Korea JoongAng Daily - Daily News from Korea

This article is by Han Ye-seul and read by an artificial voice.

A man was killed on Saturday afternoon in the northern city of Uijeongbu after a large signboard was torn loose by powerful winds and crushed him as it fell to the pavement below.

The fatal accident occurred around 2:21 p.m. in the Howon-dong neighborhood while a strong wind advisory was in effect across Gyeonggi.

Police and fire authorities said the signboard, measuring roughly 15 meters (49.2 feet) wide and 2 meters high, detached from a building and collapsed onto the street.

Emergency responders arrived quickly and found the man trapped beneath the debris, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities said wind conditions at the time included gusts reaching approximately 9 meters per second. The victim was not affiliated with the building nor any nearby business and was simply passing through the area when the sign fell, officials said.

Police and fire officials are investigating the precise cause of the collapse, including whether the signboard had been properly secured, and are questioning witnesses as part of the inquiry.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Jung Si-nae and read by an artificial voice.

A man who allegedly drove his employee to commit suicide last year by assaulting and psychologically manipulating him over the course of a decade has been indicted while in custody.

The Mokpo branch of the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office announced on Friday that it had formally arrested and indicted the man, the owner of a mobile phone dealership, on charges including habitual injury, violation of the Labor Standards Act and coercion.

The man is accused of repeatedly assaulting a subordinate employee, on 12 occasions between 2016 and December 2024, and of forcing him to perform errands unrelated to work, such as picking up prescription medication on his behalf and delivering food.

Investigators believe that the abuse began in 2016, when the employee made a mistake that cost the dealership financially. His boss allegedly used the incident as a pretext to demand various forms of compensation from the employee and to abuse him both verbally and physically.

According to investigators, whenever the boss was dissatisfied with the employee's work, he would frequently subject him to verbal abuse and physical violence.

The boss repeatedly told the employee that he had to make up for the dealership's losses, even forcing him to sign a pledge relinquishing control over his own body.

Such pledges, which are sometimes demanded by loan sharks in Korea, actually have no legal effect.

After suffering prolonged harassment, the employee took his own life in October of last year.

Prosecutors concluded that the employee lost his will to live as a result of the torment he suffered at the hands of his boss.

After the employee committed suicide, the dealership owner attempted to conceal the existence of the pledge, but it was uncovered through document analysis conducted by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.

An official told media that the prosecution "will do its utmost to prosecute [the boss] so that he receives a sentence commensurate with his crimes."

If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191 or the Crisis Counseling Center at 1577-0199. The Seoul Global Center offers English-language counseling, contact 02-2075-4180 (+1) to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Shin Hye-yeon and read by an artificial voice.

A fire broke out in the mountains of Uiseong County in North Gyeongsang on Saturday, leading local authorities to issue an evacuation order to residents.

Residents of Oro-ri, Palseong-ri and Bibong-ri in Uiseong County have been ordered to evacuate to the Uiseong Gymnasium.

According to local authorities, the fire broke out around 3:14 p.m., but the cause remains unknown.

Officials have been working to extinguish the fire by mobilizing helicopters, firefighting equipment and emergency personnel.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Shin Hye-yeon, Han Ye-seul and read by an artificial voice.

Two separate wildfires broke out on Saturday, in the mountains of Uiseong County and on a wooded hill in Cheongdo County, authorities said.

According to local officials in Uiseong County, the first fire began at around 3:14 p.m. The cause has not yet been determined.

Residents of the Oro-ri, Palseong-ri and Bibong-ri areas were ordered to evacuate to the Uiseong Gymnasium as a precaution.

As of Saturday afternoon, authorities had deployed 41 personnel, along with 13 helicopters and 22 firefighting vehicles, to contain the blaze.

The second fire broke out at around 4:39 p.m. on a forested hill in Cheongdo County, also in North Gyeongsang.

Emergency officials said they will investigate the cause of the fire after it is fully extinguished.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Jung Si-nae and read by an artificial voice.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok on Saturday ordered central and local government authorities to prepare for heavy snow and a cold snap expected to grip much of the country through the weekend, warning that dangers would persist even after the snowfall ends.

Kim's emergency directive came as the Korea Meteorological Agency forecast heavy snow in the central inland regions and the southwestern Jeolla region through Monday. He emphasized that icy roads, power disruptions and risks to vulnerable populations could pose serious threats as temperatures plunge.

In instructions to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Kim called for the early activation of emergency duty systems and flexible operation of disaster response levels, along with tighter controls in areas at risk of accidents. He urged officials to closely monitor older people, the homeless and others vulnerable to extreme cold, and to widely share clear public safety guidance.

With freezing temperatures expected to follow the snow, Kim stressed the need for aggressive, preventive measures by local governments, including advance snow removal, forward deployment of equipment and personnel and uninterrupted operations once conditions worsen.

He directed the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to preposition snowplows and related equipment along highways and major urban arteries, and to secure adequate space for vehicles to turn and operate so that snow removal cycles are not disrupted.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment was told to ensure real-time monitoring and rapid snow clearance in national parks, to restrict access to hiking trails during weather alerts and to keep a close watch on power supply conditions, with rapid restoration efforts in the event of outages or accidents.

Kim also warned local governments against administrative lapses that could arise from weekend schedules or early-year personnel reshuffles. He called for proactive snow removal efforts in residential areas and on bridges and steep roads prone to icing, as well as the full implementation of cold-weather protection measures.

In the Jeolla region, where heavy snow mixed with rain is expected Sunday, he ordered strengthened traffic controls and thorough advance inspections to prevent collapses of vulnerable structures or incidents in which communities could become isolated.

He urged authorities to work closely with broadcasters and news organizations to provide the public with timely, practical information tailored by region and to actively publicize snow removal conditions and hazardous areas in real time.

"Snow response should not end when the snowfall stops," Kim said. "It must continue until secondary risks, such as black ice, are fully eliminated."

He added that preventing loss of life should remain the overriding priority as the country braces for the severe winter weather.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Chung Yeong-gyo, Shim Seok-yong and read by an artificial voice.

Security experts in South Korea say Pyongyang's sudden accusation that Seoul sent surveillance drones across the border is less about the aircraft themselves than a political effort to blunt a renewed push for diplomacy by the Lee Jae Myung administration.

The claims, issued by the North Korean military on Saturday, were quickly dismissed by South Korea's Defense Ministry as untrue. But analysts say the timing and framing of the statement offer insight into Pyongyang's apparent strategy of resisting engagement with Seoul and laying rhetorical groundwork for a harder line regarding inter-Korean relations.

The accusations came just days after President Lee returned from a state visit to Beijing, where he asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to play a constructive role on the Korean Peninsula, and shortly after he publicly expressed a willingness to reopen dialogue with Kim Jong-un. In a symbolic gesture, Lee even posted a lighthearted message on social media envisioning peaceful coexistence, an unusually informal overture in a relationship long defined by hostility.

For North Korea, experts say, that outreach may have been precisely the problem.

"By raising the drone issue now, Pyongyang is trying to strip the Lee administration of any moral or political high ground for dialogue," said Im Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies. "It allows the North to portray South Korea as duplicitous — talking peace while allegedly carrying out hostile acts."

The technical details released by North Korea have also fueled skepticism among analysts.

Photographs of the downed drone published by state media appear to show a small fixed-wing aircraft resembling commercially available civilian models rather than military-grade equipment. Several experts noted that such drones are widely sold for recreational, agricultural or industrial use and can be assembled from off-the-shelf parts.

Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said the drone closely matched a Chinese-made model commonly used by hobbyists. He added that it would make little sense for South Korea's military — which operates advanced drones capable of transmitting live, high-resolution video — to deploy an older system that requires physical recovery of a memory card.

"The scenario North Korea is describing doesn't align with how the South Korean military actually conducts surveillance," Hong said. He also questioned the intelligence value of the areas Pyongyang claimed were filmed, including parts of Kaesong and North Hwanghae Province, which he said were neither sensitive nor strategically significant.

Others pointed to North Korea's selective silence as further evidence of political calculation. When South Korean investigators last year accused the previous conservative Yoon Suk Yeol government of trying to provoke tensions on the Korean Peninsula by sending drones northward, Pyongyang did not publicly respond. Its decision to raise the issue now, under a progressive administration that has emphasized de-escalation, suggests a deliberate shift.

"This looks like an attempt to preemptively block any narrative that the problem lies with North Korea's refusal to engage," said Shin Jong-woo, head of the Korea Defense and Security Forum. "By accusing Seoul first, they reverse the burden of explanation."

Analysts also see the move as a warning shot amid improving relations between Seoul and Beijing. North Korea has long been sensitive to shifts in South Korea-China ties, particularly when they intersect with broader discussions about regional stability and the North's nuclear program.

In its statement, Pyongyang used unusually blunt language, accusing South Korea of maintaining a hostile identity despite professing interest in dialogue and vowing retaliation if provocations continue. Experts say such rhetoric is often less a p...

This article is by Michael Lee and read by an artificial voice.

The Korea-based Green Climate Fund (GCF) said Friday that the recent U.S. withdrawal from its board would not disrupt its operations nor commitment to supporting developing countries tackle climate change-related challenges.

In a statement, the GCF said the board seat vacancy would be filled in line with its policies, and that Washington's absence would not affect the functioning of the board or the fund's activities.

The notification followed a U.S. presidential memorandum dated Wednesday directing federal departments and agencies to withdraw from a number of international organizations, conventions and treaties, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Membership in the UNFCCC is a prerequisite for representation on the GCF Board.

The GCF emphasized in its statement that climate change "remains a fundamental threat to international development, security and long-term prosperity" and pledged to continue serving parties to the UNFCCC as the world's primary climate fund for developing countries.

Central to that mandate, it said, is support for affordable, reliable and sustainable energy to promote economic growth, poverty reduction and development.

The fund said it has approved $19.3 billion for 336 projects across 134 developing countries, all of which are fully funded from existing resources. It also noted that it has approved a record $3.26 billion in new projects, "underscoring its continued commitment to delivering impact at scale in line with its mandate."

The U.S. Treasury Department separately confirmed the withdrawal on Thursday, saying it had informed the GCF of Washington's decision to step down from the fund and its board "effective immediately," in line with the administration's broader move to exit the UNFCCC.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a press release that the United States would no longer fund what he described as "radical organizations like the GCF," arguing that their goals run counter to the administration's view that affordable and reliable energy is fundamental to economic growth and poverty reduction. The department added that continued participation in the GCF was no longer consistent with the administration's priorities and goals.

The GCF, headquartered in Incheon, west of Seoul, was established in 2010 under the UNFCCC to help developing countries finance climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

While the fund currently has no physical presence outside of its main office in Incheon, its board approved a plan last year to establish regional offices worldwide.

Washington's withdrawal from the fund is part of a broader policy shift announced earlier this week, after U.S. President Donald Trump signed a memorandum ordering the United States to exit 66 different international organizations, agencies and commissions.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said those bodies were identified during an administration review as "wasteful," "ineffective" or "harmful" to U.S. interests.

This article is by Michael Lee and read by an artificial voice.

The Korea-based Green Climate Fund (GCF) said Friday that the recent U.S. withdrawal from its board would not disrupt its operations nor commitment to supporting developing countries tackle climate change-related challenges.

In a statement, the GCF said the board seat vacancy would be filled in line with its policies, and that Washington's absence would not affect the functioning of the board or the fund's activities.

The notification followed a U.S. presidential memorandum dated Wednesday directing federal departments and agencies to withdraw from a number of international organizations, conventions and treaties, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Membership in the UNFCCC is a prerequisite for representation on the GCF Board.

The GCF emphasized in its statement that climate change "remains a fundamental threat to international development, security and long-term prosperity" and pledged to continue serving parties to the UNFCCC as the world's primary climate fund for developing countries.

Central to that mandate, it said, is support for affordable, reliable and sustainable energy to promote economic growth, poverty reduction and development.

The fund said it has approved $19.3 billion for 336 projects across 134 developing countries, all of which are fully funded from existing resources. It also noted that it has approved a record $3.26 billion in new projects, "underscoring its continued commitment to delivering impact at scale in line with its mandate."

The U.S. Treasury Department separately confirmed the withdrawal on Thursday, saying it had informed the GCF of Washington's decision to step down from the fund and its board "effective immediately," in line with the administration's broader move to exit the UNFCCC.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a press release that the United States would no longer fund what he described as "radical organizations like the GCF," arguing that their goals run counter to the administration's view that affordable and reliable energy is fundamental to economic growth and poverty reduction. The department added that continued participation in the GCF was no longer consistent with the administration's priorities and goals.

The GCF, headquartered in Incheon, west of Seoul, was established in 2010 under the UNFCCC to help developing countries finance climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.

While the fund currently has no physical presence outside of its main office in Incheon, its board approved a plan last year to establish regional offices worldwide.

Washington's withdrawal from the fund is part of a broader policy shift announced earlier this week, after U.S. President Donald Trump signed a memorandum ordering the United States to exit 66 different international organizations, agencies and commissions.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said those bodies were identified during an administration review as "wasteful," "ineffective" or "harmful" to U.S. interests.

This article is by Kim Jung-seok and read by an artificial voice.

A series of multi-vehicle collisions occurred near the Namsangju Interchange on the Seosan–Yeongdeok Expressway in North Gyeongsang on Saturday morning, leaving five people dead.

The accidents are believed to have been caused by so-called black ice, a thin, nearly invisible layer of ice that formed on the road as temperatures dropped sharply that day.

According to police and other authorities, a 9.5-ton cargo truck traveling toward Yeongdeok near the Namsangju Interchange broke through a guardrail as it swerved around a stopped vehicle and fell off the roadway at around 6:10 a.m., killing the driver. Seven cars just behind the truck also crashed, injuring seven people.

About an hour later, at 7:02 a.m., a nine-vehicle collision occurred in the opposite, Cheongju-bound lanes about one kilometer (0.62 miles) away. That crash reportedly happened when a sedan failed to slow down and slammed into a trailer truck. Police said all four people aboard the sedan were killed, while at least one other person was injured.

In another accident, a sport utility vehicle erupted into flames after colliding with a truck and crashing into a guardrail near the interchange at 6:35 a.m.

According to police, a total of 20 vehicles were involved in the accidents.

Lanes in both directions of the expressway were closed for nearly four hours after the accidents, resulting in severe traffic congestion. Traffic is now gradually returning to normal. Of the two Cheongju-bound lanes, one has reopened, while cleanup crews continue working in the other to remove steel rebars that spilled from a cargo truck.

While police are still investigating the exact cause of the crashes, black ice is suspected to be the primary factor. Light rain fell in the area, and temperatures in Sangju dropped to minus 2.4 degrees Celsius (27.7 degrees Fahrenheit), creating conditions favorable for the formation of black ice.

According to the Korea Expressway Corporation, roads affected by black ice are about 14 times more slippery than normal roads and roughly six times more slippery than snow-covered roads, making the phenomenon a leading cause of major winter traffic accidents.

The Sangju city government sent out an emergency alert prior to the accidents, warning drivers to slow down and maintain safe distances between vehicles, especially on mountain passes and shaded areas. In December 2019, multiple pileups caused by black ice also occurred at several locations on the Sangju–Yeongcheon Expressway, killing seven people.

A police official said further investigation, including analysis of vehicle black box footage, is needed to determine whether black ice was the direct cause of the accidents. "During winter, roads can become slippery due to black ice," the official said, emphasizing that drivers must exercise extreme caution in cold weather.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

This article is by Jung Si-nae and read by an artificial voice.

South Korea's defense minister on Saturday rejected North Korea's claim that Seoul had again sent drones into the North's airspace, calling the allegation "completely untrue" and suggesting a joint investigation to verify the facts.

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back made the remarks in response to questions from Yonhap News after North Korea said it had forced down South Korean drones that allegedly crossed the border in September last year and earlier this month. North Korea released photographs of what it said were the wreckage of the downed aircraft.

"The drone shown in the photos is not a model operated by our military," Ahn said. He added that no flight training or drone operations were conducted on the dates cited by Pyongyang by the South Korean military's Drone Operations Command, Ground Operations Command or Marine Corps Command.

Referring to South Korea's recent political turmoil, Ahn said it was implausible that such an operation would have been carried out so shortly after former President Yoon Suk Yeol's removal from office following his short-lived declaration of emergency martial law in December 2024.

"The nightmare of martial law is still fresh," he said. "I can't imagine something like this happening."

Ahn suggested that the two Koreas conduct a joint investigation into the incident.

The Defense Ministry echoed his remarks, saying it had confirmed that the South Korean military did not operate drones on the dates claimed by the North. It added that President Lee Jae Myung had ordered a thorough investigation and that relevant agencies were continuing to examine the matter.

Earlier on Saturday, North Korea accused South Korea of sending drones into its territory in September and again on Sunday through a statement by a spokesperson for the General Staff of the Korean People's Army that was carried by state media.

The North said the most recent drone took off from Ganghwa County in Incheon and flew over Kaesong and Pyeongsan County in North Hwanghae Province, while the earlier drone departed from Paju, near the border, and followed a similar route.

North Korea said it had shot down both drones and warned that South Korea would "pay a price" for what it called repeated violations of its sovereignty.

Experts expressed skepticism about Pyongyang's claims, noting that the drone shown in the North's photographs appeared to be made from inexpensive commercial parts rather than military-grade equipment.

Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Seoul-based Korea Institute for National Unification, said the flight control computer appeared to be a general-purpose component commonly used by hobbyists, while the receiver was a low-cost Chinese part with little antijamming capability and not compliant with military communication standards.

"It is theoretically possible that the military used a disposable drone for deception," Hong said. "But considering the aircraft's specifications, the intelligence value and the components used, that scenario is unlikely."

Hong said the drone's exterior closely resembled the Skywalker Titan 2160, a model produced by the Chinese company Skywalker Technology. The aircraft, which can fly up to about 160 miles for as long as four hours, is typically sold for the equivalent of about $750 and is widely used for hobby, commercial and industrial purposes.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.