New law makes all South Koreans younger
And other stories from the stranger side of life

South Korea has scrapped its traditional method of counting ages and will align with the international standard, a change that will make its citizens either one or two years younger on official documents. Koreans are regarded a year old when born and a year is added every 1 January, but when calculating the legal age to drink alcohol and smoke, a person’s age is calculated from zero at birth and a year is added on 1 January. Next June, new laws take effect meaning “only the international method of counting will be used”, said The Guardian.
Man sells burps in a jar online
A man said he is raking in £22,000 a month by selling burps in a jar and sending people his used socks. Curtis Gibbs, 25, previously made £1,300 a month working in supermarkets and had “maxed out his credit cards”, said Metro. However, he has now begun satisfying people’s fetishes online. “The list is endless when it comes to strange requests,” he said. “One guy wanted me to gulp down a bottle of Coca Cola, burp into a jar, seal the jar and post it to him.”
Passengers flee after emergency landing
Police in Spain are hunting for 14 people who ran from a commercial plane after an emergency landing that happened because a woman wrongly claimed she was about to give birth. The Pegasus Airlines flight, from Morocco to Turkey, landed at Barcelona’s El Prat airport after the woman claimed she was going into labour. Authorities said that a group of 28 people exited and “tried to flee” and police only managed to stop half. The pregnant woman was arrested “on suspicion of public disorder offences”, reported Sky News.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
For more odd news stories, sign up to the weekly Tall Tales newsletter.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Critics' choice: Three takes on tavern dining
Feature A second Minetta Tavern, A 1946 dining experience, and a menu with a mission
By The Week US
-
Film reviews: Warfare and A Minecraft Movie
Feature A combat film that puts us in the thick of it and five misfits fall into a cubic-world adventure
By The Week US
-
What to know before lending money to family or friends
the explainer Ensure both your relationship and your finances remain intact
By Becca Stanek, The Week US
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
South Korea court removes impeached president
Speed Read The Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol after his declaration of martial law in December
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
By Abby Wilson
-
South Korean commission exposes history of fraud and abuse in overseas adoptions
The Explainer The largest exporter of international adoptees allowed fraud to flourish, as the government pushed the adoption agenda
By Theara Coleman, The Week US
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
By The Week Staff