The Korea Herald

2nd private foreign school breaks ground on Jeju Island

The second private international school broke ground on Thursday in Jeju Global Education City, a government-led development project on the Jeju Island meant to turn the island into a leading English education hub in Asia.The Jeju Free International City Development Center held the ground-breaking ceremony for Branksome Hall Asia, the Korean branch of Branksome Hall Canada, a premier private girls

Social Affairs June 30, 2011

2nd private foreign school breaks ground on Jeju Island

Seoul public buildings to be refitted against earthquakes by 2026

All public facilities in Seoul will be seismically retrofitted by 2026, said officials Thursday, in a move taking its cue from March’s devastating earthquake in Japan.The “Program to Raise Seoul’s Seismic Performance” by the Seoul Metropolitan Government is designed to ensure that the city’s infrastructure and buildings will be earthquake resistant.All public facilities found to fall below a certa

Social Affairs June 30, 2011

Mayor seeks to develop Busan Global Village into major English education hub

Busan Mayor Hur Nam-sik has a strong conviction that Busan Global Village, an English immersion camp in the southeastern port city, will grow into the country’s representative English education hub.For the last two years since its opening in 2009, BGV has garnered great recognition from locals as well as some from outside the city for its high-quality, yet low-cost language learning programs.While

Social Affairs June 30, 2011

Mayor seeks to develop Busan Global Village into major English education hub

Busan Global Village emerges as major English education center

Students of many ages show high satisfaction with unique language programsBusan Global Village is emerging as the country’s key center for English education thanks to a variety of unique programs tailored to the needs of different age groups and its location in the center of the southeastern port city.Since it opened in July 2009, BGV has gained much recognition from inside and outside of the coun

Social Affairs June 30, 2011

Busan Global Village emerges as major English education center

U.S. general urges preparation for collapse of N.K. regime

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― The incoming top American military commander in Korea said Tuesday that the United States and South Korea should prepare for the possibility of a regime collapse in North Korea.In his Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing, Gen. James Thurman, the nominee to lead 28,000 U.S. forces in South Korea, raised doubts over the North’s heir apparent, Kim Jong-un, w

Defense June 29, 2011

N.K. on list of worst human-trafficking nations: U.S. report

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― Despite North Korea’s reported tightening of border security to block the defection of its hunger-stricken people, the communist nation has made no efforts to prevent human trafficking by screening migrants along its porous border with China and Russia, the U.S. said Monday.In its annual Global Trafficking in Persons report, the State Department ranked North Korea once a

Foreign Affairs June 28, 2011

Gangnam subway station area never sleeps

Crossroads near Exit No. 6 busiest part of SeoulFor Oh Byung-kook, a 30-year-old office worker, the area around Gangnam subway station in southern Seoul is always the first consideration for a night out with his friends.“The area is a traffic point with easy access from anywhere in Seoul. It has everything from movie theaters and shops to restaurants and karaoke,” Oh said. “Among other things, I l

Social Affairs June 28, 2011

Gangnam subway station area never sleeps

N. Korean leader to visit Russia for summit: report

TOKYO (Yonhap News) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is expected to visit Russia later this week for summit talks with President Dmitry Medvedev, a Japanese newspaper reported Tuesday.The Mainichi Shimbun, a major daily, reported that North Korea and Russia are in final consultations to hold the summit in Vladivostok on Friday. It quoted multiple intelligence sources in Moscow.It would be Kim’s

North Korea June 28, 2011

Typhoon leaves 13 dead or missing

A tree is uprooted on a Seoul street by strong winds on Sunday as Typhoon Meari approaches the nation. (Yonhap News)Thirteen people were reported dead or missing over the weekend due to a heavy downpour that pounded the country. With Typhoon Meari expected to affect the Korean Peninsula through Tuesday, the government advised people to take extra care for their personal safety.According to local p

Social Affairs June 26, 2011

Assembly June session may end with few results

While the National Assembly’s June provisional session nears its end, rival parties are yet to find the solution to most of the pending issues, raising concerns that the related discussions may be put off until the September session.The parliamentary tie-up also boosted anticipation over Monday’s talk between President Lee Myung-bak and main opposition party leader Sohn Hak-kyu.Last Thursday, the

Politics June 26, 2011

‘No hasty decision on N.K. food aid’

Clinton: U.S. to engage Pyongyang only on condition Koreas resolve own disputesWASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday a decision on food aid to North Korea is on hold due to concerns over transparency in distribution and outstanding issues from the suspension of Washington’s previous food shipments.Speaking after talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Kim

Foreign Affairs June 26, 2011

S. Korea, U.S. sign development accord

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― In what is billed as another “milestone” initiative, South Korea and the United States on Friday signed an agreement to work together for the development of impoverished nations, particularly in central Africa.Under the deal signed here by South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the allies will hold annual consultations on

Foreign Affairs June 26, 2011

Police take action against investigative rights bill

Police officers have taken collective action against a revised bill on the investigative rights of the police and the prosecution, signaling a bumpy road ahead for the compromise reached a week ago.Top government officials including Presidential Chief of Staff Yim Tae-hee, Justice Minister Lee Kwi-nam and National Police Agency chief Cho Hyun-oh agreed on a compromise draft last Monday to let the

Social Affairs June 26, 2011

Hurdles remain for Korean adoption

Red tape means many de-facto adoptions not included in official figuresFor 46-year-old housewife Yoo Hyun-mi, mornings are a nightmare. Her three daughters, Cha Hye-in, Cha Hye-seon and Cha Hye-ju quarrel over clothes, hairstyles and other trivial matters before going to elementary school. Yoo always has to mediate to make them go to school on time. “Sometimes I don’t have time to breathe,” Yoo sa

Social Affairs June 26, 2011

Carrots and sticks to keep diplomats disciplined

With recent scandals highlighting prevalent ethical problems among its officials, the South Korean Foreign Ministry has been drawing up tougher surveillance and disciplinary measures.Also important, however, is simultaneously carrying out a system encouraging officials to not only “avoid the wrong, but also actively do the right,” Seoul’s first ambassador for performance evaluation of diplomats sa

Foreign Affairs June 26, 2011

Carrots and sticks to keep diplomats disciplined

Articles by 천성우