Most Popular
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Tensions heighten ahead of first president-opposition chief meeting
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Seoul to provide housing subsidy to married couples with newborns
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[KH Explains] No more 'Michael' at Kakao Games
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Rapper jailed after public street fight with another rapper
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Woman gets suspended term for injuring boyfriend with knife
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Samsung chief bolsters ties with Germany’s Zeiss
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NewJeans pops out ‘Bubble Gum’ video amid troubles at agency
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[Grace Kao] Hybe vs. Ador: Inspiration, imitation and plagiarism
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Med schools expect 1,500+ new admission slots next year
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Nominee for chief of anti-corruption body pledges 'independence, effectiveness'
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NIS probe draws to close, but no end to feud in sight
The conflict between the ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic Party appears likely to intensify with the parliamentary probe into the National Intelligence Service drawing to a close without clear conclusions. The probe has been underway since early July to shed light on allegations that the spy agency attempted to influence last year’s presidential election, but much of the time was exhausted by accusations, walkouts and bickering over who would be called to testify. Even the
Aug. 20, 2013
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Kwon claims pressure from top; NIS agents deny poll intervention
Contradictory testimonies from witnesses are drawing the parliamentary probe into the National Intelligence Agency’s alleged election interference further away from a clear conclusion, with only four days remaining until its end.In the hearing on Monday, Kwon Eun-hee ― the police officer who investigated the allegations last year ― said that former Seoul police chief Kim Yong-pan manipulated the investigation to influence the outcome of last year’s presidential election. “(It) was about not fili
Aug. 19, 2013
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Park warns against complacency on threat from North Korea
President Park Geun-hye presided over a National Security Council meeting Monday for the first time since taking office as part of joint annual military exercises with the U.S., and urged strict security even in times of tranquility.“It is utterly important to maintain a firm security posture in all circumstances. As the saying goes, even if the whole country appears to be calm, if one forgets war, crisis is bound to visit,” Park said at the closed-door meeting. The meeting was held at Cheong Wa
Aug. 19, 2013
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Government slammed over monitoring of Japanese seafood
Debate is brewing over the authorities’ monitoring of seafood imported from Japan due to radiation fears as a far stricter watch is being applied on agricultural products.Seafood contaminated by radiation leaks from the Fukushima nuclear plant has been found in the local market recently, adding to public fears about the after effects of the 2011 disaster.About 3,010 tons of fish requested for import declaration has been found to contain radioactive cesium since March 11, 2011, according to the M
Aug. 18, 2013
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Moon calls on president to break deadlock over NIS
Former presidential candidate Rep. Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party on Sunday called on President Park Geun-hye to step in to end the political deadlock over the National Intelligence Service with the parliamentary probe of the agency running out of time. The parliamentary probe into the NIS’ election interference is set to finish on Friday, but the DP and the ruling Saenuri Party remain at odds over fundamental issues including witness selection and what it has achieved.“The only one who can
Aug. 18, 2013
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Seoul to publish booklet on peninsular trust-building process
Buoyed by last week’s agreement to normalize the Gaeseong industrial park, the Seoul government plans to publish a booklet delineating President Park Geun-hye’s Korean Peninsular trust-building process this week. Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae will hold a press briefing Wednesday to explain the booklet on the dialogue-based initiative to build trust with Pyongyang based on strong deterrence capabilities.The booklet is expected to explain what she claims to be a “balanced, principled” approac
Aug. 18, 2013
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Park promises support for Incheon Asian Games
President Park Geun-hye promised Friday to ensure central government support for the western city of Incheon to successfully host next year’s Asian Games, accepting the city’s calls for help in addressing budgetary problems with staging the event.Incheon has struggled with a lack of money needed to host the quadrennial sporting event, with citizens launching a signature collection campaign calling for financial support from the central government. Last year, the city even threatened to give up t
Aug. 16, 2013
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Ex-NIS, Seoul police chiefs grilled at parliamentary hearing
Former chiefs of the National Intelligence Service and Seoul police took a battering from lawmakers Friday in a parliamentary hearing over their involvement in a smear campaign against the opposition during last year’s presidential election and subsequent cover-up attempts. Opposition lawmakers slammed Won Sei-hoon, former NIS head, and Kim Yong-pan, former commissioner of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, pushing them to open up about the scandal. They denied all allegations and traded harsh wo
Aug. 16, 2013
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Prosecution visits national archives to search for transcript
State prosecutors began searching the national archives Friday as part of their ongoing probe into the disappearance of a 2007 inter-Korean summit transcript that has become a major political issue.The move comes after a Seoul court earlier this week allowed the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to see all presidential records of the Roh Moo-hyun administration of 2003-2008 that are supposedly kept at the National Archives of Korea (NAK).With the court-issued search and seizure warrant,
Aug. 16, 2013
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Park urges Japan to take responsibility for past wrongs
The prospect of improved relations between Seoul and Tokyo further dimmed Thursday as a number of Japanese cabinet members and politicians visited a controversial war shrine in Tokyo.President Park Geun-hye urged Tokyo to take “responsible, sincere measures” to heal the scars of the victims of Japan’s past militarism during a ceremony marking Korea’s 1945 liberation from the archipelago country’s colonial rule.“Although Japan is an important neighbor to promote peace and prosperity together in N
Aug. 15, 2013
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Park proposes family reunions with N. Korea
President Park Geun-hye on Thursday proposed the reunions of separated families and the establishment of a peace park in the heavily-fortified border area in her Liberation Day address marking the end of Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule. President Park proposed family reunions around the Chuseok holiday on Sept. 19. She said the envisioned peace park in the DMZ would “lay the foundation for trust, harmony and cooperation” on the Korean Peninsula. Park’s proposals came a day after the two sides reac
Aug. 15, 2013
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No breakthrough seen in Korea-Japan relations
Korea-Japan relations are adrift without any signs of a turnaround as Tokyo’s nationalistic moves and failure to atone for its past militarism continue to exacerbate their historical antagonism.Attention is now focused on what steps President Park Geun-hye and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will take, particularly on Thursday when Seoul celebrates its 1945 liberation from Japan’s colonial rule and Tokyo marks the end of the Pacific War.Park is to deliver a congratulatory speech on the day, which is e
Aug. 14, 2013
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Park envisions growth through creativity
President Park Geun-hye’s vision for South Korea’s next phase of economic growth has been epitomized by her “creative economy” mantra, applying the philosophy to all sectors, from conventional to start-up industries, IT, science, R&D, education, culture and the job market.Yet, six months into Park’s administration, the drive has been constantly criticized by the opposition, experts and even her own party members for being abstract and idealistic. The concept of fostering creativity as the new en
Aug. 14, 2013
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Korean visitors to Dokdo rise as Tokyo swings to the right
Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo are drawing an increasing number of visitors driven by a patriotic sentiment fanned by Japan’s persistent sovereignty claims. According to the authorities, the number of people who visited the islets since 2005, when they were made accessible to the public, broke the 1 million mark earlier this month. While Dokdo draws up to 700 people each day, the numbers soared to over 3,000 on Independence Movement Day and on the Aug. 15 Liberation Day.The Independence Mov
Aug. 14, 2013
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Chun’s nephew arrested over assets under borrowed names
Prosecutors said Wednesday that they have arrested a nephew of former President Chun Doo-hwan for questioning as part of their efforts to find concealed assets of the former military dictator convicted of taking bribes while in office in the 1980s.Lee Jae-hong, 57, a son of Chun’s elder sister, is accused of managing Chun’s properties worth 6 billion won ($5.36 million) hidden under borrowed names while running a mid-sized landscaping company, prosecutors said.Chun was ordered by the nation’s to
Aug. 14, 2013
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Investigators seek warrant to search presidential records
The prosecutors investigating the missing 2007 inter-Korean summit transcripts on Tuesday filed for a warrant to search and seize presidential records.The warrant application requests access to the e-Jiwon and PALMS systems at the National Archives. The e-Jiwon is an online system used by the presidential office during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, while PALMS is used by the National Archives to manage presidential records.A prosecutorial investigation was launched last month after it was rev
Aug. 13, 2013
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Prominent liberal scholar quits Ahn’s think tank
Korea University professor emeritus Choi Jang-jip stepped down as the chairman of the board of Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo’s think tank, raising concerns for the independent lawmaker’s efforts to expand his power base.Since taking Seoul’s Nowon-C constituency in April, Ahn has distanced himself from established progressive parties as he attempts to found his own power base, a part of which is the policy think tank. Choi is reported to have resigned from Ahn’s think tank Policy Network Tomorrow due to dif
Aug. 12, 2013
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Park bows to pressure on tax plans
President Park Geun-hye has ordered a complete review of the proposed tax code revision amid rising criticism that the changes would increase the burden on the middle and lower income groups. “Thinning the already light wallets of the common people and the middle class is misaligned with the direction of the government’s economic policy,” Park said at the meeting with presidential secretaries. Just hours after President Park’s remarks, the finance minister said that the government will start fro
Aug. 12, 2013
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Yonsei professor appointed human rights ambassador
The government has appointed Lee Jung-hoon, diplomacy professor at Yonsei University’s Graduate School of International Studies, as a human rights ambassador, officials said Sunday.Lee, who formerly worked for President Park Geun-hye’s think tank Ideas for Korea, will receive an official certificate of appointment Tuesday. He will replace Kim Yong-ho, whose term ended last month.The government is said to have chosen him for the post as Lee has engaged in numerous activities to promote human righ
Aug. 12, 2013
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Nat'l Assembly extends spy agency probe
The National Assembly on Monday passed a proposal calling for the extension of a parliamentary probe into the state spy agency's alleged meddling in last year's presidential election.Last week, rival political parties agreed to extend the probe by eight days until Aug. 23 and summon witnesses for hearings starting this Wednesday.The probe, which began early last month, aims to uncover the truth behind allegations that the National Intelligence Service conducted an online smear campaign to sway p
Aug. 12, 2013