[Newsmaker] Indoor sports facilities dissatisfied with 'nonsensical' COVID-19 exceptions

Business owners expressed discontent and dissatisfaction toward the government for making “unrealistic” and “nonsensical” exceptions to let indoor sports facilities operate in a limited capacity. Starting Friday, indoor sports facilities were allowed to reopen their doors with a cap of nine children at a time, an exception the government made to address the gap in child care. Indoor sports facility owners are frustrated with the response, as the revised rules do not add

Social AffairsJan. 8, 2021

[Newsmaker] Korean American lawmaker helps 'clean up' tarnished US Capitol

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ), a Korean American congressman, received wide attention and praise on Thursday for helping clean up the mess from the previous day's insurrection at the US Capitol. Thousands of angry protesters stormed the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday while the Senate and the House of Representatives were trying to certify the outcome of the Nov. 3 presidential election. One person was shot to death while three others died of medical issues, while many protesters breac

World NewsJan. 8, 2021

[Newsmaker] Seoul city government under fire for sexist tips for pregnant women

The Seoul city government came under fire after it published sexist and gender-stereotyped guidelines on its website for pregnant women suggesting household chores and child care are women’s responsibility. According to the guidelines, a pregnant woman needs to prepare food, clothes and daily necessities for her family so that they are not inconvenienced by her absence while she is in hospital to give birth. The guidelines also suggested a woman should take care of her appearance during

Social AffairsJan. 7, 2021

[Newsmaker] Pro-Trump mob storms US Capitol in bid to overturn election

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A violent mob loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday and forced lawmakers into hiding, in a stunning attempt to overturn America’s presidential election, undercut the nation’s democracy and keep Democrat Joe Biden from replacing Trump in the White House. The nation’s elected representatives scrambled to crouch under desks and don gas masks, while police futilely tried to barricade the building, one of the most jarring scenes

World NewsJan. 7, 2021

[Newsmaker] Coffee shops, bars, internet cafes join protest against virus restrictions

Coffee shops, bars and internet cafes have joined a growing list of businesses protesting the government's coronavirus restrictions, with shop owners lighting signboards, staging demonstrations and petitioning the Constitutional Court. The shop owners say the restrictions are applied unfairly, allowing some businesses to reopen while shuttering others, and without any promise of proper compensation for their losses. The complaints have grown since the government extended Level 2.5 social dista

Social AffairsJan. 6, 2021

[Newsmaker] Public sharply divided over pardons for two ex-presidents in jail: poll

South Koreans were almost evenly divided on the idea of granting pardons to two former presidents currently in prison for corruption charges, a hotly debated topic recently brought up by the ruling party chief, a survey showed Wednesday. In a one-day survey by Realmeter conducted on 500 voters nationwide on Tuesday, 47.7 percent of respondents said they were in favor of providing amnesty to Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, while 48 percent said they were against the idea. The remaining 4.3 perc

PoliticsJan. 6, 2021

[Newsmaker] Toddler’s death thrusts child abuse back into spotlight

Another high-profile child abuse case has once again spurred a nationwide political movement in South Korea. The public is calling for legislative change to protect children’s rights, including heightened punishment for child abusers and an improved system to investigate potential cases. But the movement could end up as just another short-lived hype, experts warn, saying that earlier such endeavors fell short of yielding meaningful results. The 16-month-old girl at the center of the lat

Social AffairsJan. 5, 2021

[Newsmaker] Gyms reopen in defiance of coronavirus restrictions

A growing number of gym owners have reopened their businesses this week in defiance of the government's coronavirus restrictions, claiming the rules are unfair and putting their livelihoods at stake. Indoor gyms in the capital area are subject to an assembly ban under Level 2.5 social distancing measures, which were recently extended by two weeks until Jan. 17. In announcing the extension, however, the government allowed ballet and taekwondo schools to hold classes of up to nine people, sparkin

Social AffairsJan. 5, 2021

[Newsmaker] Death of 16-month-old causes public outcry

The death of a 16-month-old girl has caused public outrage in South Korea.  The girl reportedly died from violent child abuse that took place over nine months by her adoptive parents. When the girl died in the emergency room at a hospital in western Seoul on Oct. 13, she had fractures across her body and her organs had suffered severe damage, including extensive damage to the pancreas and internal bleeding. The adoptive parents are set to face trial on Jan. 13. The prosecution has indi

Social AffairsJan. 4, 2021

[Newsmaker] S. Korea in talks with US to cover wages of Korean workers at USFK: official

South Korea is in talks with the United States to cover the wages of Korean employees at the US Forces Korea (USFK), an official said Monday, in an apparent move to avoid another furlough amid the stalled defense cost-sharing negotiations. The prolonged deadlock in the talks determining Seoul's share of the costs to keep American troops here potentially puts thousands of Korean workers at USFK at risk of being forced to take unpaid leave again this year. About 4,000 of them were furloughed for

DefenseJan. 4, 2021

[Newsmaker] Shattering prejudice about cultural heritage

Imagine learning about Korean cultural heritage and history with K-pop stars while reading a webtoon or watching a short movie, instead of reading dry textbooks. The Cultural Heritage Administration is working to break the perception that learning about history and culture is boring, while also trying to appeal to young people. Last September, the CHA rolled out an eight-episode short documentary series starring boy band Monsta X on YouTube. The documentary videos, which broadcaster JTBC al

CultureJan. 3, 2021

[Newsmaker] S. Korean population falls for 1st time on record low births

South Korea's population fell year-on-year for the first time in 2020, census data showed Sunday, with a record low number of births getting surpassed by deaths to cause a natural decrease. According to the latest census figures released by the Ministry of Interior and Safety, South Korea had 51,829,023 people as of Dec. 31, 2020, down 20,838 from the end of 2019. The population had increased in each of the previous 10 years, though the growth rate had been steadily falling -- from 1.49 percen

Social AffairsJan. 3, 2021

[Newsmaker] Medical students who boycotted licensing exam get second chance

The government will allow fourth-year medical students to retake a state medical licensing exam they boycotted, a reversal of its previous position, as the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic threatens to cause a shortage of doctors. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters said during a press briefing Thursday that the government will administer the practical test again in January as a precaution, to address the anticipated shortage of medical personnel next year. “We are dee

Social AffairsDec. 31, 2020

[Newsmaker] COVID-19 cases top 60,000 in S. Korea amid worst wave of pandemic

South Korea's total COVID-19 caseload broke the 60,000 mark on Thursday as new cases have been rising at an alarming pace despite tougher virus curbs put in place ahead of the year-end holiday season. New cases stood at 967 earlier in the day to raise the total to 60,740, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), surpassing the threshold 11 months after the nation's first confirmed case on Jan. 20. A total of 900 people have died from the highly infectious virus. It

Social AffairsDec. 31, 2020

[Newsmaker] N. Korea to set new policies at key party meeting soon

North Korea said Wednesday it will open a party congress in early January where leader Kim Jong-un is expected to set fresh economic and foreign policies. “At a politburo meeting Kim chaired Tuesday, matters that will top the agenda at the congress were discussed,” the Korean Central News Agency said, without revealing exactly what the agenda will be or when the congress will convene. North Korea watchers speculate Kim will launch new economic plans in the face of worsening food

North KoreaDec. 30, 2020

[Newsmaker] S. Korea decides to allow troops, citizens working for USFK to get COVID-19 vaccinations

The defense ministry decided Wednesday to allow South Korean soldiers and civilian workers affiliated with the US Forces Korea (USFK) to get COVID-19 vaccinations with doses shipped from the US for its service members stationed here, officials said. The South Korean troops affiliated with the Korean Augmentation to the US Army, known as KATUSA, as well as civilians working for USFK, are eligible for the inoculation according to the US government's vaccination plan, and USFK and Seoul's def

DefenseDec. 30, 2020

[Newsmaker] Search under way for crew members from capsized fishing boat near Jeju

JEJU ISLAND -- Search operations were under way off the coast of Jeju Island on Tuesday night for the crew members of a capsized fishing boat, authorities said. The coast guard said it received a report that the 39-ton vessel overturned at around 7:44 p.m. in waters some 2.6 kilometers northwest of the Port of Jeju, which is located near the middle of the island's north coast. Seven crew members were presumed to be aboard the vessel. Rescue workers found the vessel at the site and are attempti

Social AffairsDec. 30, 2020

[Newsmaker] Court order takes effect, allowing seizure of assets to pay victims of Japanese wartime forced labor

Diplomatic tensions between South Korea and Japan are likely to worsen after a court order took effect Tuesday, mandating that the local assets of a Japanese firm be sold off to compensate victims of forced labor. At the start of Tuesday, a public notice issued by the Daejeon District Court went into effect authorizing the seizure of assets held in South Korea by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. This would fulfill a November 2018 ruling by the Supreme Court ordering the company to provide between

Foreign AffairsDec. 29, 2020

[Newsmaker] S. Korea further ups guard against ASF as cases from wild boars continue to swell

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Tuesday it has further beefed up measures against African swine fever (ASF), including installing more fences, as infections among wild boars could lead to another wave of the pandemic at pig farms. South Korea has so far identified 898 cases of ASF from wild boars from the inter-Korean border areas since October last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs. "Recently, infected wild boars have been found outside of t

Social AffairsDec. 29, 2020

[Newsmaker] Delivery Hero to sell Yogiyo under watchdog’s antitrust policy

Germany-based Delivery Hero will concede its food delivery services Yogiyo as a cost of acquiring Woowa Brothers, the operator of market champion app Baemin, officials said Monday. The apparently reluctant decision came after South Korea’s antitrust watchdog disapproved the monopolistic merger of the top two apps in the fast-growing food delivery market. “We request that the Fair Trade Commission send the final notice in the first quarter next year,” the company posted on

IndustryDec. 28, 2020