An opposition lawmaker on Sunday demanded the resignation of President Park Geun-hye over alleged irregularities in last year’s presidential election.The statement by Democratic Party Rep. Jang Ha-na added fuel to the ongoing dispute among political parties over government spy agents’ alleged interference in the election. This is the first time an incumbent lawmaker has publicly defied the result of the Dec. 19 election. “President Park may not have directly asked for aid in the election, but ev

Politics Dec. 8, 2013

The non-regular workers’ union at the state-run Incheon International Airport went on an indefinite strike Saturday, calling for higher wages and job security.Up to 700 of the 1,900 union members, who are largely cleaners and facility management workers, joined the action, they said.“There was no reason to delay our protest, as we have not received an answer for our request from the company,” the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions’ Public Transportation Union said in a statement. “The official

Politics Dec. 8, 2013

Korean and Chinese experts are to meet in Beijing next week to discuss measures to fight acrid smog, according to the Ministry of Environment. A taskforce of 10 experts from concerned organizations is to meet with the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection on Dec. 12, to solve problems involving toxic airborne pollutants, particularly ultra fine dust particles. The organizations participating in the project are the Metropolitan Air Quality Management Office, National Institute of Environme

National Dec. 5, 2013

South Korea is on alert over choking smog originating from wintertime coal use in China, which is threatening people’s respiratory and immune systems.The concentration of fine dust particles smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter, or PM10, increased to more than three times normal levels Wednesday, with Gyeonggi Province recording the highest figure of 268 micrograms per cubic meter. The concentration in the province averaged 55 micrograms on Nov. 22, according to the National Institute of Envi

National Dec. 4, 2013

A white rhinoceros died of shock last year after it escaped its compound at a local zoo, raising questions about safety measures in public parks.The news was belatedly released after two different accidents in public zoos resulted in the death of a zoo keeper on Jeju Island and another falling into a coma at Seoul Grand Park.The park officials said they buried the 35-year-old rhinoceros near the zoo after it died, but did not report to police or emergency services. It was reported to the Ministr

Social Affairs Dec. 2, 2013

A lower court on Friday ordered unionized workers at Ssangyong Motors to compensate the company and the police for inflicting financial loss and casualties during a 77-day strike staged in 2009.The Suwon District Court said it has ordered senior members of the union and umbrella union groups who led the protest to pay 3.3 billion won ($3.1 million) and 1.3 billion won to the carmaker and the police, respectively, saying their actions were “violent, illegal and unjustified.” In the 2009 strike, t

Social Affairs Nov. 29, 2013

The state-run Korea Environment Corp. is to sign a memorandum of understanding on Friday with Water Sanitation for Africa, in an effort to help improve access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the region, company officials said Wednesday.The agreement, which will be made in Abidjan, Cte d’Ivoire, focuses on cooperation in making environment-friendly policies, infrastructure and welfare services.Water and sanitation levels have been typically poor in Sub-Saharan Africa, with only 31 percen

National Nov. 21, 2013

The prosecution has indicted 21 cram school operators, tutors and brokers without detention for leaking U.S. Scholastic Aptitude Test materials.Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said Sunday that 14 hagwon operators and tutors, and eight brokers were questioned for illegally collecting and selling SAT questions, throwing the spotlight back on a string of cheating scandals from earlier this year. One of those questioned belongs to the military and was referred to the military prosecution.

Social Affairs Nov. 17, 2013

Efforts to provide aid and monetary support to the Philippines are accelerating in Korea, with corporations, religious groups and high-profile influencers offering their support after Typhoon Haiyan struck earlier this month.The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education is to hold a five-day “coin-collecting” campaign on Monday to help the survivors of the typhoon-ravaged Philippines, where the death toll continues to rise and relief supplies are running low.Seoul City donated $200,000 to the count

Social Affairs Nov. 17, 2013

The government plans to encourage the creation of about 16,500 part-time jobs in the public sector by 2017 as part of efforts to attain its goal of a 70 percent employment rate, Employment and Labor Minister Phang Ha-nam said at an economic ministerial meeting Wednesday.To further stimulate the job market, the government will encourage the private sector to increase job opportunities through flexible employment by offering tax incentives, wage subsidies of up to 800,000 won ($745) and full socia

Politics Nov. 13, 2013

The Seoul Administrative Court on Wednesday temporarily invalidated the government’s decision to deregister the country’s largest teachers’ union last month.The Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union on Oct 24 filed a lawsuit and preliminary injunction against the Education Ministry’s recent move to deprive it of legal status as a union for refusing a government order to exclude dismissed teachers from its membership.The court accepted the injunction request, allowing the progressive union

Social Affairs Nov. 13, 2013

Some 50,000 temporary and contract school workers across the country excluding Seoul are set to go on a strike Wednesday, demanding a pay raise, more benefits and better job security.The union of non-regular employees working for meal services, English classes, administration assistance and extracurricular activities said its members approved a walkout in recent votes.Its chapter in Seoul will not join the action as they reached an agreement with the education authorities in July.The union has s

Social Affairs Nov. 10, 2013