The Korea Times

Toll collectors win suit over permanent position

Toll collectors cheer in front of the Supreme Court building in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Thursday, after hearing the top court ordered the Korean Expressway Corp. to hire them directly to permanent positions. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunThe Supreme Court upheld lower courts' rulings, Thursday, that the state-run expressway operators should hire toll collectors directly to permanent positions rather than having contractors employ them.The decision came six years after the lawsuit was filed in 2013, and 61 days after the fee collectors began to stage sit-in protests on top of a canopy at the Seoul Tollgate in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.About 6,500 workers, who originally belonged to outsourced contracting companies of the Korea Expressway Corp. (KEC), filed the suit to demand the authority employ them directly, giving them permanent employment status.A local court and a high court ruled in favor of the workers, recognizing them as de facto employees of the KEC.However, while the final trial was ongoing, the corporation set up a subsidiary to employ the fee collectors.About 5,000 among the 6,500 w

Aug 29, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Toll collectors win suit over permanent position

Society

Traditional night market to open at hanok village

People shop at a traditional night market at Namsangol Hanok Village in Seoul, during last year's session. / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan GovernmentBy Kim Jae-heunSeoulites will have a chance to experience the traditional culture of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom as various events including a night market will be offered at Namsangol Hanok Village in Seoul during the fall.Especially during the Chuseok holiday, which falls between Sept. 12 to 14 this year, a variety of traditional performances, experiences and cuisine will be offered under the name of “Standard of Chuseok.”The poster of traditional events to be held at Namsangok Hanok Village in central Seoul during the Chuseok holiday from Sept. 12 to 14 / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan GovernmentOn the first day, there will be a program where visitors can try making traditional delicacies such as “songpyeon,” a half-moon-shaped rice cake usually eaten on Chuseok, and “yugwa,” a deep-fried sweet rice cake. Traditional food masters will provide guidance and participants can take their tasty treats h

Aug 28, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Traditional night market to open at hanok village

Law & Crime

Man apprehended for attempted rape of son's fiancee

Investigators apprehended the 56-year-old suspect, surnamed Kim, in a street in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, late Tuesday, 12 days after he attempted to commit the crime before fleeing, according to the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency. / Korea Times fileBy Kim Jae-heunPolice have apprehended a man who allegedly attempted to rape his son's fiancee after drugging her. According to the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency, Wednesday, investigators apprehended the 56-year-old suspect, surnamed Kim, in a street in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, late Tuesday, 12 days after he attempted to commit the crime before fleeing.Kim told his son's fiancee to come to a vacation house in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Aug. 15, saying he had something to discuss with her, according to the victim. He allegedly told her to close her eyes as he would surprise her, but then injected her with methamphetamine.The fiancee said the man then tried to rape her.The victim immediately called the police to report the man, who escaped in a car.The victim said she had been in a relationship with the suspe

Aug 28, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Man apprehended for attempted rape of son's fiancee

Society

No protests here!

Residents near Cheong Wa Dae hold a silent vigil in front of a community service center in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, Wednesday, to urge activists and citizens to refrain from holding rallies near the presidential office, saying their lives are affected by the noise from loudspeakers and traffic controls around the area. / Yonhap

Aug 28, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Health

'I want to give spotlight to boxers'

Lee Gyu-won, right, a former Korean Boxing Commission middleweight champion-turned-YouTuber, poses with former World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation World super middleweight champion Park Chong-pal while filming for his YouTube channel, June 23. / Courtesy of Lee Gyu-wonFormer Korean boxing champion turned to popular YouTuberBy Kim Jae-heunLee Gyu-won, a former Korean Boxing Commission (KBC) middleweight champion, is only 26 years old but he is now retired. It is a young age to let go of a career considering that most boxers reach their prime between the ages of 25 and 27.However, Lee has a bigger dream. That is to promote Korean boxers inside and outside the country and bring back the glory of the sport that enjoyed its heyday in the 1970s and '80s; and he believes YouTube is the tool to do it with. “Boxers have to receive the local spotlight first to go global,” Lee said during an interview with The Korea Times, Wednesday. “It has been a long time since Korea had a world boxing champion and this is because nobody cares about the sport anymor

Aug 27, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Society

1 out of 5 college students will take semester off in second half

One out of five university students here are planning to take the autumn semester off this year, a survey showed Thursday. / Korea Times fileBy Kim Jae-heunOne out of five university students here are planning to take the autumn semester off this year, a survey showed Thursday. According to online recruiting service Job Korea, 774 students, or 19 percent of 4,076 students who participated in the poll said they would take a break for the semester that starts in September.The survey also showed that students' responses varied depending on what year they were in.Nearly 28 percent of senior students said they would take the semester off, followed by juniors at 20.2 percent and sophomores, 16 percent. Only 12.8 percent of freshmen said they would take a break in the second half.Most students wanted to take time off because of their desire to find a job after graduation: 34.4 percent of the students taking the semester off said they would use the time to find a job, followed by 31.9 percent who have internships, and 28 percent who will prepare for certification exams or other job-related e

Aug 22, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

1 out of 5 college students will take semester off in second half

Health

Medical expenses for dementia patients increased by almost 50% in five years

The cost of medical treatment for dementia patients has increased 48 percent to over 10 million won ($8,300) per year on average over the past five years, a recent study revealed Wednesday. / Courtesy of National Health Insurance ServiceBy Kim Jae-heunThe cost of medical treatment for dementia patients has increased 48 percent to over 10 million won ($8,300) per year on average over the past five years, a recent study revealed Wednesday. According to the Seoul Institute, the number of patients suffering from dementia in the capital was 12,111 in 2017 and they collectively spent 122.8 billion won, or 10.14 million won each. Although the numbers have not shown a sharp increase, medical costs have been steadily rising from 6.87 million won in 2013.The number of patients differed largely when categorized by location. Songpa-gu in far eastern Seoul had the most dementia patients with 754, while Jung-gu in central Seoul had the least with 204. Areas with a higher number of inhabitants aged over 65 generally had larger numbers of patients. Those living in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, had the highest

Aug 21, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Medical expenses for dementia patients increased by almost 50% in five years

Society

3 universities in Dongdaemun-gu to hold sports exchange festival

Kyung Hee University, the University of Seoul and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, which are located close to one another in Dongdaemun-gu, northeastern Seoul, will hold a sports exchange event in September. / Facebook captureBy Kim Jae-heunKyung Hee University, the University of Seoul and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, which are located close to one another in Dongdaemun-gu, northeastern Seoul, will hold a sports exchange event in September.The event is co-hosted by the student councils and club associations of the three universities, the so-called “Dongdaemun trio,” under the slogan of “We Move,” which means participants will “move” their bodies and “move” their hearts through the program. “Kyung Hee University, the University of Seoul and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies are close to one another centering around Hoegi Station, but the three have never held a sports exchange,” a member of the organizing body said. “While seeking ideas for a joint event, we thought of the popular annual sports competit

Aug 20, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

3 universities in Dongdaemun-gu to hold sports exchange festival

Health

Deadly humidifier sterilizers also used in barracks

Hazardous humidifier sterilizers were used at military camps here for about 12 years, and soldiers who served in the military during the period may have been exposed to the toxic chemicals, a state-run fact-finding body said, Monday. /  YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunHazardous humidifier sterilizers were used at military camps here for about 12 years, and soldiers who served in the military during the period may have been exposed to the toxic chemicals, a state-run fact-finding body said, Monday.The Special Investigation Commission on Social Disasters, which has been investigating the scandal in which 1,421 people were officially recognized to have died from the toxic chemicals used in the sterilizers, also examined the disinfectant used on barracks following reports. According to the commission, 12 units of the armed forces ― Army, Navy and Air Force ― and affiliated organizations of the Ministry of National Defense purchased over 800 humidifier sterilizer products between 2000 and 2011, until the toxicity of the products was discovered.The Korean Armed Forces Capital Hospital bought 290

Aug 20, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Deadly humidifier sterilizers also used in barracks

Society

Gov't to strengthen import inspection on waste from Japan

The government will toughen its inspections of waste imports from Japan ― a move seen as a response to Tokyo's recent export curbs on Korea, according to the Ministry of Environment, Friday. / Reuters-YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunThe government will toughen its inspections of waste imports from Japan ― a move seen as a response to Tokyo's recent export curbs on Korea.According to the Ministry of Environment on Friday, battery, tire and plastic waste will be on the radar for its newly strengthened environmental and health safety inspections. The government body promised to beef up radioactive and heavy metals tests, reflecting the public concern over contaminated waste that has been imported here for the purpose of recycling.The measure is seen as a follow-up to the environment ministry's decision to tighten inspections of Japanese coal ash imports, Aug. 8.“The government plans to impose additional controls on waste imports here that come in a large volume,” a ministry official said. “There are growing concerns from the public over radioactive waste coming from Japan.”

Aug 16, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Kim Jae-heun

Read more

Toll collectors win suit over permanent position

Traditional night market to open at hanok village

Man apprehended for attempted rape of son's fiancee

No protests here!

'I want to give spotlight to boxers'

1 out of 5 college students will take semester off in second half

Medical expenses for dementia patients increased by almost 50% in five years

3 universities in Dongdaemun-gu to hold sports exchange festival

Deadly humidifier sterilizers also used in barracks

Gov't to strengthen import inspection on waste from Japan

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