President Moon Jae-in on Monday ordered a review of a mammoth rivers development project, a much-debated legacy of former President Lee Myung-bak. The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae stressed the review would be a “policy inspection” on the 22 trillion won ($19.6 billion) national undertaking -- which a large proportion of the public still seems to disapprove of -- not a political vendetta targeting individuals. The project, initiated in 2008 with a strong push from then-President Lee, require

Politics May 22, 2017

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations will become more important for South Korea diplomatically and economically, with new President Moon Jae-in’s emphasis on diplomatic diversification, Moon’s special envoy to the ASEAN said Sunday. Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, named Friday by Moon as special envoy to the regional organization, departed Sunday for a tour of three nations.  Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon (center). Yonhap“My dispatch is in line with the president’s conviction and vision that aside

Politics May 21, 2017

Following weeks of yellow dust storms and high fine dust levels, South Korea is seeing a rise of ozone concentration levels in the air, which experts said are just as harmful as dust particles. High ozone concentration occurs when the temperature is high. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, a daytime high in Seoul on Sunday reached 28 degree Celsius, a summer heat normally expected at around mid-July to August. Daytime highs reached 29 degrees Celsius in Daejeon and Gwangju, an

Social Affairs May 21, 2017

Concerns are growing over dangers posed by emergency exits with no balcony or ladder after another man accidentally fell to his death in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. The accident, which occurred earlier this month, has reignited calls for safety measures.Police said that the deceased 58-year-old man, identified by the surname Kim, opened an emergency exit door on the second floor of a building in search for a toilet. However, he fell from 3 meters above ground as there were no balcony or emergen

Social Affairs May 18, 2017

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will host a debate at Gwanghwamun Square on May 27 to bring people together to help solve the fine dust problem.A group of 3,000 citizens, divided into 100 different teams and each joined by environmental experts, will discuss measures to combat fine dust and reduce its impact on the well-being of people here. The capital blanketed in a gray haze caused by fine dust in the air. (Yonhap)The city government said opinions and questions will also be collected online

Social Affairs May 18, 2017

South Korea is moving to distribute free air purifiers to day cares, nursing homes and schools to protect people most vulnerable to fine dust. The measure, still under discussion at related ministries, would be a follow-up to President Moon Jae-in’s surprise directive last week to temporarily close down old coal-fired power plants to combat the country’s worsening air quality. An official at the Education Ministry confirmed to The Korea Herald on Wednesday that it is currently reviewing the budg

Social Affairs May 17, 2017

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said Wednesday that a human bone discovered underwater in early May was identified to be from Danwon High School teacher Go Chang-suk, one of the nine passengers missing from the 2014 Sewol ferry sinking. “We received the DNA test result (from the National Forensic Service) this afternoon, earlier than expected,” said Lee Cheol-jo, a ministry official in charge of the search operation.This photo taken on May 11, 2017, shows workers searching through the wreck

Social Affairs May 17, 2017

President Moon Jae-in was sworn in last Wednesday, but he moved into the presidential residence only three days after his inauguration. Local reports suggested that the delay was partly due to his predecessor’s home decorations.  (Screen captured from SBS)According to local daily Kookmin Ilbo, the walls inside the living room of the presidential residence were covered with large mirrors that had to be removed. The walls then had to be papered again.Citing a source from the ruling Democratic Part

Social Affairs May 16, 2017

Shoes Tree, a 17-meter-tall art installation made of over 30,000 worn-out shoes, will be revealed outside Seoul Station on Saturday, marking the opening of the city’s first highway-turned-park, Seoullo 7017.Modeled after New York’s iconic High Line, Seoul’s soon-to-open pedestrian-friendly park stretches for about a kilometer and links seven surrounding areas, including Seoul Station and Namdaemun Market, to 12 pedestrian walkways.(Kim Da-sol/The Korea Herald)Shoes Tree, a major art piece instal

Social Affairs May 16, 2017

Outdated coal-fired plants, aged 30 years or over, will be temporarily closed down as part of the government’s emergency measure to combat fine dust, Cheong Wa Dae said Monday.Under the plans, 10 out of 59 coal-fired plants, located in the Gangwon, South Jeolla, South Chungcheong and South Gyeongsang provinces, will stop operating for a month in June. The concerned power plants have been in operation for 32 to 44 years. Seoul’s sky shows stark differences in colors as it is blanketed in a layer

Social Affairs May 15, 2017

Two part-time teachers at Danwon High School who died in the Sewol ferry sinking three years ago will have their deaths recognized as being in the line of duty, Cheong Wa Dae said Monday. The designation entitles their families to government support and compensation.(Yonhap)“Marking Teacher’s Day today here, President (Moon Jae-in) ordered necessary measures to recognize the deaths of the two part-time teachers,” said Yoon Young-chan, chief presidential secretary for public relations, during a b

Social Affairs May 15, 2017

Another human bone fragment was discovered inside the Sewol ferry on Sunday, possibly from a victim of the disaster, raising expectations on recovering more remains.The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said Sunday the search team had found a human bone fragment as they searched through fourth-floor bedrooms at 9 a.m. Sunday.The fourth-floor bedrooms are where most of the Danwon High school students stayed on the day of the sinking. The ministry said the nine missing bodies are believed to be in

Social Affairs May 14, 2017

In “Les Miserables,” Victor Hugo’s 1862 classic set in the French Revolution, the main protagonist Jean Valjean ends up spending 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s starving children. In South Korea in 2015, a bank opened to help modern-day Jean Valjeans, poor petty offenders who go to jail because they can’t afford to pay a few million won in fines and penalties. “As long as their offenses are not grave, we consider lending,” Oh Chang-ik, head of the Jean Valjea

Social Affairs May 12, 2017

Two bone fragments, possibly of victims of the Sewol ferry disaster, have been found during a search of the ship’s interior, five days after another bone fragment was found underwater, the government said Wednesday. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said that search operators found two bones as they searched through Sewol’s fourth floor bedrooms at 8 a.m. Wednesday.(Yonhap)“According to the National Forensic Service’s on-site investigation, (those bones) are presumed to be from humans,” the m

Social Affairs May 10, 2017

A mixed-breed mutt rescued from a dog meat farm looks likely to become a member of South Korea’s new first family. Animal rights groups, pet lovers and a local newspaper Hankyoreh are demanding President Moon Jae-in make good on his promise to adopt Tory, a 4-year-old dog, from an animal shelter in Seoul. Tory, a 4-year-old mix-breed dog (Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth)Moon was sworn in at noon Wednesday after winning the election the previous day. During his 60-day electioneering, the li

Politics May 10, 2017