Articles by Lee Jaeeun
Lee Jaeeun
jenn@heraldcorp.com-
3 serious accidents in SMEs reported a week after law expansion
Three serious accidents were reported by enterprises with fewer than 50 employees in the first week since the enforcement of workplace safety laws was expanded, South Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labor said Sunday. The ministry reported deaths at work at SMEs in Busan, Gangwon Province and Gyeonggi Province since the laws subjecting employers to penalties for fatal accidents were expanded to smaller businesses on Jan. 27. For instance, a male worker in his 50s died after being crushed
Social Affairs Feb. 4, 2024
-
[Weekender] Born to battle: Decoding Korea's hypercompetitive society
Han, a 30-year-old living in Seoul, was once a promising student. She entered Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul on a scholarship and secured a well-paying job at a large company upon graduation. However, the constant competition and long work hours eventually took a toll. Despite being promoted to assistant manager before her colleagues, Han started to experience burnout. "The cycle of competition just didn't end. I had to beat my colleagues to get promoted. I wasn't happy," H
weekender Feb. 3, 2024
-
Seoul to transform 8-lane highway into floating park
The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday unveiled a set of plans to overhaul a portion of Seoul city’s eight-lane highway, Olympicdaero, with a public park that covers a subterranean roadway by 2027. This proposal is part of a wider project to make the city more pedestrian-friendly. Currently, it is difficult to access Banpo Hangang Park on foot because it is blocked by Olympicdaero. People have to use a pedestrian flyover to reach the park by walking. “The plan is to create a p
Social Affairs Feb. 1, 2024
-
Business leaders demand deferral of workplace safety act
Hundreds of businessmen running small and medium-sized companies around the country held a rally at the National Assembly on Wednesday, urging parliament to pass a revision bill to defer the enforcement of a workplace safety act. Participants in the rally were mainly from 17 business community groups, including the Korea Federation of SMEs, the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise, and the Korea Food Service Industry Association, according to organizers. Two thousand officials from small and med
Social Affairs Jan. 31, 2024
-
[KH Explains] From cafes to lumberyards, SMEs face risks as safety law expands
Expanded application of the workplace safety law is expected to have a substantial impact on the South Korean business community, as it holds employers with more than five workers legally responsible for deadly accidents. Concerns are growing as this change, which officially took effect Saturday, will cover 837,000 workplaces, including small neighborhood restaurants, bakeries, pubs, cafes and mom-and-pop stores. Regardless of the size of the businesses and their financial capabilities, under th
Social Affairs Jan. 29, 2024
-
[KH Explains] Assault on lawmaker reignites debate on teens' legal immunity
A Korean lawmaker fell victim to a brutal physical assault by a 15-year-old teenage assailant, who not only carried out the attack but repeatedly -- and incorrectly -- claimed immunity from legal consequences. The incident on Thursday has re-ignited concerns about the issue of juvenile crime and the legal immunity afforded to some teenagers. The law prohibits the punishment of individuals under the age of 14. People Power Party Rep. Bae Hyun-jin was beaten 15 times on the head in a 10-second att
Social Affairs Jan. 26, 2024
-
Concerns rise as workplace safety law extends to smaller firms
The business community and President Yoon Suk Yeol conveyed their profound disappointment following unsuccessful parliamentary negotiations on extending the grace period for the country's workplace safety law for small businesses by an additional two years. Labor groups, on the other hand, have embraced the latest developments, viewing them as positive steps in ensuring enhanced worker safety standards. The workplace safety law, known as the Serious Accident Punishment Act is, set to be exp
Social Affairs Jan. 26, 2024
-
Workplace safety act to impact small businesses from Saturday
A workplace safety law is set to be expanded to apply to small businesses with 50 employees or less from Saturday, as rival parties failed to reach an agreement Thursday on deferring the plan. The safety law holds employers liable for serious industrial accidents, and employers could face at least one year in prison or fines of up to 1 billion won ($749,000) in the event of a fatal workplace accident. The government had earlier granted a grace period for companies with fewer than 50 employees, w
Social Affairs Jan. 25, 2024
-
School bullying investigator scheme 'vague': teachers' group
A leading teachers' organization said Thursday that the government's plan to hire "dedicated investigators" to handle school bullying cases would be ineffective due to an inadequate payment system and unclear legal authority. “Looking at job postings for those dedicated investigators, their allowance is 300,000 ($224) to 400,000 won per case of school violence, and the amount of monthly salary they are expected to earn is only around 1 million won per month. The recru
Social Affairs Jan. 25, 2024
-
Apgujeong Rolls Royce case driver gets 20-year prison sentence
A Seoul court on Wednesday sentenced a man to 20 years in prison for killing a pedestrian while driving under the influence of illicitly prescribed drugs. The 28-year-old driver, surnamed Shin, who ran over a woman while driving a Rolls-Royce in Apgujeong, Gangnam, Seoul in August 2023, was charged with murder via hit-and-run. The Seoul Central District Court sentenced the man to 20 years in prison on Wednesday. “The defendant caused the car accident after ignoring the doctor's instru
Social Affairs Jan. 24, 2024
-
Korea braces for cold snap as weather agency issues warnings
South Korea is bracing for a cold snap this week, with weather forecasts predicting a sharp plunge in temperatures. A cold wave advisory will take effect in central and northern areas including Incheon, Gyeonggi Province, and parts of Gangwon Province at 9 p.m. Sunday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. A cold wave advisory is issued when the lowest morning temperature is expected to fall below minus 12 degrees Celsius for more than two consecutive days, or when the temperatur
Social Affairs Jan. 21, 2024
-
32 people indicted for posting online murder threats in H2
Prosecutors indicted a total of 32 individuals in connection with online murder threats between August and December 2023, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said Sunday. Out of the 189 individuals referred to the public prosecutor's office on charges including attempted murder, intimidation and obstruction of justice, 32 have been formally indicted and are being held in custody. Most of those indicted had allegedly written online posts vowing to commit copycat crimes in the wake of a fata
Social Affairs Jan. 21, 2024
-
Seoul mayor vows major public transport reform this year
From the launch of a new service that enables unlimited subway and bus access in Seoul to a water bus that transports passengers from Yeouido to Gangseo-gu in 30 minutes, 2024 is to be marked by a series of major transformations in the capital's public transportation services, Seoul's mayor said Wednesday. At a New Year's press conference, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said the "climate card," set to launch on Jan. 27, was the result of a new policy adopted to both mitigate pol
Social Affairs Jan. 17, 2024
-
Suspect in attack on Singaporean student arrested
A Korean man in his 30s suspected of attacking a female Singaporean student in broad daylight last week was arrested by the police Tuesday. The suspect, whose name and age were being withheld as of Monday afternoon, is being accused of punching the student several times in the face at around 4 p.m. on Friday, according to the Dongdaemun Police Station. The victim was walking at a crosswalk in Hwigyeong-dong, Dongdaemun-gu in Seoul when she was attacked. Police said the suspect has been diagnos
Social Affairs Jan. 16, 2024
-
Employment data service launches English newsletter
The Korea Employment Information Service said Monday that it released the first issue of the KEIS e-Letter, an English newsletter on Korea's latest employment trends and labor market information, on Jan. 4. The KEIS is affiliated with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and is in charge of collecting, analyzing and providing information related to employment, careers and jobs, supporting the advancement of employment services and running the employment information system. “This ne
Social Affairs Jan. 15, 2024
Most Popular
-
1
Korean labor force to shrink by 10 million by 2044: report
-
2
[AtoZ Korean Mind] Does your job define who you are? Should it?
-
3
Allegations surrounding BTS resurface, enraged fans demand apology
-
4
Students with history of violence will be barred from becoming teachers
-
5
Probe of first lady on Dior bag allegations set to begin
-
6
'Super Rich in Korea' will leave viewers appreciating Korea more: producers
-
7
Top prosecutor pledges 'speedy, strict' probe into first lady's luxury bag allegations
-
8
Medical feud leaves hospitals in financial crisis
-
9
'Queen of Tears' riding high on Netflix chart
-
10
Chip up cycle won’t stay long: SK chief