The government and the ruling People Power Party continued to call out police officers opposing the new “police bureau,” with Interior Minister Lee Sang-min comparing resistance to a coup d’etat. Lee further explained the legitimacy of the launch, arguing it is an act of democracy. Lee attacked Saturday’s meeting held by police chiefs, saying it was an act of insubordination. “To leave one’s garrison and gather is similar to the Dec. 12 coup d’etat

Social Affairs July 25, 2022

　 The National Police Agency has been struggling with internal opposition a mere week ahead of the launch of a new “police bureau” under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Hours after a meeting of police chiefs from around the country who were against the launch of the new police bureau, Yoon Hee-keun, the national police chief nominee, ordered superintendent Ryu Sam-yeong to go on stand-by Saturday. The police agency is also looking into inspecting some 50 superintendents wh

Social Affairs July 24, 2022

A school field trip to Jeju Island resulted in a mass infection of COVID-19 for a high school based in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. A total of 159 high school students and faculty members tested positive for COVID-19 as of Thursday. According to the North Jeolla Province Education Office, some 440 high school students and 20 faculty members went to Jeju Island from July 12 to 15. Though this trip is usually only taken by first graders, this year, second graders joined in as they could n

Social Affairs July 21, 2022

The government will lift restrictions on universities to train 150,000 people with expertise in the semiconductor industry over the course of 10 years, the Ministry of Education’s road map showed Tuesday. The announcement comes less than a month after President Yoon Suk-yeol called for special measures to boost the semiconductor industry, including training the next generation of talent. The local chip industry has repeatedly pointed out shortage of manpower to be a problem as many expe

Social Affairs July 19, 2022

The Education Ministry said it will tighten access to campuses at night and increase the number of closed-circuit TVs at Inha University in Incheon in response to the recent death of a student. “We are deeply sorry about the death of a student at Inha University, which happened on Friday,” the Education Ministry issued an official statement Monday. “We will do our best to ensure the safety of the university campus.” The ministry proposed increasing the number of close

Social Affairs July 19, 2022

The Interior Ministry finalized its plan to launch a “police bureau” to supervise the police, which has recently seen its powers increased. The National Police Agency expressed their intention to accept the plan, despite criticism from police officers. 　 On Friday, Interior Minister Lee Sang-min announced the details of the launch of the new police bureau. The new bureau will have 16 members, of which 13 would be police officials, a decision made in response to the criticism t

Politics July 15, 2022

With Korea’s consumer prices jumping at an unprecedented rate, the Seoul Education Office is planning to raise an extra budget for school meals. All kindergarteners and elementary, middle and high school students are subject to free school lunch in the city of Seoul. The city launched its free lunch program for students in 2011 and has since expanded it. However, with hiking consumer prices, the Seoul Education Office is planning to raise an extra budget to continue its support for f

Social Affairs July 13, 2022

Regional education office chiefs met with the Education Minister on Monday, calling for a task force to work out measures related to the government’s education budget reallocation plan. After the authorities have decided to reallocate part of budget earmarked for early childhood, elementary and secondary education for higher and lifelong education -- mainly to invest in training for semiconductor experts -- chiefs of education offices across the nation expressed disapproval. “The

Social Affairs July 12, 2022

The ruling People Power Party has been left mired in confusion by its leader’s refusal to step down from his post despite the suspension of his party membership in connection to allegations of sexual bribery. On Friday, the party’s internal ethics panel decided to suspend Chairman Lee Jun-seok’s membership for the next six months in connection to allegations that Lee received sexual favors as well as bribes from a business owner in 2013. “Chairman Lee Jun-seok violated

Politics July 10, 2022

Some 3.6 trillion won ($2.8 billion) earmarked in the Education Ministry budget for early childhood, elementary and secondary education will be reallocated for higher and lifelong education, such as nurturing semiconductor talent, the ministry said Thursday. The revamped education subsidy plans were put forward “in consideration of the changing education environment,” the ministry said in a statement. The extra budget will be used to strengthen research and training at universiti

Social Affairs July 7, 2022

An endangered red fox released by conservation authorities traveled some 200 kilometers south from North Gyeongsang Province to Busan, the Korea National Park Service said. According to the park service under the Ministry of Environment, a male red fox, labeled SKM-2121, is currently living on a hill within the boundaries of Busan, having traveled some 200 kilometers south after being released in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in December. The fox was born at a research institute under

Social Affairs July 6, 2022

The parents in the family found dead in a submerged car suffered from depression, police have said. According to police, both of Cho Yu-na’s parents were being treated for depression at a medical center in Gwangju, where the family had resided, from 2020 until recently. “We have received information that Cho’s parents were being treated for depression by the National Health Insurance Corp.,” police said. “It is difficult to reveal details as the investigation i

Social Affairs July 6, 2022

Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Park Soon-ae on Tuesday apologized for driving under the influence of alcohol and vowed to reform the country’s education system, as she took office about a month after her nomination. Park, a former professor at Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Public Administration, met with the press at Government Complex Sejong on Tuesday following her inauguration ceremony. Her nomination for the post raised doubts as she was caught

Social Affairs July 5, 2022

Over the weekend, northwestern Seoul saw an outbreak of lovebug, a type of march fly. The packs of flies, mostly flying in pairs, were seen across the northwestern Seoul area, in places like Eunpyeong-gu, Seodaemun-gu and the neighboring Gyeonggi area. Lovebugs are a species of march fly. While their scientific name is plecia nearctica, they are nicknamed lovebugs because matured pairs remain together for several days after mating. Though they are not toxic or harmful, they have invaded re

Social Affairs July 4, 2022

Park Ji-hyun, former co-chair of the emergency steering committee for the Democratic Party of Korea, blamed the main opposition party for the incident of a missing family found dead in a submerged car. On Wednesday, police confirmed the deaths of 10-year-old Cho Yu-na and both of her parents, after they were found in an upturned car in waters off of Wando, South Jeolla Province. Park called out the Democratic Party on Thursday for not providing a social safety net for families experiencing

Politics July 1, 2022