Most Popular
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10-man S. Korea lose to Indonesia to miss out on Paris Olympic football qualification
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Hybe-Ador feud should have limited effect on Hybe's overall performance: analysts
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Second Gimpo civil servant found dead, after apologizing for not finishing work
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DP leader says he will meet Yoon without conditions
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First-ever meeting of president, opposition chief set to finally happen
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NewJeans' singles, Japanese debut to proceed as planned, despite Hybe-Ador feud
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Experts raise concerns about Japan putting pressure on Naver over Line
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Samsung mobile chief, Google device head meet in Seoul
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Ship linked to NK arms shipments to Russia is moored in China: State Dept.
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[Kim So-hyun] The quiet taxi driver from Paris
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Prosecution grills ex-President Chun's second son
Former President Chun Doo-hwan's second son was called in for questioning by prosecutors Tuesday over suspicions that he evaded taxes in a land transaction to turn a profit. It marks the first time that a child of Chun faced questioning since the prosecution office launched a probe team tasked with reclaiming the fortune of the former military dictator who was convicted of taking bribes while in office in the 1980s.Chun was ordered by the nation's top court in 1997 to return to state coffers aro
Sept. 3, 2013
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1 in 5 20-somethings likely to stay single: study
More than 1 in 5 Koreans in their early 20s may never get to meet their Mr. or Mrs. Right should the current trends continue, a study showed Tuesday.About 24 percent of men and 19 percent of women aged 20 in 2010 were expected to remain single until 45, according to the study released by the state-funded Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs.People who remain single at the age of 45 and over are usually regarded as the non-married demographic.The chances are extremely low for people get
Sept. 3, 2013
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Chun investigators raid in-law’s firm, to question children
The prosecution intensified pressure on former President Chun Doo-hwan on Monday by raiding the company belonging to his in-law, who is suspected of laundering Chun’s hidden assets, and pushing forward with plans to summon his children.Authorities investigating Chun’s secretive fund, raided the offices of DongA One Corp., a leading local flour mill company owned by Lee Hee-sang, the father-in-law of Chun’s youngest son Jae-man.They seized computer hard discs and account books from 11 offices and
Sept. 2, 2013
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Artist seeks new home for Korean War paintings
It was the worst military disaster for the United States since Valley Forge. But the Battle of Chosin Reservoir ― and countless others like it during the Korean War ― left behind memories of courage and camaraderie, and remembrance for many Korean people.Among them is artist Kim Mi-jung, who decided to express thanks to veterans by depicting the war’s most dramatic events on canvas in time for the 60th anniversary of its outbreak, in June 2010.Twenty-one like-minded painters joined Kim to create
Sept. 2, 2013
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Korea has hottest summer on record
South Korea suffered the hottest summer on record this year, with the southern part of the country bearing the brunt of the scorching heat, the state weather agency said Monday.The Korea Meteorological Administration said the nation‘s average summer temperature came in at 25.4 degrees Celsius, 1.8 C higher than usual and the highest since the agency began gathering related data in 1973.The morning lows averaged 21.7 C this summer, the highest in 40 years, due to frequent tropical nights during w
Sept. 2, 2013
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Seoul call center workers cancel strike after wage deal
The labor union of Seoul City’s public call center called off a general strike scheduled for Monday after reaching a wage agreement with their employers. Their companies agreed to raise the basic wage by 3 percent, provide 50,000 won ($45) in holiday bonus and exempt full-time union executives from work.The 120 Dasan Call Center is currently run by a consortium of three private agencies on behalf of the city government. More than 450 contract workers provide the 24-hour call service. About 150 w
Sept. 2, 2013
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Prosecution raids firm owned by Chun's in-law over illegal slush funds
Prosecutors on Monday raided the offices of DongA One Corp., a leading local flour milling company that belongs to former President Chun Doo-hwan's relative, on suspicion of laundering the secret funds of the military-backed ruler convicted of bribery while in office in the 1980s.Chun was ordered by the nation's top court in 1997 to return to state coffers some 220 billion won (US$196.8 million) he illegally accumulated through bribery from big businesses during his rule from 1980-88. Chun, who
Sept. 2, 2013
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Koreas engage in joint panel talks to set factory park reopening timetable
South and North Korea on Monday started talks on how to ensure the smooth running of their joint industrial complex to prevent another interruption from political or other non-economic factors.The two Koreas agreed on Aug. 14 to reopen the suspended Gaeseong Industrial Complex in the North Korean border city of the same name and inked a deal last Thursday to create a new joint committee that will oversee operations at the inter-Korean factory zone, which had been previously run by a North Korean
Sept. 2, 2013
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30% of foreign short-term visitors stay illegally
Nearly 3 out of 10 short-term foreign visitors to South Korea are believed to be staying here illegally, government data showed Sunday.According to data by the justice ministry, a total of 79,617 foreigners who came to South Korea on short-term tourist visas were staying here illegally as of July 31. The figure represents 28 percent of 285,378 foreigners who landed in South Korea on short-term tourist visas, the data showed. By country, 43.7 percent, or 34,852, of the illegal foreigners came fro
Sept. 1, 2013
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Private preschools charge 14 times public rate
The average tuition fee at private kindergartens is 14 times higher than that of public preschools, according to a government survey. The Ministry of Education on Sunday released a comprehensive survey of 8,559 preschools across the country regarding costs, financial status, rules and law violations.The result showed that parents of children over age 5 attending private kindergartens pay 191,737 won ($173) per month on average, compared with 13,285 won for public ones.For 3-year-olds, private pr
Sept. 1, 2013
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Seoul-Busan rail traffic returns to normal after train collisions
Rail traffic connecting Busan and Seoul resumed normal operations on Sunday, less than 24 hours after collisions involving three passenger trains in a southeastern city, officials said.Officials of Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL) said an early KTX bullet train leaving Busan, about 450 kilometers southeast of the capital, for Seoul departed on schedule at 5 a.m. Sunday.They said other passengers also left for their destinations on time, except for one Mugunghwa train that had maintenance issues and
Sept. 1, 2013
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Search under way for passenger who fell off cruise ship
An elderly South Korean male tourist was missing after falling off a cruise ship off the country's east coast Saturday, the coast guard said.The 75-year-old, identified only by his family name Jeong, fell overboard three kilometers northwest of Jumunjin, a port on the east coast, at around 2:50 p.m., it said.Coast Guard officials said they sent ships and a helicopter to the area to search for the missing man.The search was suspended due to darkness and will resume on Sunday, they said.Lee Dong-j
Sept. 1, 2013
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New history textbook to stir controversy
A new Korean history textbook authored by conservative scholars was approved for use in high schools Friday amid criticism over its allegedly slanted views on the country’s modern history. The National Institute of Korean History, the screening panel commissioned by the Ministry of Education, authorized eight Korean history textbooks, including a controversial book from Kyohak Publishing Co., to be used at high schools from next year.The decision was expected to prompt strong backlash from progr
Aug. 30, 2013
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More than eyes to the blind
For Yoon Seo-hyang, her guide dog Lucy is more than a four-legged animal that gives her sight. For the past four years, the 6-year-old golden retriever has been Yoon’s best friend, steering her way to school, keeping her safe outside and helping her embrace freedom, independence and a connection with the outside world that she never had before. “I was a loner,” said the 22-year-old education major at Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul. “Lucy changed my life completely. She helped me make frie
Aug. 30, 2013
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History of guide dogs for the blind
The relationship between dogs and blind people dates back to ancient times. But its modern history began after the World War I when a German doctor trained them to help thousands of soldiers who lost their vision. The world’s first training center was established in Potsdam, Germany, in 1921 and then other cities in the country as people began to learn about dogs’ ability to guide the blind. But the guide dog movement expanded internationally through a wealthy American woman named Dorothy Harr
Aug. 30, 2013
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Samsung’s dog-loving chairman: Man behind growing canine companionship in Korea
It all started with one man’s wish to share his joy of companionship with dogs. In 1993 Samsung Group launched Korea’s first training school for dogs for guiding the blind, search and rescue, and therapy assistance. Behind the endeavor is its chairman, Lee Kun-hee, 71, renowned for his love of dogs.“Dogs have been a source of great comfort and happiness in my life, so I encourage people to interact more with dogs,” he wrote in an essay published at a local newspaper in 1997. It was when he was s
Aug. 30, 2013
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Kia Motors union stages 2nd partial strike
Unionized workers of South Korea's second-largest carmaker Kia Motors Corp. went on a partial strike Thursday to press their demand for a wage hike and other fringe benefits, a company official said.The walkout by about 30,000 workers, the second since last Wednesday, comes a day after their leaders failed to work out differences with their management in the latest negotiations. The workers also plan to down tools for four hours on Friday.The union calls for, among other things, a special bonus
Aug. 29, 2013
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Employment of college graduates falls slightly
The average employment rate for college graduates has dropped slightly, according to survey results released by the Ministry of Education on Thursday.Of 555,142 students who completed college and graduate school in August 2012 and in February this year, 59.3 percent landed a job immediately after graduation, slightly less than 59.5 percent a year ago.Sungkyunkwan University posted the highest employment rate with 69.3 percent among four-year colleges with more than 3,000 graduates. Korea Univers
Aug. 29, 2013
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Prospects dim for new state English test
Questions are mounting over a new state-administered English proficiency test as the government is reversing its plan to use it for college admission.The government initially sought to substitute the National English Ability Test for the English section of the College Scholastic Ability Test from 2016.But the Ministry of Education announced Tuesday it decided to abandon the plan due to systemic problems and concerns about rising private education costs.“We realized that it is technically impossi
Aug. 28, 2013
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Ministry to launch ‘crime map’
South Korea plans to publish a “crime map” next year indicating areas with high crime rates in a bid to boost public safety, government officials said Wednesday.The online map will identify regional blocks prone to four types of crimes ― sexual assault, school violence, domestic violence and food-related crimes ― based on a new database being established by the Ministry of Security and Public Administration, according to the officials. Aside from crime information, the map will also provide info
Aug. 28, 2013