[Newsmaker] Disabled students in South Korea struggle to find right school

At Park Hyun-soo’s home in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul, weekday mornings are just like in any other household with young students. 　She wakes up her daughter, fixes her something to eat, and rushes around the house to get everything she needs for the day in her school bag. Protesters argue at a forum held on Sept. 5 to gather opinions on the planned establishment of a special school in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul. Advocates of the plan clashed with local residents who have demanded its cancellation,

Social AffairsSept. 17, 2017

[Newsmaker] Seoul's aid to NK faces Japan's opposition

The South Korean government said Friday that its plan for an $8 million humanitarian aid package for North Korea would not be affected by the rogue regime’s military provocation Friday. But pressure intensified from in and outside of the country to abort -- or at least suspend -- the plan. During a phone conversation after North Korea's fresh launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Friday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Moon to consider timing of Seoul's humanitarian aid to

North KoreaSept. 15, 2017

[Newsmaker] Kaesong businesses: Forgotten casualties of N. Korean crisis

South Korean business operators of the now-shuttered joint industrial complex in North Korea’s border city of Kaesong are stuck in a limbo.Amid North Korea’s escalating military provocations and ensuing tougher international sanctions, hopes for a resumption of business have been dashed. However, the South Korean government is late in processing compensation for the business owners, in spite of the urgency that envelopes these firms.  Kaesong Industrial Complex, closed for nearly 18 months, is s

North KoreaSept. 14, 2017

[Newsmaker] Naver, Kakao compete to secure more AI speaker purchases

South Korea’s two biggest IT companies are ramping up efforts to achieve more preorders for their artificial intelligence-powered smart speakers that are slated to hit shelves here soon, with aims to dominate the nascent market. Naver, the operator of Korea’s biggest portal website, and Kakao, which runs the country’s most widely used mobile messenger KakaoTalk, are slated to launch voice-activated standalone speakers here in the coming months.Globally, the smart speaker market is dominated by f

TechnologySept. 13, 2017

[Newsmaker] Top court nominee grilled over left-wing views, qualifications

Kim Meong-su, the nominee for South Korea’s Supreme Court chief justice, was grilled over his qualifications and ideological orientations Tuesday during a parliamentary confirmation hearing. In his opening speech, the reformist judge vowed to uphold the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, free from political pressure or influence-peddling involving judge-turned-lawyers, so that it could regain the public trust. “I will neither deny nor turn a blind eye to the public’s distrust in the

Social AffairsSept. 12, 2017

[Newsmaker] Korea’s FTC head faces flak for calling Naver founder ‘visionless’

The chief of South Korea’s antitrust watchdog, who built his reputation as a “chaebol sniper,” is facing flak from local IT industry leaders after calling Naver founder Lee Hae-jin a figure who “lacks vision for the future,” unlike Apple founder Steve Jobs. 　　Fair Trade Commission Chairman Kim Sang-jo criticized the Naver founder, who he had recently met over the Korean internet giant’s listing on a new corporate watch list, in a recent interview with local newspaper Kookmin Ilbo. 　“A company of

TechnologySept. 11, 2017

[Newsmaker] N. Korean leader boasts nuke test as 'great victory' at celebration

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un hailed the latest nuclear test as "a great victory" at a celebration banquet, and praised the officials and experts for their efforts in carrying out the successful experiment, its state media said Sunday.The Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea hosted a feast to mark the North's sixth and the most powerful test conducted last week, according to the Korean Central News Agency.Last Sunday, Pyongyang said it conducted

North KoreaSept. 10, 2017

[Newsmaker] S. Korea closely watching N. Korea for signs of provocations on founding anniversary

South Korea's military is watching North Korea closely for signs of provocations, officials said Saturday, amid concern the regime could undertake a missile launch or even another nuclear test on its founding anniversary.The anniversary, which marks the 1948 establishment of the North's communist government, comes about a week after it carried out its sixth nuclear test and claimed the device was a hydrogen bomb designed to fit on an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the Uni

North KoreaSept. 9, 2017

[Newsmaker] Chased by Irma, Floridians endure arduous journeys to safety

Floridians fleeing Hurricane Irma have turned freeways across the Southeast into red ribbons of brake lights as they head elsewhere _ to Atlanta, Montgomery, Nashville _ to bunk with relatives, stay at campgrounds or grab hotels before the massive storm makes landfall.Because Interstate 75 north leads straight to Atlanta, thousands of the evacuees have funneled into the city. Other cars and trucks with Florida plates, a few carrying fishing boats, trekked on to Tennessee."We just packed the car

World NewsSept. 9, 2017

[Newsmaker] At least 5 dead as magnitude 8.2 quake rocks Mexico

A powerful 8.2-magnitude earthquake rocked Mexico late Thursday, killing at least 5 people and triggering a tsunami alert in what the president called the quake-prone country’s biggest one in a century.Officials evacuated residents along the central and southern Pacific coast as seismologists warned a tsunami of more than three meters could be headed toward land, affecting coastal towns as far south as Ecuador.The quake hit offshore in the Pacific at 11:49 p.m., about 100 kilometers from the coa

World NewsSept. 8, 2017

[Newsmaker] THAAD system deployment completed: S. Korea

South Korea's defense ministry announced Thursday the deployment of a THAAD missile defense system has been completed in a "tentative" step to counter urgent threats from North Korea.The announcement came soon after the US Forces Korea (USFK) transported four additional THAAD rocket launchers into its new base in Seongju, some 300 kilometers south of Seoul, despite fierce protests by local residents and activists. Thousands of police were mobilized to help clear the way for a convoy of USFK vehi

DefenseSept. 7, 2017

[Newsmaker] Calls grow for tougher juvenile sentencing

In light of recent brutal crimes involving minors, calls are growing in South Korea that it is time to end leniency toward juvenile offenders. Politicians appear to concur. Rep. Choo Mi-ae, chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Party, highlighted the need to revise the Juvenile Act, which covers criminal offenders aged 10 to 18 and allows them to receive more lenient treatment. Minors under 14 do not face criminal trials at all, while those under 18 are punishable by a maximum of 20 years in jail.

Social AffairsSept. 6, 2017

[Newsmaker] After long, bumpy road, S. Korea qualifies for 2018 World Cup

It has been a long and bumpy road, but South Korea on Tuesday realized its dream of making it to their ninth consecutive World Cup finals here.  The men's national soccer team secured a spot at the 2018 FIFA World Cup after clinching the second place in Group A in the final Asian qualifying round with a scoreless draw with Uzbekistan.In the Asian Football Confederation, the top two teams from Group A and B in the final round directly advance to the World Cup, while two third-placed teams need to

SoccerSept. 6, 2017

[Newsmaker] Four steps to take if war breaks out

It appears experts and government officials here and abroad have yet to decide just what to think of North Korea’s latest nuclear test Sunday. But for ordinary South Koreans, one thing looks clear: North Korea’s weapons program has made significant progress. In other words, those in South Korea are now at greater risk. The possibility of the ongoing military tension evolving into a full-blown war is still deemed low, but there is no harm in preparing for the worst-case scenario. Even in a nuclea

North KoreaSept. 5, 2017

[Newsmaker] Naver regretful of FTC’s designation of founder Lee Hae-jin as ‘owner’

Naver expressed regrets Monday over the South Korean antitrust watchdog’s decision to add the company as well as its founder Lee Hae-jin to a new corporate watch list, citing plans to review legal actions to challenge the FTC’s interpretation. 　South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission on Sunday designated Korea’s biggest portal website operator Naver as a “large corporation” with founder Lee as its effective owner, a move which requires the Korean internet giant and Lee to follow new antitrust regula

TechnologySept. 4, 2017

[Newsmaker] Kim Jong-un: Absolute power -- and an H-bomb to wield it

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ranks among the world’s youngest heads of state, but has some of its most powerful weapons at his disposal.Sunday’s test of what appeared to be a powerful, full-fledged thermonuclear bomb, marked yet another watershed in Kim’s relentless drive as leader to turn the North into a credible -- and feared -- nuclear-armed state.In the process, he has simply shrugged off international warnings and economic sanctions, as well as bellicose threats from US President Donald

North KoreaSept. 3, 2017

[Newsmaker] Trump’s talk of scrapping FTA adds strain on Korea

Tension heightened between Seoul and Washington over the weekend, upon reports by the US media that said President Donald Trump is considering a possible withdrawal from the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement.With many viewing Trump’s gesture as an attempt to gain an upper hand in stalled renegotiations, a Seoul official with the Trade Ministry said that South Korea has no change in its policies on the FTA with the United States despite Trump’s hints.The US president on Saturday told repo

EconomySept. 3, 2017

[Newsmaker] Trump says to weigh withdrawal from S. Korea trade deal

US President Donald Trump said Saturday he would meet with his advisers next week to weigh a possible withdrawal from the US free trade agreement with South Korea.Trump made the remark to journalists during a trip to hurricane-hit Houston, Reuters said, shortly after the move was reported by the Washington Post. Citing multiple sources close to the process, the paper said Trump has instructed advisers to prepare for the withdrawal, but several White House officials are trying to stop him. &

EconomySept. 3, 2017

[Newsmaker] Korea face near must-win situation in final World Cup qualifier

Having squandered a chance to qualify for the World Cup at home, South Korea now face a near must-win situation on the road next week.South Korea could have clinched their ninth consecutive World Cup berth with a win over Iran on Thursday at Seoul World Cup Stadium. But they settled for a scoreless draw against the 10-man opponents, and their fate will be determined next Tuesday against Uzbekistan in Tashkent. It'll be the final qualifying match for both nations.In the ongoing final Asian qualif

SoccerSept. 1, 2017

[Newsmaker] Validity of 2012 presidential election called into question

The validity of South Korea’s 2012 presidential election, in which now-jailed former President Park Geun-hye beat the current President Moon Jae-in by a narrow margin, is now in doubt, after then spy agency chief was found guilty of conducting a secret operation to help Park win the race. Former President Park Geun-hye, who is now in jail over corruption charges, is taken to the Seoul Central District Court on May 30, 2017. (Yonhap)Won Sei-hoon, who led the National Intelligence Agency from 2009

Social AffairsAug. 31, 2017