Most Popular
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Korea enters full election mode
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Seoul bus drivers go on general strike, cause morning rush hour delays
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Immigrant woman stabbed to death by Korean husband
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Official campaigning kicks off for April 10 elections
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Lee Jong-sup resigns as envoy to Australia
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Yellow dust engulfs S. Korea, advisory alert issued
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S. Korea to boost support for single-parent families
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Court upholds jail term for man who attempted to murder ex-girlfriend
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Kia EV9 wins world car of year
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Korea misses out on global bond index boost
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Minor progressive parties agree to create new party
Three minor opposition parties will form a new progressive party as part of efforts to boost their chances in next year’s parliamentary elections, their leaders said, while the main opposition party is working hard to form a broad alliance with other liberal forces and civic groups.Leaders of three minor parties -- the Democratic Labor Party, the People’s Participatory Party and a party made up of defectors from the Progressive New Party -- announced that they will hold a convention to set the n
Nov. 18, 2011
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Korea to set up ASEAN diplomatic mission
Korea will establish a mission dedicated to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Jakarta in the first half of next year, President Lee Myung-bak said Thursday.“In order to strengthen economic cooperation with the increasingly important ASEAN, I will dispatch an ambassador to Jakarta who will deal exclusively with ASEAN affairs,” Lee was quoted by news reports as saying at the 2011 ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Bali, Indonesia. “I hope that the new ASEAN mission will contribute
Nov. 18, 2011
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GNP moving for FTA vote next Thursday
Speaker hints at invoking authority to put the Korea-U.S. FTA ratification bill to voteThe Grand National Party was Friday moving to bring the U.S. Free Trade Agreement ratification motion to a floor vote, raising the likelihood of violence with the opposition which has vowed to block the bill by any means.“When the time comes, the party shall bring the bill to the plenary session,” said Rep. Hwang Young-cheul, the party’s floor spokesperson, in a radio interview. “We expect parliamentary speake
Nov. 18, 2011
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S. Korea, Indonesia to deepen defense industry cooperation
BALI, Indonesia -- South Korea and Indonesia agreed Thursday to strengthen defense industry cooperation and work closely together to carry out Indonesia's major economic development blueprint, South Korea's presidential office said. President Lee Myung-bak met with Indonesian President S
Nov. 17, 2011
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New conservative party in the making
Park Se-il moves to form a center-right political party ahead of next year’s electionsAmid moves to create alternative political parties ahead of general elections next year, a former right-wing lawmaker seeks to form a new party embracing both conservatives and moderate liberals.Park Se-il, president of the Hansun Foundation, who has spoken for right wing conservatives and often raised issues about North Korean human rights, drew attention last week by saying that he was preparing to create a n
Nov. 17, 2011
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President Lee to meet leaders of ASEAN, Japan and China
President Lee Myung-bak arrived in Indonesia on Thursday to attend summit talks with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Japan and China, where leaders will discuss how to strengthen regional economic and diplomatic cooperation.His six-day trip includes a state visit to the Philippines, during which Lee will seek to bolster bilateral economic cooperation, Seoul officials said.As the ASEAN meetings come on the heels of other multilateral summits including the recent Asia Pacific Economic
Nov. 17, 2011
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Parties head for showdown over FTA
GNP likely to push Assembly vote on Korea-U.S. trade dealA showdown between ruling and opposition lawmakers looms over the parliamentary ratification of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, as rival political parties showed little willingness to compromise. The governing Grand National Party on Thursday decided to force the bill through, a move likely to lead to an ugly brawl among legislators on the parliamentary floor. “We shouldn’t allow any more delay (in the ratification of the FTA.) We hav
Nov. 17, 2011
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DP demands written ISD commitment
GNP may push for vote on Korea-U.S. FTA bill on Nov. 24The Democratic Party on Wednesday refused to make any concession in its opposition to the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, rejecting President Lee Myung-bak’s offer to seek revision of a disputed part of the deal after its ratification. The liberal main opposition party, instead, demanded written commitments from both the Korean and U.S. governments that they will open talks immediately to delete or suspend clauses on the controversial Inves
Nov. 16, 2011
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Main opposition party refuses to accept Lee's renegotiation offer on U.S. FTA
SEOUL, Nov. 16 (Yonhap) -- The main opposition Democratic Party decided Wednesday to reject President Lee Myung-bak's offer to demand renegotiation on a key clause of the free trade agreement with the United States if the deal is ratified first, its spokesman said.The decision is expected to further
Nov. 16, 2011
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U.S. open to talks over ISD settlement: official
The United States is willing to discuss the controversial issue of investor-state dispute (ISD) settlement with South Korea once their free trade agreement (FTA) takes effect, a U.S. trade official said Tuesday."We are prepared to consult with Korea on any issue they may raise pertaining to KORUS af
Nov. 16, 2011
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Ahn Cheol-soo in political spotlight
Decision to donate wealth interpreted as preliminary step to enter politicsEntrepreneur-turned-professor Ahn Cheol-soo is back into the political limelight after he unveiled his plan on Monday to donate a large portion of his wealth to society.Although he insisted that it has long been his plan to fulfill his social responsibility as part of the privileged upper echelon, the decision was construed as another dramatic move to raise his political profile ahead of next year’s presidential election.
Nov. 15, 2011
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Lee says will seek ISD revision
President tells opposition Seoul will ask U.S. to revise disputed FTA clause if Assembly passes bill President Lee Myung-bak offered Tuesday to open a new round of negotiations with the U.S. on a set of controversial clauses in the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, once the parliament ratifies the treaty. Lee made the proposal to Rep. Sohn Hak-kyu, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party, during a meeting with party leaders at the National Assembly. “The president said he would make a re
Nov. 15, 2011
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Korean NGOs in full bloom
Korea had to wait until after the military-backed authoritarian regime collapsed in the late 1980s to see nongovernmental organizations in full bloom.Under three decades of dictatorial rule, it was not expected for a civil society independent of the government’s sway to come into existence.The Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice set up in 1989 was the first major nongovernmental organization in the country. In the 1990s, more civic groups with influential voices, including the Korean Federa
Nov. 15, 2011
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Civic activists make inroads into politics
Discontent with establishment tears down wall between political circle, civil societyHundreds of participants looked upbeat about the prospects of the organization they were launching in Seoul last Thursday.Having named their group the “Country I Dream Of,” they pledged to realize the dream through active political participation. Their immediate concern was apparently next April’s parliamentary elections, in which many of the participants are planning to run.The group, which often goes by the Ko
Nov. 15, 2011
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Lee says will seek ISD revision
(Yonhap News)President tells opposition Seoul will ask U.S. to revise disputed FTA clause if Assembly passes billPresident Lee Myung-bak offered Tuesday to open a new round of negotiations with the U.S. on a set of controversial clauses in the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, once the parliament ratifies the treaty. Lee made the proposal to Rep. Sohn Hak-kyu, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party, during a meeting with party leaders at the National Assembly. “The president said he wo
Nov. 15, 2011
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Ahn Cheol-soo says he acted on long-dreamed goal of donation
Star computer software entrepreneur Ahn Cheol-soo said Tuesday his decision to make a massive donation of personal wealth was a long-held dream of his but declined to comment on whether the decision is related to his political ambitions.Ahn, the founder of South Korea's No. 1 anti-virus software fir
Nov. 15, 2011
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Ahn Cheol-soo to donate 150b won to society
A prominent computer software entrepreneur said Monday he will donate about 150 billion won ($133 million) to help educate children of low-income families. "I plan to use about half of my shares of AhnLab for the society," Ahn Cheol-soo said in an e-mail announcement to employees of AhnLa
Nov. 14, 2011
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Lee calls free trade pact with U.S. 'survival strategy' for Korea
HONOLULU/SEOUL (Yonhap News) -- President Lee Myung-bak made yet another pitch for parliamentary ratification of the free trade agreement with the United States, stressing that the pact is a "survival strategy" that will help the country tide over global economic crises.Lee and his ruling Grand Nati
Nov. 14, 2011
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DP urges left wing to unite
The main opposition Democratic Party seeks a conference this Sunday with all liberal parties and civic groups to create a united left-wing party.DP chairman Rep. Sohn Hak-kyu met Roh Moo-hyun Foundation chairman Moon Jae-in, former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon on Sunday. They agreed to set up a joint liberal council to consolidate their forces into a single political party. They also urged minority liberal groups to join the DP initiative.“Such integration and cooper
Nov. 14, 2011
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GNP seeks new faces to boost image
Party officials mention popular figures as potential election candidatesThe ruling Grand National Party is searching for new high-profile figures as part of its efforts to regain trust among younger voters in their 20s-40s.“We plan to invite new faces who may erase the party’s negative and stagnant image, especially those who are able to actively communicate with the people,” said Rep. Joo Ho-young, chairman of the party’s recruitment committee.Several public figures are currently under conside
Nov. 14, 2011