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Kim Se-jeong

Korea Times K-Culture Reporter

I am covering trend, food and fashion. Previously, I covered diplomacy, city, environment and unification.

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Politics

Police investigate 30 protesters from anti-gov't rally

Anti-government protesters fill the main road near the Gwanghwamun Square and Seoul City Hall, Saturday. YonhapBy Kim Se-jeong The police in Seoul said Sunday they were investigating 30 protesters from Saturday's anti-government rally in the city's downtown for refusing to comply with their orders at the rally site and increasing the risk of COVID-19 infection. The police said 30 remained in detention and that they would seek arrest warrants for some who attempted to assault police during the rally.The rally took place on Korea's Liberation Day, celebrating independence from the Japanese occupation in 1945. More than 10,000 participated in the rally on Saturday, according to the police, despite the city government's early ban against it ― the city has the authority to give or reject permits for gatherings.Mostly elderly and conservative, the protesters were enraged by the Moon Jae-in government's recent policy measures geared toward improving the lives of less-privileged citizens amid the pandemic. The capital's downtown was in chaos on Saturday. The police attempted in vain to block

Aug 16, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Police investigate 30 protesters from anti-gov't rally
  • Prosecutors ask court to revoke pastor Jun's bail amid spike in virus cases
Health

More people hit by coronavirus blues

People suffering anxiety, fear and depression due to the COVID-19 pandemic are on the rise/gettyimagesbankBy Kim Se-jeong The COVID-19 pandemic is causing more people to suffer from anxiety, fear and depression.According to the National Center for Disease Trauma (NCDT), over 370,000 people have received counseling related to COVID-19 in the last six months, more than the annual total of 350,000 cases reported to the Ministry of Health and Welfare last year.Chung Un-sun from the psychiatric department of Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital said she has seen more patients asking for help following the pandemic. “Many people are affected by the pandemic and their fear and anxiety play out differently depending on situation they're in,” Chung said.She said the pandemic hit women who are in the position of caregiving hard. “Because of the pandemic, people spend more time at home and when there's an issue in the family, the tension at home increases. Often mothers and wives blame themselves for the problem and can't sleep because of it which only worsens their

Aug 13, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
More people hit by coronavirus blues
Society

'Incheon airport, Haeundae Beach will be underwater by 2030'

Planes operate at Incheon International Airport which Greenpeace Korea has projected will be flooded before 2030 as a consequence of rising sea levels caused by climate change. Korea Times file By Kim Se-jeongHaeundae Beach in Busan and Incheon International Airport could disappear underwater before 2030 not if but when hit by a big rainstorm or typhoon, as a consequence of the rising sea levels caused by climate change, according to Greenpeace Korea, Thursday.The international environmental group said flooding of that magnitude will occur once in the 2030s, but by 2050, if no action is taken, it could take place every summer. “The region most affected by flooding will be Gyeonggi Province where 1.3 million will suffer from it,” Justin Jeong, a Greenpeace campaigner, told The Korea Times. “If this flooding becomes more frequent, the nation's infrastructure will stop functioning, costing Korea a huge amount of money in repairs. This is why we need to achieve net-zero

Aug 13, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
'Incheon airport, Haeundae Beach will be underwater by 2030'
Law & Crime

Justice minister warned by auditors over poor management

Korea Board of Audit and Inspection recently warned Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae over poor management of the ministry and its affiliated organizations./ Korea Times fileBy Kim Se-jeongJustice Minister Choo Mi-ae arrives at her office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. YonhapJustice Minister Choo Mi-ae has received an administrative warning from the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) over her poor management of the ministry and its affiliated organizations.According to the BAI's annual audit report, Wednesday, it said the justice minister failed to take adequate disciplinary action against former inmates who violated conditions of their parole.Three parolees failed to fulfill their responsibility of maintaining employment, yet the justice ministry failed to take them back into custody. Choo has been making headlines over her ongoing tussles with Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, but her mismanagement of affairs related to prisoners and parolees ― one of her main responsibilities ― is now gaining more public attention. The BAI also criticized the minister for mismanaging governme

Aug 12, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Justice minister warned by auditors over poor management
Society

4 rivers projects back in spotlight amid flood

A flood is caused by the loss of a part of the Nakdong River banks near Changnyeong County, South Gyeongsang Province, Sunday. / YonhapBy Kim Se-jeongThe controversial Four Major Rivers Restoration Project, which saw 16 barrages built along Korea's four major rivers, has returned to the spotlight as heavy rainfall continues to ravage the country.The 16 barrages ― ranging from four to 17 meters high ― were built on the Nakdong, Han, Youngsan and Geum rivers under Lee Myung-bak's 2008-13 administration. Due to recent rainstorms, banks on the Nakdong and Seomjin rivers burst open, damaging nearby crops and homes.Current vocal supporters of the four rivers project, mostly politicians of the conservative United Future Party (UFP), claimed the recent weather conditions proved the project's success.Rep. Chung Jin-suk of the UFP told a local media outlet “My constituents have been asking me 'What would have happened without a barrage?' I can't deny the project's effectiveness in preventing floods. But this administration has vowed to destroy them and I want to ask if its members have c

Aug 11, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
4 rivers projects back in spotlight amid flood
  • PHOTOS As Typhoon Jangmi dissipates, more downpours expected overnight
Society

Researcher publishes book on waste problems around globe

By Kim Se-jeong Lee Dong-hakEarlier this year, Lee Dong-hak, 38, published a book on waste problems. Late last month, he also founded a think tank on waste issues in Korea.“Waste is a very serious global problem. I wrote the book to raise awareness. I also met like-minded people over the years and founded the think-tank to act together,” Lee said as to why he founded the think tank which opened late July. He witnessed the seriousness of waste issues with his own eyes while traveling the world. For two years from 2017, he visited 115 cities in 65 countries to see how people handle their waste and how they suffer from it.In a small village near Manila, the Philippines, Lee saw ocean waste damaging the neighborhood. In Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, he witnessed dioxin gas from a tall trash mountain damaging the health of poor residents in the neighborhood who scoured the heap for recyclable items of value. “I saw how people in poor countries fall victim to waste,” Lee said. On average, he spent three to four weeks in each city, observing the problems and talking to resi

Aug 11, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Law & Crime

Justice minister faces criticism over prosecution reshuffle

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl arrives at work in Seoul, Monday/ YonhapBy Kim Se-jeong Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae leaves the ministry headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. /YonhapJustice Minister Choo Mi-ae is facing mounting criticism from opposition party lawmakers and others critical of the Moon Jae-in administration over a recent personnel reshuffle of senior prosecutors.The minister filled 11 key posts with pro-government prosecutors last Friday, while demoting those working closely with Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl.Conservative lawmakers and commentators claimed Choo's move was a step against the prosecutorial reform. “She promoted prosecutors who kowtow to the government while she demoted those who don't. She has made being at the beck and call of the government the prosecution's No. 1 priority for those prosecutors who wish to retain their posts,” Rep. Kim Woong of the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) said. Ahn Cheol-soo, the head of the People's Party, said, “Even if she cuts off Yoon's hands and feet, she will not stop the

Aug 10, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Justice minister faces criticism over prosecution reshuffle
Politics

Justice minister strengthens grip on prosecution with reshuffle

Justice Minster Choo Mi-ae leaves the ministry's headquarters in Gwancheon, Gyeonggi Province, Friday, after filling key posts in the prosecutors' office with pro-government officials./ YonhapBy Kim Se-jeong Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae filled key posts in Korea's prosecutors' office with pro-Moon Jae-in officials, Friday, a move expected to further chip away at the power of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl.The minister kept Lee Seong-yoon as head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, one of the most important positions at the prosecution. Lee recently made headlines by standing up against Yoon publicly in dealing with a case involving a journalist and a prosecutor who is one of Yoon's close supporters.The minister moved Lee Jong-geun who used to work closely with former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, a close ally of President Moon Jae-in, to head up the Criminal Investigation Division, and Shim Jae-cheol to lead the Human Resources and Budget Division. Shim made headlines last year for his support of Cho, currently on trial with his wife on corruption charges. Prosecutors cl

Aug 7, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Justice minister strengthens grip on prosecution with reshuffle
Health

Gov't vows to keep hospitals running during doctors' strike

Health Minister Park Neung-hoo delivers a message on Thursday, Seoul, addressing to doctors who vowed to go on strike on Friday. YonhapBy Kim Se-jeong Health Minister Park Neung-hoo vowed Thursday to maintain basic medical services as the nation's intern and resident doctors are scheduled to go on strike on Friday. “The government is working to maintain basic medical services so that people will not suffer any damage as a result of the strike,” Park said. Friday's strike is expected to affect patients in big medical centers and Emergency Rooms. It will be followed by another strike on Aug. 14, held by other doctors, including those in local clinics. Later Thursday, the minister pleaded for the doctors to understand the situation and cooperate with the government's move to increase the number of doctors.“Dear doctors, the government's decision to increase the quota was inevitable for the public and the country. We still have many details to work on, and the government will work on them with open communication with doctors,” said Park during an address. Korea is

Aug 6, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Gov't vows to keep hospitals running during doctors' strike
  • Doctors to go on general strike on Aug. 14
Health

Mass infections feared among Uzbek residents in Cheongju

Muslims in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, wait to get tested for COVID-19, Wednesday, after six Uzbeks who attended a religious ceremony with them later tested positive for COVID-19./ YonhapBy Kim Se-jeongThe latest COVID-19 cases involved six Uzbek nationals living in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, 137 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the quarantine authorities who added that they were tracing the patients' movements from the last couple weeks. Five of the six live together in one flat, according to the authorities, and all except one attended an Islamic religious ceremony on July 31. The authorities conducted virus tests on 336 who also attended the event, Wednesday, and as of Wednesday afternoon found 128 negative.Besides the religious service, the six separately visited a Mongolian restaurant, a public sauna, a cafe and a branch of Nonghyup Bank. The virus testing done on 40 people who had been to those outlets at the same time found four positive. The authorities are looking closely into one among the six who returned to Korea recently from Uzbekistan. He ar

Aug 5, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Mass infections feared among Uzbek residents in Cheongju
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