The Korea Herald

Korea gets tough on corruption

Jun 15, 2011

Land Ministry hit by series of bribery scandalsThe government will begin carrying out a stringent across-the-board inspection of public officials next month in efforts to stamp out corruption and shore up deteriorating public confidence, officials said Wednesday. The move comes as the public is becoming disenchanted with the government’s mantra of a “fair society” following a recent spate of corru
Hyundai Development chief accused of tax evasion, embezzlement

Jun 15, 2011

Four executives of Hyundai Development Co. including its chairman Chung Mong-gyu were accused last Friday by a local housing developer on charges of tax evasion, breach of trust and embezzlement, prosecution sources said Wednesday.The chief of the housing developer in charge of the sale of the I-Park apartment units built in Ulsan by the Hyundai construction unit filed the accusation with the pros
Lee’s ex-aide denies bribery allegations involving bank

Jun 15, 2011

A chief of a public corporation and former presidential secretary on Wednesday denied allegations that he pocketed tens of millions of won in kickbacks from the troubled Busan Savings Bank Group in return for business favors.The prosecution is said to have secured a statement by Yun Yeo-seong, a financial broker who has been arrested in the investigation into the banking group, that he gave money
Autopsy result of motorist hit by K-pop idol Daesung’s car postponed

Jun 15, 2011

The autopsy results of a man allegedly hit and killed by a car driven by K-pop idol Daesung will be released next week, police said.Daesung, member of the Korean pop idol group “Big Bang,” allegedly ran over the motorcyclist who was lying on the street late at night on May 31. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, but whether he died after he was run over by Daesung’s car or before hasn’t been
Man kills neighbor’s dog with pesticide for being too noisy

Jun 15, 2011

A man was booked without detention for allegedly feeding pesticide to a neighbor’s dogs for being too noisy, Daejeon Jungbu Police Station reported.The accused, identified by his surname Ahn, was irritated by several dogs in his neighbor’s yard.Although Ahn filed complaints to the local government several times, the problem continued until he decided to resolve the issue by himself.Eventually, he
Suspects caught for illegal online human egg sales

Jun 14, 2011

Arrest warrants sought for 2 tradersThe police on Tuesday sought arrest warrants for two people suspected of brokering illegal sales of human eggs and booked 13 ovum donors without detention.The ovum brokers identified only by their last names Koo and Chung ran a website where people shared information on fertility and received applications for ovum transplants or donations for a year until last S
‘Housekeepers may form labor union’

Jun 14, 2011

Will housekeeping be acknowledged as a secure profession given equal labor rights to office or industrial workers?Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Chae-pil on Tuesday said the Korean government is considering protecting the rights of housekeepers, personal chauffeurs, cooks and gardeners, often referred to as “domestic workers.” In his interview with the press before giving a keynote speech at
Korea to introduce 5-day school week

Jun 14, 2011

The government will recommend that all primary and secondary schools adopt the five-day school week starting next year.Currently, local schools rest every second and fourth Saturday in a month. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said Tuesday that a pilot program will start at some schools in the second half this year as the new measure is likely to affect the pattern of family life
‘Defoliants sprayed on DMZ in late ’50s’

Jun 14, 2011

Retired U.S. soldier: Without herbicide, troops in South vulnerable to N.K. snipersA former U.S. Forces Korea soldier claimed Tuesday that he had witnessed defoliants ― apparently containing toxic dioxin ― being hand-sprayed in the Demilitarized Zone regularly in the late 1950s.His claim comes amid continuing controversy over when the U.S. military sprayed Agent Orange over the DMZ to stop North K
Illegal human egg brokers busted

Jun 14, 2011

The police on Tuesday sought arrest warrants for two people suspected of brokering illegal sales of human eggs and booked 13 ovum donors without detention. Seoul police on Tuesday sought arrest warrants for two people on charges of brokering in the illegal trade of human eggs via the Internet. (MCT)The ovum brokers identified only by their last names Koo and Chung ran a website where people shared
Nepal worker found dead after losing job

Jun 14, 2011

A migrant worker from Nepal killed himself last Sunday, referring to apparent unfair treatment at work.According to the Daegu branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, a worker whose name has not been released hanged himself at his colleague’s home.After arriving in Korea from Nepal with an employment visa nine months ago, he had been working at Seongso Industrial Complex until recently.
National Assembly to act on college fee cuts

Jun 13, 2011

The National Assembly plans to vote on the controversial “half-priced tuition” policy during the plenary session in late June, the head of the parliamentary educational committee said Monday. “There is no difference between the ruling and opposition parties in discussing the half-tuition measures at the National Assembly. I’ll submit the issue for a vote at a general session,” said Rep. Byun Jae-i
Smoking ban at Seoul squares effective

Jun 13, 2011

Seoul City’s anti-smoking campaign in downtown squares, which kicked off this month, is largely being obeyed, with the total number of violations standing at just 15 as of Monday. The city banned smoking at three plazas in central Seoul from June 1, imposing a fine of 100,000 won ($92) on smokers. The three squares ― Chunggye, Gwanghwamun and Seoul Plaza ― are frequented by about 30,000 people eve
Ministry probes mystery disease

Jun 13, 2011

The government is keeping a close watch on three members of a family reportedly suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.The disease is thought to be similar to the mysterious virus which recently killed three pregnant women.According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an agency under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, a 32-year-old woman and her 6-year-old daughter, bot
‘Average office worker enraged 3 times a day’

Jun 13, 2011

Over 90 percent of office workers regularly want to vent frustration at work, a new survey has found.According to the survey of 1,434 office workers by online recruiter SaramIn, 94.7 percent of those questioned felt the urge to express rage at their workplace. And they felt angry an average of 3.4 times a day. The biggest cause of indignation was having to take full responsibility for something th