South Korea Needs More Immigrants
South Korea has long exploited migrant workers under its so-called Employment Permit System. It's time to give them the rights they deserve.
Human Rights
Child Inmates of South Korea’s Immigration Jail
In South Korea, detaining children simply due to their migration status, or the migration status of their parents, is standard practice.
ké cast S2 E3: Is There Room For Conscientious Objectors in Korea?
Is there room for freedom of conscience in the South Korean military? Is there room to discuss peace in a country technically at war? Reporter Jieun Choi provides an overview of the plight of conscientious objectors.
Tyranny of South Korea’s Majority Against Refugees
When a self-righteous majority levels undiluted hatred at a small group of refugees, and thinks itself ordinary, it's downright chilling.
Dark Tour: Jeju Island Beyond Teddy Bear Museums
This month marks 70 years of 4.3, one of the worst cases of violence perpetrated by the South Korean state against its own citizens. A different sort of tour shows Jeju beyond the teddy bears and postcard beaches.
Let Everyone Shine: South Korea To Abolish Decades-Long Disability Rating System
Beyond the Paralympics, interest in actual quality of life for disabled people is low. Recently, the South Korean government finally proposed to remove the long-contested rating system for disabled people. Activists say there is a long way to go.
The Invisible Hands Behind South Korea’s Errand Men
Meet 'errand men,' the thugs-for-hire providing the muscle that helps South Korea's powered classes get their way. Is the Moon Jae-in administration serious about clamping down on them?
“Gay Blacklist”: Retired Officer Acquitted for Having Gay Sex in Army
In a positive ruling for gay rights, a former soldier was recently found not guilty for engaging in sexual intercourse with another male soldier while serving in the South Korean army.
Undocumented Workers: International Students As South Korea’s Migrant Labor
International students are a valuable part of South Korean universities, where domestic enrollment is declining due to low birth rate. But it's alarmingly common to see them work as undocumented laborers, outside regulations and law.
KÉ Interview: That Famous Same-Sex Wedding, Four Years Later
Four years after the controversial wedding with his husband in Seoul, Dave Kim is struggling to legalize his marriage. But he's hopeful; here's why.
KÉ Interview: A Disabled Person’s Day Is 12 Hours Long, Not 24
Meet a kick-ass mother who is trying to change the way her daughter, and others with disabilities, uses Seoul's sprawling metro system.
KÉ Interview: 10 Years in the Life of an Unregistered Laborer
There are some 300,000 migrant workers in South Korea. Of them, one sixth are believed to be unregistered laborers. Here is a story of Hiển from Vietnam.