[Newsmaker] Govt. seeks to take Ko Un’s poetry out of textbooks amid sexual misconduct allegations

The government has begun to take steps to remove works by world-renowned South Korean poet Ko Un from school textbooks amid growing sexual misconduct allegations, multiple industry sources said Friday. The Ministry of Education sent an official letter earlier in the day to the Korea Authorized & Approved Textbooks, in which it requested the association to ask its member publishers if they have plans to delete any of the content in the textbook that belongs to a person of “public controversy.” Th

Social AffairsMarch 2, 2018

[Newsmaker] How #MeToo movement is pushing for revision of South Korea’s defamation law

In the wake of the global #MeToo movement, currently one of the most talked about issues here, South Korea’s controversial defamation law has been also brought into the spotlight. 　　A number of lawmakers and political parties recently announced that they would push for a revision of the law, which does not acknowledge truth as defense against defamation charges.　　Women’s activists and some lawmakers criticized the defamation law as one of the biggest challenges that sexual violence victims here

Social AffairsMarch 1, 2018

[Newsmaker] Oh Dal-su apologizes for sexual harassment

Actor Oh Dal-su on Wednesday issued a public apology for sexually harassing fellow actors a few decades ago.“The series of events are all my fault...I bow my head in apology for anyone who has been hurt because of me,” he said.Stage actress Uhm Ji-young and others have recently accused Oh of sexual attacks in the 1990s.Oh, who had initially denied the allegations, said the allegations were not exactly the same as he remembered. “I wanted to verify (the allegations) and talk to them. I was frustr

FilmFeb. 28, 2018

[Newsmaker] US envoy on NK leaves amid peninsular detente

WASHINGTON -- Joseph Yun, a 30-year veteran of the US foreign service who retained quiet contacts with North Korea amid the Trump administration’s turbulent first year, is retiring as Washington and Pyongyang step up considerations for formal diplomatic talks.Yun told The Associated Press he will stand down as special representative for North Korean policy on Friday. He said his decision to retire is entirely his own but it comes at a surprising juncture, just after American ally South Korea rel

Foreign AffairsFeb. 28, 2018

[Newsmaker] FM urges North Korea to improve human rights in UN speech

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Monday called on North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile programs and improve human rights of its people in her keynote speech to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. Kang also raised the issue of Japan’s sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II, saying a controversial 2015 deal between Korea and Japan on “comfort women” lacked a “victim-oriented approach.”“North Korea must heed the call of the international commu

Foreign AffairsFeb. 27, 2018

[Newsmaker] With treasured memories, PyeongChang bids adieu

About 200 South Korean athletes, coaches and officials gathered outside the Olympic athletes’ village in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, on Monday to attend the disbandment ceremony for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic team.For the South Korean delegation, it was the final step of a journey that started on Feb. 9 when world-renowned figure skater Kim Yu-na illuminated the tiny rural town of PyeongChang by lighting the Olympic torch atop the Olympic Stadium. The torch served as a beacon of dreams

Olympic GamesFeb. 26, 2018

[Newsmaker] How Uiseong slid into center of Korea’s curling boom

When South Korea’s first curling rink was completed in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province in 2006, little could the county administration that backed its construction expect the unfamiliar facility to produce Olympic medal winners in the sport a dozen years later. The story of how the Korean women’s curling team came about has now become known worldwide. In 2007, classmates Kim Yeong-mi, whose name has reverberated through the curling venue at PyeongChang and global media outlets in the past wee

Olympic GamesFeb. 25, 2018

[Newsmaker] Lee Sang-ho: 1st Asian man to win medal in alpine snowboarding

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea -- South Korean alpine snowboarder Lee Sang-ho, who became the first Asian man to win an Olympic medal in an alpine snowboarding event with his silver medal run, is a native of Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, where Olympic alpine skiing speed events were being staged.He first started snowboarding at a sledding slope that was previously a cabbage patch. This gave him the nickname “Napa Cabbage Boy” after he established himself in the snowboarding scene. Lee Sang-ho (Yonhap)L

Olympic GamesFeb. 24, 2018

[Newsmaker] What’s trending: Dog meat, racism and Sewol-disaster

The PyeongChang Games is almost over, and this week it certainly hasn’t been just about the sports. Debates on South Koreans’ practice of consuming dog meat, the country’s 2014 tragic Sewol ferry disaster, racism and an unfortunate injury involving Dutch skaters have made headlines at PyeongChang.　　Here is what’s behind the ongoing issues, including those involved and why they are being talked about.　　　Dutch skater under fire over ‘dog meat’ remarks A Dutch skater’s public remarks on South Korea

Olympic GamesFeb. 22, 2018

[Newsmaker] Park aide Woo Byung-woo sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison

Former presidential aide Woo Byung-woo was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison on Thursday for dereliction of duty, abuse of power and perjury linked to the massive corruption scandal that led to the ouster of former President Park Geun-hye.In handing down the sentence, the Seoul Central Court said Woo abused his authority and neglected his duty to look into wrongdoings by Park’s confidante Choi Soon-sil. The prosecution had demanded eight years in prison. The ruling came 311 days after Woo was i

Social AffairsFeb. 22, 2018

[Newsmaker] Witch hunt or mob justice? Inside South Korea’s world of ‘inseong’ trials of athletes

At a press conference that was abruptly arranged on Tuesday evening, Kim Bo-reum, South Korea’s speed skater, offered her public apology while tears rolled down her face. 　“I apologize to those who have been hurt or affected by my TV interview (regarding teammate Noh Seon-yeong),” the 25-year-old said, looking visibly shaken.　Her apology came shortly after hundreds of thousands of angry South Korean fans, believing Kim guilty of bullying her teammate, had filed a petition with the country’s pres

Olympic GamesFeb. 21, 2018

[Newsmaker] NK hackers expand targets beyond South Korea: reports

A North Korean hacking group has broadened its scope of attack from the South Korean government and private sector to other nations as well, according to a top cybersecurity firm report.  Workers at the Korea Internet and Security Agency in Seoul, South Korea, monitored the spread of ransomware cyberattacks. (Yonhap)US cybersecurity firm FireEye said the state-backed “Reaper” hacking organization, which it dubbed “APT 37,” expanded its target list to include Japan, Vietnam and the Middle East la

North KoreaFeb. 21, 2018

[Newsmaker] South Korea’s female skaters under fire for bullying

There was something odd about the way the South Korean female skaters performed in the 500-meter team pursuit quarterfinals event at PyeongChang on Monday. 　　The three-member team -- Kim Bo-reum, Noh Seon-yeong and Park Ji-woo -- looked almost as if they were competing in an individual race, not a team pursuit. When Noh Seon-yeong, one of the team members, fell a long way behind during the race, the remaining two skaters -- Park and Kim -- left her behind and crossed the finish line without her.

Olympic GamesFeb. 20, 2018

[Newsmaker] Olympic fans touched by Lee Sang-hwa’s friendship with her Japanese rival Nao Kodaira

After winning silver in the women’s 500-meter speedskating Sunday, Lee Sang-hwa, South Korea’s two-time defending Olympic champion, burst into tears.　PyeongChang was her fourth and possibly her last Olympics, and Lee was aiming for a third straight gold in front of her home crowd. But it was Japan’s Nao Kodaira who took the gold with an Olympic-record 36.94 seconds, becoming the first Japanese female speedskater to win an Olympic title. Lee, a longtime friend of Kodaira, had to settle for silver

Olympic GamesFeb. 19, 2018

[Newsmaker] ‘Military talks likely to come before reunion of families separated by Korean War’

Despite an inter-Korean detente that came with North Korea’s participation in the Winter Olympics, uncertainty continues to loom over the reunion of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon visits a 94-year-old member of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War on Feb. 13, ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. The South Korean members, mostly in their 70s and 80s, have lost contact with their families in the North after the reunion events

North KoreaFeb. 18, 2018

[Newsmaker] 'Ice Prince' Hanyu reigns with second skating gold

Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu clinched the first back-to-back men's Olympic figure skating title in more than six decades on Saturday to cement his status as the "Ice Prince" of the modern era.The 23-year-old superstar made light of a three-month injury hiatus to emulate American Dick Button, who won gold in 1948 and 1952.Hanyu led a Japanese one-two as Shoma Uno took silver, ahead of Spain's Javier Fernandez with bronze. (AFP)"I'm relieved to be able to skate here as a lot of people supported me," Hanyu

Olympic GamesFeb. 17, 2018

[Newsmaker] S. Korean 'curleesis' score surprise wins against Canada, Switzerland

South Korea’s female curling team, which ranks eighth in the world, defeated second-ranked Switzerland Friday after dispatching first-ranked Canada in a surprise victory Thursday. The Korean team won 8-6 against Canada and 7-5 against Switzerland.The four-member Korean team is composed of Kim Yeong-mi, Kim Seon-yeong, Kim Kyeong-ae and Kim Eun-jung. The women’s team still have to win four more games to advance to the semifinals, having lost to Japan on Thursday evening. After the preliminary rou

Olympic GamesFeb. 16, 2018

[Newsmaker] Meet Randi Heesoo Griffin: the figure who scored Korea joint ice hockey team’s first and only Olympic goal

After suffering two shutout losses against Switzerland and Sweden, the unified Korean women’s ice hockey team made Olympic history by scoring its first and only goal in its match against Japan on Wednesday.Although Korea ended up losing to Japan in a 4-1 loss, the goal was celebrated by South Korean and American spectators as well as North Korea’s all-female cheerleading squad at the Kwandong Hockey Center.Takeuchi Aina of Japan (left) in action against Randi Heesoo Griffin of Korea (right) duri

SportsFeb. 15, 2018

[Newsmaker] 17 killed in Florida school shooting by former student: sheriff

PARKLAND, US (AFP) - A former student armed with an AR-15 rifle opened fire at a Florida high school on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people, officials said, in a harrowing shooting spree that saw terrified students hiding in closets and under desks as they texted for help.　Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel identified the gunman as Nikolas Cruz, 19, a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland who had been expelled for “disciplinary reasons.”　Cruz was arrested without

World NewsFeb. 15, 2018

[Newsmaker] Prosecution likely to summon former Justice Ministry official suspected of sexual harassment

The prosecution’s special investigation team is likely to summon a former Justice Ministry official suspected of sexual misconduct after the Lunar New Year’s holiday, as it speeds up fact-finding efforts into the sexual harassment scandal revealed by a female prosecutor. According to the prosecution Wednesday, the team is looking into data seized in a rare raid at the Justice Ministry conducted the day before. Senior prosecutor and the head of Seoul Eastern District Prosecutor's Office Cho Hee-j

Social AffairsFeb. 14, 2018