Most Popular
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Exports to US reach all-time high, widen gap with China
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Trump rekindles criticism: US forces defending 'wealthy' S. Korea 'free of charge'
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[Music in drama] Rekindle a love that slipped through your fingers
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S. Korea discussed possible participation in AUKUS Pillar 2 with Australia: defense minister
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[New faces of Assembly] Architect behind ‘audacious initiative’ believes in denuclearized North Korea
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Seoul Metro to seek legal action against malicious complaints
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On May Day, labor unions blast Yoon's foreign nanny proposal
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Illit, mired in controversy, remains on Billboard charts for 5th week
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Opposition-led Assembly unilaterally passes bill to probe Marine's death
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[KH Explains] Will alternative trading platform shake up Korean stock market?
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‘English key to global leadership’
In South Korea, the importance of learning English cannot be stressed enough. Whether applying for a job, university or government-funded program, chances are one will need an English score from a certified organization. The status of the language is far beyond being just a lingua franca; it has become synonymous with the idea of globalization. “I think Korean society is really advanced, and has really understood the importance of English,” said Zoubir Yazid, managing director of Educational Tes
Jan. 16, 2014
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Seoul to set up more courts for sex crimes
The Seoul Central District Court is pushing plans to set up more courts that deal with sex offenses, according to court officials on Thursday. Under the plan, three divisions each consisting of three judges will handle sex crime cases, the court said. Currently, there are two divisions in charge of sex crimes. The measure is part of the court system’s efforts to strengthen the criminal justice system for sex offenders and bring them to justice.“The court has faced sweeping changes in the system
Jan. 16, 2014
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Alleged deals with celebrity raise questions about prosecution
A corruption scandal surrounding a prosecutor is putting a fresh spotlight on the problems facing South Korea’s prosecution. An arrest warrant was issued for a prosecutor identified by his last name Jeon on Wednesday for allegedly making unlawful deals with a defendant in a drug abuse case in 2011. The latest scandal marks another major setback for the powerful organization after its chief’s resignation over accusations he had a love child and a string of bribery cases damaged its public image.O
Jan. 16, 2014
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Three lawmakers lose seats as Supreme Court confirms prison terms
The nation's top court on Thursday confirmed prison terms and penalties for three sitting lawmakers for illegal electioneering ahead of the 2012 general elections, stripping them of their parliamentary seats.Lee Jae-young of the ruling Saenuri Party was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years, for embezzling money from a company he runs and using it to give money to party officials, in violation of the Public Official Election Act.In a separate ruling, the Supreme Court sentence
Jan. 16, 2014
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State intervention not solution to history textbook conundrum
As controversy over the historical accuracy of a textbook snowballed into an ideological war, there is talk of reinstating a system of all schools using government-published textbooks. But the idea is facing opposition from scholars who warn against the hazards of a unilateral view of history. The South Korean government recently said that it is mulling whether it should bring back a state textbook. The state textbook system started in 1974 during the 16-year rule of former president Park Chung-
Jan. 15, 2014
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[Graphic News] Chinese visitors outnumber Japanese
The number of visitors to South Korea increased 5.4 percent on-year in 2013 according to government data released Monday. Last year marked the first time Chinese visitors outnumbered Japanese visitors. Justice Ministry officials cited the improved visa review process and a weaker Japanese yen as possible reasons.Over 82 percent of foreigners arriving in Korea said they came for tourism while 4.5 percent made job-related visits. About 2.6 percent identified themselves as foreigners of Korean desc
Jan. 15, 2014
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Korea’s medical fees much lower than in other nations
South Korean doctors receive far less in fees for surgeries than other developed countries, a report showed Wednesday. According to a new report by the Korean Medical Association, the average surgery fees paid to Korean doctors in 2012 were the lowest compared to those of eight advanced countries, including the United States, Australia, Switzerland and France. In Korea, patients pay part of their medical costs as they belong to the state-regulated health insurance system. For the remainder of th
Jan. 15, 2014
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Korea to overhaul services for multicultural families
The government plans to streamline its support system for multicultural families to help them integrate into society, officials said Wednesday.The move comes as some existing services, including Korean-language education, have been redundant or failed to reach those in need who are in distant rural areas. Under the plan, immigrants can learn the Korean language at local government-designated locations in their respective neighborhoods and earn incentives that would later be helpful when they app
Jan. 15, 2014
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Ministry cancels state English test
A state-administered English exam for high school students will not be held this year, Ministry of Education officials said Wednesday.The ministry has canceled the level 2 and 3 administration of the National English Ability Test, or NEAT, citing high operational costs and low demand from colleges to use it for their admission procedures. While the level 2 and 3 exams, targeted at high school students, have been canceled, the level 1 exam for adults will be held as planned. “Demand for NEAT has
Jan. 15, 2014
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1 out of 6 civil servants open to private sector move
One in 6 public servants are open to getting a new job in the private sector in order to get higher pay, a government survey showed Wednesday. In the survey conducted by the Ministry of Security and Public Administration last year, 16.3 percent of 1,053 civil servants said that they were willing to give up their current government posts and go to the private sector. About 90 percent of respondents cited higher pay as their main reason, saying that they expected an average income rise of about 40
Jan. 15, 2014
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30% of Seoul households headed by women: data
Three out of 10 households in Seoul were headed by women in 2010, while women also accounted for more than half the population in Gangnam, data showed Wednesday.According to statistics compiled by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the number of female heads of households in the city came to 984,000 as of 2010, taking up 28.1 percent of the total.Across the nation, 4.49 million women led households as of 2010, it showed.Of the 25 districts in the capital city, the southern district of Gangnam ha
Jan. 15, 2014
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Namyang chairman to stand trial over alleged tax evasion
The head of major dairy product maker Namyang Dairy Products Co. was indicted on charges of evading taxes worth 7.37 billion won ($6.9 million) through various illegal methods, prosecutors said Wednesday.Chairman Hong Won-sik is under suspicion of stashing secret funds via deals involving expensive artworks and dodging taxes in the process, they said.“Among the items are high-value pieces such as one of the series of ‘Jackie paintings’ by legendary contemporary artist Andy Warhol,” said an inves
Jan. 15, 2014
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Woman raped at university library
The Busan police requested an arrest warrant Wednesday for a 29-year-old man, only identified by his surname Kim, who was accused of raping a female student at a school library in the nation’s second-largest city on Wednesday, according to news reports. Kim, who introduced himself as a researcher, lured the woman into the library through online chatting. He then forced her into a women’s shower room, located in the corner of the library, where he raped her, according to the reports. It is be
Jan. 15, 2014
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S. Korea's overseas arrivals, departures hit record high in 2013
The number of locals and foreigners going in and out of South Korea rose 9.2 percent on-year in 2013, the Ministry of Justice said Wednesday.The tally came to some 54.96 million, with the number of locals reaching 33.49 million and that of foreigners coming in at 24.61 million, the ministry said.Some 3.92 million Chinese visited South Korea last year, a 44 percent jump from a year earlier, the ministry added.The ministry attributed the sharp increase to streamlined procedures in issuing visas to
Jan. 15, 2014
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Six-year jail term sought for CJ chairman
Prosecutors on Tuesday sought a six-year prison term for food and entertainment conglomerate CJ Group chairman for alleged corporate crimes.Lee Jay-hyun was indicted on charges of embezzling around 165.7 billion won (US$156 million) to create slush funds and evade taxes in the process.Prosecutors also demanded that the chief of the country's 14th-largest conglomerate pay a fine of 110 billion won. The 53-year-old tycoon is currently standing trial without being detained after a Seoul court exte
Jan. 14, 2014
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[Graphic News] Organ donor pledges pass 1m
The number of people pledging to donate their organs surged to a fresh high last year, exceeding 1 million for the first time. According to Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.05 million people registered to become organ donors as of last year. This means 1 out of 48 Koreans is willing to donate organs if they die or become brain-dead. About 400 brain-dead patients donated their organs last year, saving more than 1,600 people in need of a transplant.
Jan. 14, 2014
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Troubled college student murders former teacher
Prosecutors said Tuesday a psychologically distressed college student was indicted for murdering his former high school teacher.The suspect, identified only by his surname Yu, is charged with stabbing to death his former guidance counselor, who remains unnamed. According to prosecutors, Yu was suffering from erotomania. Sufferers of the psychological disorder falsely believe that another individual is in love with them.Yu first met his alleged victim in 2009 during his second year of high school
Jan. 14, 2014
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Seoul to host global math meet
Seoul is to host the 27th International Congress of Mathematicians, the largest gathering of mathematicians in the world, in August.The ICM will recognize important accomplishments in the field made over the past four years and serve as a venue for discussions and lectures. Park Hyung-ju, chairman of the Seoul ICM 2014 Organizing Committee, said Tuesday that he hopes the event will boost the public’s interest in the field. “People should know that knowing math can help you do many things,” Park
Jan. 14, 2014
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Prosecution raids district office over love child scandal
Late Monday, the prosecution raided one of Seoul’s district offices as part of its investigation into the leak of personal information of the former prosecution chief’s alleged love child. Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office seized several surveillance cameras at the Seocho-gu Office to identify a staffer who contacted a spy agency official surnamed Song and reportedly divulged the child’s information via phone at the office, officials said. The prosecution confirmed the phone records ahe
Jan. 14, 2014
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Record numbers of tourists visit Korea in 2013
Inbound tourism to South Korea reached its highest level in 2013, according to data released by the Ministry of Justice on Monday, despite a weakening yen and a new Chinese law raising travel costs.More than 12 million foreigners came to South Korea, with those from China and Japan topping the list. Chinese tourists outnumbered their Japanese counterparts for the first time, increasing by 44 percent from 2012 to 3.92 million. The number of Japanese travelers decreased by 22 percent to 2.71 milli
Jan. 14, 2014