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Lee Hyo-jin

Korea Times Finance Reporter

Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.

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Afghan children find it hard to adapt to life in Ulsan

Students of Seoboo elementary school in Ulsan head to classes on the first day of spring semester, March. 2. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-minSchool admission hobbled by Korean parents' protestsBy Lee Hyo-jin ULSAN ― While students of Seoboo elementary school in Ulsan headed to classes on the first day of the spring semester on March 2, 9-year-old Zainab from Afghanistan, who moved to the southeastern port city last month, had to stay at home.She asked her parents when she would be able to join her peers at school, but neither of them gave her a clear answer, which left the girl more puzzled.Her father, Gul Agha (as he prefers to identify himself), could not tell his daughter the truth: due to fierce protests from their Korean neighbors, it remains unclear when Zainab would be able to attend the public school.Zainab is not alone.In fact, she is among 28 Afghan children in Ulsan who could not make it to school on the first day after vacation. They settled in their new homes in early February after their parents found jobs at a subcontractor for shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries bas

Mar 14, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Afghan children find it hard to adapt to life in Ulsan
Politics

Yoon finds sweeping support in ex-President Park's political hometown

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol raises his fist during a campaigning event in Seomun Market in Daegu, Tuesday, ahead of the 2022 presidential election held on Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geunBy Lee Hyo-jin President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's landslide victory in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province was somewhat surprising for many, considering his bitter relations with ex-president Park Geun-hye, whose political stronghold was Daegu.Conservative People Power Party's presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol eventually emerged victorious in Wednesday's election against his rival, Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea, by a razor-thin margin of less than 1 percent point. Yoon garnered 48.56 percent of the vote, while Lee brought in 47.83 percent.But the tightest race in the Korean presidential election history could have ended unfavorably for Yoon if it weren't for the strong support he gained from Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, the only regions where he garnered over 70 percent of the vote. In Daegu, Yoon earned 75.4 percent of the vote, far outpacing Lee who rec

Mar 10, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Yoon finds sweeping support in ex-President Park's political hometown
  • Angry voters turn out to vote against President Moon, ruling party
Politics

Undeterred by worst COVID-19 wave, voters turn out to choose Korea's next president

An election worker holds a ballot for the 2022 presidential election at a polling station in Jongno District, Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Lee Hyo-jin Election Day has arrived in Korea amid the nation's worst COVID-19 wave yet, with the country reporting an all-time high of 342,446 daily new infections for Tuesday. But the fear of infection did not stop Koreans from making their pick for who will lead the country for the next five years. While general voting began across 14,464 polling stations nationwide from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, alternative arrangements were put in place for COVID-19 patients allocating them a voting period from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.Dozens of residents showed up from the early morning to cast their ballots at a community center in Cheongunhyoja-dong, Jongno District in Seoul.Among the total 129,968 eligible voters in the district, 52,826 ― or 40 percent ― already voted during the two-day early voting period conducted last Friday and Saturday, marking the highest early voting turnout among the 25 districts in the capital, according to

Mar 9, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
  • First-time voters excited to cast their ballots, but concerned about caliber of candidates
  • What polls taken prior to election say
  • Exit polls project Lee, Yoon in dead heat
  • Yoon overtakes Lee to hold razor-thin lead
Politics

Next president to write new chapter in history

Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, left, and Yoon Suk-yeol, presidential hopeful of the main opposition People Power Party / Korea Times fileBy Lee Hyo-jin Regardless of who eventually emerges victorious in the presidential election on Wednesday, the next president is expected to open a new chapter in Korea's political history.The two front runners ― the ruling Democratic Party of Korea's Lee Jae-myung and Yoon Suk-yeol of the conservative main opposition People Power Party ― have been running neck and neck against each other in the latest surveys. If the winner is elected among these two flag bearers of the rival parties, he would become the first democratically elected president in Korea's history with no legislative or cabinet experience. Since the country's first democratic presidential election which took place in 1987 to the last one conducted in 2017, all the winners have had experience in the National Assembly, where many of them had demonstrated their leadership as party floor leaders. Yoon, 61, is a political rookie who just enter

Mar 8, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Next president to write new chapter in history
  • Koreans cast votes to elect new leader
Health

Easing of distancing measures ahead of election raises speculation on timing

A monitor at the disaster control center in Seoul's Songpa District Office shows an all-time high of 266,853 new daily COVID-19 infections reported on Thursday. YonhapDaily new infections hit another high at 266,853 By Lee Hyo-jinThe government's decision to ease COVID-19 regulations earlier than initially planned despite a record surge in coronavirus infections is calling the policy change into question. As the abrupt readjustment of the social distancing measures came less than a week ahead of the March 9 presidential election, some critics claim the government is compromising public health and safety for its own “political ends,” and pandering to small business owners who have had to bear the brunt of the pandemic measures.The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced Friday that it will ease social distancing measures partially from Saturday to March 20, allowing multiuse facilities such as eateries and cafes to receive sit-in customers until 11 p.m., pushing the limit on operating hours back by one hour from the current 10 p.m. The six-person limit on private gatherin

Mar 4, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Easing of distancing measures ahead of election raises speculation on timing
  • Gov't to push back COVID-19 curfew on restaurants, cafes to 11 p.m.
  • Daily infections top 260,000 for 1st time amid Omicron's spread
Health

'Miracle shampoo' faces sale ban over toxic chemical claims

Moda Moda's “pro-change black” shampoo / Korea Times fileBy Lee Hyo-jinA shampoo introduced by a Korean cosmetics company which “miraculously” turns gray hair to black, is facing a major setback as the country's drug safety regulator seeks to ban the sale of the product citing the presence of toxic chemicals in its ingredients.The “pro-change black” shampoo manufactured by Moda Moda was first launched in the U.S. market in June 2021 through a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter and hit the local market in August of that year.According to the company, when used over a period of several months, the shampoo gradually turns gray hair to black. The product was developed jointly with Lee Hae-shin, a chemistry professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).The developers took the idea from “browning reactions” of fruits such as apples and bananas when exposed to oxygen, caused by polyphenol (PPO). The company stressed that the shampoo is completely free of any materials that are toxic to the human body or allergy-

Mar 4, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
'Miracle shampoo' faces sale ban over toxic chemical claims
Health

Korea becoming center of global bio-workforce training

By Kwon Deok-cheolThe World Health Organization (WHO) nominated Korea as the global bio-manufacturing workforce training hub on Feb. 23. The WHO is promoting two hub projects in order to resolve the inequality in vaccine supply between countries and regions; mRNA technology transfer hub and bio-manufacturing workforce training. The WHO designated South Africa as an mRNA technology transfer hub in June, 2021, and then in February of this year, 13 countries in Africa, Asia and South America are now recipients of the mRNA technology transfer hub. However, the WHO acknowledges that being equipped with trained professionals in the field of bio-manufacturing is a prerequisite for the building of manufacturing facilities and facilitating technology transfer so as to initiate the “global bio-manufacturing workforce training hub” project. The nomination as the hub signifies Korea's central role in training bio-workforce for low-and middle-income countries in vaccine and biologics manufacturing.Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol / Courtesy of Ministry of Health and WelfareMany global

Mar 3, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea becoming center of global bio-workforce training
Society

Russians in Korea unite against Putin's war on Ukraine

Russian residents stage a rally in front of Bosingak Pavilion in Jongno District, Seoul, Sunday, protesting Russia's invasion of Ukraine. YonhapProtests held in Korea lambasting Russian leaderBy Lee Hyo-jinAnti-government protests in Russia are rare, as the authoritarian regime does not tolerate expression of dissent against the Kremlin. However, President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has immediately provoked strong backlash among Russian citizens.Mass demonstrations erupted across Russia over the weekend, where people protested against what the Russian government called a “special military operation” aimed at the “denazification and demilitarization” of its neighboring country.Joining their brave actions were Russian residents in Korea, who staged an anti-war rally in front of Bosingak Pavilion in Seoul, Sunday.Only 20 people were scheduled to take part in the event, but to the surprise of the rally's organizers, over 100 Russians gathered, holding placards reading, “We say no to the war,” “Stand with Ukraine” and &l

Mar 1, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Russians in Korea unite against Putin's war on Ukraine
  • Korea joins US-led sanctions to ban Russia's access to SWIFT
  • Envoys of EU, Ukraine warn of severe consequences of Russian invasion
  • Envoy voices regret over South Korea joining sanctions against Russia
  • Korea to end transactions with major Russian banks under U.S. sanctions
Health

Korea becomes WHO's global vaccine training hub

Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol speaks with World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during an online conference, Feb. 23 (local time). Courtesy of Ministry of Health and Welfare By Lee Hyo-jin While vaccines and treatments remain vital tools to combat the ongoing global health crisis triggered by COVID-19, inequitable access to medical resources has hindered pandemic responses in low- and middle-income countries.Unlike rich countries that are gearing up to return to normal life thanks to high vaccination rates and sustainable supply of treatments, low- and middle-income countries are still suffering from high fatality rates and surging infections, due to shortages of lifesaving treatments and vaccines. Not only is this unjust, but this situation poses serious threats to the world, as low levels of vaccine coverage could lead to an emergence of unexpected variants, prolonging the pandemic indefinitely.Against this backdrop, Korea, a lead

Feb 28, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea becomes WHO's global vaccine training hub
Health

Quarantine rules to be eased amid record-high COVID-19 deaths

A medical worker administers a COVID-19 test on a visitor at a screening center near Seoul Station, Sunday. YonhapKorea's COVID Resilience Ranking drops to 21st out of 53 nationsBy Lee Hyo-jin The government has decided to ease self-isolation and testing rules for unvaccinated people who have come in close contact with COVID-19 patients. But this latest move has raised concerns of fueling virus transmission among asymptomatic patients. Despite the soaring number of COVID-19 cases, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced Friday it will lift mandatory self-isolation rules for close contacts and cohabiting family members of COVID-19 patients, regardless of their vaccination status, starting March 1. Currently, those who are not fully vaccinated must quarantine for a week after coming into close contact with a patient. The health ministry defines close contact as “living in the same home or having talked without wearing a face mask for 15 minutes or longer.”But under the new measures, these people will now be subject to what the government calls

Feb 27, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Quarantine rules to be eased amid record-high COVID-19 deaths
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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.