The Korea Herald

Teens involved in 1 in 10 cases of prostitution: report

Aug 30, 2011

Minors have accounted for one out of 10 prostitution cases, police said Tuesday, prompting calls for proper measures to discipline and protect youth.According to the data collected by the National Police Agency,1,184 adolescents aged 13-19 were caught for buying or selling sex in the first seven mon
College student dies in Busan PC room

Aug 30, 2011

A 27-year-old college student collapsed in a PC room in Busan after playing online games for seven consecutive hours.The student surnamed Kim was quickly taken to nearby hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.“I shook him when he fell forward while playing games but he was not conscious,” a m
'Kwak promised to pay off dropped candidate’

Aug 30, 2011

Prosecution secures statements from professor on agreed financial compensationPublic prosecutors investigating election corruption involving Seoul’s education chief Kwak No-hyun said Monday they had secured statements that Kwak had promised to pay off a rival candidate during last year’s election ca
Court issues injunction against protesters blocking construction on naval base

Aug 29, 2011

A regional court on Monday issued an injunction against angry protesters who for months have been blocking the construction of a major naval base on South korea's southern resort island of Jeju.South Korea's central government began building a naval base on Jeju's southern coast facing the South Chi
‘Kwak promised to pay off candidate’

Aug 29, 2011

Public prosecutors investigating election corruption involving Seoul’s education chief Kwak No-hyun said Monday they had secured statements that Kwak had promised to pay off a rival candidate during last year’s election campaign. According to sources at the Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office, which l
Ministry draws up steps to raise transparency of pension fund

Aug 29, 2011

From next year, financial firms will be banned from all National Pension Service contracts for up to five years if caught lobbying the service to secure rights to manage portions of its fund, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Monday.According to the guidelines unveiled by the ministry to stren
Key lobbyist of Busan savings bank scandal faces questioning

Aug 29, 2011

Prosecutors are interrogating Park Tae-gyu, a 71-year-old lobbyist who allegedly peddled his political and economic influence to save the nation’s largest savings bank from suspension earlier this year. All eyes are now on whether Park would name those who took bribes and other favors he had provide
Language program bridges Korea, the world

Aug 29, 2011

TaLK volunteer teachers from English-speaking countries help rural kids learn languageYEONGI, South Chungcheong Province ― Benjamin Stevens, 24, first came to Korea with his mother for a seminar nine years ago. Fascinated by Korea, he wanted to come back, and realized his dream thanks to the TaLK (T
Prosecutors question key lobbyist in savings bank probe

Aug 29, 2011

A key lobbyist for a troubled savings bank has been questioned about his role in a massive influence-peddling scandal involving the bank as he voluntarily returned home Sunday after fleeing to Canada, prosecutors said Monday.Park Tae-gyu, 71, is suspected of helping the corruption-ridden Busan Savin
Police fire water cannons on pro-union protesters in Seoul

Aug 28, 2011

Left-wing civic groups again protested massive layoffs by a major construction firm in central Seoul during the weekend, before they were broken up by police using water cannons for the first time in three years. A police-estimated crowd of some 2,500 people from various parts of the country staged
Police fire water cannons at protesters in rally against Hanjin layoffs

Aug 28, 2011

Left-wing civic groups again protested massive layoffs by a major construction firm in central Seoul during the weekend, before they were broken up by police using water cannons for the first time in three years. (Yonhap News)A police-estimated crowd of some 2,500 people from various parts of the co
Prosecution imposes travel ban on Seoul education chief

Aug 28, 2011

Seoul’s education chief said Sunday that he gave 200 million won to one of his former election rivals purely out of goodwill, denying suspicions that the money was linked to the candidate’s dropping out of race during last year’s election campaign.Park Myoung-gee (left) Kwak No-hyun (Yonhap News)“Af
Professor questioned in corruption probe linked to Seoul's education chief

Aug 27, 2011

(Yonhap News)A college professor was questioned for the second day Saturday on suspicion that he had dropped out of last year's election for Seoul's education chief in exchange for money, prosecutors said.Park Myoung-gee, a professor at Seoul National University of Education, was taken into custody
5 killed in Gumi chemical plant fire

Aug 27, 2011

Five people died in a fire at a chemical textile plant in Gumi of North Gyeongsang Province on Saturday. Local police and fire fighters said the fire broke out at TK Chemical plant inside the Gumi Industrial Complex around 1:30 p.m. (Yonhap News)Witnesses said they heard large explosion and saw
Wheelchair-bound young researcher’s passionate life

Aug 26, 2011

Shin battles muscular atrophy to study computer scienceIn cyberspace, young researcher Shin Hyung-jin feels as though he is Detective Conan, the Japanese manga character who solves criminal cases with brilliant ideas. Though the wheelchair-bound 28-year-old is too disabled to move a finger and is sm