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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

Appeals court acquits Naggomsu hosts on defamation charge

By Kim Se-jeong The Seoul High Court on Friday ruled two podcast talk show hosts not guilty of defaming the late President Park Chung-hee and his son Ji-man.In 2012, prosecutors indicted the two hosts of the then-popular podcast show Naggomsu (I am a petty trickster) ― Kim Eo-jun, an independent journalist and Joo Jin-woo, a reporter from news magazine Sisain ― on charges of defamation by “deliberately spreading wrong information about the Park family.” The lower court also ruled in favor of the two in its verdict in October 2013.In 2012, leading up to the presidential election, Joo wrote that Ji-man, the brother of then presidential candidate Park Geun-hye, was involved in the death of his cousin Yong-cheol in his news article and talked about it during the podcast talk show. Joo also commented that it was incorrect that the former President Park met the West German President Heinrich Luebke during his official visit in 1964.The prosecution subsequently indicted them, arguing that both were wrong in their allegations, which damaged the reputations of Presi

Jan 16, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
Travel & Food

Hotel briefs

 The Renaissance Seoul Hotel offers Lunar New Year packages between Feb. 16 and Feb. 22.The Delight package includes a one-night stay in a deluxe room, six pieces of Hangwa, a Korean sweet, and rice punch for two people. The package costs 130,000. Service charges and tax are not included.The Plump Lamb package includes a one-night stay in a deluxe room, breakfast for two at Cafe Elysee and two Megabox movie tickets. The package costs 170,000 won.For more information or reservations, call (02) 2222-8500.   The Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel’s restaurant Feast is presenting a “Business Course.”The course includes one appetizer selected from smoked salmon, seafood salad or swordfish capriccio. Main dish options are tenderloin steak, salmon fillet, linguine frutti di mare and herb crusted tilapia. A cup of coffee or tea is provided at the end of the meal. The Business Course costs 48,000 won (including tax) per person, and is available between noon and 2:30 p.m. from Monday until Friday.For more information and reservations, call (02) 2211-1710.&nb

Jan 15, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
Hotel briefs
Travel & Food

Marriott' strawberry buffet opens in February

By Kim Se-jeongJohann Wolfgang von Goethe once said, “One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste.”To which JW Marriott Hotel Seoul staff might add, “People in Seoul must taste the strawberries at our hotel in February.”The hotel’s third annual strawberry buffet will open on Feb. 7 and end on April 30.The popular dessert buffet will feature 30 strawberry-based desserts, including strawberry tart, cheese cake, tiramisu and a chocolate fountain for dipping strawberries. For those who are looking for something more substantial, strawberry smoothie and strawberry ricotta cheese salad are also available.Head Chef Shin Tae-hwan, who is in charge of the dessert section of the hotel’s restaurant, said no other fruit can be so versatile. “They are colorful, flavorful and easy to work with.”Getting quality strawberries is a tall order, Shin said.The buffet package will start before the strawberry season begins. Currently, a majority of the strawberries on store shelves is from greenhouses. However, instead of signing a sup

Jan 15, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
Marriott' strawberry buffet opens in February
South Korea

Lotte offers packages for female guests

Lotte Hotel Seoul’s ladies’ floor lounge / Courtesy of Lotte Hotel SeoulBy Kim Se-jeongIn 2004, then newly inaugurated Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin told his human resources team that he wanted more women among the group’s executives. After learning that there were no women in the pool of senior employees who were qualified for executive positions, Shin asked the team to call former employees who have quit to raise children and to persuade them to come back.Because of Shin’s efforts, the number of female employees at or above the manager level rose to 689 in 2013. This figure was only 95 in 2009, according to the book “Work with Women or Die,” written by two former Lotte Group employees.Given the importance that the company places on women, it is thus not a surprise that the Lotte Hotel Seoul opened a ladies’ floor in 2008.The floor is exclusive for the hotel’s female clientele. It has 22 rooms available on the 22nd floor.The rooms have been popular among group travelers from Japan, but the hotel’s marketing team has been wor

Jan 15, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
Lotte offers packages for female guests
South Korea

Clara claims sexually harassment by agency owner

By Kim Se-jeongClaraClara, a Swiss born British actress who recently gained fame here, has filed a suit demanding termination of her contract with Polaris Entertainment claiming the owner of the firm, Lee Kyu-tae, made sexually harassing comments to her.In a suit filed last month against the company, the 28-year-old actress says Lee’s sexual comments made her feel disgusted. In June, she signed the contract, which is due to expire at the end of 2018.Lee is the chairman of Ilgwang Group, which has several subsidiaries, including the entertainment agency.The agency insists Clara is lying, saying her claims were made up in order to cancel the contract.The suit came as police were investigating an allegation that Clara and her father had tried to blackmail the agency to end the contract. The agency recently filed suit against the two.According to Clara, the chairman sent her text messages saying things like “You are different from other female celebrities,” and “You make me feel excited.”“Comments like that from a man in his 60s made me feel disgusted,

Jan 15, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
Clara claims sexually harassment by agency owner
South Korea

Seoul to conduct fire safety inspection on apartments

By Kim Se-jeong The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) said Wednesday that it will carry out emergency safety inspections of apartment buildings in the city in the wake of last weekend’s fatal fire at a residential unit in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province.According to SMG, the inspection will run through Feb. 3 and almost 5,000 buildings will come under scrutiny.“This is to prevent a possible disaster like that in Uijeongbu,” an official said.In Saturday’s accident in Uijeongbu, the fire burnt down three apartment buildings, killing four people and injuring almost 150. Most victims suffered from burns or toxic gas inhalation.Buildings with small-sized one or two room units are a popular choice of living in Seoul and metropolitan areas thanks to their convenience and low rents. The former Lee Myung-bak government allowed these types of buildings to be constructed to relieve the financial burden on young people, but the eased regulations resulted in negligence regarding safety.The city said the priority of the inspection will be to check emergency exits, firep

Jan 14, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
South Korea

Public colleges decry ministry's president appointment refusal

By Kim Se-jeong Four state-run universities are denouncing the Ministry of Education for declining to choose presidents for their schools without giving specific reasons.Staff and professors from one of the schools, Korea National Open University based in Seoul, staged a rally to call for prompt appointments in front of the ministry building in Sejong City on Tuesday.“The ministry is disturbing academic affairs at the four schools,” the protestors said in a statement.Joining Korea National Open University in calling for a response were Kongju National University in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province; the Korea National Sport University in Seoul; and the Kyungpook National University in Daegu.All 39 public universities nationwide are obliged to send two candidates to the ministry to be chosen as their president. The ministry’s selection committee then chooses a candidate, and Cheong Wa Dae appoints the person. The process usually takes one month. The term for public university presidents is four years.With the four universities now protesting, the candidates the

Jan 13, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
South Korea

Korean-American deported for'pro-NK' remarks

By Kim Se-jeongShin Eun-mi is greeted by supporters upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport, Sunday. / YonhapShin Eun-mi, a South Korea-born American citizen, arrived in the U.S. along with her husband Sunday after being deported by the Korean government for her “pro-North Korea” remarks during lectures here and in her book.The 54-year-old was also banned from visiting Korea for the next five years.“I love both South and North Korea,” Shin said at the Los Angeles International Airport, where she received contrasting responses from liberal and conservative activists. “I will pray for the reconciliation of the two Koreans and peace on the Korean Peninsula.”Commenting on the deportation, she said she felt like she was betrayed by a person she had loved. “It was a one-sided love.”Last week, the prosecution asked the Ministry of Justice to deport her, saying Shin’s “pro-North Korea” comments were a violation of the National Security Law.The U.S. State Department expressed concern about freedom of expression in Kor

Jan 11, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
South Korea

Passenger problems double on major airlines

By Kim Se-jeong Problems with passengers on the country’s two major airlines ― such as sexual harassment of flight attendants, smoking and disturbances ― doubled last year, figures showed Sunday.Korean Air said 246 violations were reported last year, up from 120 in 2013.Asiana Airlines said 51 cases were reported between January and November, as against 16 cases during the same period in 2013.The data comes amid public uproar over misbehavior by Heather Cho, a former Korean Air vice president, and singer Bobby Kim.Cho was indicted last week on charges of violating the Aviation Safety and Security Law and instructing colleagues to destroy evidence. She allegedly assaulted two flight attendants for serving nuts in a bag instead of on a plate, and ordered the pilot to return to the gate to evict the chief flight attendant. If found guilty, Cho could face up to 15 years in jail.An investigation into a singer Bobby Kim is the latest case involving a celebrity.On Jan. 7, Kim, 41, allegedly disrupted a flight and sexually harassed a female flight attendant on a flight f

Jan 11, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
South Korea

Son of ex-president detained briefly

Chun Jae-yongChun Jae-yong,  a son of former President Chun Doo-hwan, was briefly detained Monday for allegedly arranging for a witness during his tax evasion trial to testify in his favor. According to the prosecution, Wednesday, the former president’s second son was detained Monday for questioning and released on Tuesday evening.The son is awaiting a Supreme Court verdict after being sentenced to a suspended three-year jail term by a lower court in October. He was indicted in 2013 for evading 6 billion won ($5.4 million) in tax while purchasing a piece of land in Osan, Gyeonggi Province. Chun later sold the land to a man surnamed Park.According to the prosecution, Park recently reversed his testimony to help Chun, without giving further details. It believes Chun might have bribed Park.

Jan 7, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
Son of ex-president detained briefly
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