Articles by Choi Jeong-yoon
Choi Jeong-yoon
jychoi@heraldcorp.com-
Korea to tackle wedding charges, housing regulations to boost birth rate
The government announced new measures to boost marriages for young people and support housing for families with children, as a follow-up measure after a "demographic national emergency" was declared by President Yoon Suk Yeol last month. The Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy held its second meeting since its launch in June on Monday to review and accelerate the implementation of over 150 challenges and measures designated to address the aging society and low
Social Affairs July 29, 2024
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1 in 5 students overdependent on smart phones, internet: study
Internet and smartphone use interferes with the lives of almost one out of five students in South Korea, recent data showed. A diagnostic survey on youth media use and habits conducted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family showed that over 221,000 youths have difficulty managing their daily lives due to uncontrolled use of the internet and smartphones in 2024, accounting for 18 percent of the total survey group. More than 1.2 million youths in the school transition period, such as those
Politics July 28, 2024
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No return of trainee doctors pushes hospital overhauls
As the deadlock within South Korea's medical community extends into its sixth month, with no sign of trainee doctors returning to hospitals, the government is set to finalize a structural transformation plan by next month that will allow advanced general hospitals to operate without junior doctors. The government plans to transform advanced general hospitals, which have traditionally depended heavily on trainee doctors, into physician-centered institutions focused on critical and emergency
Social Affairs July 28, 2024
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[Herald Interview] UK surgeon recalls how school shaped path to success
David Rew, a UK surgeon and academic publishing adviser, recently shared his journey from his school days at Christ College Brecon, to his esteemed career in medicine. In an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul, Rew recounted how his experiences at the historic Welsh school were instrumental in shaping his determination, compassion and leadership skills. David Rew has built his career as a surgeon in the UK since 1981. Despite partially retiring from surgery in 2023, Rew remains active in th
People July 15, 2024
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Memorials across nation set for deceased school teacher
One year after the mistreatment of teachers and the protection of their rights became a major social issue in the wake of the death of a young teacher in July last year, waves of tributes to the deceased have risen across South Korea this week, with many coming from other education workers. The Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations, one of the country's two major teachers' unions, set Monday to July 23 as a period of remembrance, bringing together online and offline spaces t
Social Affairs July 15, 2024
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Seoul to remove outdated subway wheelchair lifts
Wheelchair lifts, also known as platform lifts will be removed in subway stations across Seoul after some 30 years since their implementation over continuously raised safety issues. Seoul Metro, an operator of the city's subway service from Line Nos. 1 to 8, said Sunday it will demolish lifts, once thought as a mobility support for the physically impaired, issuing a tender notice for the removal of 23 wheelchair lifts in 17 subway stations, including Seoul Station, Sinseoldong Station, Yong
Social Affairs July 14, 2024
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6 Korean language educators abroad honored
A total of six educators have been awarded for their dedication to the spread of Korean language education and localization, at a celebration event for the 22nd International Conference of Korean Educators Abroad on Thursday at Hana Global Campus in Incheon. Among the winners was Tran Thi Huong, a professor at Hanoi National University in charge of Korean language education in Vietnam. He was awarded for his contribution to the adoption of Korean as a second language in primary and secondary c
People July 12, 2024
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Trilateral youth summit opens in Busan
Dozens of students gathered in Busan to participate in the first US-ROK-Japan Trilateral Global Leadership Youth Summit that kicked off Thursday, as the program aims to nurture potential leaders from three countries. Under the agenda of trilateral security, economic and technological cooperation, Indo-Pacific strategy and expanded civilian exchanges, 50 youths -- 15 each from the US, Korea and Japan, and five from Indo-Pacific island countries -- gathered at APEC House in Busan for a three-day s
Social Affairs July 11, 2024
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Ministry eases rules for protesting med students
Five months into medical students' boycott of classes in protest over the government's decision to increase the quota for students at the schools, the Ministry of Education announced guidelines Wednesday to grant universities the flexibility needed to prevent these students from failing out due to their prolonged absence. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho said at the Government Complex Seoul that schools can individually apply different timing, criteria and stan
Social Affairs July 10, 2024
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Kakao's legal risk intensifies over alleged stock manipulation
Kim Beom-su, the founder of tech giant Kakao Corp., the operator of South Korea's top mobile messenger, was summoned by prosecutors Tuesday to address allegations of stock price manipulation related to Kakao's acquisition of K-pop megacorp SM Entertainment last year. The Financial Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office called in Kim earlier in the day and said it was investigating him for alleged violations of the Financial Investment Services
Industry July 9, 2024
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Samsung union begins first strike
Unionized workers of Samsung Electronics launched their first-ever strike Monday, demanding higher pay and warning of potential further action if the country's largest conglomerate does not meet their demands. The National Samsung Electronics Union, the biggest labor union of the conglomerate with over 30,000 members, making up some 25 percent of the workforce, said it kicked off the three-day strike starting with a rally at 11:00 a.m. in front of the main entrance of the company's pla
Companies July 8, 2024
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Average smoothie contains 13 teaspoons of sugar: study
The average smoothie served in a cafe contains the equivalent of 13 teaspoons of sugar, a recent study showed. The Health and Environment Institute of Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Monday the results of its analysis of 93 smoothie drinks from small and medium-sized cafes, where the nutritional content of drinks is not labeled. The cafes subject to investigation, which ran from April to June, were located near hagwons, or private cram schools, particularly frequented by teenagers. The a
Social Affairs July 8, 2024
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4% of teenagers asked to send sexual images: survey
Amid growing concerns over digital sex crimes in South Korea, 3.9 percent of middle and high school students nationwide have experienced being asked to send or share sexual images, a state survey showed. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced the results of the 2023 survey on awareness and experience of child and youth concerning sexual exploitation on Thursday. The survey is conducted every three years in accordance with Article 53 of the Youth Sexual Protection Act. Conducted wit
Social Affairs July 6, 2024
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Sejong University ranks 3rd among Korean college in world ranking
Sejong University ranked third in Korea in the US News 2024-2025 World University Rankings released by US News. Globally, it secured the 241st position. The university's domestic ranking has shown rapid improvement, moving from 15th in 2020 to third this year. Globally, Sejong climbed from 629th in 2021 to 241st in 2024, an impressive jump of 156 places from last year. This growth is largely due to the excellent research capabilities of Sejong University's faculty members, who are reco
Social Affairs July 5, 2024
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Just 1 in 4 Korean teens 'content with life'
Among the 15-year-olds in South Korea, 26.1 percent said they were satisfied with their lives, 7.7 percentage points lower than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a recent study showed. According to the report released by the National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC), 22.3 percent of children reported low life satisfaction, 4.4 percentage points higher than the OECD average of 17.9 percent. The OECD used a 10-point scale for life satisfaction and looked at the pr
Social Affairs July 5, 2024
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