Results of Defense Ministry survey more divided on financial supportNearly 80 percent of the public support the re-installment of a military duty employment plan, previously abolished for being unconstitutional, according to a Defense Ministry survey released Thursday. Working to gain parliamentary approval for the system, the ministry released a survey showing that 79.4 percent of the 508 men and

Social Affairs May 19, 2011

Emergency response crews can deny drunks asking for a ride home or others trying to misuse the system, said the state’s disaster control center on Tuesday. According to a revised bill to take effect Sept. 9, response crews can also deny service at their discretion to those asking for treatment for bruises, cuts and scrapes.Those denied service either by phone or on the scene will receive a letter

Social Affairs May 17, 2011

Over 85 percent of below-college-level academic facilities suspected of asbestos pollution contain the potentially dangerous mineral fiber, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said Tuesday.According to data released by the office, of the 54,279 facilities in 1,669 kindergarten, elementary, middle and high schools inspected between 2009 and 2010, roughly 87 percent contained the fiber which

Social Affairs May 17, 2011

A Spanish diplomatic vehicle was involved in a two-kilometer, multiple-hit-and-run rampage in Itaewon, Seoul, injuring three police officers, police said Sunday.According to the National Police Agency, the husband of a Spanish Embassy official was driving a black Veracruz, a private vehicle registered under the embassy, when he hit a guard post, a patrol car and five civilian vehicles.The man, ide

Social Affairs May 16, 2011

Police will dismantle the controversial tri-color arrow traffic lights at 53 intersections nationwide, including 11 locations in central Seoul. Since the installment nearly a month ago, the red-yellow-green alternating arrow has been the cause of multiple accidents throughout the city.“We will halt the expansion of the three-color traffic light system, and subject it to further review,” said Natio

Social Affairs May 16, 2011

A Seoul court has ruled against an online shopping company in a trademark infringement suit filed by Adidas Korea in November.The company, disclosed to the media as “F,” used Adidas’ signature 3-line design, which the German sportswear firm has used since 1982.It was ordered to cease production and sales of its sportswear with the design and destroy articles in storage, officials at the Seoul Cent

Social Affairs May 16, 2011

Singles looking for a significant other can increase their chances by choosing different locations, with different areas throughout Seoul showing a wide range of gender ratios, according to census data released Wednesday.According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, more men resided in areas north of the Han River, including Yongsan-gu, Jongno-gu and Jung-gu, which had the highest ratio of men t

Social Affairs April 13, 2011

Seoul’s anti-corruption watchdog will host a conference Thursday to discuss corruption and inform chiefs from foreign corporations of the state’s efforts to handle the issue.The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission will invite some 50 CEOs and representatives of multinational corporations, foreign chambers of commerce and embassies, to form an understanding of the problems in the past and i

Social Affairs April 13, 2011

Starting in April, all vehicle passengers on expressways here will be required to wear seatbelts, said the National Police Agency on Thursday.Under a revised traffic law, drivers on expressways including Olympic and Gangbyeon Expressway risk being fined 30,000 won ($27) when carrying passengers not buckled in.The law originally stated that only front-seat passengers of private vehicles and all pas

Social Affairs March 31, 2011

Sleeping five hours a night and only exercising when required to, Kwon Hye-won, like the majority of other female high-school students, was unhappy with her body.“I spent most of my time studying, so a lot of my peers and I weren’t happy with how we looked,” said the second year university student.Sadly, Kwon’s case is the majority here, according to a survey released Tuesday.The National Youth Po

Social Affairs March 29, 2011

According to figures released Monday by the Seoul office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, 423 asylum seekers applied for refugee status here in 2010, nearly a third more than the year before.Although there is a global trend toward a decrease in asylum seekers, experts believe it is hard to say that it is having an effect here.They predict the number of refugee seekers will exceed 400 ap

Social Affairs March 29, 2011

Children of migrant families will be given the chance to learn Korean through an after-school program, Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday.Hoping to ease the children’s transition into the culture, officials have established the program in elementary schools in districts with a high ratio of foreigners.The program includes lessons on Korean culture in order to raise the effectiveness of lear

Social Affairs March 28, 2011

The period of court receivership for bankrupt companies is to be reduced from several years to a minimum of six months, according to officials Monday.The Seoul District Court’s bankruptcy division will implement a “fast track” policy to reduce unnecessary downtime, allowing companies to return to the market sooner.Through the policy, the court hopes to put previously insolvent corporations into th

Social Affairs March 28, 2011