The Korea Herald

Debate still hot over May 16 coup

May 3, 2011

New light shed on legacies of Park Chung-hee’s 18-year ruleA half-century ago this month, a group of military officers led by Army Maj. Gen. Park Chung-hee kicked out a fledgling democratic government which had been grappling with a host of popular demands with little success.In a six-point “revolutionary pledge,” they tasked themselves with rooting out corruption, pulling the people out of povert
Parties to pass Korea-EU FTA bill

May 3, 2011

Parties to ratify Korea-EU FTA WednesdayParties will hold a provisional session on Wednesday to pass the disputed Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement bill, on which they failed to reach an agreement during the April plenary session.In a last-minute debate on Monday, parties agreed to ban the location of large supermarkets within the 1 kilometer radius of small traditional markets, instead of the previou
Assembly to discuss ratifying FTA with EU this week

May 2, 2011

The Korean parliament will discuss the ratification of Seoul's free trade deal with the European Union (EU) at a plenary session this week, a lawmaker said Monday, after rival parties agreed on related issues.Rep. Lee Koon-hyon of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) said the National Assembly will discuss ratifying the free trade agreement (FTA) with the EU this Wednesday. Last week, a parliamen
GNP cliques clash after by-election shocks

May 2, 2011

The ruling Grand National Party, in the aftermath of its defeat in last week’s by-elections, held an intra party debate in which opposing factions clashed over how to start over.More than 110 lawmakers participated and 19 volunteered to speak in the hours-long debate on Monday, according to party officials.“We are on the verge of a major crisis,” said the party floor leader Kim Moo-sung in his ope
Bigger kindergarten grants promised for 5-year-olds

May 2, 2011

The Seoul government on Monday said it will pay 300,000 won per month for pre-school education of 5-year-olds from 2016, extending the state-funded compulsory education period by a year to 10 years.Currently, public elementary (six years) and middle school (three years) education in Korea is free, whereas the government provides 177,000 won per month for pre-school education or childcare of 5-year
Lee aide warns of moral hazard amid savings bank probe

May 2, 2011

An aide to President Lee Myung-bak criticized a group of Busan lawmakers for pushing for legislation to make the government provide full compensation for lost savings at suspended mutual savings banks, saying it would bring about moral hazard.“Ignoring the existing law to guarantee full compensation for all savings when Busan Savings Bank is suspected of having told (its VIP customers) to withdraw
Seoul expats happy with public transit

May 2, 2011

Foreigners living in Seoul were most satisfied with transport when rating a range of services last year, according to a survey released Monday by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.But satisfaction with their residential environment was rated lowest in the survey of 900 expatriates in Seoul.The city began conducting the research in 2008 as part of its globalization efforts. It commissioned the loca
Man accused of stealing sensitive data

May 2, 2011

Investigators do not rule out possibility of information sent to N. KoreaProsecutors are investigating a 43-year-old man who allegedly stole sensitive government data from the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other agencies while working for a private computer data management firm for them, officials said Monday.The case immediately sparked criticism for the “lax screening process” for personnel who hand
Gov't envisions 'mandatory' preschool education

May 2, 2011

The government announced on Monday that it will fully cover preschool expenses for 5-year-olds by 2016 as part of a campaign to help narrow the education gap between poor and wealthy students and to reduce household childcare burdens.The government said it will introduce next year a common preschool curriculum for 5-year-olds and shoulder most of the cost for households to help more children recei
Park Geun-hye in Portugal after Netherlands trip

May 1, 2011

LISBON (Yonhap News) -- Park Geun-hye, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s special envoy, arrived in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, Sunday on her second leg of a nine-day European tour after wrapping up a three-day visit to the Netherlands.In the Netherlands, Park, a former head of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP), met with Queen Beatrix and ranking government officials for discussions o
GNP grapples with selection of leader

May 1, 2011

Big names mentioned as party chair, but all cautious about their plansIn the aftermath of its defeat in the April by-elections, the ruling Grand National Party is struggling to select a new head who may lead the party in the future, especially in next year’s general and presidential elections.The ruling party is scheduled to line up its top leader and supreme council anew within the month through
Korean fathers don’t talk enough with kids

May 1, 2011

A third of South Korea’s fathers feel they don’t talk enough with their children, with the lack of dialogue experienced most among single-parent and poorer families, a survey showed Saturday.More than 34 percent of fathers said they don’t spend enough time talking to their children, while 19.8 percent of mothers felt the same way, according to the survey by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Fami
Parliament approves online game shutdown for school kids

Apr 29, 2011

The National Assembly on Friday passed a revision bill that will ban those under the age of 16 from playing online games from midnight through 6 a.m.During the parliamentary plenary session, 117 of the 210 lawmakers who participated in the vote endorsed the bill to revise the Youth Protection Act while 63 voted against it with 30 abstaining. Lawmakers attend a parliamentary session on Thursday. Yo
Ruling party, Lee set for early reshuffle after election defeat

Apr 29, 2011

The ruling Grand National Party is set to hold its national convention in late June or early July, a year earlier than previously scheduled, to pick new leaders as the party chiefs said they would resign to take responsibility for the electoral defeat Wednesday.The reorganization of the GNP leadership is to be in gear with the planned reshuffle of Cabinet ministers and presidential aides. Presiden
Assembly panel passes Korea-EU free trade pact

Apr 28, 2011

The Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee of the National Assembly passed the long-stalled Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement on Thursday as rival parties compromised to cut taxes for small livestock farms.The agreement will now be forwarded to the plenary session on Friday and, if approved, will take effect this July.During the panel session, government officials reported their preventive measures to sa