Articles by Jo He-rim
Jo He-rim
herim@heraldcorp.com-
[News focus] Ban on texting after-hours orders, will it work?
Lawmakers are moving to introduce a new law that would ban employers from sending work-related messages outside work hours, amid rising calls to protect the right to disconnect from work. Recently, two bills have been recently submitted to the National Assembly, both intending to revise the labor law to stop employers and managers from giving work-related orders, directly and indirectly via mobile messengers, phone calls and other forms of social network services. “Many South Koreans complain of
Politics Aug. 9, 2017
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Tension escalates in People's Party ahead of party convention
The People’s Party is facing a deepening factional feud over former party leader Ahn Cheol-soo’s bid for chairmanship. The party, which holds 40 parliamentary seats, is split mainly between Ahn’s supporters and opponents, but Ahn said Wednesday that the clash is occurring due to differing views on how to salvage the party.Ahn Cheol-soo (Yonhap)“The party is currently in a state of crisis and all of us share the same thoughts that we all need to work together. It is only a matter of how,” Ahn tol
Politics Aug. 9, 2017
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Kosovo Roma seek justice for lead-poisoned children
MITROVICA, Kosovo (AFP) -- Kosovo’s Roma minority “are not treated as humans,” laments Florim Masurica, who is seeking justice for his disabled son, one of the children suffering from suspected lead-poisoning contracted at post-war United Nations camps.Kosovo’s pro-independence ethnic Albanian rebels saw Roma people as guilty of cooperation with Serbs during the 1998-1999 conflict -- a gratuitous accusation as Roma largely kept out of the fighting.But some of them faced summary executions, while
World News Aug. 8, 2017
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Japanese donates photo of wartime sex slave to South Korean museum
BUSAN -- A Japanese man donated a photo of a Korean victim of Japan’s wartime sex slavery to a local museum on Tuesday as an apology for what he said is an act against humanity. Jikai Taketomi, an official from a private war archive in Japan, offered some 30 photos, letters and other articles from World War II to the state-run National Memorial Museum of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Occupation in Busan. Jikai Taketomi, vice head of the War Archives on Soldiers and Ordinary People in the s
International Aug. 8, 2017
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Liberty Korea Party will pursue fair market, welfare: reform committee
Liberty Korea Party’s reform committee on Monday announced a shift in its economic policy goals, while remaining undecided on former President Park Geun-hye’s party membership.“As we have previously announced in our reform resolution, we will promote our own ‘neo-conservatism’ and come up with detailed plans on issues such as inequality in labor, reducing pension gaps between generations and housing,” Lee Ok-nam, the committee’s spokesperson from the main opposition party said during a press mee
Politics Aug. 7, 2017
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People’s Party hopefuls kick off race with war of words
The three-way race for the leadership of the centrist People’s Party effectively kicked off Sunday, with the candidates holding separate press meetings, denouncing each other and laying out their plans to salvage the crisis-hit party. Ahn Cheol-soo, a former chief and previously the party’s presidential candidate, laid out plans to reshape it as a “small but strong opposition party.” From left: Rep. Chun Jung-bae, former party chairman Ahn Cheol-soo and Rep. Chung Dong-yong (Yonhap)“I made my d
Politics Aug. 6, 2017
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Anti-gay controversy flares up over Constitution revision plan
Conflict over equal rights for sexual minorities is flaring up due to the planned constitutional revision. During the presidential election, issues regarding sexual minorities drew attention, and the topic remains a thorny issue that riles up anti-gay sentiment. On Thursday, 300 organizations formed a coalition, announcing their opposition to providing equal rights regardless of sexual orientation. Made up of some 250 members, the group, whose name translates to people’s coalition against homose
Politics July 28, 2017
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Moon adopts homeless dog as presidential pet
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has officially adopted a homeless dog as a presidential pet, his office said Wednesday. Moon received a rescue dog named “Tory” from the animal rights group Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth after signing an adoption agreement, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said, adding that this is the first time that a shelter dog has become a so-called “First Dog.” Moon and Tory (Yonhap)The four-year-old black mongrel joins Moon‘s two other pets -- a Pungsan dog
Politics July 26, 2017
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Sperm count declining in the West: study
PARIS (AFP) -- Sperm count among men in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand has halved in 40 years, according to research warning of fertility risk, though outside experts urged caution about the results.A review of data collected from nearly 43,000 men in 185 previous studies from 1973 to 2011, found a “significant decline” in sperm concentration, according to findings published in the journal Human Reproduction Update.The decline was 52.4 percent -- from 99 million to 47 million s
World News July 26, 2017
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Man sentenced to 120 days in jail after pet fish cut in half
BRISTOL (AP) -- A Connecticut man has been sentenced to 120 days in jail after police say he cut a pet fish in half during a domestic dispute. The Bristol Press reports (http://bit.ly/2uwo8kj ) 33-year-old Juan Vega pleaded guilty Tuesday to breach of peace. As part of the plea deal, a charge of cruelty to animals was dropped. Authorities say police responded to a call of a domestic disturbance at a Bristol home April 27. Police say Vega argued with a woman and damaged property at the residenc
World News July 26, 2017
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South Korea, China hold meeting to discuss cooperation on climate change
Representatives of South Korea and China held a meeting to discuss cooperation on climate change, the foreign ministry here said Wednesday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Kim Chan-woo, South Korea’s ambassador for climate change, and Xie Zhenhua, China’s climate change special representative, had a luncheon meeting on Tuesday in Beijing, where a meeting of the two countries’ joint climate change committee was also held. Xie Zhenhua (Yonhap)Xie said even though China and South Korea could
Diplomatic Circuit July 26, 2017
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[Graphic News] Moon fills over 30 percent of Cabinet with women
President Moon Jae-in fulfilled his pledge to fill at least 30 percent of the Cabinet with female ministers as of Wednesday, with his nomination of ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s Rep. Kim Young-joo for labor minister. Currently, the new Cabinet has five female ministers and, if Kim is appointed, it would make 31.5 percent out of the 19 ministerial positions, including the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, whose chief was recently upgraded to a ministerial level. Kim’s confirmation h
Politics July 26, 2017
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More documents found in Cheong Wa Dae could revive old scandals
Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday discovered documents from the former Lee Myung-bak administration that are rumored to contain evidence of links between the government and corporations, local media outlets reported Wednesday.The contents of the documents, found in the office of the presidential secretary for national security, have not been disclosed. But they reportedly concern the construction of Lotte World Tower in southern Seoul by retail giant Lotte Group, and include information on dealings invol
Politics July 26, 2017
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Bill eyes parking spaces for pregnant women
A South Korean lawmaker on Tuesday proposed a bill to designate parking spaces for pregnant women. Proportional representative Kim Hyun-a of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party submitted the bill to the National Assembly, after a citizen requested its enactment on a popular Korean TV program “Infinite Challenge,” citing physical difficulties she faced while parking in narrow parking spaces. Parking space designated for the disabled (Yonhap)The proposal aims to revise an existing law governi
Politics July 25, 2017
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Justice Party chief vows major push for ‘minor’ agendas
Rep. Lee Jeong-mi, the newly appointed chair of the far-left Justice Party, on Monday vowed to bring “minor agendas,” such as issues involving gender disparity, sexual minorities and farmers, to South Korea’s mainstream politics. “Issues like the gender gap, temporary employees, farmers or sexual minorities have been considered as accessories in the field of South Korean politics,” Lee told reporters at a luncheon, nearly two weeks into the job. “We will not be a party offering a stopgap measure
Politics July 24, 2017
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