A senior staff attorney of a law firm has been arrested for filing fraudulent refugee applications for foreigners who are not asylum seekers, the Justice Ministry said Tuesday. Seoul Immigration office has transferred cases of three people, including a 46-year-old lawyer surnamed Kang, to the prosecution for violation of the immigration law.  (Yonhap)According to the ministry, the lawyer abused the country’s refugee application program to help foreigners that are not refugee-status seekers to il

Social Affairs July 4, 2018

The nomination of three Supreme Court justices on Monday appears to break away from its long-standing convention of picking candidates based on their hometowns.Supreme Court Chief Justice Kim Meong-su has recommended three nominees to President Moon Jae-in, including Kim Seon-soo, who has worked as an attorney for 30 years since passing the bar exam. If appointed, he will be the first person to take the post at the top court since 1980 without having a career as a judge or a prosecutor.  Supreme

Social Affairs July 3, 2018

A 10-day annual youth network workshop organized by the ASEAN-Korea Centre kicked off Monday in Seoul, aimed at forging a strong network among Asian students while learning about various implications of digitalization.Some 70 youths from the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, plus Korea, China and Japan are participating in lectures on the theme of “Global Digitalization” and cultural exchange programs during the 2018 ASEAN-Korea Youth Network Workshop in Seoul and Manila f

Social Affairs July 2, 2018

South Korean lawmakers appear to be divided on the issue of asylum seekers in the country. While some voice the importance of protecting the refugee applicants for humanitarian reasons, others are calling for stronger measures for “fake” refugees. On Sunday, first-term lawmaker Rep. Kwon Chil-seung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, along with nine others, proposed a law revision plan that mandates stricter screening process for refugee applicants.  (Yonhap)“While the South Korean governme

Politics July 2, 2018

The government on Friday proposed to amend the refugee law and provide legal measures to prevent the system from being abused by migrants entering or staying illegally. With the sudden influx of Yemenis on Jeju Island, the Ministry of Justice held a working-level meeting to discuss the situation with 15 concerned government institutions, including the Jeju Self-governing Provincial Government. (Yonhap)“South Korea holds international responsibility to protect refugees as a signatory to the 1951

Social Affairs June 29, 2018

Among mouthwatering sweets, the jelly candies industry is thriving. The surging popularity has led to diverse forms of the chewy sweets, delighting Korean consumers not only with their taste but also low calories. “In this harsh world, soft jelly candies are a streak of light in my life,” said Hwangbo Kyung-sun, an office worker in Seoul. Soft and chewy jelly products that were once perceived as treats for young children have now become one of the most favored types of sweets among adults.  Gumm

Food June 29, 2018

For students in South Korea wishing to advance to universities in the US, Jay’s Uhak Review seeks to help them achieve the best results though teamwork. Jay’s Uhak Review is an education consulting institute that assists students with the admission process, targeting US Ivy League and medical and dental universities.  (Jay's Uhak Review)Established in 2000, the institute runs detailed admission programs for high school students, supervising their school records and offering special opportunities

Social Affairs June 26, 2018

Monday marks the 68th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-1953 Korean War on June 25. In commemoration, the National Assembly and ROK Army Headquarters host a two-day photo exhibition of 239 photographs taken by late US Army sergeant Thomas B. Hutton, who fought in the Korean War. His grandson Col. Brandon D. Newton, currently stationed in South Korea, donated the pictures to the ROK Army Headquarters. The photographs show not only of the livelihoods of Koreans at the time, but also historic

Social Affairs June 25, 2018

JEJU -- When the in-flight announcement said that the plane was landing on South Korea’s Jeju Island, Hane felt a sense of relief for the first time since he fled his warring home country, Yemen, in May 2016. Hane, who was formerly a journalist with Yemen’s biggest daily, was subjected to excruciating torture and narrowly escaped death before fleeing to Egypt, and then to Malaysia and finally to Jeju.Hane, formerly a journalist in Yemen, wears a rubber bracelet of his country’s flag. (Jo He-rim/

Social Affairs June 25, 2018

World Cup 2018 kicked off last week in Russia. As for South Korea, the first group match against Sweden on Monday revived the tens of thousands of “Red Devils” to take to the streets to cheer for the national team once again.In front of Gwanghwamun Square in the center of Seoul, 25,000 people wearing the iconic red uniforms and head bands resembling a devil’s horns became the Red Devils, while 5,000 also watched Korea’s first match via large outdoor screens installed at Seoul Square in front of

Soccer June 22, 2018

The Supreme Court is expected to make a ruling on conscientious objectors who refuse mandatory military service, amid increasing acquittals made by lower courts. According to the Supreme Court on Monday, two cases of conscientious objectors, which two panels of its judges have been reviewing, have been transferred to an “en banc session,” in which all justices of the top court participate in the cases. It has also scheduled a public hearing for the cases on Aug. 30.  (Yonhap)All able-bodied Sout

Social Affairs June 19, 2018

The presidential office said Tuesday it will review a moratorium on the nation’s death penalty system if the state human rights watchdog officially makes a request. The National Human Rights Commission on Monday revealed plans for the upcoming 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Dec. 10, including a proposal that President Moon Jae-in should announce a moratorium on the death penalty. (Yonhap)Regarding the watchdog’s plan, the presidential office said the matter has

Social Affairs June 19, 2018

While this year’s June 13 local elections ended in a landslide victory for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, small, extra-parliamentary parties made some eye-catching progress.Seoul mayoral candidate Shin Ji-ye of the Green Party Korea, which is an extra-parliamentary party, came fourth in the run against major negotiating blocs, winning an unexpected 82,874 votes, or 1.7 percent of total ballots cast. She even placed ahead of Kim Jong-min from the far-left opposition Justice Party, which ho

Politics June 18, 2018

Police have started an investigation into a scandal involving Gyeonggi Gov.-elect Lee Jae-myung who allegedly had an extramarital affair with an actress, after receiving the case from the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office on Saturday. During the local elections campaign period, a lawmaker from the center-right minor opposition Bareunmirae Party raised the allegation that Lee, a former Seongnam mayor and Gyeonggi governor candidate, had an affair with actress Kim Bu-seon for nine months.  Lee Ja

Politics June 17, 2018

Rep. Chung Tae-ok, a former spokesman for the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, may soon face a class action suit from a group of citizens against his remarks defaming two cities, Incheon and Bucheon.The Incheon headquarters of the far-left Justice Party previously said it would file a damage lawsuit of 613 million won ($557,700) against Chung, and has been gathering 613 people to join the class action suit. The number matches the date of the local elections, which was held on June 13. Accord

Politics June 17, 2018