Tag: South Korea

Even in Korea winning the lottery turns into a curse for some people:

When Mr. Kim won the lottery late last month and instantly went from rags to riches with nearly 3 billion won ($2.7 million), his life-changing story was told by none other than his own mother. Unlike most other winners who wish to keep their profile as low-key as possible, and who often urge their close family members to do the same, the 79-year-old woman refused to follow the norm and is now gaining media attention for the “tragedy” that has unfolded ever since.

She held a demonstration last Friday in front of the Yangsan City Hall in South Gyeongsang, holding a large picket sign describing how her own son became her worst enemy.

She wrote that her son “abandoned” her after winning the lottery, and that she felt betrayed because she had raised his children. Last week, when she knocked on the door of his house, he refused to meet her and called the cops to force her away.

A picture of her solo rally has gone viral online over the weekend.  [Joong Ang Ilbo]

You can read more at the link.

The Chinese government is opposing the UN condemning the recent North Korean missile launch because they also want the UN to condemn the South Koreans for taking measures to protect themselves from these missile launches with the deployment of the THAAD system:

The United Nations Security Council has been unable to condemn the launch of a missile by North Korea that landed near Japan because China wanted the statement to oppose the planned deployment of a US anti-missile defense system in South Korea. North Korea launched a ballistic missile last Wednesday that landed in or near Japanese-controlled waters for the first time, the latest in a series of launches by the isolated country in defiance of UN Security Council resolutions.

The 15-member council held a closed-door meeting on the same day, but has been unable to agree on a US-drafted statement to condemn the launch, which was almost identical to two previous statements issued by the council on North Korea (DPRK). China proposed that the statement also say “all relevant parties shall avoid taking any actions which could provoke each other and escalate tensions, and shall not deploy any new anti-ballistic missile stronghold in Northeast Asia with an excuse of dealing with threats of the DPRK nuclear and missile programs.”  [The Indian Express]

You can read more at the link, mean while the Chinese government has been releasing footage of their own missile defense tests used to protect their country.

If true this is all the more reason why South Koreans should want the THAAD battery if the intent of the Chinese missiles is to target US troops reinforcing the ROK during a crisis:

China is maintaining ballistic missile bases in its northeastern territories, all equipped with missiles capable of reaching U.S. bases in the Pacific including Okinawa, according to a report posted on the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) website.

The bases may explain Beijing’s strident opposition to the deployment of a U.S.-made anti-missile defense system in South Korea, as its presence could hamper China’s missile striking capabilities if conflict broke out on the Korean Peninsula.

The presence of the U.S.-operated Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) system in South Korea could thwart Beijing’s attempt to attack U.S. ships ferrying soldiers to the peninsula with long-range ballistic missiles, analysts say.   [Joong Ang Ilbo]

You can read more at the link.

Read up on these 10 unexpected things that might happen to you after moving into Korea! #SouthKorea #Unexpectedhttps://t.co/hicWMzcqCG

— 10 Magazine Korea (@10_Magazine) August 8, 2016

Pinwheels designed after South Korea’s national flag are installed at a ward office in Incheon, west of Seoul, on Aug. 8, 2016, ahead of the 71st anniversary of the country’s Liberation Day. Aug. 15 marks the day Korea was freed from the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule. (Yonhap)

Who do these leftist politicians serve, the people of South Korea or China?:

President Park Geun-hye Monday lashed out at political rivals’ opposition to the deployment of a U.S.-made missile defense system, saying issues of national security should be bipartisan.

The president’s sharpest criticism was aimed at six first-term Minjoo Party lawmakers who embarked on a three-day visit to Beijing on Monday, describing them as siding with Beijing on the missile system deployment, which it vociferously opposes.

At a regular senior secretariat meeting at the Blue House, Park noted it was the basic responsibility of politicians “to work in a bipartisan manner and avoid creating internal divisions when it comes to issues of national security.”  [Joong Ang Ilbo]

You can read more at the link, but this is just another example of how the Korean left is trying to keep the THAAD issue alive to use as a political weapon during next year’s Presidential race.

South Korean judoka Jeong Bo-kyeong bites her silver medal as she stands on the podium during the medal ceremony for the women’s under-48kg at the 31st Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 2 in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 5, 2016. Jeong won silver for South Korea’s first medal at the Rio Games. She lost to Paula Pareto of Argentina in the final. (Yonhap)

If US fast food workers think they have it bad with the US minimum at $7.25 an hour look at what their counterparts in Korea get paid:

The government announced on Friday the newly raised hourly minimum wage for next year.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the government will raise the hourly minimum wage by 7.3 percent from 6,030 won ($5.43) this year to 6,470 won starting at the beginning of next year.

“We accepted formal objections starting from July 21 to Monday, and we didn’t receive any from the labor representatives,” said Kwon Chang-joon, a director at the ministry. “We did receive a petition from the Korean Federation of Micro Enterprise but decided that there is no need for further consideration after reviewing various laws and decision-making processes by the Minimum Wage Commission with labor and business sectors.”    [Joong Ang Ilbo]

You can read more at the link.

Attendants listen to speakers at an international conference in Seoul on Aug. 5, 2016, against killing dogs for meat, organized by the Korea Animal Rights Advocates. (Yonhap)

Another example of someone using their position of authority to take advantage of young people:

Pastor Lee Dong-hyun, head of popular Christian teenage evangelical community “Rise Up Movement,” has admitted sexually molesting a female follower for years.

Lee, 48, harassed the high school girl ― who was 17 ― from 2005 until 2008, consistently demanding her to have sex with him, according to NewsNJoy, an online news outlet, Tuesday. When the victim refused, he threatened her, saying: “Your life will be ruined once our relationship is known among Korean society” and “How will you manage to get married after you had sex with me?” the report said, citing the victim, now 28.

NewsNJoy said Lee preferred female followers as his aides and when he took a small group of teenagers to Europe, he often slept in the girls’ room.

With the scandal becoming viral, Lee said on the “Rise Up Movement” web page Tuesday he will no longer chair the group. The site said the community will cancel a mass Christian gathering planned for Aug 7. The group, established in 1999, has been holding an annual mass gathering at Seoul Plaza, drawing about 30,000 teenagers and parents.

“I committed a mistake when I was still a neophyte as a Christian leader,” Lee said, according to Hankook Ilbo. “I admit the whole wrongdoing. I am sorry to all the students who followed my leadership.” [Korea Times]

You can read more at the link, but this has nothing to do with being a neophyte as a Christian leader.  This guy knew exactly what he was doing just like policeman, school teachers, military leaders, etc. that have been caught before doing the same thing.