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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

Ssangyong Motor plays hardball on protest

Former Ssangyong Motor workers crawl on a street in Guro, Seoul, Wednesday, in protest against a recent Supreme Court decision to back the firm’s massive layoff in 2009. They demand the company rehire them. / YonhapBy Kim Se-jeong Ssangyong Motor has filed a court injunction to stop an ongoing protest by two former workers atop a factory chimney in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.In a complaint submitted to a district court in Suwon, the firm asked the court to allow it to charge 1 million won ($909) a day each to the two workers for “disrupting the plant’s operations,” if they do not end their protest.The two ― Kim Jeong-wook and Lee Chang-geun ― have been on top of the 70-meter-high chimney since Dec. 13, demanding reinstatement. They are among more than 2,000 workers who were laid off in 2009.Last month, Ssangyong filed a separate complaint with the prosecution to investigate Kim and Lee, saying they entered the plant illegally and are obstructing its business.“They damaged a wire fence to enter the plant and are occupying company propert

Jan 7, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
South Korea

Foot-and-mouth spreads to cattle

By Kim Se-jeongThe government said Tuesday that foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has spread to a cattle farm in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, the first confirmed case of the virus in cattle in three years.The farm is located less than 30 kilometers north of Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, where the first FMD case of this winter was confirmed at a pig farm last month. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the virus was detected by a veterinarian who visited the farm on Monday, and the sample test result confirmed the infection on Tuesday.The ministry has prioritized public health, but said the possibility of a nationwide spread is very narrow.“Although a cow tested positive, we have found it had already developed 97 percent of an antibody,” one ministry official said. “And 47 other cattle in the farm tested negative for the virus.” He added that a massive-scale culling won’t take place.Local authorities on Tuesday disinfected the Anseong farm and ordered a halt on animal transfer within the region. The ministry also tempor

Jan 6, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
South Korea

Book detailing experiences of 'comfort women' published

By Kim Se-jeongCover of “Can You Hear Us?: The Untold Narratives of Comfort Women”An English-language book containing accounts from 12 victims of sexual slavery by the Japanese military before and during World War II was published Monday.A government commission looking into their experiences published “Can You Hear Us?: The Untold Narratives of Comfort Women,” and the first 20,000 copies will now be distributed, mainly in the United States.“Copies of the book will be provided to politicians, newspapers and public libraries in the United States for their understanding of what exactly happened to sex slavery victims,” the commission said.The panel, affiliated with the Prime Minister’s Office, was established in 2004 and researched the extent of forced mobilization by Japan during the occupation (1910-1945). The commission identified victims of sexual slavery and conducted in-depth interviews with them, before creating an archive of their experiences.In addition to sexual slaves, the commission also studied victims of forced labor during the per

Jan 5, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
Book detailing experiences of 'comfort women' published
South Korea

Seoul to play classical music in urban slums

By Kim Se-jeongThe Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) said Monday it will play classical music in poverty-stricken areas of the capital beginning April in an effort to prevent crime. “At no other time has urban safety been so important. Through this, we want residents to feel safer in their neighborhoods,” said Chae Myung-joon from the Urban Safety Division of the SMG. He added that the designated spots will receive additional surveillance cameras so authorities can monitor them.Europe and North America already use music to reduce the crime rate.For example, Kent in South East England saw its crime fall dramatically after it played Gustav Mahler’s symphonies in deprived areas of the county. In Palm Beach City, FL, the city government played Ludwig von Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 on a murder-ridden city street in 1999, and saw the crime rate dropping to 83 reported cases from 119 previously.The measure is based on experts’ opinions that classical music contributes to controlling minds, Chae said.SMG has used a similar anti-crime p

Jan 5, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
South Korea

'Baby box' triggers controversy

Pastor Lee Jong-rak demonstrates how a “baby box” works. Korea Times fileNumber of abandoned infants soars in 2014By Kim Se-jeongThe number of babies abandoned in a “baby box,” operated by a church in Seoul since 2009 for humanitarian purposes, is soaring fast, creating a heated debate over whether its operations should be halted.According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Friday, 220 babies were left in the box last year, compared to only four in 2010.The box was installed by Pastor Lee Jong-rak at a church in Sillim-dong, Seoul, who didn’t want babies abandoned indiscriminately outside district offices or orphanages.However, almost five years into its operation, critics say the box has become a cause for baby abandonment.Last year, the entire number of babies abandoned in the city was 228, meaning almost all came from the baby box. “It’s because mothers trust the baby box. They believe their babies will be well taken care of,” one anonymous expert said.Pastor Lee thinks the box is serving its purpose well. “Th

Jan 2, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
South Korea

New Gori reactors to undergo safety check

By Kim Se-jeongThe government will begin safety checks on two nuclear reactors being built at the New Gori Plant in Ulsan next week after three workers died in a gas leak on Dec. 26.The Ministry of Employment and Labor said Friday that it would inspect the New Gori No. 3 and No. 4 reactors jointly with the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) from Monday. KOSHA is affiliated with the ministry.The ministry said results were expected to be released by Jan. 25.“Inspectors have begun preparatory work for the safety check,” said Kim Jeong-ho from the ministry’s occupational health division.In the wake of the gas leak, the ministry ordered the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Corp. (KHNPC), the state operator of all nuclear power plants in Korea, to halt construction work and to perform an emergency inspection.The three workers died in an auxiliary room in the basement of a building close to reactor No. 3, in Ulsan, North Gyeongsang Province.Police are continuing their investigation into why the workers entered the room in the first place when they had no

Jan 2, 2015By Kim Se-jeong
New Gori reactors to undergo safety check
South Korea

Emily Cho apologizes for text message to sister

By Kim Se-jeongEmily ChoEmily Cho, Heather Cho’s younger sister and a Korean Air executive, apologized Wednesday for a text message she sent to her sister this month.Emily wrote on her Twitter account on Wednesday, “This morning, I saw media reports talking about my message to my sister. I feel extremely sorry for that. I wrote it, and I do not want to excuse myself.”On Dec. 17, Emily wrote to her older sister, “I’ll avenge you.” She didn’t mention on whom or to what she was referring.The prosecution had been investigating Heather over the “nut rage” incident. The prosecution submitted that message, along with other messages, to the court in its request to issue an arrest warrant for her. She was put behind bars Wednesday night after a court issued the warrant.“On the day Heather showed up at the prosecution for questioning, I read comments about her on the Internet,” the younger sister wrote. “Some were very annoying, and that got me to send her that message. I am asking for your forgiveness.”Heather was a

Dec 31, 2014By Kim Se-jeong
Emily Cho apologizes for text message to sister
South Korea

Heather Cho arrested over 'nut rage'

Former Korean Air Vice President Heather Cho was arrested by prosecutors Tuesday over her actions in the “nut rage” incident, six days after they requested a court to issue a warrant for her arrest. The Seoul Western Prosecutors Office sought her arrest for disrupting the flight schedule, assaulting two flight attendants, coercing them and disturbing their work while onboard a plane bound for Incheon International Airport from New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport on Dec. 5. Along with her, a Korean Air senior manager, surnamed Yeo was also arrested, according to the prosecution. Yeo is accused of forcing two flight attendants to give false statements about the incident and ordering the chief flight attendant to delete an initial email report from his laptop. Earlier on Tuesday, Cho, the eldest daughter of the Korean Air Chairman Cho Yang-ho, appeared at a court in Seoul where judges were reviewing the requested arrest warrant. Journalists asked her questions outside the court building, but she kept silent. On her way out,

Dec 30, 2014By Kim Se-jeong
Heather Cho arrested over 'nut rage'
  • 'Nut rage' Cho set to make comeback
South Korea

Seoul launches app to prevent attacks on female subway riders

A Seoul Metropolitan Government official demonstrates a smartphone app on subway train in Seoul, Tuesday, designed to help female subway passengers summon assistance in instances of sexual abuse. / YonhapBy Kim Se-jeong The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) plans to launch a smartphone app on Jan. 1 through which a sexual abuse victim on the subway train can ask for help from subway staff, in an effort to enhance the safety of female passengers.According to SMG, the app will also enable a third person, who sees sexual abuse happening, to ask for help.“Usually, it takes 20-30 minutes for the subway police authorities to arrive at the scene. And by that time, the suspects are often gone. This app would solve that problem by instantly notifying the subway police,” said Jeong Soo-min from SMG. The subway police are in charge of investigating crimes that happen inside subway stations and subway trains. “Almost 6.6 million people use the subway every day in Seoul. For the city government, it’s important to make sure that the subway is a safe experie

Dec 30, 2014By Kim Se-jeong
Seoul launches app to prevent attacks on female subway riders
South Korea

Former K-sure president arrested

By Kim Se-jeongCho Kye-ryoongThe prosecution arrested the former president of Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-sure) Cho Kye-ryoong on Tuesday for allegedly taking money to collude with venture company Moneual.The arrest came amid a widening investigation into a bribery and fraud scandal involving the company.The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said that Cho, 60, was summoned for questioning on Monday. He is accused of accepting money from Moneual president Park Hong-seok, and in return helping Park increase the company’s credit line.Park was indicted on charges of mortgage fraud and embezzlement after his company filed for court receivership on Oct. 20, when it was almost 670 million won ($609,000) in debt.It is unknown how much Cho allegedly received from Park. The prosecution said only that it had evidence that Cho accepted the bribe.Another K-sure employee was arrested a month ago for allegedly taking 10 million won ($9,000) in exchange for ignoring a fake export performance report.Cho joined the corporation in June 2011 and resigned abruptly in October last year

Dec 30, 2014By Kim Se-jeong
Former K-sure president arrested
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