Most Popular
-
1
1 in 3 Koreans live alone, family types becoming diverse
-
2
Korea, Japan finance chiefs vow to tame rampant FX market volatility
-
3
US 'incredibly concerned' about suspected NK-Iran military ties
-
4
K-pop group's manager dismissed for setting up spycam in theater dressing room
-
5
K-pop singer lost consciousness after being hit by foul ball, cancels show
-
6
Korean Muslim YouTuber's plan to build mosque in Incheon goes viral
-
7
[Kim Seong-kon] Democracy and the future of South Korea
-
8
Why is Apple Pay struggling to get purchase in Korea?
-
9
Yoon's office denies considering liberal figures for key posts
-
10
Seoul says Fu Bao loan 'not going to happen'
-
Violent crime occurs every minute in S. Korea
How often are major crimes committed in South Korea? Police data shows that one violent crime occurs every 54 seconds. The National Police Agency released a report titled “Occurrence of the Five Major Crimes,” which said that the number of serious crimes -- murder, robbery, rape, theft and battery -- between January and July this year was 339,186. During the first half of the year, 545 murders were committed -- or once every nine hours, 20 minutes and 24 seconds.A robbery took place once every s
Sept. 9, 2013
-
One in 10 soldiers considers suicide: report
Song Young-keun, a lawmaker in the ruling Saenuri Party, proposed a revision of health and medical laws to identify soldiers and officers at high risk of suicide based on regular monitoring of their mental health.The proposal came as a growing number of soldiers are found to be struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. The Ministry of National Defense conducted a survey of 1,310 soldiers serving in the military from September last year through May this year; 9.3 percent said they have ex
Sept. 9, 2013
-
Parents protest relocation of Seongnam’s probation office
A group of parents on Monday protested the recent relocation of the Seongnam branch of the Suwon Probation Office in front of its new office in Bundang-gu, Gyeonggi Province. They claimed that the facility’s “sneaky move” to a highly populated area exposes children to crime.The Parents’ Committee for the Relocation of the Seongnam Probation Office held a sit-in demonstration in front of the building in Seohyeon-dong where the center was relocated last Wednesday. The protest started Thursday, a d
Sept. 9, 2013
-
Chae willing to take DNA test to prove love child innocence
The chief prosecutor on Monday demanded a local daily publish a correction on reports of him allegedly having a child through an extramarital affair. The Chosun Ilbo, one of the nation’s major newspaper outlets, reported last week that Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook has a son born in 2002 from a woman whom he met in 1999. The boy left for the United States last month and had attended a private elementary school in Seoul before then, the report claimed. Chae has a daughter with his wife.Callin
Sept. 9, 2013
-
S. Korea sees sex crime every 25 minutes: data
A sexual offense was reported every 25 minutes in South Korea in the first seven months of 2013, data showed Monday, ringing alarm bells over the safety of those vulnerable to sex crimes. According to the data by the National Police Agency and submitted to Rep. Kim Hyun of the main opposition Democratic Party, a total of 12,234 cases of rape and other types of sexual harassment were reported from January to July this year, which means an incident occurred every 25 minutes. The so-called crime wa
Sept. 9, 2013
-
[Graphic News] Satisfaction with married life
A report on the quality of family life compiled by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs showed that 50.5 percent of surveyed married couples said they were “generally satisfied” with their lives. The report said household income, legal marital status and educational background played a significant role in the level of satisfaction.
Sept. 8, 2013
-
International conference for social innovation held in Seoul
The 6th annual Social Innovation eXchange Summer School 2013 will be held in Seoul starting Monday to discuss ways to promote sustainable city development, a city official said. Under the theme “Reshaping our Cities and Making them Thrive,” 300 participants from 20 countries will share ideas about five main issues including urban regeneration, “smart cities” and tasks to bring sustainable city innovation. Paul Carttar, former U.S. Social Innovation Fund director, and Geoff Mulgan, chief of the U
Sept. 8, 2013
-
Average salary for new graduates at large firms tops W37m
The average annual income of new college graduates at big firms reached 37.12 million won ($34,000) this year, according to data by online recruiting agency JobKorea.The starting pay for entry-level workers at 167 large Korean firms grew by 7.3 percent from 34.59 million won last year, the biggest increase since the 2007-2010 global financial crisis, the statistics showed.By industry, workers in the shipbuilding sector were the highest earners, receiving an average annual pay of 41.32 million wo
Sept. 8, 2013
-
Free school meals eat up tuition funding for underprivileged students
The heavy spending on free-school meal services to all primary and secondary students is causing a decrease in educational support for children from lower-income families, government data showed on Sunday.The Ministry of Education compiled the overall budget of 17 provincial and municipal education offices across the country. According to the report, the total expenditure on educational support to primary and secondary students has increased by 504 billion won ($462 million) to 3.184 trillion wo
Sept. 8, 2013
-
First public gay wedding held in S. Korea
Two South Korean male filmmakers tied the knot in central Seoul Saturday, marking the first public wedding in the country for a gay couple.Film director and producer Kimjo Gwang-soo, 48, and 29-year-old Kim Seung-hwan, the head of gay film distributor Rainbow Factory, got married on a temporary stage built near Cheonggye Stream with about 1,000 guests and citizens in attendance.South Korea does not legally recognize gay marriages."I found out I was gay when I was 15 and I prayed to God everyday
Sept. 8, 2013
-
Second chance at work gives seniors fresh purpose
Most of the commuters beeping their metro cards at City Hall Station in Seoul hardly notice the pink ribbon strapped around the old man’s chest.“How may I help you?” the ribbon reads. Above it stares a countenance with wrinkles that belie the satisfaction of working at this seemingly monotonous job. “The job is very enjoyable,” said Do Yeon-mun, a 78-year-old retired ginseng trader. It’s not because it helps him financially, but because it helps him stay healthy. “I work three hours in the morni
Sept. 6, 2013
-
Jobs give seniors pride and sense of worth
As a source of income, health and self-respect, a job is the best welfare for the elderly, says Kang Hi-sung, chief of the job center at the Korea Senior Citizen Association.The center, funded by government subsidies, finds employment for those over the age of 60 through a nationwide network. On average, the center helps about 20,000 seniors find jobs in the private sector. “Finding employment is a source of pride. It is recognition of being healthy, and it gives them confidence as a part of soc
Sept. 6, 2013
-
Prosecution chief denies news report on extramarital child
The chief prosecutor on Friday denied a news report as “groundless” that he has a child born out of an extramarital affair. The Chosun Ilbo reported that Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook has a son who was born in 2002. It claimed Chae first met the mother of the child in 1999.“I’ve never heard of that,” Chae told reporters. Chae and his wife have a daughter.He says that given the timing of the report there seems to be an intention to sway the prosecution over various ongoing politically sensiti
Sept. 6, 2013
-
Ex-President Chun's brother-in-law indicted on tax charges
A brother-in-law of disgraced former President Chun Doo-hwan will stand trial on tax evasion charges, state prosecutors said Friday.Lee Chang-seok was indicted on a charge of evading taxes worth 6 billion won (US$5.4 million) and formally detained pending trial, they said.He is the first relative of the former president ever to stand trial since prosecutors restarted efforts to reclaim hidden assets of the former military dictator who was convicted of taking bribes while in office in the 1980s.C
Sept. 6, 2013
-
Saenuri ups pressure on Lee, UPP
The ruling Saenuri Party on Friday submitted a motion to expel leftist Rep. Lee Seok-ki, who was arrested Thursday for allegedly plotting an armed revolt and forming an illegal organization against South Korea. High-level Saenuri officials also urged the government to petition the Constitutional Court to consider the disbandment of Lee’s Unified Progressive Party.“I urge (the government) to request the Constitutional Court to disband the UPP,” Saenuri Party secretary-general Rep. Hong Moon-jong
Sept. 6, 2013
-
Two Koreas restore military hotline amid cross-border talks
South and North Korea restored a military hotline along the west coast on Friday to coordinate cross-border travel as the two sides work toward reopening a shuttered joint industrial park.Shortly before 11:00 a.m., a South Korean liaison officer at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine office spoke with his North Korean counterpart over the phone to test the telephone lines, a senior official at the defense ministry said.The military hotline had been used to provide safe passage for South Kore
Sept. 6, 2013
-
Prosecution chief denies news report on extramarital child
The chief prosecutor on Friday denied a news report as "groundless" that he has a child born out of an extramarital affair. Chosun Ilbo, the country's most influential daily, reported that Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook has a son who was born in 2002. It claimed Chae first met the mother of the child in 1999."I've never heard of that," Chae told reporters. Chae and his wife have a daughter.He says that given the timing of the report there seems to be an intention to sway the prosecution over
Sept. 6, 2013
-
Seoul, Thai police to cooperate
An Jae-kyung (left), deputy commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, poses for a photo with his Thai counterpart Udom Raksiltham at the office building of the NPA in central Seoul on Thursday after talks on cooperation. (Kim Myung-sub/The Korea Herald)
Sept. 6, 2013
-
Elderly suicide rate rises 28 percent
Suicide rates among people aged 60 and over in Korea have risen steadily over the last four years, a report showed Thursday.A total of 5,151 elderly people took their own lives in 2011, up nearly 28 percent from 4,029 in 2008, according to National Police Agency data released by Rep. Kim Hyun of the Democratic Party.The report showed that the total number of suicides in Korea has also risen steadily from 12,270 in 2008 to 14,722 in 2009, 14,779 in 2010 and 15,681 in 2011. Of the total 57,452 peo
Sept. 5, 2013
-
Korean language proficiency test to get easier
The government will simplify the state-managed Korean language proficiency test and increase the number of exams conducted every year in an effort to increase foreigners’ access to the Korean language and the test, authorities said Thursday.Test of Proficiency in Korean, a test for non-Korean natives interested in attending school and working in South Korea, measures one’s ability to understand Korean grammar, writing, listening and reading.Launched in 1997, TOPIK is offered four times a year in
Sept. 5, 2013