South Korea had the second-highest income disparity among senior citizens out of the member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, as their jobs are mostly low-paying and unstable, a government report showed Sunday. According to a report on the employment structure and income disparity of seniors released by the Korea Labor Institute, the Gini coefficient -- a measure of inequality -- for people aged 65 or over in Korea was 0.422, the second highest after Chile a

Social Affairs Sept. 11, 2016

A Seoul court on Thursday sentenced South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Hong Joon-pyo to 18 months in prison for taking bribes from a deceased businessman and ordered him to pay 100 million won ($91,600) in forfeiture. Hong, 61, was accused of receiving 100 million won in political funds from Sung Woan-jong, the late chairman of local construction firm Kaengnam Enterprises, in 2011. Yoon Seung-mo, who delivered the money to Hong on behalf of Sung, was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for

Social Affairs Sept. 8, 2016

Korean law firm Yoon & Yang launched the Public Interest Legal Center on Wednesday, aiming to expand its corporate social responsibility programs for legally underrepresented people.Under the Yoon & Yang Pro Bono Foundation, the legal aid center plans to provide legal assistance on various issues to the socially marginalized, including single parent households, victims of sexual and domestic violence, the homeless, the disabled, migrant workers and North Korean defectors. Participants of the ope

Social Affairs Sept. 7, 2016

The prosecution said Wednesday it had formed a special team tasked with investigating allegations that an incumbent prosecutor received kickbacks from a businessman in exchange for influence peddling in court proceedings. According to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, the special inspection team -- consisting of four prosecutors and 10 investigators -- will look into bribery allegations involving senior prosecutor Kim Hyung-joon. “In regard to the case, the special inspection team will thoroughly

Social Affairs Sept. 7, 2016

Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae on Tuesday offered a public apology over an incumbent senior judge who was arrested last week on suspicions of taking bribes from a scandal-ridden businessman.　“I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize on behalf of the judiciary for causing concern to the people. I promise to take stern measures following what comes to light,” Yang said during an opening speech at an emergency meeting of local court chiefs. 　Yang Sung-tae, chief justi

Social Affairs Sept. 6, 2016

The prosecution said Monday that it has launched an inspection into allegations that an incumbent prosecutor received kickbacks from a businessman, in the latest blow to the scandal-marred justice system.  The senior prosecutor, identified only by his surname Kim, is suspected of taking a total of 15 million won ($13,564) in bribes from a businessman, also surnamed Kim, in exchange for dismissing a case about his alleged embezzlement and fraud. The two attended the same middle and high schools.

Social Affairs Sept. 5, 2016

When David Swan, an expert with 10 years of experience in the recruitment industry, came to Korea, he was surprised to see Korean job candidates entering the labor force relatively later than its neighboring Asian countries. What he witnessed in Korea was a large number of young job seekers, who are highly educated and overqualified, aiming for jobs that are in short supply or waiting for a job they want. Swan, who has served as managing director of global recruitment consulting firm Robert Walt

Social Affairs Sept. 2, 2016

 Sponsored by the Presidential Committee for the Young Generation, a 2016 tourism job fair was held on Thursday and Friday at Coex in southern Seoul to promote jobs for the youth in the tourism sector. During the event, jointly hosted by a total of 10 organizations including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Park Yong-ho, head of presidential committee, gave a special lecture to young job seekers about creative tourism and the future of the tourism industry. Park Yong-ho, head of the

Social Affairs Sept. 2, 2016

The prosecution urgently arrested an incumbent senior judge on Thursday on suspicion of taking bribes from Nature Republic founder Jung Woon-ho in a widening probe into a high-profile corruption scandal plaguing the justice system. The Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office arrested the 56-year-old judge at around 2:30 a.m., identified only by his surname Kim, without a warrant, citing his unstable mental state. The arrest came 17 hours after the prosecutors grilled him over his ties with the 50-year

Social Affairs Sept. 1, 2016

[THE INVESTOR] The overall number of students in South Korea decreased amid the continuing low birthrate, while the number of students from multicultural families hit a record high this year, government data showed Tuesday. According to statistics released annually by the Education Ministry in August, the number of students in nationwide preschool, elementary, middle and high schools reached 6.63 million as of April 1, down 2.7 percent from the previous year. The number of middle school students

Aug. 31, 2016

The overall number of students in South Korea decreased amid the continuing low birthrate, while the number of students from multicultural families hit a record high this year, government data showed Tuesday. According to statistics released annually by the Education Ministry in August, the number of students in nationwide preschool, elementary, middle and high schools reached 6.63 million as of April 1, down 2.7 percent from the previous year. The number of middle school students saw the bigges

Social Affairs Aug. 30, 2016

Special inspector Lee Seok-su, who had been tasked with investigating a scandal-marred senior presidential aide, offered to resign Monday amid a widening probe into his alleged information leak.  A special team of prosecutors probing allegations surrounding senior presidential secretary Woo Byung-woo leaves after searching the office of a company headed by Woo’s wife in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul. (Yonhap)Lee, part of a probe involving civil affairs presidential secretary Woo Byung-woo, is suspec

Social Affairs Aug. 29, 2016

Prosecutors on Monday raided a company headed by the wife of scandal-marred senior presidential aide Woo Byung-woo, as well as a branch of the Seoul police. The raid came six days after prosecutors launched a task force to investigate corruption allegations involving the civil affairs presidential secretary Woo and the suspected info leak by special inspector Lee Seok-su who had probed the suspicions.  A special team of prosecutors probing allegations surrounding senior presidential secretary Wo

Social Affairs Aug. 29, 2016

The amount of alcohol consumed by South Koreans is decreasing, with fruit-flavored soft alcohol gaining in popularity, government data showed Friday. According to the report released by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, which surveyed 2,000 Koreans aged 15 or over, Koreans on average drank 4.9 cups of beer (about two pints) and 6.1 shots of soju, a popular grain-based liquor, at a time in the first half of this year.These findings are a slight decrease compared to 2013 when the average beer

Social Affairs Aug. 26, 2016