The government and pizza delivery franchises Monday agreed rules to protect delivery staff who often drive dangerously due to fierce competition within the industry. Triggered by the deaths of delivery drivers and protests by their colleagues, they also decided to hold safety campaigns.The Ministry of Employment and Labor signed with Pizza Hut, Mr. Pizza and Domino’s Pizza as well as the Korean Fr

Many Koreans spent the weekend in front of televisions watching news of the magnitude-9.0 earthquake, tsunami, and volcanic and nuclear power plant explosions shaking the eastern part of the Japanese archipelago. They were first shocked by the natural disaster and then impressed by the calm of the Japanese people, even in the face of such a catastrophe. Koreans paid their condolences and praised t

The term “slavery” may seem rooted in the past, not associated with modern day. A U.S. professor, however, has set about to reaffirm its meaning, create awareness, and combat the slave trade.David Batstone, a professor at the University of San Francisco, with his non-profit corporation, Not for Sale, is spearheading the fight against modern-day slavery including its most common form, sex trafficki

In light of the strongest earthquake ever to hit Japan, Korea is reviewing its tsunami warning and seismic response systems.According to the Korea Meteorological Administration and other seismologists, Korea would have at most 100 crucial minutes to evacuate citizens on the eastern coast before a tsunami hits land here, should an at least magnitude-7 quake strike western Japan.Officials, however,

Seoul plans to expand the scope of its cyber security efforts and recruit more security staff following recent denial-of-service attacks on government and financial institutions.The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s u-Total Security Center will grow to include its data center in an effort to stay ahead of increasingly professional and intelligent cyber threats, officials said Tuesday.The data center

Korean university libraries’ stock of books is dismal compared to their U.S. counterparts, questioning the basic foundation of academia here, according to research released Tuesday.Korea’s largest university library falls only slightly ahead of the institute ranked 39th among North American universities. A 2010 study by the Korea Education & Research Information Service placed Seoul National Unive

The police said Monday they will determine whether to reopen the investigation into the case of a rookie actress who committed suicide after confirming the authenticity of her posthumous letters disclosed by broadcaster SBS on Sunday.According to the more than 50 diary-like letters allegedly written by Jang Ja-yeon, she had been forced to attend drinking parties and offer sexual favors to 31 indiv

Filipino woman abused by Korean husband finds new hope“I felt like I was singing for my one moment in time,” said Marinel Cuid.For the Filipino native, winning a national talent show here signaled a fresh start for her and her children, away from her abusive Korean husband.“I cried all night (after winning the talent show) because I couldn’t believe it,” said Cuid.The 35-year-old single mother of

Google’s high-flying Street View service is in violation of Internet privacy laws here, police said Thursday. According to the Cyber Terror Response Center, the National Police Agency’s Internet crime unit, the conglomerate’s Street View mapping service had gathered sensitive private information from unencrypted wireless networks during the filming process.“We succeeded in breaking the encryption

Han River rescuers are to receive a new high-speed, uncapsizable boat following a recent accident that claimed the lives of two of their colleagues.Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters said Wednesday that it planned to deploy the 12-meter rescue boat at a water rescue department in Yeongdeungpo.The boat has a top speed of 50 knots, faster than any of the current response craft, enabli

A 24-hour call center will be set up to help North Korean defectors deal with problems while resettling in the South, according to the Unification Ministry on Tuesday.The North Korean Refugees Foundation plans to support the call center by organizing a network of social assistance with resettlement officers, counselors and additional volunteers. They also plan to build a nationwide network of supp

A reward is being offered for information on a Japanese woman who went missing here over a year ago, a marriage consulting firm said Monday. Eriko Tanahashi, a devoted fan of “hallyu,” or the Korean Wave, star Ryu Si-won, was last seen in January 2010 after planning to visit a filming location of her favorite drama, “Winter Sonata.”The firm, Sunoo, is offering 10 million won ($8,860) for informati

They all have to study English, but students have a hard time linking what they learn in school with what society expects from them.The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, seeking to recognize the efforts of teachers, has comprised a list of the top schools across the country with creative English programs to address this problem.At Haeseong International Convention High School in Seoul