[Newsmaker] Black Lives Matter banner removed from US Embassy building in Seoul

The US Embassy in Seoul said Tuesday that the Black Lives Matter banner draped on the facade of its building in Seoul had been removed to “avoid misperception” amid reports about President Donald Trump’s displeasure over the display. The embassy hung the banner on the front of its building Saturday in what was seen as a rare show of open support for the Black Lives Matter movement, with the US Embassy earlier tweeting a message in support of the anti-racism campaign across th

Foreign AffairsJune 16, 2020

[Newsmaker] 3 in 10 elderly abusers are sons: survey

Three in 10 abusers of older people were sons of the victims, with emotional abuse being the most common form of abuse reported, government data showed Monday. Some 31.2 percent of elderly abusers nationwide were sons, followed by spouses (30.3 percent) and care home workers (18.5 percent), according to data released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The number of elderly abuse cases reported from 34 elderly care facilities across the country stood at 16,071 last year, up 3.8 percent fr

Social AffairsJune 15, 2020

[Newsmaker] US Embassy in Seoul shows support for Black Lives Matter movement

The US Embassy in Seoul hung a banner on its building Saturday in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which has spread across the US, the embassy said Sunday. “The US Embassy stands in solidarity with fellow Americans grieving and peacefully protesting to demand positive change,” the embassy said on social media Saturday. “Our #BlackLivesMatter banner shows our support for the fight against racial injustice and police brutality as we strive to be a more inclusive &

Foreign AffairsJune 14, 2020

[Newsmaker] Police arrest man for brutally abusing 9-year-old stepdaughter

The police on Saturday arrested a man on charges of brutally abusing his nine-year-old stepdaughter, around two weeks after the girl escaped from her home seeking help. The 35-year-old suspect was going to be summoned earlier this week, but it was delayed after the man attempted to harm himself in protest of the decision to place the family's other children under temporary custody. The suspect declined to answer questions asked by reporters. During the investigation, however, he admitted to

Social AffairsJune 13, 2020

[Newsmaker] 17 foreigners deported for quarantine breaches

Seventeen foreigners have been deported for violating the COVID-19 self-quarantine rules and eight for refusing to be admitted to quarantine facilities upon entry, the government said Friday. Additionally, 38 foreigners were sent back for not following the entry procedures mandated since the coronavirus outbreak started. The government data on quarantine breaches shows that 531 people here broke quarantine orders between Feb. 19 and Wednesday -- 0.16 percent of the 324,160 people who have be

Social AffairsJune 12, 2020

[Newsmaker] International middle schools in Seoul may lose special status

Seoul’s two elite middle schools may lose their autonomy next year, as the city’s education office decided Wednesday to cancel their licenses. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced the decision to revoke licenses of Daewon International Middle School and Younghoon International Middle School, saying they stratify schools, deepen inequality and promote private education. The decision is not final, as it is subject to the approval of the Education Ministry, which wi

Social AffairsJune 10, 2020

[Newsmaker] COVID-19 testing free for all Seoul residents

Starting Monday, all Seoul residents, with or without respiratory symptoms, can get tested for the novel coronavirus free of charge. 　 The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced it is stepping up its campaign to stop the “silent” spread of the deadly pathogen in the capital region, home to about 10 million people. 　 Previously, asymptomatic persons wishing to receive a COVID-19 diagnostic test on their own had to pay about 160,000 won ($133) if their test results came back negati

Social AffairsJune 8, 2020

[Newsmaker] Comfort women shelter head found dead

The head of a shelter for surviving victims of Japan’s sex slavery was found dead at her apartment amid controversy surrounding the shelter’s operator for its possible misuse of donated funds and exploitation of the victims for political ambitions. Police said Sunday that Son Young-me, 60, was found dead at her apartment in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, at around 10:30 p.m. Saturday. Her body was found inside the bathroom. The cause of her death is not known as of press time, but offici

Social AffairsJune 7, 2020

[Newsmaker] Over 70 Korean-owned properties suffer damage in US protests

Over 70 cases of damage to properties owned by South Koreans in the US have been reported due to violent protests convulsing across the country, fueled by the police-involved death of an African American man George Floyd, officials here said Tuesday. 　 The Foreign Ministry said a total of 79 stores operated by Koreans reported damage -- 50 cases in Philadelphia, 10 in Minneapolis, five in Raleigh, North Carolina, and four in Atlanta -- due to looting and vandalism. 　 No casualties from Korean

Foreign AffairsJune 2, 2020

[Newsmaker] ‘Murder-suicide with child is extreme child abuse’: court

Two women on trial for killing their children ahead of suicide attempts were sentenced to prison, with a judge calling the parents’ act nothing but “extreme child abuse,” Ulsan District Court said Monday. In the two separate cases, the defendants, aged 42 and 40, were each sentenced to four years behind bars last week, according to Ulsan District Court. “This is a form of extreme child abuse. As many experts point out, ‘double-suicides’ cannot be glamorized

Social AffairsJune 1, 2020

[Newsmaker] Public masks purchasable any day of week

Government-rationed masks will be available for purchase at pharmacies on any day of the week, starting from Monday, according to the government on Sunday. People under the age of 18 will be allowed up to five masks per week, two more than adults, given the resumption of in-person classes at schools nationwide. The measure comes as part of the changes introduced to the public mask distribution system, which was first introduced in February at the height of novel coronavirus fears and has si

Social AffairsMay 31, 2020

[Newsmaker] BTS label Big Hit gears for IPO

The South Korean music label behind K-pop sensation BTS has filed for a preliminary review for an initial public offering, according to the nation’s stock market operator Korea Exchange (KRX) on Friday. Founded in 2005 by music producer Bang Si-hyuk, Big Hit Entertainment houses BTS and other K-pop singers and bands, including Lee Hyun and Tomorrow X Together. Bang, who serves as the entertainment firm’s chairman, currently holds 45.1 percent stake, while mobile gaming firm Netma

MarketMay 29, 2020

[Newsmaker] Hacking attempts targeting S. Korean military info double in 2019

Hacking attempts from abroad targeting South Korean defense information nearly doubled last year, but no data was stolen, the Defense Ministry said Thursday. The number of foreign hacking attempts involving South Korea’s defense information system -- all equipment and software related to the collection, processing, storage, transmission, reception and use of military information -- surged from about 4,000 in 2017 to 5,000 in 2018 and 9,533 last year, the ministry said. Most of the IP ad

DefenseMay 28, 2020

[Newsmaker] tvN’s ‘The Ramyeonator’ may be slapped with KCSC warning

The Korea Communication Standards Commission’s Broadcast Advertising Sub-Commission on Tuesday decided to recommend issuing a warning to CJ Olive Networks and tvN’s show “The Ramyeonator” for exposing a specific brand of Korean ramen on the show. “The Ramyeonator” featured a popular television show host, Kang Ho-dong, eating ramen with different ingredients, trying to find the tastiest ramen combination. Kang added everything from oyster, duck, clams and cra

TelevisionMay 27, 2020

[Newsmaker] Man gets jail for breaking quarantine

A 27-year-old man was sentenced on Tuesday to four months in prison for breaking self-quarantine. It was the first court ruling in a COVID-19 case since the infectious disease control law was toughened last month. It is also the first time a jail term has been handed out in South Korea for a quarantine violation. The man, surnamed Kim, was required to self-isolate for two weeks upon being discharged in early April from the Catholic University of Korea Uijeongbu St. Mary’s Hospital, whe

Social AffairsMay 26, 2020

[Newsmaker] Recycling centers face desperate battle to survive

The global coronavirus pandemic is threatening the future of plastic recycling in South Korea, as major recycling centers are incurring mounting losses amid a collapse in global demand. Many are being forced to cut costs, work hours and head counts just to stay afloat, but a quick turnaround appears unlikely, industry insiders and government officials said. “(Local) recycling centers are largely dependent on exports of collected recyclables, but trade is not happening these days,&rdquo

Social AffairsMay 25, 2020

[Newsmaker] LG under fire for inappropriate video clip

LG Electronics’ Polish unit came under fire Sunday for running a video advertisement on social media that many claimed as inappropriate. In one of the videos posted on LG Poland’s official TikTok account, an old man uses LG Electronics’ V60 ThinQ dual screen smartphone to take photos of a young woman in front without her consent. Noticing the shutter sound, the woman turns around and grabs the phone only to find the old man’s selfies. She apologizes to the old man and

Social AffairsMay 24, 2020

[Newsmaker] Five more foreigners deported for breaching self-isolation rules

Five more foreign nationals have been deported from South Korea after getting caught violating self-isolation rules, the Ministry of Justice said Friday. The violators -- two Chinese nationals and one each from Pakistan, Poland and Britain -- have been ordered to leave for their home countries after failing to comply with Seoul's mandatory self-isolation rule aimed at containing the new coronavirus. Three of the five, who entered South Korea after April 1, when the mandatory self-isolation or

Social AffairsMay 22, 2020

[Newsmaker] 2 paid members of sex abuse chatroom charged with ‘joining criminal group’

Police said on Thursday it requested court warrants to detain two paying members of an online chat room that distributed photos and videos of violent sex acts on charges of joining a criminal group as well as violating the child protection law. Police suspect that the two were heavily involved in criminal activity while knowing that the chat rooms were run not just by a single person, but by a group of people with different tasks. “We suspect that unlike other paying members, they took

Social AffairsMay 21, 2020

[Newsmaker] Korean football club get record fine over sex dolls in stands

South Korea's FC Seoul were fined a record 100 million won ($81,000) for using sex dolls to fill seats at a match held behind closed doors, with K-League officials saying the football club had "deeply humiliated women fans". With spectators barred because of the coronavirus, FC Seoul came under fire after dozens of dolls wearing T-shirts or holding placards with the logo of a sex-toy seller appeared at Sunday's game. The incident made headlines around the world. After reviewing th

SoccerMay 21, 2020