The Korea Times

41 underground tunnels found in Seoul

By Lee Kyung-min  The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) said Wednesday it had discovered 41 tunnels under the capital after conducting a citywide inspection from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 with Japanese company Geo Search. The firm specializes in underground inspection work.Most of the tunnels discovered were near old subway stations under construction, and busy shopping or business districts. Eighteen tunnels were found in Jongno 3-ga, central Seoul; five in Yeouido; and 18 under Seoul National University of Education, southern Seoul.“To date, we could not fix the problem in a timely manner, since we did not have the proper equipment. But now we do, so as soon as the weather permits, we will start working,” an SMG official said.Out of the total discovered, SMG has decided to fill in 18 that it considers pose a high risks to drivers and pedestrians.This year, sinkholes were found around the city.Six occurred near the second Lotte World in July through August, southern Seoul, and two, one each in June and July in Yeouido. No casualties occurred.  As a prevention measure

Dec 31, 2014By Lee Kyung-min

South Korea

Hwang grilled for 'pro-NK' forum

Hwang SeonBy Lee Kyung-min   Hwang Seon, a former deputy speaker of the now-defunct Democratic Labor Party, was grilled by police officers Monday over allegations that she engaged in pro-North Korean activities.She appeared on Monday for questioning in Jongno, central Seoul.Earlier, local conservative civic groups filed a complaint against her for making remarks sympathizing with the North Korean regime during a public forum held in November. There, she allegedly praised the North’s former leaders, Kim Il-sung, and Kim Jong-il, police said.Along with Hwang, the co-host of the show, Shin Eun-mi, is also being investigated.Their alleged “anti-state” activities are banned here and are crimes punishable under the National Security Law.Before entering the police station for questioning, Hwang denied the allegations against her claiming she is the “victim of a witchhunt.”“This investigation is baseless and groundless. I am being questioned over an incident that was never what they claim it was. I have nothing to clarify since I did not do

Dec 29, 2014By Lee Kyung-min

South Korea

'Constitutional Court vulnerable to biased rulings'

By Lee Kyung-min A research institute under the Constitutional Court has urged the administration, the National Assembly and the judiciary to start a debate on changing the way the court’s judges are selected, saying the current selection system is prone to politically biased rulings. Currently, three each of the nine Constitutional Court justices are chosen by the President and the Supreme Court head. The remaining three are selected by political parties ― one each by the ruling and opposition parties, and the other one among mutually agreed candidates by the ruling and opposition parties.According to a report by the Constitutional Research Institute, released Monday, the current selection system needs to be changed because rulings can be influenced by those in power ― especially on politically sensitive issues.“Decisions made by the Constitutional Court cannot be free from political underpinnings under the current system,” the report said. “All parties concerned should debate on changing the selection system to represent society in a more

Dec 29, 2014By Lee Kyung-min

South Korea

Door falls on customer in Lotte Mall

By Lee Kyung-min  A woman suffered injuries to her back and shoulder after an inadequately secured door fell on her at the new Lotte World in Jamsil, Seoul on Saturday night.The woman, aged 25 and surnamed Jung, was taken by Lotte officials to a nearby hospital for treatment and did not sustain serious injuries.Jung was reportedly walking through an entrance on the first floor at 6:00 p.m. when the door fell on her back, according to the firm.Lotte said they are investigating to find the precise cause of the accident, and added that the door will be fixed.“We don’t yet know why the entrance door came off its hinges,” said a Lotte official. “We are doing our best to make sure that she receives good treatment and we are conducting safety inspections on all doors in the building.”The incident occurred just 10 days after the firm apologized for a series of problems and mishaps that have taken place in the building located in southern Seoul over the past months, prompting promises from the company to step up safety precautions.On Dec. 17, Lotte Corp., Lo

Dec 28, 2014By Lee Kyung-min

South Korea

Builders shun 119 emergency calls

By Lee Kyung-min Most construction companies refrain from making 119 emergency calls when workers are injured at their construction sites and instead call preferred hospitals directly, according to a survey from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).The survey, released Sunday, showed only 10 percent of construction workers received 119 emergency treatment.While companies try to save costs and avoid media scrutiny, public criticism is mounting about workers’ lives being possible compromised.   Specifically, the death of a worker near a concert hall being built at the second Lotte World on Dec. 16 triggered a public outcry.The man, surnamed Kim fell while working, according to a co-worker who said he saw Kim on the floor after hearing a dull thud.Criticism then spiked over Lotte’s initial decision to send him to a hospital twice as far away as the nearest one, delaying prompt treatment.There are many such incidents, NEMA officials said.According to the report, 119 was used for 1,056 cases in 2011; 2,108 in 2012 and 2,112 in 2013.The actual number o

Dec 28, 2014By Lee Kyung-min

South Korea

Female collegians say marriage optional

By Lee Kyung-minAlmost half of female university students said marriage was not necessary according to a survey released Tuesday.One in six also did not want to have a child.In the survey conducted on 2,361 university students in November, research institute 2.1 Futurian found that 47 percent of female respondents said marriage was optional, while only 23.9 percent of male students agreed.Both male and female students said they thought the low birthrate was a serious problem in Korea: 82.6 percent and 77.6 percent, respectively.However, most respondents did not want many children.They said they wanted 1.9 children on average, which falls short of the birthrate needed to maintain the current population ― 2.1 per household.  Female students wanted an average of 1.77 children, while male students wanted 2.06.However, 16 percent of the female respondents and 6.4 percent of males said they wanted none at all.Experts say the responsibilities of marriage and child rearing while working were behind the survey results.“Young female university students are well aware that they

Dec 26, 2014By Lee Kyung-min

South Korea

Arrest warrant sought for Heather Cho

By Lee Kyung-minFormer Korean Air Vice President Heather ChoThe prosecution on Wednesday requested that an arrest warrant be issued for former Korean Air Vice President Heather Cho over the “nut rage” incident.She allegedly violated the country’s aviation safety rules by forcing a change in flight schedule and coercing and assaulting flight attendants on a plane, according to the Seoul Western Prosecutors’ Office.The prosecution also arrested an official from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, surnamed Kim, who was part of a team that investigated the incident that made headlines around the world. Kim worked at Korean Air for 15 years before moving to the ministry.Investigators raided Kim’s house in Incheon, and his office in the ministry, and confiscated a computer and documents. He allegedly shared confidential information about the investigation with an executive of Korean Air, surnamed Yeo, who is also facing arrest.Yeo allegedly ordered the employees to destroy evidence prior to and during the investigation. Yeo also allegedly made

Dec 24, 2014By Lee Kyung-min

South Korea

Constitutional Court to rule on disputed cases next year

By Lee Kyung-minThe Constitutional Court’s ruling last week that ordered the dissolution of the minor opposition United Progressive Party for engaging in pro-North Korea activities has already prompted heated debate that continues across the country. Meanwhile other controversial cases are currently under review at the court.Rulings are due on whether there should be laws banning adultery, whether sex workers should be punished and if a sacked teacher should be allowed to become a member of a union, among others.Suwon District Court and the Uijeongbu District Court asked for the Constitutional Court to issue a ruling on the first case in March and August 2011, respectively.The complaint against the anti-adultery law has been brought four times since 1990, and has, so far, been ruled “constitutional”.The issue became the focus of the media in 2008, when a case was filed by an actress Ok So-ri, who was sued by her husband for having an affair.At the time, she claimed that punishing her was an infringement of her human right to love someone according to her free will.T

Dec 24, 2014By Lee Kyung-min

South Korea

Concerns rise over safety of plastic surgery

By Lee Kyung-min Public concern is rising over the safety of plastic surgery, following a series of deaths of people undergoing cosmetic procedures.Many students about to enter university have plastic surgery during the winter, but experts say these young people are vulnerable to negligence and false claims in advertising.On Friday, a female college student, surnamed Jung, 21, underwent facial bone contouring surgery at a plastic surgery clinic in southern Seoul. But two hours after the surgery, she suffered a cardiac arrest following a rapid drop in blood pressure and died, according to Seocho Police.The exact cause of the sudden blood pressure drop has yet to be determined. Police have asked the National Forensic Service to perform an autopsy on her. “After the autopsy results, we’ll ask the Korean Medical Association whether it is malpractice,” a police officer said.Experts say such “accidents” in plastic surgery are due to two reasons: doctors performing surgery without the proper license in the required field; and patients’ blind faith in

Dec 22, 2014By Lee Kyung-min

South Korea

Foreign crime victims ineligible for compensation

By Lee Kyung-minPark Chun-bong, the suspect in the “torso murder” in Suwon, Gyeoggi Province, is taken to theprosecution’s office for interrogation Friday. / YonhapThe family of a Korean-Chinese woman recently killed ― allegedly by her ex-boyfriend, also a Korean-Chinese ― in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, is not eligible for government compensation for crime victims and their families because she was a foreigner.Under the law, only Korean rape and murder victims, or their families, are entitled to such compensation ― up to 68 million won ($61,000).Some lawmakers have proposed bills to make foreigners eligible, but the National Assembly is dragging its feet in starting a debate on the issue.Unlike murder suspect Park Chun-bong, who stayed illegally after entering the country on a fake visa, the victim, surnamed Kim, was here on an H-2 work visa, valid for one year, according to police.But Kim’s bereaved family will not get any compensation from the government.The compensation program is based on the Crime Victim Protection Act, which promot

Dec 19, 2014By Lee Kyung-min

Lee Kyung-min

Read more

41 underground tunnels found in Seoul

Hwang grilled for 'pro-NK' forum

'Constitutional Court vulnerable to biased rulings'

Door falls on customer in Lotte Mall

Builders shun 119 emergency calls

Female collegians say marriage optional

Arrest warrant sought for Heather Cho

Constitutional Court to rule on disputed cases next year

Concerns rise over safety of plastic surgery

Foreign crime victims ineligible for compensation

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