For months, Kim Gyeong-ae, a nurse at Seoul National University Hospital, has not been able to eat blueberry yogurt because it reminds her too much of Korea’s last confirmed Middle East respiratory syndrome patient.He died in November, but in the period leading up to his death, it was the only food he was able to eat, due to his lack of appetite and severe cold sores in his mouth. “When I bought some things for myself in the morning, I would buy yogurt for him too and give it to him. This memory

Social Affairs Feb. 14, 2016

For months, Kim Gyeong-ae, a nurse at Seoul National University Hospital, has not been able to eat blueberry yogurt because it reminds her too much of Korea’s last confirmed Middle East respiratory syndrome patient.He died in November, but in the period leading up to his death, it was the only food he was able to eat, due to his lack of appetite and severe cold sores in his mouth. “When I bought some things for myself in the morning, I would buy yogurt for him too and give it to him. This memory

Social Affairs Feb. 14, 2016

About 5 percent of all sexual abuse victims reported in South Korea last year were male, with the number of male victims having significantly increased since 2011, a government report showed Thursday.According to the report released by the Ministry of Gender Equality, the number of reported male victims increased from 749 in 2011 to 1,066 in 2014. In 2011, they accounted for 3.8 percent of all Korean victims, but the proportion increased to 5.1 percent last year. This was the first time the Kore

Social Affairs Dec. 17, 2015

Ahn Ji-young, a 31-year-old woman living in Seoul, has avoided taking public transportation since becoming pregnant. “I’m worried about my baby,” said Ahn, who expects to deliver her child next month. “I get stressed and anxious whenever I sit on a priority seat on the subway. I’m constantly worried about being attacked by the elderly.”Throughout her pregnancy, Ahn ― staggering to hold balance with her burgeoning belly and swollen feet ― has faced a number of uncomfortable situations while takin

Social Affairs Oct. 4, 2015

South Korea’s former Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo on Friday made his first public appearance in 140 days since his resignation amid bribery allegations in April, to attend a trial for graft charges at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul. Lee Wan-koo. Yonhap Lee had been accused of accepting illegal campaign funds worth 30 million won ($28,000) from the late businessman Sung Woan-jong for the 2013 by-elections, on April 4 that year, at his campaign office in Buyeo, South Chungcheong

Social Affairs Oct. 2, 2015

South Korea’s demographic policies have failed to boost the nation’s critically low fertility rate despite spending 81 trillion won ($69 billion) to implement the measures since 2006.According to Rep. Shim Jae-chul of the ruling Saenuri Party, the nation’s fertility rate, which stands at 1.21 children per woman this year, in fact decreased from 2006 -- 1.25 children per woman. The number of newborns also dropped from 448,200 in 2006 to 435,300 this year, according to the lawmaker.The budget for

Social Affairs Sept. 14, 2015

In 2007, an eight-minute video clip of Tyra Banks “attacking” a young Korean-American woman who underwent double-eyelid surgery went viral. In the still-available clip, Banks, an African-American TV personality, claims that the surgery that the 25-year-old Korean-American named Liz received was an attempt to “look more Caucasian” by Asian women. “You and I are the same,” Banks tells Liz, pointing her own artificially straightened hair. Her voice is firm and even intimidating.“I know I’m not goin

Social Affairs Sept. 11, 2015

Last year, Park Ji-eun, a 26-year-old in Seoul, had a nose job and double-eyelid surgery. It was her final year in university and she wanted to get it done before applying for jobs. “I didn’t have any dramatic reasons for doing it,” she said. “I don’t think I had been particularly unhappy with my looks. I just wanted to improve it, just like the way you would improve your CV.”Park, who now works at a big firm, said she is satisfied with the results and her decision. Yet her experience post-surge

Social Affairs Sept. 11, 2015

South Korean schoolchildren living in remote areas are significantly less fit than those living in cities, a study showed on Monday.According to the study released by Saenuri Party Rep. Yeom Dong-yeol, 18 percent of the students living in Gangwon Province, a mountainous region, and attending small-sized schools belonged to either level 4 or 5, the lowest of the five fitness levels.Gangwon was followed by North Jeolla Province -- a region with many remote fishing, farming and mountain villages --

Social Affairs Aug. 17, 2015

South Korean family members caring for Parkinson’s disease patients are under both financial and emotional strain, a study showed Tuesday.The study, organized by the Korean Movement Disorders Society, surveyed a total of 121 Korean caregivers whose family members are suffering from the disease, a degenerative disorder known to be idiopathic and have no cure. The disease chiefly affects middle-aged and elderly individuals, and is known to be associated with a deficiency of the neurotransmitter do

Social Affairs Aug. 11, 2015

The number of bipolar disorder patients has increased significantly over the last five years in South Korea, especially among the nation’s elderly population, a study showed Wednesday.According to the study released by Saenuri Rep. Park Yoon-ock, the number of Koreans who developed the mental illness ― which is characterized by fluctuating periods of elevated mood and depression ― increased from 53,056 in 2010 to 75,616 in 2014.The increase was especially striking in Koreans aged 60 or older, wh

Social Affairs Aug. 6, 2015

South Koreans consume the most calories on Saturdays, mostly by eating more instant noodles and fried chicken, a government study showed Monday. The study, which surveyed 2,308 Koreans from 2009 to 2013 on their calorie consumption, discovered that Korean men and women both consumed higher calories on weekends than weekdays. A Korean man on average consumed 2,587.1 kcal on Saturdays, which was higher than the weekly average of 2,418.1 kcal. A Korean woman, on the other hand, consumed 1,792.2 kca

Social Affairs July 20, 2015