The government announced that they will increase the price of tobacco from January 2015. Since the announcement, there have been many arguments about the increase.proThe Ministry of Health and Welfare will increase tobacco prices by from 1,000 (40%) to 2,000 (80%) won in 2015 to promote an antismoking policy. There are two reasons why this policy has to be adopted.First, an increase in price is the most effective method to decrease the smoking rate. According to OECD research in 2010, the current Korean tobacco price is the lowest among the OECD members. In addition, the Korean male smoking ra
On September 16, the government said insulting comments about the current government in cyberspace were excessive. As a result, the prosecution and the police announced that they will monitor the Internet and mobile messenger services to stop cyber defamation and false information about the government from spreading. On September 18, the prosecution announced that they will establish an investigative team for cyber defamation, and they will prosecute people who spread false information. Now, investigative agencies can investigate and censor domestic Web sites and messenger services such as Nav
A volunteer military is a system in which people apply for the military. This system has become a subject of discussion because of a series of incidents in the military. However, there is serious debate among people about its pros and cons.proRecently, assault incidents have occurred at military bases. Therefore, debates about the military are ongoing. A volunteer military system is recruiting people who want to participate in the military without drafting people. Many other countries have adopted volunteer military systems. Although Korea has conscription now, a volunteer military system has
Telemedicine is a system in which a doctor diagnoses a patient on a screen. The government tries to introduce this system nationally, but some doctors oppose the system. Therefore, there is a debate between the government and doctors.pro Last March, the Ministry of Health and Welfare discussed permitting telemedicine with the Korean Medical Association. Telemedicine means that patients can be diagnosed by doctors through smart devices such as smart phones or computers without going to a hospital. On June 29, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced a revision of the Medical Act to permit t
Recently, there have been a lot of violent incidents in the military. Most of them are physical, mental, and sexual attacks by senior soldiers. These attacks are serious because they can cause soldiers to have depression and to die. Moreover, there have been some shooting incidents. These incidents shocked people. People have lost their trust in the military system because of these matters. They want the Ministry of National Defense to examine this violence and to punish the perpetrators. Among many violent incidents, the death of Private Yoon is the most severe one. Private Yoon was a medic w
Nowadays, the pollution of rivers is mentioned frequently on TV and in newspapers. Illegally discharged water from chemical factories generates algal blooms, which kill a great number of organisms in rivers. In addition, many plants and animals indigenous to Korea have gone extinct, and foreign species have increased dramatically. The pollution of rivers shows up in diverse ways.Pungam Reservoir in Gwangju and Yeongsan River are suffering from green tide. In 2014, the police exposed 35 dyeing and jewelry making businesses for discharging waste water. When waste water gets discharged without pu
Through a free semester system, students can actively participate in class and have job experience. However, some people are worried about implementing this system.proOn May 28, 2013, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology announced that a free semester system will be introduced in 2016. If the free semester system is implemented, students will not take an exam for one semester of six in middle school, and they will have job experience. There are a lot of benefits of the free semester system. First, the free semester system can relieve excessive competition. In the current education
On February 28, the armed forces of Russia captured local council buildings, airports, and military bases in Crimea and Sevastopol to protect Crimea’s Russian separatists. This situation is called the Crimea crisis. The Crimea crisis can be viewed as a conflict between pro-Russian and pro-European Ukrainians on the Crimean peninsula and a territorial dispute between the Ukraine and Russia in Crimea. However, it has become an international issue. The Ukraine is separated into the east which is pro-Russia and the west which is pro-EU. On November 21, 2013, the Ukrainian government announced the