88 Percent Cut Back
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced that teacher hiring will be cut by 88 percent because of the steadily decreasing number of students and retiring teachers.
The announcement met with heavy criticism from the prospective graduates with teaching degrees whose chances of teaching are now suddenly at stake.
In response, hundreds of education college students in Seoul staged protests against the government plan, calling it too inconsiderate of the large number of students currently learning how to teach.
Free Entrance
In total of 41 national universities, including Seoul National University, decided not to demand an entrance fee from freshmen, to relieve the financial strains of the households.
A Just Korea
In July, South Korean President Moon Jae-in revealed his administration’s five-year road map, taking the first step to establishing a “government ruled by the people.” The plan consists of 20 strategies and 100 tasks encompassing all major aspects of the country.
Following a string of political scandals, his presidency is currently of great interest nationwide. During his campaign and afterwards, Moon had pledged to restore the nation’s lost values of democracy and justice.
Organic in Disguise
On Aug. 14, a potentially harmful insecticide named ‘fipronil’ was detected on some eggs at a farm in the city of Namyangju, confirmed the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Afterwards, the ministry underwent a nationwide inspection of farms and found out that the government-approved “organic” farms were no exception in selling pesticide-contaminated eggs, enraging the public over their deceitful sales and the government?s lax regulation.
Debut at 90
At age 90, former comfort woman Gil Won-wok made her debut as a singer by releasing an album containing 15 songs. Entitled “Gil Won-wok?s Peace,” the album was made public on Aug. 14, the eve of the 72nd Liberation Day, which celebrates Korea's independence from Japan's colonial rule.
7 out of 10
According to a survey conducted by Albamon, a Korean portal site recruiting part-time jobs, 67.2 percent of college students study and work part-time at the same time. More than half of the surveyed students were not satisfied with their work because the demands of their work disturbed their studies too significantly.
Character Education
On July 5, university leaders from around the world assembled for The Fifth World Education Leaders Forum, and stressed the importance of ‘character education’ to equip students with the strength of deep-thinking and self-control in order to prepare them for the new era, commonly known as the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“As technology develops and information increases, the values of the people utilizing them will greatly determine the outcome,” said Kim Sang-yong, chairman of organizing committee, in his welcome speech.
“The government will prevent a war at all cost.”
Amid rising tension from the North Korea’s provocations, President Moon Jae-in said that the country will expand its diplomatic efforts to peacefully resolve the North’s military threats, assuring his people that war will not break out on the Korean Peninsula.