A monument has been set up in Busan in memory of the former British legation in the southern South Korean port city, which provided services to British soldiers and Korean refugees during the 1950-53 Korean War. (Yonhap)The memorial stone for the former British legation quarters was officially unveiled in a ceremony at Jeil Apartment complex in western Busan on Saturday.A number of British and South Korean dignitaries, including British Ambassador to South Korea Charles Hay, Park Geuk-je, chief

Politics Dec. 16, 2017

South Korea's rival parties again issued conflicting commentaries on Saturday on President Moon Jae-in's ongoing visit to China.The ruling Democratic Party said Moon's Chinese visit paved the ground for restoring the bilateral relationship ruined during the previous government, dismissing opposition parties' criticism of humiliating diplomacy by the Moon government.(Yonhap)Democratic Party floor spokesman Kang Hoon-sik said in a commentary, "President Moon's China visit has achieved important ou

Politics Dec. 16, 2017

Woo Byung-woo, one of former President Park Geun-hye’s key aides, was arrested early Friday morning for his involvement in the state spy agency’s illegal surveillance on civilians and government officials. The Seoul Central District Court issued the warrant for Woo, who served as Park’s senior presidential secretary for civil affairs in 2015 and 2016, on charges of abuse of power. It was the prosecution’s third attempt to take Woo into custody. Following the decision, Woo was transported to a de

Social Affairs Dec. 15, 2017

The prosecution on Thursday demanded 25 years in prison for Choi Soon-sil, the woman at the center of the massive corruption scandal that led to President Park Geun-hye’s ouster early this year. The court will rule on Jan. 26. At the final hearing of the 13-month trial at the Seoul Central District Court, the special counsel and state prosecutors asked the court to order Choi, 61, to pay a fine of 118.5 billion won ($109 million) and forfeit 7.7 billion won, saying she is “the beginning and the

Social Affairs Dec. 14, 2017

When Seo Kim Su-jeong, 24, finally got a job at a human rights organization for the disabled in November last year, she was thrilled that she would be making a difference every day at her workplace. But only three weeks into her job, her dream was quashed as the chairman of her organization started to sexually harass her.“He wrapped his arm around my waist from behind while I was making photocopies. When we were on a business trip, he asked me whether I had considered spending a night with him.

Social Affairs Dec. 13, 2017

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said Monday it will start receiving safety complaints in English through its online reporting system, as part of efforts to better protect the growing multinational population. English services for the ministry’s “Safety e-Report” system (https://www.safepeople.go.kr/eng) are to open Tuesday, allowing foreign residents to report risk factors in their daily lives. The reports will be translated into Korean and referred to relevant government agencies within

Social Affairs Dec. 11, 2017

South Korea dazzles the world with exports of sensational K-pop music, cutting-edge smartphones and cars, but inside the country some people are seeking to flee what they call a “living hell” and restart their lives elsewhere.Many South Koreans, who have since their early years faced constant competition to get accepted into a prestigious university, secure a well-paid job and then get a promotion at work, say they have had enough. “I wake up at about 5:30 a.m. every morning, go to work and come

Social Affairs Dec. 10, 2017

Choi Seung-ho, a star TV producer who was dismissed in 2012 by a local TV station for his liberal political views, was tapped Thursday to head MBC in what would be a dramatic return to his former workplace.  Choi, known for producing the investigative TV program “PD Notebook,” beat two other candidates through an open vote at a board meeting of the Foundation for Broadcast Culture, the largest stakeholder of MBC.  Left: Choi Seung-ho (Yonhap)Choi is a veteran producer with a 26-year career at MB

Social Affairs Dec. 8, 2017

The government said Thursday that it would improve labor standards for migrant workers and enhance efforts to prevent workplace accidents, after the nation’s human rights watchdog urged it to do more for their safety and labor rights.The Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to lay out new guidelines on the living conditions of migrant workers, as many live in lodging facilities provided by their employer, after an inspection of some of the living quarters. It also plans to revise a relevant ac

Social Affairs Dec. 8, 2017

Two former chiefs of South Korea’s spy agency were sent to trial for allegedly offering bribes to ousted President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday, as the prosecution gears up to complete high-profile probes by the end of the year.The Seoul Central Prosecutor’s Office indicted Lee Byung-ki and Nam Jae-joon, who led the National Intelligence Service under the Park administration, on charges of channeling some of the agency’s budget to the presidential office in return for personal favors.Nam is suspecte

Social Affairs Dec. 5, 2017

Behind the survival of seven anglers from a fishing boat that capsized off Incheon on Sunday was a water-resistant mobile phone, it was reported Monday. When the ship, carrying 20 passengers and two crew members, collided with another vessel and capsized, several were trapped under the upturned boat.  Water-resistant phone (Yonhap)One of them reportedly had a water-resistant phone and reported the accident to police. He even captured the exact location of the ship through a mobile phone applicat

Social Affairs Dec. 4, 2017

The government confirmed Friday that liquefaction caused by last month’s earthquake in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, was not at a “worrisome level,” easing safety concerns following the nation’s second strongest quake. 　Announcing the interim result of the inspection on soil in a total of 10 locations in Pohang, the Ministry of Interior and Safety said that it had found signs of liquefaction in five locations -- “high” in one location and “low” in four others.　An official from the Ministry

Social Affairs Dec. 1, 2017

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged China Thursday to curb its oil supply to North Korea in the wake of its latest missile launch.North Korea faces tightened sanctions following its test-launch Tuesday of a new intercontinental ballistic missile. The regime has claimed it can now strike the entire U.S. mainland with a "super-large heavy warhead." US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson(Yonhap)U.S. President Donald Trump expressed disappointment in an early morning tweet that a Chinese envoy'

Diplomatic Circuit Dec. 1, 2017

For many South Koreans, the Vietnam War is remembered in terms of the sacrifice of thousands of South Korean soldiers fighting alongside US troops against communism in the country. Vietnam War veterans are hailed here as patriotic heroes who helped propel Korea’s rise in the 1960s and ’70s. But many Vietnamese remember it differently. It is not well known here, but South Korean soldiers are accused of brutally killing Vietnamese civilians, including many women and children, during Korea’s 1964-7

Social Affairs Nov. 9, 2017

With US President Donald Trump set to touch down in South Korea on Tuesday, South Koreans have varying expectations on the visit of a man who can exert an immense influence over their fate, with or without the intention to do so. Many South Koreans that The Korea Herald spoke to hoped for one thing in common: that Trump’s arrival in this once war-torn land where threats of war are part of everyday life would lead to an easing, not escalation, of military tensions with North Korea.  (Yonhap)“I am

Social Affairs Nov. 6, 2017