Talks to set next year’s minimum wage for workers in South Korea began Thursday, with a tough road ahead amid fierce clashes between workers and employers.It was the first meeting of the Minimum Wage Commission to adjust the lower limit of wages, currently at 6,470 won ($5.75) per hour, after President Moon Jae-in was sworn in with a promise to raise it to 10,000 won by 2020. The commission comprises of 27 representatives of businesses, workers and the government.(123RF)Workers walked out of the

When President Moon Jae-in picked Ahn Kyong-whan as justice minister, his apparent lack of ties to established powers and ample experience of advocating human rights made him look like a good fit to reform the country’s law enforcement system. The choice was seen as a reflection of Moon’s determination to overhaul the powerful law enforcement body, which has been criticized for holding too much power with its exclusive rights to indict. But the former head of the nation’s human rights watchdog h

Chung Hyun-back, the nominee for gender equality minister, is a history professor and women’s rights activist who has devoted her career to tackling gender inequality and labor disparity. Chung, 64, served as a co-head of the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, a liberal civic group, from 2010-2016. She also headed the Korean Women’s Association United from 2002-2007.Chung Hyun-back, the nominee for gender equality ministerCheong Wa Dae expressed hopes for the nominee to take a lead

The number of reported sex crimes in 2015 has more than doubled over the past decade, according to a new governmental report, triggering calls for enhanced measures to prevent them. While other felonies -- arson, robbery and murder -- saw a decline during the period, sex crimes soared by 117.6 percent from 14,277 in 2006 to 31,063 in 2015, according to the 2016 White Paper on Crime published by Institute of Justice. 　 The total number of offenses increased by 10.5 percent from 1,829,211 in 2006

The justice minister nominee on Monday signaled bold steps to reform law enforcement. “There is now a social consensus that the Justice Ministry doesn’t have to be filled by excellent prosecutors,” Ahn Kyong-whan told reporters near his residence in southern Seoul. Ahn Kyong-whan, the justice minister nominee (Yonhap)A former head of the nation’s human rights watchdog with no ties to the established powers, Ahn has been nominated by President Moon Jae-in with a mission to reform the prosecution.

A Korean-American was picked by the US space agency as a new astronaut, the US Embassy in Seoul announced Monday. Jonny Kim was one of 12 new astronaut candidates chosen from among 18,000 applicants for the class of 2017 by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, it said.Jonny Kim (US Embassy in Korea)Kim trained as a Navy SEAL and earned a medical degree from Harvard Medical School. NASA introduced its new astronaut candidates Wednesday at Johnson Space Center in Houston, the US. The

SUWON -- England won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea after edging out Venezuela 1-0 in the final on Sunday.Dominic Calvert-Lewin's first-half strike lifted England to their first U-20 football title in their 11th tournament appearance. It was also England's first title in a FIFA men's competition since their senior team's victory at the 1966 World Cup at home.England's previous best U-20 World Cup finish was in 1993 when they finished third in Australia.England`s under-20 national footbal

The government said Sunday it will ban the trade of live birds for two weeks starting midnight Sunday to prevent the further spread of bird flu.The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced the ban as the highly pathogenic avian influenza has spread to 21 farms in 10 days. In this photo provided by the South Gyeongsang provincial government, a quarantine official restricts access to a farm suspected of having chickens infected with avian influenza in Goseong, 466 kilometers south

The trial involving former President Park Geun-hye, who is on trial over a series of corruption allegations, will accelerate starting this week, with the court adding one more hearing per week.The Seoul Central District Court is scheduled to hold four hearings every week to look into the alleged bribery allegations involving Samsung Group on Mondays and Tuesdays, and SK and Lotte Group on Thursdays and Fridays. Park, who remains in detention, is on trial over a total of 18 charges including brib

The government plans to push to slash hospital charges for children aged 15 and younger, the Health Ministry said Sunday. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said it had launched a discussion on the plan to expand the coverage of health insurance as part of efforts to reduce financial burdens facing parents.  (123rf)When children in the age group are hospitalized, the government will support 95 percent of medical fees through the health insurance, falling in line with one of the key election pled

South Korean President Moon Jae-in showed his gratitude to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on Sunday in a tweet after the chief congratulated the presidential office's new Twitter account. “Thank you, @jack. I very much look forward to communicating with people through twitter,” Moon said in a tweet in English through the presidential office’s official account.  (Screen captured from Twitter)The tweet comes after Dorsey left a tweet in Korean to congratulate Moon on the launch of the Blue House’s new Tw