ranks

April 1 (Asia Today) — More prosecutors have left South Korea’s prosecution service than have been hired over the past five years, deepening a shortage of experienced mid-level staff and slowing investigations, according to data compiled by Asia Today.

From 2021 through 2025, 569 prosecutors were newly appointed, but 677 resigned, resulting in a net loss of 108-roughly equivalent to the full staffing level of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office.

Most vacancies have been filled by newly appointed prosecutors rather than experienced hires. During the same period, about 90% of new recruits were first-time appointees, while experienced hires remained limited. Analysts say the gap has left the organization unable to replace departing mid-level prosecutors with personnel who have comparable investigative experience.

As a result, junior prosecutors are increasingly assigned to handle cases without sufficient on-the-job training. Legal officials say this has contributed to delays in investigations and a growing backlog of cases.

A comparison of authorized staffing levels and actual personnel in January 2025 and January 2026 shows that prosecutor positions nationwide were understaffed by about 10%. Over the past two years, all but two of the country’s 60 local prosecutors’ offices reported staffing shortages.

The imbalance has been particularly evident in 2022, 2023 and 2025, when resignations exceeded new appointments. In 2022, 89 prosecutors were appointed while 146 resigned. In 2023, 95 were appointed and 145 resigned. In 2025, 139 were appointed while 175 left the service.

Observers link the exodus to a series of prosecutorial reforms, political transitions and personnel reshuffles that have reduced job stability and increased workload pressure. Concerns over reduced investigative authority also contributed to a surge in resignations in 2022.

The outflow has been compounded by the dispatch of prosecutors to multiple special investigations, further straining frontline resources.

The Ministry of Justice has responded by accelerating recruitment and expanding the number of new appointments. It is also recruiting experienced legal professionals with at least two years of practice, with new appointees expected to begin work in May.

However, officials within the prosecution service say new hiring alone is unlikely to resolve accumulated case delays and staffing shortages, particularly as a broader restructuring-including the planned abolition of the prosecution service in October-approaches.

A Justice Ministry official said new prosecutors will be assigned to priority areas such as trial work, reducing investigative delays, judicial oversight, human rights protection, recovery of criminal proceeds and support for crime victims.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260402010000446

One beach has been named third best in the world with its stunning backdrop, and it’s not in Cornwall, Devon or Yorkshire

Residents in a picturesque seaside town may need to prepare for an influx of tourists this year, after their stunning beach secured a spot on TripAdvisor’s ‘best of the best’ global list for 2026. It nearly claimed the top position, landing in an extremely impressive third place, thanks largely to its absolutely breathtaking backdrop.

When discussing beaches in the UK, Roker and Seaburn beaches have drawn comparisons to LA and Tynemouth has been likened to Australia’s Bondi Beach. Yet, for countless people – both residents and tourists alike – there’s one that will forever reign supreme in the North East, and that’s Bamburgh.

So much so, the location has been named Britain’s ‘best seaside’ town for five consecutive years, despite technically being a village, reports the Express.

Visited by celebrities including Hollywood A-lister Harrison Ford and Girls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts in recent years, the beach has long been considered amongst the finest destinations.

It boasts spectacular scenery, a brilliant day out, fresh sea air, and a chance to clear your head, regardless of the conditions.

Even during the recent bitter cold snap, visitors have continued strolling along its renowned sands and admiring the ‘unparalleled’ and utterly magnificent views of Bamburgh Castle in the distance.

It is the very location where Hollywood star Harrison shot an Indiana Jones film in 2021.

Interestingly, in last year’s rankings, Bamburgh actually trailed behind Roker and Seaburn amongst the UK’s finest beaches.

The beach is now proudly representing the UK as the sole entry from British shores on TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards best-of-the-best list for one-of-a-kind beaches.

Bamburgh comes in third place, behind only Boulders Beach in South Africa and Isola Bella in Sicily – a prestigious list that celebrates beaches boasting the most extraordinary settings.

Bamburgh has been rightly recognised for its breathtaking Medieval backdrop, which sets it apart from the crowd.

Highlighting its position on the One of a Kind list, TripAdvisor writes: “Framed by the iconic silhouette of Bamburgh Castle, this beach boasts miles of soft white sand, and a dramatic coastal backdrop.

“The dog-friendly stretch is close to the charming Bamburgh village, making it a standout choice for unforgettable family escapes and romantic coastal breaks.”

South Korea had 81 products that led global exports in 2024, including memory chips, solid state drives (SSDs) and face masks, a report showed Tuesday.

The report published by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) showed that the value of 81 Korea-produced items accounted for the largest share of global export value in their respective categories.

China was at the top with 2,087 items with the largest export market share, followed by Germany at 520 items, the United States at 505, Italy at 199 and India at 156.

South Korea had 19 items ranked between second to 10th in terms of export market share, KITA said, noting the country is likely to increase its number of globally leading products in the future.

The country’s top selling items included memory chips, electrical transformers, SSDs, lead-acid starter batteries for automobiles, rubber for automotive components and sheet masks.

Notably, Korea reclaimed the top spot for memory chips from China for the first time in five years in 2024, thanks to strong demand for high bandwidth memory (HBM) and other advanced products made by Korean companies, KITA said.

In the tanker segment, Korea lost the top spot to China on the latter’s strategy of securing large volumes of low-value vessels but is expected to retake the position in 2025 on the back of the recent boom in Seoul’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship orders, it added.

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