Korea and Italy to survey the latest developments in space technology and bilateral cooperation. The annual event commemorates the 1964 launch of San Marco, Italy's first satellite, which made Italy the third country in the world to place a domestically developed satellite into orbit. Launched in 2021, Italy Space Day is organized in cooperation with the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and aims to raise public awareness of space activities while highlighting its major achievements in the sector. The program opens with welcoming remarks by Ambassador Emilia Gatto, followed by congratulatory addresses from Rep. Hwang Jeong-ah of the Democratic Party of Korea and Park Jae-seong, director general of the Space Transportation Directorate at the Korea AeroSpace Administration. Teodoro Valente, president of the Italian Space Agency, will deliver opening remarks via video message. The k

Apr 16, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Embassy of Italy in Seoul to host 6th Italian Space Day
Politics

Ex-ambassador to Japan appointed senior vice chair of unification council

President Lee Jae Myung has appointed Kang Chang-il, a former Korean ambassador to Japan, as senior vice chair of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (KUAC), a senior aide said Thursday. Kang, a four-term lawmaker who served as ambassador to Japan from 2021 to 2022, was tapped as the top working-level official of the council chaired by President Lee. "With his diplomatic experience gained as head of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union and as ambassador to Japan, Kang is the right figure to incorporate such expertise into the unification discourse and promote the value of integration," Lee Kyu-yeon, presidential secretary for political affairs, told reporters. KUAC is a presidential advisory body mandated by the Constitution to promote peaceful unification through policy consultation, consensus building and international outreach.

Apr 16, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-ambassador to Japan appointed senior vice chair of unification council
South Korea

Seoul schools launch program to help immigrant parents support kids' learning

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) is rolling out an integrated support system for parents of students from immigrant backgrounds, aiming to bridge information gaps that often leave families struggling to engage with their children’s schooling. A 2024 national survey by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family found that parents from immigrant backgrounds see the lack of information on academics, admissions and career pathways (34.5 percent), along with difficulty assisting with schoolwork (32 percent), as their main challenges in raising children in Korea. The centerpiece of the initiative is the "Dagagam Academy," a monthly Saturday workshop series running approximately 10 sessions from April through December. The program, organized through the SMOE's Multicultural Education Support Center, covers the structure of the Korean school curriculum, basic home-based academic support, student safety including bullying and child abuse prevention, and guidance on school and community resources. Artificial intelligence-powered, real-time interpretation will be offered at in-p

Apr 16, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Seoul schools launch program to help immigrant parents support kids' learning
South Korea

Fuel consumption down after price cap system: official

Korea's fuel consumption has decreased since the country implemented a price cap system, an industry ministry official said Thursday, dispelling concerns that the system may push up crude consumption amid supply disruptions caused by the Middle Eastern crisis. Gasoline sales between the fourth week of February and the second week of April went down 11 percent from the corresponding tally for the same period last year, Yang Ghi-wuk, deputy minister for trade, industry and resource security, said in a regular press briefing on the energy supply. Diesel sales decreased 7.1 percent year-on-year over the cited period. The Seoul government introduced the fuel price cap system on March 13, about two weeks after the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran, in a bid to rein in surging fuel prices. Yang's comments came in response to concerns the price ceiling system may lead to an increase in fuel consumption amid crude supply disruptions. Regarding Wednesday's announcement that Korea has secured 273 million barrels of crude oil for use this year from four nations in the Middle E

Apr 16, 2026By Yonhap
Fuel consumption down after price cap system: official
Law & Crime

InterviewCustoms officer uncovers $272 mil. illegal remittances via fintech loophole

Ahn Dan-bi, an official at Seoul Regional Customs, detected about 400 billion won ($272 million) in illicit overseas remittances by cracking down on a fintech-based small-value money transfer operator, marking the first case of its kind, the Korea Customs Service (KCS) said Thursday. In recognition of her role in shutting down money-laundering channels tied to cross-border crimes, the KCS selected her as its “customs officer of the month” for March and presented the award Monday. In an interview with The Korea Times, Ahn said the case was particularly challenging because it differed from conventional crackdowns on illegal remittances. While past investigations typically targeted unregistered operators engaged in underground or alternative remittance services, this case required authorities to probe the internal systems of a legally registered small-value remittance firm. “On the surface, the company appeared to comply with per-transaction and annual transfer limits,” she said. “In reality, however, large sums were being sent overseas through a structure involving duplicate acc

Apr 16, 2026By Jun Ji-hye
Customs officer uncovers $272 mil. illegal remittances via fintech loophole
Society

1st baby in 20 years sparks celebration in rural Korean village

The sound of a baby crying in a rural town in Jeongseon County, Gangwon Province, has given residents reason to celebrate, marking the first birth there in 20 years. According to the county, a baby boy was born to Kim Hyun-dong and Jang Yoo-jin in Mungok-ri, Bukpyeong-myeon, a village often called the “Korean Peninsula Village.” The couple moved to the rural community four years ago. To celebrate the first birth in two decades, local residents put up congratulatory banners across the area, with regional offices and community centers joining in. Candidates in the upcoming local elections, including incumbent Gangwon Gov. Kim Jin-tae, also offered their congratulations to the family. Last month, the couple enrolled their older son, 7-year-old Si-won, at Nampyeong Elementary School as its only incoming student this year. Village head Kim Chul-su, 75, said residents plan to hold a celebration on the 100th day after the baby’s birth, calling it the greatest joy the village has seen in two decades. The Jeongseon County Swimming Association, of which the baby’s father is a member, also

Apr 16, 2026By Hankookilbo
1st baby in 20 years sparks celebration in rural Korean village
Society

Seoul revives weekly night-run program through October

The Seoul Metropolitan Government launched the latest edition of its “7979 Seoul Running Crew” program, a free weekly night-running program that leads residents through major city districts every Thursday evening through October. Registration opens each week Monday through Wednesday via the city's public service reservation portal or the Dongma Runners Club website, with 60 spots available per session — 30 per channel. Walk-in registration on the day of each run is also accepted. Sessions run from 7 to 9 p.m. The program, now in its fourth year, drew a cumulative 5,013 participants last year alone. It is structured into three skill-based tracks: a beginner course centered on Gwanghwamun downtown, an intermediate course in the Banpo area of southern Seoul and an advanced course in Yeouido. Organizers note that distance and intensity on all tracks can be adjusted to suit individual pace and fitness level. Each session is staffed by coaches with competitive athletics backgrounds who provide instruction on proper running form and technique. Six pacemakers per zone, along with one medi

Apr 16, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Seoul revives weekly night-run program through October
Global Community

Naver corrects discriminatory descriptions of Africa in online encyclopedia

Naver Corp., South Korea's largest internet portal operator, has corrected biased information about Africa in its online encyclopedia at the request of a nongovernmental organization, the agency said Thursday. The Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK) said it requested corrections for 84 cases, of which 70 cases have been revised. They include revisions to discriminatory terms such as "bushmen,""black continent," "third world" and "negro." The term "black continent" was replaced with Sub-Saharan Africa while "negro" was replaced with "African-descended groups." The remaining 14 cases are currently under review. In addition, expressions that objectified humans as commodities, with terms such as "imported" and "cargo," were revised to "forcibly brought in" and "forcibly transferred" to highlight the coerced nature of the historical context, the group said. VANK said the changes are significant as they go beyond simple wording adjustments and represent a shift toward narratives that reflect historical facts and contemporary perspectives. Revisions were also made to sections inside the ency

Apr 16, 2026By Yonhap
Naver corrects discriminatory descriptions of Africa in online encyclopedia
Politics

Why president keeps showing up at theaters after work

President Lee Jae Myung has stepped up his attendance at cultural events after working hours, in what is seen as an effort to communicate his policies and values to the public in a less formal setting. The outings mostly fall on Wednesdays, coinciding with the expansion of the Culture Day initiative. Previously limited to the last Wednesday of each month, it now occurs every Wednesday under the Lee administration, offering free or discounted entry, special programming or longer operating hours at thousands of cultural venues across the country. Lee attended “The King’s Warden,” a melodrama inspired by the story of King Danjong’s exile and the biggest box office hit in years, on Feb. 17 during the Lunar New Year holiday; “The Long, Long Night,” a musical adapted from a beloved Korean children’s book, on March 18; and “My Name,” an independent film addressing the trauma of the Jeju April 3 Uprising, one of the most painful episodes in Korea’s modern history, on Wednesday. At these outings, Lee and first lady Kim Hea Kyung have kept a low profile, while occasionally sto

Apr 16, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
Why president keeps showing up at theaters after work
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