Articles by Park Jun-hee
Park Jun-hee
junheee@heraldcorp.com-
Teachers, govt. at odds over rally set for Sept. 4
Teachers and the government are locking horns over a massive rally on Sept. 4 where some 70,000 teachers plan to participate by taking a day off from school despite the government’s threat of disciplinary action. Under the slogan “a day to pause public education,” the teachers will rally on Sept. 4 to demand that parliament pass a bill to grant teachers immunity from child abuse claims. While the second semester has kicked off for many schools, the teachers plan to walk out of
Social Affairs Aug. 28, 2023
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‘Bikini debate’ opens up on public exposure
Relaxing by the poolside or a the beach in a bikini may not be banned by pool rules, nor is it deemed inappropriate, but walking around town in the skimpily stretched fabric could land one with a fine in Korea. Recently, several women have taken social media by storm for riding scooters and motorcycles while wearing bikinis in central Seoul. They were immediately reported to police for “causing discomfort,” and the issue has since sparked debate as to what is appropriate to wear in p
Social Affairs Aug. 21, 2023
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New class policy leaves teachers open to child abuse accusations: experts
South Korea’s Education Ministry rolled out a set of new class policies last week to bolster waning teachers’ rights, but some experts have raised concerns that the measures would make teachers more vulnerable to child abuse accusations. When verbal discipline fails or students pose a physical threat to teachers or other students, the ministry’s guideline states that teachers will be allowed to use force to physically restrain disruptive students. They can also confiscate phone
Social Affairs Aug. 20, 2023
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Teachers to be allowed to remove disruptive students, ban phones
Teachers will be allowed to remove disruptive students and confiscate their mobile phones if they continue to interrupt classroom operations and disturb other students starting next month, the Education Ministry said during a policy briefing Thursday. The new policy will apply to teachers working in elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. If a student fails to comply with a teacher’s instructions, teachers can ask the head of their schools for permission to hand out punishment
Social Affairs Aug. 17, 2023
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S. Korea unveils 5-year plan to attract 300,000 foreign students
South Korea’s Ministry of Education on Wednesday unveiled a five-year plan aimed at attracting 300,000 international students to tackle the nation’s rapidly declining school-age population and to strengthen the competitiveness of local universities already reeling from enrollment shortages. To attract more foreign students to enroll in Korean universities, the Education Ministry plans to revise the International Education Quality Assurance System, which stipulates that more than 30 p
Social Affairs Aug. 16, 2023
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Malaria on the rise in Korea
Fears of malaria are growing in South Korea as the country is seeing an increase in the mosquito-borne disease. According to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s Infectious Disease portal, a total of 509 cases of malaria have been reported so far this year. The figure amounts to a nearly fourfold increase compared to last year, when 193 malaria cases were reported during the first seven months of the year. The number of total malaria cases here has not gone beyond 70
Social Affairs Aug. 15, 2023
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President Yoon’s father dies at 92
Yoon Ki-jung, the father of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and an emeritus professor in the applied statistics department at Yonsei University, has died, the presidential office announced Tuesday. He was 92. Yoon had recently been admitted to Seoul National University Hospital. The cause of death was not disclosed. President Yoon went to be by his father‘s side during his final moments, after delivering a speech marking the nation’s 78th Liberation Day in the morning, according
Politics Aug. 15, 2023
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North Jeolla Province governor apologizes, defends against ‘defamation’ over Jamboree mishandling
As the 25th World Scout Jamboree concluded amid controversy over mismanagement and alleged misuse of funds, the governor of North Jeolla Province publicly bowed his head in apology, but he also said legal action would be taken against the spread of false information. “Many people expected and supported a large-scale international event in North Jeolla Province, but we are very sorry that we could not reap the beauty of the end,” Gov. Kim Kwan-young said in a press briefing Monday. &l
Politics Aug. 14, 2023
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[70th Anniversary] Seven challenges for South Korea's social, economic survival
Moving forward from South Korea's dynamic seven decades, The Korea Herald identifies the seven most crucial challenges the nation must overcome for a sustainable and prosperous future. – Ed. Climate crisis becomes irreversible reality Climate change has long been considered a future disaster rather than a present threat by many Koreans. However, it has now become a largely irreversible reality, manifesting as a series of extreme weather events that significantly affect people'
Social Affairs Aug. 13, 2023
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Education Ministry official under fire for ‘unjustly’ reporting child’s teacher for child abuse
The Ministry of Education said late Thursday that it had launched an investigation into a case where a deputy director-level official at the ministry reported their child’s elementary school for child abuse. Following the complaint, the teacher was immediately removed from their post. According to reports citing the Elementary School Teachers’ Union, the ministry official used their position to file a complaint in November against the then-third-grade teacher, accusing them of child
Social Affairs Aug. 11, 2023
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Typhoon Khanun weaker than expected
Typhoon Khanun was weaker than initially predicted, as it lost speed while moving north along the peninsula, the Korea Meteorological Administration said Friday. The weather agency added that Khanun had left the country at around 6 a.m. Friday and entered North Korea, where it was heading toward the capital Pyongyang. Typhoon advisories were lifted across the country, and the alert level was lowered from "serious" to "alert." There were 379 reports of damage from Typhoon Khan
Social Affairs Aug. 11, 2023
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Will Khanun be Korea’s costliest typhoon?
South Korea was bracing for one of the most destructive typhoons in years as Typhoon Khanun, accompanied by copious rainfall and destructive winds, pummeled the country on Thursday. The Korea Meteorological Administration said Khanun, which means “jackfruit” in Thai, could be the first to traverse the entire Korean Peninsula from south to north, threatening to bring extensive destruction in its wake. The projected route also could mirror that of Typhoon Rusa in 2002, which was the co
Social Affairs Aug. 10, 2023
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Weapon possession, online threats to be punished
As murder threats are sparking grave fears in South Korea following the recent deadly stabbing rampage in Bundang, the Justice Ministry said Wednesday that it would create new legal provisions to seek punishment for writers of online murder threats or those possessing weapons in public places. Upon the recommendation of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office to amend laws related to public intimidation, the ministry said it would set up new criminal punishment provisions after reviewing legislati
Social Affairs Aug. 9, 2023
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7 in 10 Koreans favor immunity for teachers over child abuse charges
As teachers struggle with maintaining authority over unruly students and dealing with assertive parents, a survey released Wednesday shows that a majority of South Koreans support granting educators immunity from child abuse charges concerning actions taken for educational reasons. A joint poll conducted by Yonhap News Agency and Yonhap News TV showed that 74.3 percent of respondents answered “yes” when asked if they agreed with granting immunity from child abuse during life skills e
Social Affairs Aug. 9, 2023
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Justice minister calls for self-defense exception
Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon said Monday that the use of force by police and the general public when confronting a suspect harming or threatening to harm people’s lives and bodies should be considered self-defense. Han’s remarks come after Thursday night’s deadly knife attack in a department store in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, and the stabbing incident near Sillim Station, in Seoul’s Gwanak-gu, in July, which left a total of two dead and 16 people injured. Han said
Social Affairs Aug. 7, 2023
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