Education in South Korea has no shortage of problems: an emphasis on tests that drives teenagers -- even pre-teens -- to engage in yearslong competition for top universities, a massive and growing private academy market that dwarfs public schools, and despite all this, a growing mismatch between education and job skills. But Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, believes it is his duty to reform the country’s education system -- which has long relied on

Social Affairs Aug. 4, 2017

Gyeonggi Province received the highest marks for two years in a row in a joint evaluation of provincial and municipal governments conducted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and other government agencies, the province said Wednesday. The evaluation assessed the quality of administrative services provided by each district governments in such areas as general administration, social welfare, health and hygiene, regional economy, culture and family affairs, safety management and environment

Social Affairs Aug. 2, 2017

South Korea’s Ministry of Education will expand support for the education of children from low-income households to help bridge the gap between poor and wealthy, a government panel that deals with basic livelihood security policies said Monday. According to the panel, the ministry is scheduled to increase its spending on elementary, middle and high school students from low-income households to help them purchase school supplies and materials beginning next year.  The Ministry of Education buildi

Social Affairs July 31, 2017

Summer vacation season is in full swing, which means it is prime time for swimming. Unfortunately, it is also the time when most drownings occur. That is where water survival classes come in.Teachers practice survival floating techniques at Daecheon Beach on the west coast on July 19. (Park Ju-young/The Korea Herald)“Basic floating techniques can prevent many deaths,” said Ryou Sun-mi, a qualified aquatic instructor and vice principal of Myeongsin Elementary School.“But without training, childre

Social Affairs July 30, 2017

The Seoul Central District Court on Thursday gave prison sentences of one to three years to seven former presidential aides and ministers for their roles in creating a blacklist of artists critical of former President Park Geun-hye. Former presidential chief of staff Kim Ki-choon and former Culture Minister Cho Yoon-sun are escorted to the courtroom at the Seoul Central District Court to attend their sentencing hearing Thursday. (Yonhap)The court found former presidential chief of staff Kim Ki-c

Social Affairs July 27, 2017

Education Minister Kim Sang-kon (Yonhap)진행자: 박세환, Paul Kerry1. 교육부, 검정 역사교과서 적용시기 2020년 3월 확정교육부가 국정 역사교과서 폐지 후속조치의 일환으로 검정 역사교과서 적용시기를 2020년 3월로 정했다. 교육부는 그동안 학계와 학교 현장 등 다양한 목소리를 반영해 이 같은 내용을 담은 ‘국정 역사교과서 폐지 후속조치’를 26일 발표했다.아이튠즈(아이폰): https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/koliaheleoldeu-paskaeseuteu/id686406253?mt=2팟빵 (안드로이드): http://www.podbbang.com/ch/6638[1] The Ministry of Education said it would introduce a range of new history textbooks written by private publishers in 2020 in a complete t

Podcast July 26, 2017

The Ministry of Education said it would introduce a range of new history textbooks written by private publishers in 2020 in a complete turnaround from the former conservative administration’s decision to offer state-authored books. Publishers now have until March 2020 to offer new history books for the market, according to the ministry, which would be verified by the government. Education Minister Kim Sang-kon (Yonhap)“The decision is intended to end controversy surrounding state-authored histor

Social Affairs July 26, 2017

South Korea retained the top spot in the global students’ competition in physics on Monday, following a clean sweep of gold medals in mathematics a day earlier. All five members of the Korean team – high school seniors and sophomores – bagged gold medals at the 48th International Physics Olympiad held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on July 16-24, handling South Korea the year’s championship. Five members of the Korean team pose for a photo after winning gold medals at the 48th International Physics O

Social Affairs July 24, 2017

An active judge was caught secretly snapping photos of a woman at a Seoul subway station on Tuesday, police said Friday. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, the judge whose name is being withheld, allegedly approached a woman from behind and secretly photographed her with his mobile phone. He was caught by nearby passengers and forcibly handed over to police.  Passengers waiting and entering a Seoul subway train (Yonhap)The man claims innocence, saying the camera application insta

Social Affairs July 21, 2017

GANGNEUNG/SOKCHO, Gangwon Province – Gangwon Province and its coastal towns used to be the less developed and less populated in South Korea. But that seems to be changing fast. With accessibility from the metropolitan area greatly enhanced and expected to improve yet more in the coming months, the once laid-back coastal towns and cities are seeing a property development boom, with a number of luxury hotels, resorts and apartment complexes being erected. The Seamarq Hotel in GangneungThe upcoming

Travel July 21, 2017

Kim Sang-jo, the new chief of South Korea’s antirust watchdog, testified Friday at the bribery trial of Samsung Electronics heir Lee Jae-yong.The outspoken critic of family-run chaebol establishments, who now heads the Fair Trade Commission, appeared at the Seoul Central District Court in the afternoon to take the witness stand to testify on issues including the controversial merger of two Samsung affiliates in 2015.  Chief of the Fair Trade Commission Kim Sang-jo (left) and Samsung Electronics

Social Affairs July 14, 2017

A rainbow banner hung on the facade of the US Embassy building in downtown Seoul on Thursday, in a show of support for the upcoming parade of gender and sexual minorities.According to the US Embassy, the banner, whose multicolor stripes symbolize gay pride, is to “support and participate in this year’s Queer Culture Festival” for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people, or LGBT.   The US Embassy in Seoul‘s Jongno District. (Yonhap)“The US Department of State affirms its solidarity with the hu

Social Affairs July 13, 2017

The nominee to lead South Korea’s Justice Ministry vowed to protect human rights of minorities and sternly deal with unfair practices and wrongdoings involving conglomerates and the privileged, the nominee said during a parliamentary confirmation hearing Thursday.Justice Minister nominee Park Sang-ki takes the oath during a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. YonhapPark Sang-ki, 64, a professor at Yonsei University’s law school, said to a panel of lawmakers that he

Social Affairs July 13, 2017