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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Lee Jong-sup resigns as envoy to Australia
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Yellow dust engulfs S. Korea, advisory alert issued
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Official campaigning kicks off for April 10 elections
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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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Health Ministry to invest W52.5b in infectious disease research
Following a number of public health disasters this year, including the Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak, South Korea’s Health Ministry announced Monday that it will invest 52.5 billion won ($45 million) in research studying infectious diseases next year. The ministry allocated a total of 532.2 billion won for all of its research and development projects, including research for cancer, chronic diseases and infectious diseases. Next year’s budget for the specific cause is 7.6 billion won
Dec. 28, 2015
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Workplace bullying gets smarter, crueler in South Korea
The South Korean government has been striving to curb violence in various corners of society, including at schools, homes, workplaces and online. The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles delving into the reality and the country’s efforts to restrain the violence. This is the second installment. --Ed. It wasn’t too hard for Yoon Eun-ji -- not her real name -- to find out that her senior colleague had been bullied by one of the executives of her company earlier this year. It wasn’t dif
Dec. 28, 2015
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Korean man indicted over alleged Yasukuni bombing
Japanese prosecutors indicted a South Korean man for the suspected bombing of a public restroom at a Tokyo war shrine last month, news reports said Monday.The 27-year-old suspect, identified only by his surname Chon, is charged with breaking into the premises on Nov. 23 and was taken into custody, Kyodo News agency reported.Chon was arrested earlier this month shortly after voluntarily returning to Tokyo by plane.An explosion was heard inside the shrine on the morning of Nov. 23. Police found a
Dec. 28, 2015
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Public officials taking bribes to be expelled at once
Any public official taking money or valuables worth more than 1 million won ($856) as bribes will be kicked out of office without exception from now on, the government said Monday.The Ministry of Personnel Management said the revised bill regarding disciplinary action towards public servants will take effect from Tuesday.It is the first time the government has stipulated the degree of punishment for bribed officials depending on the amount of money received. Previously, it used the guidelines fr
Dec. 28, 2015
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South Korea's rights watchdog eyes ways for better resettlement of North Korean defectors
South Korea's human rights watchdog is considering recommending the Unification Ministry improve resettlement programs for North Korean defectors to help ease social prejudice against them, officials said Monday.More than 28,000 North Korean defectors have moved to the South for freedom, but many are facing difficulties in finding jobs or resettling due to deep-rooted prejudice, according to the National Human Rights Commission.An official at the commission said that it is considering whether to
Dec. 28, 2015
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Media watchdog restricts foreign language use in TV ads
South Korea’s state-appointed media monitoring agency said Sunday that it has set out specific guidelines to restrict the use of foreign languages in TV commercials. According to the guidelines for the nation’s broadcasters by the Korea Communications Standards Commission, TV advertisements are now banned from containing foreign languages or songs for more than 15 seconds -- half of the 30-second time slot. The regulation covers the narrative of product slogans, company names and catchphrases s
Dec. 27, 2015
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1 in 4 young graduates not in work or education: report
One in four young Koreans with a bachelor’s degree is not pursuing education, employment or training, the third highest rate among OECD members, a report showed Sunday.According to the National Assembly Research Service’s interim report on education, 24.4 percent of those aged 15-29 who held bachelor’s degree in Korea as of 2012 were grouped as “NEET,” referring to those who are not pursuing any official educational or employment activities.This was double the OECD average of 12.9 percent and th
Dec. 27, 2015
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Maestro Chung's wife booked on defamation charges
The wife of maestro Chung Myung-whun has been booked on defamation charges in a case that led to the resignation of the head of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, police said Sunday. Chung's wife, 67, identified by her family name Koo, is suspected of ordering Chung's secretary to write and spread an anonymous letter that Park Hyun-jung, then the chief of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, sexually and verbally harassed orchestra members, police said. Last December, 10 members of the Seoul Philh
Dec. 27, 2015
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'Comfort women' photographer wins lawsuit against Nikon
TOKYO (AFP) - A Japanese court on Friday ordered camera maker Nikon to pay damages to a South Korean photographer whose Tokyo exhibition on Japanese wartime sex slaves was temporarily cancelled, the company said.The Tokyo District Court ordered Nikon to pay 1.1 million yen ($9,100) to Japan-based cameraman Ahn Sehong, a company spokesman told AFP.Ahn filed a lawsuit in 2012, demanding compensation of 14 million yen, after Nikon abruptly cancelled his event scheduled to be held at Nikon Salon in
Dec. 26, 2015
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Park hopes more people donate
President Park Geun-hye expressed hopes on Thursday that more people will donate, citing her email conversation with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg."I have recently exchanged an email with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg about sharing and the spirit of donation," Park wrote in her Facebook post. "I hope that there will be more people in our country who are sharing and donating."Earlier this month, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan announced that they would donate 99 percent of their Faceboo
Dec. 24, 2015
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Dispute rises over child care budget in South Korea
The Education Ministry on Thursday threatened to file a lawsuit against municipal education offices that have been refusing to allocate their budget on next year’s child care allowance for children aged 3-5 with the claim that the central government must fully finance the program. Backing the ministry’s stance, Choo Kyung-ho, head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, also announced that the central government would take “every possible disciplinary measure” -- be it legal, administr
Dec. 24, 2015
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Korea paroles 550 prisoners in celebration of Christmas
The government released 550 prisoners on special parole, ministry officials said Thursday, in celebration of the Christmas holiday.The inmates, who had a low possibility of repeating their crimes and led an exemplary life in prison, were granted parole on the last working day before the holiday, the Ministry of Justice said.Two juvenile prisoners and the former head of the Hankook Ilbo media group were included in the list.Chang Jae-ku, 68, had about a month left to finish his 30-month jail term
Dec. 24, 2015
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Court rules chemical castration constitutional
The Constitutional Court ruled in a 6-3 vote Wednesday that hormonal treatment to suppress sexual impulses in sex offenders is constitutional.In 2013, a district court had challenged the law that allows chemical castration for convicted child molesters over 19 years of age who are at risk of repeating their crimes, saying it violates basic human rights. The Constitutional Court, however, said the medication is a temporary treatment for the offenders and the hormones could be produced again when
Dec. 23, 2015
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Top court backs sacking of stem cell scientist Hwang
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that Seoul National University’s dismissal of Hwang Woo-suk was justifiable, marking an end to a nine-year legal battle for the scientist whose fabrication of his stem cell research had tarnished his reputation.The top court upended its original ruling in 2014 that the SNU ruling was fair as Hwang’s actions “eroded people’s trust in SNU and the entire science circle.”In 2006, the SNU dismissed the veterinarian and cloning expert after he was found to have fak
Dec. 23, 2015
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Hailing cab late at night a challenge in winter
A line of people, intoxicated and weary from the festivities of year-end parties, shiver outside Itaewon Station in central Seoul on a cold December night, trying to hail taxis. The seemingly insignificant task proves to be daunting, as a parade of cabs rush past them in search of passengers looking to travel long distance. “Where are you headed?” a driver asks a potential passenger, before speeding away at his mention of a destination 20 minutes away. Local taxi drivers’ tendency to cherry-pick
Dec. 23, 2015
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South Korea to monitor absent students for possible domestic abuse
Following a high profile child abuse case this week reported in Incheon, where a father confined his 11-year-old daughter at home and continually abused her for more than two years, the South Korean government is launching a special investigation nationwide next month on all schoolchildren absent from school for more than a week. “Normally, when a child is absent for no specific reason for more than a week, a teacher is required to call his or her parents,” said Kim Il-yeol from the Division of
Dec. 23, 2015
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Petition against Japan normalization treaty dismissed
The Constitutional Court refused Wednesday to review a petition by a Korean woman who challenged the constitutionality of a 1965 treaty to normalize ties between Seoul and Tokyo on the grounds that the treaty limited individual rights to seek compensation for colonial-era forced labor. The Constitutional Court delivers a ruling over the constitutionality of a 1965 treaty to normalize relations between Seoul and Tokyo on Wednesday. (Yonhap)Under the treaty, Tokyo offered Seoul $5 million in free
Dec. 23, 2015
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Court allows changes to national IDs
The Constitutional Court ruled Wednesday that a law barring South Koreans from changing their resident registration numbers was unconstitutional.The court said the current law on resident registration numbers excessively violates citizens’ basic rights to make decisions about their own personal information, ordering the government to present a revision by the end of 2017. “It is an excessive violation of rights that the government does not allow Koreans to change their resident numbers regardles
Dec. 23, 2015
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Korea’s first-ever multicultural library faces shutdown over budget shortfall
On the second floor of an old building in Dongdaemun-gu, eastern Seoul, children sit scattered around the floor of a small library, reading. Behind them are walls of bookshelves filled with colorful books. In the next room, others play board games, while in the third room a small group of children intently watch volunteer teachers instructing them how to make creative objects out of large board papers using scissors and glue.“I come here every day after school. I usually read books or play with
Dec. 23, 2015
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Korea unveils 2nd phase of climate change measures
The Seoul government on Wednesday released the second phase of its climate change adaptation measures for the next five years, aimed to reduce potential climate change risks and better protect the public health.The Environment Ministry released the measures set up in four categories -- technology, public health, industry and nature. The measures will be implemented starting from next year. Fine dust adds to the smog in Seocho-gu, southern Seoul, Wednesday. (Yonhap)The first long-term plan was la
Dec. 23, 2015