Only 4 out of 100 people with disabilities who moved out of care centers received support funds to help them build new lives, data showed Wednesday, suggesting the need for a strategic support system for people with disabilities not requiring institutional care. According to Ministry of Health and Welfare data obtained by the office of Rep. Kim Sung-joo of the Democratic Party of Korea, out of 7,869 people with disabilities only 323, or 4.1 percent, received self-reliance support funds from th

Social Affairs Sept. 23, 2020

The number of those registered to take the annual college entrance exam fell to its lowest level in history this year, while the proportion of repeat takers rose to the highest.  According to the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, the number of applicants for the College Scholastic Aptitude Test, or the Suneung, reached 493,433, down 55,301 from 548,734 a year earlier. It is the lowest figure since the national exam was introduced in 1994. Taking place once a year, the Suneung

Social Affairs Sept. 22, 2020

South Korea is establishing a state body to monitor, prevent and control disease among wild animals here amid growing concerns over zoonotic pathogens infecting both humans and animals. The new entity, the National Institute of Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention, under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment, will open its doors in Gwangju next Tuesday following final approval at a Cabinet meeting this Tuesday. An official opening ceremony will be held in October. It will consist of 3

Social Affairs Sept. 22, 2020

Around 30 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in a sample experienced mental illness, data showed Tuesday, raising concerns over the virus outbreak’s impact on mental health. According to National Medical Center data obtained by the office of Rep. Kang Gi-yun of the People Power Party, 24 out of 80 patients hospitalized at the institution as of the end of April were diagnosed with mental illnesses including panic disorder, depression and stress disorder. Twenty percent, or 16 patie

Social Affairs Sept. 22, 2020

Temporary contract workers were more susceptible to job loss due to the coronavirus pandemic than full-time workers, with one in every three irregular workers losing their jobs over the past eight months, a survey showed Monday. According to a survey of 1,000 workers conducted by advocacy group Gabjil 119, 15.1 percent of respondents said they lost jobs during the coronavirus outbreak. Some 31.13 percent of contract workers lost their jobs, much higher than the 4.3 percent of full-time employee

Social Affairs Sept. 21, 2020

President Moon Jae-in is a big fan of BTS, the Blue House said Sunday. Blue House spokesperson Kang Min-seok said in a press briefing Sunday that Moon likes the band’s songs and its dancing, and has praised the K-pop superstars in conversations with top officials. “BTS looks like a group of youngsters at their peak when listening to their songs and watching their dance moves,” Moon said, according to Kang. “It is sometimes difficult to follow (the lyrics of) K-pop band

Politics Sept. 20, 2020

Schools in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province will resume in-person classes Monday after South Korea eased its social distancing measures in the capital region. To minimize the risk of infection in classrooms, kindergartens and elementary and middle schools must limit attendance to one-third of the student body until Oct. 11, and high schools must limit attendance to two-thirds, the Education Ministry said. For the next several months, the measures will also apply to high school seniors und

Social Affairs Sept. 20, 2020

South Korean authorities are renewing a war against drunk driving, after recent high-profile cases caused public uproar. A ruling party leader said they will push to enact a tougher law to punish passengers of drunk drivers. The Korean National Police Agency said Sunday they will run a special crackdown period on driving under influence of alcohol until Nov. 17, as violations continue amid the COVID-19 outbreak. All police stations will run at least two DUI checkpoints every week and will als

Social Affairs Sept. 20, 2020

Artists will be eligible for an unemployment allowance starting in December following the expansion of national employment insurance coverage. The Labor Ministry said Friday that it is planning to revise relevant legislation in time for the change to take effect Dec. 10. The expanded coverage will include artists, musicians and other workers who have signed special contracts with their employers. Once the change becomes effective, artists and their employers will be required to pay monthly pre

Social Affairs Sept. 18, 2020

The Ministry of Education isn’t replying right away, after the Seoul City education chief suggested that first grade elementary and middle school students be allowed back into classrooms full-time. Instead, the ministry is waiting until the end of the Chuseok holiday to make a decision. An Education Ministry official said in a closed briefing with reporters Thursday that the ministry respects the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education’s request but is unwilling to rush any decision

Social Affairs Sept. 18, 2020

Police referred a case to the prosecution Friday, recommending that an Incheon woman be indicted for drunken driving over a collision that killed a delivery worker in Incheon earlier this month. The woman, 33, was escorted to the prosecution at around 8:30 a.m. in a police vehicle. The suspect allegedly drove a Mercedes-Benz into a 54-year-old motorcyclist who was making the last fried chicken delivery of the day. The injured man was immediately taken to a nearby hospital but was soon pronounc

Social Affairs Sept. 18, 2020

Remote workers would be violating rules if they work from a cafe, the Labor Ministry said Wednesday, but employers should also be open to their employees’ special circumstances arising from the merging of the workplace and personal space. The ministry released a set of remote working guidelines for employers and employees as companies and businesses incorporate work-at-home standards in consideration of the prolonged coronavirus outbreak. The manual aims to address confusion on remote w

Social Affairs Sept. 17, 2020

South Korea’s carbon dioxide concentration significantly rose last year and is higher than the global average, data showed Thursday. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, Korea’s yearly average concentration of carbon dioxide reached 417 parts per million in 2019, up 2.7 ppm from 415.2 ppm recorded a year earlier. The level is much higher than 409.8 ppm recorded for the global average and 411.4 ppm recorded for the United States. Carbon dioxide level is largely inte

Social Affairs Sept. 17, 2020

The government on Wednesday reaffirmed its stance that it was not considering giving a second chance to medical students who refused to take the medical licensing exam in protest of the government’s now-stalled plan to recruit more new doctors. 　 Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip said in a press briefing that the government has yet to receive any request from any final-year medical students about the exam, which kicked off Sept. 8 and lasts until Nov. 20.  Applications ended Sept. 6

Social Affairs Sept. 16, 2020

The race for the mayor’s office in Busan is beginning to take shape within the main opposition People Power Party, with bigwigs hinting at a bid. Rep. Suh Byung-soo, a fifth-term lawmaker who held the mayor’s office from 2014-2018, said in a radio interview Wednesday that he is positively considering entering the mayoral by-election next year as “politicians must always be open to every possibility." "I couldn’t properly accomplish the dreams I had serving in

Politics Sept. 16, 2020