Most Popular
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Marine Corps commander summoned by CIO for questioning on alleged influence-peddling case
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Debate rages over ‘overly fatty’ samgyeopsal
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[Weekender] Korean psyche untangled: Musok
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40 flights canceled on Jeju Island due to bad weather
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[Eye Interview] 'If you live to 100, you might as well be happy,' says 88-year-old bestselling essayist
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N. Korea slams US, other countries for seeking alternative to UN sanctions monitoring panel
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From fake prostitution ring to nonexistent robber, prank calls hamper police
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Pandemic left Korea more depressed than before: report
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Missing S. Korean traveler in Paris found safe after 2 weeks
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Defense chiefs of US, Australia, Japan decry NK-Russia military cooperation
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Ruling party leaders resign after election defeat
The ruling Grand National Party leaders offered to resign en masse Thursday after a setback in Wednesday’s local by-elections. The party said it will form an emergency leadership panel next week.“We are fully responsible for the defeat,” GNP chief Ahn Sang-soo said during a meeting of its supreme council.“All the leaders will step down and the party will establish an emergency committee next week.
PoliticsApril 28, 2011
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Opposition wins key elections
Winners of the by-elections (from left): Sohn Hak-kyu, Choi Moon-soon and Kim Tae-ho. (Yonhap News)Sohn Hak-kyu, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, paved his way to the presidential race next year by beating his ruling party rival in the Bundang-B constituency in Wednesday’s by-elections.The ballot count started soon after the polls closed at 8 p.m. but Sohn’s lead over Kang Jae-sup,
PoliticsApril 28, 2011
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Opposition prospects brighten for 2012 elections
Floor leader Park Jie-won (left front) and members of the main opposition Democratic Party cheer late on Wednesday as candidate Sohn Hak-kyu takes a lead in the by-election vote in Bundang. Yang Dong-chul/The Korea HeraldThe opposition seems to have made important progress in preparations for next year’s general and presidential elections as its candidates marked a better-than-expected performance
PoliticsApril 28, 2011
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Ruling party suffers crushing defeat in by-elections
South Korea's ruling party suffered a humiliating defeat in Wednesday's by-elections, heralding a political upheaval ahead of next year's presidential polls. In the most closely-watched contest, Sohn Hak-kyu, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), defeated Kang Jae-sup, former head of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP). Sohn's win bolstered his profile as a potential presid
PoliticsApril 28, 2011
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Opposition leader wins in crucial district election: exit poll
Sohn Hak-kyu, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), scored a victory in the ruling party's stronghold of Bundang, just south of Seoul, which is considered the biggest match of Wednesday's by-elections, according to an exit poll by a local TV station. Sohn's triumph, if confirmed, will boost his bid to become South Korea's next president, while dealing a blow to the Lee Myung-b
PoliticsApril 27, 2011
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Turnout up on fierce campaigns, big names: experts
High voter turnout in the by-elections was a result of all-out campaigns by the parties, which had forecast the elections would be a prelude to the general and presidential elections in 2012, experts said Wednesday. They also said the presence of political heavyweights in the races and big-name politicians extending their support for candidates got the attention of apathetic voters.According to th
PoliticsApril 27, 2011
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N.K. ship violates sea border
A North Korean vessel thought to be a military patrol ship violated the western inter-Korean sea border and retreated back to its waters Tuesday night after a South Korean warship fired warning shots, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday. “At 9:38 p.m. Tuesday, an unidentified North Korean ship invaded our waters and continued to 700 meters south of the Northern Limit Line (sea border). Our pa
DefenseApril 27, 2011
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Voter turnout gets by-election boost
Candidacy of big-name politicians raises electorate participation, officials sayVoters in by-election constituencies headed to nearby polling stations on Wednesday, pulling the turnout rate up to an unprecedented level and reflecting the public’s keen interest in this year’s political races.The general voting rate in 1,353 stations in 38 constituencies nationwide as of 3 p.m. was 28.2 percent, or
PoliticsApril 27, 2011
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Opposition leader wins in crucial district election: exit poll
Sohn Hak-kyu, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, scored a victory in the ruling party's stronghold of Bundang, just south of Seoul, which isconsidered the biggest match of Wednesday's by-elections, accordingto an exit poll by a local TV station. If the forecast is correct, Sohn's triumph will boost his bidto become South Korea's next president, while dealing a blow to theLee Myu
PoliticsApril 27, 2011
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Big issues to resurface after polls
Diverse issues put on hold due to the by-elections, which are expected to shake up the nation’s political circles.The government plans to submit the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement to the National Assembly for ratification in early May after finishing translation checks, according to local news reports.The trade pact will likely cause a clash between the rival parties, which are already fiercely d
PoliticsApril 27, 2011
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Twitter is favored campaign tool
Experts voice concern over spread of false, malicious informationBy Song Sang-hoTo court voters and boost their turnout for this week’s by-elections, candidates and their election campaigners have heavily resorted to Twitter, one of the most popular online social networking services.As its influence has greatly increased with the number of smart phone users having soared to 10 million, Twitter has
PoliticsApril 27, 2011
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Olympics enthusiasts denounce Ohm
Ohm Ki-young, ruling Grand National Party’s candidate for Gangwon Governor at the by-election, was cornered by a group of the area’s residents for taking advantage of their “pure-hearted” work in his illegal election campaign. Ohm is accused by his competitor, Choi Moon-soon of the main opposition Democratic Party, of having established an unregistered call center in a suburban area to induce vote
Social AffairsApril 27, 2011
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White House urges Congress to ratify Korea free trade pact
WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― The Obama administration Tuesday urged Congress to quickly approve a free trade deal with South Korea despite demands that the deal be deliberated along with similar pacts with Panama and Colombia.“We believe that Congress needs to move on these because they are job creators here in America,” White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters.U.S. President Barack Obama has
Foreign AffairsApril 27, 2011
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Lee discusses FTA with visiting U.S. secretary
President Lee Myung-bak on Wednesday discussed with visiting U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke how to get the pending Korea-U.S. free trade deal approved by the parliaments of both countries.The bilateral free trade agreement, first signed in 2007 and supplemented last December, is yet to be ratified by the National Assembly and the U.S. Congress.Lee’s meeting with Locke Wednesday came a week
PoliticsApril 27, 2011
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Resumption of N.K. peace talks imminent: analysts
Experts say China moving from stance that inter-Korean talks should precede multilateral discussionNegotiations among regional powers over denuclearizing North Korea are likely to reopen at an early date, analysts and officials in Seoul said Wednesday, as a flurry of diplomatic events have been taking place on the divided peninsula this week.As part of regional efforts to bring the reclusive Pyong
Foreign AffairsApril 27, 2011
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Political big picture hangs on by-election results
The futures of the ruling and opposition parties may hinge on the results of Wednesday’s by-elections, considered a preview of next year’s general and presidential races.The by-elections are relatively minor in size, involving the replacement of three lawmakers, one provincial governor and 34 municipal or district officials. Voters cast ballots Wednesday in 38 constituencies nationwide. (From left
PoliticsApril 27, 2011
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The importance of clean energy and energy access
The following article was contributed by Han Dong-man, deputy director general of international economic affairs bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He recently attended international meetings on clean energy in Abu Dhabi and Paris. -- Ed. Han Dong-manWith the impending exhaustion of fossil fuels and the threat posed by climate change, mankind is faced with an urgent call for a pa
Foreign AffairsApril 27, 2011
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S. Korea, U.S. agree to exchange liaison diplomats to enhance understanding: State Dept.
South Korea and the United States have signed a memorandum of understanding for the exchange of diplomats so the allies can better understand each other's policy-making procedures, the State Department said Tuesday.The memo, signed by South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Jae-shin and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns, calls for the State Department to send a liaison
Foreign AffairsApril 27, 2011
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Voting begins in S. Korea for by-elections
Polls opened Wednesday for small yet significant parliamentary and local by-elections seen as a test for the rival parties and some of the potential presidential candidates before South Korea elects a new parliament and a new president next year.Three parliamentary seats and one gubernatorial post are on offer in the elections, with the other 34 races vying for small local government heads and cou
PoliticsApril 27, 2011
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China, S. Korea together on how to resume 6-way talks: official
Carter arrives in Pyongyang for possible talks with N.K. leaderChina and South Korea have managed to bridge their once divided views over how to revive the stalled peace dialogue with North Korea, a process that should begin with an earnest dialogue between the two Koreas, a senior official here said Tuesday. Chief nuclear envoys of the two neighboring countries held talks in Seoul Tuesday -- the
Foreign AffairsApril 26, 2011