The Korea Herald

Last wishes of girl fighting cancer coming true

Jun 13, 2011

A British girl who has been fighting cancer for four years posted her wish list on a blog, bringing about sensation on the Internet.Alice Pyne wrote “I’m 15 and I have terminal cancer. I’ve created a bucket list because there are so many things I still want to do in my life … some are possible, some will remain a dream.”Most of her wishes were typical teenage desires, but her first wish was to “ma
Ex-minister under graft probe dies in apparent suicide

Jun 13, 2011

Former Agriculture Minister Im Sang-gyu was found dead in his car in the southern city of Suncheon, in what appears to be a suicide, police said Monday. He was 62. Im, president of Sunchon National University since July, was under two separate criminal investigations led by prosecutors ― one regarding a bribery scandal over construction-site catering contracts and the other, the unfolding savings
Chief justices of Asia-Pacific nations meet in Seoul

Jun 12, 2011

The chief justices of 30 Asia-Pacific nations launched a five-day conference in Seoul on Sunday to discuss the present and future of the region's judiciaries.More than 100 people from 33 countries took part in the 14th Conference of Chief Justices of Asia and the Pacific, starting with a welcome reception at the Grand Hyatt Seoul.South Korea's Supreme Court is hosting the biennial conference for t
Public concern over military medical system

Jun 12, 2011

Parents call for better disease control and prevention measuresA series of recent cases in which young military trainees have been infected with or even died from a serious disease have sparked public concerns here over the “sloppy” military medical system.Some argue that the military appears to have attempted to conceal the cases to avoid criticism, particularly from parents who have sent their s
Private universities hint at tuition cuts, urging subsidies

Jun 12, 2011

Private universities are discussing cutting tuition fees by 10 to 15 percent on condition that the government shares the financing of scholarships at individual schools, the head of a private university presidents’ council said Sunday.Park Chul, head of the Association of Private University Presidents, said in an interview that the group is gathering opinions of member schools about a trade-off be
Oh blasts populist welfare policies

Jun 12, 2011

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon blasted political parties for their proposed welfare policies Sunday, calling them populist ploys ahead of elections.He also warned against unconditional welfare policies, saying that they would erode the growth potential of the country. “Expanded welfare would cause tax hikes, and then ordinary people will suffer,” he said in an interview with the Yonhap news agency. “The p
Institute to train civil servants on international negotiation

Jun 12, 2011

The Central Officials Training Institute will start a two-week program on international negotiation Monday.Twenty four public servants from 19 government agencies will participate in the English-only course, titled “the Multinational English Immersion Program.”This year, eight foreign participants have been invited to the program, which has involved only Korean civil servants since 2008. The forei
Local governments move to open Agent Orange probes

Jun 12, 2011

Civic group urges investigation of all U.S. basesProvincial governments are moving to verify whether areas near U.S. military facilities are contaminated amid heightened public worries over the alleged burial of Agent Orange at Camp Carroll in Waegwan, North Gyeongsang Province.Some environmentalists and activists criticized the U.S. military for being overly “slow and careful” in conducting its i
Border island to get Apache choppers

Jun 12, 2011

South Korea is considering deploying large attack helicopters on one of its western sea border islands in preparation against surprise infiltrations of North Korea’s air-cushioned vessels, a defense source said Sunday.“A helicopter hangar under construction on Baengnyeong Island is capable of accommodating large-sized attack helicopters. Some Apache-class attack helicopters to be imported next yea
Bangladesh police arrest ‘Robin Hood’ burglar

Jun 12, 2011

DHAKA (AFP) – A “benevolent burglar” hailed as a modern-day Robin Hood for donating his ill-gotten gains to local orphanages has been arrested in southeastern Bangladesh, police said.Badiul Haq Nasir, 45, who had earned millions in well-planned heists, was revered in dozens of villages for making large donations to orphanages and mosques, local police chief Babul Akhter told AFP.“The villagers say
Hyundai Motor settles talks with labor union

Jun 11, 2011

Hyundai Motor Co. and its labor union said Saturday they reached an agreement to resume operations at one of its plants, 39 hours after unionized workers walked off their jobs because of a colleague's death. Assembly workers at the top automaker's plant in Asan, about 100 kilometers southwest of Seoul, had laid down their tools on Thursday, claiming that a union worker committed suicide due to t
Thousands rally for college tuition cuts

Jun 10, 2011

Twenty-four years ago, tens of thousands of college students protested in Seoul, calling for democracy. But thousands of students gathered Friday at Chonggye Square, calling for the government to cut their tuition fees.“Half-price tuition, half-price,” shouted the crowd sitting on the ground, holding a candle in each hand. Student protesters shout slogans, calling for the government to cut their t
Protesters demand college tuition cuts

Jun 10, 2011

Students, civic group members and politicians flocked to Seoul’s Gwanghwamun area Friday evening for the candle light vigil urging the government and the ruling party to follow up on their pledge to halve college tuition.Students, nongovernmental organizations and opposition politicians have called on the ruling Grand National Party to keep its promise to halve college tuition. GNP’s new floor lea
Bongeun Temple plans renovation for tourism

Jun 10, 2011

The Bongeun Temple of the Jogye Order, in the affluent Gangnam area in southern Seoul, will be transformed into a history-themed park, Seoul officials said Friday. According to Gangnam-gu Office, the temple has recently filed for the re-designation as a history park from its current status as a neighborhood park, a move aimed at attracting foreign visitors who want to see Korean Zen culture. The S
Police: Girl, 5, said she drowned boy over crying

Jun 10, 2011

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Juvenile justice experts expressed shock Thursday that police said they were treating the death of an 18-month-old boy who drowned in a bathtub as a potential homicide, after a 5-year-old girl told social workers that she held him under water to stop his crying.Kansas City police said the girl, who was left with other children in the care of a teenager, was considered a po