South Korea

South Korea: Government Takes Harder Line on Protesters

Date: July 10th, 2008 |

For more than two months Koreans have been protesting the resumption of U.S. beef imports in largely peaceful demonstrations in Seoul, but in late June the rallies became increasingly unruly, prompting authorities to state on June 29 that they would crack down on violent protesters. They began using water cannons and fire extinguishers to block [read more]

South Korea

Date: November 11th, 2003 |

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A strike by 90,000 union workers turned violent in Seoul Nov. 6 when riot police broke up a march. The protest became a battle between police with shields and protesters with long wooden sticks, and dozens of people were injured. The incidents followed an earlier demonstration in which 10,000 pe0ple shut down a main boulevard. [read more]

South Korea

Date: December 17th, 2002 |

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Fifty thousand people took to the streets of Seoul Dec. 14 to protest the acquittal by a U.S. military court of two U.S. servicemen who killed two teenage Koreans in a road accident in June. Riot police kept the crowd away from the U.S. Embassy. Protesters were demanding that the U.S. revise the agreement that [read more]

South Korea

Date: February 12th, 2002 |

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Anti-American demonstrations are likely to greet President Bush when he visits Seoul Feb. 19. Protests already occurred Feb. 7 when civic leaders rallied against his branding of North Korea as a terrorist state because his comments, they said, increased tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Travelers should avoid the U.S. Embassy that day and areas where [read more]

South Korea

Date: October 2nd, 2001 |

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The U.S. Government has unconfirmed reports that U.S. military facilities and/or establishments frequented by U.S. military personnel in South Korea and Japan may be the targets of terrorist attacks. Travelers should consider avoiding such facilities or estab [read more]

Pacific Rim: Taiwan Earthquake Damages Undersea Cables

Date: January 3rd, 2007 |

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A 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck near Taiwan Dec. 26 and damaged undersea telecommunications cables, affecting internet, banking and telephone services around the Pacific Rim. Much of the service has been restored but repairs to the cables are expected to take as long as a month. Internet access may be slow or unavailable in so [read more]

South Korea

Date: July 1st, 2003 |

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A strike by 22,000 railroad workers shut down two-thirds of the country�’s passenger railway network and almost 90 percent of its freight service over the weekend and was poised to continue, as parliament passed a bill designed to set the stage for privatization of the rail system. That move prompted Korea�’s two largest labor unions, [read more]

South Korea

Date: September 3rd, 2002 |

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The deadliest typhoon since 1959 swept through eastern and southern South Korea over the weekend killing at least 113 people. Roads, railway sections and bridges were washed out and thousands of homes were flooded. Gangwon province was hardest hit. Power has been restored but road repairs are likely to t [read more]

South Korea

Date: January 29th, 2002 |

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A series of strikes by Seoul metropolitan subway workers is set to begin Feb. 4 and is likely to create transit havoc throughout the city. Among other issues the union is protesting the cancellation of a wage increase and corporate restructuring. The strikes will take place Feb. 4-5, Feb. 15-20, Feb. 27-March 4, and March [read more]

South Korea

Date: July 31st, 2001 |

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Consider changing your plans if you are booked into the Lotte Hotel, one of Seoul’s finest, in the next couple of weeks. Hotel employees began a strike June 9 and 2,000 riot police stormed the hotel June 29 to break up the sit-in. Dozens of protesters were hurt, windows were smashed and the elevators were [read more]