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This is a news blog for my Undergraduate Criminology class at Ewha University in Seoul, South Korea for Spring 2010.
-Jun So-min
ReplyDelete-Serial trouble spot: Is Hongdae safe?
-This article is not about how myth is created. However, it uncovers the wrong myth that people have toward the Hongdae area. In the article, the media, instead of creating a myth as explained in the book, actually tries to correct the inappropriate myth about the high crime rate of Hongdae area.
In the chapter, there is a part where it focuses on the myth creation by the media. The media often chooses certain news and emphasizes them through television, newspaper, etc. They especially choose crime stories that can be not as important as other stories and generalize the seriousness of crime. By writing an article questioning the safety of Hongdae, the media creates the fear among the public, which would not be the case if the media does not exaggerate.
This article, in contrast, does the exact opposite of creating and shaping the myth. The myth is already created in some parts of the area due to misunderstandings or wrongful word of mouth among the public. And the media is actually trying to provide backup evidence that these myths are exaggerated or misinformed.
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However if rumors are to be believed, punters who want to live through the night might contemplate skipping out on Cargo - and Saab`s decent but run-of-the-mill hip-hop party - and wait until tomorrow to spend 30 g`s on DJ Heather at Apgujeong`s Mars Bar (not edible).
Since Club Day grabbed a rib out of the world dance scene`s breast and remade itself in its image - obviously that`s a bit of a stretch - little Hongdae town has been relatively peaceful. Then two years ago 10 clubs went corporate and formed Club Day, causing foreigners and GIs to spill into the area and trigger this thing called racial tension.
The accidental killing of two Korean schoolgirls under an American tank in June last year didn`t help, nor did the war in Iraq or North Korea`s state-broadcast anti-American rhetoric. And now there`s allegedly a serial killer running around, targeting female Hongik University students.
Nonetheless, a random and not at all fictitious tteokbokgi ajumma pointed out that, "the place is safer now that a drunk Bruce Dawson isn`t sleeping in trashcans at 4 a.m." Rumors, rumors, rumors. Here`s one from G-Spot Bar Manager Park Jin-ok, a guy who wears a rainbow-colored G-string to work Saturday nights. "People believe the real `Hongdae killer` is still on the loose. He`s a student who failed his entrance exam and only kills female art students," he said.
.....
Taxi driver Hong said, "Gangsters come here at 2-3 a.m. (on Saturdays), drink soju and go to the clubs to fight GIs." In 15 months, though, we haven`t seen any evidence to back up this claim.
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URL: http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=108&oid=044&aid=0000038254
-Hye sung So
ReplyDelete-Corporate crime "Cartel"
- This article deals with the problems of cartel. Companies share information
before adjusting prices, but consumer do not accept this situation seriouly. There is a myth what we made (consumer aspect). Customers do not accept the corporate crime harmly and companies use this state of mind in their financing. Many people implicitly think that corporate crime is not that serious.
Companies keep doing cartel as long as cartel investigator examinate them. In korea, people really lack of awareness of serious corporate crime. This is why more myth about corporate crime is growing.
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More than a dozen local companies in multiple industries are facing the threat of being slapped with huge fines over alleged price-fixing claims, renewing concerns over Korean firms' loose awareness of the classic corporate white-collar crime.
The country's antitrust regulator said Friday that it has found evidence that numerous consumer goods businesses are sharing information before adjusting prices.
``The cartel investigation is currently in progress and the results will be disclosed starting next month,'' said Nam Dong-il, a spokesman for the Fair Trade Commission (FTC).
He said soju manufacturers, online music file producers and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) providers are among some of the subjects being probed.
According to the competition regulator, after the country's No. 1 soju maker Jinro raised the price of its front-running drink "Chamisul" by 5.9 percent late last year, its competitors followed suit weeks later.
``The FTC has reasonable grounds to suspect that pricing data was passed between companies,'' said Nam.
The official added that online music file producers have also allegedly swapped information to plan a collective price increase. Some companies have already admitted their collusion conspiracy while the investigation is in progress, the regulator said.
The FTC's latest clampdown comes at a time when a string of consumer goods companies have already been slapped with big fines for price collusion.
Most recently, Coca Cola Korea, Chilsung, Haitai Beverage, Woongjin Food and Donga Ostuka were found guilty of breaching the fair trade law by sharing pricing information. They were collectively fined a total of 25.5 billion won.
The FTC is also soon expected to announce the results of its probe into the country's three largest cinema operators CJ, Lotte and Tongyang for stifling competition by price-fixing movie theater tickets.
``Breaking the fair trade law is a serious crime in itself, but companies should be more severely punished if their cheating is affecting everyday consumers,'' said the FTC spokesman.
Sean Hayes, a New York attorney working in Seoul, says the regulator is going in the right direction.
``In Korea, there is still a lack of awareness and regulations about price fixing,'' he told The Korea Times, adding that businesses do not seem to feel ``terribly guilty, saying that such practices have been in place for years.''
Hayes pointed out that companies must be on guard against the temptations of price fixing, while the government should step up fines and penalties for such offenses in line with global standards.
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http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/08/123_50522.html
Name: Mai Cha Vang
ReplyDeleteTitle: "Sex Crimes Up For Tougher Penalty"
Commentary:
What do you do to ensure that bad guys stay away? You put them in prison longer. Of course, that would be the most easy and convenient way to think. Unfortunately, keeping "these bad guys" behind the bar for a long time does not prevent "other bad guys" from popping up and causing troubles. The contents of this article deals with what kind of efforts the country of Korea puts into punishing sexual offenders. In response, I would like to borrow the words of Rep. Shin Nak-gyun of the Democratic Party, “The law is too generous and lax for sex offenders... Toughening the punishment is necessary." Toughening the punishment here means being in prisoner longer. Whether or not this method is successful is not considered at all.
The relationship between politics, media, and the criminal justice system is always a bit tricky to discern. The myth that incarceration will solve all problems is persistently very strong in Korea. Political figureheads claim the solution to punish sex offenders is to increase longer years behind the bars. Policy makers themselves perpetuated such myth (whether or not they're doing it intentionally) when they propose such bill to tough the punishment of rapists. In the context of this article, if the bill to tough the punishment of rapists is endorsed, the perpetrator of the rape crime would not be allowed reduced sentences of years in prison. Media outlets, in supporting the cause, become a player in this myth- perpetuation cycle. The criminal justice system also have their own interests in mind. Whatever their goal is, in the context of Korea, longer incarceration is not at the top of their priority. However the result turned out, the government, the media, and the criminal justice system are all players in the perpetuation of myth-making.
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Sex Crimes Up for Tougher Penalty
By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Korea has been soul-searching since the Supreme Court last month upheld a lower-than-expected jail term handed down to a middle-aged sexual predator found guilty of raping a nine-year-old girl who suffered permanent physical and mental damage.
Legislators are making bipartisan efforts to establish tougher punishment for such criminals, as media outlets churn out reports supporting the efforts. President Lee Myung-bak also regretted the ruling, saying “The accused deserves to get a life sentence.”
Earlier this month, a group of lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) proposed a bill to toughen the punishment of rapists.
If the bill is endorsed, courts would not be allowed to reduce the punishment of sex offenders because they were drunk at the time of the crime and thus unable to make sound judgment. It also aims at removing the statute of limitations on rape cases. At present, it ranges from one to 25 years depending on the seriousness of the crime.
Rep. Shin Nak-gyun of the DP said, “The law is too generous and lax for sex offenders, especially against minors. Toughening the punishment is necessary.”
Similarly, Rep. Ahn Sang-soo, floor leader of the ruling Grand National Party, urged party members to team up to revise the law.
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http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/05/113_53550.html
Go-Eun Kim
ReplyDelete“The Brazen-Faced Rapist”
This article states a commentary that although the Korean government is working to strengthen the judiciary for stronger charges against criminals, it is not that effective. In order to change or make reforms, the government says they need to overhaul the whole judicial system. People are advocating legal reform in the system however it is not an easy thing to open up a nation’s system that has been built up through many years of precedent. For this reason, criminals who do not have the same mentality as normal people and who do not know that they will regret what they do at that moment, will not have enough willpower to restrain themselves from committing crime. Hence more and more criminals will commit crime without redemption and the court will not be able to do anything about it.
There was a serious incident yesterday in the case of a child rape by an ex-convict. The child is being named the 2nd Nayoung because the case reminds us of the tragic rape case which happened last year. The criminal was only faced to 12 years imprisonment which outraged the people opening up petitions. The case of yesterday happened in the school which shows that lack of protection in and around school areas. The child had to go under 5 hours of surgery but this case is not being well shown on the media due to the Naru spaceship. We need to be more active even when there isn’t media disclosure or a heated particular case. We need to remember all the time that something like this can happen and that we need to make judicial reform even if it takes time and money.
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The 57-year-old brazen-faced criminal, identified as Cho, has received only a 12-year prison term. How could the court become so lenient with a perpetrator who has repeatedly denied his criminal act despite strong evidence presented against him by investigators? The prosecution demanded life imprisonment for him at the trial. But judges handed down a lighter sentence, taking into account the fact that he committed the crime under the influence of alcohol.
Public anger is exploding over the softer-than-expected punishment. More than 400,000 Internet users have signed a petition through the online portal site Daum, calling for a retrial, the imposition of capital punishment against Cho, and compensation for the victim and her family. Even President Lee Myung-bak expressed regret over the ruling in the case during a weekly Cabinet meeting.
The government, law enforcement authorities and the court have to overhaul the whole justice system in order to get tougher with criminals like Cho, who has shown no sign of repentance over his act. The authorities have long been engrossed in cracking down on anti-government demonstration, while neglecting soaring crimes against children and women. It is imperative to mobilize all possible means to fight against grave crimes to make the nation a safe place to live. It is also necessary to strengthen surveillance on habitual offenders and toughen the sentencing guidelines on major crimes such as murder, kidnapping and sexual violence.
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http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2009/10/137_52820.html
- Sejin Jung
ReplyDelete- Tougher laws for seeking paid sex with minors
This article is about reinforcing the law on sexual protection for minors and children. It is especially about paid sex. According to this article, big portion of (more than 90% percent) paid sex emerged through internet cyber space like chatting site. This is linked with the statement that the popularity of the Internet has made it a prime location for constructing crime myth. The cyberspace contains dark corners and back alleys that lurk just behind our computer screen. It is dangerous for vulnerable children and minors. Cyber crime is real and that it poses a grave threat to the public. Also the construction of cyber crime is quite similar to the construction of the panics of crime in physical world.
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Those who try to lure minors into paid sex either over the Internet or offline will be punished starting next year, according to the Health Ministry on Sunday.
Under a revised law on sexual protection for children and minors, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2010, people merely enticing those in that age group into paid sex will be subject to prison terms of up to one year or 10 million won ($8,500) in fines.
Payment can be defined in a number of ways, from cash to presents such as a place to live.
“We found that more than 90 percent of purchased sex [with minors] took place via Internet chatting or on cyber dating sites. We expect the number of related cases to be greatly reduced following the measure,” said a Health Ministry spokesman.
The ministry is considering punitive actions for those who make false reports.
To make it easier to report potential criminals, the ministry will develop and distribute computer software called “Youth Keeper.” The software will be downloaded from the Web sites of not only the Health Ministry but also the education and gender ministries and the National Police Agency.
Users launch the youth protection program and click the “report” icon to report potential crimes.
A screen shot is saved as an image file that can become evidence.
Final reporting is made to the National Police Agency after the user types his or her name and date of birth.
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http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2914585
Eun Bin Suk
ReplyDelete"Online Shopping Remains an Ordeal in Korea"
Korea has one of the most Internet users in the world. The Internet is another world where interactions such as buying and selling and communications occur. It is not free of crime; there is a crime fighter dealing specifically with cyber crimes. Crimes such as hacking occur frequently. Since online banking and shopping sites are vulnerable to hacking, they try to increase the security by creating a tight system of registration and payment processes. This article gives a viewpoint on this process as “tedious.” Tightening up the process does not mean it is more secure; rather, in Korea, the article says this process came about because of intense competition between online businesses vying for more customers. And the Korean businesses are not spending as much on online security than other countries such as the US.
Due to increase in the use of the Internet’s financial transactions, now especially since we have “smartphones” with Internet access, cyber security is an area of study that is becoming more important. The cyber world is the same as the physical with the criminal, victim, and the crime fighter involved. The government and the media’s worry over cyber hacking is prevalent; the government announced last year to warn of increase cyber hacking through Twitter and Facebook. Financial transactions through smartphones have arisen as a problem, needing a better security system. Korea needs to find ways to secure the online system without customers and netizens feeling the process as tedious and ineffective.
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It takes tremendous patience and computer skills for foreigners to purchase products on Korean Internet shopping sites. First of all, accessing one of those sites triggers an avalanche of pop-up messages seeking permission to install an array of security-related programs, from keyboard hacking defenses to network firewalls. Without allowing those programs to be remotely installed, it is impossible to move on to the next stage. Then comes the tedious process of registration, which requires verification by submitting a resident registration number, home address and answers to questions such as customers' wedding anniversary.
And once registration is completed and the actual purchase is about to be made, there is a digital certification process for financial transactions. "To tell you the truth, the process requires a lot of patience even for Koreans," said one IT specialist. "Even if a foreigner can read Korean well, it will probably be close to impossible for them to buy products this way."
◆ Regulations and Membership Quotas
Korea's Internet commerce grew explosively after 2000. The market is currently scaled at W12 trillion (US$1=W1,125). But regulations have been unable to keep up with the rapid growth. A key example is the so-called real-name verification system for financial transactions on the Web, which was recently abolished.
The measure, created in 2002, was designed to prevent online scams using stolen identities and keep a log of the resident registration numbers of customers for tax purposes. Resident registration numbers were the easiest way to sort various records of transactions.
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http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/01/19/2010011900379.html