Today on The Korea Times Podcast: President Park's Prime Minister nominee gets grilled during confirmation hearings while she opposes tax hiking measures to fund welfare projects. Plus Korea’s young women struggle with eating disorders and schools are about to start with no new students.
Prime Minister nominee Lee Wan-koo defended himself against allegations of moral lapses, Monday, taking an apologetic tone during a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly. Avoiding military service was just one of many allegations put forward against the former floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party.
President Park Geun-hye voiced opposition to raising taxes to fund welfare spending, a move that could set her on a collision course with the main opposition party. Park has been under fire for sticking to her key campaign pledge to deliver better welfare without raising taxes. The policy has drawn criticism, even from her ruling party, that it is impossible to provide welfare without raising taxes.
Recently, health officials released information stating that two-thirds of women suffering from eating disorders are in their 20s and 30s. Between 2008 to 2013, there was a 19.7 percent increase in patients suffering from bulimia.
February is a busy time for schools as they prepare for new students coming in as a new semester begins next month. But for 120 schools across the country, that simply is not the case because not a single new student will arrive, according to regional educational authorities Tuesday.
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