The number of victims seeking counseling at women’s support centers has seen a large increase over the years, but some centers have closed because of funding problems.According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Monday, the number of women seeking counseling for domestic violence and sexual assault has doubled from 40,208 in 2005 to 90,197 in 2010.While those seeking counseling for sexual violence rose from 19,065 to 23,956. Domestic violence counseling has rocketed over the same period fro

The main opposition Democratic United Party seeks to raise the tax burdens for the top income bracket and conglomerates in an attempt to boost the government’s welfare resources by more than 20 trillion won ($1.8 billion) by 2017.The move is regarded as the left-wing’s party attempt to compete with the progressive policies recently adopted by the ruling party.“It was inevitable to increase tax for the rich in order to not to inflict burden on the majority of the population,” said Rep. Lee Yong-s

Labor Minister Lee Chae-pil on Monday reiterated his determination to end long working hours in Korea, saying the ministry aimed to revise laws to regulate weekend work. “It is abnormal to have no regulation in place on weekend work,” the minister said. Last week, he said the ministry would push for a revision of labor laws to include weekend and holiday work in calculation of overtime work which is by law capped at 12 hours a week. Currently, it is not illegal to have an employee work on the we

Emergency council stresses economic justice, downplays N.K. rightsThe ruling Grand National Party revised its party platform on Monday in a bid to shake off its image as a rich-friendly party and raise its approval rating ahead of the general election slated for April.The party’s emergency leadership council passed a new platform with 10 pledges, among which social welfare and employment were placed as top priorities.The platform also stressed economic justice, a fair distribution of wealth and

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) ― U.S. ratings agency Fitch says it is downgrading the credit ratings of five countries that use the euro, including economic heavyweights Italy and Spain.The downgraded countries ― also including Belgium, Cyprus, and Slovenia ― faced financial and economic difficulites due to the eurozone’s debt crisis that could make it harder for them to repay their debts, Fitch said Friday after financial markets closed in Europe.The move by Fitch was largely expected, as the agency h

Opposition party to push for new tax, revival of investment cap on conglomeratesThe largest opposition party said Sunday that it would push for the revival of a repealed law that restricts investments of large conglomerates, in a bid to rein in the nation’s large family-owned conglomerates such as Samsung Group.The Democratic United Party’s corporate reform plan also envisions a new tax on the top business groups, locally called chaebol, and other measures to protect small- and medium- sized fir

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― The head of the U.S. Pacific Command said Friday that there will be no “significant” change in the scale and role of American troops in South Korea despite the Pentagon’s plan to cut budgets and slash the number of ground troops.Adm. Robert Willard, however, left open the possibility for some adjustment, based on annual consultations between the allies, given regional security conditions.The agreement to station roughly 30,000 soldiers in Korea is generally to face Nor

GWANGJU (Yonhap News) ― Former main opposition party leader Sohn Hak-kyu said Saturday he will not run in April’s parliamentary elections, indicating he will instead focus on his presidential bid later this year.Sohn, 64, stepped down as chairman of the then Democratic Party last month to pave the way for the launch of the Democratic United Party, a merger of the DP and the minor opposition People’s Participation Party. The move was aimed at boosting liberals’ chances in April’s general election

A Korean version of the Pirate Party could be established within the Democratic United Party.Pirate parties mainly concern themselves with patent and copyright laws, freedom of information and internet-related policies. Lee Seung-hwan, a member of an online activist group working for freedom of expression within cyber space, plans to apply for DUP’s proportional representative plan for those aged between 25 and 35.While the plan is not directly connected to the establishment of a Pirate Party wi