With the warm sunshine of spring comes the fragrant scent of flowers, bringing joy to many. However, for those who suffer from pollen allergies, it marks the beginning of discomfort. Let's explore the causes, symptoms, as well as effective prevention and management methods of pollen allergies to minimize discomfort and enjoy spring. Pollen allergy occurs when pollen floating in the air enters the eyes or nose, triggering an allergic reaction as the immune system mistakenly identifies it as a harmful substance. Representative trees in South Korea that cause allergies in spring include oak, alde
The Korea Food and Drug Safety Administration has stated that with the increase in overseas purchases of cosmetics and the rapid surge in the use of overseas online platforms, it is providing guidance on what consumers should be aware of when purchasing cosmetics from abroad and providing helpful information to prevent consumer harm. First, cosmetics are not pharmaceuticals, so consumers should not be misled into purchasing them by false or exaggerated claims, such as those suggesting medical effects like improvement of skin conditions, inflammation relief, or fat decomposition, often seen on
If a persistent cough lasts for more than two weeks and is accompanied by weight loss, tuberculosis symptoms may be suspected. Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by the tuberculosis bacterium, and it is a respiratory disease transmitted through the air by coughing, sneezing, talking, etc., of active pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Currently, South Korea ranks second in tuberculosis incidence among OECD countries and has the highest mortality rate excluding COVID-19 (as of 2022), indicating a serious situation. Along with the most common symptom of tuberculosis, coughing, othe
The National Police Agency has been operating the 112 reporting foreign language interpretation center 24 hours a day since March 18 to provide more prompt and appropriate responses than when foreign tourists, students, multicultural families, and others make 112 emergency calls. Since June 1 of last year, the National Police Agency has been providing 112 reporting foreign language interpretation services from 09:00 to 21:00 on weekdays by employing four interpreters for the most requested languages, English and Chinese. After about nine months of implementation, it was evaluated that the resp
The "Next Generation Real Estate Trade Management System (rtms.molit.go.kr)" which provides apartment floor-by-floor transaction information, has been revamped since February to enable consumers to more accurately grasp real transaction prices. By integrating the management of apartment real transaction prices, real-time data processing has become possible, and mandatory reporters such as contracting parties can now access this information nationwide. Enhanced personal information security measures and transaction reporting history are now accessible nationwide, and additional support for conv
A form of phishing using QR codes, called 'QRishing,' is spreading in South Korea. Q-Rishing, short for 'QR code + Phishing,' is a new type of scam where personal information, passwords, and more are stolen from smartphones after scanning QR codes. This scam involves luring users into installing malicious apps through QR codes to leak personal and financial information. Another method involves embedding malicious app URLs in QR codes, so when scanned, users are automatically directed to the URL to download the malicious app. The methods of QR code fraud mainly include attaching fake QR codes t
Recently, there has been an increase in measles cases worldwide, and the risk of measles cases originating from abroad is also increasing in South Korea, necessitating special attention. Measles is highly contagious and primarily spreads through respiratory droplets. It is a respiratory infection caused by the measles virus, initially presenting symptoms similar to those of a cold, such as coughing, runny nose, and conjunctivitis. Later, high fever accompanies a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the entire body. Measles is a disease requiring isolation until the rash disappears, typi
Jeongwol Daeboreum is one of Korea's traditional holidays, falling on the 15th day of the lunar calendar's first month, which is the day when the brightest full moon rises. It carries the meaning of welcoming the new year under the light of the full moon and making wishes for desired outcomes. Jeongwol Daeboreum is rooted in ancient society's astronomical knowledge and agricultural culture. It signifies the end of winter, the beginning of the new year, and the wishes for health and abundance, aiming to dispel evil spirits. It served as a platform for communication, where people gathered to inq
Low birth rate and increasing multicultural and immigrant population: 200,000 multicultural students expected by 2025 Comprehensive support for academic enhancement, emotional, and career counseling Due to the phenomenon of a declining birth rate, the number of students in elementary, middle, and high schools has steadily decreased. However, the number of multicultural students continues to rise, and it is projected to reach 200,000 by 2025. This has led to the analysis that there is a need for an 'in-country perspective' education policy, considering the higher proportion of students born in
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has decided to expand support for single-parent families this year to enable them to raise their children in a more stable environment. The ministry plans to increase the target beneficiaries and raise the support amount for child-rearing allowances. According to the ministry, starting this month, the issuance of single-parent family certificates and the expansion of child-rearing allowance beneficiaries will take effect. Firstly, the income criteria for issuing single-parent family certificates and child-rearing allowances will be relaxed from 60% of
The government announced that, starting from February, it will expand the health insurance premium deduction amount imposed on vehicles and property for locally registered residents from the current KRW 50 million to KRW 100 million. According to the National Health Insurance Service, health insurance premiums are part of a social security system designed to prevent households from facing excessive burdens due to high medical expenses resulting from diseases or injuries. Citizens pay insurance premiums regularly, and the National Health Insurance Service, as the insurer, manages and operates t
On the 22nd, the government decided to completely abolish the "Mobile Device Distribution Act," which limits subsidies for mobile phone terminals, in an effort to encourage a reduction in communication expenses for the public. The "Mobile Device Distribution Improvement Act" was enacted in 2014 to ensure transparency in the distribution of terminals and subsidies. Its purpose was to eliminate discrimination by allowing all users to receive subsidies, preventing excessive subsidies to certain users. Through this law, mobile carriers were encouraged to focus on service competition rather than en
The Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters announced that it will operate a support center called '119 Help Call' to assist foreign residents who have suffered from fire-related damages with physical and psychological recovery as well as home restoration. '119 Help Call,' managed by the fire investigation team of Gyeonggi-do Fire Services, is a center that promptly provides support when fire damage involving foreigners is reported to fire stations. Through collaboration with local governments, the Korean Red Cross, and other related organizations, the center plans to coordinate physical an
Gyeonggi-do and Gyeonggi Transport Corporation announced that starting from January 3rd, they will expand services through the Gyeonggi-do Integrated Transportation Platform app, known as 'Ddokta,' to include shared bicycles and taxi bookings and payments. Launched last February, 'Ddokta' is an integrated transportation platform of Gyeonggi-do that allows users to book and pay for various transportation services seamlessly within a single application. Currently, through the 'Ddokta' app, users can access on-demand buses ('Ddokbus') and shared personal mobility (PM) across various regions. The
From now on people are able to access telemedicine services from hospitals where they have received in-person treatment within the past 6 months based on the physician's judgment, regardless of the specific medical condition. Additionally, telemedicine services during holidays and nighttime hours, previously limited to pediatric cases, will now be expanded to include all age groups. The expansion of initial telemedicine consultations now encompasses not only certain mountainous regions but also extends to emergency medical service-deficient zones, covering 39% of all cities and counties. The M