The Korea Times

Gov't to implement virus preventive measures in crammed immigration detention centers

The entrance to the Hwaseong Immigration Processing Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province / YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin The government will implement COVID-19 preventive measures at immigration detention processing centers nationwide where foreign nationals facing deportation are held, according to the health authorities and the Ministry of Justice.The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters announced, Monday, a set of measures drawn up by the ministry for effective control and prevention of the spread of the coronavirus in the densely packed facilities. In order to resolve overcrowding issues, the ministry will speed up the deportation procedure for people detained in them in cooperation with the relevant governmental bodies.Also, a “Voluntary departure deposit system” will be enacted from Jan. 21 to encourage the voluntary departure of foreign nationals who have overstayed their visa and subject to deportation without detention. Under the system, foreigners facing deportation can leave the country voluntarily if they submit a payment of up to 20 million won ($1

Jan 11, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Gov't to implement virus preventive measures in crammed immigration detention centers

Society

Frozen water gauges

Frozen water gauges are piled up at the Seodaemun branch of the Seoul Waterworks Authority, Monday. The ongoing cold spell has caused the freezing and bursting of 7,207 water gauges and 314 water pipes nationwide since Jan. 6, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. / Yonhap

Jan 11, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Law & Crime

Disclosing photos banned in international marriage ads

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family banned the disclosing of faces in 'international' marriage advertisements, Friday. / Screen captured from YouTubeBy Lee Hyo-jin The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced Friday that marriage broker agencies are now banned from disclosing photos of clients in their advertisements, following the enforcement of revisions to laws they are subject to.The revisions prohibits matchmakers from including clients' photographs in their ads, as well as personal information such as their weight and height.The ministry said although the regulations are mainly aimed at “international” marriage advertisements, the same rules apply to agencies targeting matchmaking between Koreans.Violators will face to up to three years in prison or a fine up to 30 million won ($27,400), as well as administrative measures such as suspension or cancellation of their business licenses.Also, marriage brokers must undergo mandatory education programs on the protection of human rights and understanding multicultural societies.Until Friday, only ads that di

Jan 8, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Disclosing photos banned in international marriage ads

Law & Crime

Vietnamese woman gets 3 years in jail after jumping from apartment building with newborn baby

GettyimagesbankBy Lee Hyo-jin A local court sentenced a Vietnamese woman to three years in prison Friday for jumping from an apartment building with her newborn baby, resulting in the baby's death.The Changwon District Court handed down the prison term to the woman, 26, who was convicted of murdering her 13-day-old baby. She had jumped with her baby, from the eighth floor of an apartment building in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, at around 7 p.m., Jan. 2, 2020. The baby died from severe head injuries. The woman survived, but suffered head and severe leg injuries which may lead to permanent physical disability.Although the minimum prison term for murder is five years, the court took into consideration that the accused had been suffering from serious postpartum depression.Regarding herself as an unqualified mother, she had left a note before the incident which read, “I am a useless person. My husband is a nice person, but I'm not. I feel sorry to everyone.”It was revealed during a police investigation that on the day of the incident, the woman had visited a local hospit

Jan 8, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Vietnamese woman gets 3 years in jail after jumping from apartment building with newborn baby

Health

COVID-19 precautions drive down flu cases

A citizen receives a flu vaccine shot at a clinic in Seoul in this October 2020 photo. / YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin As COVID-19 cases continue to rise here, the number of flu patients is significantly lower this winter compared to last year. Each year, the country grapples with a flu season which usually begins at the end of November, reaching its peak in December and lasting to as late as AprilInfluenza, commonly known as the flu, is a contagious respiratory disease caused by a family of viruses that infect the nose, throat and even lungs in serious cases. Common symptoms of the illness include a high fever, coughing and a sore throat. As it may lead to respiratory complications ― and causes around 2,000 deaths each year according to data from the Korea Disease Prevention and Control Agency (KDCA) ― the health authorities closely monitor the highly contagious virus every season.The authorities have paid closer attention this season out of concerns that a flu surge during the COVID-19 pandemic could put an incredible strain on the public healthcare system. The government had rolled out a m

Jan 8, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

COVID-19 precautions drive down flu cases

Law & Crime

$13.4 mil. stolen from casino on Jeju Island

The entrance to Landing Casino located at Jeju Shinhwa World, Jeju Island. / Korea Times fileBy Lee Hyo-jin A total of 14.5 billion won ($13.4 million) in cash was stolen from a casino on Jeju Island, according to Seogwipo Police Station, Thursday. Police have launched an investigation into the theft following a report filed Tuesday by Landing Entertainment Korea, the operator of Landing Casino located at Jeju Shinhwa World, a resort complex.According to the company, a Malaysian employee who was in charge of fund management went missing at the same time as the theft was discovered after going on a year-end holiday. The company filed a complaint with the police against the staff member.Considering that 500 million won in 50,000-won bills weighs about 10 kilograms, the missing cash in total would at least weigh 290 kilograms.“The money seems to have been taken away over a period of seven to eight months,” said an officer at Seogwipo Police Station. “But it seems that the theft was not noticed as a large amount of cash was always stored in the safe.”The police ar

Jan 7, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

$13.4 mil. stolen from casino on Jeju Island

Global Community

Rights groups criticize revision to Refugee Act

Asylum seekers and refugees participate in a rally held in Seoul's Jongno District and organized by Amnesty International and NANCEN, a refugee rights group based in Eunpyeong District, calling for better treatment and support in this September 2018 photo. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk'Korea needs better refugee screening, not stricter application rules' By Lee Hyo-jin Darwish Musab, 28, was granted refugee status in Korea in April 2018. But, like many thousands of asylum seekers, he had to go through a long process as his application was initially denied.The civic activist from Egypt and his wife entered the country in May 2016 seeking political asylum. But the Seoul Immigration Office rejected their application after a 30-minute interview. He launched an appeal regarding the decision but was again rejected. He then took the case to the administrative court, where it was revealed that a written translation of his testimony had been deliberately mis-interpreted with fabrications. The document described Darwish as a construction worker who came here for money. Only after the tri

Jan 7, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Rights groups criticize revision to Refugee Act

Health

Urging operation resumption for indoor gyms

Members of the Korea Functional Training Federation stage a performance during a protest in front of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea headquarters on Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday, to call on the government to allow indoor gyms to resume operation, adding that social distancing rules against COVID-19 are not equally applied to sports facilities as taekwondo and ballet academies have been allowed to open. / Yonhap

Jan 5, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Urging operation resumption for indoor gyms

Health

Correctional authorities cremate virus victim without notifying family

A staff member wearing protective gear stands in front of a vehicle at Seoul Dongbu Detention Center in Songpa District, Seoul, Tuesday, when a sixth mass round of COVID-19 testing was conducted among correctional officers and detainees. / YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin Prison authorities, who have already been criticized for lax management resulting in mass COVID-19 infections at a prison, are under fire again as they allegedly cremated the body of an inmate who died as a result of infection by the coronavirus without notifying his immediate next of kin, according to the deceased's family, Tuesday.The Seoul Dongbu Detention Center, currently struggling with massive infection outbreak, had recently reported the first death of an inmate, Yoon Chang-yeol, 66, who had been serving out a four-and-a-half year jail sentence for fraud since 2018. According to the center, the inmate tested positive with the virus Dec. 23. After a court ordered medical parole, he was transferred to a hospital for treatment the next day, but died Dec. 27. He reportedly had an underlying disease, and had been receiving h

Jan 5, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Correctional authorities cremate virus victim without notifying family

Law & Crime

Court supports denial of citizenship for foreign man caught drunk driving

GettyimagesbankBy Lee Hyo-jin A local court ruled that rejecting the naturalization application of a foreign national who was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol was legitimate, as he failed to meet the requirements of having a “good moral character” under the Nationality Act.The Seoul Administrative Court ruled that a Ministry of Justice decision to deny naturalization for a Nepalese man was proper Monday, rejecting his petition against the decision. The man, who came to Korea in March 2014 and acquired a marriage visa (F-6-1 visa) after marrying a Korean woman in June that year, applied for naturalization in May 2018. But the ministry denied the application in February 2020, citing his failure to “behave appropriately” as he had been convicted of drunk driving and fined in November 2019, during the examination period for his naturalization application. During the hearing, the man claimed that the court should take into consideration the circumstances of his drunk driving, as he was taking his wife to the hospital after she was found unconscio

Jan 4, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin

Lee Hyo-jin

Read more

Gov't to implement virus preventive measures in crammed immigration detention centers

Frozen water gauges

Disclosing photos banned in international marriage ads

Vietnamese woman gets 3 years in jail after jumping from apartment building with newborn baby

COVID-19 precautions drive down flu cases

$13.4 mil. stolen from casino on Jeju Island

Rights groups criticize revision to Refugee Act

Urging operation resumption for indoor gyms

Correctional authorities cremate virus victim without notifying family

Court supports denial of citizenship for foreign man caught drunk driving

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