Latest news with #ShinYoung-sook
Korea Herald
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Six EMK musicals coming to Disney+ next month
Some of Korea's most iconic homegrown musicals by EMK Musical Company are heading to streaming for the first time. The leading South Korean producer of original and licensed musical productions announced Monday that six of its biggest titles — 'Elisabeth,' 'Phantom,' 'Monte Cristo,' 'The Man Who Laughs,' 'Xcalibur' and 'Marie Antoinette ' — will be released on Disney+ this August. With this release, EMK hopes to offer longtime fans a chance to relive the experience while also introducing first-time watchers to the emotional depths of the genre, according to the company's statement. Launching the rollout on Aug. 6 are 'Elisabeth: The Musical Live' and 'Phantom: The Musical Live.' The Korean edition of 'Elisabeth," which traces the tragic life of Austria's iconic empress, premiered in 2012. The live recording of the production's 10th anniversary performance featuring Ock Joo-hyun and Lee Ji-hoon was released in cinemas last year. 'Phantom,' based on Gaston Leroux's 'The Phantom of the Opera,' was captured in 2021 with cinematic close-ups and immersive sound. The production stars KyuHyun, Shin Young-sook and ballerina Kim Joo-won. On Aug. 13, 'Monte Cristo' and 'The Man Who Laughs' arrive. Filmed in 8K with 14 cinematic cameras, 'Monte Cristo' showcases actors such as Kai and Lina in a dynamic, onstage perspective. 'The Man Who Laughs' was recorded in 2018, when the musical adaption of Victor Hugo's novel was premiered. In 2019, the 143-minute director's edition, featuring Park Kang-hyun, Shin Young-sook and Yang Joon-mo, was released in Korean cinemas. 'Xcalibur,' a retelling of the Arthurian legend, and 'Marie Antoinette,' which contrasts the ill-fated queen's life with that of the fictional revolutionary Marguerite Arnaud, roll out on Aug. 20. "We want to offer audience members who had attended the performances a chance to relive the emotions they felt at the time, while providing those who were unable to visit the theater in person an opportunity to newly experience the essence of the musical through high-definition video and immersive sound," the company said.
Korea Herald
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Korea to advance child support, collect from non-paying parents later
Eligible single-parent households to receive 200,000 won monthly per child until adulthood Starting July 1, South Korea will introduce a system in which the government pays child support in advance to custodial parents when non-custodial parents fail to fulfill their financial obligations. The new 'advance payment' scheme, led by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Child Support Agency, aims to ensure stable care environments for children from single-parent households. The initiative is based on recent amendments to the Act on Enforcing and Supporting Child Support Payment, enacted in October 2024 and coming into force this month. Under the new policy, the government will directly provide up to 200,000 won per month per child until the child reaches adulthood, with the condition that the amount does not exceed the court-mandated support. The payments will be recovered from the other parent through compulsory measures if necessary. According to the Ministry, approximately 21.3 percent of divorced or unmarried families in South Korea have a claim to child support, yet 1 in 4 eligible households do not receive any payment. In response to this widespread noncompliance, the government has ramped up enforcement in recent years, including suspending driver's licenses, imposing travel bans, and publicly naming defaulters. The advance payment system will add a new layer of accountability, the ministry said. By stepping in financially and treating unpaid child support as a public debt, the state repositions child-rearing as a shared societal duty rather than a private dispute. 'We will do everything we can to make the application process seamless and accessible so that single-parent families can receive support without unnecessary hardship,' said Jeon Ji-hyun, director of the Child Support Agency. Eligibility for the advance payment is limited to households with a recognized child support claim where the non-custodial parent has failed to make any payment for at least three consecutive months prior to the application. In addition, the household must fall under 150 percent of the national median income level, determined based on national health insurance contributions. If all requirements are met, the custodial parent will begin receiving payments on the 25th of each month. Vice Minister of Gender Equality and Family Shin Young-sook emphasized the significance of the program, stating, 'This system ensures a basic level of financial support for children who have been left without the care they are entitled to." Once payments are made, the government will pursue recovery from the delinquent parent. If they fail to respond to payment requests, the state may access financial and property information without the debtor's consent, including bank accounts and income records. The debt will be collected through tax enforcement mechanisms, with collection actions scheduled at least every six months. Notably, the advance payment will be suspended if the non-custodial parent voluntarily pays an amount equal to or greater than the monthly state subsidy. Payments may also stop if the custodial household becomes ineligible or refuses to cooperate with required investigations. Eligible custodial parents can submit applications through the Child Support Agency's website or via mail. Upon approval, monthly payments will begin by the 25th of the following month.
Scoop
04-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Accelerating Women's Economic Participation For Sustainable Growth
Issued by the APEC Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy Jeju, Republic of Korea, 4 May 2025 APEC economies are accelerating collective action on long-standing structural barriers limiting women's economic participation, ranging from inadequate care infrastructure and underrepresentation in global value chains to gender-based violence and unequal access to innovation. Under the theme ' Women's Economic Participation for Sustainable Growth,' the first meeting of the APEC Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy (PPWE) held in Jeju, Korea, from 3 to 5 May is mobilizing policymakers, experts and stakeholders to advance targeted, cross-sector strategies that embed gender equality at the heart of economic recovery and sustainable growth in the Asia-Pacific. Opening the three-day meeting, Acting Minister of Gender Equality and Family of Korea, Shin Young-sook, underscored the importance of regional collaboration to share policies and strengthen solidarity on gender equality. 'With the goal of advancing gender equality and women's economic empowerment in the Asia Pacific region, APEC member economies established this meeting as a platform to share concrete policies and laid a foundation for stronger solidarity,' said Acting Minister Shin. Recognizing the forum's continued efforts over the decades, Acting Minister Shin highlighted landmark frameworks including the Framework for the Integration of Women in APEC (1999), the La Serena Roadmap for Women and Inclusive Growth (2019) and the Putrajaya Vision 2040. 'These milestones have highlighted the importance of increasing women's participation in the labor market, strengthening women's leadership and women's empowerment and collecting sex-disaggregated data.' 'APEC has also contributed to promoting women's economic empowerment through women's active participation in trade and investment, the digital economy and sustainable growth,' Acting Minister Shin added. In line with Korea's APEC 2025 priorities of 'Connect, Innovate, Prosper', Acting Minister Shin outlined three areas of gender-responsive action. 'Under Connect, we aim to strengthen the global response to keep our society safe from gender-based violence,' she said. 'Through Innovate, we are focused on advancing women's empowerment and economic participation in the digital and AI sectors. And under Prosper, we seek to rebuild care systems in response to demographic shifts, laying the foundation for a more sustainable future.' In her opening remarks at the meeting, Anita Peña, the Chair of the PPWE acknowledged the group's continued role in policy exchange and collaboration. 'Approximately 26 meetings have been held providing a robust platform for economies to exchange perspectives and collaboratively strengthen policies aimed at advancing women's economic empowerment,' she said. Peña highlighted key focus areas of the 2025 meeting, including global value chain resilience, the care economy, resilient economies and women's roles in science, health and environmental resilience. She emphasized that these focus areas draw on PPWE's deep expertise across the Asia-Pacific and benefit from strong leadership within various APEC fora. 'By fostering cross-fora collaboration through PPWE dialogues, we not only strengthen synergies across APEC, but also highlight the central role of women's economic empowerment in shaping inclusive and resilient policy outcomes across the region,' Peña added A policy discussion on women's participation in global value chains explored inclusive strategies for strengthening women's leadership and access across supply networks. Persistent gender gaps in access to trade finance, digital skills and leadership pathways continue to limit the economic potential of women-owned businesses. Cross-sector partnerships, inclusive trade policy design and stronger support mechanisms were emphasized as key enablers to boost women's meaningful integration into global supply chains. A second policy session explored how preventing violence against women and girls is fundamental to enabling inclusive, sustainable economic growth, especially in the digital age. Delegates examined the growing prevalence and complexity of both offline and online gender-based violence across the region The discussion called for stronger legislation, improved data and digital safety systems, and intersectional support for vulnerable groups as essential components of a gender-inclusive policy framework. 'I sincerely hope that this meeting provides APEC members with an opportunity to explore strategies for effectively addressing the global women's economic agenda and to engage in meaningful discussion that strengthen cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region,' concluded Acting Minister Shin.
