[Newsmaker] Lawmaker’s aide says man who set himself on fire was ‘barbecued’

An aide to a ruling party lawmaker said on social media that a man who set himself on fire in front of the National Assembly building was “barbecued.”　A man in his 60s suffered third-degree burns and is now semiconscious after the car he was in caught fire outside the parliament building on the morning of Feb. 1. Fire authorities believe he set his car on fire. (Yonhap)An aide to Rep. So Byung-hoon of the Democratic Party, surnamed Lee, posted a photo on Instagram of the man lying on the ground

Social AffairsFeb. 15, 2019

[Newsmaker] Concerns rise over workplace safety at Hanwha after deaths of 3 workers

The deaths of three employees in an explosion at a Hanwha factory on Thursday have fueled concerns about workplace safety at the major Korean conglomerate, as an explosion at the same factory had claimed the lives of five people just seven months ago. Hanwha confirmed Thursday three employees had died after the explosion at its plant in Daejeon, a city some 140 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)“We express our deep condolences to the victims and their families. We will do our best to address th

IndustryFeb. 14, 2019

[Newsmaker] Outraged Gwangju citizens take to National Assembly over opposition lawmakers’ Gwangju Uprising remarks

Outraged over inflammatory remarks by far-right politicians about the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, some 300 family members of those who died during the uprising and Gwangju citizens on Wednesday took to the National Assembly to voice their anger and grief, calling for answers and apologies.“My husband Jung Ki-bong, an ordinary citizen, was kidnapped by soldiers on the streets. He was let go after being tortured for a month and 10 days at the Army 31st division, which caused severe mental pr

PoliticsFeb. 13, 2019

[Newsmaker] Drunk driver in fatal car crash gets 6-year jail term

A drunk driver in a highly publicized fatal car crash that killed a young college student in a southern port city was sentenced to six years in prison on Wednesday. The Busan District Court handed down the verdict to the 27-year-old defendant, identified by his last name Park, ruling that "the degree to which the crime has been committed is very grave and the result is as devastating."Park was charged for hitting Yoon Chang-ho, a KATUSA conscript and Korea University student, with his vehicle wh

Social AffairsFeb. 13, 2019

[Newsmaker] PM holds talks with Japanese lawmaker over forced labor rulings

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon met with a visiting Japanese lawmaker Wednesday to discuss frayed ties between the two neighboring countries in the wake of South Korean court rulings on wartime forced labor victims. Lee and Fukushiro Nukaga, a member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, had an 80-minute breakfast meeting from 8 a.m. at the prime minister's office in Seoul, according to Lee's office. Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon (Yonhap)The meeting was arranged at Nukaga's request, it added. They

Foreign AffairsFeb. 13, 2019

[Newsmaker] Grief-filled graduation ceremony held for Sewol victims

A long-delayed commencement ceremony was held Tuesday for 250 Danwon High School students who died in the Sewol ferry disaster on April 16, 2014. (Yonhap)The students were on a school trip to Jeju Island when the ferry carrying 476 passengers sank off the southwestern coast near Jindo, killing 304 aboard. Only 75 students survived, and they graduated in 2016. The victims’ families had asked the school to postpone the honorary commencement ceremony until all the bodies of the victims had been rec

Social AffairsFeb. 12, 2019

[Newsmaker] Pressure mounts for expulsion of Liberty Korea Party members over Gwangju uprising remarks

Political parties called for the expulsion of three lawmakers of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party on Monday over their remarks about the 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea, minor conservative opposition Bareunmirae Party, minor liberal Party for Democracy and Peace and progressive Justice Party have stepped up pressure on the Liberty Korea Party to expel the three members -- far-right Rep. Kim Jin-tae, Rep. Lee Jong-myeong and Rep. Kim Soon-rye --

PoliticsFeb. 11, 2019

[Newsmaker] Ultimate beginner’s guide to BTS

Have you recently developed a liking for the K-pop sensation BTS? Catching up with the breakneck speed of the band’s career can feel overwhelming, but you have to start somewhere. Here is a complete guide to the seven bandmates. From its advent to its meteoric rise, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about BTS. Or if you are simply wondering about the hype around the band, allow us to enlighten you about BTS’ catchy songs, heart-pumping dance moves and colorful personalities th

PerformanceFeb. 11, 2019

[Newsmaker] No damage reported from 4.1 magnitude earthquake off Pohang

A 4.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the southeastern city of Pohang on Sunday, but there have been no reports of damage, meteorological officials said.The quake happened at 12:53 p.m. in waters 50 kilometers northeast of the port city at a depth of 21 km, officials at the Korea Meteorological Administration said. The KMA had earlier announced the quake's magnitude was 4.0 but later revised it.   (Yonhap)About 1 1/2 hours later, a smaller 2.5 magnitude quake happened at 2:12 p.m. in waters 45 k

Social AffairsFeb. 10, 2019

[Newsmaker] JTBC chief Sohn countersued

Sohn Suk-hee, a popular news anchor and president of cable TV network JTBC, has been countersued by a freelance journalist who threatened to go public about a car accident involving Sohn.Kim Woong, 49, sued Sohn, 62, for assault, blackmail and libel on Thursday.According to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office, Kim claimed that Sohn not only punched him, but also pressured him to agree to a settlement, and spread false information by issuing a press release.Kim had filed a police repor

Social AffairsFeb. 8, 2019

[Newsmaker] IT entrepreneur under probe for attempted contract killing

An IT entrepreneur recently indicted for abusing his employees is now under investigation for allegedly attempting contract killing.In September 2015, Yang Jin-ho, chief of several local online storage service firms and robot developer K-Technology, allegedly asked a Buddhist monk to murder the brother-in-law of his ex-wife who at the time was going through a divorce suit against him.Police found that Yang paid 30 million won to the monk, who told police that Yang asked him to stab the husband o

Social AffairsFeb. 7, 2019

[Newsmaker] Subcontracted workers prone to industrial accidents: lawmaker

With the authorities scrambling to improve industrial safety measures, Rep. Lim Lee-ja of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party on Wednesday released data that showed subcontracted workers at power plants are vulnerable to industrial accidents.According to figures Lim received from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, 20 workers killed at power plants -- Korea South-East Power, Korea Western Power, Korea Midland Power, Korea Southern Power, and Korea East-West Power Corp. -- between 2014 and

PoliticsFeb. 6, 2019

[Newsmaker] External sources account for 75% of Korea's fine dust pollution

External sources accounted for 75 percent of South Korea's ultrafine dust air pollution in January, a state-run environment agency said Wednesday. South Korea saw a drastic rise in the average level of ultrafine dust particles, those smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, in between Jan. 11 and 15. According to the National Institute of Environmental Research, a think tank under the Ministry of Environment, external sources from China, Mongolia, North Korea and Japan were responsible for 75 p

Social AffairsFeb. 6, 2019

[Newsmaker] After 2 years of rancor, Trump to appeal for unity in speech

After two years of bitter partisanship and personal attacks, President Donald Trump will call for unity and cross-party cooperation in Washington during Tuesday’s State of the Union address, a message likely to ring hollow with Democrats determined to block his push for a border wall.Trump’s prime-time address comes at a critical moment in his presidency. He pushed his party into a lengthy government shutdown over border security, only to cave to Democrats. With another shutdown deadline looming

Foreign AffairsFeb. 6, 2019

[Newsmaker] K-pop stars rise as marketing bonanza for banking industry

Seeking to boost overseas business and expand their young customer bases, South Korea’s major banks have adopted a new marketing trend over recent years -- using K-pop groups as brand ambassadors.K-pop celebrities were for some time viewed as an unconventional choice for the banking industry, but partnerships soon rose as an effective way to overcome the conservative and rigid image of the market.The biggest beneficiary was KB Kookmin Bank, which recently renewed its advertising contract w

MarketFeb. 3, 2019

[Newsmaker] Court overturns ruling, finds ex-governor guilty of rape in #MeToo case

A high court on Friday sentenced former South Chungcheong Province Gov. An Hee-jung to 3 1/2 years in prison for raping his female aide, overturning a lower court’s not-guilty ruling, in the country’s highest-profile case amid the ongoing #MeToo movement. (Yonhap)The Seoul High Court ruled that An, who was once considered a strong presidential contender, had used his authority to sexually assault the victim, citing sufficient evidence to prove that Kim’s sexual freedom was violated against her w

Social AffairsFeb. 1, 2019

[Newsmaker] Suspected FMD outbreak reported in Chungju

A suspected case of foot-and-mouth disease was reported in North Chungcheong Province on Thursday, amid escalating concerns over the highly contagious animal disease spreading in the country ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Thursday that a cattle farm in Chungju reported that a cow had showed symptoms of FMD, such as drooling and blisters.As the cow tested positive for FMD in an initial inspection, quarantine authorities culled 11 cows

Social AffairsJan. 31, 2019

[Newsmaker] Firebrand politician Hong Joon-pyo seeks second term as conservative party leader

Former conservative party leader Hong Joon-pyo has announced his bid for leadership of the Liberty Korea Party, ramping up competition in the race.“I will run (for the party’s leadership), and it is right for me to do so. I have never seen an administration fall this fast. Only I can counter the current government,” Hong said during a publication event for his biography in Yeouido, western Seoul.“Today marks the starting point of the last challenge in my life.”(Yonhap)While declaring his bid at

PoliticsJan. 30, 2019

[Newsmaker] Ex-short track coach sentenced to 18 months for assaulting athletes

Former national short track speed skating coach Cho Jae-beom was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Wednesday over repeated assaults against Olympic champion Shim Suk-hee and other athletes.The Suwon District Court in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul, handed down the sentence in an appeals trial. Cho had earlier received a 10-month term, against which he unsuccessfully appealed. Cho Jae-beom (Yonhap)The court noted that Cho once had an indictment over an earlier assault charge suspended but

Social AffairsJan. 30, 2019

[Newsmaker] Former ‘comfort woman,’ women’s activist Kim Bok-dong dies

Kim Bok-dong, a South Korean victim of sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II and a symbol of the fight against wartime violence, died late Monday, bringing the number of survivors to 23. She was 92.Kim, who was at the forefront of raising awareness about Japanese military sexual slavery and campaigning to end violence against women around the world, died at 10:41 p.m. Monday at Yonsei Severance Hospital in Seoul, according to the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance.

Social AffairsJan. 29, 2019