Sex discrimination still widespread issue in S. Korean workplace: survey

South Korean women face widespread sex discrimination in the workplace, experiencing inappropriate comments or remarks three to four times more frequently than men, a new survey found. The survey, conducted online by Embrain Public on behalf of nonprofits Gapjil 119 and the Beautiful Foundation Aug. 2-10, was of 1,000 working adults, including 435 women. Of the respondents, 55.9 percent of women reported being addressed or referred to in inappropriate terms, a rate 4.5 times higher than that of

Sept. 11, 2023

Monthly Seoul transit pass to launch in 2024

An all-inclusive, rechargeable monthly transit pass will be introduced in Seoul from January 2024 at a price of 65,000 won ($49), said Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday. Transit pass holders will have unlimited access to Seoul’s subway and bus lines, as well as bicycle-sharing services. Called “Climate Card,” the city government designed the pass to help alleviate increasing living and transit costs, and encourage public transportation usage to cut greenhouse gas emission

Sept. 11, 2023

Unregistered 4-year-old found near body suspected to be his mother

A 4-year-old boy found last week near the lifeless body of a woman at a home in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, was not registered in official documents, sparking further concerns over loopholes in the nation’s birth registration system. According to the Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency on Monday, the child, whose name was withheld, was found lying unconscious at around 9:55 a.m. on Friday in a low-rise apartment unit in Jeonju. Near him was the body of a 41-year-old woman thought to be his

Sept. 11, 2023

Woman accused of attempting to murder acquaintance met online

A woman in her 20s has been arrested on charges of attempted murder, after she allegedly attacked with a knife an acquaintance who blocked her online. According to Seoul Dongdaemun Police Station, the 24-year-old suspect allegedly stabbed the 27-year-old victim on Friday. The victim sustained injuries to her back and hands, and the suspect was apprehended later the same day. The attack is said to have been motivated by the victim having blocked the suspect on social media after the two had a fal

Sept. 11, 2023

Ministry aims to reduce household private education expenses by 7% this year

The Ministry of Education has set the goal of reducing household spending on private education by 6.9 percent to 24.2 trillion won ($18.15 billion) this year, from last year’s record high of 26 trillion won, according to a plan submitted to the National Assembly. “(The ministry) is currently making efforts to reduce (households’) expenses on private education, and such initiatives will be pushed ahead in the latter half of this year and the first half of this year. … The

Sept. 11, 2023

Yoon likely to reshuffle Cabinet this week

President Yoon Suk Yeol is likely to carry out a Cabinet reshuffle upon his return to South Korea following his weeklong trip to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Indonesia and Group of 20 summit in India. According to sources from the presidential office, Yoon, who arrived at the Seoul Air Base at around 6 a.m. Monday, is set to revamp the Cabinet later this week. Yoon is mulling tapping Rep. Shin Won-sik of the ruling People Power Party for defense minister, according

Sept. 11, 2023

[Subway Stories] Sillim remains young at heart

On the high-traffic Seoul Subway Line No. 2 sits Sillim Station in southwestern Seoul, which recently added the Sillim Line to Seoul’s sprawling web of metro stations. Sillim Station bustles with budding Seoulites, mostly university students and office workers, who take advantage of the neighborhood’s easy accessibility to universities like Seoul National University, as well as key business districts like Gangnam and Yeouido. Yet, it's not solely the location that adds to the

Sept. 10, 2023

Psychological support needed for youth exiting institutional care: report

The South Korean government is being urged to ramp up psychological support for young individuals transitioning from institutional care to independent living, as financial aid alone has proven insufficient to fostering full independence, according to a recent report from a legislative body on Sunday. According to the "Sustainable Independence" report released by the National Assembly Research Service, 11,403 young people were preparing to transition from institutional care, group hom

Sept. 10, 2023

South Korea slashes funding for sex crime prevention initiatives

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has set its budget for next year at 1.7 trillion won ($1.2 billion), marking a 9.4 percent increase from this year. However, funding for teenage sex education and initiatives to prevent the recurrence of sexual and domestic violence have been reduced. The Ministry of Economy and Finance said Sunday that the budget for programs aimed at preventing the recurrence of domestic and sexual violence, including correctional treatment programs for perpetrators

Sept. 10, 2023

Police bust multinational drug ring for smuggling meth into S. Korea

Police have busted a drug ring that operated networks in Cambodia, China and Nigeria to smuggle methamphetamine into South Korea and seized billions of won worth of the drug from its members here, officials said Sunday. The drug ring, run by a Korean, a Chinese and a Nigerian national, based in Cambodia, China and Nigeria, respectively, is suspected of smuggling and distributing methamphetamine in South Korea between November last year and June, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Sept. 10, 2023

Why everyone wants a white coat in Korea

Last week, the college entrance exam academy Jongno Hagwon released its analysis of the state’s official education data that showed 2,131 students in the past five years have dropped out of Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University, the top three most prestigious tertiary education institutes in South Korea. According to other data compiled by SNU and released in May, 6.2 percent of the school’s 3,606 freshmen this year took a leave of absence immediately afte

Sept. 10, 2023

Five invasive species that wrought havoc in S. Korea

Invasive species cost the global economy a whopping $423 billion annually, a major new study from the United Nations found Monday. Introduced to new environments through human activities, these species adversely impact local biodiversity and human lifestyles by destroying crops and wiping out native species. Korea is no exception to this global concern. The country's natural ecosystems have been significantly disrupted by invasive species over the years. Here are some of South Korea’s

Sept. 9, 2023

Civic group's marches against Fukushima water release permitted near presidential office

A Seoul court on Friday ruled in favor of a civic group seeking to reverse a police decision to partially ban its plan to march toward the presidential office in protest against Japan's release of treated radioactive water. A civic group, called Collective Action Against Japan's Release of Contaminated Radioactive Water had filed a notification of its plan to stage protest marches toward the presidential office in Yongsan in central Seoul on Saturday and the two following Saturdays. Th

Sept. 8, 2023

Civic groups file complaint against ban on sex education books for kids from local libraries

Civic groups filed a complaint against a provincial governor and the culture minister Friday, calling for the reversal of a recent decision to remove sex education books for children from public libraries. Some 10 children's books on sex education have been ousted from 36 public libraries in South Chungcheong Province since July 25, after civic and parents groups complained that they justify homosexuality or promote the premature sexualization of children. The South Korean Coalition for Ant

Sept. 8, 2023

Justice Minister orders prosecution to guarantee teachers’ rights in child abuse investigations

Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon on Friday ordered the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office to ensure that teachers’ rights are “truly guaranteed” when the prosecution investigates cases related to teachers' guidance of students. The minister said the prosecution should “reflect the distinct characteristics of a school environment” and the “role of teachers in schools,” adding that the enforcement of criminal laws related to teachers and child abuse should be

Sept. 8, 2023

Concern raised over compressed air dusters misused as drug

Compressed air dusters, readily available in ordinary stores for household tasks such as cleaning electronics, are a recent point of concern for their potential to be misused as a drug alternative, following a "JTBC Newsroom" report Thursday. Air dusters use compressed air to clean surfaces and remove dust and dirt from products such as keyboards. They can be bought without any restrictions at a low price, starting from 2,000 won ($1.50), and can be misused for a hallucinogenic effect.

Sept. 8, 2023

Top 10% of spenders devour half of all fried chicken sales: data

The expansion of the Korean fried chicken market has been driven by young Korean consumers using delivery services, with the biggest spenders accounting for nearly half of the sales, data showed Thursday. According to data released by KB Kookmin Card, a subsidiary of South Korea's KB Financial Group, the top 10 percent of individuals who splurge the most on Korean fried chicken constitute 41.5 percent of total fried chicken sales. On average, these individuals shell out approximately 80,0

Sept. 8, 2023

5% of stalking cases in court lead to prison term

Only 5 percent of alleged stalkers indicted for harrassment in South Korea were handed down a prison term, according to a report that looked at cases from January to May of this year. The report, released on Thursday, called for the national justice system to come up with a harsher sentencing guideline for stalking offenders. According to data by the Sentencing Commission affiliated with the Supreme Court of Korea, 21 out of 385 stalking offenders who got a final court decision from January to M

Sept. 7, 2023

Emergency hospitalizations spike following knife attacks

The southern region of South Korea's most populous province saw a spike in emergency hospitalizations following a string of seemingly unprovoked violent crimes -- dubbed "mudjima" or don't-ask-why crimes -- this summer, a recent report the region's police agency found, suggesting heightened fears over a possible link between mental illness and violence. According to the South Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency, the South Gyeonggi region saw a 31 percent increase in emerge

Sept. 7, 2023

City councilors caught at Malaysia airport carrying over 40 bottles of soju

Some members of the Yongin City Council were caught by Malaysian customs for carrying nearly 40 bottles of soju each on their recent trip to the country, local media reported Thursday. According to the reports, the incident took place last month when eight councilors all belonging to the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea left for a business trip to the city of Kota Kinabalu, accompanied by 14 employees of the council in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. Some of the council members had 40 bottle

Sept. 7, 2023