Most Popular
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Blinken calls on China to press N. Korea to end its 'dangerous' behavior
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New celebrity-endorsed therapy for face contouring requires only a pair of rubber bands
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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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Rapper jailed after public street fight with another rapper
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[Weekender] How DDP emerged as an icon of Seoul
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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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Woman gets suspended term for injuring boyfriend with knife
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Med schools expect 1,500+ new admission slots next year
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Lee says North's nukes an obstacle to unification
BERLIN (Yonhap News) -- President Lee Myung-bak said Sunday that Korea should seek unification with North Korea at any cost, stressing the need to end Pyongyang's nuclear programs that he said are an obstacle to unification.Lee made the remark in Berlin, the symbolic city of German unification, on the first leg of a three-nation European tour, saying that unification with the North could come at a
May 9, 2011
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GNP power shift weakens loyalists of President Lee
Developments may bolster Park Geun-hye ahead of major electionsA major power shift has taken place within the ruling Grand National Party amid calls for reform and concerns over the impact last month’s electoral debacle could have on the general elections slated for April next year.The shift became clear Friday as Rep. Hwang Woo-yea, seen as a “neutral non-mainstreamer,” was elected party floor le
May 8, 2011
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Bahk named finance minister
President Lee replaces four other Cabinet membersPresident Lee Myung-bak on Friday named one of his closest aides and incumbent labor minister as the new finance minister-designate in a partial Cabinet shakeup.Lee also nominated another four minister-designates of agriculture, environment, labor and land, mostly former or incumbent senior government officials, replacing a third of Cabinet members.
May 6, 2011
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Bahk Jae-wan named new finance minister in Cabinet reshuffle
President Lee Myung-bak named Labor Minister Bahk Jae-wan, considered one of his closest aides, as the new finance minister Friday in a Cabinet reshuffle that also affected four other ministers, the presidential office said. The other new ministers are for land and transportation, agriculture, environment as well as Bakh's successor as labor minister. Unification Minister Hyun In-taek and Just
May 6, 2011
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Ex-floor leaders express respect for each other
Following the aftermath of the April by-elections and recent turmoil over the Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement bill, political parties face a major leadership shift, including for the floor leader seats.The ruling Grand National Party held an in-party election on Friday, and the main opposition Democratic Party is scheduled to follow suit next Friday, according to officials.The last inter-party issue
May 6, 2011
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Neutral figure elected GNP floor leader
Hwang not affiliated with any faction; Lee Ju-young picked as chief policymakerRep. Hwang Woo-yea was voted floor leader of the ruling Grand National Party in a party election Friday.In the initial vote held in the early afternoon, Hwang won 64 votes out of 159, closely beating his rival An Kyung-ryul, who won 55 votes.The two front runners were then put to a final vote, in which Hwang won 90 vote
May 6, 2011
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Lee to replace 6 ministers in shake-up slated for later Friday
President Lee Myung-bak is expected to carry out a long-awaited Cabinet reshuffle later Friday that is likely to affect six ministers, including the finance minister and the unification minister handling relations with North Korea, an official said. "A partial Cabinet shake-up will be announced around 7 p.m. (Friday)," a presidential aide said. Lee has long been expected to shuffle the Cabi
May 6, 2011
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S. Korea's oldest reactor safe to operate: gov't
South Korea's oldest nuclear reactor is safe to operate, as a detailed inspection showed no problems with the unit that went into emergency shutdown last month due to an electrical glitch, the government said Friday. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology announced after a meeting of the Nuclear Safety Commission said it has approved the restart of the 33-year-old reactor northeast
May 6, 2011
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Lee to replace several Cabinet ministers Friday
Partial reshuffle signals beginning of ruling bloc’s post-election overhaulPresident Lee Myung-bak is expected to name five or six new Cabinet minister designates Friday, about a week after the ruling party’s by-election defeat and just before taking off for a weeklong trip to Europe. Outgoing ministers this time will include those who have been in the Cabinet for more than two years, have offered
May 5, 2011
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Lawmaker calls for active diplomacy over Dokdo
For Rep. Park Sun-young, a former constitutional law professor, changing her official domicile to the easternmost island of Dokdo was her way of fighting against Japan’s territorial sovereignty over the rocky islets.Shortly before the 92nd anniversary of the March 1 Movement, when independent fighters declared independence from Japanese colonial rule, the lawmaker of the conservative minor Liberty
May 5, 2011
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Lee to start Europe tour Sunday
President Lee Myung-bak will fly to Berlin on Sunday, the first destination of his weeklong European tour aimed mostly at strengthening economic cooperation.The businessman-turned-president plans to discuss how to promote bilateral trade and investment as well as cooperation for green growth with the leaders of Germany, Denmark and France, Cheong Wa Dae said.Korea’s free trade agreement with the E
May 5, 2011
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Opposition camp faces discord over FTA bill
Left wing criticizes DP leadership for deal with ruling partyOpposition parties face rough sailing to solidarity due to the conflict over the passage of the Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement bill Wednesday night.The National Assembly began a belated plenary session at 10:03 p.m., in which lawmakers of the Grand National Party approved the disputed bill, after opposition lawmakers boycotted the vote.Ea
May 5, 2011
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S. Korea redrawing overall welfare plan for senior citizens
South Korea is redrawing the country's senior citizen welfare plan to better cope with the steady aging of the population, the government said Thursday. The move comes as more and more people are expected to live longer in the coming years due to advances in medicine. The sharp drop in the country's birthrate is another source of worry since there will be fewer economically active young peopl
May 5, 2011
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National Assembly ratifies Korea-EU FTA
The National Assembly ratified the Korea-EU free trade agreement on Wednesday night, in a vote boycotted by the main opposition Democratic Party. “We decided not to attend the plenary session and go home,” said DP floor leader Park Jie-won after a series of meetings of its lawmakers held just before the session opened. “The decision was taken to express our opposition to the votebeing held today.”
May 4, 2011
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DP blocks bill on Korea-EU FTA
Parties once again faced turmoil over the controversial Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement bill, as the Democratic Party, despite its previous agreement, resolved not to pass the bill Wednesday.In an hours-long party meeting held before the parliamentary regular session in the afternoon, a majority of the main opposition party lawmakers voted against passing the bill, according to party officials.DP fl
May 4, 2011
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Lee scolds FSS as scandal threatens approval rating
President Lee Myung-bak on Wednesday chided the nation’s top financial watchdog for its failure to reform itself despite the lessons of the 1997-98 financial crisis and to properly supervise mutual savings banks, eight of which had their operations suspended so far this year.Having championed efforts to seek a “fair society” through the second half of his term, Lee slammed the Financial Supervisor
May 4, 2011
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North Korean hackers broke international law: ministry source
The Foreign Ministry has begun studying whether the April 12 cyber attack by North Korea violated the international law as part of efforts to ward off additional attacks, an official said Wednesday.“The exercise of their right in a way that inflicts damage on other countries is illegal under the international law,” the official said on condition of anonymity.Prosecutors on Tuesday concluded that t
May 4, 2011
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Lee chastises top financial regulator for complacency
President Lee Myung-bak on Wednesday chided the nation’s top financial watchdog for its failure to reform itself despite the 1997-98 financial crisis and to properly supervise mutual savings banks, eight of which had their operation suspended so far this year.Having championed efforts to seek a “fair society” through the second half of his term, Lee slammed the Financial Supervisory Service for no
May 4, 2011
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Lawmakers slammed for Busan bailout bill
Parties are embroiled in a heated debate over a revision bill submitted by Busan lawmakers to offer full compensation to depositors of suspended savings banks. Many say the bill is legally inappropriate, saying that full compensation may cause moral hazard.A dozen Busan lawmakers have submitted the revision bill which will obligate the government to fully compensate for deposits and subordinate bo
May 3, 2011
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Parties expected to pass Korea-EU FTA
Parties will hold a provisional session where the disputed Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement is expected to pass, despite their failure to reach a consensus during the April plenary session.The ruling Grand National Party and the main opposition Democratic Party, together with government officials, met in a post-deadline debate on Monday and decided to pass the delayed bill during the special parliame
May 3, 2011