When people imagine natural disasters, they often think of earthquakes, floods, or typhoons. However, one of the most surprising and dangerous threats can occur without warning, right beneath our feet. That threat is a sinkhole — a sudden collapse of the ground that can swallow roads, cars, and even buildings. As urban areas grow and underground construction becomes more common, sinkholes are becoming an increasingly serious social issue that requires awareness and prevention. A sinkhole is a hole in the ground caused by the collapse of the surface layer. While some sinkholes form naturally, m
In a world facing serious environmental challenges, the way we travel is becoming more important than ever. Cars are everywhere, but traditional vehicles that run on gasoline or diesel release large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂), one of the biggest causes of climate change. That’s why electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining global attention. These cars are not just a trend — they are a smart, clean, and exciting solution for the future. First, electric vehicles are better for the environment. Unlike regular cars, EVs do not produce harmful gases while driving. According to environmental studies,
In recent years, South Korea has become known for its rapid economic development, high-tech industries, and strong education system. However, behind this success lies a quiet but serious problem: a rapidly declining population. With fewer babies being born and more people growing old, Korea now faces a national challenge that could affect every part of its society — from schools and workplaces to the economy and the future of its young people. The most alarming sign of this issue is South Korea’s world-low fertility rate. In 2023, the average number of children a woman is expected to have in h
In recent years, South Korea has become known for its rapid economic development, high-tech industries, and strong education system. However, behind this success lies a quiet but serious problem: a rapidly declining population. With fewer babies being born and more people growing old, Korea now faces a national challenge that could affect every part of its society — from schools and workplaces to the economy and the future of its young people. The most alarming sign of this issue is South Korea’s world-low fertility rate. In 2023, the average number of children a woman is expected to have in h
In many ways, our world has made progress in giving boys and girls the same chances. But the truth is, gender inequality still exists — in schools, in the workplace, and even in daily life. It's a problem that affects not just girls, but everyone. What Is Gender Inequality?Gender inequality means that people are treated unfairly just because they are male or female. This can happen when one gender is given more rights, respect, or opportunities than the other. For example, in some countries, girls may not be allowed to go to school. In others, women are paid less than men for doing the same jo
In today’s fast-moving digital world, anyone can share news with the click of a button. But not everything we see online is true. From fake headlines to edited photos and misleading videos, misinformation is spreading faster than ever — and it’s becoming a serious problem in our society. What Is Fake News?Fake news is false information that is made to look like real news. It can be completely made-up, exaggerated, or written in a way that tricks people. Some fake news is spread to make money, while other types are shared to create fear, confusion, or influence people’s opinions. For example, d
The Lotte Scholarship Foundation (Chairwoman Jang Hye-seon) held the “Shin Kyuk-ho Lotte Scholarship Award Ceremony for Job Seekers” on Tuesday, May 5, at the Lotte Retail Academy in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, and presented a total of 300 million won in scholarships to 300 job seekers in the media and engineering fields. This year's scholarship recipients will each receive a living expense scholarship of 1 million won, and will also have the opportunity to participate in various job experience education programs to learn about their desired fields and develop their expertise. The education progra
The Lotte Scholarship Foundation (Chairwoman Jang Hye-sun) held the “Shin Geuk-ho Lotte L-Bridge Scholarship Award Ceremony” on Thursday, March 31, at the Kyowon Tour Concert Hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and announced that it would award a total of 270 million won in L-Bridge scholarships to 100 scholarship recipients this year. The Shin Geuk-ho Lotte L-Bridge Scholarship is a scholarship program that supports teenagers in low-income families and out-of-school teenagers who are facing challenges in their education and growth. It helps them develop into talented individuals who can practice the va
Rethinking the Way We Handle the High School Credit System (고교학점제) School should not be a place where every student is forced into the same mold, but a space where different talents and dreams are nurtured. The High School Credit System (고교학점제), scheduled to be fully implemented in Korea by 2025, is a bold step toward personalized learning. Its goal is to give students more choice in what they study — allowing them to take courses that match their interests, abilities, and future goals, much like in a university setting. But as the system moves from theory to practice, important challenges are
[Today's Dialogue | 오늘의 대화] A: きょうは なんにちですか?Kyō wa nan-nichi desu ka?오늘은 며칠이에요? B: きょうは 7がつ 9か です。Kyō wa shichi-gatsu kokonoka desu.오늘은 7월 9일이에요. A: ありがとうございます。メモします!Arigatō gozaimasu. Memo shimasu!감사합니다. 메모할게요! [Keywords | 키워드] 일본어 의미 きょう 오늘 なんにち 며칠 がつ ~월 にち/か ~일 メモします 메모합니다 (적습니다) [Key Phrase Breakdown | 핵심 표현 해설] 1️⃣ きょうは なんにちですか?→ "오늘은 며칠인가요?"질문형 표현으로, 학교나 사무실에서 자주 쓰이는 문장이에요. 2️⃣ 7がつ 9か→ "7월 9일"을 뜻해요.주의할 점: 일본어 날짜 읽기는 예외가 많아요.예: 9일 = ここのか, 1일 = ついたち 3️⃣ メモします→ "메모합니다 / 적을게요"로 회화에서 자주 쓰이는 실용 표현이에요. [TIP! 활용 팁] ✅ 일본어 날짜 표현에는 예외 발음이 많으므로 아래
[Today's Dialogue | 오늘의 대화] A: じゃあ、またね!Jaa, mata ne!그럼, 또 봐요! B: はい、また あした!Hai, mata ashita!네, 내일 또 봐요! A: はい、きをつけて!Hai, ki o tsukete!네, 조심히 가요! [Keywords | 키워드] 일본어 의미 じゃあ 그럼 (대화 마무리 표현) またね 또 봐요 (친한 사이에서 사용) またあした 내일 또 봐요 きをつけて 조심히 가요 / 몸 조심해요 [Key Phrase Breakdown | 핵심 표현 해설] 1️⃣ じゃあ、またね!→ “그럼, 또 봐요!” 라는 의미로, 친구나 동료와 헤어질 때 쓰는 자연스러운 인사예요.じゃあ”는 전환 표현으로 “그럼”의 뜻이고,“またね”는 다음에 또 보자는 친근한 표현입니다. 2️⃣ また あした!→ “내일 또 봐요!”“また”는 "다시/또"를 뜻하며, 뒤에 요일이나 시간을 붙이면 다양한 응용이 가능해요. 3️⃣ きをつけて!→ "조심히 가요" 또는 "몸 조심해요"의 의미로, 상대방의 안전을 바라는 표현이에요. [TIP! 활용 팁] ✅ 친구와 헤어질 때는 “じゃ
[Today's Dialogue | 오늘의 대화] A: 今天天气真好!(Jīntiān tiānqì zhēn hǎo!)오늘 날씨 진짜 좋다! B: 是啊,要不要去散步?(Shì a, yào bu yào qù sànbù?)그러게. 산책하러 갈래? A: 好主意!我们一起去吧!(Hǎo zhǔyì! Wǒmen yìqǐ qù ba!)좋은 생각이야! 같이 가자! [Keywords | 핵심 단어] 단어 병음 (Pinyin) 뜻 今天 jīntiān 오늘 天气 tiānqì 날씨 真 zhēn 정말, 매우 要不要 yào bu yào ~할래? (~하겠니?) 散步 sànbù 산책하다 主意 zhǔyì 아이디어, 생각 一起 yìqǐ 같이 吧 ba ~하자 (제안) [Key Phrase Breakdown | 핵심 문장 분석] 1️⃣ 今天天气真好!The weather is really nice today! 真은 감탄 표현으로 “정말”, “진짜”라는 의미예요. 2️⃣ 要不要去散步?Wanna go for a walk? “要不要
Sophia Lee – Grade 7, Cedar Hills Middle School Hello, I’m Sophia Lee from Cedar Hills Middle School. I love reading mystery novels and listening to podcasts about true stories. I joined the Junior English Journalists because I want to write articles that are thoughtful and help people see things differently. I want to write about nature, the environment, and young people’s ideas for change. My dream is to become an environmental journalist who works for National Geographic.
Jayden Lee – Grade 6, Riverfield Elementary School Hi! I’m Jayden Lee, and I go to Riverfield Elementary. I like building robots with LEGO and learning about machines. I joined the Junior English Journalists because I want to write about science and technology in simple, fun ways. I’m excited to write about cool inventions and maybe even do some science experiments to report on. My dream is to become an inventor or engineer who helps make the future better.