The Korea Herald

Asbestos risk threatens baseball schedule

Social affairsSept 27, 2011

The Environment Ministry plans to request that related organizations suspend the use of five baseball fields used in national league games, where a civic group claimed harmful asbestos was detected, officials said Tuesday.Later in the day, officials from relevant ministries, the Korea Baseball Organ
Disgraced soprano sues SNU for reinstatement

Social affairsSept 27, 2011

Former music professor and acclaimed soprano Kim In-hei has sued Seoul National University to get her job back.In filings to Seoul Administrative Court, Kim, who was dismissed from SNU for abusing her students, defended her alleged violence as disciplinary action. She also claimed that the school’s
Weather agency to forecast flu probabilities

Social affairsSept 27, 2011

The state’s weather agency will provide the probabilities of catching a cold along with their forecasts, in an effort to help citizens’ maintain their health, said officials on Tuesday.The Korea Meteorological Administration will offer a national flu report on the possibility of catching a cold or t
Defense budget up to raise combat readiness

DefenseSept 27, 2011

No money set aside for project to purchase presidential airplaneThe government has earmarked some 33.15 trillion won ($28.13 billion) for the 2012 defense budget, up 5.6 percent from this year’s budget, aiming to make the military “truly combat-ready,” officials said Tuesday.It seeks to set aside 23
Third way emerges in Korea’s polarized politics

PoliticsSept 27, 2011

Rival parties pressed to overhaul themselves as independent voices riseLawmakers of the ruling Grand National Party and the main opposition Democratic Party met separately at the National Assembly last Wednesday morning to discuss their final positions on the nominee for Supreme Court chief justice.
Koreans spent W2.3tr in Macao, Philippine casinos in 2010: report

Social affairsSept 27, 2011

More than 220,000 South Koreans visited casinos in Macao and the Philippines last year and lost a total of 2.3 trillion won (US$ 1.9 billion), a lawmaker said Tuesday, calling for government measures to curb overseas gambling.South Korea strictly regulates gambling within the country for its citizen
Lee calls for stern handling of bribery cases involving close aides

PoliticsSept 27, 2011

SEOUL, Sept. 27 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak called for stern handling of alleged bribery cases involving some of his close aides, saying Tuesday it has been one of his top goals to rid the administration of corruption by presidential aides and relatives.It was Lee's first comments since two
N.K., China leaders agree on economic cooperation

North KoreaSept 27, 2011

BEIJING (Yonhap News) ― North Korea and China agreed to strengthen economic cooperation during talks between their prime ministers in Beijing, China’s state news agency reported Tuesday.The North’s Premier Choe Yong-rim and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao “pledged to promote trade, investment and
New chief Supreme Court justice sworn in

Social affairsSept 27, 2011

Yang Sung-tae was sworn in as the new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in South Korea on Tuesday, vowing to bolster transparency and openness of the judiciary.The 63-year-old incoming chief justice, who replaced predecessor Lee Yong-hun, said the current level of South Koreans’ trust toward the ju
Commerce minister offers to resign

PoliticsSept 27, 2011

Choi Joong-kyung, minister of knowledge economy, offered to step down Tuesday, taking responsibility for nationwide blackouts earlier in the month, a government official said.The minister in charge of energy affairs offered his resignation to President Lee Myung-bak after a cabinet meeting, accordin
Soldiers indicted over national security law violation double: report

DefenseSept 27, 2011

More than twice as many South Korean soldiers and officers have been charged with violating the anti-communist National Security Law in the current conservative government than in the previous liberal administration, a report showed Tuesday.The law strictly prohibits distribution of publications pra
Dads less likely to die of heart problems

ScienceSept 27, 2011

Fatherhood may be a kick in the old testosterone, but it may also help keep a man alive. New research suggests that dads are a little less likely to die of heart-related problems than childless men are.The study — by the AARP, the government and several universities — is the largest ever
Weather agency to introduce 'flu infection index'

Social affairsSept 27, 2011

SEOUL, Sept. 27 (Yonhap) -- The nation's weahter forecast agency is to start alerting residents to how likely they are to catch a cold as part of its efforts to address growing public concern about health and disease, officials said Tuesday. (Bloomberg)The so-called "flu infection index" will be cal
Prosecutors investigate head of Jeil Savings Bank

Social affairsSept 26, 2011

Prosecutors said on Monday they were investigating the head of a suspended savings bank over allegations that executives of the bank offered illegal loans and engaged in other financial irregularities.Prosecutors earlier arrested Lee Yong-jun, president of the Jeil Savings Bank, along with another e
Parties seek to absorb civic candidates

PoliticsSept 26, 2011

GNP, DP strive to unify respective candidacies; Park and Lee pledge to remain independentAs the upcoming Seoul mayoral race comes down to a four-party contest ― two party-affiliated and two independent figures ― both the ruling and the opposition camp are set to unify their candidates before the act