Actress Yoon Ji-oh, who is under investigation for suspected fraud and defamation, lashed out at police for requesting an Interpol Red Notice for the Korean Canadian, despite her alleged crimes not being serious. Women’s rights activists accused police of showing “surprisingly” strong determination to conduct an investigation into Yoon, saying she is under tighter scrutiny by police because she is a woman. “A Red Notice is targeting those who committed heinous crimes

Social Affairs Nov. 8, 2019

The Ministry of Education on Thursday announced its decision to abolish elite high schools across the country in March 2025, as part of efforts to improve fairness in the education system. “In 2025, independent private schools, foreign language schools and global schools will be turned into regular schools all at once, and we will lay the groundwork for a high school credit system and future-oriented education,” Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae said at a press briefing at the Central G

Social Affairs Nov. 7, 2019

Keeping asylum seekers in detention centers for a long period of time constitutes human rights violations, South Korea’s human rights watchdog said Wednesday, reiterating its call on the Justice Ministry to find an alternative.  The ministry should find an alternative for asylum seekers who apply for a refugee status at detention centers, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea suggested, noting that detaining them there despite a low possibility of them being forcibly deported

Social Affairs Nov. 6, 2019

Two producers of a K-pop competition TV show were arrested late Tuesday over allegations they rigged the results of audience votes that decided which singers would progress through and win the competitions.The Seoul Central District Court issued warrants to detain a producer and the chief producer of the Mnet program “Produce X 101,” a fan-vote audition show through which popular K-pop bands, including Wanna One, debuted. The two are suspected of having conspired with music labels to

Social Affairs Nov. 6, 2019

A court on Tuesday sentenced Jang Dae-ho to life in prison for the murder and dismemberment of a guest at the hotel where he worked. The Uijeongbu District Court’s Goyang branch handed down a life sentence to the 38-year-old, who shocked the public with his complete lack of remorse. The court said he should be permanently isolated from society for appearing to “mock” the victim and the judiciary. Jang said that the victim had deserved to die. During the trial, Jang said he did

Social Affairs Nov. 5, 2019

South Korea’s environment minister and his Chinese counterpart vowed close cooperation to combat air pollution at their first annual ministerial talks in Seoul on Monday amid public concerns over toxic particles blowing in from China.  Minister Cho Myung-rae and Chinese Environment Minister Li Ganjie signed a “clear sky” action plan that includes joint implementation of policies, joint research, and exchanges of technology and personnel between the two countries to fight t

Social Affairs Nov. 4, 2019

Six-carriage trains have begun to run on Seoul Subway Line No. 9, operating more frequently starting Monday, amid complaints over crowdedness on the line during rush hour. Previously, some trains had four carriages and others six, which was a source of confusion for passengers. The number of rail services on Line No. 9 will increase from 37 a day to 40, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.  By employing six-carriage trains on all services, the crowd was expected to decrease by 19

Social Affairs Nov. 4, 2019

A queer festival organizing committee in South Gyeongsang Province filed for a permit to hold the festival, an event advocating equality for sexual minorities, in Changwon on Nov. 30, police said Sunday. If permission is granted, it will be the festival’s first run in the largely conservative province.The committee sought to hold the festival in the public square in front of Changwon City Hall, estimating that almost 4,000 people would gather there.A conservative civic group also requ

Social Affairs Nov. 3, 2019

When 25-year-old Korean singer and actress Sulli was found dead at her home last month, it was described as “murder by fingertips.”　Sulli, whose real name was Choi Jin-ri, had long been the target of online vitriol for defying the country’s social norms -- from wearing a shirt without a bra in public and being candid about her romantic relationships to livestreaming a drinking session with friends. 　The former member of top Korean girl group f(x) also came under attack from onl

Social Affairs Nov. 3, 2019

 Two victims of Japan’s wartime forced labor filed an appeal with the United Nations Human Rights Council on Wednesday, a year after South Korea’s top court ordered a Japanese firm to compensate them. The victims are seeking to address the issue at an international forum and for the UN to intervene and pressure the Japanese government and firms, according to lawyers representing the victims. It is the first time that an appeal on the forced labor issue has been filed with the UN

Social Affairs Oct. 30, 2019

Seoul National University buildings consumed the most energy in Seoul, figures from the Seoul Metropolitan Government showed Tuesday.SNU used 53,195 tons of oil equivalent in 2018, ranking No. 1 on a list of energy-consuming buildings in the capital, according to data on energy use in buildings in Seoul.　A ton of oil equivalent is a unit of energy, defined as the amount of energy released by burning 1 metric ton (1,000 kilograms) of crude oil.　The country’s top university, which has 132,18

Social Affairs Oct. 29, 2019

A fine dust advisory was issued for Seoul at 5 a.m. Tuesday as yellow dust particles traveling from China and Mongolia blanketed South Korea, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said. The average level of PM10 -- fine airborne particles smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter -- was 125 micrograms per cubic meter as of 8 a.m. in 25 districts across Seoul, according to the National Institute of Environmental Research. The heavily polluted air is the result of yellow dust from northeastern China and

Social Affairs Oct. 29, 2019

Professors and students from the world’s leading universities with a presence at Incheon Global Campus shared their knowledge about how to achieve a green energy transformation during Global Green Growth Week. The Global Green Growth Institute hosted Global Green Growth Week 2019, which offered a chance to explore knowledge and strategies on the policy, finance, technological and social dimensions of transitioning to renewable energy. During the event, held at Coex Intercontinental Hotel f

Social Affairs Oct. 27, 2019

Samsung Group’s de facto chief Lee Jae-yong’s retrial began Friday at a high court, after the top court ordered a review of his bribery sentence in connection with a corruption scandal that led to the ouster of former President Park Geun-hye in 2017. Grim-faced, Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, appeared before the appeals court at 9:29 a.m. to attend the first hearing, 627 days after he was released from prison when an appeals court suspended his sentence. In August, t

Social Affairs Oct. 25, 2019

Seoul is to become completely free from dog slaughter this month after all dog-butchering businesses in the city agreed to stop the practice, the city government said Thursday. A total of eight remaining dog slaughter facilities at Gyeongdong Market and Jungang Market halted their dog slaughter operations and three more agreed to stop it within the month, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.  Their promises, however, are not legally binding, as there are no laws to ban dog meat o

Social Affairs Oct. 24, 2019