The Korea Herald

Seoul offers free Korean and IT lessons to expats

Sept 19, 2011

Seoul city government is offering free Korean and computer lessons in the nation’s biggest Central Asian town in Gwanghui-dong, Jung-gu, where foreigners from Russia, Mongolia and Uzbekistan have gathered and formed their own community since 1990.The classes take place at the Gwanghui-dong residents
Overseas students surge 32% in 5 years

Sept 19, 2011

The number of Korean students studying abroad has jumped more than 32 percent over the past five years, data unveiled by a lawmaker showed Monday.A total of 251,887 students were reported to have studied overseas in 2010, up from 190,364 in 2006, according to the Education Ministry figures submitted
Former presidential aide to be summoned this week over corruption scandal

Sept 19, 2011

SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors said Monday they plan to summon a former senior presidential aide this week on suspicions of receiving money in a corruption scandal involving a suspended savings bank. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office is scheduled to call Kim Du-woo, the former senior presiden
Number of reported rapists surges 33 percent in past 3 years: report

Sept 19, 2011

SEOUL, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- The number of reported rapists nationwide jumped more than 33 percent over the past three years, though the country moves toward harsher punishment for the crime, a report showed Monday.A total of 21,116 rapists were reported to the country‘s prosecution offices last year
Customers to see sparkling water in Korean market

Sept 18, 2011

Korean consumers will be able to choose from a variety of bottled water as the government plans to make quality standards more flexible to diversify types on sale and expand the nation’s water market. The Environment Ministry said Sunday that they plan to ease restrictions on water quality in order
Local police stations run short of officers

Sept 18, 2011

Local police stations suffer from a shortage of officers while the headquarters is overstaffed, data unveiled by lawmakers showed Sunday.Small police stations in charge of local crimes and safety have always experienced personnel shortages, but the staff situation has become worse over the years, ac
Japanese police fixed records concerning mysterious death of Korean-American

Sept 18, 2011

ATLANTA (Yonhap News) -- Japanese police fixed their records to rule the mysterious death of a Korean-American man in Tokyo last year a mere accident, the late man's family and friends here claimed Saturday.In August last year, Kang Hoon, whose English name is Scott, died three days after he was fou
Korea mandates warnings labels for high-caffeine drinks

Sept 18, 2011

South Korea's government said Sunday that it plans to put warning labels on highly caffeinated beverages such as Coca-Cola and so-called energy drinks that may be harmful to pregnant women and children.The Korea Food and Drug Administration said it has issued administrative notices for the mandatory
Somali pirates case to go to Supreme Court

Sept 17, 2011

The case against five Somali pirates involved in the hijacking of a South Korean freighter earlier this year will go to the South Korean Supreme Court for a final ruling, officials said Saturday.The move came as Mahomed Arai, 23, and four other pirates as well as local prosecutors appealed the recen
Presidential aide faces charges in bribery scandal

Sept 16, 2011

Prosecutors plan to summon for questioning next week Kim Doo-woo, a senior presidential aide, on suspicion that he had shady ties with an arrested lobbyist hired by a corruption-ridden mutual savings bank. “He is likely to be questioned next week,” an official at the Central Investigation Unit at th
Civic group sues tax authorities for information leak

Sept 16, 2011

A group of civic activists filed a complaint against the National Tax Service for defaming celebrities by leaking its tax audit results, which resulted in the much publicized retirement of Kang Ho-dong.The Korea Tax Payer’s Federation said Thursday that the filing had been completed with the Seoul C
Crimes involving U.S. servicemen on the rise: report

Sept 16, 2011

SEOUL, Sept. 16 (Yonhap) -- The number of crimes involving U.S. servicemen stationed in South Korea has steadily risen over the last four years, while most of them evaded arrests, a police report showed Friday. Criminal cases committed by American military personnel totaled 377 last year, up from 19
Loss of power threatens communications networks

Sept 15, 2011

With some cities including Wonju, Gangwon Province, without power for more than 40 minutes Thursday, outages left telecommunications companies hoping their emergency generators could hold out.The power cuts began to occur at 3:30 p.m. According to the Korea Electric Power Corp., the power plants wer
Blackouts shut banks, businesses, schools

Sept 15, 2011

People trapped in elevators; banking services stop; college application delayedRare power outages that struck across the nation Thursday halted businesses and hampered people’s daily activities.The blackouts hit right before the entrance application deadline for prospective Kookmin University studen
Heat wave to continue until Friday

Sept 15, 2011

The heat wave, cited as of the causes for Thursday’s widespread power outage, is to continue through Friday, according to the state weather agency.The Korea Meteorological Administration said that as a high-pressure system has settled over the nation, the temperatures surged with those in some south