The Korea Times

Imports of medical cannabis to be allowed from March

Government will allow medical cannabis to be imported for self-treatment purposes starting next month. / GettyimagebankBy Kim Jae-heunThe government will allow medical cannabis to be imported for self-treatment purposes starting next month.According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), Tuesday, the revised law related to medical marijuana will take effect March 12 to allow more treatment options for patients with rare diseases.Under the new regulations, medicines with marijuana content, which have been approved overseas for medical treatment, will be brought in through the Korea Orphan & Essential Drug Center. Patients with rare or incurable diseases can buy four types of therapeutic cannabis commercially available in the United States and Europe through the center when there is no other treatment available here.However, unlicensed medicines or food using marijuana, hemp oil and marijuana extracts will still be banned from the import list. To obtain the medicine, the patients will have to submit several documents to the MFDS including their medical records, and a presc

Feb 19, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Imports of medical cannabis to be allowed from March

Politics

TV guidelines on 'look-alike' K-pop singers spark controversy

Minister of Gender Equality and Family Jin Sun-mee speaks at the government complex building in central Seoul, last December, about her countermeasures against school sex crimes. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunThe government's new guidelines for local broadcasters and TV show producers have sparked controversy here over a suggestion to refrain from showing too many K-pop stars that have similar appearances. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF) released the revised guidelines Saturday in an effort to prevent “lookism,” which TV can appear to promote.One of the clauses in the guidelines recommends restricting the number of idol singers appearing on a TV show at any given time, saying they all look alike which suggests narrow beauty standards for young viewers who admire K-pop groups.“Are the singers on TV music shows twins? They seriously look identical. Most are idol group members,” the guidelines say. “Most of them are skinny and have similar hairstyles and makeup with outfits exposing their bodies.”Regarding the guidelines, people asked why

Feb 18, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

TV guidelines on 'look-alike' K-pop singers spark controversy

Law & Crime

Burning Sun probe expands to all Gangnam clubs

Investigators from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency leave Burning Sun nightclub in southern Seoul, Thursday, with materials seized in a search over drug use allegations. / YonhapPolice officer says drug crackdown at clubs not easyBy Kim Jae-heunA Chinese staffer at Burning Sun enters the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's drug investigation unit office in eastern Seoul, Saturday, to be questioned over her alleged selling of drugs at the club. / YonhapThe police are expanding their investigation into alleged drug use at the Burning Sun nightclub to all clubs in Gangnam, an entertainment district in southern Seoul.Officers from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said, Sunday, they are looking into all drug-related allegations at all Gangnam clubs.This is because club “merchandisers,” colloquially known as MDs, wgi “advertise” the facilities, take reservations from guests, and receive commissions from the clubs, do not belong to one venue but work for many facilities, they said.The investigation began earlier this month after a customer posted a petition on

Feb 17, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Law & Crime

Constitutional Court to rule on abortion on April 4

The Constitutional Court is expected to come up with a final decision on the constitutionality of anti-abortion law in April after a two-year review of the legislation. / GettyimagesbankBy Kim Jae-heunThe Constitutional Court is expected to come up with a final decision on the constitutionality of the nation's 66-year-old anti-abortion law in April after a two-year review of the legislation.Last time the abortion ban was challenged in 2012, the court ruled in favor of it, but this time, there are growing whispers that it may be found unconstitutional given ideas that the anti-abortion law banning abortion during all periods of time from conception to birth is too harsh.The current law does not distinguish a legal period for abortion and if the court decides abortion is illegal, then the National Assembly has to revise the law. “The court did not give a verdict on constitutionality of the law on abortion on March 28 so it has decided to make a judgment on April 11, a week before two judges retire on April 18,” the Constitutional Court official said. “A trial related

Feb 15, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Constitutional Court to rule on abortion on April 4

Controversies brewing over abortion following gov't survey

Others

Early bloom

Japanese apricot flowers bloom on the street in Gwangju, Thursday, as mild weather continued over the past few days. However, temperatures are expected to drop sharply nationwide Friday, with morning lows going down to minus 10 degrees Celsius in Seoul. The cold spell is forecast to continue until early next week. / Yonhap

Feb 14, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Law & Crime

Nightclub targeted for alleged drug use to assist sexual violence

Suspicions of repeated use of date rape drugs at the Burning Sun nightclub in southern Seoul are becoming more serious. / YonhapNearly 20,000 people petition to punish Burning Sun operatorsBy Kim Jae-heunSuspicions of repeated use of date rape drugs at the Burning Sun nightclub in southern Seoul are becoming more serious, after recent testimony alleged club staff drugged young women to help their VIP customers rape them.A man who claims to be a VIP member of the club said staff at the Burning Sun regularly texted their rich customers to visit as they had women “ready” for them, according to local broadcaster MBC, Wednesday.He said that on one occasion a staff member sent him a picture of a naked, unconscious woman, adding that she was ready for him.“They talk like they are talking about food or something. Staff there say they also have sex with women after drugging them so they fall unconscious,” he said.It is suspected that the date rape drug, gamma-hydroxyButrate (GHB), is being frequently administered at the club. The drug acts as a psychoactive neurotransm

Feb 14, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Nightclub targeted for alleged drug use to assist sexual violence

Society

Seoul to suspend operation of 730 taxis for refusing passengers

Seoul Metropolitan Government will suspend operational licenses for 730 taxis over the repeated refusal by some of their drivers to pick up passengers. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunThe Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday it has suspended the operational licenses for 730 taxis at 22 taxi companies for 60 days for the repeated refusal by some of their drivers pick up passengers.This is the first time that the suspension penalty has been slapped not only on drivers but also their companies.Seoul City notified the taxi companies of the suspension in December and the 60-day operation halt will begin today.It said 365 taxi drivers at the relevant companies were reported to have refused passengers multiple times. According to the relevant regulation, the number of taxi-operation licenses to be suspended is twice the number of the violators.However, the 730 taxis will not all be suspended at the same time as, according to a local government official, that could cause a shortage of taxis in the capital. The suspension will be rotated through companies between February and August.The suspen

Feb 13, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Seoul to suspend operation of 730 taxis for refusing passengers

Law & Crime

NHRCK to focus on preventing hatred, discrimination

National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) chief Choi Young-ae speaks to the press at NHRCK headquarter in central Seoul, Tuesday. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunThe National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) chief Choi Young-ae promised Tuesday to come up with measures to prevent hatred and discrimination. The commission will also work to improve the human rights of athletes, following recent allegations of coaches physically and sexually assaulting some of them.“Hatred and discrimination may look like an individual's problems, but it comes from the structure of society,” Chairwoman Choi said during a meeting with reporters at the NHRCK headquarters in central Seoul. “We have to recognize that we can all be a target of such hatred and discrimination and take countermeasures.”She said the country was is seeing an increase in hate speech against women, the elderly, refugees and sexual minorities, which threatens the basic order of a democratic society and prevents social unity.The human rights watchdog will launch a special committee Feb. 20, consisting o

Feb 12, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

NHRCK to focus on preventing hatred, discrimination

Law & Crime

Home training equipment accidents on the rise

This image is unrelated to the story. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunAs more and more people exercise at home rather than at fitness centers, accidents involving home training equipment are increasing, particularly among children.According to the Korea Consumer Agency, Monday, 207 accidents arising from the use of exercise equipment at home were reported between 2016 and 2018, meaning over 60 cases per year. Children under the age of 10 took up 61.4 percent of the total cases, especially those between one to three years old as they lacked awareness of the dangers of the equipment.In the accidents involving children under 10, 37.9 percent of the children sustained lacerations, followed by bruises with 25 percent and fractures with 15.3 percent.Many of them hurt themselves on stationary bicycles, which accounted for 31.5 percent of all accidents, as children climbed on the equipment and fell. Dumbbells were the second-most dangerous for children, at 23.4 percent, and gym balls and treadmills, 19.3 percent.The agency advised parents to keep the equipment inaccessible to children and make sure e

Feb 11, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Home training equipment accidents on the rise

Society

'Seoul to shut down all dog slaughterhouses'

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, right, speaks at a Seoul movie theater, Saturday, after watching "Underdog," an animated film about abandoned dogs. / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan GovernmentBy Kim Jae-heunSeoul Mayor Park Won-soon said, Saturday, the city government will shut down all dog butcheries in the capital as the nation as a whole struggles over whether to eliminate the dog meat business.His remarks came after watching “Underdog,” an animated film about abandoned dogs that find themselves in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). “In the past, we had several dog butcher shops in Cheongnyangni, but I closed almost all of them down through various measures,” Park said. “Currently, one or two dog slaughterhouses remain. I cannot force them to go out of business, so I will put pressure on them to move.”Of five shops selling dog meat in Gyeongdong Market in Jegi-dong ― the main market for the trade in the capital ― three only sold meat while two also slaughtered dogs on the premises.The mayor's plan was announced as local animal rights groups are pitted

Feb 10, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Kim Jae-heun

Read more

Imports of medical cannabis to be allowed from March

TV guidelines on 'look-alike' K-pop singers spark controversy

Burning Sun probe expands to all Gangnam clubs

Constitutional Court to rule on abortion on April 4

Early bloom

Nightclub targeted for alleged drug use to assist sexual violence

Seoul to suspend operation of 730 taxis for refusing passengers

NHRCK to focus on preventing hatred, discrimination

Home training equipment accidents on the rise

'Seoul to shut down all dog slaughterhouses'

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