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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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South Korea

200 students to speak out for victims of sexual slavery

By Kim Se-jeong The government and a local NGO will launch a project to train 200 high school and college students as advocates to speak out for the victims of sexual slavery committed by the Japanese military during World War II.According to the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK) and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Tuesday, the students will be named “global ambassadors for women’s rights.”The project comes as part of commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule on Aug. 15.They will start a month-long program Friday where they will learn about sexual slavery during World War II and create online content that can help people around the world understand the issue. They will also run awareness campaigns including sending letters to government agencies of other countries.“We wanted to mobilize the youngsters to act on this issue,” a VANK activist said.“We are more connected in the world, with many friends outside Korea. Many people have been working to get Japan to apologize to th

Jul 21, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
South Korea

Judge will head human rights agency

By Kim Se-jeongLee Sung-hoCheong Wa Dae has chosen Seoul Central District Court chief justice Lee Sung-ho to head the National Human Rights Commission.Lee, 58, will replace Hyun Byung-chul, who will retire next month. The chairman can serve only one three-year term and must first go through a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly.Lee studied law at Seoul National University, passing the bar exam in 1980. He spent the next three decades as a judge at courts around the country, and has led the Seoul court since 2013.He has dealt with many big cases including the 2009 retrial of six people falsely accused of belonging to an anti-government movement in 1980, in which Lee acquitted them.He apologized to the six for the court’s wrong decision under the dictatorial regime, becoming a celebrity in the legal community.“Lee has shown undeterred faith and exceptional leadership in upholding human rights,” said presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook.“The President believes he is the right fit for the position and that he will contribute to raising Korea’s sta

Jul 20, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
Judge will head human rights agency
South Korea

Police track robbery suspect

By Kim Se-jeong Police are searching for a man who robbed a bank in southern Seoul, Monday.According to police, the suspect entered a branch of the MG Community Credit Cooperatives in Jamwon at 12:20 p.m. He threatened workers there with a gun, which police suspect was a tear gas gun, and escaped with 24 million won in cash.It is not clear how many people were in the bank when the robbery occurred, but no injuries were reported.Witnesses said the suspect was wearing a black hiking outfit and a motorbike helmet. The man, presumed to be in his 30s, is approximately 180 centimeters tall, they said.“We believe this was a premeditated crime. He covered the license plate of his scooter,” a police officer said.The suspect drove his scooter toward Sinsa Station and the police are expanding their man hunt. “We mobilized all available officers from police stations in the region to track the man. We are examining surveillance camera footage on the streets nearby,” the officer said.  

Jul 20, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
South Korea

Beware of guilty food pleasures on Saturdays

By Kim Se-jeong Koreans eat more fast food and other high-calorie foods on Saturdays than on other days of the week, a survey has shown.Saturday is a day for guilty pleasures such as “chimaek,” a compound word comprised of chicken and “maekju” (beer).The survey, a compilation of several studies on almost 30,000 people by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 2009 and 2013, showed that men intake an average of 2,587 kilocalories (kcal) on Saturdays, 169 kcal more than on other days of the week.Saturday was followed by Friday, when they take in 2,464 kcal.The tendency was the same for women, who took 1,797 kcal on Saturdays, 103 kcal higher than the daily average. They also had the second-highest calories on Fridays, 1,719 kcal.Such habits are the result of people being more “generous” to themselves with high-calorie food on weekends, according to the study.It showed that men and women have more fried chicken, instant noodles, sodas and alcoholic beverages during weekends.For fried chicken, 7.6 percent of men and 6.4 perce

Jul 19, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
Beware of guilty food pleasures on Saturdays
South Korea

Hanwha, STX Engine responsible for bid-rigging

By Kim Se-jeong The Supreme Court has ruled on Sunday that it was proper for the anti-trust watchdog to fine Hanwha and STX Engine for their price-fixing in a submarine construction project, upholding a lower court ruling in favor of the Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC).The two companies filed the suit after the commission fined them in 2012 for collusion in the bid for the sonar system on the 3,100-ton submarine, Jangbogo III, which will be made with home-grown technology by 2020 with a 2.7 trillion won.The fine for Hanwha was 417 million won and 427 million won for STX Entine.According to the court, the two companies and LIG Nex1 agreed not to compete in the four auctions by allocating bids in 2009. LIG NEX1 won two bids, while STX Engine and Hanwha won one each. Samsung Thales joined in on the collusion later and won a separate bid.The companies claimed they did have talks but it was because they discussed establishing a consortium, adding they did not fix anything after bidding conditions were set.The high court said the collusion damaged the fairness of the bidding and rai

Jul 19, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
South Korea

'Stepparents should not be discriminated against at school'

By Kim Se-jeong The nation’s human rights agency said Thursday that schools should not discriminate against stepparents during school activities, despite national laws that differentiate them.This came after a petition filed by a stepfather, surnamed Kim, who was denied membership of the parents’ committee at his stepson’s middle school.  The school declined it saying he is not the boy’s biological father nor is he registered as his legal guardian.According to the law, in cases of remarriage, a stepparent and any stepchildren are registered as “cohabitants” on the family registration document, not as a “parent or sons or daughters.” If a stepparent wants to change the record, he or she has to adopt the children.The school and the ministry claimed that only legal guardians can be regarded as students’ parents and join the committee.The National Human Rights Commission argued that it is discriminatory not to give stepparents a chance to join the school committee even though they live with the children and take parental dut

Jul 16, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
South Korea

Oakwood Premier Incheon celebrates anniversary with summer package

Oakwood Premier IncheonBy Kim Se-jeong In celebration of its first anniversary this month, Oakwood Premier Incheon is offering a summer package until Aug. 31.The summer package includes a one-night stay in any of its three types of apartments ― studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom, ― a meal discount at Oakwood Restaurant, two free coffee drinks to go and a free towel. The summer package starts from 160,000 won, excluding taxes.The only five-start serviced apartment in the Incheon and Songdo area opened on July 23 last year and has since become popular among the rising number of business travelers.Apart from the summer package, Oakwood Premier is offering a 72.3-percent discount on its rooms on the day of its anniversary, July 23. With the discount, a studio apartment will cost only 90,000 won for one night, excluding taxes.Oakwood Premier’s only restaurant, Oak Restaurant, also joins in the celebration until the end of August. Every Monday, its lucky draw is awarding 10 diners with a meal coupon worth 100,000 won. It is also giving diners who spend more than 200,0

Jul 16, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
Oakwood Premier Incheon celebrates anniversary with summer package
South Korea

HOTEL LOBBY

The Marquis Thermal Spa at JW Marriott Hotel Seoul offers “Hydramemory,” an anti-aging facial treatment, until the end of August at a 20 percent discount.The Hydramemory treatment uses a special mask to restore long-term moisture to damaged skin. At the end of the 90-minute treatment, customers receive an ice ball treatment providing a refreshing sensation to the skin. The treatment costs 176,000 won per person, not including tax and service charges. For more information and reservations, call Marquis Thermal Spa at (02) 6282-6578-9.    The Renaissance Seoul Hotel’s sky lounge bar, Club Horizon, offers a drinks promotion where guests can enjoy wine and beer unlimitedly with a selection of snacks.Wines include Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Pinot Noir, and beers include Cass and Dry Finish. Snacks include salads, assorted sausages, smoked salmon, mini pizzas, fried chicken wings and fresh fruit.Club Horizon opens at 6 p.m., and the promotion is available only until 9 p.m. through the end of the month. The promotion costs 65,000 won per

Jul 16, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
HOTEL LOBBY
Travel & Food

Lotte Hotel serves tasty, affordable dishes at food stand

Lotte Department Store’s food court where Lotte Hotel chefs make four dishes and sell themBy Kim Se-jeong Lotte Hotel Seoul chefs have temporarily moved their kitchens to Lotte Department Store’s food court, where they can make their bestselling dishes and serve them immediately to customers.The four dishes served at the food stand are not only tasty but also affordable.A lobster and vegetable cheese melt on baguette costs only 6,000 won; while a bacon and jalapeno three-cheese melt on rye bread costs only 5,500 won. A black bean and abalone pastry and a mango tart each costs only 3,000 won.“This is to give people the impression that Lotte Hotel is a place for everyone,” said Danny Jo, chef de cuisine at the hotel’s R&D team. “Many seem to think a hotel is not a place for them. And we want people to change their perception by letting them try quality food at an affordable price.”These four dishes are not served in hotel restaurant. They were carefully conceived for the food stand, inspired by culinary trends.Four dishes sold at Lotte

Jul 16, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
Lotte Hotel serves tasty, affordable dishes at food stand
South Korea

Rights commissioner selection process requires transparency

By Kim Se-jeong Hyun Byung-chulCivic groups have demanded the process of selecting the chief of the state human rights agency be made more transparent to pick a qualified person who is well-versed in the demands of the job.The position of the National Human Rights Commission (NHCR) head requires knowledge and experience in rights issues to protect and improve the nation’s human rights, they said.Now with incumbent human rights agency chief Hyun Byung-chul and two other commissioners’ retirements due a month from now, calls are growing for more transparent appointment of people to the posts so the most qualified people are chosen.Many point out that the rights issues in Korea has regressed rather than progressed as incumbent Chairman Hyun was not well versed about human rights.The chairperson is appointed by the president under the law, which also gives the president, National Assembly and Supreme Court chief justice the authority to appoint three, four and three commissioners, respectively, to the 11-member body.But how the commissioners and the chairperson are chose

Jul 15, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
Rights commissioner selection process requires transparency
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