The Korea Herald

[Graphic News] AI spreads nationwide

Korean authorities are grappling with an increasing number of avian influenza cases, as the virus has continued to spread to chickens and migratory birds across the country since the first outbreak in Gochang, North Jeolla Province on Jan. 17. Up to six areas were confirmed to be infected with the pathogenic H5N8 strain.

Social Affairs Jan. 26, 2014

Officials consider nationwide lockdown on poultry farms

The government is considering ordering a lockdown at all poultry farms in the country to prevent the avian influenza virus spreading further, officials said Sunday.If the government imposes the order, all poultry, workers and vehicles from farms will be banned from moving for 48 hours. The lockdown procedure can be continued for another two days, officials added.The move came after the first H5N8 infection in chickens was reported Saturday, adding to concerns of a recent upturn in the disease’s

National Jan. 26, 2014

Officials consider nationwide lockdown on poultry farms

Celebrities lose ‘publicity’ suit against Naver

Local celebrities lost on Wednesday in a lawsuit that they collectively filed against major portals to seek compensation for their names being used for commercial purposes, according to the Suwon District Court.Fifty-nine celebrities filed the lawsuit against South Korea’s biggest online portal Naver and its affiliate company in May last year, claiming the right of publicity. They asked for damages worth 1.2 billion won ($1.1 million) in the high-profile suit joined by Jang Dong-gun, Bae Yong-jo

Social Affairs Jan. 23, 2014

Three get Wisconsin alumni awards

The Korean chapter of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s alumni association will present “proud alumni” awards to three graduates in a ceremony at a Seoul hotel on Saturday.The recipients are former Minister of Strategy and Finance Yoon Jeung-hyun, Inha University’s department of mathematics chair professor Kang Hyeon-bae and Virginia Tech.’s assistant professor of mechanical engineering Dennis Hong.Yoon was recognized for his contribution to stabilizing the finance market while serving as Fi

People Jan. 23, 2014

English teacher extradited from Armenia over teen sex tape

A 29-year-old American accused of having sex with a teenage girl and posting a video of it online was extradited from Armenia to South Korea on Wednesday, the Ministry of Justice said.The ministry has been tracking down the suspect’s whereabouts since 2010, when he fled to China as the video stirred a firestorm of criticism in the Korean online community.“The urgency of each case decides how fast the extradition will take place. In this case, it only took three months, whereas it could take up t

Social Affairs Jan. 22, 2014

Smartphones can be deadly distraction

It came as a stark reminder of the seriousness of the country’s smartphone addiction: A college student was killed on campus because she was distracted by her phone.The 23-year-old student was run over by a shuttle bus on Korea University campus in 2011 while walking with her head down, eyes fixed and fingers tapping.The tragic incident is just one of hundreds of traffic accidents here that occur every year because people have their eyes glued to their smartphones. Korea’s pride in high-tech pro

Social Affairs Jan. 21, 2014

Anti-waste campaign for holiday gifts misses the mark

Extravagantly wrapped gift sets are weighing down the shelves of department stores ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, despite government efforts to crack down on the overuse of packaging.Amid growing public attention toward environmental protection, the Ministry of Environment pledged to discourage excessive packaging on gift sets for two weeks before the Lunar New Year holiday begins on Jan. 30. Some consumers say that the practice can be excused during the holiday season, because it shows th

National Jan. 20, 2014

Anti-waste campaign for holiday gifts misses the mark

[Graphic News] More doctors file for bankruptcy

About 40 percent of people who applied for individual rehabilitation in Seoul and Gangwon Province were doctors, a report concluded.According to data by the Seoul High Court, 449 doctors including dentists and oriental medical doctors filed for personal bankruptcy under the Debtor Rehabilitation and Bankruptcy Act between 2009 and 2013. The number of hospitals that closed down also jumped by 17.6 percent, from 2,857 to 3,359 in the same period, largely due to fierce market competition and less i

Social Affairs Jan. 19, 2014

[Graphic News] More doctors file for bankruptcy

Herald awards writing contest winners

The award ceremony for the third Seoul National University of Education-Korea Herald English Contest, or SKEC, was held at the British ambassador’s residence in Seoul on Friday.Top prizes were given to 16 students in categories divided by age and the period of time entrants spent living overseas. Other awards, including the second-highest gold prizes, were presented to some 300 applicants.The competition was hosted by Herald Corp. and SNUE, and was sponsored by the British Embassy. More than 1,5

National Jan. 19, 2014

Seoul to set up more courts for sex crimes

The Seoul Central District Court is pushing plans to set up more courts that deal with sex offenses, according to court officials on Thursday. Under the plan, three divisions each consisting of three judges will handle sex crime cases, the court said. Currently, there are two divisions in charge of sex crimes. The measure is part of the court system’s efforts to strengthen the criminal justice system for sex offenders and bring them to justice.“The court has faced sweeping changes in the system

Social Affairs Jan. 16, 2014

Alleged deals with celebrity raise questions about prosecution

A corruption scandal surrounding a prosecutor is putting a fresh spotlight on the problems facing South Korea’s prosecution. An arrest warrant was issued for a prosecutor identified by his last name Jeon on Wednesday for allegedly making unlawful deals with a defendant in a drug abuse case in 2011. The latest scandal marks another major setback for the powerful organization after its chief’s resignation over accusations he had a love child and a string of bribery cases damaged its public image.O

Social Affairs Jan. 16, 2014

Ministry cancels state English test

A state-administered English exam for high school students will not be held this year, Ministry of Education officials said Wednesday.The ministry has canceled the level 2 and 3 administration of the National English Ability Test, or NEAT, citing high operational costs and low demand from colleges to use it for their admission procedures. While the level 2 and 3 exams, targeted at high school students, have been canceled, the level 1 exam for adults will be held as planned. “Demand for NEAT has

National Jan. 15, 2014

Korean researchers identify cause of lung cancer

South Korean researchers have identified one of the causes of squamous-cell carcinoma, which makes up 30 percent of all lung cancers. The research team led by Park Keun-chil, professor at the Samsung Medical Center, analyzed the genomes of 104 patients suffering from the disease, of whom 99 had smoked for more than 20 years.The result demonstrated that FGFR3-TACC3 gene fusion is expressed when smoking takes place for a long period of time, the researchers said. The fusion of the two genes is kno

Social Affairs Jan. 13, 2014

Stay-at-home moms more stressed: report

Working mothers are healthier and less depressed than those who stay at home with children, a poll showed on Friday.Stay-at-home moms showed a higher level of stress and higher negative sentiment index, according to the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education’s study of 1,863 moms with babies under 18 months old.Stay-at-home moms averaged 3.66 points in self-efficacy and 3.46 points in self-esteem on a scale of five. Those who worked full-time averaged 3.78 points and 3.58 points, respective

Social Affairs Jan. 12, 2014

Ewha Womans University to allow male president

Ewha Womans University, one of the country’s top women’s universities, is planning to revise its rules to allow male candidates to run for the position of school president, officials said on Friday.The boards of directors at Ewha Womans University unanimously decided to discard its women-only president system starting this year. It plans to hold an election this year as the current president Kim Sun-uk ends her term in July. Ewha is the last remaining school in the country to do away with the wo

National Jan. 10, 2014

Articles by Suk Gee-hyun