The Korea Times

Seoul opens dog playground in Yeouido Hangang Park

A no-leash playground for dogs on Seoul's Yeouido Hangang Park will open on a trial basis for two months from March 2. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan GovernmentBy Lee Hyo-jin Seoul city will open a no-leash playground for dogs at Yeouido Hangang Park on a trial basis for two months beginning in March. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Sunday that the park will operate from March 2 until the end of April, and a formal opening of the playground will be decided following feedback from residents.Opening hours of the park are from Tuesday to Sunday between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will close on rainy days. Only dogs registered with an identification chip or collar will be allowed to enter the venue. The city added that the park may accept visitors on a reservation basis depending on the number of park-goers.The fenced-in facility is equipped with installments dogs can use to run, climb and jump. A dog trainer managing the facility will be offering behavioral training for companion animals. According to the city government, it is the first public dog play zone in Seoul to be establis

Feb 26, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Seoul opens dog playground in Yeouido Hangang Park

Society

Only 4% of unmarried Korean women think marriage, childbearing essential

A neonatal unit at a general hospital in Seoul in this file photo taken in 2019. Korea's total fertility rate fell to 0.78 last year, the lowest figure since the country began to collect relevant data in the 1970s. YonhapGov't urged to fix housing, inequality issues to change trendBy Lee Hyo-jin Just four percent of unmarried Korean women in their 20s and 30s see marriage and childbearing as essential in their lives, according to a recent survey that paints an even gloomier picture of the country's continuously falling fertility rate. The survey was conducted by Park Jeong-min, a professor of social welfare at Seoul National University and published in the Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies, Sunday. Park surveyed 281 unmarried men and women aged between 20 and 40 on their thoughts about marriage and childbirth.Only four percent of the female respondents agreed to a question asking whether “marriage and childbirth are an essential part of a woman's life,” while about 13 percent of male respondents believed so.Also, over 53 percent of women agreed that “marriage

Feb 26, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Only 4% of unmarried Korean women think marriage, childbearing essential

Society

INTERVIEW Korea ramps up rehabilitation efforts to win 'war on drugs'

Kim Myeong-ho, deputy director-general for Narcotics Safety Planning Division under the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, poses during an interview with The Korea Times at the newspaper's office in Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul Drug ministry plans to increase resources for addiction treatmentBy Lee Hyo-jin As drug crimes have become a major concern in Korea, the Yoon Suk Yeol administration declared a “war on drugs” in October last year. Hence, related ministries, including the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, are scrambling to develop countermeasures to regain the country's reputation as a “drug-free” nation.Among the policymakers tasked with deterring drug offenses is Kim Myeong-ho, deputy director-general for the Narcotics Safety Planning Division under the drug ministry. The division was a temporary project team for four years, but in January, it earned the current position as a leading organization on drug policy.When it comes to drug o

Feb 24, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

[INTERVIEW] Korea ramps up rehabilitation efforts to win 'war on drugs'

Society

INTERVIEW 'Unified Korea will become model nation on global stage'

Hyun Jin Preston Moon, founder and chairman of Global Peace Foundation speaks during an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul Feb. 20. Courtesy of Global Peace FoundationMoon encourages young generation to take part in 'Korean Dream' initiativeBy Lee Hyo-jin After more than seven decades of hostilities between South and North Korea, unification may sound like a distant goal to many ― especially to the younger generations. For them, integrating the capitalist south with the communist north is becoming an increasingly far-fetched idea amid the widening economic and cultural gaps that exist between the two. However, Hyun Jin Preston Moon, the founder and chairman of the Washington D.C.-based non-profit group Global Peace Foundation (GPF), strongly believes that young people will play a significant role in achieving unification on the Korean Peninsula.After establishing the foundation in 2009, Moon has been campaigning for unification based on the founding ideal of Korea “Hongik Ingan,” which means “to live for the greater benefit of all mankind.”“If I spe

Feb 23, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

[INTERVIEW] 'Unified Korea will become model nation on global stage'

Politics

Activist publishes books on lives of migrant workers in Korea

Han Yoon-soo, right, speaks during a press conference held for the release of his books titled “Blooming Violets” (literal translation) at the National Human Rights Commission of Korea building in Seoul, Feb. 20. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin Han Yoon-soo, 75, a migrant workers' rights activist has published a series of books featuring his decades-long experience of supporting foreign workers in Korea. Titled “Blooming Violets” (literal translation), the 10-book series is a collection of nearly 900 essays Han has written on his personal blog, as well as for his columns for a local newspaper since 2008. The stories feature the difficulties often faced by migrant workers ― harsh working environments, delayed payments, unfair treatment and physical and sexual abuse by employers. Han, who has been heading the Hwaseong Migrant Worker Support Center based in Gyeonggi Province after establishing it in June 2007, has witnessed challenges faced by thousands of foreign-born workers. “Although I've helped many foreign workers, I realized that there is no written record abou

Feb 23, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Activist publishes books on lives of migrant workers in Korea

Society

Court recognizes same-sex partner as legal dependent

So Seong-wook, third from left, and Kim Yong-min, on his right, plaintiffs of a lawsuit against the National Health Insurance Service calling for equal benefits to same-sex couples, celebrate after the Seoul High Court ruled in favor of the gay couple, Tuesday. YonhapLGBTQ community welcomes landmark ruling granting health insurance benefits to same-sex coupleBy Lee Hyo-jin An appeals court ruled in favor of a gay couple calling for equal health insurance coverage for same-sex couples, Tuesday, overturning a lower court's decision that sided with the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS).The landmark ruling by the Seoul High Court ordered the NHIS to cancel its decision made in 2020 to withdraw a gay man's eligibility to receive spousal health insurance benefits under the employer of his longtime partner.Although the court did not recognize the same-sex couple as common-law partners, it viewed that the NHIS' decision was discriminatory, considering that the state health insurance program has been giving spousal benefits to heterosexual civil marriage couples.In February 2020, Kim

Feb 21, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Court recognizes same-sex partner as legal dependent

Society

Seoul city to temporarily suspend Namsan Tunnel toll fee

Cars pass the tollgate at Namsan Tunnel No.1 in Jung District, Seoul, Monday. NewsisBy Lee Hyo-jin The toll levied on cars passing through Namsan Tunnel in Seoul will be temporarily suspended for two months starting next month, according to city officials, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the congestion pricing scheme. Based on the evaluation, the city authority will decide by the end of this year whether to fully scrap the toll collection system or not.The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Monday that the 2000-won ($1.55) fee collected at Namsan Tunnel No. 1 and 3 on vehicles with less than three persons will be suspended for two months from March 17. From that day until April 16, tolls will not be collected on cars traveling in a southbound direction, and beginning from April 17 to May 16, tolls will be suspended in both directions.The city government said it will analyze and compare the traffic volume during the toll-free period with the same period in 2022. Based on the data, it will consult with experts and gather public opinions, after which it will decide within

Feb 20, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Seoul city to temporarily suspend Namsan Tunnel toll fee

Society

Celebration of Japanese emperor's birthday in Seoul met with protest

Members of an anti-Japanese civic group hold a rally in front of a hotel in Seoul, Thursday, in protest of a reception held to celebrate the Japanese Emperor's birthday. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin A reception held in Seoul to celebrate the Japanese Emperor's birthday has raised eyebrows, especially after it was reported that the Japanese national anthem ― which is widely considered a symbol of Japan's militaristic past here ― was played during the event.Hosted by the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, the reception took place at a hotel on Thursday, ahead of the emperor's birthday on Feb. 23. Among the guests who showed up were Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon and Sohn Kyung-sik, chairman of the Korea Enterprises Federation.The annual celebration took place for the first time in three years after it was halted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.According to the Japanese daily, Sankei Shimbun, during this year's event, Japan's national anthem “Kimigayo” was played for the first time. The Korean national anthem was also played.“Kimigayo,” which translates as &ldquo

Feb 17, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Celebration of Japanese emperor's birthday in Seoul met with protest

Society

Local governments offer subsidies for hair loss treatment

gettyimagesbankBy Lee Hyo-jin Some local governments have begun offering financial support for hair loss treatment, aiming to help boost the self-esteem and confidence of balding people. But these moves are drawing mixed reactions from the public. Some are raising questions over the appropriateness of government subsidies being used for non-essential medical services.In May 2022, Seongdong District Office in Seoul became the first municipal authority to provide support to balding residents via the enactment of an ordinance. Beginning this year, the district office has been offering a cash voucher to residents aged 39 and below, who have received alopecia treatment, in accordance with the ordinance.Daegu Metropolitan Government followed Seongdong district's move. Last December, it amended a similar ordinance offering subsidies to residents between 19 and 39 who were balding. Boryung City in South Chungcheong Province also announced in January that it will provide up to two million won ($1,530) to residents aged 50 and under who are losing hair, in a bid to help improve their quality o

Feb 17, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Local governments offer subsidies for hair loss treatment

Society

Teaching no longer popular career in Korea

A teacher leads students during a class at Changwon Elementary School in Dobong District, Seoul, Nov.21, 2022. Joint Press CorpsBy Lee Hyo-jin In Korea, being a public school teacher was once widely considered a rewarding career. Some advantages of working as a teacher include stable income guaranteed until retirement and generous vacation days compared with ordinary office workers.But despite these benefits, it seems that teaching is becoming a less desirable career in the eyes of students considering their future jobs. The competition ratio to enter a university of education, which has been on the decline for several years, has this year reached its lowest figure in five years.This year, the average competition rate of 13 state-run universities of education and departments of elementary education stood at 2:1, hitting the lowest in the last five years, according to Jongro Academy, a major private tutoring franchise. Competition ratios compare the number of applicants with the total number of available positions.The competition ratio of six state-run universities of education includ

Feb 16, 2023By Lee Hyo-jin

Lee Hyo-jin

Read more

Seoul opens dog playground in Yeouido Hangang Park

Only 4% of unmarried Korean women think marriage, childbearing essential

INTERVIEW Korea ramps up rehabilitation efforts to win 'war on drugs'

INTERVIEW 'Unified Korea will become model nation on global stage'

Activist publishes books on lives of migrant workers in Korea

Court recognizes same-sex partner as legal dependent

Seoul city to temporarily suspend Namsan Tunnel toll fee

Celebration of Japanese emperor's birthday in Seoul met with protest

Local governments offer subsidies for hair loss treatment

Teaching no longer popular career in Korea

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