South Korea is extending its travel restriction to all parts of Syria amid escalating violence between the country's protesters and government forces, the foreign ministry said Monday.Earlier this month, Seoul restricted its people from traveling to Syria's western governorates of Daraa and Latakia after dozens of people were reported killed there in violent government crackdowns.The Level 3 trave

Foreign Affairs April 25, 2011

A group of North Korean defectors and civic activists on Monday urged South Korea's parliament to pass a bill aimed at improving the human rights situation in the reclusive communist state.In an opening ceremony for "North Korea Freedom Week," some 100 Seoul-based defectors, human rights advocates and lawmakers gathered in the National Assembly to discuss ways to abolish gulags in the North and pa

Politics April 25, 2011

Large volumes of ancient Korean books stored in Japan, including key royal texts, could return to Seoul sometime next month, an official said Monday.Lee Sang-geun, a member of a committee dedicated to retrieving ancient archives, said at a press conference that 1,205 volumes of Korean books, including royal texts known as "Uigwe," could be shipped back by late May after Seoul and Tokyo finalize so

Culture April 25, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak named Yu Bong-ha, chief of the Korean traditional medicine division at Kyung Hee Medical Center, as his second family doctor, Lee’s spokesperson Kim Hee-jung said Monday, upon lobbying by local practitioners of oriental medicine.Yu will be officially appointed to the vice ministerial position early next month.The president is allowed to appoint a physician and an oriental m

Politics April 25, 2011

When South Korea’s first-ever female Supreme Court justice retired from the bench in August, she was surprised to learn how much she could earn in her first year if she practices law.“I heard that I could make up to 10 billion won ($9.2 million) in my first year as a lawyer, which is nearly 1 billion won a month,” said Kim Young-ran, 55, who now heads the government’s Anti-Corruption and Civil Rig

Social Affairs April 25, 2011

The Army’s college-based program to train officers is drawing keen attention among young women now that they are allowed to enroll in the Reserve Officer Training Corps as of last year, officials said Monday.South Korea’s Army picked 60 female ROTC cadets from seven selected universities last year as part of its efforts to secure more talented female officers and give more opportunities to women.F

Social Affairs April 25, 2011

Four teenagers have been charged with the gang rape of an English teacher in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province.The three university students and one unemployed man are accused of taking turns raping the 24-year-old hagwon teacher at a motel on April 12 after meeting her at a bar. The teacher, who is from the U.S., had been drinking with the men after friends she had been with left, according to Anyang pol

Social Affairs April 25, 2011

The planned return of Yu Woo-ik, President Lee Myung-bak’s first chief of staff who has served as Korea’s top envoy to China for the past 16 months, is expected to coincide with a Cabinet reshuffle early next month, offering a glimpse of what Lee’s vision for the remainder of his term.As one of Lee’s closest confidants, Yu is likely to get a new top post at home along with a handful of others with

Politics April 24, 2011

The government and the ruling Grand National Party are at odds over how to minimize the damage that the pending free trade deal with the European Union would inflict on the domestic livestock farm business.The GNP said Saturday that the party and the government failed to close the gap on tax exemptions for the stockbreeders who shift to another trade.The government explained that it was set to dis

Politics April 24, 2011

A parliamentary panel on Tuesday debated South Korea’s free trade agreement with the European Union, which was unexpectedly voted down by a subcommittee Friday, stymieing Seoul’s move to expand trade with the world’s biggest economic bloc.Ruling and opposition parties received reports from vice ministers of agriculture, knowledge and economy on the government’s plans to minimize the damage to local industries and livestock farms.As the Seoul government appears reluctant to exempt livestock farms

Politics April 19, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak on Monday met with U.S. Senator Jim Webb, who chairs a senate subcommittee on the East Asian region, to discuss North Korean issues as well as the bilateral free trade agreement that is pending approval from their respective parliaments.Lee appreciated Webb’s efforts as chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs for early ratification of the Korea-U.S. FT

Politics April 18, 2011