The Korea Herald

Young women most afraid of crime: study

Dec 17, 2012

A recent study showed that young women fear crime the most of any demographic, while the level of fear decreases as people get older.The research paper by Kim Seong-eon, professor of Police Administration Studies at Kyungnam University, suggested that senior citizens who live alone feel less fear because they become desensitized to their surroundings.Kim conducted research on aged people’s fear of crimes under a hypothesis that the elderly were likely to have the biggest fear of crime, and conve
Women with higher salaries have more babies: report

Dec 16, 2012

Working mothers who earn more tend to have more babies than those with lower pay, a report showed Sunday. Women working in the public sector, including civil servants, also had more children than their private-sector counterparts, it added.The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs said the average fertility rate of women with a monthly salary of more than 2 million won ($1,860) was higher than of those who earn less than 1 million won, in an analysis of the correlation between birthrates
New police guideline allows easier house searches

Dec 16, 2012

A new police guideline will give police officers more leeway in entering and searching houses as part of efforts to better pre-empt serious crimes, police said Sunday.The guideline on emergency house searches permits police officers to defy a resident’s refusal and enter the house in case a murder or serious violence is suspected to be happening in the house, according to the police.The guideline also allows police officers to search houses even without a court-issued search warrant in case the
Police arrest suspect in arson at ex-president’s birthplace

Dec 16, 2012

DAEGU (Yonhap News) ― Police said Sunday they have arrested a middle-aged man suspected of setting fire to the birthplace of ex-president Roh Tae-woo.The 44-year-old man, surnamed Baek, is suspected of setting fire to the house where Roh was born in the southern city of Daegu around 4:05 a.m. on Dec. 12, according to Daegu Dongbu Police Station. The fire slightly scorched part of the house, leaving only minor damage, police said. Police interrogation has so far found that Baek was arrested in 20
Three N. Koreans return home following rescue

Dec 16, 2012

Three North Korean fishermen found drifting aboard a small boat in South Korean waters earlier this week were sent back to their communist homeland Saturday, the Coast Guard said.The three were found Thursday on a wooden boat in waters off South Korea’s east coast.North Koreans sometimes use the maritime boarder to defect to South Korea but the three Northern fishermen wanted to go back home, a government official said earlier.“The North Korean boat and its three crew members found in South Kore
Korean chopper to undergo cold-weather test in Alaska

Dec 16, 2012

South Korea will conduct cold-weather tests of its first homegrown helicopter in the U.S. state of Alaska between the year-end and early February of next year, a military source said Saturday.The “Surion” utility helicopter was developed by the country’s sole aircraft manufacturer, Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., with an investment by the government and launched in 2006. The military chopper, also intended for civilian use, made its successful maiden flight in March 2010.“(We) plan to transfer
Women with higher salaries have more babies: report

Dec 16, 2012

Working mothers who earn more tend to have more babies than those with lower pay, a report showed Sunday. Women working in the public sector, including civil servants, also had more children than their private-sector counterparts, it added.The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs said the average fertility rate of women with a monthly salary of more than 2 million won ($1,860) was higher than of those who earn less than 1 million won, in an analysis of the correlation between birthrates
Boat carrying 24 people on board sink off east coast

Dec 14, 2012

Two people have been found dead and 10 are missing after a ship carrying a total of 24 people sank after being hit by a crane in waters off South Korea’s southeast coast, the nation’s coast guard said.The vessels sank shortly after capsizing at around 7:30 p.m. in waters off the industrial city of Ulsan, it said.So far 12 people have been rescued. Search and rescue operations are still under way. (From news reports)
Police may summon prosecutors over photo leak

Dec 14, 2012

Police might summon incumbent prosecutors on suspicion that they leaked a photo of a woman who allegedly had sex with one of their fellow prosecutors in a high-profile sex scandal, sources at Seoul police said Friday. Seocho Police Station is currently analyzing files handed over by the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office’s internal inspection team. “The inspection team has reported to the police four officials who created the image file and their two accomplices,” said a lead prosecutor of the prosecut
NEC charges Saenuri official with illegal electioneering

Dec 14, 2012

The National Election Commission on Friday filed a complaint against a Saenuri Party official engaging in illegal election activities for presidential candidate Park Geun-hye. The person identified by his surname Yoon is known to be the director of a social networking service support team of the ruling party, which consulted him about SNS.The commission raided a unregistered election office run by Yoon in Yeouido, central Seoul, and confiscated evidence including eight computers, a laptop, certi
Police may summon prosecutors over photo leak

Dec 14, 2012

Police may summon incumbent prosecutors on suspicions that they leaked a photo of a woman who allegedly had sex with one of their fellow prosecutors in a high-profile sex scandal, sources at Seoul police said Friday. Seocho Police Station is currently analyzing files handed over by the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office’s internal inspection team. “The inspection team has reported to the police four officials who created the image file and their two accomplices,” said a lead prosecutor of the prosecuti
'Black boxes on cabs reduce accidents’

Dec 14, 2012

Taxis run by companies caused fewer car accidents after most of them installed black boxes, while a bill that requires all vehicles to be equipped with black boxes awaits parliamentary approval.The number of accidents involving company-run cabs fell 17.7 percent from 2007 to 20,331 last year, when most cabs were equipped with black boxes, according to the General Insurance Association of Korea and the Korea Transportation Institute.Starting with Incheon in 2008, local governments had black boxes
Government to expand support for childcare

Dec 14, 2012

The government said Friday it will push to increase the number of public day care centers and expand support for female non-regular workers as part of efforts to relieve women's burden for childcare and strengthen their social status. Setting priorities on the eradication of gender inequality and balance between work and family roles, the government put forth the five-year policy blueprint for women set to be launched next year. Under the envisioned plan, more public day care centers will be est
‘Benz’ prosecutor cleared of bribery charges

Dec 13, 2012

BUSAN (Yonhap News) ― A disgraced former female prosecutor has been acquitted of charges of receiving lavish bribes, including a luxury sedan and a designer bag, in return for peddling her influence for a criminal case, court officials said Thursday.Overturning a lower court’s ruling of a three-year prison term and the forfeiture of 44.6 million won ($39,700), the Busan High Court delivered a not guilty verdict for the 37-year-old woman, known by her family name Lee, said the officials.The forme
Arson suspected in fire at ex-president’s birthplace

Dec 13, 2012

DAEGU (Yonhap News) ― Former President Roh Tae-woo’s birthplace house was hit by a small fire that did little damage Thursday, presumed to be triggered by an arson attack, police said.An unidentified male was caught on CCTV entering the building in the southern city of Daegu around 4:05 a.m., officials said. Soon afterwards, a fire could be seen inside the house.The outbreak of the suspected arson attack has left a trail of smoldering debris inside but no casualties were reported, they said. A l