Most Popular
-
1
Seoul transit pass for travelers to be available starting July
-
2
Controversy rekindled over when to name criminals, suspects
-
3
[Weekender] Pet food makers bet big on ‘recession-free’ pet food market
-
4
N. Korea says to deploy new multiple rocket launcher starting this year
-
5
[Drama Tour] Romantic trip to ‘Queen of Tears’ filming spots
-
6
Buddha's birthday lantern parade to light up Seoul
-
7
‘Monk’ DJ spreading Buddhism goes global
-
8
What's Seoul's No.1 landmark? Seoulites say Han River, foreigners pick Gwanghwamun Plaza
-
9
World’s Best restaurant Central chef shres insights in Seoul
-
10
BTS leader RM's new song tops iTunes charts in 82 countries
-
Women make inroads into ‘male-dominated’ industries
Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance promoted 161 workers to the position of junior manager on Monday, 50 of whom are female workers. The figure is a three-fold increase since 2010 when the percentage of women was less than 10 percent. “The company will spare no effort in encouraging women to actively work at the office,” an officer from SF & MI told local news media. The move reflects a steady change in male-dominated Korea, encouraging women to pursue their career in diverse industrial sectors. Th
April 8, 2013
-
S. Koreans stay calm amid threats of war
South Koreans remained calm and carried on their daily lives over the weekend amid escalating tensions brought on by the North’s recent war threats and security concerns raised by foreign media on the Korean Peninsula.International communities and foreign news outlets dealt sensitively with the deluge of threats from North Korea, a stark contrast to many South Koreans who reacted calmly over the current political tension.A 32-year-old office worker, Lee Young-eun, said she and her friends make j
April 7, 2013
-
Pyongyang rumblings have little effect on SKoreans
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – Outsiders might hear the opening notes of a war in the deluge of threats and provocations from North Korea, but to South Koreans it is a familiar drumbeat. Separated from the North by a heavily fortified border for decades, they have for the most part lived with tough talk from Pyongyang all their lives. In annual defense drills, war alarms ring in their ears. Foreigners unused to North Korean rumblings have canceled trips to the Korean Peninsula. But to get South Korea
April 5, 2013
-
Laughter the best medicine
A high-pitch electric sound suddenly brought to life the platform at Yeonsinnae Subway Station in northern Seoul on a recent Thursday. Station employee Lee Myung-hwan belted out a medley of funny trot songs. The audience instantly swelled to about 80 as the self-styled laughter-master performed his routine. “Let’s try this, open your mouth wide and say ‘ha-ha’ as you breathe out. Then ‘ho-ho’ when you breathe in,” he told the audience sitting on plastic stools.During the warm up, the crowd were
April 5, 2013
-
Cancer sufferers learn to chuckle
Laughter may be the best medicine for more than 40 cancer patients who regularly participate in a weekly workshop at Seoul National University Hospital.The program is led by Lee Yim-seon, a nurse from the department of family medicine, who is one of Korea’s pioneers of laughter therapy. The 12-week program lasts for an hour each session. Lee leads the patients in a series of stretches to upbeat music her patients like. She guides patients to relax their facial muscles, shoulders, intercostal mus
April 5, 2013
-
Court overturns ruling in ‘octopus murder’ case
A higher court cleared a man of killing his girl friend, overturning a previous ruling in the “octopus murder” case.The 32-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment last year for suffocating his 23-year-old girl friend in a motel in Incheon. He had claimed that she died while eating an octopus. But the victim’s family later discovered that she had signed up for life insurance only a week before her death with Kim as the beneficiary.The Incheon District Court concluded in October last year
April 5, 2013
-
Korea to create detailed crime map, augment police
Public security authorities plan to introduce an online crime map, allowing the public to check what offenses have been reported in their neighborhoods.In a policy briefing to President Park Geun-hye, the Ministry of Security and Public Administration said it would complete the database by 2015. When it is completed, the public can search for information on crimes, such a sexual assault and school violence, that have taken place by region.Minister Yoo Jeong-bok noted that the map would alert peo
April 5, 2013
-
[Photo News] End to sit-in protest
April 4, 2013
-
Seoul tightens quarantine
The Korean government is strengthening quarantine measures at ports that have passengers and animals coming from China and other countries that have recently reported bird flu infections. With growing concerns about the fatal H7N9 virus found in neighboring countries, health authorities said they would raise the level of contamination control across the country. So far, there have been no reports of infections or deaths in Korea from the new strain.The Health Ministry said on Thursday it had tig
April 4, 2013
-
Korea to toughen penalties for environmental pollution
The government said Thursday it will force chemical manufacturers to close down their business sites if they are responsible for accidents three times in a row within a certain time frame, in response to a series of recent chemical leaks.In its 2013 policy plan reported to President Park Geun-hye, the Ministry of Environment said it will introduce the so-called “three-strike system,” which is expected to be adopted as early as the end of next year, and will forcibly revoke the business rights of
April 4, 2013
-
Ex-Samsung chip chief to teach at Sungkyunkwan
Hwang Chang-gyu, the former president of Samsung’s semiconductor division, will be appointed a chair professor at Sungkyunkwan University, the school announced Thursday.The school noted that Hwang would be able to teach as early as this September, but said it was still considering which department he would join.Hwang served nearly 20 years at Samsung Electronics, during which time he worked as the chief technology officer and the president of semiconductor operations for the company. He also wor
April 4, 2013
-
Protesters' tents in downtown Seoul forcibly removed
Protest tents that laid-off Ssangyong Motor Co. workers had set up in the heart of Seoul were forcibly dismantled on Thursday.Former employees of the country's smallest automaker and civic activists had set up three tents and occupied part of the sidewalk in front of Deoksu Palace, across from Seoul City Hall, in central Seoul since last April, in protest against the company's mass layoffs of its workers in 2009.The Jung-gu ward office under the Seoul Metropolitan Government mobilized some 50 of
April 4, 2013
-
Most Koreans work over 40 hours per week: survey
Eight out of 10 people employed here work more than the legal limit of 40 hours per week, a survey showed Wednesday According to the survey of 587 workers, 81 percent, or 475 respondents said they work more than 40 hours per week. The survey was conducted by the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, one of the country's major umbrella labor unions, last month. In 2004, the government implemented a policy to cap the weekly working limit to eight hours per day and 40 hours per week from the previ
April 3, 2013
-
[Graphic News] Sejong has highest rate of heavy drinkers, smokers
A new survey revealed that citizens of Sejong City, Gangwon Province and Jeju Island drink, smoke and weigh more than people in other regions. Sejong City recorded the highest male smoking rate at 51.3 percent, followed by Gangwon at 49.9 percent and Jeju with 49.4 percent. These areas also recorded the highest rate of high-risk drinking, with Sejong at 20.4 percent, Gangwon 19.5 percent and Jeju 18.8 percent. Jeju had the highest obesity rate with 30.1 percent, with Gangwon at 26.7 percent and
April 3, 2013
-
USFK website down since Tuesday afternoon
WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― The official website of U.S. Forces Korea was down on Wednesday, which Pentagon officials attributed to a “simple hardware problem.”The website had been offline since 2 p.m. on Tuesday, officials said. Any attempt to open the website, www.usfk.mil, prompts a “Network Error” message.“An error occurred attempting to communicate with an HTTP or SOCKS gateway. The gateway may be temporarily unavailable, or there could be a network problem,” the message read.The problem has
April 3, 2013
-
Stepping toward multiculturalism
Globalization, demographic change and economic growth have led Korea to embrace cultural diversity and tolerance toward others. But biases and discrimination against foreigners remain and Koreans’ pride for ethnic purity is deeply entrenched. This 10-part series will offer a glimpse into the nation’s efforts to promote multiculturalism and challenges in immigration law, education, welfare, public perception, mass culture and more. ― Ed. Korea is one of a few countries that have long remained rac
April 3, 2013
-
Korean classroom full of eager but silent students
In South Korea, students are deterred from asking questions not just by teachers but also by their own classmates. This is because the importance of asking questions is undermined throughout society.Korea’s intensive education system is well known to other countries. The system is thought to be demanding, challenging and competitive. Koreans, even though they are often critical of it, have become used to the system and secretly are proud to be called bookworms. Korea’s education system is now gl
April 3, 2013
-
Copy-and-paste culture casts pall on academia
A series of plagiarism scandals involving a top police officer, government official and church leader, has sounded alarms over the quality of higher education here. And there are now growing concerns that Koreans’ obsession with academic degrees may have gone overboard.Huh Tae-yeol, presidential chief of staff, and police chief nominee Lee Sung-han last month publicly apologized for plagiarizing their doctoral dissertations.Well-respected pastor Oh Jung-hyun of the SaRang Community Church has al
April 3, 2013
-
Danish teachers locked out after talks fail
COPENHAGEN (AP) ― Tens of thousands of Danish teachers were locked out of schools on Tuesday after negotiations with municipal authorities over weekly work hours failed to produce an agreement. The National Teachers Union said 52,000 teachers were barred from entering schools, affecting some 875,000 pupils. Thousands of teachers held impromptu protests throughout Denmark, carrying signs and wearing white T-shirts expressing concern over a possible decline in the quality of education. The showdow
April 3, 2013
-
Man faces fine for ringing doorbell for 10 minutes
A man will face a summary trial for ringing a doorbell for 10 minutes.The 42-year-old drunk man was charged with a misdemeanor for “continuous harassment.” In order to push the owner of his building to pay back money he owed him, the man waited at the owner’s door and rang the doorbell for 10 minutes.According to Gimhae police station, it was discovered that the owner was the man’s secret lover, and the man had been harassing her for a while.He is the first resident in South Gyeonsang Province t
April 3, 2013