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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Experts call for child porn law revision
Experts debated a controversial law designed to protect children from sexual abuse for its vague definitions and harsh punishment on those who own or circulate child pornography materials. Democratic Party Rep. Choi Min-hee, who proposed a revision to the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse regarding child pornography, held an open discussion with law professionals and culture critics on Monday.In the current bill, those who possess adult materials containing charac
Aug. 13, 2013
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Heat wave kills eight people in S. Korea
A scorching heat wave has killed eight people in South Korea in recent months, the health and welfare ministry said Tuesday, as the weather agency issued a heat advisory and heat warning for most parts of the country.The heave wave has gripped South Korea for weeks as temperatures topped 33 C in Seoul and other major cities. Temperatures have reached a record 39.2 C in Gimhae, near South Korea's second-largest city of Busan, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.A heat advisory is
Aug. 13, 2013
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Traces of nuclear activity-related gas detected in June: sources
South Korea detected traces of Xenon, a chemical element usually found near recent nuclear activities, in the country's atmosphere in June, but it does not seem to have originated from North Korea, government sources said Tuesday.According to the sources, the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety detected traces of the colorless, odorless noble gas on three occasions in June. Xenon is detected in trace amounts after nuclear bomb tests or other nuclear activities.After the findings, the government tr
Aug. 13, 2013
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Body of ex-lawmaker found in Han River
The body of former opposition party lawmaker Kim Jong-yull was found Tuesday, a day after he is believed to have jumped off a bridge into the Han River in Seoul.Local police found Kim’s body by a dock near Seorae Island in Banpo-dong, southern Seoul. The location was about 10 meters away from the boat where Kim’s shoes were found on Monday.“We found Kim’s ID card in the clothes, and his family also identified the deceased as Kim,” an unnamed police official said.Kim, a former two-term lawmaker w
Aug. 13, 2013
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Hyundai Merchant swings to black in Q2
Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., South Korea's No. 2 shipping firm, said Tuesday that it swung to the black in the second quarter of the year from a year earlier, logging a profit for the first time in 10 quarters.Net profit reached 31.7 billion won (US$28.3 million) in the April-June period, compared with a loss of 158 billion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing.Sales rose 8.7 percent on-year to reach 1.83 trillion won in the second quarter. The company's operating loss narr
Aug. 13, 2013
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Two former top tax officials to stand trial over bribery
The former No. 1 and No. 2 officials of the national tax agency were indicted Tuesday on charges of accepting bribes worth about 300 million won (US$268,000) from food and entertainment conglomerate CJ Group while in office, prosecutors said.Jeon Goon-pyo, 59, is accused of taking US$300,000 in U.S. bills from CJ Group officials in exchange for favors during a tax audit into the conglomerate in July 2006, shortly after he was named the commissioner of the National Tax Service (NTS), they said.Je
Aug. 13, 2013
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Nation struggles to avoid blackouts
Hope that the nation, gripped by a summer heat wave, will avoid blackouts is rising as the nation’s daily power reserves stayed above a safe level of 40 million kilowatts for two consecutive days thanks to nationwide power-saving efforts. The Korea Power Exchange, the nation’s state-run power distributor, issued a “preliminary” warning for a possible power shortage, the first stage warning out of five levels, as power reserves fell below 4.5 million kilowatts at 11:17 a.m. Power reserves did not
Aug. 13, 2013
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Heat waves grip East Asia
Record heat waves have been baking East Asian countries including Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan due to a Pacific high pressure system. In South Korea, the scorching weather has killed at least six people and left hundreds sickened over the past week, Seoul officials said.Heat wave alerts have been issued in most parts of the country, with peak temperatures hovering around 35 degrees Celsius. Tropical nights have also continued as night temperatures stayed above 25 degrees. On Sunday, two elderl
Aug. 12, 2013
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[Graphic News] Health care spending for senior citizens
Health care spending for senior citizens accounted for more than 33.3 percent of the total for the first time last year. On average, one senior citizen spent about 200 percent more on health care than the average citizen.
Aug. 12, 2013
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[Newsmaker] Chun’s in-law may hold key to assets
Former President Chun Doo-hwan’s brother-in-law, known as one of the key figures who helped him conceal illegally accumulated assets, was questioned by the prosecution on Monday. Lee Chang-seok is the first member of Chun’s family to be summoned by the prosecution looking for the former president’s massive slush funds.Summoning Lee indicates that the authorities are not only searching for concealed assets but also seeking ways to prosecute Chun and his family, sources say.The younger brother of
Aug. 12, 2013
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Ex-lawmaker under probe missing in apparent suicide
Police said Monday they are searching for a former opposition lawmaker after hearing a report that he jumped off a bridge into the Han River in Seoul.According to the police, they began the search after receiving a call from an acquaintance of Kim that he got a mobile message from Kim at about 5:30 a.m. saying he wants to die.An empty vehicle and a pair of shoes belonging to Kim Jong-yull were found by police at a parking lot by the river and a nearby marina, officers said. A suicide note was la
Aug. 12, 2013
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Multiple cracks found in subway trains
Concerns are growing over the safety of Seoul Subway Line No. 3 after multiple cracks that could cause derailment were detected in train parts.According to Seoul Metro, operator of Line 3, and the labor union at the company, up to 70 cracks were found in most of the train cars’ bogie frames, which hold the wheels in place. The discovery was made during a safety checkup last month by a state-run agency. Cracks were found in 42 of the 59 train cars studied. However, the subway operator discarded o
Aug. 12, 2013
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Alert issued on toxic jellyfish hitting Korean shores
Holidaymakers should be cautious of jellyfish spotted along the beaches of South Korea, authorities warned on Monday.Hundreds of Koreans have already been treated for jellyfish stings and the number is expected to rise during the peak summer holiday season. “The jellyfish population has soared recently and people visiting the beach should be careful to avoid being stung,” the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute said.According to the agency, jellyfish found on local beaches on S
Aug. 12, 2013
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S. Korea to buy 4 aerial refueling tankers for fighter jets
South Korea's arms procurement agency on Monday approved a long-delayed plan to buy four aerial refueling tankers from 2017-19 to extend the operational range of the country's fighter jets. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said it will open bidding for the project in February of next year and select a contractor in October in the same year. The project is estimated to cost over 1 trillion won (US$900 million), and the budget plan needs parliamentary approval to be implemente
Aug. 12, 2013
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Ex-lawmaker missing, presumed dead after bridge jump
Police said Monday they are searching for a former opposition lawmaker after hearing a report that he jumped off a bridge into the Han River in Seoul.According to the police, they began the search after receiving a call from an acquaintance of Kim that he got a mobile message from Kim at about 5:30 a.m. saying he wants to die.An empty vehicle and a pair of shoes belonging to Kim Jong-yull were found by police at a parking lot by the river and a nearby marina, officers said. A suicide note was la
Aug. 12, 2013
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Prosecution grills Chun’s brother-in-law
The prosecution on Monday questioned former President Chun Doo-hwan’s brother-in-law in a widening probe into the former military strongman’s hidden assets. Investigators believe that Lee Chang-seok, brother of Chun’s wife Lee Soon-ja, played a crucial role in concealing massive slush funds of the former president’s family for nearly 30 years. Not only is he suspected of managing Chun’s slush funds, Lee also allegedly helped Chun’s children amass fortunes through illegal transfers of wealth.Lee
Aug. 12, 2013
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S. Korea faces possible power shortage
South Korea may be forced to take extreme measures to avoid a nationwide blackout Monday with six nuclear reactors still out of work for maintenance, the government said.The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy earlier said the country's power reserve was expected to drop to as low as 1.8 million kilowatts during the peak hours of 2-5 p.m., far below what is considered a safe level of 4 million kilowatts.Conditions worsened after a 500,000-kw generator at a thermal power plant in Dangjin halte
Aug. 12, 2013
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[Newsmaker] Victim of Japan’s sexual slavery dies
Lee Yong-nyeo, one of the few surviving victims of Japan’s military sex slavery and a leading activist who sought for truth, an apology and compensation, has died Sunday.The House of Sharing, a shelter for the “comfort women” in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, said Lee died at a hospital early Sunday morning. She was 87.At the age of 16, Lee was shipped from Busan to Yangon, Myanmar, where she was forced to provide sexual services to Japanese soldiers during World War II.Since 1995, after moving to
Aug. 11, 2013
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Seoul city’s $7.7b light rail plans embroiled in dispute
Seoul City’s plan to build new light rail lines is mired in controversy as questions grow about its feasibility, cost-effectiveness and even the mayor’s political intentions. Seoul Metropolitan Government in July unveiled the project to lay nine rail transit routes in 10 years to reduce gaps in the city’s public transportation network. The total cost of construction is estimated at 8.553 trillion won ($7.69 billion). The city plans to fund half of it from municipal and central government coffers
Aug. 11, 2013
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[Photo News] Breaking the ice
Aug. 11, 2013