Hyejin Kim

Latest posts by Hyejin Kim

Korea: Serial Killer and His Human Rights

  1 February 2009

A man who had an ordinary life and a good reputation in his town found to have killed 7 women over 2 years. He is a father who has two teenage sons. His targets were random. From women who worked at karaoke clubs, to middle-aged women who went back home...

Korea: Death of 5 Evictees in the middle of Seoul

  29 January 2009

On the 20th of January, residents who were told to be evicted to make way for a new development by February in Yongsan, which is the middle of Seoul, opposed the decision and five people were burnt to death as a result of police action. One policeman died at that...

Korea: Marital Rape and Suicide

  24 January 2009

A man who was convicted for the first time in Korea of marital rape in January of 2009 committed suicide.[EN] The judgement stood for his wife who is from the Philippines and the humiliation led him to suicide. His case brings several issues to netizens — countryside men, multi-cultural families,...

Korea: Worse and Worse – North Korea and South Korea

  21 January 2009

North Korea announced that South Korea’s attitude might cause confrontation between them and suggested a possible conflict [EN]. It leads to anxieties and concern in South Korea. Since the Sunshine Policy started, relations have seemed better and the two Koreas even started economic cooperation. The other direction of the new...

Korea: Minerva Arrested

  13 January 2009

Netizen Legend, Minerva, [GV Nov. 30, 2008] has finally been arrested. And his identify was exposed. There have been many rumors that he would be an economic expert, stock expert, or high-positioned man who works internationally. In contrast to all those assumption, he is now known to be an unemployed...

Korea: Marriage is reality

  9 January 2009

In order to avoid political issues for once, I found an interesting post and comments from other netizens. It’s about Love, Marriage, and Reality. What do you think? “결혼은 현실이다”라고 말하는 여자.. 몇달 전에 선을 봐서 조건이 좋은 여자 만났습니다. 외모도 이쁘고.. 학벌도 좋고.. 직업도 괜찮고.. 무남독녀 외동딸에.. 집안에 재산도...

Korea: New Year Episode on the Internet and public channels

  6 January 2009

Waiting for New Year excites people everywhere. People gather together in a place and welcome the New Year. In Korea, every year people gather together around Bosingak Bell Tower and bring in the New Year. But this year seems to start with chaos. Citizens have put the public channel in...

Korea: Raising New Candles against ‘7 Evil Laws.’

  30 December 2008

While welcoming 2009, Korea has another series of candlelight vigils against the government. The major political party, the Grand National Party, and the government presented new and revised bills. Among citizens, it is called the ‘7 Evil Laws [KR].‘ They are about national security laws, communications track regulations (to make...

Korea: Teachers who have been fired

  23 December 2008

Recently, some Korean teachers were fired because they were opposed to a new test that the government initiated, Ilje Gosa (one-type test, a nationwide scholastic achievement assessment). It is a test that all students take with the same questions and the same date, so that students can be compared across...

Korea: Teenage Rape and Parents’ Responsibility

  20 December 2008

A teenager who has suffered from attention deficit disorder raped a seven year old girl. Having a previous record, the 18 year old was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the court. An interesting decision that the court made this time was to make his parents responsible for not...

Korea as a Multi-Ethnic Country

  11 December 2008

A daily newspaper, Hankyoreh, which is categorized as a progressive newspaper (or sometimes left-wing) introduced a series of articles, ‘Multi-Culturalism is Our Future.’ [KR] Korea, where one culture and one ethnic group are emphasized, currently has a population with only 2 percent foreign residents –1 million population. The newspaper article...

Korea: Train Connecting North and South Stopped.

  7 December 2008

The train service that connects North Korea and South Korea was suspended on the 28th of November. [En] When the train that stopped more than 50 years started operating after the North and South Korean summit last year, people were excited and expected closer relations. Due to the increase in...

Korea: The Birth of Internet Netizen Legend

  30 November 2008

A new Hong Gil Dong [EN] emerged on the Internet of Korea! A netizen who is just known as “Minerva” started writing his economic analysis in Agora—a Netizens’ panel— in a major portal site, Daum from 2007. He predicted the collapse of Leman Brothers, sudden jump in the foreign exchange...

Korea: An Actress, Her Good Deed, and Her Family History.

  26 November 2008

A popular young actress who is called the ‘national sister’ due to her naivete, humble attitude, and good acting, Moon Geun-young is famous for making donations to society. She usually hides her good deeds from public view. This month a welfare organization, exposed that she donated 850 million won (1...

Another Separation between North Korea and South Korea

  18 November 2008

North Korea has announced that it will close the land border and cut non-military phone links with South Korea [BBC News]. Relations between North Korea and South Korea have been cooling down rapidly since the new government in South Korea and South Koreans are disconcerted by this sudden announcement.

Korea: Why are you still single?

  16 November 2008

Autumn… fallen leaves and colorful trees, and a romantic season. Autumn is regarded as a season when you feel lonely, you feel a good appetite, and feel a strong reading desire. And winter is coming. Cold season and white snow. This is the moment that people strongly feel lonely if...

Korea: Adultery and Constitution

  10 November 2008

A big scandal [En] involving two entertainers’ marriage life, affairs, and legal fighting in Korea this year has brought up whether adultery should be legal or not. An actress was disclosed to have had affairs with other men and she taken to court by her husband and actor for adultery....

Korea: Obama and Korea

  8 November 2008

A blogger’s post Why am I supporting Obama even though it might be against national interests has been popular in portal sites. I introduce why he is supporting Obama and why he thinks that his victory will be against national interests in Korea, but why he observes optimistically. 국익에 반하여...

Korea: Spreading propaganda leaflets to North Korea

  2 November 2008

South Korean civil rights groups have infuriated North Korea by releasing “bbira” propaganda leaflets into the country by sea and by air. Activists have recently sent the leaflets using fishing boats and advertisement balloons. The leaflets contain information ranging from Kim Jong Il’s sickness, to his private life, and to calling on North Koreans to topple him.

Korea: Rise of ‘No Reason for Murder’

  29 October 2008

A South Korean man who was not satisfied with himself and society attacked a gosiwon and killed six people in an arson attack and knife in the middle of Seoul.[En] His hatred against this society, mistreatment since childhood and long term odd-jobs, led him to kill innocent people who stayed...

Hyejin Kim's space

Hyejin Kim enjoys hiking, learning about new places, and pondering the world. In her free time, she writes about interesting things she has encountered through work, school, and life.