Most Popular
-
1
Court refuses injunction on medical school expansion
-
2
Why Korean crime stories typically feature nameless, faceless perpetrators
-
3
Debate on 'no-seniors zones' heats up
-
4
S. Korea, Cambodia forge strategic partnership
-
5
Rare mid-May heavy snow warning issued over mountainous areas of Gangwon
-
6
Is NewJeans headed for a long 'break'?
-
7
[KH Explains] Hyundai-backed Motional’s struggles deepen as Tesla eyes August robotaxi debut
-
8
Police raid popera singer Kim Ho-joong's house over hit-and-run suspicions
-
9
New Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office chief vows full-fledged probe into first lady
-
10
Trump may like to 'solve' N. Korean nuclear problem if reelected: ex-official
-
ADHD patient ruled not eligible for enlistment
A Seoul court ruled Wednesday that a patient suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was unfit to serve in the military, marking the first case in which it was a major disqualifier for the mandatory military service. The Seoul Administrative Court ruled in favor of a man surnamed Kim, an ADHD patient who filed a suit against the country’s military administration to cancel his enlistment. The case sets a new precedent in confirming ADHD patients to be exempt from serving in the ar
Feb. 12, 2014
-
[Uniquely Korean] Noraebang: Singing relieves stress, smoothes relationships
For less than 20,000 won ($18), Park Min-joo, 25, can relieve her stress in an hour. Visiting a noraebang at least once a week, Park forgets it all in a confined room equipped with a karaoke system.“It’s just a way for me to release built-up stress,” she said.“My friends and I sing everything from American oldies to the latest K-pop hits to let go of all the bad things that happened during the week.”For Koreans, noraebang have served as a common means of dealing with stress.With comfortable sofa
Feb. 12, 2014
-
[Eye on English] Should English be an official language of Korea?
Korea’s zeal for education is often credited with playing a major role in the growth of its economy.However, there are some serious concerns about its side effects, such as the heavy burden it poses on students and the rising cost of private education.In particular, Koreans are very much into learning and studying English as a foreign language, and this has led to children spending long hours in after-school lessons. The Seoul government has been trying to slam the brakes on this English fever.T
Feb. 12, 2014
-
[Eye on English] ‘English is already part of everyday life in Korea’
A huge debate was ignited by Bok Geo-il’s proposal to make English an official language in 1998. His proposal to replace Korean with English as an official language was destined to be heavily attacked, especially by the opponents who argued that it would threaten national identity. In addition, another main criticism against the idea is that not everyone should be spending time and energy learning English if their jobs do not require it, since Korea is a monolingual society. It is doubtful wheth
Feb. 12, 2014
-
Seoul to open center for disabled rights, crack down on abuses
The Seoul city government said Wednesday it will open a center to protect the rights of disabled people and toughen punishment against rights violators.The center for the rights of citizens with disabilities is set to open on Thursday in southern Seoul as part of the measures aimed at safeguarding the rights of the underprivileged.The center, to be supported by a group of a dozen lawyers, will be tasked with providing legal services for the disabled, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Governmen
Feb. 12, 2014
-
Ex-President Chun's son gets suspended jail term for tax evasion
A Seoul court on Wednesday sentenced a son of disgraced former President Chun Doo-hwan to three years in prison with a four-year stay of execution for tax evasion in a 2006 land deal.The Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence to Chun Jae-yong, the second of the former president's three sons, for colluding with his uncle to dodge 2.7 billion won ($2.4 million) in transfer taxes in the process of selling a plot of land in December 2006.The younger Chun was also ordered to pay a fine
Feb. 12, 2014
-
Politics divides Catholic faithful
At a cathedral in Gwangju, named after the May 18, 1980 Democratic Uprising in the city, over 1,200 Catholics gathered for a special Mass on Monday. It seemed clear that they believed Korea’s democracy has fallen into a deplorable state, so much so that a Mass for its salvage ― last held during the uprising over 30 years ago ― is needed again. In a sermon, a senior priest said that it was time that the people stand up to oust President Park Geun-hye, who is refusing to step down despite “evidenc
Feb. 11, 2014
-
Firms raided in loan probe
Police on Tuesday raided the offices of a KT Corp. affiliate and its subcontractors implicated in an alleged large-scale loan fraud case led by a KT employee.A financial crime unit at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency seized computer hard drives and account books from six subcontractors of KT ENS with a court-issued warrant. According to the police, the manager-level employee, surnamed Kim, had taken out about 300 billion won ($279.7 million) in loans from 16 local banks with false documents
Feb. 11, 2014
-
New York lawmakers push East Sea bill
New York lawmakers on Monday joined the Korean-American community in the East Sea naming efforts as they proposed a bill mandating that state textbooks use the Korea-backed name.The legislation, sponsored by New York Senator Toby Ann Stavisky and Assemblyman Edward Braunstein, would require all state textbooks to refer to the body of water between Japan and Korea as “the East Sea” and “the Sea of Japan.” “These bills are intended to provide New York students with a more balanced and full picture
Feb. 11, 2014
-
2 men killed due to heavy snow in Ulsan
Two men were killed in Ulsan early this week as heavy snow led to roof collapses and a flurry of other snow-related accidents. The roof of an automobile parts supplier caved in shortly after midnight on Tuesday, killing a 37-year-old man surnamed Lee and injuring two others in Hyomun-dong, Ulsan. The roof of the Sejin glass factory was made from plastic foam sandwiched between two thin iron plates, according to the local police. It collapsed when it failed to shoulder the weight of the snow. Ear
Feb. 11, 2014
-
Court upholds LIG Group chief’s conviction for fraud
A Seoul appellate court on Tuesday upheld an earlier conviction against the chairman of LIG Group for fraudulently issuing commercial paper worth around 215 billion won ($198 million), handing down a suspended prison term. Koo Cha-won, 79, had received a three-year sentence from a lower court for orchestrating the fraudulent issuance under the name of the group’s construction arm, LIG Engineering & Construction Co., to get back stakes in the group’s subsidiaries. The Seoul High Court sentenced K
Feb. 11, 2014
-
Hanwha chief gets suspended prison term in retrial
A Seoul appellate court on Tuesday convicted Hanwha Group chairman Kim Seung-youn for embezzlement and gave him a suspended prison term. In a retrial held four months after the nation’s top court sent the case back, the Seoul High Court sentenced the 62-year-old disgraced tycoon to three years in prison with a five-year stay of execution.Kim was found guilty of using company money to pay back debts of other firms he was running under borrowed names, causing hundreds of billions of won in losses
Feb. 11, 2014
-
Newspaper owner gets prison term for embezzlement
A Seoul court on Tuesday sentenced the chief of one of the country’s major newspapers to three years behind bars for embezzling tens of millions of dollars. Chang Jae-ku, chairman of the Hankook Ilbo media group that includes several dailies, magazines and a cable television channel, was found guilty of embezzling company funds worth a total of 45.6 billion won ($40.8 million) from the Hankook Ilbo ― the group’s flagship newspaper ― and its sister publication the Seoul Economic Daily.“The owner
Feb. 11, 2014
-
Ex-ruling party lawmaker announces bid for Seoul mayor
A former two-term lawmaker of the ruling Saenuri Party announced her bid Tuesday to run for mayor of Seoul, saying she wants to turn the capital into a city that has a lot to offer. Lee Hye-hoon, 49, is one of three ruling camp figures seen as having a strong chance at winning their party’s nomination to run for Seoul mayor in the June 4 local elections for mayors, governors, council members and education superintendents.She served two terms as a lawmaker for Seoul’s Seocho Ward from 2004-2012 a
Feb. 11, 2014
-
Disgraced scientist's stem cell technology receives U.S. patent
Disgraced cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk's controversial NT-1 "embryonic stem cell line" officially received a United States patent on Tuesday in a development that could reignite debate surrounding his research.The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) public notification site confirmed the "human embryonic stem cell line prepared by nuclear transfer of a human somatic cell into an enucleated human oocyte" has been patented and subject to legal protection.The office added that a patent ha
Feb. 11, 2014
-
S. Korea to increase awareness of victims of Japanese sex slavery
South Korea will step up efforts this year to raise the world's awareness of Japan's sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II, designating a national day to honor the victims, the gender equality ministry said Tuesday."We'll make greater efforts to let the world know the Japanese sex slavery issue, which caused a great sensation at home and abroad during a recent international cartoon festival," the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said in its 2014 policy report to President
Feb. 11, 2014
-
S. Korean ships remain safe from pirates amid drop in piracy in 2013
No South Korean ship was attacked by pirates last year while piracy on the whole dropped significantly from a year earlier, the government said Tuesday.According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, there have been no reports of an attack on South Korean ships since May 2011."The ministry believes the reason our ships have not suffered any damage from piracy is partly due to the country's active efforts to prevent such damage that includes 24-hour satellite surveillance of vessels operating
Feb. 11, 2014
-
Seoul's Seocho office eyes 'Korean wave districts'
A Seoul district government said Tuesday it will push to create special zones for K-pop and classical music in a bid to further promote the "Korean wave," or the global popularity of Korean pop culture.Under the envisioned project by the Seocho-gu District Office, the so-called K-pop district will be established surrounding the Riverside Hotel in Jamwon-dong, where a concert hall reserved for K-pop performances will be built.The special zone is expected to be the venue for diverse festivals and
Feb. 11, 2014
-
S. Korea completes construction of 2nd research base in Antarctica
The government will push to expand the coverage of unemployment insurance from as early as 2016 in an effort to better protect jobless non-regular workers, the labor ministry said Tuesday.In a 2014 policy report to President Park Geun-hye, Minister of Employment and Labor Phang Ha-nam said the measure will benefit particular types of irregular workers such as insurance agents, tutors and golf caddies as well as artists.Workers of six non-regular jobs -- insurance agents, tutors, golf caddies, p
Feb. 11, 2014
-
S. Korean gov't to expand benefits under public health insurance
The South Korean health ministry said Tuesday it will add more benefits to the public health insurance program that will expand medical services for the elderly while reducing medical expenses for all patients.The move, however, will likely lead to a rise in insurance premiums as it is expected to cost up to 4.6 trillion won ($4.28 billion) over the next four years.In an annual report to the president, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said it will expand medical services to include not only th
Feb. 11, 2014