Articles by Moon Ki Hoon
Moon Ki Hoon
kihoon96@heraldcorp.com-
'Mystery creature' video in Mt. Baekdu crater lake reignites old myth
A viral post on Chinese social media of what the poster claimed to be a mysterious animal swimming in the crater lake of Baekdu Mountain on the China-North Korea border has reignited interest in a mythical creature in the lake, Chinese news outlets reported on Monday. The video, captured from an observation deck situated 500 meters above the lake, shows a dark object traversing the water's surface. The still surface of the lake is perturbed by the object seen gliding beneath, which leaves a
World News Sept. 12, 2023
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Man arrested for hurling bricks from Seoul building
Pedestrians in Eunpyeong-gu, northern Seoul, were sent scrambling for cover Monday morning as concrete bricks and wood, some weighing up to 3 kilograms apiece, were hurled from the rooftop of a nearby seven-story building onto the sidewalk and road below. The chaos unfolded at around 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 4, as people were busy heading to work. One of the falling objects struck a moving car. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident. Police responded to the scene and arrested a man in
Social Affairs Sept. 12, 2023
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Sex discrimination still widespread issue in S. Korean workplace: survey
South Korean women face widespread sex discrimination in the workplace, experiencing inappropriate comments or remarks three to four times more frequently than men, a new survey found. The survey, conducted online by Embrain Public on behalf of nonprofits Gapjil 119 and the Beautiful Foundation Aug. 2-10, was of 1,000 working adults, including 435 women. Of the respondents, 55.9 percent of women reported being addressed or referred to in inappropriate terms, a rate 4.5 times higher than that of
Social Affairs Sept. 11, 2023
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Five invasive species that wrought havoc in S. Korea
Invasive species cost the global economy a whopping $423 billion annually, a major new study from the United Nations found Monday. Introduced to new environments through human activities, these species adversely impact local biodiversity and human lifestyles by destroying crops and wiping out native species. Korea is no exception to this global concern. The country's natural ecosystems have been significantly disrupted by invasive species over the years. Here are some of South Korea’s
Social Affairs Sept. 9, 2023
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Emergency hospitalizations spike following knife attacks
The southern region of South Korea's most populous province saw a spike in emergency hospitalizations following a string of seemingly unprovoked violent crimes -- dubbed "mudjima" or don't-ask-why crimes -- this summer, a recent report the region's police agency found, suggesting heightened fears over a possible link between mental illness and violence. According to the South Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency, the South Gyeonggi region saw a 31 percent increase in emerge
Social Affairs Sept. 7, 2023
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S. Korean teachers at high risk of mental health issues, survey finds
Nearly 4 in 10 teachers in South Korea are at high risk of depression, a recent survey by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) showed. The survey also showed that 1 in 6 experience suicidal thoughts, highlighting serious concerns about mental health among educators in the wake of recent suicides in the teaching community. Conducted jointly with Green Hospital in Seoul, the online survey ran Aug. 16-23 and involved 3,505 teaching staff across different grade levels. The survey in
Social Affairs Sept. 5, 2023
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Rural S. Korea faces stark health care inequality: report
South Koreans living in rural areas have double the risk of delayed access to emergency health care compared to urban residents, highlighting the country's significant urban-rural disparity in crucial healthcare infrastructure, the National Medical Center reported on Sunday. The center’s 2022 public health report used four time frames to measure medical care access: 30, 60, 90 and 180 minutes. The shortest -- 30 minutes -- is associated with the time needed to access urgent care units
Social Affairs Sept. 4, 2023
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South Korean YouTubers' revenue surges, top earners dominate share
Revenue from South Korean YouTubers surged to 860 billion won ($650 million) in 2021, a tenfold increase compared to 2019, data from the National Tax Service showed on Sunday. The top 1 percent of YouTubers accounted for 25 percent of this total revenue, earning an average annual income of 713 million won, according to data. In the same year, the top 1 percent of all workers in South Korea had an average income of 417 million won. Apart from YouTube's expanding influence in the country, the
Social Affairs Sept. 4, 2023
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Colleges to have stricter record checks on school bullying
In light of mounting concerns over school bullying, students with disciplinary records for bullying will face stricter scrutiny during the college admissions process in South Korea. Starting in 2026, colleges will be required to consider applicants' school bullying records during admissions, the Korea Council for University Education, the country’s leading body for college admissions, announced on Wednesday. Under the new policy, every applicant will undergo mandatory checks of bullyi
Social Affairs Aug. 31, 2023
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S.Korea's fertility rate marks record low in Q2 of 2023
South Korea's fertility rate has dropped to a record-low 0.70 in the second quarter of 2023, according to the latest government report, in yet another stark indicator of the deepening demographic crisis in a nation already grappling with the world's lowest birth rate. According to the monthly demographic and census report released on Wednesday by Statistics Korea, the country's statistics body, there were 56,087 newborn babies in the second quarter, a 6.8 percent drop from the sam
Social Affairs Aug. 30, 2023
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Speed limits in "school zones" to be partially lifted
Nighttime and early morning speed limits in "school zones" – child protection zones on roadways adjacent to schools – will be raised to 50 kilometers per hour from the current 30 kph starting from Sept. 1, the National Police Agency of South Korea announced on Tuesday. Effective from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., the new speed limit aims to accommodate traffic during times when fewer students are present on the streets. The decision follows last year's pilot testing in specific ar
Social Affairs Aug. 29, 2023
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Online vendors sued over Kim Jong-un T-shirts
An online vendor has become embroiled in legal action for selling T-shirts featuring a smiling image of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in a case highlighting the polarized perspectives of South Koreans towards their northern neighbor. Six right-wing activist groups have filed a joint civil lawsuit against two individual sellers, with e-commerce giants Naver and Coupang also named as defendants for displaying the product on their platforms. According to the complaint submitted to the Seoul Metr
Social Affairs Aug. 28, 2023
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Illegal whaling bust nabs 55 individuals responsible for killing 17 whales
The Coast Guard nabbed 55 individuals in connection with an illegal whaling operation, officials confirmed on Thursday. Of them, 13 are being held by the Coast Guard, facing charges of unlawfully hunting 17 minke whales from January to June using harpoons and spears. According to officials at the Coast Guard Station at Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, the group had used various tactics to evade capture, including stashing whale meat in underwater buoys and smuggling it to local eateries at nig
Social Affairs Aug. 25, 2023
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Government removes 11,000 undocumented immigrants in June, July
On Wednesday, South Korea's Justice Ministry reported that nearly 11,000 undocumented immigrants were removed from the country through either deportation or voluntary departure between June 12 and July 31, a move that highlights the Yoon Suk Yeol government's focus on stricter immigration enforcement. The 50-day crackdown was conducted jointly by five central government agencies, including the Ministry of Justice, the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Tra
Social Affairs Aug. 23, 2023
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Nationwide civil defense drill to take place Wednesday
South Korea will conduct its first nationwide civil defense drill in six years on Wednesday, a move that comes amid rising tensions with North Korea. Set for 2 p.m., the 20-minute exercise will require most people to evacuate to designated shelters or underground safe spaces. The country has identified 17,000 such shelters, with their locations available on widely-used apps like Kakao, Naver, and Tmap. During the drill, drivers must pull over to the side of roads and follow radio instructions. S
Social Affairs Aug. 22, 2023
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