Articles by Yoon Min-sik
Yoon Min-sik
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com-
S. Koreans shoulder slightly less than W1m a year for medical services
South Koreans paid an average of 960,000 won ($709) in 2021 for medical services, excluding state health insurance coverage, government reports showed Monday. In a joint report, the National Health Insurance Service and the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs analyzed the data of 12,874 adults across the country, out of whom 11,844 used medical services in 2021. South Korean law subsidizes the costs of medical services through the National Health Insurance program, to which all citizen
Social Affairs April 8, 2024
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Parents donate W100m to deceased son's university
The parents of a university student who died last year have donated 100 million won ($74,000) to their son's school, university officials said Monday. According to Changwon National University, the parents of Son Seong-hyeok made the contribution in memory of their son, who died in December due to an acute heart failure. "Our son did not get to realize his dreams at the university, but my wife and I decided to make the donation for the students of CNU who are trying their best, with th
People April 8, 2024
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Stray bullet injures American, state to pay compensation
A South Korean court recently ordered the state to pay 209 million won ($154,000) as compensation to a US national who police mistakenly injured with a gun while trying to take down a dog on a rampage. The civil case division of the Seoul District Court on Thursday ruled in favor of the 68-year-old American, who demanded compensation for injuries he sustained in the unintended attack. "The accident occurred as a result of a police officer's illegal actions, which is beyond the degree o
Social Affairs April 8, 2024
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Teen's death in online suicide inducement case results in suspended sentence
A South Korean who gave instructions to a teen concerning suicide has been given a 10-month prison term, suspended for two years, after the teen died using the information, a local media outlet reported Sunday. The Uijeongbu District Court recently found the defendant guilty of violating the Act for the Prevention of Suicide and the Creation of Culture of Respect for Life, according to a report by the Seoul Economic Daily. It bans distribution of information that shows specific methods of suicid
Social Affairs April 7, 2024
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86-year-old woman who donated life savings dies alone
A Busan district office on Saturday announced the death of an 86-year-old woman who had recently donated 50 million won ($37,000) that she saved up while working as a housekeeper. Gweon Ok-seon donated her life savings in January to three welfare organizations in the southern port city -- the regional branch of the Red Cross, the Community Chest of Korea and the welfare center of her local Mandeok 3-dong -- according to the Buk-gu Office in Busan. She passed away alone at a hospital in Mandeok-d
Social Affairs April 7, 2024
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Ministry to study how much repeat Suneung-takers spend on tutoring
The Ministry of Education said Sunday it has ordered a study on private education spending of those taking state-administered college entrance exam multiple times, in a bid to figure out a more accurate estimate of the private education sector in South Korea. According to the ministry, 31.7 percent of college entrance exam takers in 2023 had already graduated from high school, an increase from 23.2 percent in 2017. South Korean students take the annual exam, known as Suneung, in the last Novembe
Social Affairs April 7, 2024
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Reports of workplace abuse double over past 5 years
Over 10,000 cases of workplace abuse were reported to authorities last year, the Labor Ministry said Sunday, marking a steep increase every year since the government first started compiling such reports in 2019. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, it received 10,028 reports of workplace abuse in 2023, up 12 percent from 8,961 the year before. South Korea in 2019 revised the Labor Standards Act to stipulate in Articles 76-2 and 76-3 the prohibition against workplace harassment and
Social Affairs April 7, 2024
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[Weekender] Jeju commemorates its deepest scar
The home of the late Jin A-young sits overlooking the rocky shores at Weolryeong-ri 381, Hanrib-eup in Jeju City, in the west of Jeju Island. The unassuming house, preserved in almost the exact state as it was when Jin died on Sept. 8, 2004, at the age of 90, is about the only earthly remnant of her life, torn apart by the massacres that took place there over half a century ago. On a table in her home was a dust-covered pack of antacids, one of her daily necessities. Jin had suffered from chro
Culture April 6, 2024
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Children, teens using smartphones more: study
South Korean children and teens used smartphones for longer periods of time in 2023 than the year before, a report by a state-run think-tank showed Thursday. Children under the age of 10 used smartphones for an average of 1 hour and 15 minutes a day last year, marking an increase of 17.2 percent or 11 minutes, according to the report by the Korea Information Society Development Institute. The report surveyed 9,757 individuals from 4,077 households across the country. While not as prominent as in
Technology April 6, 2024
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Just one more? Gwangju police DUI is 4th this year
A Gwangju police officer was caught drunk driving Wednesday evening, local police said Thursday, marking the fourth such case in the southwestern city this year. The officer of Seobu Police Station in Gwangju was found to have been driving under the influence of alcohol at around 9 p.m. on Wednesday, according to Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency. He had driven his car into another vehicle. The officer has been removed from duties. The incident occurred after the National Police Agency and the
Social Affairs April 6, 2024
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Actor accuses wrong woman of having relationship with estranged husband
Actor Hwang Jung-eum posted an official apology Thursday for her earlier Instagram post about a woman she mistakenly accused of having a relationship with her now-estranged husband. "There has been a misunderstanding as I sorted out my personal affairs. I apologize for inflicting harm on the person and those around her for posting about her," she wrote on her Instagram page, adding that she has apologized to the victim in person. The 39-year-old singer-turned-actor is currently going t
Television April 4, 2024
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Korean stars haunted by accusations of school violence
South Korean actor Jeon Jong-seo's agency on Thursday denied recent accusations of school bullying against the star of the critically acclaimed film, "Burning," vowing to take legal action against what it said were groundless rumors. "We have checked with (Jeon) and her acquaintances and have found that the (rumors) in the online posts are not true at all. ... We will pursue legal action to protect the actor," Jeon's agency Endmark said in an official statement. J
Television April 4, 2024
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Man refuses tax on brother's inheritance, claims it was a loan paid back by sick sibling
A South Korean man and his wife lost an administrative case related to their refusal to pay inheritance tax on money given to them by the man's now-deceased brother, with the court overruling their claim that the money was in exchange for the financial help they provided him. According to officials, the Seoul Administrative court ruled against the plaintiffs, saying the state's tax authorities are justified in taxing 65 million won ($47,500) for the 260 million won the deceased transfe
Social Affairs April 1, 2024
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Adult products company owner arrested on suspicion of sexually exploiting employees
The head of an adult products company in South Korea was recently arrested on charges related to the alleged sexual exploitation of employees at the company, according to local media outlets. JTBC reported Sunday that the suspect, surnamed Yang, had been detained by police after complaints were lodged against him for fraud, sexual misconduct and filming sexual content without consent. Police arrested the suspect as part of the ongoing investigation into these charges. Some of the claims made by
Social Affairs April 1, 2024
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Shaman cleared of fraud after charging W100m for 'exorcism'
A South Korean shaman who charged two people over 100 million won ($74,000) combined for exorcisms has been cleared of fraud charges by a local court, which said the defendant's action was a "religious action of some type" that does not necessarily warrant a desired result. In March last year, the 50-year-old defendant surnamed Kim told a person surnamed Hong that Hong's illness was due to a ghost possession. Kim was paid around 79.3 million won to perform exorcism rituals ov
Social Affairs April 1, 2024
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