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
Trump may like to 'solve' N. Korean nuclear problem if reelected: ex-official
-
10
New Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office chief vows full-fledged probe into first lady
-
Former CEOs jailed for collusion on river project
Two former chiefs of large local builders on Thursday received suspended jail sentences for collusion in the former Lee Myung-bak administration’s highly controversial project to refurbish the country’s four major rivers.The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Kim Jung-gyeom, former chief of Hyundai Construction & Engineering Co., to eight months in jail with a one-year stay of execution. Seo Jong-wuk, the ex-president of Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co., was given a jail term of one and
Feb. 6, 2014
-
Drug offender tries to manipulate witness with encrypted letter
A man serving a prison term for a drug offense is to be prosecuted again for using an encrypted message to manipulate a witness in his trial, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said on Thursday.According to the prosecution, the man sent an encrypted message to a fellow inmate -- who is serving a sentence for an unrelated drug offense -- with directions for giving false testimony. The man who gave the false testimony was also indicted, the prosecution said. According to the officials, the man who se
Feb. 6, 2014
-
Increase in taxi fare benefits operators, not drivers
The taxi fare hike in Seoul City appears to be veering off from its original purpose of improving working conditions for drivers as more complaints are filed about employers snatching the benefits. Seoul City received a number of reports from cab drivers about their firms violations of wage regulations despite the capital’s efforts to crack down on such practices, officials said Thursday.A total of 63 cases of cab firms violating wage rules have been reported via the city’s new reporting system
Feb. 6, 2014
-
Ex-Seoul police chief acquitted of hampering probe in spy
A Seoul court on Thursday acquitted a former head of the Seoul police agency of hampering a police investigation into allegations that the nation's intelligence agency meddled in the 2012 presidential election.The Seoul Central District Court delivered a not-guilty verdict to Kim Yong-pan, the former chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), citing a lack of evidence and credibility of a key witness testimony.Kim was indicted on charges of abusing his authority to cover up the case b
Feb. 6, 2014
-
Court commutes former tax chief's prison term for graft
A Seoul appellate court on Thursday commuted a former top tax official's prison term to three and a half years for taking bribes from CJ Group, a food and entertainment conglomerate, in 2006.Jeon Goon-pyo, 60, had received a four-year sentence from a lower court after he was found guilty of accepting $300,000 in U.S.bills from CJ Group officials in exchange for favors during a tax audit into the conglomerate in July 2006, shortly after he was named commissioner of the National Tax Service (NTS).
Feb. 6, 2014
-
Rail union leaders to stand trial for illegal strike
Four leaders of the state rail company's union have been indicted on charges of spearheading an illegal strike and inflicting financial losses to the firm, prosecutors said Thursday.The leaders of the union of state-run Korea Railroad Corp.(KORAIL), including its head Kim Myung-hwan, are under suspicion of playing leading roles in the strike that disrupted the national rail system for more than three weeks, the longest such strike ever. "It was a political strike that was launched against the go
Feb. 6, 2014
-
Samsung chief wins inheritance suit against brother in appeals
Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Kun-hee won an inheritance case at a Seoul appeals court Thursday against his estranged brother demanding 940 billion won ($850 million) in stakes in the group's units.Upholding a lower court decision allowing Lee to keep his holdings in the group's key subsidiaries, the Seoul High Court ruled against the chairman's eldest brother, Lee Maeng-hee.With the ruling, the country's richest man was able to keep his holdings in the companies, including Samsung Life I
Feb. 6, 2014
-
Academic triumph of 82-year-old woman
About 80 students, mostly senior citizens, graduated Wednesday from Jeollabukdo Women’s Secondary School in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. The graduates of the secondary institute established for women who were not able to complete their education range from those in their 30s to some in their 80s.The oldest is Oh Jeom-nyuh, 82. She is 52 years older than her youngest classmate. For Oh, graduation seemed much more meaningful than for the others. “I’ve long regretted that I was not able to study.
Feb. 5, 2014
-
Seoul Mayor Park: Korea’s self-styled ‘social designer’
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon calls himself a “social designer” rather than a politician or a former lawyer. According to him, a social designer is one who works to make society more reasonable and humane.Before entering politics, Park focused on bringing social changes with civic activities. The Beautiful Foundation, the NGO he established in 2002, is where these activities blossomed.While studying for a law diploma at the U.K.’s London School of Economics and Political Science and working as a gue
Feb. 5, 2014
-
Academies operate illegal English programs despite warning
Over half of private elementary schools in the capital were found to be violating English curriculum rules despite a warning last year, officials said Wednesday. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, 30 out of 40 private elementary schools were found to have organized English curricula for lower grade students. Teaching English to first- and second-grade students is currently banned. Some extended the English class hours for the upper grades or introduced foreign textbooks ins
Feb. 5, 2014
-
Seoul to retrieve inappropriately spent public money from councils
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday it had ordered local council members to return travel expenses that were used for non-business purposes.Several Seongbuk-gu Council members were found to have spent about 14 million won ($13,000) during five overseas trips in the past four years, the officials said. This marks the first time the city government has decided to restore inappropriately spent public money from assemblymen after the public audit system was adopted in 2000. Seongbuk-gu
Feb. 5, 2014
-
Woman gets suspended 2-year jail term for prank calls
A 54-year-old woman received a suspended sentence of two years in jail for making more than 500 prank calls to a police station in Itaewon last year, the Seoul Western District Court said Wednesday. The suspect, identified by her last name, Son, called the police station 513 times between July and September from a pay phone to level abuse at them, according to the court officials. The investigators said Son blamed foreigners in Itaewon for her joblessness and called the Itaewon-based station to
Feb. 5, 2014
-
[Eye on English] Test scores don’t guarantee English skills
Song Min-ho, a recent English graduate of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, recalled how he was baffled when he first encountered a native English speaker. Despite his respectable TOEIC score, he was unable to open his mouth.“My head just went blank like a piece of paper,” the 29-year-old said. Song, who had never studied abroad, said that his top grades in high school hardly helped. If anything, it hindered him. “Studying English felt like math, with teachers telling us to remember all sort
Feb. 5, 2014
-
[Eye on English] ‘English exam should change to focus on communication’
An English education expert called for a major change in the English section of the 2-decade-old state college entrance exam to encourage test-takers to focus more on their communication skills.Kim Tae-young, a professor at Chung-Ang University, stressed the change is vital, particularly when Korea is transforming into a creative participant in global affairs from a passive follower of what advanced countries have already imposed on the world.“The current college entrance exam does not test spea
Feb. 5, 2014
-
Officials nabbed for pocketing state funds by leaking personal data
Two public officials have been arrested on charges of pocketing government subsidies intended for small business owners after illegally obtaining personal data of some 120,000 people, police said Wednesday.The suspects, including a 58-year-old Ministry of Employment and Labor mid-ranking official surnamed Choi, are also under suspicion of siphoning off the detailed personal information of 128,000 recipients of the government subsidies that are devised to support small enterprises, between August
Feb. 5, 2014
-
"Korean unification' ad hits Times Square
An unusual billboard ad calling future reunification of the Koreas an economic "bonanza" has appeared in New York's Times Square, a traditional mecca for advertisement."Korean Unification would be an immeasurable BONANZA for any nations with interests in the Korean Peninsula," reads the ad, installed on a main street of the ever-bustling square.On the left side is a photo of South Korean President Park Geun-hye and U.S. President Barack Obama shaking hands.It also notes Samsung, Hyundai and LG a
Feb. 5, 2014
-
Massive data thefts spark review of national ID system
The Korean government has set out to review the national identification system to better protect personal information in the aftermath of a massive data theft, officials said Tuesday. The Ministry of Security and Public Administration said Tuesday it is mulling over the overhaul of the 13-digit resident registration number, or RRN, which contains personal information about every single Korean, such as birthdate, birthplace, sex and other details. But no matter which changes the government settle
Feb. 4, 2014
-
Korea set to introduce insurance for social ills
South Korea’s financial regulator is planning to allow insurers to sell policies covering social ills such as domestic and school violence starting this year, industry sources said Tuesday.According to the sources, the Financial Services Commission is pushing to introduce the insurance products as part of broader efforts to cover damages related to such social problems.President Park Geun-hye has been focusing on eradicating what she called the four major social ills threatening public safety ―
Feb. 4, 2014
-
New AI infection confirmed despite quarantine efforts
A new case of bird flu was confirmed Tuesday, leading to 41 verified cases of the virus in the country, officials said. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, over 10,000 ducks at a farm in Eumseong-gun, North Chungcheong Province, were found to be infected with the highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza. The ducks began to show symptoms on Sunday. Quarantine officials slaughtered the poultry as a preventive measure on Monday.As of Tuesday afternoon, a total of 10
Feb. 4, 2014
-
Umbrella union head urges gov't sincerity
The newly elected head of a conservative umbrella labor union said Tuesday the organization will not return to a tripartite committee comprising labor, management and government until the administration shows sincere attitude for dialogue.Since late December, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions has been boycotting the tripartite commission, a presidential advisory body designed to promote discussions and build consensus among labor, management and government."We will come forward and engage in
Feb. 4, 2014