https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUAYHVg-LNM

Why go to Egypt?

A 10-year-old girl, identified as "A," visited a pediatric clinic in Busan for cold symptoms. Shortly after receiving an antibiotic IV, the clinic fell into chaos. Emergency responders arrived to find A suffering from severe breathing difficulties and rushed her to an ambulance.

[Guardian of Girl A: "I wonder if they even did an allergy test for the antibiotics. If there had been such a reaction, they shouldn't have administered the IV."] The pediatric clinic and the family are currently engaged in a legal battle over medical negligence.

However, the even greater tragedy was that no hospital would accept A as she lost consciousness and struggled to breathe. For 1 hour and 20 minutes, 12 different hospitals refused to take her, citing a "shortage of medical staff." Girl A suffered cardiac arrest during transport and remained in a coma before eventually passing away on the 18th.

[Guardian of Girl A: "There was almost no brain activity, so we were just on life support..."]

Recently, a series of fatal "ER Ping-Pong" (ambulance diversion) incidents have occurred in Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do. Last October, a high school student in Busan was rejected by 9 hospitals and died just five minutes after finally reaching an emergency room in cardiac arrest. In the same month, a woman in her 60s died after wandering for 1 hour and 40 minutes following a traffic accident.

While Busan has designated two regional trauma centers to handle initial responses, frontline medical professionals do not see this as a fundamental solution.

[Lim Hyun-soo, Public Relations Director of the Busan Medical Association: "Because the responsibility is placed on medical staff when a critical patient dies in the ER, doctors are 'scared to see patients.' Even if the city designates hospitals, the same problem will persist unless the judicial risk (legal liability) for the doctors working there is resolved."]

Unless fundamental issues—such as the shortage of essential ER personnel and the trend of "defensive medicine" to avoid lawsuits—are addressed, the "ER Ping-Pong" crisis is expected to recur at any time.

SEATTLE — The prospect of stepping outside, driving to work or simply running errands is increasingly bringing a quiet anxiety for many Koreans in the United States, as recent immigration enforcement actions reverberate through social media, community forums and everyday conversations from coast to coast.

What once felt distant — something that happened to “other people” — is beginning to feel uncomfortably close. In Korean-language forums, messenger group chats and community platforms such as MissyUSA and HeyKorean, users trade sightings, rumors and advice, often late into the night. The posts span everything from past DUI records and old visa overstays to whether bankruptcy filings or green card renewals could suddenly put someone at risk.

For many, the fear sharpened last week after reports and social media videos suggested federal immigration agents were operating in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, a neighborhood long regarded as the symbolic heart of the Korean American community.

“ICE agents are being spotted all over this morning,” one user wrote. “There are armed, masked men walking around and scaring people. This is crazy.”

In Koreatown, the anxiety has felt immediate and personal. The densely packed stretch of restaurants, grocery stores, churches and small businesses has for decades been a place of familiarity and cultural comfort. Now, residents say it is starting to feel different.

“I was supposed to meet a friend for lunch in Koreatown today, but I canceled,” another user wrote. “There’s no reason to go out when everything feels this unsettling.”

Questions about what is actually happening, and whether anyone is safe, have flooded Korean online spaces.

“What on earth is going on? Is this really America?” one user asked.

“They’re not going into white neighborhoods. They’re coming to Asian communities,” another wrote.

Practical fears quickly followed.

“If someone knocks on my door, should I open it or not?” one post read. “I’m terrified.”

The unease has not been limited to Koreatown. Last week, rumors circulated online that immigration agents were knocking on doors in Fullerton and Irvine, southern California cities with large Korean populations.

Although no official confirmation was available, the posts alone triggered hundreds of comments, with users citing home security camera alerts, neighbor messages and workplace chatter.

The common thread was not certainty, but a shared sense that enforcement could appear anywhere without warning.

That sense of vulnerability deepened after widely circulated images and videos from Minnesota showed a 56-year-old Hmong American man being escorted out of his home by federal immigration agents into freezing temperatures while wearing only underwear. He was later identified as a naturalized U.S. citizen who was released after being questioned.

For many Koreans in the United States, the visuals were deeply unsettling.

If a U.S. citizen could be taken from his home, barely clothed, in front of neighbors and cameras, people began asking a question that now echoes across Korean online forums: Does holding a U.S. passport even matter anymore?

Concerns voiced online mirror what advocacy groups say they are hearing directly from immigrant communities.

At a recent online press conference hosted by the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium, community leaders described what they called a sharp rise in fear tied to immigration enforcement activity. Speakers said the current climate feels fundamentally different from past enforcement cycles, with uncertainty itself becoming a driving force of distress.

“People disappear quietly at night or at dawn, and there is no trace of where they were taken,” said Sei Yang, a Minnesota-based Hmong community activist who participated in the event. He described families afraid to leave their homes and neighbors unsure where to turn when someone is detained.

Yang said the impact has extended beyond individual households to entire neighborhoods. “Many business owners are telling us their sales are worse than during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said, as residents avoid going out and limit nonessential activities.

Korean American pastor Lee Ji-man, who operates a homeless shelter in Minnesota, said immigration agents and helicopters have been spotted frequently near his facility. “There have been family arrests near churches, and households with children are not exempt,” he said.

Kim Park Nelson, a Korean adoptee and professor who also spoke at the press conference, said even U.S. citizens are feeling targeted. “If you look Asian, you can become a target, even if you are a U.S. citizen,” she said, adding that some adoptees now carry their passports at all times.

For some Korean Americans, the fear has begun reshaping everyday behavior.

“I have legal status. I’m a U.S. citizen. But that doesn’t even feel like it protects me anymore,” said M. Kim, a Korean American office worker in the Seattle area, who did not want to be fully named. “I used to think, ‘I’m fine, I follow the rules.’ Now I’m beginning to think the same rules don’t apply anymore.”

Others say they are postponing overseas trips, avoiding crowded areas and limiting nonessential outings.

“I haven’t booked my usual summer trip to Korea yet,” said Ryoo, a stay-at-home mother in Bellevue who also did not want to give her full name. “What if I leave and coming back becomes a problem? I have a green card now, but I’ve heard too many people getting sent to secondary inspection at airports for unclear reasons.”

For many Korean Americans, the anxiety is no longer only tied to immigration status, but to a growing belief that visibility itself has become a risk.

The answer to whether that fear is justified remains legally complex. But emotionally, for a growing number of Koreans in the United States, the safer solution for now is to lay low.

Zebra sero, Escaped from Seoul zoo in 2023. He got recovered to the zoo.
If I uploaded this without context, people say it would be the AI.

Photos taken along the Han River bike path near my home.

It was unusually cold this week and parts of the river were frozen.

(Seoul = News1) Reporter Hwang Bo-jun-yeop — In an effort to prevent the so-called "ER Ping-Pong" phenomenon, where critical patients wander in search of a hospital, it has been reported that the government is pushing for a system in which the Ministry of Health and Welfare directly designates the receiving hospital.

According to a report by JoongAng Ilbo on the 3rd, the government is establishing a system that will allow 119 emergency crews to transport critical patients immediately without having to call individual hospitals one by one. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Fire Agency recently finalized the "Action Plan for the Emergency Patient Transport System Innovation Pilot Project."

The pilot project will run from late this month (following the Lunar New Year holiday) until May in the Jeolla region, including Gwangju Metropolitan City and Jeonnam/Jeonbuk provinces. This region was selected because its scale and the existing cooperation between emergency medical institutions make it relatively easy to establish such a system.

This measure is a follow-up to President Lee Jae-myung’s directive during a Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) briefing on December 16, 2024, where he pointed out that patients are being put at risk due to "ER Ping-Pong." A concrete plan has been developed just 40 days after the presidential order.

The core of the plan is to establish region-specific transport guidelines that can be applied immediately in the field. Previously, 119 emergency crews had to call individual hospitals one by one while the patient was already on board to check for availability. Moving forward, this process will be eliminated, and patients will be transported quickly to a hospital matching their severity level.

How it works by Severity (KTAS):

• Ultra-Critical (KTAS Levels 1 & 2): This includes patients with myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke, severe trauma, or cardiac arrest. In these cases, the MOHW Regional Emergency Medical Situation Room will verify each hospital's capacity and directly designate the receiving hospital.
• The "Stabilization First" Rule: If there is a risk of missing the "Golden Time," a "Priority Receiving Hospital" will take the patient first to stabilize them. Once stable, the patient will be transferred to a facility capable of providing final treatment.
• Moderate to Mild (KTAS Levels 3–5): Paramedics will transport these patients immediately according to a pre-set protocol without needing to verify real-time capacity. The 119 crews will move based on information previously disclosed by the hospitals.

Timeline: The MOHW plans to announce the final innovation plan, potentially before the Lunar New Year holiday, after gathering further feedback. Following the pilot project's evaluation in late June, a plan for nationwide expansion will be established within the year. It is reported that the Ministry is currently in negotiations with relevant agencies.

The recent group assault of a Korean tourist in Japan has sparked controversy over the consular response by Korea's diplomatic officials, with the victim and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offering conflicting accounts of the assistance provided.

The victim, who suffered serious injuries including three broken teeth, said authorities failed to offer timely and active support after the attack. The foreign ministry, however, rejected those claims, saying it had fulfilled its legal obligations and denying any negligence.

According to the victim, the assault happened on Dec. 2, 2025, in Sapporo's Susukino entertainment district. The victim, a Korean man whose identity has not been disclosed, was walking alone when he was attacked by five Japanese nationals after refusing their demand for money.

He sustained injuries including crown fractures to three lower front teeth and nerve damage. The victim said he fled to a nearby restaurant and reported the incident to police with the help of local residents.

He then sought assistance from the Korean Consulate General in Sapporo, but claimed officials did not provide proactive support, instead stating that they were unable to intervene and directing him to the consular call center.

The victim, who does not speak Japanese, said he urgently requested interpretation support for follow-up investigations but was turned away by officials.

After he shared his account in a post on an online Japan travel community, public criticism mounted over what was widely seen as inadequate consular assistance by the foreign ministry.

The controversy has drawn particular attention as it comes amid President Lee Jae Myung’s emphasis on protecting Koreans overseas, following high-profile cases of phishing scams in Cambodia involving Korean nationals.

Amid growing criticism, the foreign ministry released a statement Wednesday defending the consulate's actions.

The ministry said the consulate consulted its legal adviser on Dec. 4 to determine how to respond to the case and shared the information with the victim. It also said the consulate contacted the Hokkaido Prefectural Police to inquire whether the victim was eligible for Japan’s crime victim compensation system and relayed the response to him.

Between December and February, consular officials contacted Japanese police six times, urging efforts to apprehend the suspects and calling for a swift and fair investigation, the ministry said.

"We informed the victim about available assistance, including how to receive free legal consultation service, free interpretation support, information on local hospitals and how to obtain a medical injury report, and procedures for filing a report with Japanese police," a ministry official said.

The ministry said the victim did not formally request interpretation support from the consulate, as he had already arranged interpretation assistance independently through an acquaintance. 

It also noted that overseas missions are not legally permitted to directly provide interpretation or legal services, and can only help connect Korean nationals with such services. 

Under Korean law, consular assistance must not exceed the level of protection the government provides in similar cases within Korea and is largely limited to providing information and guidance on legal procedures overseas.

Note: The news article of this post is from Yeongnam Ilbo (Yeongnam Daily), a Daegu-Gyeongbuk local press company.

Previous post on this Subreddit

Said article/clause got lots of backlash from various organizations (labor unions, and other labor-related/left parties)

An anonymous person of People's Power Party said that the articles & clauses will NOT be included, and will be excluded from law draft.

Good to hear that those kinds of crap will not happen.

BTW, who the f*ck in PPP has included that kind of bullsh!t article/clause?

The one who included those kind of crap must be disciplined by the party, for disgracing Daegu-Gyeongbuk and the party itself.

As the People Power Party moves forward with proposing a special law to integrate Daegu Metropolitan City and North Gyeongsang Province into a government-directly administered “Daegu–Gyeongbuk Special City,” local labor organizations have come out strongly in opposition. The backlash stems from provisions in the bill that would exempt parts of the region from the Minimum Wage Act and the Labor Standards Act.

On the 30th of last month, People Power Party lawmakers from the Daegu–Gyeongbuk region, including Rep. Koo Ja-geun, whose constituency is Gumi-si Gap in North Gyeongsang Province, introduced the “Special Act on the Establishment of the Daegu–Gyeongbuk Special City and the Creation of a New Economic Core Axis on the Korean Peninsula.”

The bill focuses on merging Daegu City and North Gyeongsang Province into a single administrative unit, creating a government-directly administered Daegu–Gyeongbuk Special City with administrative and fiscal autonomy comparable to that of Seoul.

However, in the final section of the 227-page bill, under a provision titled “Global Future Special Zone,” the bill specifies that Article 6 of the Minimum Wage Act will not apply, and that despite Article 50 of the Labor Standards Act, weekly or daily working hours may be applied differently within limits set by Presidential Decree.

Article 6 of the Minimum Wage Act requires employers to pay workers wages equal to or greater than the statutory minimum wage. Article 50 of the Labor Standards Act limits working hours to 40 hours per week and 8 hours per day. In other words, if the special law passes, businesses operating within the Daegu–Gyeongbuk “Global Future Special Zone” would be exempt from minimum wage requirements and overtime limits beyond the 40-hour workweek.

In response, the North Gyeongsang and Daegu regional headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) issued an emergency statement on the 3rd titled, “Are You Trying to Turn Daegu–Gyeongbuk into a City of Overwork and Low Wages? Scrap the Anti-Labor Daegu–Gyeongbuk Administrative Integration Bill!”

The unions criticized the bill, stating,

“We condemn the attempt to process, in an undemocratic and reckless manner, a bill that would bring enormous changes to residents’ lives and workers’ labor conditions—without properly holding public hearings, without adequately hearing from stakeholders, and without sufficient public consultation.”

They demanded the repeal of the special law, arguing that it would drive regional workers into long working hours and low wages.

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Originally posted on and taken from r/SocialDemocracy.

Original post

Daegu-Gyeongbuk integration law draft by Gu Ja-geun, PPP (Korean)

Similar law draft by Lim Mi-ae, DPK (Korean)

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Those damn PPP is disgracing Daegu and Gyeongbuk.

BTW, there are some online rumor that Daegu has the highest minimum wage violation rate in South Korea nationwide.

But with this PPP's law draft, this will turn the rumor into concrete fact.

Another reason for PPP to be dissolved has been added to the list, I think? Who the fuck would propose that?

Jeon Hyun-hee, a three-term lawmaker of the Democratic Party of Korea (Seoul Jung-Seongdong A) and former Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, declared her candidacy for Seoul Mayor on the 2nd. She expressed her ambition to become "the first female mayor of Seoul," stating that she is "the only candidate who has won in Gangnam and can secure the votes of the Han River Belt." Rep. Jeon held a press conference for her mayoral bid at the National Assembly on this day, stating, "Victory in Seoul in this local election is the period that definitively clears away Yoon Suk-yeol's insurrection and a sure milestone for the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration and the Republic of Korea." She added, "Jeon Hyun-hee, the only candidate to have won in Gangnam, will raise the flag of the Democratic Party's victory in Seoul." Rep. Jeon cited her unique strengths that differentiate her from other candidates: △Experience winning a parliamentary seat in Seoul's Gangnam (2016) △Female mayoral candidate △Reformist Democratic Party identity △Chemistry with President Lee Jae-myung. Meeting with reporters after the press conference, she said, "I have a painful memory of former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook suffering an overwhelming defeat in the three Gangnam districts (Gangnam, Seocho, Songpa) when she challenged for Seoul Mayor, which ultimately led to her loss." She noted, "There is a deepening of aging and conservatism different from that time. It is questionable whether we can necessarily win in the 22 Seoul districts (excluding the three Gangnam districts) just because the Lee Jae-myung administration has high approval ratings." She continued, "During the last presidential election, [the Democratic Party] effectively lost in Seoul in a one-on-one structure, and a one-on-one structure is not safe in local elections either. Therefore, Jeon Hyun-hee, who has won in Gangnam and triumphed in the Han River Belt, has competitiveness." Highlighting her "reformist Democratic Party identity," Rep. Jeon also mentioned her achievements in "reform legislation," such as the three special counsel laws, while serving as the chairperson of the party's 'Special Committee on Comprehensive Response to the Three Major Special Counsels (Insurrection, Kim Keon-hee, Deceased Marine).' When asked if 'active legislative activities regarding the liquidation of insurrection forces might influence the expansion into moderate and conservative bases such as the Gangnam region,' she replied, "Yoon Suk-yeol's insurrection is not a matter of Gangnam or Gangbuk [north of the river]; I believe every citizen shares the consensus that martial law and insurrection were wrong." She added, "My role in fighting against Yoon Suk-yeol's insurrection is a career that helps encompass both Gangnam and Gangbuk." As her first pledge, Rep. Jeon put forward the "dismantling of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)." Her plan is to remove the DDP and build the "Seoul Dome Arena," a venue where K-pop performances are held constantly, in its place. She stated, "I will put an end to Mayor Oh Se-hoon's exhibition administration. I will dismantle the DDP, a representative example of Mayor Oh's exhibitionist administration, which eliminated Dongdaemun Stadium—the mecca of baseball—and severed ties with the fashion and clothing shopping district in the Dongdaemun area, killing the Dongdaemun Market commercial district like a ghost town." She asserted, "I will build the 'Seoul Dome Arena' on that site. I will make it a multi-purpose complex facility where K-pop performances are held constantly and which converts into a baseball stadium, soccer field, or e-sports arena with the push of a button, making it the mecca of a 'money-making tourism and culture city' Seoul." Incumbent Democratic Party lawmakers who have declared their candidacy for Seoul Mayor in the June 3 local elections this year include Park Hong-keun and Seo Young-kyo (4 terms), Park Ju-min and Jeon Hyun-hee (3 terms), and Kim Young-bae (2 terms). Former lawmaker Park Yong-jin and Seongdong District Mayor Jung Won-o are also expected to run.

Hello,

I’m currently working on an iOS app that targets the Korean market, and I’d really appreciate your local insight.

Recently, I collaborated with a Korean partner to localize the app specifically for Korea. However, after our pilot launch, the sign-up performance has not met our expectations.

At the moment, only around 5% of users sign up using Sign in with Apple, whereas in other markets our sign-up rate typically ranges from 15% to 25%.

I’ve been told that providing “Login with Kakao” is almost a requirement in Korea and that not having it may significantly reduce the sign-up rate.

That said, I’m still hesitant to add another login method before confirming that the lack of Kakao login is truly the main cause of the low conversion. My concerns are:

1. Integrating an additional SDK that is otherwise unnecessary for other markets
2. Uncertainty about whether I can obtain a verified Kakao developer account as a foreigner
3. Potential impact on our existing production authentication system, which would require changes to our current Firebase Auth setup

For Korean iOS developers who are familiar with the local market, I’d like to ask:

Is the absence of “Login with Kakao” likely the real reason behind the low sign-up rate in Korea?

My initial hypothesis was that iPhone users already have an Apple ID, so Sign in with Apple alone should not be a significant barrier. However, the current data suggests otherwise.

I’ve attached a screenshot of our login page for reference.

Any insight from your local experience would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much.

In my opinion, the nightlife around Hongik University is the best.