The Korea Herald

Seoul education office to proclaim controversial student rights ordinance

Jan 25, 2012

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said Wednesday that it will proclaim an ordinance on the protection of students' human rights, banning corporal punishment and allowing freedom to choose their own hairstyle and clothing, a move expected to cause conflict between the office and the educatio
Seoul city to raise subway, bus fares next month

Jan 25, 2012

The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to raise public transportation fares by 150 won (US$0.13) next month to make up for rising deficits from transfer fee discounts and energy costs, officials said Wednesday.The city government has come up with a proposal to raise bus and subway fares from 900 wo
Oh chosen for HHMI early career scientist

Jan 25, 2012

Oh Dong-chan, pharmacy professor of Seoul National University, has been chosen as one of the early career scientists of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, an internationally renowned research foundation, SNU said Wednesday. Oh is expected to receive $715,000 for the next five years in funding for his research on microbes in relation to drug use, according to the school. “The research on discovering new antibiotic compounds based on microbes is promising … on discovering antibiotics from natura
Female workers top 10 million for first time in 2011

Jan 25, 2012

The number of female workers in South Korea exceeded 10 million for the first time in 2011 due to the growing female population and a higher number of jobseekers among those supporting families, data showed Wednesday.Female workers totaled 10.09 million at the end of last year, up 1.8 percent or 177
Top U.S. schools turn to Jeju for new campuses

Jan 24, 2012

JDC signs MOUs with two institutions to establish international schools in JejuA number of prestigious U.S. private schools, including Wilbraham & Monson Academy and Perkiomen School, are expected to discuss setting up overseas branches in Jeju. Jeju Free International City Development Center signed memoranda of understanding with Wilbraham & Monson Academy and Perkiomen School on each campus on Jan. 18 and 19 to establish international schools at Jeju Global Education City.JDC Chairman Byon Jon
Prestigious U.S. schools turn attention to Jeju

Jan 24, 2012

JDC signs MOUs with two institutions to establish international schools in JejuA number of prestigious U.S. private schools, including Wilbraham & Monson Academy and Perkiomen School, are expected to discuss setting up overseas branches in Jeju. Jeju Free International City Development Center signed memoranda of understanding with Wilbraham & Monson Academy and Perkiomen School on each campus on Jan. 18 and 19 to establish international schools at Jeju Global Education City.JDC Chairman Byon Jon
School authorities look away from violence

Jan 24, 2012

Teachers call for effective alternative discipline for student misconductThis is the second of a series of articles on school violence brought into the public spotlight following recent student suicides. ― Ed.A 28-year-old middle school teacher who reported an in incident of violence to the school’s teacher in charge of student discipline received a shocking response. “He first asked me back, ‘Did the student break something? If not, deal with the case by yourself,’” she said, declining to be na
80% of Seoul citizens agree to street smoking ban

Jan 24, 2012

A majority of Seoul citizens agree on imposing a smoking ban on streets in the capital, according to a survey of 1,000 citizens earlier this month. About 80 percent said they would support designating streets as non-smoking areas while 16.9 percent opposed the idea, and 3.9 percent said they do not know, according to a poll conducted by Nam Jae-kyong, a Grand National Party member of the city council, from Jan. 2-6. The survey is expected to be used as background data on revising an ordinance th
Korean universities lower tuition fee

Jan 24, 2012

About one-third of Korean universities announced they will lower their tuition fees by 4.8 percent on average for the 2012 school year in a bid to meet the government’s request to reduce tuition costs in line with state tuition subsidies for students.A total of 109 universities out of 344 nationwide plan to lower their fees by 4.8 percent on average from last year, according to the Korea Student Aid Foundation on Tuesday. “Students will be able to feel the change, with a tuition fee cut combined
Korea, U.S. ink agreement on environmental protection

Jan 24, 2012

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) -- South Korea and the United States on Monday signed a pact to strengthen cooperation on the environmental front as the world struggles to deal with climate change, pollution and ecological havoc.Seoul’s Ambassador to Washington Han Duck-soo and Robert Hormats, under secretary of state for economic, energy and agricultural affairs, signed the U.S.-Korea Environmental Cooperation Agreement in a ceremony in Washington.Under the pact, the two sides will work more closely t
Investigators of bribery case may summon Lee Sang-deuk

Jan 24, 2012

Prosecutors investigating allegations surrounding SLS Group chairman Lee Kuk-chul may summon Rep. Lee Sang-deuk.According to reports, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office is reviewing plans to summon Rep. Lee, who is President Lee Myung-bak’s elder brother, in relation to the money his aide received from the businessman. The SLS Group chairman was indicted in early December on a number of charges including bribing government officials to keep the conglomerate afloat and to avoid a pros
S. Korean elderly concerned most about finances, health

Jan 24, 2012

Aging South Koreans cited economic difficulty and health as their biggest concerns, but the weight of their worries varied according to their education levels, a report showed Monday.In a survey of 60-year-olds by Statistics Korea, 43.2 percent of the respondents with elementary education picked eco
Major highways congested as Lunar New Year travelers return home

Jan 23, 2012

Major highways became increasingly congested with traffic on Monday afternoon as South Koreans started to head home after visiting their hometowns and family graves for the Lunar New Year. The Lunar New Year season, which began on Saturday and runstill Tuesday, is one of two major holida
Law breaking by policemen drops 30 pct last year

Jan 23, 2012

Law violations committed by police officers dived nearly 30 percent in 2011 from a year earlier,police said Sunday. Reported law breaking by policemen reached 158 cases last year,compared with 223 cases in 2010, the National Police Agency said. The agency said the 2011 tally
S. Korean elderly concerned most about finances, health

Jan 23, 2012

Aging South Koreans cited economic difficulty and health as their biggest concerns, but the weight of their worries varied according to their education levels, a report showed Monday. In a survey of 60-year-olds by Statistics Korea, 43.2 percentof the respondents with elementary educatio