Articles by Shin Ji-hye
Shin Ji-hye
shinjh@heraldcorp.com-
Illegal sales of fentanyl surge in South Korea
Illegal sales of fentanyl, a potent and highly addictive opioid, have increased significantly in South Korea, raising concerns among authorities and the public alike. Data obtained by Rep. Kim Yoon of the Democratic Party reveals that there were 202 online cases of illegal fentanyl sales detected by June 27 this year. This figure is 3.2 times higher than the 62 cases reported throughout the entire previous year. Fentanyl, while used medically as a powerful painkiller, is highly addictive even in
Social Affairs July 14, 2024
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1 in 650 Korean seniors pick up cardboard: data
Older local residents pushing carts laden with discarded cardboard on the street have become a poignant symbol of South Korea’s elderly poverty crisis. These individuals roam the streets collecting cardboard boxes to sell to recycling centers. According to the Ministry of Welfare on Wednesday, at least 1 out of every 650 South Koreans aged 65 or older engage in the activity to make a living. Between February and May this year, there were 14,831 such individuals. Their average monthly inc
Social Affairs July 10, 2024
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[LLG] How this 'cat detective' finds missing felines
Cho Sung-min is a cat detective. His job is to locate house cats that have wandered from home and return them to their worried owners. When a client calls, he comes equipped with an array of tools like high-performance flashlights, selfie sticks, endoscope cameras, scoop nets, cat traps and even crowbars, in case he needs to open manholes. But it’s not the apparatus that matters. It’s knowing where to look that truly makes him a successful cat detective, he said. “Cats leave
Hashtag Korea July 10, 2024
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‘When relationships tire you out, try Schopenhauer’
“A man can be himself only so long as he is alone; and if he does not love solitude, he will not love freedom; for it is only when he is alone that he is really free." “What now on the other hand makes people sociable is their incapacity to endure solitude and thus themselves." More than ever before, the wisdom of Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), a German philosopher, resonates with contemporary South Koreans who seek relief from relationship fatigue, social expectatio
Hashtag Korea July 9, 2024
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Suspected human case of tularemia found in Suwon, raw beef liver suspected
A suspected human case of tularemia, a rare disease carried by rodents, insects and wild animals, was found in a resident of Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, health authorities said Monday. A man in his 20s experienced abdominal pain and fever after eating raw beef liver at a restaurant on June 24. He was admitted to a local hospital, where he tested positive for the tularemia bacterium. Although he dined with a companion, only he exhibited symptoms. He recovered and was discharged from hospital on
Social Affairs July 8, 2024
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No kids at the pool? Hotels turn backs on families
Low birth rates are not just statistics; their implications are evident across various aspects of Korean society, including the vacation scene. As childless couples and solo vacationers emerge as key target customers, more South Korean hotels and resorts are adopting adults-only policies to cultivate a serene and sophisticated ambience for adult guests. This trend, coming on top of an increase in “no-kid” venues in the country, raises questions about inclusivity and how to balance
Social Affairs July 2, 2024
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One-third of new students at Korea’s ‘SKY’ universities are from Seoul
One-third of new students at Korea’s top three universities were found to come from high schools in the nation’s capital city, Seoul. According to Yonhap News reports citing the state-run Higher Education in Korea website on Sunday, among 13,141 entrants to Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Korea University, 32 percent were from high schools in Seoul -- double the national average. By school, Seoul National University had the largest percentage of its students from Se
Social Affairs June 30, 2024
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Delivery workers bewildered by new fees to enter apartment complex
Delivery workers in the Osong area of Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, are protesting a new apartment rule requiring them to pay a fee to access an underground parking area, which is the only way for delivery vehicles to enter the premises, according to local news reports Thursday. According to Yonhap News Agency, citing a delivery worker who reported the issue, the driver recently was notified of a change in the complex's administration rules meaning that delivery vehicles must regi
Social Affairs June 29, 2024
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Descendent of Korean War veteran feels 'pride, responsibility' for grandfather's legacy
Stephanie Arguello Gaona and Valentina Rojas Martinez, both from Colombia, stood before one of the 23 memorial statues at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul, Tuesday. It was 74 years ago on that day when the Korean War broke out, marking the beginning of their connection to this distant Asian country. Their grandfathers, who were teenagers at the time, fought as part of the United Nations troops to defend South Korea from communist invaders. “My grandfather’s name is Santiag
Social Affairs June 25, 2024
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Jeju taps Indonesian influencer as new ambassador to boost tourism
Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is set to expand its reach into the Southeast Asian tourism market by appointing a popular Indonesian influencer as its new promotional ambassador. Jeju’s provincial government said Friday it officially designated Anang Hermansyah, an Indonesian influencer with 6.56 million YouTube subscribers and 2.58 million Facebook followers, as its promotional ambassador. On the day, Governor Oh Young-hun met with Anang Hermansyah and his wife, Ashanty Ash, along
Social Affairs June 21, 2024
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Hacking of public organizations rises: data
Amid a recent surge in spam messages, hacking has emerged as the leading cause of personal information leaks. Notably, data revealed Friday that information leaks resulting from public organization hacks have significantly increased. According to data released by Rep. Park Chung-kwon from the People Power Party, obtained from the Korea Internet & Security Agency, information leaks through hacking stood at 151 cases, accounting for nearly half of the total 318 cases last year. Work mishap
Social Affairs June 21, 2024
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Woman indicted for filming judges, police with camera hidden in glasses
A woman in her 30s, who is undergoing criminal trial for firing a gas-powered self-defense weapon at a doctor, is now facing additional charges for secretly filming her interrogations and court proceedings According to the prosecution in Daegu on Wednesday, the suspect, detained and prosecuted in the assault case, has been indicted for violating the Protection of Communications Secrets Act by filming the hearing using glasses fitted with a hidden camera. The woman was apprehended at a Daegu cl
Social Affairs June 20, 2024
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Surge in spam messages sparks calls for authorities' response
Spam text messages promoting stock investment information, gambling, shopping and loan services have surged this year, data shows, while authorities have struggled take appropriate measures. According to data released by Rep. Hwang Jung-ah from the Democratic Party of Korea, obtained from the Korea Communications Commission, approximately 168 million text messages received via smartphones were identified as spam between January and May. The five-month tally surpassed the figure for the correspon
Social Affairs June 19, 2024
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[Korea Quiz] Jeju's wonders
Find the answer at the bottom. South Korea’s southern Jeju Island, created by volcanic activities from as early as 1.2 million years ago, is virtually like a volcano museum. With diverse volcanic features, including volcanic cones, craters and lava tubes, stretching in every direction, the island was also the first in South Korea to be inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 2007. It was listed as the Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes, which includes Hallasan, Seongsan Ilc
Hashtag Korea June 19, 2024
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Zoo-born lion’s first moment outdoors captured in photos
A lion that was born and kept in the basement cell of an indoor zoo for its whole life experienced what it feels like to be outside for the first time on Monday. According to Yonhap News Agency and officials at Spavalley, a theme park in Daegu, the male lion appeared bewildered at first and hesitated, but he soon began to explore his new home of around 500 square meters of land -- more than 10 times the size of the previous indoor cell. The lion also met his lifelong female lion companion, whi
Social Affairs June 18, 2024
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