[According to the law] (3) Seeking refuge in S. Korea

From international marriages, political asylum to run-ins with the law, there are a myriad of legal problems that foreign nationals can get embroiled in. The Korea Herald takes a look at some of the cases involving legal disputes of foreigners in South Korea. The following is the final installment. -- Ed. The Refugee Act stipulates that anyone within South Korean territory has the right to apply for refugee status, and according to a recent ruling, that includes the airport transit area. I

Social AffairsApril 20, 2022

Yoon to invite 41,000 for his inauguration ceremony amid eased virus distancing

A larger than previously planned number of people will be invited to attend President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's inaugural ceremony slated for early next month amid eased virus restrictions, according to Yoon's transition team Tuesday. Some 41,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony, including political leaders, citizens and bereaved families of sailors killed in North Korea's sinking of the Cheonan warship in 2010, the transition team said. The transition team said more people than previo

PoliticsApril 19, 2022

Arrest warrants issued for woman, boyfriend in drowning death of husband

A local court issued arrest warrants Tuesday for a woman and her boyfriend who stand accused of causing the 2009 drowning death of the woman's husband for a hefty insurance payout.  Lee Eun-hae, 31, and her extramarital lover, Cho Hyun-soo, 30, were detained Saturday on charges of prodding Lee's then 39-year-old husband to jump into a valley river in Gapyeong, 60 kilometers east of Seoul, even though he was unable to swim, and letting him drown. Investigators suspect they committed the

Social AffairsApril 19, 2022

Unification minister holds talks with US nuclear envoy on N. Korea

Unification Minister Lee In-young met with the US envoy for North Korea to seek ways to bring the reclusive regime back to the negotiating table, his office said Tuesday. During the meeting, Lee and U.S. Special Representative Sung Kim discussed ways to "stably manage" the currently "grave" political situation on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said in a press release. Lee stressed the two sides must maintain close policy cooperation ahead of the incoming government of

Diplomatic CircuitApril 19, 2022

Unionized bus drivers in Seoul vote for strike over wages

Unionized bus drivers in Seoul have voted for a strike to demand pay hikes, its union said Tuesday. According to the union, some 15,800 out of its 18,000 members voted in favor of a strike. They will go on strike on April 26 if negotiations with their management fall through. Unionized bus drivers in major cities, such as Daegu, also voted for a strike on the same day. If they walk out, some 98 percent of buses that run in Seoul will be affected, according to the union. The union claimed a wa

Social AffairsApril 19, 2022

Sunfull Foundation declares May 23 ‘No Hate Comments Day’

The Sunfull Foundation has declared May 23 “No Hate Comments Day” to raise awareness about cyberbullying and promote positive online messages. A ceremony was held Tuesday at DGB Financial Center in central Seoul with the Sunfull Foundation’s founder Min Byung-chul, local lawmakers and members of Sunfull youth supporter clubs in attendance. May 23 is the day that the anti-cyberbullying campaign will begin in earnest, the foundation explained. During the week between May 17

Social AffairsApril 19, 2022

Webzen labor union to stage game industry’s 1st strike

The labor union of local game developer Webzen has decided to go on what will be the first strike in the country’s game industry if its planned walkout takes place on May 2 as scheduled. “It is hard to see this incident as just an issue where employees of a company are dissatisfied with the way they are treated,” said Webzen’s labor union in a press conference held in front of the game maker’s office in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. “This strike is m

Social AffairsApril 19, 2022

North Korea slams Yoon for keeping mum on Japan’s history distortion

North Korea’s state propaganda outlet slammed President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday for keeping mum on Japan’s approval of school textbooks distorting history of its forceful acts against Korean people during the Japanese colonial period. Citing the Japanese government approving the use of high school history textbooks that distort the facts on wartime forced labor and sexual slavery of Korean people, the North said Yoon is siding with Japan in an article published on Uriminzok

North KoreaApril 19, 2022

Justice minister nominee controversy - justified fear or political calculations?

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s nomination of his closest confidant, senior prosecutor Han Dong-hoon, as the minister of justice has been met with fierce backlash from opponents, who take it as a signal foreshadowing political retribution. With the country set for a change in power upon Yoon’s inauguration, Han’s nomination has come as a spark to the volatile situation surrounding the prosecution reform drive of the current ruling Democratic Party of Korea. The Democratic P

PoliticsApril 19, 2022

Number of infected students in Seoul drops to 10,000s

The number of COVID-19 cases among students and kindergarteners showed a 40 percent week-on-week drop, Seoul’s education authority said Tuesday, as schools prepare to return to normal with the attendance rate for schools in Seoul nearing 100 percent. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on Tuesday, 16,814 kindergarteners, elementary, middle and high school students contracted COVID-19 in April 11-17, marking a 40.8 percent drop from 28,366 from the week before. The

Social AffairsApril 19, 2022

Yoon likely to meet Biden virtually first before meeting in person late May

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is likely to meet US President Joe Biden at the global COVID-19 summit virtually first, and the two are expected to meet face-to-face around May 20 in Seoul to strengthen their alliance against North Korea and China. The US will co-host the second global COVID-19 summit on May 12, a virtual gathering intended to build momentum for vaccine donations, attended by leaders of major countries to jointly respond to the coronavirus pandemic. This summit follows the fi

Foreign AffairsApril 19, 2022

US willing to discuss ‘full range’ of NK concerns but only through dialogue

The US said it is willing to discuss the “full range” of North Korea’s concerns only through dialogue, whereas a pro-North Korea newspaper said it will continue weapons development to “subdue” and overpower the US. The US State Department on Monday reiterated the Biden administration’s two-pronged approach to keep the door open for dialogue and hold North Korea accountable for illicitly developing weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. S

North KoreaApril 19, 2022

Prosecution fights at all levels to protect investigative powers

The first nationwide meeting of junior prosecutors in 19 years has been called, as the prosecution continues to vocally oppose the legislative push to strip investigative powers from the law enforcement agency, despite growing calls for the ruling party to stop acting against public interest. At 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, around 150 junior prosecutors from offices across South Korea were scheduled to gather and express discontent with p

PoliticsApril 19, 2022

70% of women in their 20s-30s think Korea is not equal for females

More than half of South Korean people think women are not treated equally to men, a government survey showed Tuesday. According to the quinquennial government study, 53.4 percent of respondents said South Korea is not an equal society for women, down from 62.6 percent tallied in 2016. By gender, 65.4 percent of female and 41.4 percent of male respondents gave the same answer. The survey was conducted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on 8,358 people aged 15 or older last year. Those

Social AffairsApril 19, 2022

[Feature] Cut-price crab comes with bitter aftertaste

  Russia invades Ukraine. China locks down an entire city over the coronavirus. And fresh and meaty crabs are half their usual price at supermarkets in South Korea.  In today’s intertwined world, these things are all linked.  But how much should we care?  It’s bonanza time for crab lovers in South Korea, a local retailer tells seafood aficionados, luring them to come and grab the cut-price crustaceans while they still can.  Crab season  On Wednesd

Social AffairsApril 19, 2022

Moon thanks people, medical workers as S. Korea returns to normal life

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday thanked people and medical workers for their efforts to battle COVID-19 as South Korea removed all social distancing measures, except a mask mandate, and returned to normal life. "With social distancing fully lifted, people regained their daily lives," Moon told a Cabinet meeting. "I sincerely thank people, epidemic prevention and medical workers for their cooperation." Starting Monday, restaurants, cafes and many other business establishments

PoliticsApril 19, 2022

[According to the law] (2) International marriages gone wrong

From international marriages, political asylum to run-ins with the law, there are a myriad of legal problems that foreign nationals can get embroiled in. The Korea Herald takes a look at some of the cases involving legal disputes of foreigners in South Korea. The following is the second installment of a three-part series. -- Ed. For decades, there has been a custom of Korean bachelors from rural agricultural towns finding brides in lower-income countries with the help of international marriag

Social AffairsApril 19, 2022

Agreement signed to launch 'Special Union' of Busan, Ulsan, South Gyeongsang Province

The interior ministry on Tuesday signed an agreement with the local governments of Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province to launch a new European Union-like administrative unit aimed at promoting balanced regional development and invigorating local economies. The "special union" of the three local governments will officially start operating in January next year, with its council to comprise 27 members -- nine each from the three municipalities -- and the heads of the three governm

Social AffairsApril 19, 2022

S. Korea reports 118,504 new cases with omicron receding

South Korea's daily coronavirus cases jumped Tuesday, apparently due to increased virus tests, but the caseload was about half the tally from a week ago as the spread of omicron slows down. The country added 118,504 new COVID-19 infections, including 20 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 16,471,940, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The new tally is similar to the numbers seen in the third week of February when the omicron wave started to accelerate na

Social AffairsApril 19, 2022

Moon pays respects to victims of 1960 pro-democracy uprising

President Moon Jae-in paid his respects Tuesday to those killed in a 1960 pro-democracy civil uprising that led to the ousting of South Korea's first President Syngman Rhee. Moon offered flowers and burned incense before holding a moment of silence at a national cemetery in northern Seoul that holds the remains of 186 people killed in the "April 19 Revolution." In a message posted on social media, Moon said the civil uprising proved that all state authority shall emanate from people. &

PoliticsApril 19, 2022