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Workers slam government's labor policy
Workers stage a protest against the government's labor policy in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, Saturday. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunAbout 15,000 workers protested outside the National Assembly, Saturday, against the government's labor policy, which they claim is too friendly to chaebol, or the country's leading conglomerates.The protest was participated in by members of 50 associations from across the nation, including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the Korea Democratic Street Vendors Confederation (KDSVC) and the National Alliance of Squatters and Evictees. This was the first mass meeting of a varied group of associations since November 2015 when people held candlelit rallies to protest then-President Park Geun-hye's political corruption. They urged the government to halt the implementation of a flexible work hour system and retract its street vendor management policy.“The National Assembly that once voted for impeachment is now trying to turn the clock back to the time before we protested because of the corruption scandal. The government is now return
Police to crack down on mandatory seat belts
A police officer distributes a leaflet to a driver at Sejongno crossroads in Seoul, Sept. 28, informing him that fastening seatbelts has become mandatory in accordance with a revision to the Traffic Law. / Korea Times photo by Ryu Hyo-jin By Kim Jae-heunFrom this month all people traveling in a car without wearing a seatbelt will be fined up to 60,000 won ($54). According to the National Police Agency, Sunday, officers will execute a special crackdown on drivers and passengers who do not buckle up; as well as people riding motorbikes under the influence this month.Anyone who does not wear a seatbelt in a car will be slapped with a fine of 30,000 won ― this is increased to 60,000 won for the parent or guardian of a child under 13 who is not in protective seating.The government revised the traffic law Sept. 28 to get all people in cars to wear seatbelts with a two-month grace period. The law applies to all kinds of vehicles including taxis, and public and school buses. However, drivers will not be fined if they warn passengers to fasten their seat belts in advance.Motorcycle
Private kindergartens threaten shutdown if law revised
Members of the Korean Kindergarten Association hold a rally at Gwanghwamu Square in central Seoul, Thursday, to protest the government and the National Assembly’s move to revise laws to strengthen regulations on private kindergarten operations. / YonhapPreschool operators claim revision bills infringe on private assetsBy Kim Jae-heunPrivate kindergarten owners from across the country have protested the government and the National Assembly's moves to pass revision bills aimed at enhancing their transparency, saying all private preschools would have to close down in the event of the bills' passage.Thousands of members of the Korea Kindergarten Association (KKA) gathered at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, Thursday, protesting the bills the Assembly's Education Committee plans to pass early next month.The three bills were submitted after the disclosure of widespread corruption among private kindergarten owners, including accounting fraud and budget misappropriation.Under the bills, private kindergartens will have to adopt a state-run accounting system for public institutes, wh
Fine dust likely to remain deadly throughout winter
Fine dust has filled up the sky in Seoul, Tuesday. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunKorea is suffering deadly levels of fine dust in the air caused by various external factors including particulate matter and smog coming from China as well as domestically produced pollution. While this used to be an environmental hazard mainly in the spring, now it is becoming an issue in winter as well, with people facing cold and dust days. And according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), the situation is likely to become worse this winterContinental high pressure, or an anticyclone, over China and Mongolia generally creates cold winds that carry away air pollutants; thus the level of fine dust drops during winter. But the KMA expects the continental anticyclone to be weak this winter and average temperatures to be higher than usual bringing about the opposite effect.Another environmental factor is the strong El Nino tidal phenomenon that will weaken seasonal winds blowing toward the Korean Peninsula and result in a buildup of airborne pollutants.“The weakening of high atmospheric pressu
Police to detain domestic violence assailants on the spot
By Kim Jae-heunPolice will now be able take perpetrators of domestic violence into custody at the scene of alleged crimes, as a part of new regulations to curb such assaults. In addition assailants who disregard restraining orders can be immediately detained and placed behind bars.The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, together with the Ministry of Justice and the National Police Agency (NPA) announced the new preventative measures Tuesday.“Our new measures are distinguished from previous ones in that they separate attackers from their victims to protect the latter and put an end to the era where violence has been justified under the name of maintaining the family,” Gender Equality and Family Minister Jin Sun-mee said in a joint media briefing at the government complex in Seoul.The rapid changes come after a case in October in which a man murdered his ex-wife after decades of domestic violence and stalking that continued after their divorce. The related government bodies have since been discussing new measures to strengthen both the punishment of perpetrators and pro
Court fines woman for excessive messaging
By Kim Jae-heunThe Supreme Court upheld Monday a ruling by a high court that fined a woman 2 million won ($1,772) for harassing her former elementary school classmate via text messages.The 32-year-old woman surnamed Lee sent over 200 text messages within a five-day period in August 2017, demanding the victim go on a date with her, threatening to harm his friends if he did not.“The victim made it clear to the suspect not to contact him and that he had no interest in her. But she repeatedly sent him texts requesting a meeting, which caused anxiety and fear in the victim,” the court said. The ruling was in favor of the victim even though he blocked the suspect's number and did not read most of the texts. “Lee claims the victim needs to read the texts for the Information Communications Network Act to apply, but it does not fit the purpose of the law. If the suspect continuously sends messages that create anxiety and fear, they are guilty,” the court ruled. Lee was found guilty in her trial at a district court, whose ruling was upheld by the high court.
Ex-Supreme Court head to face questioning
Former Supreme Court justice Ko Young-han receives questions from the press on his arrival at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in Seoul, Friday. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunFormer Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae seems to be losing ground in his resistance to prosecution questioning over the judiciary power abuse scandal.On Friday, prosecutors questioned Ko Young-han, a retired former Supreme Court justice, at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office as a key suspect in the case. And a fresh allegation was raised that Yang meddled in the appointment of a presidential legal affairs secretary under the Park Geun-hye administration.Ko became the third former chief of the National Court Administration (NCA) to face prosecution questioning, following Cha Han-sung and Park Byong-dae earlier this month. The NCA is the Supreme Court's administrative body.With all former NCA chiefs under Yang's leadership having faced prosecution questioning, the former chief justice is highly expected to be on the prosecutors' radar.Although no date has been set for questioning
Ex-Supreme Court justice summoned in judicial power abuse scandal
Former Supreme Court Justice Park Byong-dae walks into the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul, Monday, for questioning about his alleged involvement in abuse of judicial power. Members of the minor Minjung Party held a protest there to call for stern punishment for Park and others involved in the scandal, including former Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae. / Korea Times photo by Koh Young-kwonBy Kim Jae-heunThe prosecution summoned former Supreme Court Justice Park Byong-dae, Monday, to question him over his alleged involvement in a judicial power abuse scandal that was led by then-Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae.Park is the first former justice at the top court to be questioned openly about the scandal. The prosecution had a closed questioning of another former justice, Cha Han-sung, earlier this month. “I fully dedicated myself to my job as a judge and I worked selflessly when I was serving at the National Court Administration (NCA),” Park said upon his arrival at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul. “Rega
Multicultural children show new direction for society
By Cha Yun-kyungIt was a record of a miserable struggle to flee an isolated island of poverty. It was a record of cold loneliness that neither the love of a warm family nor hard-earned financial stability could melt. It was a record of a broken heart hurt by prejudice, discrimination and ignorance.At the same time, however, it was a shout of stern determination promising to protect the flickers of hope for a better tomorrow. They were everywhere on this land. From the affluent city to a sterile environment in the countryside, they were striving to put down roots in the ground and bloom.As I was reading the application forms submitted for the 7th Korea Multicultural Youth Awards hosted by The Korea Times, I felt pity and shame, but I was touched. They were facing all kinds of difficulties and receiving uncomfortable attention due to their migrant family background, but each of them was blooming into a beautiful flower. Some were growing as leaders, serving friends and setting examples in class while others were showing promising talents in the arts and athletics. Some were growing as