Most Popular
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Russia sent more than 165,000 barrels of refined petroleum to N. Korea in March: White House
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Key suspects grilled over alleged abuse of power in Marine death inquiry
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[Graphic News] Number of coffee franchises in S. Korea rises 13%
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S. Korean children, teens grow taller, mature faster than before: study
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Some junior doctors are returning: Health Ministry
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Army takes group action against Hybe for neglecting BTS
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[Robert J. Fouser] AI changes rationale for learning languages
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Woman dangling from power lines rescued by residents holding blanket
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Naver Q1 net income soars 1,171.9% on growth of major businesses
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Ador CEO's request for exclusive right to terminate NewJeans' contract with Hybe refused in February
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Political feud biggest obstacle to social cohesion: survey
Koreans pointed to political feuds as the biggest reason for deteriorating social conflicts in the country, a state-led survey showed Tuesday. According to the poll by the Presidential Committee for National Cohesion, 51.8 percent of the respondents said that the political wrangling between the ruling party and opposition bloc contributed most to worsening social confrontations. In the multiple-choice survey of 2,000 Koreans aged 19 and over, the wealth gap was chosen as the second-biggest facto
Dec. 29, 2015
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High-ranking officials to face tougher evaluations
Lee Geun-myeon, minister of personnel management.The work performance evaluation of high-ranking public servants will be tightened, possibly even leading to their dismissal, officials said Tuesday.The Ministry of Personnel Management said starting next year the evaluation criteria and penalties will be strengthened to raise the work efficiency of civil servants who had thus far enjoyed great job security.The move came after public pressure to enhance the “superficial” performance evaluation.Unde
Dec. 29, 2015
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Gov't seeks victims' understanding over 'comfort women' deal
South Korea's No. 2 diplomats met with victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery Tuesday to seek their understanding over a controversial deal aimed at ending the two countries' dispute over the crime.On Monday, Seoul and Tokyo reached a breakthrough agreement that centers on Japan's admission of responsibility for the atrocity and plans to pay reparations to the victims.Some of the victims, who are euphemistically called "comfort women," immediately denounced the deal as a political collusion b
Dec. 29, 2015
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Political feuds biggest obstacle to social cohesion: survey
Koreans pointed to political feuds as the biggest reason for deteriorating social conflicts in the country, a state-led survey showed Tuesday. According to the poll by the Presidential Committee for National Cohesion, 51.8 percent of the respondents said that the political wrangling between the ruling party and opposition bloc contributed most to worsening social confrontations. In the multiple-choice survey of 2,000 Koreans aged 19 and over, the wealth gap was chosen as the second-biggest fac
Dec. 29, 2015
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Controversy grows over wartime sex slavery agreement
South Korea and Japan’s epochal agreement Monday to settle the comfort women issue drew angry reactions from surviving Korean victims, ethnic Koreans living overseas, activist groups and opposition politicians, who called for an unconstitutionality suit to invalidate the settlement and the resignation of South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se. The deal, which included Tokyo’s apology for Korean victims and a fund of 1 billion yen ($8.29 million) for Seoul to establish a foundation to suppor
Dec. 29, 2015
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Large businesses worry about destabilizing relations with labor next year
Three out of 10 large businesses in South Korea are voicing worries over the possibly of worsening relations with labor unions next year due in part to the ongoing controversy over the government-led labor reform drive, a poll showed Tuesday.In a survey conducted by the Korea Employers Federation of its 304 member companies, 67.1 percent of respondents expected labor-management relations to destabilize further next year.Of those polled, 46.2 percent cited the ongoing controversy over the governm
Dec. 29, 2015
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Hyundai Motor workers approve annual wage deal
Unionized workers at Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's leading carmaker, voted on Tuesday in favor of a tentative wage deal reached with the management that promises a pay raise, bonuses and other benefits.In a yes-or-no vote, 25,172 workers, or 59.72 percent of votes cast, supported the deal, wrapping up about six months of talks complicated by several labor strikes.Leaders of the labor union and management earlier agreed to raise the base salary by 4.2 percent, or 85,000 won ($72.7), along with
Dec. 29, 2015
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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