The Korea Herald

Bugging scandal hits politics, journalism

PoliticsJul 13, 2011

State broadcaster KBS denies bugging allegations, calls probe threat to press freedomAllegations of bugging involving the state-run broadcaster KBS have sparked criticism over “unethical journalism,” with others denouncing the ongoing investigation into the claims as an infringement on press freedom.The suspicion is that on June 23, a 33-year-old KBS reporter, surnamed Jang, bugged a closed-door m
Korean CEOs expand networks as honorary consuls

Jul 13, 2011

Business leaders committed to solidifying diplomatic, economic, cultural ties with foreign countriesKorea’s business leaders are expanding their scope into the international arena, but not as representatives of their companies; they are honorary consuls of foreign countries.Despite the extra duties these roles bring to their already busy lives, such as issuing visas and passports, the new job help
Creditors to put 30 firms under workout program

Jul 13, 2011

Troubled companies to be shut downKorea’s creditor banks have singled out some 30 large firms that should either go through a workout program or be forced out of the market. The names of the companies in question, however, remain undisclosed.According to banking sources on Wednesday, local creditor banks completed the evaluation of companies whose loans exceed 50 billion won ($47 million) in late
June jobless rate falls to 6-month low

Jul 13, 2011

The job market in June grew to the healthiest level in six months, posting a 3.3 percent unemployment rate as hiring conditions improved in manufacturing and service sectors, Statistics Korea said. The June figure is unchanged from May, but it saw the largest number of jobs in 11 months, 472,000, added to the economy.“The job growth is driven by the private sector and we’re seeing the job market c
Europe considers Greek default, leaders to meet

World BusinessJul 13, 2011
Seoul mayor marks 1st year of 2nd term, decries spending

PoliticsJul 13, 2011

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon pledged to fight “welfare populism” in a city council bill to offer free school meals at all schools in the capital.“If we don’t overcome ‘welfare populism,’ the democracy of our nation cannot move forward,” he noted at the press conference marking the first year of his second term Wednesday.“Seoul citizens have made a wise move to put the free school lunch on referendum and
Foreigners advise Seoul to improve openness

Social affairsJul 13, 2011

Global enterprise executives in Korea held the Foreign Investment Advisory Council in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss plans for improvement of the foreign investment environment in the capital.Seoul city, the government and various chambers of commerce officials and heads of multinational corporations gathered in hopes of making Seoul a top global city.“Seoul’s competiveness has advanced greatly ove
Lee says will consult GNP on appointments

PoliticsJul 13, 2011

President Lee Myung-bak told the newly-elected leadership of the ruling Grand National Party over lunch on Wednesday that he will discuss with them before nominating the new justice minister and the prosecutor-general amid backlash from both ruling and opposition lawmakers against the president’s top candidate.During his first official meeting with the new GNP leader Hong Joon-pyo and other member
N.K. calls for S. Korean plans to dispose of Geumgang assets

North KoreaJul 13, 2011

North Korea on Wednesday demanded that the South present its plans to dispose of the Seoul-owned assets at the Mount Geumgang resort by July 29, according to a government official.The North also said that should the South make no response by then, it would unilaterally dispose of the assets held by South Koreans.The demand came as a 10-member delegation of Seoul government officials and investors
Forum on soft power as diplomacy engine

Foreign affairsJul 13, 2011

The government needs to establish a body dedicated to cultural diplomacy using the country’s soft power, a group of foreign affairs experts said Wednesday calling for a related law. At the Korean Public Diplomacy Forum in Seoul, experts said the government had not made the most of the nation’s soft power. “Though the country has seen remarkable economic and technological successes including hostin
Navy to bloster presence on Ulleung, move seen to protect Dokdo islets

DefenseJul 13, 2011

The Navy has decided to expand a helicopter landing facility on Ulleung Island and dispatch two more military helicopters to it, according to a lawmaker.The move comes as Seoul seeks to bolster its capabilities to defend the easternmost islets of Dokdo over which Japan has been persistently making sovereignty claims.Rep. Song Young-sun of the minority Future Hope Alliance party said that the Navy
Scholar sees chance for summit with N.K.

North KoreaJul 13, 2011

Defector Ahn says Chinese model for opening and reform is only way for North to surviveThere are a variety of perspectives on North Korea; some people think the country is never going to give up its nuclear weapons or open up its economy, while others think there will be chances for reunification which the South must seize.A political scientist who spent the first 25 years of his life in the North
Court gives N. Koreans right to assets left by father in South

Social affairsJul 13, 2011

Four North Koreans from the same family have come to share assets left by their late father with their half-brothers and sisters in South Korea under mediation by a Seoul court in the first case of its kind.The North Koreans, surnamed Yoon, had filed a lawsuit against their South Korean stepmother and four half-brothers and sisters in February 2009 demanding they split 10 billion won ($9.35 millio
Readers’ VOICE

Jul 13, 2011

On English lectures...I think the English lecture debate in Korea has two sides, which is good because it is an exciting moment to share ideas among students in English. However, it is true that it also has limitations.This semester, I took two lectures in English. One I took was about Korean theater. We were taught how Korean theatre has developed with shamanism. I think it would have been better
Should Korean colleges teach in English?

Jul 13, 2011

With Korea part of an ever more globalized world...Balancing globalization and reality in the lecture hallLectures conducted in English have become commonplace at Korean universities in the last few years. It has been reported that universities in Seoul conduct between 20 and 40 percent of their lectures in English. A desire to keep in step with globalization and bump up Korean universities’ place