Do professors in Korea have too much power over students?

Earlier this month, a former professor saw his appeal denied in a lawsuit he filed to overturn the university’s decision to dismiss him. He was fired for sending inappropriate messages to a graduate student -- a female foreign national doing a doctorate. In 2021, the male professor sent sexually suggestive messages to the Ph.D. student, while implying that he would not pass her dissertation if she continued to avoid his advances. In some of the messages disclosed to the media, he described

Social AffairsSept. 26, 2023

Court finds ban on leafleting into NK unconstitutional, ban on praise for NK constitutional

A South Korean court on Tuesday found a law banning private entities from sending leaflets or other items by balloon into North Korea unconstitutional. In a 7-2 decision, the Constitutional Court found the Development of Inter-Korean Relations Act, promulgated in 2020 during the liberal Moon Jae-in administration, unconstitutional. Scores of North Korean human rights groups filed the complaint with the Constitutional Court immediately after the law came into effect. After the conservative Presid

North KoreaSept. 26, 2023

Uzbekistan, Korea boost customs cooperation

Uzbekistan and Korea agreed to boost customs cooperation in Tashkent on Friday. Uzbekistan’s customs committee chairman Akmalkhuja Mavlonov and chief of the Korea Customs Service Ko Kwang-hyo signed a protocol amending the Uzbekistan-South Korea agreement on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs. According to Uzbekistan's customs committee, the two sides agreed to solidify technical cooperation to crack down on trade crimes, develop customs administration capabilities, and oper

Foreign AffairsSept. 26, 2023

Yoon plans state visits to UK, Netherlands later this year

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will embark on state visits to the United Kingdom in November and the Netherlands in December, according to the presidential office on Tuesday. Yoon's office said the visit to the UK, made at the invitation of King Charles III, is significant as it is the first state visit since King Charles III's coronation earlier this year, and marks the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The visit to the Netherlands, made at the

Foreign AffairsSept. 26, 2023

Is S. Korea dangerous for women?

Despite the Yoon Suk Yeol government's pledge to crack down on crimes against women, concerns are growing over the women's safety following a spate of gender-based violence cases. The tragic death of 38-year-old Lee Eun-chong, who was murdered by her former coworker and boyfriend after being stalked, stirred criticism over a lack of practical protection for victims of gender-based crimes under South Korean law. In Lee's case, she had been granted a temporary restraining order to

Social AffairsSept. 26, 2023

S. Korea holds rare military parade, warns NK against nuclear attack

The South Korean military showcased an array of domestically produced advanced weaponry in a rare, large-scale military parade in downtown Seoul on Tuesday, with its commander-in-chief warning North Korea of the collapse of the Kim Jong-un regime in the case of a nuclear attack against the South. In commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Armed Forces Day, observed each year on Oct. 1, South Korea demonstrated its robust conventional military capabilities, serving as a resolute message to North

DefenseSept. 26, 2023

Breadwinners in their 60s or above double in 9 years

More than one million Koreans aged over 60 are primary household earners, despite their age falling within the typical retirement phase, data showed Tuesday. According to National Health Insurance data that Rep. Kim Sang-hoon of the ruling People Power Party received from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of Korean household breadwinners aged over 60 stood at 1.05 million last year, more than double the figure of 503,840 recorded in 2013. Among individuals with dependents on their

Social AffairsSept. 26, 2023

Unification minister to visit Britain, Germany

Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho will embark on a weeklong trip to Britain and Germany this week for discussions on North Korea's denuclearization, its human rights conditions and unification, the ministry said Tuesday. The seven-day trip will first bring Kim to Britain, where he will deliver a keynote speech at the Korea Global Forum, and discuss ways to cooperate with European countries on North Korea's denuclearization and human rights conditions. In Germany, Kim will visit Hamburg

PoliticsSept. 26, 2023

N. Korea scheduled to hold key parliamentary meeting following Kim-Putin summit

North Korea is scheduled to convene a key parliamentary meeting Tuesday amid keen attention over whether its leader Kim Jong-un will attend it to deliver any message related to his latest summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. North Korea earlier announced its plan to hold the ninth session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly on Tuesday to discuss organizational matters and the issue of reviewing and adopting various laws. The secretive regime's state media has not reported wh

North KoreaSept. 26, 2023

S. Korea to step up quarantine efforts against animal diseases

The agriculture ministry said Tuesday it will run a five-month special disinfection period to implement stronger antivirus measures against animal diseases in the winter. During the campaign, running from October to February, the government will strengthen the monitoring of wild animals and local farms and carry out stronger disinfection and quarantine measures against the highly pathogenic avian influenza, African Swine Fever, and other diseases among animals, according to the Ministry of Agric

Social AffairsSept. 26, 2023

Opposition leader Lee attends arrest warrant hearing at Seoul court

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung appeared in court Tuesday for a hearing to decide whether to issue an arrest warrant for him over corruption charges, the biggest crisis yet for the former presidential candidate. The Seoul Central District Court is expected to make a decision as early as Tuesday night if the hearing proceeds as scheduled. Leaning on a walking stick, the frail-looking Lee walked slowly and unsteadily as he entered the court without answering a barrage of questions from reporters.

PoliticsSept. 26, 2023

Blinken says N. Korea-Russia military cooperation threatens global peace

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday military cooperation between North Korea and Russia undermines global peace, highlighting America's "ironclad" security commitment to South Korea. Blinken made the remarks amid concerns that a rare summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month might have led to an arms deal that observers fear could help strengthen Pyongyang's military capabilities and support Moscow'

Foreign AffairsSept. 26, 2023

Seoul city hosts World Cities Summit Mayors Forum

The first Mayors' Forum of the 12th biennial World Cities Summit Mayors Forum took place on Monday at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in eastern Seoul. "I am pleased to discuss sustainable and inclusive cities in Seoul, where 'accompanying the weak' is a core value," said Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon while delivering his welcoming remarks at the forum on Monday. Oh also shared the city government's policy achievements with "Seoul Learn," an online learning platform for

Social AffairsSept. 25, 2023

Opposition leader to attend court hearing on arrest warrant

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung will attend an upcoming court hearing on his arrest warrant on corruption charges, his party said Monday. The hearing to be held Tuesday at the Seoul Central District Court will mark his first public appearance since ending a 24-day hunger strike on Saturday. Lee, the chair of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), will be accompanied by his lawyer for the hearing, DP spokesperson Kwon Chil-seung said in a briefing. Lee has been under medical treatment after h

PoliticsSept. 25, 2023

Inter-Korean military agreement should be abolished: defense chief nominee

South Korea's defense minister nominee has said the inter-Korean military agreement should be abolished in light of its adverse security implications for South Korea in a written statement submitted to the National Assembly. The nominee, Rep. Shin Won-sik of the ruling People Power Party, who previously served as a three-star general, repeatedly reiterated his critical stance on the inter-Korean comprehensive military agreement that was signed on Sept. 19 during the inter-Korean summit in 2

DefenseSept. 25, 2023

Seoul prepares for first major military parade in ten years

For the first time in a decade, Seoul citizens will witness a large-scale military parade, with tanks and armed forces marching across the city center Tuesday amid escalating tensions with North Korea. Major thoroughfares will be closed throughout the day for the event celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Korean Armed Forces' founding, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced on Sept. 20. The march will commence at the Seoul Air Base at 1:30 p.m. following a memorial ceremony. From

Social AffairsSept. 25, 2023

[Photo News] Cultural diplomacy

The Greek Embassy and Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) co-hosted a forum acknowledging the growth of social media communication as part of an initiative to strengthen cultural diplomacy at the Greek ambassador’s residence in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday. The event was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, CICI members, the media and members of the Greek community in Korea. (CICI)

Foreign AffairsSept. 25, 2023

Greet fall blooms at Suncheon Bay

The Suncheonman International Garden Expo, which kicked off on April 1, will show off its fall flowers over the Chuseok holiday. After first launching in 2013, the Suncheonman International Garden Expo in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, has returned for the first time in 10 years. The expo organizers said while the first edition focused on preventing urban expansion, this year's expo builds on it to include landscape gardens in wetland and urban areas, stretching across 545 hectares. The

Social AffairsSept. 25, 2023

[Herald Interview] Mayor aims to promote Suncheon as global eco-city

Roh Gwan-gyu was elected mayor of Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, in June 2022 -- just 10 months before the Suncheonman International Garden Expo. While there was limited time, Roh made sure everything was being prepared smoothly by assuming the position as the Chairman of Suncheonman International Garden Expo’s organizing committee. “Since I took office on July 1 (2022), I was always present on site to help the organizing committee make quick decisions and supplement them,” s

Social AffairsSept. 25, 2023

Chief justice seat at top court left vacant amid Assembly chaos

South Korea’s Supreme Court faces an unusual vacancy for the first time in 30 years as the National Assembly motion to appoint a replacement for the retiring chief justice was delayed amid turmoil over an arrest warrant request for the main opposition party leader. Ahn Chul-sang, the most senior of the 13 Supreme Court justices, will serve as acting chief justice starting Monday until the motion is considered and passed at the next Assembly plenary session. In a meeting also held Monday, t

PoliticsSept. 25, 2023