The Korea Herald

‘Iran, N.K. nukes on summit agenda’

Feb 27, 2012

President Lee Myung-bak said Monday the Iranian and North Korean nuclear standoffs are not on the agenda for the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit, days after Pyongyang denounced the event as “an intolerable grave provocation” against it.Lee made the remark during a visit to the organizing committee of the March 26-27 summit expected to draw about 50 world leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama, to discuss bolstering international safeguards and preventing nuclear terrorism.Obama hosted t
Day care centers’ strike irks mothers

Feb 27, 2012

On early Monday morning, several women gathered in front of a day care center in a Southern Seoul apartment complex, talking among themselves. They were reading a notice on a bulletin board about a week-long “closure” of the center. It said the centers are protesting the government’s lack of support and that the closure is needed to enhance the welfare of the teachers, which directly affects the children. “Some teachers showed up and took care of the children as an emergency measure. But they sa
Foreign business leaders urge Seoul to boost global competitiveness

Feb 27, 2012

A group of foreign business leaders in Seoul said increasing global competitiveness of the capital is vital for its sustainable development at a meeting with Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon on Monday. “Seoul needs to set policies and plans that will elevate its global competitiveness for sustainable growth,” said the new board members of the Seoul International Business Advisory Council at the first consultative meeting with Park. The meeting was closed to public. Park also shared his vision for city
Seoul City looks to ban foreign goods in Insa-dong

Feb 27, 2012

Seoul City is looking to ban the sale of foreign-made products in Insa-dong, officials announced Monday.Officials at the Seoul Metropolitan Government are concerned about the overflow of low-quality goods, mostly from China, that are flooding the streets of Insa-dong’s Cultural Town.Designated as a cultural district in 2002, the 700-meter long street is one of Seoul’s most popular tourist attractions for traditional Korean crafts. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, some 40 percent of K
OECD calls on Korea to improve primary health care

Feb 27, 2012

The health care system here needs to shift its focus from hospitals to personal care, an OECD report said Monday.According to the Health Care Quality Review, the Korean health care system relies too heavily on hospitals for treatment, while neglecting community clinics.“Most patients all head up to Seoul to visit hospitals like Samsung and Seoul National University, which leaves the provincial and rural hospitals out to dry,” said one doctor who wished to remain anonymous.The OECD said that a fo
Filipino workers tell of discrimination

Feb 27, 2012

Some Korean employers reluctant to offer severance pay and national pension When Elmer De Vera found out last month that his employer had given pay raises to his Korean colleagues despite freezing his pay for the past four years, he blamed discrimination against his nationality. “They (employers) don’t follow rules. I found it out only last month when I compared my salary slip with my coworkers. My salary has been the same for the past four years,” said the Filipino employee at a lo
Daycare centers’ strike irks mothers

Feb 27, 2012

One third of total private centers close in protest against subsidy freezeOn early Monday morning, several women gathered in front of a daycare center in an apartment complex in southern Seoul, talking to themselves. They were reading the notice on the bulletin about a week-long “closure” of the center. It said the centers are protesting the government’s freeze of subsidies to daycare centers and that the closure is needed to enhance the welfare of the teachers, which directly affects the childr
Lee Byung-hun to star as Joseon king in movie

Feb 27, 2012

Popular actor Lee Byunghun this month started shooting a historical epic based on the life of Gwanghaegun — a 17th century Joseon ruler who was dethroned in a coup — the movie’s producer CJ Entertainment announced on Monday.The movie, whose working title is “King of Joseon,” is written by “Oldboy” screenwriter Hwang Jo-yoon and directed by “Mapado” and “Late Blossom” auteur Choo Chang-min. The fictional plot of the film develops as the eccentric king runs into Ha-seon, a man from the lowest clas
Number of obese pupils continues to rise: report

Feb 26, 2012

The number of obese primary and secondary school students is on the rise. According to a report released Sunday by the Education Ministry 14 out of 100 children in elementary, middle and high school are obese. And the numbers have been rising since as early as 2001.The ministry conducted physicals last year of some 181,000 students from 743 schools throughout the country and suggested that diet, activity level and amount of sleep had a major affect on students’ health. The report showed that the
Child care centers strike for increased subsidies

Feb 26, 2012

Privately run child care centers across the nation are expected to close for a week starting Monday in a collective action to demand a rise in government subsidies. “We decided to go on a six-day strike, beginning Feb. 27 until March 3. It has become impossible for us to run our centers because of the unrealistic fees and excessive restrictions set by the Ministry of Health and Welfare,” the Private Preschool Association said in a statement released Friday. “We chose a strike as a last resort,”
Seoul primary schools have lowest number of pupils since 1965

Feb 26, 2012

The number of elementary school students in Seoul dropped to its lowest levels last year since the city started recording 46 years ago, officials said Sunday.According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the capital had 535,948 students enrolled in elementary school last year.The report highlights the effects of the low birthrate that has plagued Korea.The report found that the number of elementary school students peaked in 1982 at 1,183,735 and fluctuated until 2001 (when 763,000 were enrolle
‘Trust key for academic cooperation’

Feb 26, 2012

CAMPUS Asia set to forge academic links in East AsiaUniversities in Korea, China and Japan should trust one another and assure educational quality for a successful joint degree program, according to a European official in charge of student exchanges.The three major East Asian countries launched a project titled “CAMPUS Asia” last week to enable their college students to earn joint degrees by credit transfer.The project attempts to integrate the three neighbors in the sensitive field of education
A 5-year-old boy locked in childcare center’s van for hours

Feb 26, 2012

A 5-year-old boy was confined to the van of a childcare center for nearly seven hours due to his teacher’s carelessness.The boy was locked in the car from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 22 near a lot beside the center, which the child attends on Jeju.The teacher and bus driver at the childcare center c
Obesity on rise among students: report

Feb 26, 2012

Obesity rates among students slightly increased last year amid growing consumption of fast food and a lack of exercise and rest, a government report showed Sunday.According to the Education Ministry, 14.3 percent of elementary, middle and high school students were considered obese in 2011. Another 1
Actress files suit over rumors

Feb 24, 2012

Actress Song Hye-kyo has accused 41 internet users of defamation by spreading false rumors about her.The 29-year-old actress filed the complaint on Feb. 16 with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, officials said Friday.According to Song’s complaint, the netizens spread the rumor that she had made financial gains from a so-called “sponsor relationship” with a politician. The accused are said to have posted the comments from September 2008 until December last year. “The accused spread