Articles by Shin Ji-hye
Shin Ji-hye
shinjh@heraldcorp.com-
Seoul withdraws testing mandate for all foreign workers
The Seoul city government on Friday withdrew an order requiring mandatory coronavirus testing for all foreign workers after facing criticism from foreigners, medical workers and the human rights commission. The Seoul Metropolitan Government released a statement on Friday afternoon, saying, “We changed the administrative order issued on March 17 after the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters requested the withdrawal of the order.” “We changed from the man
Social Affairs March 19, 2021
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Assembly speaker discusses S. Korea-US alliance, NK issues with Nancy Pelosi
National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug held a videoconference with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday to discuss pending issues such as the South Korea-US alliance and North Korea’s nuclear weapons. During the meeting Park said that “the Korea-US alliance is a starting point and a crucial point of reference for Korea’s diplomacy and security and, as the US’ most successful alliance, serves as a bedrock for peace and stability in the region.” He went on t
Politics March 19, 2021
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Human rights commission to probe Seoul’s testing mandate for all foreign workers
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea on Friday launched an investigation into the Seoul city government’s decision to mandate coronavirus tests for all foreign workers, after some foreigners filed a petition against the administrative order. “Foreigners have filed a petition with the NHRC, saying that they feel hatred and racism,” NHRC Chairperson Choi Young-ae said in a statement. “In response, the NHRC will quickly determine whether discrimination and human
Social Affairs March 19, 2021
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‘Ridiculous’: Experts slam Seoul’s testing mandate for all foreign workers
Medical experts are baffled by the Seoul city government’s decision to mandate coronavirus tests for all foreign workers in the city, saying it is discriminatory, scientifically unjustifiable and may even violate human rights. The Seoul Metropolitan Government issued an administrative order on Tuesday requiring all foreign workers in the city to undergo diagnostic tests March 17-31 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Fines of up to 2 million won ($1,778) will be imposed if they f
Social Affairs March 18, 2021
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Assembly speaker supports Korean firms joining Costa Rica’s electric train project
National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug asked Costa Rican Foreign Minister Rodolfo Solano Quiros to pay special attention to South Korean companies’ participation in the nation’s electric train project and in electronic-government projects, in a meeting held Tuesday. “I learned that Costa Rica is pushing for electric trains in the metropolitan area and e-government projects, Park said during a talk with Solano. I think there are many areas where we can work together as
Politics March 17, 2021
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[#WeFACE] Best way to solve plastic problem? Just don’t use it
The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles about efforts being made by the public and governments to protect the environment as the country moves towards the goal of becoming a more eco-friendly society. - Ed. In a small office full of machine and colorful pieces of plastic, staff are busily making new products with plastic waste. They wash plastic waste, categorize them by color, grind and melt them and then pour the molten plastic into a mold. Through this process, plastic waste
Social Affairs March 17, 2021
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Seoul mayor candidate Park vows to strengthen ties with Europe
Park Young-sun, the Seoul mayor candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, has vowed to strengthen cooperation with Europe to drive the city to move toward a global city at a meeting with the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea on Monday. The candidate attended a special meeting hosted by the ECCK and shared opinions with European entrepreneurs on the business landscape in Seoul and ways to further develop Seoul into a global economic hub, the ECCK said Tuesday. During the meeting
Politics March 16, 2021
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Former Seoul mayor has highest poll rating
Less than a month before the April 7 by-election to choose Seoul’s next mayor, Oh Se-hoon, a former mayor and the sole candidate from the main opposition People Power Party, is ahead of both of the other major candidates -- People’s Party Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo and Park Young-sun, former minister of SMEs and startups and the sole candidate from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea -- a poll showed Tuesday. According to a Realmeter survey of 1,030 Seoulites aged 18 or older on March
Politics March 16, 2021
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Former SMEs minister vows to expand hydrogen mobility in Seoul
Seoul mayoral candidate Park Young-sun says there are three things at the top of her agenda to make the city cleaner and safer if she is elected: Expanding green areas, boosting eco-friendly mobility and tackling the capital’s overflowing waste problem. In December, Seoul set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030 and going carbon neutral by 2050 in line with the global environmental trends. But the city has a long way to go as it struggles to combat worsening
Politics March 14, 2021
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Korea scrambles to contain outbreaks among migrant workers
The South Korean government is speeding up the process of testing foreign workers for COVID-19 as the number of confirmed cases rises, but language barriers and the presence of significant numbers of unregistered migrant workers are hampering its efforts. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun expressed concerns on Tuesday about the mass outbreaks reported at workplaces where many foreigners work, saying they could lead to a fourth wave of the pandemic. He called on foreign workers to cooperate with
Social Affairs March 10, 2021
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Yoon’s approval rating jumps after resignation
A year before the next presidential election, former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl’s approval rating as a potential presidential candidate has soared following his resignation last week. According to a survey of 1,123 citizens aged 18 or older conducted on Friday, Yoon has the highest support of possible presidential candidates with 32.4 percent. Yoon’s approval rating jumped 17.8 percentage points in just six weeks compared to 14.6 percent on Jan. 22. Gyeonggi Province Gov.
Politics March 8, 2021
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[Newsmaker] ‘Korea fails to respond to human trafficking’
In July 2016, a woman from Thailand came to Korea believing she could work as a masseuse. As soon as she arrived in Incheon, she was sent by brokers to a massage parlor in Gwangju. There, the owner took her passport and told her to go to a room for a test. Soon after, she was raped by the owner. When she said she wanted to return to Thailand, the owner and the brokers demanded that she pay them 2 million won ($1,775) in commission before leaving. She was forced to stay and work in the massage
Social Affairs March 5, 2021
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Top prosecutor resigns in defiance of weakening prosecution’s power
Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl announced his resignation Thursday in protest against the government’s push to weaken the power of the prosecution. An hour later, President Moon Jae-in accepted the resignation. At 2 p.m. in front of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Seoul, Yoon said in front of reporters, “I am going to resign as the prosecutor general today. It is difficult to watch common sense and justice collapse any more. (My role) in the prosecution ends here.”
Politics March 4, 2021
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More than 23,000 vaccinated as officials warn against fake news
Authorities on Tuesday have sounded an alarm over fast-spreading, false news about vaccines, as more than 23,000 doses of the vaccines have been administered. The number of daily confirmed cases has remained in the mid-300s for three consecutive days. The country added 344 COVID-19 cases, pushing the total caseload to 90,372 as of Tuesday midnight, according to the government’s central response team. The number of new confirmed cases declined by 11 from the previous day. Of the 344 cas
Social Affairs March 2, 2021
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Confirmed cases remain in mid-300s; around 21,000 vaccinated
As the third wave of the pandemic continues, the number of new confirmed cases remain in the mid-300s, while more than 21,000 doses of vaccines have been administered as of Monday. The government’s central response team said Monday the number of new COVID-19 cases increased by 355 to 90,029 as of midnight. The figure declined by one from the previous day, staying in the 300s for the second consecutive day apparently due to the number of inspections having decreased over the weekend. O
Social Affairs March 1, 2021
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