The Korea Times

Monthly pay usually gone in 16 days

It usually takes 16 days for office workers to spend all their monthly pay, according to a survey conducted by the job recruitment portal site Saramin April 8.They surveyed 5,531 office workers Feb. 18-27. Some 20 percent of the surveyed said it took 20 days. Many of them said that they maintain cash-strapped life until the next paycheck came in.A variety of reasons were affecting their lifestyle. Almost half the respondents said the cost of living is getting higher, and not getting paid enough were the main reasons. Another said that they have a lot of debt, including that arising from installment purchases.About a third of the surveyed said irregular spending on marriage or death of family members and friends was one that they cannot control. The additional need was compensated by using credit cards or stashing away money.Aside from that, 70 percent of the workers said that they got a raise, the average increase rate being 4.8 percent.       

Apr 8, 2013By Lee Kyung-min

Sports

Ryu Hyun-jin earns first major league win

South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers earned his first victory in Major League Baseball (MLB) on Sunday.In his second career start at Dodger Stadium, Ryu pitched 6 1/3 strong innings and allowed two runs on three hits and two walks against the Pittsburgh Pirates, as the Dodgers won the game 6-2. The Dodgers improved to 4-2, while the Pirates fell to 1-5.

Apr 8, 2013By Lee Kyung-min

South Korea

Husband slapped by his mother-in-law

Some marriages, or divorces in worst cases, end up as a result problems between mothers-in-law and sons-in-law. Doting mothers can’t stand by as their precious daughters all but endure marriages to men way under-qualified in their opinion.The Gwangju Family Court finalized the divorce of a couple saying that it was unlikely for the couple to sustain their marriage. The man said he wouldn’t be able to stay married with her because of his mother-in-law.Whenever the couple had a fight, his mother-in-law always took the wife’s side, and ignored him for being financially unsuccessful, according to him.He also argued that the wife wasn’t as much caring for his family as she was for her own family. Holidays were the only time she visited his family, but she met her own family every chance she had.Si world (meaning in-laws on the groom’s side) is known for causing troubles between a wife and the rest of the family on her husband’s side.Now Chuh world (meaning in-laws on the bride’s side) is arising as a counterpart, producing many husbands suffering

Apr 7, 2013By Lee Kyung-min

South Korea

W20 mil. spent on Propofol a month

As many as 19 medical personnel, including owners of a hospital, have been arrested for organizing a “Propofol Day” for injecting the anesthetic agent for clients in the southern Seoul district Gangnam.According to the violent crime division of the Seoul Prosecutor’s Office, doctors and three owners of hospitals have been arrested for violating laws on the illegal administration of drugs.Another 16, including doctors and nurses, as well as operators of entertainment facilities, have been indicted for administering and receiving Propofol and using marijuana.Prosecutors said the proprietors of the three hospitals injected people with hundreds of dosages of Propofol since 2011 under the pretense of providing surgery for cosmetic surgery and other medical treatment.In some cases, the clinics closed down their facilities to organize “Propofol Day” for selected clients.The proprietors made away with hundreds of millions of won (millions of dollars) and some of the clients paid as much as 20 million won ($18,000) a month for the injections.The prosecutors said

Apr 7, 2013By Lee Kyung-min

South Korea

Single mom to have 1 week, W700,000 after giving birth

The government will provide one week and 700,000 won ($618) to single moms who just gave birth to let them mull over whether she will put her baby up for adoption. Ministry of Health and Welfare said Sunday that it will start the project called “Think twice about adoption: support for single mom and child.”It dictates that any adoption process begins a week after the newborn spends the minimal amount of time with her mom.If the mother stays at her own home, she will receive 500,000 won ($441). If, instead, she chooses other facilities for single moms, or postnatal care centers, she will receive 250,000 won ($220), or 750,000 won ($662) respectively. Expecting moms can sign up from 40 days before to a week after the due date for the benefit.They should go to the adoption department at the nearest district offices or city centers. A government official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Lee Won-hee, said, “This project will help moms making the important decisions in a more comfortable environment.”

Apr 7, 2013By Lee Kyung-min

South Korea

Childcare center owner arrested for cruelty to infant

The judge sentenced a former infant care center owner to one year in prison for cruelty against the children, according to the Seoul Central District Court April 7. The owner allegedly put balls of gauze in the mouths of the children to stop them crying. She allegedly kept treating the seven one- and two-year olds that way repeatedly for one year, according to the police report. The judge said that the defendant deserves an imprisonment.The ruling said, “Her cruelty was against helpless babies who were unable to express any of their response whatsoever. However, she showed no remorse or heartfelt regret.” As for the prison term, one year, the judge said that he had taken into the fact that she is a first-time offender, and that her health has been deteriorated, and also that she had paid some compensation to the court. The owner said in her defense, “I never did such things. And even if I did, it was only to the extent to protect other babies’ comfortable environment.If the judge sees it as cruelty, it is still within the boundaries of what’s social

Apr 7, 2013By Lee Kyung-min

Childcare center owner arrested for cruelty to infant

South Korea

Hospitals under fire for insurance fraud

Hospitals are increasingly getting worried since the prosecutors’ office raid in three hospitals in North Jeolla Province discovered the unlawful insurance claiming practice prevalent in the industry.The prosecutors’ office in Jeonju said April 3 that it confiscated 50 boxes filled with documents. Disparity between the forged documents and the original incidents are to be sorted out, they added.They are basing their investigations on the possibility that the hospitals pretended to have some patients they didn’t have in the hospital, and that they claimed the money from the insurance company.One prosecutor said, “The investigation has been ongoing since last year. Hospitals with unlawful practices will be held responsible.” Whether they will broaden the scope of investigation is to be decided, he added.The hospitals were being complacent for too long, said an official from the hospital in Jeonju. “Everyone who works in this industry knows this has been a long held practice. And the raided hospitals were not treating the patients at once. They prolon

Apr 5, 2013By Lee Kyung-min

North Korea

SUVs are more likely to be mobilized in war

Four SUVs ( Sports Utility Vehicle ) line up in the photo. In an emergency, such as North Korean attack, SUVs are more likely to be mobilized than other car models, according to one military official, though he declined to confirm anything.As North Korean threats worsen, car-owners are increasingly getting worried that they might see their cars used as government property. In emergencies, the government and the military can mobilize the cars in the country and use as they see fit, according to the Emergency Resource Management Law.  When ordered, car owners will receive a mobilization warrant, and must turn over their cars to designated places. If not, they will face fines up to 20 million won, or prison sentence of up to seven years.The computer system selects the cars randomly, according to the military official. However, SUVs and newer models are more likely to be mobilized, he said. “Gyeonggi and Gangwon Province residents may be high on the list, since those are the places bordering North Korea. And the younger the car owner is, the more likely they have to

Apr 4, 2013By Lee Kyung-min

SUVs are more likely to be mobilized in war

World

Man accused of rape preps for Air Force exam

An Indian gang-rape and murder suspect in jail asked for milk, fruit, and reading material to stay “fit and focused,” according to the  Wall Street Journal. Vinay Sharma, the suspect, is now in a Tihar jail, and is preparing for an exam to join the Indian Air Force. He applied for a post in the air force last year and passed a first exam before current arrest.  He also asked for newspapers to help him stay “focused” ahead of his job interview.“I want reading material as the test will include general knowledge,” said Sharma. He said all this at the special fast-track court in the capital Monday evening, where proceedings against four men are currently being held, the Wall Street Journal reported. Last week, jail authorities agreed to a request from Sharma to provide him with a tutor ahead of his exam. What's more, Sunil Gupta, a spokesman for the prison, said they are looking into Sharma’s request for better food and newspapers. Tihar is known to be generous with the requests of detainees, Wall Stre

Apr 4, 2013By Lee Kyung-min

World

'Al-Qaeda behind this,” says Korea Gas Corporation

Regarding the recent attack in Iraq's Akkas gas field, which resulted in two men’s deaths, Korea Gas Corporation said, “We suspect Al-Qaeda is behind this” on April 2. They said there were no Korean workers in the region. The company released a PR statement, saying, “Some four men hijacked 40 workers on their way back home in the bus near Akkas Gas field. "They shoot and killed two men and abducted one. After the whole incident, they set fire to the container, and ran away.""The damage was for the container and no other additional harm was estimated.” It went on, “We will block the site until we find concrete measures to take the situation under control. We are looking into the case through local security service.”

Apr 2, 2013By Lee Kyung-min

Lee Kyung-min

Read more

Monthly pay usually gone in 16 days

Ryu Hyun-jin earns first major league win

Husband slapped by his mother-in-law

W20 mil. spent on Propofol a month

Single mom to have 1 week, W700,000 after giving birth

Childcare center owner arrested for cruelty to infant

Hospitals under fire for insurance fraud

SUVs are more likely to be mobilized in war

Man accused of rape preps for Air Force exam

'Al-Qaeda behind this,” says Korea Gas Corporation

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