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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New celebrity-endorsed therapy for face contouring requires only a pair of rubber bands
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Rapper jailed after public street fight with another rapper
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[KH Explains] No more 'Michael' at Kakao Games
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Nominee for chief of anti-corruption body pledges 'independence, effectiveness'
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Med schools expect 1,500+ new admission slots next year
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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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[Weekender] How DDP emerged as an icon of Seoul
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Park, Moon stand poles apart
The knife-edge race for the presidency between Park Geun-hye and Moon Jae-in is becoming anachronistically ideological, as the two attack each other over failed dogmas and administrations of the past.An avoidable fact is their starkly contrasting backgrounds: Park of the Saenuri Party is the first daughter of a former dictator and Moon of the Democratic United Party a former student activist who fought against his iron-fisted rule.With the election having conveniently become a two-way contest of
Nov. 28, 2012
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Ahn’s prolonged silence wracks DUP nerves
Former presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo met with his campaign officials Wednesday after five days in seclusion since his withdrawal from the presidential race. But he remained vague about his position about whether he will support the main opposition Democratic United Party candidate Moon Jae-in, officials said. Ahn disappeared from public view after announcing his resignation last Friday.“I sincerely thank all of my supporters. I owe you a great debt of gratitude,” Ahn was quoted as saying
Nov. 28, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Royce to chair House foreign affairs panel
U.S. Republican Rep. Edward Randall Royce, known for his efforts to address Korean Peninsular issues, was tapped on Tuesday to chair the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.The nomination should be endorsed at the party’s plenary session slated for Wednesday. As the nomination is almost certain in the Republican-controlled House, Royce is to officially take over from Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on Jan. 3.“If selected as chairman, I will work against the administration’s most harmful foreign policies
Nov. 28, 2012
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Australian Embassy regrets assault cases
The Australian Embassy in Seoul has expressed regret over a recent string of assaults on South Korean nationals working or studying in the country, stressing its “zero-tolerance” for racism.As these crimes occurred over recent months, the Korean media raised racism-related concerns about the country, which is one of the top study-abroad destinations for Korean students.“Regrettably, crimes occur in Australia as they do in all countries, and it is important to be very careful in reaching conclusi
Nov. 28, 2012
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Myanmar’s Suu Kyi to visit Gwangju in January
Myanmar’s iconic opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi will pay a two-day visit to Gwangju, the center of South Korea’s democracy movements, on Jan. 30, the May 18 Memorial Foundation said Wednesday.The foundation said that the chairperson of the National League of Democracy has been invited to attend the 2013 Special Olympics World Games. She will also join a dinner ceremony hosted by the city and the foundation on Jan. 30. The next day, she is scheduled to visit the cemetery honoring democracy fi
Nov. 28, 2012
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Ads stress Park as prepared, Moon as common man
Three weeks before the presidential election, candidates began to run TV commercials seeking to put a human face on their tense campaigns.The first in a series of advertisements for Saenuri Party candidate Park Geun-hye and Democratic United Party nominee Moon Jae-in hit local airwaves Monday when the 22-day official campaign began. Park stresses her preparedness as the nation’s first female leader, while Moon Jae-in highlights his common man touch. “Early presidential campaign commercials tende
Nov. 28, 2012
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Top prosecutors office launches probe into high-ranking official
The Supreme Prosecutors Office said Wednesday that it has launched an internal inspection into a high-ranking official on suspicion that he gave advice to a corrupt prosecutor under investigation for taking bribes.Choi Jae-kyong, the head of SPO's central investigation unit, the powerful team that exclusively probes political heavyweights and big names, is suspected of advising Kim Kwang-joon on how to deal with media while Kim was under investigation by special prosecutors, the inspection team
Nov. 28, 2012
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Prosecutor to resign over misdelivered text message
A Seoul prosecutor offered to resign on Wednesday following revelations that he had accidentally sent a text message suggesting that the prosecution's ongoing reform measures aren't sincere. Following a series of scandals involving incumbent prosecutors, Yoon Dae-hae wrote a message on the prosecution's intranet on Sunday, demanding that the prosecution take stern reform measures.The next day, the prosecutor at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutor's Office accidentally sent a text message to a
Nov. 28, 2012
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Ahn syndrome leaves mark on election
Days after quitting the presidential race, Ahn Cheol-soo looms large over the electoral landscape.The former independent candidate still remains the most important variable in a tight race between the ruling Saenuri Party’s Park Geun-hye and the main opposition Democratic United Party’s Moon Jae-in.Ahn’s election camp was to disband on Tuesday afternoon but hurriedly called off the ceremony, citing security reasons.“We judged that more time was needed until the supporters overcome their sense of
Nov. 27, 2012
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Park, Moon set out on 22-day stumps
Presidential candidates Park Geun-hye and Moon Jae-in hit the trails in the key battlegrounds of Daejeon and Busan, respectively, Tuesday at the start of their 22-day official campaign for Cheong Wa Dae.The two leading candidates slammed each other hard as unfit to lead the nation as they vied for the swing votes that hold the key to the Dec. 19 election.Polls released Monday showed Saenuri Party Park maintains a narrow lead against the Democratic United Party’s Moon with 44.7 percent against Mo
Nov. 27, 2012
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Lee sharpens words against N.K.
President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday urged top military commanders to maintain a robust readiness posture around the clock, portraying North Korea as the “most bellicose people.”His hardened rhetoric came as the ruling Saenuri Party and main opposition Democratic United Party have been striving to gain the upper hand on security and North Korea issues ahead of the Dec. 19 presidential election.“North Korea has a system that could launch provocations at any time in line with its own (military) stra
Nov. 27, 2012
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Park moves to cement conservative base
The Saenuri Party’s presidential candidate Park Geun-hye is courting her former rivals and adversaries in an effort to unite the conservative faction ahead of the Dec. 19 presidential election. Lee Hoi-chang, the three-time presidential candidate and former head of the Grand National Party, the predecessor to the Saenuri Party, joined Park’s campaign last week.She is also seeking support from Lee Jae-oh, who once headed the GNP’s mainstream group loyal to President Lee Myung-bak, which had long
Nov. 27, 2012
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Park sells policies for middle class in TV forum
Saenuri Party candidate Park Geun-hye's first televised debate late Monday focused on plans to protect the middle class which is regarded to hold the key to the Dec. 19 election.In the solo-debate, she reiterated her pledges to reduce household debt, create jobs, reduce private education costs, cut college tuitions and fight crime. She also expressed determination on maintaining strong national security. Some have been skeptical of her abilities in these areas as a woman without military experie
Nov. 27, 2012
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Official campaigns start in close race
The presidential candidates kick off official campaigning for the Dec. 19 election on Tuesday, focusing on floating voters that have sharply risen in number following the sudden withdrawal of independent Ahn Cheol-soo on Friday.Negative campaigning was also seen to escalate as the presidential election became a two-way battle between conservative Park Geun-hye of the Saenuri Party and liberal Moon Jae-in of the Democratic United Party. The two are still neck and neck with less than one month bef
Nov. 26, 2012
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Park richest party presidential candidate
Saenuri Party presidential candidate Park Geun-hye is the richest of the three party-affiliated candidates who completed the final registration on Sunday.With assets worth just over 2.18 billion won ($2 million), Park’s total financial value dwarfs those of the Democratic United Party’s Moon Jae-in and United Progressive Party’s Lee Jung-hee, according to the National Election Commission. The largest proportion of Park’s assets is accounted for by real estate ― two residential properties worth 2
Nov. 26, 2012
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Election features record number of female, progressive candidates
A record number of female candidates and progressive activists are set to stand in Dec. 19 presidential election, though most are receiving little attention from voters. The National Election Commission wrapped up the two-day registration for the 18th election to pick the next head of state on Monday. Four out of seven candidates are women, including the ruling Saenuri Party’s Park Geun-hye. Among the fringe contenders, the most recognized figure is Lee Jung-hee of the minority Unified Progressi
Nov. 26, 2012
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Ahn, Moon expected to meet as early as this week
Ahn Cheol-soo, the popular liberal independent who dropped out of the presidential race last week, could meet with his former rival Moon Jae-in of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) as early as this week to discuss ways to jointly defeat the ruling party in the Dec. 19 election, officials from both sides said Monday.Ahn, a 50-year-old software mogul-turned-politician, withdrew his candidacy Friday amid a deadlock in talks to select either him or Moon as the unified opposition cont
Nov. 26, 2012
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Presidential frontrunner Park suffers from series of gaffes
The ruling Saenuri Party’s presidential candidate Park Geun-hye made yet another gaffe Sunday when she accidentally announced she was stepping down as the president.“Today, after sharing joy and sorrow with the people for 15 years, I am resigning from the presidency,” she said during a press conference held at Saenuri headquarters.It was an odd statement, considering that the 60-year-old politician -- despite her position as a prominent figure within the parliament and her party -- had never act
Nov. 26, 2012
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Minor progressive party presidential hopeful quits race, supports
The presidential hopeful for the minor progressive party withdrew her bid Monday and endorsed the main opposition candidate running for the December election.Rep. Sim Sang-jung of the Progressive Justice Party (PJP) said she was quitting and hoped such a move could help rally support around one liberal candidate."I hope people will support Democratic United Party (DUP) candidate Moon Jae-in, who is effectively representing the liberal opposition camp," she said at a news conference held at the N
Nov. 26, 2012
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Park, Moon set for 2-way showdown
Presidential candidates Park Geun-hye and Moon Jae-in, of the ruling and opposition party respectively, registered Sunday as official candidates for the Dec. 19 election.With the two neck-and-neck in various polls after former independent candidate Ahn Cheol-soo’s withdrawal, they are especially focused on attracting moderate voters. “I plan to end my political career should I fail to win the people’s trust in this presidential election,” Park said Sunday, announcing her resignation from the par
Nov. 25, 2012