Most Popular
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Russia sent more than 165,000 barrels of refined petroleum to N. Korea in March: White House
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Key suspects grilled over alleged abuse of power in Marine death inquiry
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S. Korean children, teens grow taller, mature faster than before: study
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[Graphic News] Number of coffee franchises in S. Korea rises 13%
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Some junior doctors are returning: Health Ministry
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Army takes group action against Hybe for neglecting BTS
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Marine Corps commander summoned by CIO for questioning on alleged influence-peddling case
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[Robert J. Fouser] AI changes rationale for learning languages
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Woman dangling from power lines rescued by residents holding blanket
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Ador CEO's request for exclusive right to terminate NewJeans' contract with Hybe refused in February
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Sluggish Assembly faces hurdle after normalization
The two main political parties on Tuesday named chiefs of the 18 parliamentary committees, normalizing operations 25 days into the second half of the 19th National Assembly. Of the 18 committees, 10, including those on defense and the economy, and the special committees on budget and ethics, are headed by ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers. The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy will fill eight committee chiefs’ posts including those of the legislation, welfare, and trade and indust
June 24, 2014
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[Ferry Disaster] Parliament still split on hearings schedule
Families of victims of the Sewol sinking are blocked by staff members of Daejeon District Court in Daejeon, as they try to enter the property to speak with Cho In-ho, the president of the court, about a court officer’s remark about the victims, Tuesday. (Yonhap)Parliament’s panel investigating the Sewol accident remained stalled on Tuesday, as lawmakers wrangled over the scheduling of hearings for government agencies that could be responsible for the blundered rescue operations on April 16.Commi
June 24, 2014
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Court set to decide on Saenuri lawmaker’s fate
The fate of Rep. Chung Doo-un of the governing Saenuri Party depends on a judges’ ruling on Thursday ahead of the July 30 by-elections. The verdict from the Supreme Court could deprive Chung of his seat in the National Assembly.Chung, a confidante of former President Lee Myung-bak, was indicted for taking bribes from a secondary bank chief. While he wassentenced to one year in prison and fined 104 million won ($102,000) by a Seoul district court, a Seoul appellate court’s commutation of that pun
June 24, 2014
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Gov't audit finds fabricated certificates for parts in nuclear plants
A recent inspection by the government has again found fake quality certificates for parts used in the country's nuclear power plants, the energy ministry said Tuesday.The inspection by its own auditor has found seven fabricated certificates for five different kinds of parts from four suppliers, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. It said that the parts are directly related to the safety of nuclear reactors."They were not key parts under the tech-specification of the Nuclear
June 24, 2014
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Embattled P.M. designate withdraws nomination
Prime Minister-designate Moon Chang-keuk, who has been under mounting pressure to withdraw his nomination, said on Tuesday morning that he will do so.“I wanted to support President Park Geun-hye. But I thought it might be helpful for the president by withdrawing from the nomination at this point,” he said.“Today, I voluntarily withdraw from the prime minister nomination,” he told reporters at a news conference held at the government complex building. Prime Minister-designate Moon Chang-keuk anno
June 24, 2014
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Park remains tight-lipped over nomination debacle
President Park Geun-hye remained mute on Monday afternoon over her nominee for prime minister, despite mounting political pressure to abandon the former journalist who has come under severe public criticism over controversial past remarks.Many expected that Park would quickly determine the fate of the nominee after her trip to three Central Asian nations on Saturday, as she said she would. But she remained silent for three days after the trip, though the situation reached the boiling point. Inst
June 23, 2014
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Parties reach agreement on key issues to normalize parliament
The National Assembly is set to begin normal operations from Tuesday, with the floor leaders of the ruling and main opposition parties agreeing to elect chiefs of parliamentary committees.On Monday, Saenuri Party floor leader Rep. Lee Wan-koo and his New Politics Alliance for Democracy counterpart Rep. Park Young-sun agreed to elect the chiefs of parliamentary committees and to complete constituting the assembly. Under the agreement, the parliamentary audit of government agencies will be held in
June 23, 2014
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NPAD centrists explore new election tactics
A centrist faction within the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy on Monday discussed whether triangulation ― an election tactic candidates use to distance themselves from established politics ― could help the opposition catch up with the ruling Saenuri Party.The Saenuri Party had an approval rating of 42 percent over the NPAD’s 31 percent as of last Thursday according to Gallup Korea. The ruling party has maintained a comfortable lead against the NPAD in approval surveys since e
June 23, 2014
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Nomination debacles dent Park’s ratings
President Park Geun-hye’s approval rating dropped below her disapproval rating for the first time, dragged down by the growing controversy over her personnel choices.In the Gallup Korea poll for the third week of June, Park’s approval rating came in at 43 percent while the disapproval rating clocked in at 48 percent. In comparison, her approval and disapproval ratings respectively stood at 47 percent and 43 percent in the previous week. The rise in Park’s disapproval rating is fueled by her cont
June 20, 2014
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[Newsmaker] Park’s new political aide faces challenges
Amid the worsening relationship between Cheong Wa Dae and parties over a controversial prime minister nominee, President Park Geun-hye’s new top political aide is drawing keen interest from both in and out of the political arena. Cho Yoon-sun, former gender equality minister, was appointed the new senior presidential secretary for political affairs last week. She was the first woman ever named to the top aide post. The 47-year-old was in the spotlight also because she was given the crucial task
June 19, 2014
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Partisan squabbles plague Sewol probe
No bipartisan agreement on how to conduct the Sewol investigation is in sight as of Thursday with party divisions stalling parliamentary probes into the maritime disaster.The ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy are divided over when to invite government agency representatives potentially responsible for the bungled Sewol rescue operations for questioning. Saenuri officials say hearings must begin by next Monday. Any more delay would politicize the inv
June 19, 2014
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Ahn faces uncertain future
New Politics Alliance for Democracy cochairman Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo is facing difficult times ahead as public support dwindles despite his rise within the political arena. By merging with the Democratic Party, Ahn went from an independent lawmaker with a handful of allies in the parliament to the leader of the main opposition party.However, as his position rose his supporter base thinned, largely due to Ahn backtracking on a number of promises.While preparing to launch his own party, he claimed th
June 19, 2014
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Park to decide on fate of PM nominee after overseas trip
President Park Geun-hye is considering whether to present a motion to parliament seeking confirmation of her latest choice for prime minister after she wraps up her ongoing trip to Central Asia, an official said Wednesday.Park will decide whether to "approve the motion by fully taking into account various situations after returning home," presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook told reporters traveling with Park to theUzbek city of Samarkand.Park will focus on important economic and diplomatic iss
June 18, 2014
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P.M. nominee’s fate hangs in the balance
President Park Geun-hye will decide whether to push for the appointment of Moon Chang-keuk as prime minister after her tour of central Asian nations, the presidential office said Wednesday.“(The president) will concentrate on important economic and diplomatic issues during the tour, and decide (whether to approve) the bill of approval after analyzing various issues after her return to the country,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Min Kyung-wook said.Despite Cheong Wa Dae’s reasoning, the move has been i
June 18, 2014
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Park arrives in Kazakhstan to boost economic ties
South Korean President Park Geun-hye arrived in Kazakhstan on Wednesday on the second leg of a Central Asia tour focused mainly on expanding economic ties and realizing her vision for a barrier-free Eurasia.During Park's three-day state visit to Astana, the two countries are expected to pledge continued support for their ongoing joint projects worth a total of US$10 billion, including the construction of a coal-fired power plant and a petrochemical complex, officials said.Kazakhstan is the large
June 18, 2014
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Lawmakers urge action over Japan’s Kono review
Lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties called on the government Wednesday to take more active steps over the row surrounding Japan’s review of its 1993 statement acknowledging the Japanese imperial army’s mobilization of wartime sex slaves.A team of experts appointed by the Japanese government has been reviewing the so-called Kono statement, in which then Japanese cabinet secretary Yohei Kono acknowledged and apologized for the Japanese military’s “coercion” of women into sexual slaver
June 18, 2014
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Park to decide on PM nominee confirmation motion after return from overseas trip
President Park Geun-hye is considering whether to present a motion to parliament seeking confirmation of her latest choice for prime minister after she wraps up her ongoing trip to Central Asia, an official said Wednesday.Park will decide whether to "approve the motion by fully taking into account various situations after returning home," presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook told reporters traveling with Park to the Uzbek city of Samarkand.Park will focus on important economic and diplomatic is
June 18, 2014
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Saenuri bigwigs pile pressure on P.M. nominee
The government’s bill to approve Moon Chang-keuk as the prime minister was postponed Tuesday while the former journalist stood firm under mounting pressure to withdraw his name. According to the presidential office, the bill’s submission was postponed due to President Park Geun-hye’s schedule on her tour of three Central Asian nations. Although Moon was rumored to be planning to withdraw his nomination, the former journalist continues to assert that he will clarify the controversies at his confi
June 17, 2014
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Korea, Uzbekistan to expand investment
Leaders of South Korea and Uzbekistan on Tuesday agreed to expand economic cooperation and work closely for new joint ventures on energy development. During a summit held in the Uzbek capital Tashkent, South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her counterpart Islam Karimov agreed to strengthen bilateral ties and push for multi-billion-dollar projects to develop a gas field and a solar power plant. The Central Asian country has been developing the Kandym gas field in the Bukhara region through a c
June 17, 2014
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Education minister nominee accused of plagiarism
The nominee for South Korea's education minister is suspected of having plagiarized a thesis written by one of his students while serving as a professor, an opposition lawmaker claimed Tuesday.President Park Geun-hye nominated Kim Myung-soo, a professor at Korea National University of Education, last week as the new education minister, who will also double as deputy prime minister for educational, social and cultural affairs.Rep. Park Hong-geun raised the issue of Kim's suspected plagiarism, cla
June 17, 2014