진행자: 최정윤, Chelsea Proctor Child rapist’s relocation sparks controversy, fear 기사 요약: 조두순이 새롭게 이사한 집 5분 거리에 초등학교가 있다는 사실 밝혀지면서 주민들의 불안이 고조되고 있어 ,경찰은 인군 순찰 강화로 불안 잠재우려하지만 효과 미비하다는 반응 커 [1] Cho Doo-soon, notorious for one of the most shocking crimes in South Korean history, has once again sparked public outrage and concern after his recent move to a new residence. notorious: 악명 높은 outrage: 격분, 분노 [2] Cho, who was released from prison in December 2020 after serving 12 years for raping an 8-yea

Podcast Nov. 9, 2024

As Donald Trump returns to the White House for a second term, the world is reminded of his high-stakes, often unpredictable approach to diplomacy, especially regarding the Korean Peninsula. During his first term, Trump navigated one of the most volatile relationships in US foreign policy with North Korea, combining tough sanctions, blunt rhetoric and unprecedented summits. Trump's administration initially took a confrontational approach to North Korea, especially after Pyongyang conducted i

Politics Nov. 7, 2024

Debate on whether to charge health insurance to day laborers of foreign nationality was sparked on Monday as local media reported that the government is reviewing such a plan as a new funding source for the national health insurance system amid Korea's low birth rate. The government is developing strategies to bolster its health insurance funding as Korea rapidly becomes a super-aged society, according to local reports. According to reports, this plan concerns expanding the income categorie

Social Affairs Nov. 4, 2024

The US Embassy in Seoul said it hosted “TechCamp Korea 2024,” a three-day event focused on fostering the safe and ethical use of artificial intelligence. Held from October 31 to November 3 at the Kyowon Vision Center in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, the camp was part of the US Department of State’s global tech leadership initiative and marked the first time the program has been held in Korea. Aimed at strengthening ties among Korea’s next generation of AI leaders, the camp

Social Affairs Nov. 3, 2024

South Korea is mulling banning smartphones in schools, as the government weighs in on a bill proposed by the ruling party that would prohibit students from using personal digital devices during class. According to the National Assembly and education circles on Sunday, Rep. Cho Jung-hun of People Power Party introduced a bill in August to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to restrict the use of smartphones in schools, adding Article 20.3 on guidance on the student's use of cel

Social Affairs Nov. 3, 2024

Cho Doo-soon, notorious for one of the most shocking crimes in South Korean history, has once again sparked public outrage and concern after his recent move to a new residence. Cho, who was released from prison in December 2020 after serving 12 years for raping an 8-year-old girl, has relocated from his previous home in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, to a nearby neighborhood. His move to a new residence, located just 2 kilometers away from his previous home, has stoked fears and controversy among nea

Social Affairs Oct. 30, 2024

In response to pressing demands from national medical schools, the government has decided to allow universities to individually authorize leaves of absence for medical students, reversing its previous stance. The Ministry of Education announced Tuesday afternoon that the government and presidents of 40 medical universities reached a consensus that students return by the 2025 academic year at the latest. In order to pave the way to accelerate the return of students and normalize studies in medica

Social Affairs Oct. 29, 2024

In response to increasing demands from national medical schools, the government is reportedly reconsidering its stance on granting universities the autonomy to approve medical students' leave of absence requests. This comes as a potential solution to the monthslong standoff over medical school enrollments following protests against the government's plan to expand the medical school quota. Sources within the education sector revealed Tuesday that the presidents of national universities

Social Affairs Oct. 29, 2024

Doctors accused of performing a late-term abortion at 36 weeks could face murder charges, police said Monday, concluding in their investigation that the fetus was delivered alive. The case, which has drawn significant attention, involves a YouTuber in her 20s who sought pregnancy termination and later shared her experience online. “If a fetus is born alive, the case is subject to the crime of murder. After delivery, it is a living person," said Woo Jong-soo, head of the National Off

Social Affairs Oct. 28, 2024

What Tyson Nicholas of the Royal Australian Navy experienced in South Sudan in 2015 as part of the United Nations peacekeeping mission changed the course of his career and solidified his commitment to advancing gender equality in armed conflicts. In South Sudan, Nicholas witnessed firsthand the ways conflict disproportionately affects women and girls. “It was a moral injury,” he recalls, describing the emotional and ethical burden of seeing widespread sexual violence exploited during

Social Affairs Oct. 25, 2024

Police detained a man in his 60s Friday morning after he allegedly smashed a glass door in an apparent attempt to break into the National Assembly’s main building in Seoul. According to Yeongdeungpo Police Station, the man was arrested for alleged intrusion and destruction of property with dangerous objects. The incident occurred at around 5:15 a.m. when the suspect reportedly threw a fire extinguisher at the glass door of the National Assembly. Police identified the suspect as he fled the

Social Affairs Oct. 25, 2024

Amid nationwide elation over South Korean novelist Han Kang being awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize for Literature, one of her works has stirred debate for being "deemed harmful to youths." The controversy ignited after Han's "The Vegetarian" was found to be among the 2,528 books removed from some 2,490 elementary, middle and high school libraries in Gyeonggi Province last year for being detrimental to students. Among them were not only Han Kang's book, but also "Bl

Social Affairs Oct. 21, 2024

The Seoul education office concluded Sunday that mandatory religious activities at general high schools, such as class worship services and choir competitions, could infringe on students' religious freedom. This conclusion follows an investigation prompted by a student complaint at a private high school in Seoul, alleging that such compulsory extracurricular activities related to religion violated their rights under the city's Student Rights Ordinance. The complaint, submitted by a stu

Social Affairs Oct. 20, 2024

Seoul Cyber University has signed a dual degree agreement with California State University, San Bernardino, the US school's first such deal with an online educational institution. The primary focus of the agreement is the creation of a dual degree program between Seoul Cyber University and CSUSB. Under this program, students will spend two years studying at Seoul Cyber University's School of Business and two years at CSUSB, earning degrees from both institutions. Notably, this is the f

Social Affairs Oct. 20, 2024

Jung Geun-sik, the newly elected liberal superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, officially took office on Thursday. With his inauguration, the city’s progressive approach to education, which has been in place for the past decade under his predecessor, Cho Hee-yeon, is expected to continue. Jung secured 50.17 percent of the vote in Wednesday's by-election, defeating his conservative rival, Cho Jun-hyuk, by a margin of 4.15 percentage points. His win surpassed the

Social Affairs Oct. 17, 2024