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Lee Kyung-min

Korea Times AI content 2 team Reporter

Value context and insight. lkm@koreatimes.co.kr

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Usurers pimp out female debtors

Police arrested a group of usurers who pimped out female delinquent debtors, Incheon police said Tuesday.It booked 17 Internet broadcasters and usurers on suspicion of breaking the law regarding money lending and punishment of sex crimes.The police also booked another 77 people responsible for distributing and making money off the video clips. They are on suspicion of lending money to those who needed some one to 10 million won right away even with high interests.They gave women the ultimatum that it’s either taking the video or make repayment.The women starring in the clips went naked, and they were paid two to three million won per a clip until recuperation.The suspects set up a self-proclaimed entertainment company, and profited 1.1 billion won ($970,445) over the past 20 months, according to the police report.  

Jul 2, 2013By Lee Kyung-min
Usurers pimp out female debtors
World

Austria protests about U.S. surveillance

Austria protested yesterday about the recent expose about the wiretapping of the foreign government officials stationed in the U.S.Austrian state official said in an interview with a local media that these wiretapping allegations are beyond comprehension.He demanded that the U.S. make clear if this is true and what sort of intelligence moves they engaged in.Prior to this, the Guardian reported on June 17 that the NSA (National Security Agency) whistleblower Edward Snowden “warned that the truth about the extent of surveillance carried out by U.S. authorities would emerge, even if he was eventually silenced.”He alleged that the U.S. wiretapped diplomats of China, EU, and South Korea. This caused an uproar in many countries including EU, which threatened to halt the FTA altogether unless with a clarification from the U.S.Russia has stayed relatively calm since it was not on the list. Russian President Vladimir Putin said this case needs an investigation.He alleged that the U.S. surveillances are not the only ones listening, but that sometimes t

Jul 2, 2013By Lee Kyung-min
South Korea

Korea at Tier 1 status in TIP for 11 years

Korea maintained its Tier 1 status in TIP (Trafficking in Persons) Reports for 11 consecutive years, according to the U.S. Department of State Wednesday.There are three levels of tiers for analyzing the current human trafficking situation of individual nations.While Tier 1 is the highest ranking, it does not mean the country is problem-free. A Tier 1 ranking indicates that a “government has acknowledged the existence of human trafficking, made efforts to address the problem, and complies with the TVPA’s minimum standards,” according to the U.S. State Department.“Korea is a source, transit, and destination country for men and women subjected to forced prostitution and forced labor,” the report said.North Korea, China, and Russia are the Tier 3 countries. “North Korean authorities made no discernible efforts to prevent human trafficking during the reporting period,” the report said.Japan has been placed at Tier 2 for 11 consecutive years. It was not in compliance with the guidelines of the minimum regulations to prevent human trafficking, thus

Jun 20, 2013By Lee Kyung-min
Korea at Tier 1 status in TIP for 11 years
South Korea

Only one fifths takes maternity leave

Only 20 percent of women actually took maternity leave although 80 percent of companies allow them to take one, according to a study by Korea Institute of Child Care and Education Thursday.Among the surveyed women with children, only 24 percent of them said they used the maternity leave package. Miscarriage is also a legitimate reason to take a leave, but only 14 percent of the women actually took it.Women are entitled to take maternity leaves, since it’s a protected right by law, but few actually assert on it.Almost 30 percent of them responded that it might interfere with their work, and nearly 20 percent of them said they worried what their bosses would say. Some 13 percent said the system is not available, and some 12 percent said they worry about the hardships when they return.The leave rate, however, is on the rise. In 2004, 9,123 women used the leave, but in 2011, 56,735 did, which soared nearly six-fold in just eight years. “Companies that violate this regulation frequently should be dealt with by law,” said an official from the Institute.  

Jun 20, 2013By Lee Kyung-min
Others

Korean sex slaves to have their story documented in English

By Lee Kyung-minKorean sex slaves in WWII will have records of their own in English.Professional translators and native English-speaking copy editors ㅡ four of them ㅡ formed a group dedicated to this work, and have been working since last December.This move comes after decades-long, a series of justifications by Japanese ultra-right public figures’ mind-boggling comments ㅡ and the controversy and condemnation that entails.Comments by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto such as “sex slaves were war time necessities” would be the most recent one.To counter them point by point, Korea, with women who actually were sex slaves, should have the first-hand account written unadulterated by outside interests, the group said.Out of 234 registered victims, they have translated the full-text testimony of six women, and summarized the biography of 30 women and what they had to go through.The tone and the emotion of the victims as they recollect will be the primary concern for the work, they said.Another concern is that they come up with a professional, neutral set of documentation of hist

Jun 3, 2013By Lee Kyung-min
Korean sex slaves to have their story documented in English
South Korea

Park names long-time aide Lee Jung-hyun senior press secretary

Lee Jung-hyunPresident Park Geun-hye has named long-time aide Lee Jung-hyun new senior press secretary following the dismissal of former journalist Yoon Chang-joong, Cheong Wa Dae sad Monday.Yoon was fired after his alleged sexual encounter with an aide of the Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C. during Park visit there last month.Lee has long served as Park’s mouthpiece even when the President was silent in the political circle and is regarded as one of her closest aides.Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kim Haeng said Park had been looking for someone who can best reflect her political principals following the disgraced exit of her first press secretary. 

Jun 3, 2013By Lee Kyung-min
Others

Bipolar disorder patients on the rise

By Lee Kyung-minThe number of bipolar disorder patients in their 20s increased by 26 percent in the past five years, according to the National Health Insurance Service Sunday.Bipolar disorder patients suffer from mood swings. They get hyper at one moment, and feel straight down the next. And the cycle repeats.Pent-up rage, stress, and anger could be all cause of the disorder, doctors said.Dysfunction in the brain or in the flow of hormones might cause the conditions, too.To treat this, taking pills under the prescription by doctors is the best way, they added.In 2007, 46,000 people were treated for the illness. After five years, in 2011, 12,000 were added to the list.The health care cost soared accordingly, by 40 percent, from 55 billion won ($4.8 million) to 77 billion won.The rapid increase was marked particularly by the people with jobs in their 20s, the result showed.The increase rate among them was twice as steep compared to that of people with jobs of all age.Women, more than men, were getting more prone to the condition, according to the result.    

Jun 2, 2013By Lee Kyung-min
South Korea

Looser dress code due for public servants in summer

By Lee Kyung-minGoing casual this summer might be the new norm for public servants, said Ministry of Security and Public Administration Wednesday.Men can go without ties, wear casual jackets and pants, sweaters, colored dress shirts, and cotton pants.Wearing ties won’t be mandatory except for formal occasions such as welcoming guests, attending hearings at the National Assembly. However, moderation is advised, it added.Whatever people wear, looking unprofessional is to be avoided. Wearing slippers outside the office, or wearing ripped jeans fall into that category.“I hope this policy will help people work in a more comfortable environment. It is a great way to save energy, too,” said an official from the Ministry. 

May 22, 2013By Lee Kyung-min
Looser dress code due for public servants in summer
South Korea

Infant in coma after taken to childcare center

By Lee Kyung-minA six-month-old lapsed into a coma in a childcare center where he was taken two hours there after a doctor said he’s in a perfect health, the police in Masan, South Gyeongsang Province, said Tuesday. He has been so for a month now.The mother suspects abuse by the caregiver at the center.On April 9, the mother took the baby to the hospital for a regular physical.The doctor said that the baby was healthy and that she had nothing to worry about.She left the hospital and took the baby to the childcare center as usual. It was around 10:00a.m.Two hours later she got a call from the hospital that her baby was in coma.Without anything concrete to allay the devastation, she spent a month.The doctor recently pronounced that the baby had suffered from a Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS).It is known to be caused by intentional shaking, and the suffered baby shows no visible signs of trauma, making hard for their parents to notice the abuse done, the doctors said.With the doctor’s diagnosis, the mother launched a petition.The CCTV (closed-circuit television) in the elevator h

May 21, 2013By Lee Kyung-min
South Korea

Harsher punishment due for abusing spouses

By Lee Kyung-minBattered wives will no longer have to stay silent out of helplessness.Abusing spouses will face harsher punishment, the prosecutors’ office said Wednesday.Those who use weapons and the recidivists will be detained, it added.This is part of a campaign pledge made by President Park Geun-hye to root out domestic violence along with school and sexual ones.Raising awareness of the seriousness and preventing repetition of the problem is the primary focus.“First-time offenders should be punished harshly so that they realize that it is a serious crime.“As for the victims, we want to assure them that there’s a way to deal with the situation instead of just remaining in pain,” a prosecutor said.Even when the victim doesn’t want to press charges, mandatory education will be required of assailants.Only with the promise of completion of the sessions, will they be released on a suspended sentence.Social minorities should be watched closely as well, according to the Office.Victims such as immigrant wives and the handicapped will be protected with

May 15, 2013By Lee Kyung-min
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