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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Samsung chip business back on track, logs W1.9tr operating profit in Q1
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Trump rekindles criticism: US forces defending 'wealthy' S. Korea 'free of charge'
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Shinsegae faces showdown with investors over SSG.com's delayed IPO
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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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Ex-pro baseball player who killed debtor appeals sentence
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S. Korea to issue travel ban on Haiti amid intensifying gang violence
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[New faces of Assembly] Architect behind ‘audacious initiative’ believes in denuclearized North Korea
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Rep. Park Jin of GNP says will not run in April election
Another ruling party lawmaker has decided not to run in the April parliamentary elections to allow a fresh start for the embattled conservatives. Rep. Park Jin, a three-term lawmaker from the key Seoul constituency of Jongno, said Friday that he will not seek a fourth term. “To pull the party out of a crisis, I give up all my vested rights,” the 55-year-old politician said during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul. “I’ll sacrifice myself to bring about real change and reform th
Dec. 23, 2011
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Civil servants released from emergency standby order
South Korea‘s government on Friday lifted an emergency standby order issued for all government officials after the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il because of concerns it could dampen domestic demand.Officials at agencies handling foreign affairs, security and policing will continue to remain on an emergency footing, senior presidential press secretary Choe Guem-nak said.The change was decided at a National Security Council meeting President Lee Myung-bak presided over.South Korea put al
Dec. 23, 2011
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Parties to legislate filibuster this year
The National Assembly will likely pass by the end of the year a set of legislative measures aimed at advancing the parliamentary process, including a filibuster and measures to prevent violence on the floor, a ruling party leader said Friday. Rep. Hwang Woo-yea, the GNP’s floor leader, said his party has almost reached an agreement with the main opposition Democratic Unified Party regarding the handling of the measures. “Ruling and opposition lawmakers have almost reached an agreement regarding
Dec. 23, 2011
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U.S., China seen to prioritize stability in N.K.
Experts say there will not be any dramatic change in their policies toward reclusive stateBoth the U.S. and China will continue to prioritize stability and seek the status quo on the Korean Peninsula for the time being following the demise of North Korea’s longtime strongman Kim Jong-il, experts said on Thursday.Any instability in the communist state would further increase uncertainties in security environments in East Asia, which would cause headaches for the two global powers and negatively af
Dec. 22, 2011
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Debate over online condolences
Heated debates have arisen online over whether or not citizens are entitled to pay respects to the deceased North Korean leader Kim Jong-il on social network services.Since Kim’s sudden death was announced this Monday, a number of citizens paid their respects via the Internet, though opposite sentiment was also voiced.The National Police Agency has launched investigations into two online communities commemorating Kim, according to officials Wednesday.“Most of the contents have been deleted, exce
Dec. 22, 2011
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South ponders new approach to N.K.
Steps intended at showing Seoul is not hostile toward Pyongyang, Lee says South Korea is pondering on a new approach to North Korea, as the death of the communist state’s iron-fisted ruler is believed to have opened a new chapter in inter-Korean ties. Relations between the divided Koreas deteriorated to their worst point in years in Kim’s final two years. A total of 50 South Koreans, mostly soldiers, were killed by two military provocations by the North in 2010. South Korean President Lee Myung-
Dec. 22, 2011
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Podcast star politician gets jail term over rumors about Lee
The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against Chung Bong-ju, former opposition lawmaker and popular podcast host, for spreading false rumors about President Lee Myung-bak during the 2007 presidential election.The ruling makes him ineligible to run for an elected office for the next 10 years. The ex-la
Dec. 22, 2011
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Lee to meet party leaders on developments in N.K.
President Lee Myung-bak is to meet with the leaders of three major political parties Thursday to discuss non-partisan measures on the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, according to officials.“The presidential secretary for political affairs Kim Hyo-jae visited Rep. Won Hye-young and proposed a meeting with the president at 10 a.m. Thursday,” said a spokesperson of the new main opposition Democratic Unified Party.Kim also delivered the same suggestion to the ruling Grand National Party’s
Dec. 21, 2011
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Heir center stage in NK transition
Kim Jong-un issued his first military order before announcement of father’s death: source Two days after North Korea revealed the death of its “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-il, the communist state appeared calm and stable in mourning the long-time strongman Wednesday, with the leadership transit
Dec. 21, 2011
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N.K. leadership transition seen moving forward
Jong-un mourns father; China reaffirms continued support Two days after North Korea revealed the death of its “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-il, the communist state appeared calm and stable in mourning the long-time strongman Wednesday, with the leadership transition to his third son moving forward. Pyongyang’s state media broadcast Kim Jong-un, dubbed the “Great Successor,” shedding tears before his father’s body which is laid in a glass coffin near that of his grandfather and North Korean founder Kim
Dec. 21, 2011
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GNP rejects mourning delegation
Seoul government allows civilians to send condolence messages to PyongyangRuling Grand National Party’s interim leader Rep. Park Geun-hye on Wednesday rejected the liberal opposition’s proposal to send a parliamentary delegation to the funeral of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.Her objection came a day after the Seoul government said it would not send its delegation to the North, but would allow the bereaved families of former President Kim Dae-jung and former Hyundai Asan chairman Chung Mong-hu
Dec. 21, 2011
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Parties resume budget deliberations
DUP pushes for welfare projects; GNP wants to boost military funds amid N. Korea crisisThe National Assembly has resumed its long-stalled deliberation on next year’s budget but rival parties remained at odds over the detailed allocation.The new main opposition Democratic Unified Party set out to cut back on the defense budget, especially on the Jeju Gangjeong naval base which involved several government-resident conflicts earlier this year. It claimed that the corresponding amount should be conv
Dec. 21, 2011
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Intelligence chief casts doubts over time, place of Kim death
The head of South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) on Tuesday expressed cautious doubts over the time and location of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's death, parliamentary officials said, raising questions over whether the communist North tried to beautify Kim's death. NIS chief Won
Dec. 20, 2011
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Seoul not to send delegation for Kim’s funeral
By Song Sang-hoSouth Korea on Tuesday decided not to send its government mourning delegation to the funeral of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il slated for Dec. 28, while conveying “consolation” to the people in the communist state, Seoul’s unification minister said.But it will allow the bereaved families of former President Kim Dae-jung and Chung Mong-hun, former chairman of Hyundai Asan, to attend it, in return for the visits by the North to their funerals here in August 2009 and in August 2003
Dec. 20, 2011
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Controversy flares over condolences decision
Unification minister says Seoul will make ‘careful decision’Whether South Korea should express its condolences to North Korea over the death of its leader Kim Jong-il and send a delegation to his funeral has emerged as a hot-button issue with people sharply divided along ideological lines.The government, which has taken a conservative policy toward the North, is apparently agonizing over how to best handle it while minimizing political ramifications ahead of major elections next year.Observers a
Dec. 20, 2011
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Parties agree to vote on budget by Dec. 30
Rival parties move fast to normalize parliament on N.K. leader’s sudden deathFacing the political follow-up to the sudden death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, rival political parties on Tuesday agreed to handle next year’s state budget plan next week. The floor leaders of the ruling Grand National Party and the new main opposition Democratic Unified Party agreed Tuesday afternoon to hold a provisional session on Wednesday and pass next year’s budget bill by next Friday.The two also met on M
Dec. 20, 2011
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Seoul officials rapped for intelligence failure on death of Kim Jong-il
South Korean lawmakers rapped their defense and spy agency chiefs Tuesday for a “serious intelligence failure” regarding the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. Officials in Seoul were completely blindsided by the news of Kim’s death until it was announced by Pyongyang’s state media at noon Monday, some 52 hours after his sudden demise. Won Sei-hoon, chief of the South’s National Intelligence Service, admitted to parliamentarians that his agency failed to pick up any clue on the momentous
Dec. 20, 2011
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Opposition to get back to parliament
A new center-left party comprised of liberal forces said Tuesday that it has decided to get back to work ending the boycott of parliament.The National Assembly has been stalled since late November as the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and other liberal forces have stayed away from parliament
Dec. 20, 2011
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Government rapped for intelligence failure on Kim death
South Korean lawmakers rapped their defense and spy agency chiefs Tuesday for a “serious intelligence failure” regarding the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. Officials in Seoul were completely blindsided by the news of Kim’s death until it was announced by Pyongyang’s state media at noon Mo
Dec. 20, 2011
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S. Korea says no hasty decision on condolences on death of Kim Jong-il
South Korea has yet to decide whether to offer condolences over the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, a senior official said Tuesday amid concern the conciliatory gesture could bring a backlash from conservatives ahead of next year's general elections.North Korea women cry after learni
Dec. 20, 2011