Most Popular
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Medical profs at top hospitals suspend surgeries, clinics
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Exports to US reach all-time high, widen gap with China
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Trump rekindles criticism: US forces defending 'wealthy' S. Korea 'free of charge'
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Samsung chip business back on track, logs W1.9tr operating profit in Q1
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Shinsegae faces showdown with investors over SSG.com's delayed IPO
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[Music in drama] Rekindle a love that slipped through your fingers
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Hopes rise for possible Gaza truce deal
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S. Korea discussed possible participation in AUKUS Pillar 2 with Australia: defense minister
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[New faces of Assembly] Architect behind ‘audacious initiative’ believes in denuclearized North Korea
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On May Day, labor unions blast Yoon's foreign nanny proposal
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GNP feuds over ‘conservative’ label
Leadership claims the term has negative connotations for young votersThe ruling Grand National Party, already struggling with vote-buying allegations, is facing internal feuding over whether to eliminate the term “conservatism” from the party platform.Though the party’s emergency leadership council largely agreed the term delivered a negative image to voters, the proposal to remove it triggered backlash from most GNP lawmakers who regard it as a key right-wing value.The council’s subcommittee o
Jan. 11, 2012
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Ruling party proposes removing word 'conservative' from party platform
SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Grand National Party on Wednesday proposed removing the word "conservative" from its platform in a symbolic move to widen its appeal ahead of the April parliamentary elections.The proposal by the party's emergency council is the latest in a series of reform meas
Jan. 11, 2012
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Prosecutors raid key suspect's house in GNP bribery case Prosecutors on Wednesday raided the residence of a former secretary of National Assembly Speaker Park Hee-tae as part of their investigation into allegations Park offered bribes to fellow lawmakers before a 2008 party leadership race. The move came after Grand National Party (GNP) lawmaker Koh
Jan. 11, 2012
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S. Korea, China to strengthen high-level diplomatic channels
Joint statement stresses bilateral free trade pact will serve mutual interestBEIJING ― South Korea and China on Tuesday agreed to strengthen bilateral communication by activating a telephone hotline between their foreign ministers and other high-level diplomatic channels, so as to boost diplomatic cooperation.In a joint press statement, they also reiterated the early conclusion of the bilateral free trade pact would serve their mutual interests, underscoring joint efforts to achieve a 2015 goal
Jan. 10, 2012
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Major parties flounder in vote-buying scandals
The top political parties were dealing with internal election bribery allegations with the April 11 general elections just three months away and the left-wing’s leadership race days ahead.The ruling Grand National Party effectively disowned its former leader and current parliamentary speaker Rep. Park Hee-tae over the scandal and pledged to continue its renewal campaign, but faced a continued backlash from both party reformers and opposition groups.The main opposition Democratic Unified Party, w
Jan. 10, 2012
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Obstacles limit South Korea-China ties
North Korea, U.S. alliance major sticking points in bilateral relationshipBEIJING ― The relationship between South Korea and China has deepened and widened in a variety of sectors since they established diplomatic ties two decades ago. But its future faces a series of hurdles including North Korean issues.The long-standing alliance with the U.S., which has recently given a greater priority to the Asia-Pacific region, also could negatively affect Seoul-Beijing ties. However deepening economic int
Jan. 10, 2012
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Probe targets fund source in GNP scandal
The Seoul prosecutors investigating alleged bribery in the Grand National Party’s leadership elections said they would now focus on tracking down the source of the funds used.Parliamentary Speaker and former chairman of the ruling Grand National Party Park Hee-tae is under suspicion of bribing fellow lawmakers to win the party leadership race in July 2008.On Jan. 4, Rep. Koh Seung-duk revealed that a candidate for the party’s chairmanship attempted to bribe him days before the July 3, 2008 vote.
Jan. 10, 2012
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DUP to probe own vote-buying allegations
The main opposition Democratic Unified Party resolved to launch a special committee to investigate allegations that one of the candidates for the upcoming leadership election offered cash to party members for votes.The decision was made quickly as the allegations came amid the ruling Grand National Party’s bribery scandal, directly involving one of its former leaders.“The Supreme Council shall immediately establish an investigation committee and inquire into the given allegations,” said a party
Jan. 9, 2012
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Opposition party launches internal probe into bribery scandal
The main opposition Democratic Unity Party has decided to launch an investigation into allegations of a bribery that took place prior to a preliminary primary last month, a party spokesman said Monday.The move came hours after local media reported that some officials of a candidate allegedly gave mo
Jan. 9, 2012
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GNP to pick 80% of candidates through open primary
To implement the system, rival parties should agree to revise election law: GNPThe ruling Grand National Party said it will introduce an “open primary” system that allows the general public participate in nominating candidates for April’s parliamentary elections.A GNP spokesperson said the party’s emergency leadership council decided in its meeting Monday to choose 80 percent of the candidates through an open primary and the rest through an intraparty race.As there are 245 total districts, this
Jan. 9, 2012
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Korea moves on FTA talks with China
Lee, Hu stress ‘common goal’ of peace and security on Korean PeninsulaBEIJING -- South Korea decided to take the “domestic steps” needed to initiate official negotiations over a free trade pact with China, Cheong Wa Dae said Monday.One or two months will be taken to complete the local legal process, after which the two countries will enter a two-phase negotiation process to discuss sensitive issues and ensure the balance of economic interests in the envisioned pact, Seoul officials said.The deci
Jan. 9, 2012
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GNP to pick 80% of parliamentary candidates through open primary
The ruling Grand National Party said it will introduce an “open primary” system that allows the general public to participate in the process of nominating its candidates for next April’s parliamentary elections.A GNP spokesperson said the party’s emergency leadership council decided in its meeting Monday to pick 80 percent of the candidates through an open primary and the rest through an intraparty race.As there are 245 total districts, this means the GNP wants to select candidates for 196 distr
Jan. 9, 2012
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GNP racked by ex-chairman bribery scandal
Rep. Koh pinpoints Speaker Park as bribe-giver; GNP leadership effectively demands Park’s resignationThe ruling Grand National Party braced for major fallout as a whistle-blower accused Rep. Park Hee-tae, former party chairman and current parliamentary speaker, of bribing fellow lawmakers in a prior leadership election.The party’s interim decision-making body effectively demanded that Park resign but decided to retain the GNP name, dismissing calls for party disbandment.Rep. Koh Seung-duk, who
Jan. 9, 2012
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GNP racked by ex-chairman bribery scandal
Rep. Koh pinpoints Speaker Park as bribe-giver; GNP leadership effectively demands Park’s resignation(Yonhap News)The ruling Grand National Party braced for major fallout as a whistle-blower accused Rep. Park Hee-tae, former party chairman and current parliamentary speaker, of bribing fellow lawmake
Jan. 9, 2012
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Restoring trust key to progress in politics
Korea needs richer social capital, enhanced ethics for mature legislature: analystsThe following is the second of a series of articles on Korean politics of 2012, an election year when general and presidential elections are taking place in the same year for the first time since 1992. ― Ed.Ko Young-eun, a 30-year-old office worker living in Seoul with his wife and a baby daughter, is waiting for the April 11 general elections. Disenchanted with lawmakers slinging mud at one another and railroadin
Jan. 8, 2012
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Lee carries out vice-ministerial level reshuffle
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak named a veteran economic official on budget affairs as the country's vice finance minister on Sunday in a minor reshuffle that also replaced three other vice ministers.Kim Dong-yeon, 55, a senior finance ministry official in charge of budget affairs, was tapped a
Jan. 8, 2012
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Restoring trust, key to progress in Korean politics in 2012
Korea needs richer social capital, enhanced ethics for mature legislature: analystsThe following is the second of a series of articles on Korean politics of 2012, an election year when general and presidential elections are taking place in the same year for the first time since 1992. -- Ed.By Kim Yoon-miKo Young-eun, a 30-year-old office worker living in Seoul with his wife and a baby daughter, is waiting for the April 11 general elections. Disenchanted with lawmakers slinging mud at one another
Jan. 8, 2012
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Whistle-blower testifies on GNP bribery scandal
Parliamentary speaker, presidential secretary deny involvementProsecutors kicked off an investigation into a whistle-blower’s allegation that a former leader of the ruling Grand National Party bribed fellow lawmakers in order to win the top position, which is likely to be an irreversible blow on the party’s public image.Rep. Koh Seung-duk of the GNP voluntarily went to the Seoul Central Prosecutor’s Office on Sunday to face questioning over the bribery suspicions.The lawyer-turned-lawmaker earli
Jan. 8, 2012
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Over 640,000 to vote in liberal leadership race
The upcoming leadership election of the main opposition Democratic Unified Party is to be the largest ever.In the citizen voter registration that ended Saturday, 643,353 voters registered, according to party officials.Together with 127,920 party members, the registered voters are to select a six-member decision-making body, and the lawmaker who receives the most votes will be named chairperson.The results of the mobile vote will be combined with the party delegates’ vote, which will take place d
Jan. 8, 2012
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Ruling party considers shortening working hours
The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) is considering pledges to reduce working hours to improve workers' quality of life and create more jobs ahead of April's general elections, party officials said Sunday.The latest proposal is in accordance with the center-right party's move to expand social welfa
Jan. 8, 2012