Global Breaking News - Monday, December 23, 2024
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[Misc] (HL-20200216~20200222) Weekly Headlines Review
최고관리자 | 20-02-18 21:45
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(1) Foreign population in Korea tops 2.5 million
The number of foreigners staying in South Korea increased nearly 7 percent last year, topping 2.5 million for the first time, government data showed Monday. According to data released by the Ministry of Justice, 2,524,656 foreigners were residing in the country as of the end of 2019, marking a rise of 6.6 percent from a year earlier and a 3.7 percent on-month increase. The nation's foreign population exceeded 1 million in August 2007 and 2 million in June 2016. The foreign population of over 2.5 million accounts for 4.9 percent of the nation's total population, which was 51.64 million as of 2018. The academic world usually classifies a nation as a multicultural society, if its percentage of foreigners is in excess of 5 percent. By the criteria, South Korea now appears to be on the threshold of becoming a multicultural society. The ministry noted 68.6 percent, or 1,731,803, of the foreign residents are long-term stayers registered with authorities, with the remaining 31.4 percent short-term stayers.
(2) Are plastic containers safe for our food? Experts say it’s hard to know
The plastics industry says its containers are safe but some experts advise consumers to avoid heating them and advocate using glass or metal instead. Many of us have an overflowing kitchen cupboard of plastic containers to store our leftovers. But as awareness grows over the health and environmental pitfalls of plastic, some consumers may be wondering: is it time to ditch that stash of old deli containers? Only 9% of all the plastic waste ever created has been recycled. From its contributions to global heating and pollution, to the chemicals and microplastics that migrate into our bodies, the food chain and the environment, the true cost of this cheap material is becoming more apparent. There are thousands of compounds found in plastic products across the food chain, and relatively little is known about most of them. But what we do know of some chemicals contained in plastic is concerning.
(3) Loss-hit Doosan Heavy to carry out voluntary retirement program
Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co., the world's leading desalination plant builder, said Tuesday that it plans to carry out a voluntary retirement program in the latest move to cut costs. Doosan Heavy said its employees age 45 and above are eligible for the retirement program. Currently, the number of eligible employees is about 2,600 out of its total of 7,600 employees, according to the company. Doosan Heavy said it remains unclear how many of its eligible employees will opt to leave the company in the first retirement program in five years, citing the voluntary nature of the program. It did not elaborate on when the retirement program will take effect. The company has offered to pay the equivalent of up to two years' salary and college tuition for retirees' children as well as severance pay. In addition, those who have worked for the company for more than 20 years will receive another 50 million won (US$42,000). The latest retirement program comes as the company suffered net losses for the sixth consecutive year since 2014. In 2014, some 200 office workers at Doosan Heavy left the company in a retirement program.
(4) All Asiana Airlines employees to take unpaid leave amid virus crisis
Asiana Airlines Inc., South Korea's second-biggest airline, on Tuesday said all of its employees will take unpaid leave as air travel demand has plummeted due to the spreading coronavirus outbreak. Some of about 10,500 employees are set to take 10 days of unpaid leave starting Wednesday. Others will join the cost-cutting measure later in a way that does not affect flights. Asiana had 4,078 crew members as of Feb. 1, accounting for 39 percent of its total workforce of 10,538, according to the airline. Asiana Airlines also said it will cut wages of its CEO, executives and heads of departments by 40 percent, 30 percent and 20 percent, respectively. "We are desperately trying to come up with and implement measures to overcome a crisis of a massive operating loss this year," Asiana Chief Executive Han Chang-soo said in a statement. For 2019, Asiana's net losses widened to 672.6 billion won (US$565.3 million) from 96.2 billion won a year earlier, due mainly to a sharp decline in travel on Japanese routes. Asiana's operating losses widened to 368.2 billion won in 2019 from 35 billion won a year ago. All executives will offer to resign in a show of their commitment to overcoming difficulties sparked by the coronavirus, called COVID-19. The move comes as Asiana has temporarily halted 12 out of 26 routes to mainland China and reduced flights on 12 routes to the world's most populous country, leaving only two routes intact. Asiana is currently running 57 flights to China per week, compared with 204 before the coronavirus outbreak.
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