Just a day before Thursday’s college scholastic ability test, or Suneung, a tense atmosphere prevailed as students geared up for the exam for which they have long prepared. Authorities also took nation-wide measures to support test takers. At Yongsan High School, third-year students left the school early while their juniors lined up on the sidelines to cheer those who would take Suneung the next day. Third-year students leave the school gate as their juniors and teachers cheer for them, a day be

Social Affairs Nov. 14, 2018

International Youth Fellowship awarded grand prizes to three winners for its 18th English Speech Contest on Saturday.The annual contest with it final round in Sejong Hall at Seoul Human Resources Development Center saw total participation of 1,315 middle school, high school and college students. 2018 IYF English Speech Contest winners (from left): Kim Jong-sung of Keimyung University, Park Sun-ae from Cheonan Ohseong High School and Oh Sun-ah from Sesory Music Middle and High School (IYF)The mid

Social Affairs Nov. 13, 2018

Seoul’s education office recommended Tuesday the expulsion of twins suspected of having cheating on exams and to take strong disciplinary actions against school officials, after police concluded a teacher had leaked test answers to his twin daughters attending the school where he teaches.Cho Hee-yeon, the superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, also said the office will reinforce policies to prevent teachers and their children from working at and attending the same school. Pare

Social Affairs Nov. 13, 2018

The main opposition Liberty Korea Party continues to struggle to maintain its foothold as the country’s major conservative party, following a dispute over personnel reform. The interim chief of the conservative party, Kim Byong-joon, apologized Monday for friction caused by a former member of its reform committee who was recently dismissed.Interim chief of Liberty Korea Party, Kim Byong-joon (center), speaks at a party meeting at the party's headquarter in Seoul on Monday. (Yonhap)“I apologize f

Politics Nov. 12, 2018

The Korean Service Corps Battalion held a send-off ceremony Sunday for a 22-year-old soldier who fell victim to a drunk driver last month. After the incident, the government is moving to toughen punishment against drunk driving.Yoon Chang-ho, a 22-year-old soldier of the Korean Augmentation Troops to the United States Army, was with a friend when they were hit by a drunk driver in Busan on Sept. 25, during the Chuseok holiday leave period.(Yonhap)The driver, surnamed Park, was intoxicated with a

Social Affairs Nov. 11, 2018

Measures to tackle fine dust will be reinforced and support programs for diesel vehicles abolished, the government announced Thursday, as part of plans to combat particulate matter pollution. The Environment Ministry scrapped the “clean diesel policy” and announced other measures to curb fine dust at the government policy coordination meeting presided over by Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon.  Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon (Yonhap)Pointing to diesel vehicles as among the factors aggravating the fine dust

Social Affairs Nov. 8, 2018

The Seoul Metropolitan Government lifted an ultrafine dust warning Wednesday afternoon, 24 hours after it was issued, while the ultrafine dust advisory remained in effect for the country’s western regions, including the North and South Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces.Following alarming levels of ultrafine dust in Korea, the Environment Ministry and metropolitan governments issued emergency fine dust reduction measures on Wednesday. The warning in Seoul was lifted after the level of particulate

Social Affairs Nov. 7, 2018

The police on Tuesday said that five people have been booked in relation to an oil storage tank fire last month, holding an oil pipeline company and a construction worker responsible for the accident. Goyang Police Station, which has been investigating the case in Gyeonggi Province, said it booked three officials including the district chief from Daehan Oil Pipeline Corp. without detention for violating the Oil Pipeline Safety Control Act.  (Yonhap)The police also booked a former labor superviso

Social Affairs Nov. 6, 2018

Gov. Lee Jae-myung of Gyeonggi Province is to file a complaint against the chief police officer of the Seongnam Police Station and other police investigators over alleged abuses of authority. In a statement on his Facebook page, Lee said he would file a complaint against the investigators and the commanding officers of the Bundang Police Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, who had filed criminal charges against him over alleged power abuses and violations of election law.  Gyeonggi Province

Social Affairs Nov. 5, 2018

In an effort to encourage green growth, the Global Green Growth Institute is turning to the many young entrepreneurs around the world who have innovative business ideas, but lack finance and technical trainings.Recognizing the role of young people in accelerating the world’s transition toward green growth, the Seoul-based international organization hosted a pilot Greenpreneurs Program, designed to supercharge green growth startups particularly in and for developing countries. (GGGI)The 10-week g

Social Affairs Nov. 5, 2018

Amid the global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change, President Moon Jae-in has vowed to increase the use of renewable energy to 20 percent of the country’s total power generation by 2030. Commenting on the goal, Frank Rijsberman, director-general of the Global Green Growth Institute, urged the country to aim higher -- to increase the use of renewable energy to 100 percent. “South Korea has seen a very rapid growth of its economy and the government developed (coal-fired

Social Affairs Nov. 5, 2018

The recent string of murders and violent crimes making headlines are causing great frustration and anxiety among the public, who fear that they will receive light sentences after claiming they committed their offenses on impulse.　When a man surnamed Kim, 45, set fire to a convenience store in Seoul in July, he told the police he was angry at the owner for being “not kind enough” to him. The owner’s husband died from serious burns. In October, the court sentenced Kim to 13 years in prison.The rec

Social Affairs Nov. 4, 2018

Gyeonggi Province’s GSEEK online education program is outperforming similar regional programs in terms of both quantity and quality, according to the provincial office.GSEEK offers some 1,200 massive open online courses for residents of Gyeonggi Province, six times more than the average for other provincial programs. Whereas other educational programs are typically one-way, with professional educators leading a group of learners, Gyeonggi Province’s program is more flexible and encourages the pr

Social Affairs Nov. 1, 2018

Taking issue with inaction against a remark by a high-ranking North Korea military negotiator, the main opposition Liberty Korea Party submitted a proposal for the dismissal of Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon on Wednesday.It cited the pushing of the inter-Korean railway without ratification of the Panmunjeom Declaration that calls for it, the banning of a defector from covering an inter-Korean meeting in Panmunjeom and an insulting remarks made to businessmen during September’s North-South

Politics Oct. 31, 2018

South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Kim Kyoung-soo flatly denied alleged collusion with a power blogger in a massive opinion-rigging scheme, questioning the credibility of testimonies by the blogger’s close associates.After the first court hearing that lasted about 14 hours, Gov. Kim reiterated his denial.“Those who watched the testimonies of the witnesses will be able to make the (right) judgment. I will sincerely follow the remaining legal procedures,” Kim said upon leaving Seoul Central District C

Social Affairs Oct. 30, 2018