Only 45 percent of the global population are effectively covered by at least one social protection benefit, while the remaining 55 percent or as many as 4 billion people are left unprotected, according to a report released by the International Labor Organization.ILO’s World Social Protection Report 2017-19 said that the lack of social protection left people vulnerable to ill-health, poverty, inequality and social exclusion throughout their lifecycle.  International Labor OrganizationILO estimate

Social Affairs Dec. 5, 2017

Korea’s continuous efforts to discourage smoking by introducing graphic warnings on cigarette packages and levying higher tobacco taxes are laudable but it is time to consider an even stronger measure such as plain packaging, a World Health Organization medical officer said. “Loopholes exist when it comes to measures to effectively control the tobacco industry’s promotion of their products. That’s why a stronger initiative, such as introducing plain packaging should be considered now,” Kerstin S

Social Affairs Dec. 4, 2017

A fishing vessel carrying 22 people capsized off the coast of Incheon early Sunday morning, leaving 13 dead and two missing.According to the coast guard, the 9.77-ton boat carrying two crew members and 20 passengers collided with a 336-ton tanker near Yeongheung Bridge while trying to pass a narrow channel at around 6 a.m.Rescue operation for the capsized fishing vessel. YonhapThe Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said 20 of the 22 people had been located, with 13 of them dead. The seven others w

Social Affairs Dec. 3, 2017

Korea International School said Thursday it will continue to expand its education to develop students’ artistic creativity and visual communication skills.KIS focuses on nurturing well-rounded students who challenge themselves to think critically and communicate visually. Korea International School students pose for a photo during its art creativity event at school. KISThe school held a fall art exhibition last month, comprised of creative pieces by students in pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. Un

Social Affairs Nov. 30, 2017

Mapo Oil Depot, an oil storage facility set up in the 1970s, has been given a new lease of life, with its massive tanks transformed into venues for exhibitions, concerts and cultural events. Located at the foot of Maebongsan in Mapo-gu, west of Seoul, the former oil storage facility -- now called Mapo Cultural Depot Park -- consists of six large tanks. The Korean government constructed five large oil storage tanks for national energy security amid an oil crisis in the 1970s. The place was abando

Social Affairs Nov. 30, 2017

Prosecutors on Wednesday summoned Woo Byung-woo, one of ex-President Park Geun-hye’s close aides, over his possible involvement in the national spy agency’s alleged illegal spying on civilians under the Park administration. Woo Byung-woo is surrounded by reporters as he stands in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on Wednesday. YonhapWoo, who served as senior presidential secretary for judicial affairs from 2015-2016, is suspected to have exerted influence on the National In

Social Affairs Nov. 29, 2017

Seoul Rotary Club, a local chapter of the global network of volunteers dedicated to humanitarian goals, marked its 90th anniversary and vowed to continue with its local and international service projects.  Rotarians pose for a photo at Seoul Rotary Club’s 90th anniverary event. Seoul Rotary Club.Seoul is home to the first Rotary club established in Korea, chartered in 1927. Today, Korea has the fourth largest Rotary club with 1,616 sub-clubs and 19 district clubs, with over 62,300 Rotarians in K

Social Affairs Nov. 27, 2017

Police said Monday that a 31-year-old Korean man was arrested on a charge of murder, which he allegedly committed in 2011 in Duluth, Georgia, near the US state’s capital Atlanta. YonhapThe Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s international criminal investigation department said the suspect, identified here only by his surname Park, has been on Interpol’s wanted list and was nabbed at Seoul Station on Monday.Park is accused of stabbing a 32-year-old victim in December 2011 in a parking lot just bef

Social Affairs Nov. 27, 2017

The trial of former President Park Geun-hye, who was indicted for corruption involving her confidante Choi Soon-sil, was delayed to Tuesday, following her absence.  Park Geun-hye. YonhapPark refused to appear at the court citing her back pain, according to the Seoul Central District Court and correctional authorities. The trial will resume Tuesday. According to the Seoul Central District Court, a hearing was to begin at 10 a.m. Monday, but Park did not attend the hearing.Justice authorities resc

Social Affairs Nov. 27, 2017

Seoul appears to be taking a step closer to completely banning smoking in public with its move to outlaw lighting up on the streets, but its recent decision to delay the scheme is only deepening the dispute between smokers and non-smokers.According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the anti-smoking policy raised by the Seoul Metropolitan Council to ban all smoking on the streets recently went back to square one due to practical issues. A signboard shows a designated smoking zone in Seoul. Yo

Social Affairs Nov. 26, 2017

Beneath the bustling cities of South Korea lie underground bunkers that have hardly been entered for decades. From a dictator’s covert hideout to infiltration tunnels dug by North Koreans near the Demilitarized Zone, some of these secret underground places are pieces of the country’s checkered history, although there are not many records that explain their mysterious existence. Late strongman Park Chung-hee’s secret shelter, or so believed by most people today, was discovered in 2005 during cons

Social Affairs Nov. 24, 2017

(Shot by Park Ju-young / Edited by Park Ju-young)The sharing economy is all the rage across the globe, and of everything that is being be shared, bikes are of particular interest for city officials seeking to make their cities more sustainable with public transportation. Seoul, with an eye on becoming a green city and upgrading its mass transit system, rolled out a citywide bike rental system in 2015. Seoul Public Bike, or “Ttareungyi” in Korean from the sound of a bike bell ringing, was launche

Social Affairs Nov. 19, 2017

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- Cambodia's Supreme Court ordered the main opposition party to be dissolved on Thursday, dealing a crushing blow to democratic aspirations in the increasingly oppressive Southeast Asian state. The decision clears the way for the nation's authoritarian leader to remain in power for years to come. Opposition party Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) leader Kem Sokha greets. YonhapThe verdict, which was widely expected, comes amid a growing push by the administration o

World News Nov. 16, 2017

South Korean earthquake experts warned that more aftershocks and even bigger quakes may occur for the next few months following Wednesday’s 5.4 magnitude quake in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province. YonhapWednesday’s quake took place at 2:29 p.m. At least 62 people were hurt, but no casualties were reported, according to authorities. The quake comes 14 months after a 5.8 magnitute quake hit Gyeongju, the strongest since the country began to collate seismic records in 1978. Experts voiced concerns

Social Affairs Nov. 16, 2017

Wednesday’s 5.4 magnitude quake in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, did not just shake the Earth. It shattered many South Koreans’ belief that their country is safe from devastating quakes.  People shared photos and videos of buildings shaking, books falling from shelves and frames falling off walls. (From online cafe)It has been only 14 months since the long-held notion was first challenged by a rare -- so far the strongest -- 5.8 magnitude quake originating from Gyeongju. “The front door of

Social Affairs Nov. 15, 2017