Articles by Lee Hyun-jeong
Lee Hyun-jeong
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[Ferry Disaster] Fishermen claim route is frequented by ferries
(Yonhap)While there is a fast tidal current near the site where the ferry Sewol sank, there are no rocks that could sink such a large ferry, said fishermen on Jindo Island, South Jeolla Province. Residents familiar with the area claim that a mistake by the captain may have caused the tragedy that has left nine dead and 287 others unaccounted for.“Based on my experiences, (I’m) sure that it didn’t happen from a collision with rocks,” said a 49-year-old fisherman surnamed Kim, one of those who hel
Social Affairs April 17, 2014
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Seoul checks safety of cruise ships following ferry tragedy
The Seoul Municipal Government on Thursday launched emergency safety checks on cruise chips and construction sites in the city following the sinking of the ferry off the southern coast of the country, officials said. The city suspended the operation of six cruise ships operating on the Hangang River and conducted an emergency safety inspection. Some 1,000 vessels operating on the river will also face inspections, officials added. The city will also enhance safety checks on about 80 construction
Social Affairs April 17, 2014
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‘I can’t believe my daughter’s death’
Parents of 24-year-old teacher Choi Hye-jung sobbed as they spoke about their daughter at the hospital where her body was taken. Choi, a Danwon High School homeroom teacher who was heading to Jejudo Island on a school trip, was found dead at around midnight Wednesday. Choi is one of nine people confirmed dead as of Thursday afternoon. The maritime police transported her body to a hospital in southern city of Mokpo in South Jeolla Province. “I cannot believe the death of my daughter. She was very
Social Affairs April 17, 2014
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NHIS has better chance in tobacco suit: experts
The state health insurer’s lawsuit against three tobacco companies has a chance of success in the local court, experts said, even though Korea’s top court has previously ruled against individual claims against tobacco makers. The state-run National Health Insurance Service filed a lawsuit on Monday against KT&G, Philip Morris Korea and British American Tobacco Korea to seek an initial compensation of 54 billion won ($52 million) to recoup treatment costs for smoking-related diseases.Responses to
Social Affairs April 16, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Health agency kicks off tobacco lawsuit
The state-run health agency launched a high-profile lawsuit against three tobacco makers on Monday, aiming to cover rising medical costs that it claims stem from smoking-related diseases. The National Health Insurance Agency kicked off its legal fight with KT&G, Philip Morris Korea and British American Tobacco Korea, marking the first case in which a South Korean public agency is seeking compensation from tobacco makers. Japanese tobacco maker Japan Tobacco International ― originally included on
Social Affairs April 14, 2014
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‘80% of child abuse inflicted by parents’
Most cases of child abuse were found to have been inflicted by the parents of the victims, a report showed Sunday.According to a report released by New Politics Alliance for Democracy Rep. Lee Chan-yeol, 80.3 percent of 6,896 child abuse cases reported last year were caused by parents of victims. The number jumped by 383 cases from the year before.Among parent inflictors, biological fathers accounted for the most cases with 41.1 percent followed by biological mothers, stepmothers and stepfathers
Social Affairs April 13, 2014
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Korea to strengthen child abuse penalties
The South Korean government will toughen penalties for child abuse as public outrage escalated over the death of an 8-year-old girl caused by her stepmother, officials said Thursday. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, penalties for fatal child abuse will be increased to five years or more in prison. The government will also disallow suspended sentences for such cases without specific mitigating factors. Under the current child welfare law, the maximum prison term for child abuse is
Social Affairs April 10, 2014
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Plastic surgeons vow to stamp out malpractice
The nation’s largest group of plastic surgeons vowed Thursday to stamp out illegal medical practices following a string of lethal cosmetic surgery accidents. “A recent series of plastic surgery accidents were caused by some doctors’ unethical and illegal acts, largely prompted by over-competition and commercialization of medical institutions,” said the Korean Association of Plastic Surgeons in a press conference. “(The association) feels responsible for such situations that threaten people’s hea
Social Affairs April 10, 2014
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Seoul mayor defends Ahn’s decision on candidate nominations
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said Thursday that keeping the candidate nomination system was an “unavoidable choice.”“Abolishing the candidate nomination system was one of the public’s wishes. But (competing in the June local elections without the system) was same as playing a game with tied hands since the ruling Saenuri Party did not abolished it,” Park said in a television interview. Although both candidates in the 2012 presidential election vowed to abolish the system, the government and Saenuri
Politics April 10, 2014
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Government to launch special audit on Holt
The South Korean government vowed Wednesday to launch a special audit on an international adoption agency following rising public concerns over the safety of Korean adoptees in foreign countries. “The government is planning to conduct a special inspection on Holt Children’s Services Inc. over its financial system and the legality of its operations,” the Health and Welfare Ministry said. The move came after civic groups urged the state last month to improve the monitoring system for international
Social Affairs April 9, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Animated character buses smash hit with kids
Buses covered in animated characters are growing so popular in Seoul City that policymakers are considering introducing additional character-covered public transportation. Marking the city’s public transportation day last month, Seoul Metropolitan Government released four buses covered in characters that appear in Korean animated series “Tayo, the Little Bus.” The program is a favorite among children, winning the best preschool education program award at the Asian Television Awards in 2012. Four
Social Affairs April 8, 2014
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Medical dispute claims increasing
The number of medical dispute claims is on the rise with a low rate of successful settlements, a report showed Tuesday. According to the state-run Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency, a total of 2,287 claims for medical dispute mediation were filed in the last two years. While the monthly average of claims was 56 cases in 2012, the rate has more than doubled this year. Only about 42 percent of the total disputes ― 912 cases ― were settled successfully. Over half of the filed c
Social Affairs April 8, 2014
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‘Investment in mental disease research low’
South Korea’s investment in mental illness research remains low despite the increasing social and economic burden such diseases pose, a report showed Monday. According to the government-affiliated Korea Health Industry Development Institute, public subsidies for studies of mental illness remained at one-ninth the level of support for cancer studies in 2012 ― 30 billion won ($28 million) ― while the financial burden of mental disease was 80 percent higher than that of cancer. Mental illnesses are
Social Affairs April 7, 2014
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Nearly half of Koreans willing to donate organs
Almost half of Koreans are willing to donate their organs, but the actual registration rate remains low, a survey showed Monday. According to a two-month survey conducted by the state-run Korean Network for Organ Sharing, 47.7 percent of some 1,000 respondents said they were interested in organ donation. The rest said they were not willing to do so. Of those who expressed interest, only 15 percent were actually registered for organ donation. Over 40 percent said they were hesitant to make a move
Social Affairs April 7, 2014
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Ex-STX Group chief questioned over graft
The former head of financially troubled shipping and shipbuilding conglomerate STX Group was called in by prosecutors Friday to face questioning over alleged embezzlement and business malpractice. Kang Duk-soo, who headed the group between 2003 and February 2014, appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in southern Seoul around 9:20 a.m. to undergo questioning as a suspect in the corruption case. “I apologize for causing the people to worry, and I will sincerely respond to the
Social Affairs April 4, 2014
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