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Wild temperature swings are expected to continue through the winter, with what could be the strongest El Niño on record forecast to peak toward the end of the year, raising the likelihood of a “roller-coaster winter” marked by mild spells interrupted by sudden cold snaps. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), morning lows on Wednesday plunged by around 10 degrees Celsius from the previous day, reaching 9 degrees in Seoul and 3 degrees in Daegwallyeong, Gangwon Province. Temperatures are expected to gradually rise above the seasonal average over the weekend before plunging again, with lows reaching 3 degrees by the middle of next week, pointing to continued sharp fluctuations. The erratic weather is typical of autumn, when migratory high- and low-pressure systems pass through the Korean Peninsula in succession. Cold winds blowing down from the north are battling warm, humid southerly winds originating over the western Pacific, where sea temperatures are higher than normal, causing weather conditions to fluctuate sharply. Such unpredictable conditions are expect

DAEGU — A district court sentenced a man to a 45-year prison term Thursday for murdering his mother-in-law and abandoning her body in the southeastern city of Daegu. The Daegu District Court handed down the sentence to Cho Jae-bok, 26, for murdering the 54-year-old victim in March at his home in the city located some 250 kilometers southeast of Seoul. He was also convicted of throwing away the victim's body in a suitcase. The court noted that the victim had faced repeated violence that left her unable to even speak by the time of her murder. Prosecutors had sought a life sentence for Cho, who was also charged with abusing, monitoring and financially controlling his wife and mother-in-law.

A special counsel team said Thursday it has filed for a new arrest warrant for jailed former first lady Kim Keon Hee as her detention period is set to expire later this month. Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team submitted the request to the Supreme Court, citing the need to keep Kim, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, in custody before her detention expires Oct. 31. Kim, who has been in detention since August last year, awaits final rulings by the top court on two sentences delivered by appellate court benches: a four-year prison sentence on corruption charges, and a five-year prison sentence on bribery and other charges. A final ruling for the first case is unlikely to be delivered before her detention period expires, with the court scheduling a deliberation session for next Thursday. "As the expiration of defendant Kim Keon Hee's detention period nears, there is a need to keep her in custody, so we have submitted an application to issue an arrest warrant," the team said.

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday pledged to maintain his policy priorities of improving people's livelihoods, pursuing reforms and promoting national unity, a day before he is set to mark his 500th day in office. "Tomorrow marks the 500th day since the launch of our 'Government of Popular Sovereignty,'" Lee said at a meeting with key aides. "Without being swayed by any external influence or resistance, (the government) will unwaveringly follow the path toward improving people's livelihoods and pursuing practical reforms and inclusive national unity," he said. The president also pointed out that the national economy is achieving unprecedented success, but people's livelihoods remain grim, pledging to help spread the benefits of growth to people's everyday lives. "Our economy is registering remarkable outcomes in various fields. If this trend continues, we will likely become the sixth country with a (per capita) national income of $40,000 this year among nations with a population of over 50 million," the president noted. "Difficulties in people's everyday lives, however, do not seem to h

A parliamentary committee on Thursday adopted a confirmation hearing report for Kim Ji-yong, nominee to lead the newly established Serious Crime Investigation Agency (SCIA), amid opposition from some lawmakers. The parliamentary public administration and security committee approved the report, a day after his confirmation hearing. Kim's nomination has drawn opposition from some hard-line lawmakers within the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the minor Rebuilding Korea Party, who have questioned his political neutrality and qualifications to lead the SCIA. They have argued the nominee had previously opposed prosecution reform and had close ties to former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Earlier in the day, the Rebuilding Korea Party adopted the decision to oppose Kim's appointment as its official party line, warning that his appointment could undermine prosecution reform. In an interview with local radio station CBS, presidential secretary for public relations Seong Ghi-hong said Kim had sufficiently addressed the concerns during his confirmation hearing. The SCIA was launched on Oct. 2 as

In the fluorescent-lit aisles of Korea’s ubiquitous convenience stores, the humble "gimbap," or seaweed rice roll, has long served as a lifeline for cash-strapped students, busy office workers and night-shift commuters. Priced between 2,800 and 3,600 won ($2 to $3), these tightly wrapped cylinders of rice, seaweed and various fillings offer an unbeatable combination of speed and affordability. Yet as inflation drives more diners away from traditional restaurants and toward budget-friendly grab-and-go counters, a recent consumer watchdog report reveals that convenience comes with hidden nutritional compromises. According to a comprehensive quality and safety evaluation released Thursday by the Korea Consumer Agency, popular convenience store gimbap lines — spanning major chains like GS25, CU, 7Eleven and Emart24 — meet strict food safety standards but present a striking dietary imbalance. While laboratory testing confirmed that all 12 evaluated products are entirely free of harmful heavy metals, microbiological contaminants and excessive preservatives, the findings highlight a persi

The head of the Ministry of Government Legislation said Thursday that the president is not necessarily required to appoint a Supreme Court justice just as suggested by the chief of the top court. President Lee Jae Myung and Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae have been locked in a standoff after Lee rejected a justice candidate suggested by Cho. Lee asked the chief justice to make a new recommendation on the grounds that the candidate was proposed without sufficient prior consultation. Cho refused to budge, arguing Lee's demand lacks constitutional grounds and could be construed as undermining the judiciary's independence. Under the Constitution, Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation by the chief justice and with the consent of the National Assembly. Legal scholars remain divided on how to interpret these constitutional provisions. On Thursday, Government Legislation Minister Cho Won-cheol sided with Lee. "The president is not bound by the recommendation and is therefore not obligated to appoint the recommended candidate," the minister said during

A manufacturing company owner accused of severely injuring a migrant worker by firing high-pressure air from an industrial air gun into his body has been sentenced to three years in prison. Judge Koo Na-young of the Suwon District Court on Thursday sentenced the owner of a metal-cleaning company, a man in his 60s identified only as A, to three years in prison on charges of aggravated bodily injury and violations of the Labor Standards Act. The court dismissed the case against A's wife, identified as B, who had been charged with intimidation. A was indicted on charges of placing the nozzle of an industrial air gun against the anal area of C, a Thai man in his 40s, and blasting high-pressure air for about seven seconds at his factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on Feb. 20. C suffered injuries including a traumatic rectal perforation measuring more than 10 centimeters and underwent surgery. A was also accused of threatening C, who needed emergency surgery, by saying, "Illegal immigrant, police," suggesting that he would report C to police for his undocumented immigration status unless h

In the scorched summer of 1950, as North Korean forces pushed deep down the Korean Peninsula, a 20-year-old soldier took his final stand on a rugged mountain ridge in Gunwi, a county located just north of the southeastern city of Daegu. A native of Miryang and the eldest of nine siblings, Pfc. Cho Cha-sang had enlisted just weeks earlier, stepping forward to defend a fledgling democracy in what would become known as the fierce Gunwi-Uihung Battle. He fell on Aug. 14, swallowed by the chaos of a retreating front line, his body left behind on Mount Maebong. For his family, the sudden loss marked the start of decades of quiet grief. Cho’s mother carried the sorrow to her final days, imparting a solemn deathbed charge to her youngest daughter, Cho Ok-ran: find her eldest brother’s remains and lay him to rest in a national cemetery. That 76-year-old promise was finally fulfilled Thursday during a poignant homecoming ceremony held at the younger Cho’s home in Gimhae. “When they told me they had found my brother’s remains, my heart trembled so hard I couldn’t sleep,” said Cho Ok-r

The status of about 1,500 cases referred by the Korea Customs Service (KCS) to prosecutors remains unclear following a major overhaul of the criminal justice system that replaced the prosecution service with two new agencies, an opposition lawmaker said Thursday. The uncertainty has raised concerns about disruptions to drug investigations, as narcotics offenses account for most of the cases. Data the KCS provided to Rep. Lee Jong-wook of the main opposition People Power Party showed that customs officers with special investigative powers referred 1,582 cases to prosecutors in the first eight months of this year. The breakdown included 1,123 drug cases, 237 customs cases and 139 foreign exchange cases. The customs agency, however, has been unable to establish how those cases have been handled since the prosecution service was abolished on Oct. 2 and its duties were divided between two new agencies responsible for prosecutions and serious crime investigations. “The restructured Prosecution Service was expected to return previously referred cases to customs, request further investigation o

More than 600 accidents involving pets have been reported in Korea since 2023, suggesting the need to allocate government budget to address the problem, a lawmaker said Thursday, citing official data. As of August from the start of 2023, 601 pet-related accidents have been reported, resulting in 603 casualties, including three deaths and 14 serious injuries, Rep. Yoon Joon-byeong of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea said, quoting data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Almost all, or 599, of the cases were dog bites, while one involved a collision between a cyclist and a dog without a leash. Yoon said that despite the large number of casualties, the ministry had not set aside a budget to prevent or respond to such accidents as the overseeing authority. He demanded the government allocate a budget and devise effective safety rules.

A special counsel team said Thursday that 30 local election commissions falsely entered voter turnout data during the June 3 local elections. Special counsel Lee Tae-han's team said its investigation has found false alterations to voter turnout figures by the local commissions after reviewing turnout records and questioning over 70 election workers. While the final voter turnout figures for the elections were entered correctly, the commissions are accused of altering figures as voting took place. The team sent investigators to the National Election Commission in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, as well as six local offices across the country, including in Busan's Nam Ward, to seize evidence related to the allegations. Separately, the special counsel team also searched the local election commission in Busan and nine other locations to secure evidence linked to allegations of preferential treatment in contracts for election supply storage. The team has uncovered signs the local election commissions in Busan as well as South Gyeongsang and North Gyeongsang provinces have signed exclusive stora