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Tropical Getaway: S. Korean Couple, Car-Locked Children, Guam Courthouse
It took only three minutes for a South Korean judge-lawyer couple’s tropical getaway to turn into a shameful fiasco. Or maybe it was 45 minutes. The story starts with a heartrending tale that comes up every summer: children left unattended in a stifling car by negligent or forgetful parents.
Lee Myung-bak: One More President to Face the Past
Former president Lee Myung-bak has enjoyed a comfortable retirement until now, thanks to having a fellow conservative succeed him. But now that Park Geun-hye has been replaced by Moon Jae-in, from the center-left Minjoo Party, Lee faces growing scrutiny over his term, from 2008 to 2013. A reform committee within
S. Korea Has a Female Foreign Minister. But "Women Are Still Inferior."
Segye Ilbo reporter Kim Ye-jin was having dinner on Sep. 14 with fellow journalists covering the foreign ministry. A high-ranking ministry official was also present. This wasn’t unusual; it’s typical for journalists reporting on government ministries to dine with officials. But unusually, Kim wrote about the
Not So Klean: Carcinogenic Substances Found in S. Korean Menstruation Pads
South Korea is not a cheap place for women to have menstrual periods. It may not be the safest either. Top-selling menstruation pads in the country were recently found to contain toxic and cancerogenic substances. In March, a feminist civil group released the results of a chemical analysis on 11
Young S. Korean Speaks: "What the Fuck is North Korea's Problem?"
On the eve of the 69th anniversary of North Korea, outsiders are watching for any sign of threats from Pyongyang. Many are asking what young South Koreans think about these threats. We bring to you the passionate voice of a young South Korean: Guk Beom-geun is the founder of
Inside the North Korean Military: The Plight of Women
Just over 10 years ago, North Korean defector Lee Da-eun would not have imagined munching on fried chicken topped with gooey cheese, at a faux-military restaurant surrounded by ammunition and gas masks. Back then, she was more familiar with slaughtering a chicken or holding a real gun, working for the
Heat Shelters Are So Hot Right Now
On its website, Seoul’s Gwangjin District has a map scattered with a total of 99 red pins that make the landscape look like it has broken out in heat rash. But contrary to its heated appearance, the red shapes denote air conditioned oases where people without other options can
Rape and Retribution: Nayoung's Story Isn't Over
In 2008 South Korea, an eight-year-old girl now known by the alias Nayoung was brutally raped and beaten by a 58-year-old man in a public bathroom. Months later, she and her family received a second wave of shock when the rapist was sentenced to a mere 12 years in jail.
Politicians, Taxpayers, Lemmings
A few weeks ago, on Jul. 16, North Chungcheong Province was deluged with almost 300 mm of torrential rain. Hundreds of homes were flooded and at least seven lives went missing, according to daily newspaper Hankook Ilbo. Two days later, four provincial lawmakers left for a 10-day trip to Europe,
What Will Happen to Kaesong Industrial Complex?
On Jul. 3, South Korea got itself a new unification minister, a man known for promoting economic engagement with North Korea. The appointment comes against the backdrop of conservative president Park Geun-hye’s ouster in March over corruption allegations. Moon Jae-in, a liberal, was elected on May 9 to replace
Who Is to Blame for Inequality? The Hell Joseon Debate Rumbles On
Middle-aged KAIST professor Lee Byung-tae found himself at the center of a social media furore of Trumpian proportions earlier last week after wading into the debate that is South Korea’s inter-generational divide. At 5:26 pm on Jul. 16, just minutes after posting links to articles on South Korea’
Ppira: Women's Bodies as Bait in Propaganda War Between Two Koreas
A woman with curled up hair and enamel white pumps flashes her legs in an archetypal Marilyn Monroe posture — wind blows from below, ballooning up her flowing dress, which she pushes down just before revealing too much. “Who’s stopping you?” “If you run, it takes just five minutes!