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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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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[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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Ador CEO's request for exclusive right to terminate NewJeans' contract with Hybe refused in February
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Naver will consider company benefits in deciding on selling Line shares: CEO
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Woman dangling from power lines rescued by residents holding blanket
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16 DP lawmakers begin sit-in over NIS probe, strike
Sixteen first-term lawmakers of the Democratic Party began a “72-hour emergency” sit-in in an attempt to press the ruling Saenuri Party into accepting their terms on a number of key issues including the railway strike and special investigation into the National Intelligence Service. The lawmakers, including DP supreme council member Rep. Shin Kyoung-min, will stage the round-the-clock protest for three days. Although the DP has succeeded in setting up a special parliamentary committee on NIS ref
Dec. 27, 2013
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Ahn bristles at DP criticism over plan to form own party
Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, a star independent trying to form a party of his own, bristled strongly at criticism of his party plans from the main opposition Democratic Party, gearing up a battle to be a leading opposition group ahead of next year’s local elections.DP lawmakers have spoken increasingly critically of Ahn’s plan to create his own party rather than joining or forming an alliance with the DP, over concerns that it could fare well in next year’s nationwide local elections as the software entr
Dec. 26, 2013
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Rival parties show no signs of compromise over rail strike
The ruling party urged the main opposition rival party Thursday to help persuade striking rail workers to return to work, reiterating a proposal to resolve the standoff with a parliamentary resolution banning privatization of the state rail monopoly.Rep. Hwang Woo-yea of the ruling Saenuri Party made the appeal, saying the loss from the prolonged walkout is snowballing to over 500 billion won ($472 million) and the rival parties should work together to improve efficiency of the state-run Korea R
Dec. 26, 2013
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Rival parties agree to pass budget, spy agency reform bills next week
The floor leaders of the rival parties agreed on Wednesday to pass key pending bills on the 2014 budget and spy agency reform next week in a move that effectively breaks the parliamentary deadlock.Choi Kyoung-hwan, the floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Pary, and the main opposition Democratic Party's floor leader Jun Byung-hun made the agreement to pass the two bills in a general National Assembly session to be held on Dec. 30.The agreement came after the parties' persistent conflict over the c
Dec. 25, 2013
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Railway strike threatens to become labor-government war
The railway union’s strike continued to grow Tuesday, bringing the Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union into the fray as the police sought a detention warrant for its chief Kim Jeong-hoon. Kim was taken into custody on Sunday during the police’s attempt to arrest railway union leaders from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions’ headquarters in Seoul. Although large number of unionists were taken into custody for blocking the police from entering the KTCU office, a detention warrant ha
Dec. 24, 2013
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Na named new chief of cultural assets agency
President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday named a veteran expert on cultural assets as new chief of the state agency charged with taking care of traditional cultural properties, her office announced.Na Sun-hwa, 64, was tapped to head the Cultural Heritage Administration, presidential spokeswoman Kim Haing said. She will succeed Byun Young-sup, who was sacked last month amid public criticism over the poor restoration of Sungnyemun, one of the four gates that surrounded the capital during the Joseon era
Dec. 24, 2013
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Lawmaker summoned over alleged summit minutes leak
A ruling party lawmaker underwent questioning by prosecutors on Tuesday over suspicions that he illegally leaked a classified transcript of the inter-Korean summit at the center of a political controversy, officials said. Rep. Suh Sang-ki of the ruling Saenuri Party, who also leads the country’s parliamentary intelligence committee, showed up at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in southern Seoul in the day after receiving the summons, according to the officials. He was suspected of
Dec. 24, 2013
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Opposition lawmaker acquitted of graft charges
A Seoul court on Tuesday acquitted a veteran opposition lawmaker of charges that he accepted illegal campaign funds from two troubled savings banks.Park Jie-won of the main opposition Democratic Party was indicted on charges of receiving a combined 80 million won ($72,000) from the heads of Solomon and Bohae savings banks between 2008 and 2011 in return for lobbying for the survival of the ailing lenders.The Seoul Central District Court delivered a not-guilty verdict to the three-term lawmaker,
Dec. 24, 2013
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Rival parties struggle to find compromise over spy agency reform
The ruling and opposition parties struggled Tuesday to find a compromise over how to reform the National Intelligence Service mainly to ensure its political non-interference following revelations of its alleged tampering with last year's presidential race.The ruling Saenuri and the main opposition Democratic parties have been in negotiations to set new rules of activity for the spy agency accused of mobilizing some of its agents to post Internet comments last year in favor of then ruling party p
Dec. 24, 2013
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Police raid fuels labor strife
Labor unrest is fast escalating following the police’s bungled crackdown on railway strikers Sunday as a major labor confederation threatened a general strike while President Park Geun-hye pledged no tolerance against “illegal” actions. Political parties and civic groups jumped in the fray, heightening political confrontation over government agencies’ alleged interference in last year’s presidential election.Park expressed concerns about the strike by railway workers that has crippled the nation
Dec. 23, 2013
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Park to offer special pardon, hold first press conference in New Year
President Park Geun-hye is to offer a special pardon for minor crimes committed by those living in poverty on Lunar New Year’s Day. Park also plans next year to hold her first in-person news conference since her inauguration to address pressing national issues, her aides said. The plans were announced on Monday amid simmering political tension over state agencies’ alleged electioneering last year and spreading protests from labor unions and progressive activists.At Monday’s presidential staff me
Dec. 23, 2013
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NIS’ domestic arm receives budget cut
The National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee decided Monday to cut the National Intelligence Service’s budget for domestic operations amid growing controversy over its agents’ alleged interference in last year’s presidential election. The gross budget for the spy agency will not be affected, however, as the funds cut from the NIS’ domestic branch were allocated to the intelligence agency’s operations against North Korea and industrial espionage, the members of the committee said. The proposed
Dec. 23, 2013
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Assembly approves key bills on economic democratization
A set of financial regulations key to President Park Geun-hye’s economic democratization pledges was approved Monday by the parliamentary National Policy Committee’s review board, raising hopes for their legislation within the year. Proposed revisions passed by the subcommittee include changes to the Fair Trade Act that will prevent conglomerates’ subsidiaries from making further investments in affiliates.Once approved at the committee’s general meeting and the National Assembly’s plenary sessio
Dec. 23, 2013
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Park to issue special pardons next month for livelihood-related offenses
President Park Geun-hye said Monday she wants to issue special pardons next month for those convicted of small offenses committed in the course of trying to make a living.Park ordered her aides to make preparations for the pardons to be issued around Lunar New Year's Day, which falls on Jan. 31, saying she wants to ease difficulties for ordinary people, presidential spokeswoman Kim Haing said.The planned pardons must be designed to give real benefits to ordinary people and exclude those convicte
Dec. 23, 2013
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Spy agency dismisses reports about asylum bids by Jang aides
South Korea's spy agency chief on Monday denied as "totally untrue" persisting news reports that close aides to the executed uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have fled the communist nation and sought asylum in China, lawmakers said.National Intelligence Service Director Nam Jae-joon also reported to a parliamentary intelligence committee that North Korea has beefed up artillery units and exercises, and could attempt provocations against the South between January and March, the lawmakers
Dec. 23, 2013
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Opposition parties seek election probe
Three opposition parties said Sunday they would jointly submit a motion Monday calling for an independent investigation into state agencies’ interference in last year’s presidential election.They also demanded that the proposed special investigation cover alleged attempts by spy, law enforcement and military agencies to hamper and whitewash inquiries into the cases, which the opposition parties called extensive electioneering involving top government officials.The bill will be jointly submitted
Dec. 22, 2013
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Police, unionists clash over rail strike
Police detained more than 120 labor activists in the first raid of a powerful labor organization in central Seoul on Sunday to arrest union leaders wanted for leading an “illegal” railway strike. Violent clashes erupted at 9:35 a.m. as some 500 policemen entered the headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, where the strike leaders were believed to be hiding. Police broke windows on doors and fired tear gas to break up protesters who barricaded themselves and sprayed fire extingu
Dec. 22, 2013
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Education Ministry’s anti-poster campaign sparks freedom of speech row
The Ministry of Education has directed middle and high schools to stem the spread of student political posters, mostly critical of the government, raising concerns that children’s freedom of speech is being violated. Daejabo, or hand-written posters dealing with various issues, have been appearing across the country after a Korea University student posted one titled “How are you?” on Dec. 10, dealing with controversial social issues including the railway strike and the debate over healthcare pri
Dec. 22, 2013
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Koreans overseas protest election meddling
South Koreans living abroad in Paris, Berlin and New York have held candlelight vigils this week to protest the meddling in last year’s presidential election by government organizations, sources said Saturday.Organizers of the rallies that took place in the foreign cities said dozens of protesters showed up on or around the one-year anniversary of the Dec. 19 election to denounce the National Intelligence Service, the country’s spy agency, and the defense ministry’s psychological warfare unit fo
Dec. 22, 2013
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S. Korea seeks to reassure striking rail workers over new rail unit
Despite government assurances that a new rail unit to be set up is not aimed at privatizing state rail operations, thousands of striking workers vowed Saturday to continue protests against it.The 21,000-member rail workers' union went on strike on Dec. 9 in protest of the planned establishment of a new subsidiary of the state-run Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL) which they saw as a precursor to privatization which could result in mass layoffs.In order to persuade workers to stop the protests, Trans
Dec. 22, 2013