The Korea Herald

Seoul education chief-elect fights for teacher union’s status

Jun 16, 2014

Cho Hi-yeon, the Seoul education superintendent-elect, filed a petition Monday to Seoul court to urge it not to strip a left-leaning teachers’ unionof legal status.The controversial Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union has been on the verge of being deregistered since the Labor Ministry accused it of infringing the labor law last year. The Seoul Administrative Court is due to give its ruling on Thursday.“If the KTU loses the legal status, a feud within education circles will be amplified
Minister-nominee set to clash with education chiefs

Jun 15, 2014

President Park Geun-hye’s latest nomination proved to be yet another controversial one, as the right-leaning pick for education minister, Kim Myung-soo, is expected to clash with newly elected liberal education superintendents on most education policies.Kim, a professor at Korea National University of Education, is a firm believer in a competition-based education system while the liberals have vowed to push for a more egalitarian education system. Despite the new education chiefs vowing to reduc
Herald program helps kids to Dream Big

Jun 15, 2014

Wide-eyed preteens recently filled a classroom in western Seoul with a high-pitched version of the chorus from “Let It Go” from the smash-hit animation “Frozen.” The young participants were having a whale of a time at Herald Project Dream Big, hosted by Herald Corporation, Sunday. It offered information about various jobs to help children make career choices.“Today, I learned to sing. I want to become a popular singer one day,” said a 5-year-old boy who was too shy to give his name but did not r
(Photo News) Mock test

Jun 12, 2014
Defector children strive to adapt to new life

Jun 12, 2014

Social stigma, trauma haunt young escapees of North Korea
[Student Column] Benefits of studying the humanities

Jun 12, 2014

The growing demand in society today is for college students to acquire skills that will help them land jobs, such as business administration or accounting. Students are forced to concentrate only on these “practical” subjects and not on subjects related to humanities. They only seek to improve their “specs,” ― qualifications such as English scores.Although such a drive is necessary for students to find a job, this career search is not directly related to the way we think or live in society. The
Liberal education chiefs on track to clash with ministry

Jun 8, 2014

With the June 4 local elections in the books, liberals have won the races for education superintendent in 13 of 17 cities and provinces and are set to transform the nation’s academic landscape from a competition-driven learning environment to one that provides equal opportunities for everyone.But with liberals in the drivers’ seat, a slew of conflicts with the government may be lurking, as the reform-oriented educators have been at loggerheads with the Education Ministry over a series of policie
Progressives advance in education chief races

Jun 4, 2014

Progressive candidates made strides in nationwide elections for local educational chiefs Wednesday, signaling a major change in school policies toward a more egalitarian education. Cho Hi-yeon, once considered the outsider in the race for Seoul education superintendent, headed for an upset victory as a bitter family feud wrecked the campaign of his conservative rival, early results showed.According to exit polls and early results, liberals took the lead in 11 of 17 cities and provinces across th
Race for Seoul education chief still up for grabs

Jun 3, 2014

The race for Seoul education chief remained in the realm of uncertainty Tuesday, as lead runner Koh Seung-duk continued to struggle from the aftermath of his estranged daughter’s recent criticism. Candy Koh, who currently resides with the conservative candidate’s ex-wife in the United States, said last week that her father was “unqualified” as the capital’s education superintendent because the former lawyer paid no heed to his children’s upbringing. Koh had claimed he was forbidden to reach out
Controversy rises over teachers’ right to political freedom

May 29, 2014

Korean teachers recently protested en masse the government’s move to punish 43 teachers who criticized President Park Geun-hye, fueling the debate about how much leeway should be given to teachers taking political action.On the homepage of presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, some 80 teachers on Wednesday urged the Education Ministry to cancel its earlier decision to punish the 43 teachers. They said that the government, which came under fire for its bungled response to the sinking of the Sewol th
[Student Column] Balancing work and study in my second homeland

May 29, 2014

I came to Korea in 2010 to help with the start-up of a subsidiary company of JSCTransContainer. I have always felt Korea to be my second homeland, where I feel safe and comfortable.Last summer I was promoted to a higher position, which immediately required me to freshen up my university knowledge and learn cutting-edge managerial skills. I desperately felt the need to broaden my horizons and started to look for a part-time MBA program. Sungkyunkwan University Graduate School of Business had just
ETS introduces voice-based anti-cheating system

May 29, 2014

The Educational Testing Service, a U.S. firm which administers the TOEFL and TOEIC tests, recently rolled out a biometric voice identification system for the TOEFL tests. The system uses biometric voice identification software to verify that the right person is taking the test. According to ETS, the system was introduced in February in all 130 countries where students take the test each year. ETS began piloting the software for the program in May 2012. The company currently has a patent pending
[Herald Interview] ‘Education welfare is not a matter of choice’

May 28, 2014

Cho Hi-yeon, liberal candidate for Seoul education chief, says Korea should become a welfare state
[Herald Interview] Seoul education chief promises creative learning

May 27, 2014

Conservative incumbent Moon seeks reelection
‘Dream Big’ project gives kids hands-on experiences

May 25, 2014

Raising a child in Korea is tough, with skyrocketing private education costs, nationwide standards for acquiring fluent English skills and competition for elite schools growing fiercer by the year. On top of it, parents are entrusted with the daunting task of determining the field of study for their children.“I don’t know what my son is interested in, or what he is good at. I felt through various experiences that he and I could together discover where his interest or talents lie,” said a 37-year