A suicide survivor was ruled guilty of neglect in the death of her companion, Suwon District Court said Monday. The convicted woman, surnamed Kim, had attempted to die with a man she came to know through an online community on suicide. She survived the attempt alone, and was put on trial.Kim, 21, had asked for a jury trial, whereupon the jury of seven unanimously declared her guilty. The court sentenced Kim to six months in prison with a two-year probation period. (123RF)The court said Kim suffe

Social Affairs Oct. 10, 2016

A released sex offender wearing an electronic ankle bracelet was arrested again after using a weapon to threaten and rob a woman. The Jeonju Wansan Police on Monday said the 43-year-old man, surnamed Kim, is being charged for intruding into the house of the 53-year-old victim at around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday. (Yonhap)Kim allegedly punched the victim and took money and valuables worth over 1 million won ($900).Kim has been wearing an electronic tracker on his ankle since he was convicted for a se

Social Affairs Oct. 10, 2016

An average of eight bodies were found floating down Seoul’s Han River a month over the last five years, data showed Sunday. According to data compiled by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, 460 bodies were retrieved from Hangang Parks between early 2012 and July 2016. This meant a body turned up in the river every four days. (The Korea Herald DB)Other attempts to kill oneself by jumping in the river, whether resulting in death or not, accounted for 222 cases in the same period.The numbers swelled

Social Affairs Oct. 10, 2016

Seoul High Court on Thursday upheld the original 18-month sentence, without probation, for a former school principal who molested his pupils over two years. The appeals court reiterated that the accused, 57, had abused his position at a middle school in Incheon between August 2013 and July 2015, where he should have offered protection and guidance to students but instead made improper physical contact. (Yonhap)The accused will also receive an 80-hour education program for sex offenders.The man’s

Social Affairs Oct. 6, 2016

A man who stalked and murdered his ex-girlfriend was given a life sentence Thursday. Seoul Dongbu District Court said the accused, a 31-year-old surnamed Han, committed “an unpardonable crime” for brutally killing the victim and tormenting her prior to her death by constant stalking. The victim, 31, had reportedly suffered serious distress due to Han’s threatening presence and was unable to report to work. (Yonhap)On April 19, the day of the murder, the victim fled as soon as she spotted Han, bu

Social Affairs Oct. 6, 2016

South Korea has pledged to provide $120 million to Afghanistan to help the war-torn country build up its economy and society, the foreign ministry said Thursday.South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se announced the plan that will be carried out from 2017-2020 at a conference on Afghanistan held in Brussels, according to the ministry.Under the four-year support plan, around $30 million will be provided to Afghanistan every year, which represents 0.78 percent of the annual contribution pledged

Foreign Affairs Oct. 6, 2016

The leaders of South Korea and Costa Rica will hold a summit in Seoul next week to discuss ways to strengthen their long-standing cooperative ties, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday.South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her Costa Rican counterpart Luis Guillermo Solis will sit down for talks on Wednesday over their "practical" cooperation in trade, science and technology, infrastructure development and other areas, Cheong Wa Dae said in a press release.Solis will begin his o

Foreign Affairs Oct. 6, 2016

The number of daycare center instructors with a child abuse record is steadily increasing in recent years, data showed Wednesday. The data compiled by Korea Childcare Promotion Institute between January 2012 and August 2016 showed that the number of instructors at daycare centers who were found guilty of child abuse went up from nine in 2012 to 30 in 2016. (Yonhap)According to Rep. Kim Myung-yeon of the Health and Welfare Committee at the National Assembly, in the cited near-five years, a total

Social Affairs Oct. 5, 2016

US wearable maker Fitbit launched its latest model “Fitbit Charge 2” in Korea on Wednesday.  (Fitbit)Fitbit Charge 2 is an update to the brand’s previous best selling product “Charge HR,” with enhanced design and functions that gauge the wearer’s heartbeat, breathing and fitness level in real time. The measured data are all put into a numerical scale for maximum workout results, the company said. The price for the smart band is 199,000 won ($178). The product can be found at online shopping chan

Technology Oct. 5, 2016

A group of Koreans in Japan were reportedly outraged over a sushi restaurant in Osaka where too much wasabi was served -- particularly to Korean customers.According to the local Japanese media Monday, well-known sushi chain Ichiba Sushi “wasabi terrorized” its foreign diners, especially Koreans. In Japan, sushi is served with wasabi already wedged in between rice and toppings, while in other locales the spicy green paste is served on the side for those unaccustomed to its sharp taste. Photos of

Social Affairs Oct. 4, 2016

Wife of Rep. Kang Seok-jin of the ruling Saenuri Party was booked without detention for violating the Public Official Election Act, the Changwon District Prosecutors’ Office said Tuesday. The wife, identified by the prosecutors with her surname Shin, is being accused of providing a local university student with cash, food and a promise of a clothing item worth over 200,000 won ($180) in return for spreading favorable comments about her husband, who was running for the candidacy in the regional e

Politics Oct. 4, 2016

Police in Busan trying to stop a wild boar wandering through a residential area Monday failed in their attempts to shoot it. More than 10 sightings were reported of the animal at an apartment neighborhood in Jurye-dong, Sasang-gu, between late Monday night and early Tuesday morning.  Another boar sighting on Sept. 22 in Busan (Twitter)The police tracked down the boar and reportedly fired a shot intending to kill it, but missed. The search for the animal is ongoing. The police are advising people

Social Affairs Oct. 4, 2016

The agreement between South Korea and Japan on resolving the issue of Tokyo's wartime sexual slavery brought an end to the matter bilaterally, but that does not mean all international discussions on the issue should end, Seoul's UN ambassador said Monday.Seoul's UN ambassador (Yonhap)In December, Seoul and Tokyo reached the landmark deal that centers on Japan's admission of responsibility for the wartime crime and plans to pay reparations to the victims. South Korea promised to end the dispute o

Foreign Affairs Oct. 4, 2016