Most Popular
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Korean labor force to shrink by 10 million by 2044: report
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[AtoZ Korean Mind] Does your job define who you are? Should it?
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Allegations surrounding BTS resurface, enraged fans demand apology
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Students with history of violence will be barred from becoming teachers
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Medical feud leaves hospitals in financial crisis
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Top prosecutor pledges 'speedy, strict' probe into first lady's luxury bag allegations
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Samsung mocks Apple over iPhone alarm glitch
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Chip up cycle won’t stay long: SK chief
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'Queen of Tears' riding high on Netflix chart
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Speaker floats dual citizenship as solution to falling births
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Arrest warrant sought for journalist over false info
An arrest warrant is being sought for a well-known muckraking journalist accused of spreading false information that a younger brother of President Park Geun-hye was involved in a murder case, prosecution officials said Friday.Joo Jin-woo, a reporter of the monthly news magazine Sisa Journal, has been questioned by prosecutors for reporting that the president’s younger brother, Park Ji-man, was behind the deaths of two of his relatives.In September 2011, police found the body of a nephew of the
May 10, 2013
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Builder admits to role in sex-for-favors scandal
A local construction contractor has admitted to playing a role in hiring women to provide sexual favors to a number of high-profile figures in return for business benefits, an officer close to the investigation said Friday.The 52-year-old construction contractor, surnamed Yoon, returned home earlier in the day after being quizzed for more than 14 hours over allegations that the social elites, including former and incumbent high-ranking government officials and the head of a hospital, received se
May 10, 2013
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Park’s remark on wage sparks dispute
President Park Geun-hye’s promise to address businesses’ concerns about the “ordinary wage” system has sparked a heated debate in labor, management and political circles. During a meeting with U.S. business leaders in Washington on Wednesday, Park said the government will redress the complicated wage rule which GM chairman Daniel Akerson cited as a key barrier to investment in Korea. The Ministry of Employment and Labor said Friday a tripartite panel of labor, management and government will begi
May 10, 2013
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Fewer Korean youth think supporting parents is their duty: report
Three out of 10 Korean youth believe that they should take a major role in supporting their parents, a report showed.According to the 2013 Youth Statistics report which was released this month and conducted by Statistics Korea, 35.6 percent of the respondents said children should take responsibility in looking after their parents. The result is a drastic fall compared to 67.1 percent in the same survey conducted in 2002. The report was based on 31 surveys given to people aged 15 to 24.“I’m the o
May 10, 2013
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Builder admits to role in sex-for-favors scandal
A local construction contractor has admitted to playing a role in hiring women to provide sexual favors to a number of high-profile figures in return for business benefits, an officer close to the investigation said Friday.The 52-year-old construction contractor, surnamed Yoon, returned home earlier in the day after being quizzed for more than14 hours over allegations that the social elites, including former and incumbent high-ranking government officials and the head of a hospital, received sex
May 10, 2013
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Opposition party demands Park's apology over spokesman sacking
The main opposition Democratic Part(DP) urged President Park Geun-hye Friday to publicly apologize over allegations that her spokesman had sexually assaulted a young woman in the United States earlier this week.The allegations emerged after Park's office announced earlier in the day that the president had fired her spokesman, Yoon Chang-jung, during her five-day official visit to the U.S. this week.Yoon is suspected of sexually harassing a Korean woman in her early 20s at a hotel in Washington o
May 10, 2013
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Five killed in furnace gas leak at steel plant
Five workers suffocated to death on Friday at a steel plant in the port city of Dangjin after gas leaked from a furnace, authorities said.The workers, employed by a subcontractor of Hyundai Steel Co., were found dead at around 1:40 a.m. inside the 8-meter-deep rotating furnace in the city, some 123 kilometers south of Seoul, after argon gas leaked from the furnace, according to the authorities. The victims were removing the scaffolding that had been used for regularly scheduled repair work from
May 10, 2013
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Police question key figure in sex-for-favors scandal
The police on Thursday summoned a construction businessman suspected of arranging sexual services for a number of social elites in exchange for business favors.Yoon Joong-cheon, 51, is a key figure in a snowballing bribery sex scandal allegedly involving high-ranking officials and other social elites. He is also accused of filming them having the intimate encounters. The police have been looking for the video files and investigating whether Yoon used the footage to blackmail officials for busine
May 9, 2013
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Builder quizzed over sex-for-favor scandal
A local construction contractor went before the police Thursday to face questioning over allegations that he hired women to provide sexual favors to a number of high-profile figures in return for business benefits.The sex bribery scandal centers around allegations that up to nine people, including former and incumbent high-ranking government officials and the head of a hospital, received sexual services from about a dozen women hired by the 52-year-old construction contractor, surnamed Yoon.Yoon
May 9, 2013
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Court orders compensation for protesters undressed by police
The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that protesters who were forced to take off their underwear by police officers during an investigation deserve compensation from the government. The court confirmed the original verdict that came down partially in favor of the plaintiffs and ordered the government to pay 1.5 million won ($1,379) to each party. Out of concerns about mad cow disease, four female protesters took part in a candlelight vigil in 2008 against the Korean government’s plan to resume U.S.
May 9, 2013
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Detective summoned over police attempt to cover-up spy agency scandal
A detective who blew the whistle on the alleged police attempt to cover up a widening spy agency scandal appeared for questioning by prosecutors Wednesday.The scandal centers around allegations that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) systemically and extensively meddled in the presidential election by using its agents to illegally post a slew of politically sensitive comments against the opposition candidate on the Internet to sway public opinion ahead of the December vote.Wrapping up a fou
May 8, 2013
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Immigrants play bigger roles in Korean society
People from multicultural families are playing greater roles in improving the lives of themselves and their neighbors. Kim Thuy, a 42-year-old Vietnamese, takes pride in helping others and contributing to the community.She has been living in Haenam-gun, South Jeolla Province, since marrying her Korean husband 16 years ago. Working as an interpreter at Haenam Multicultural Family Support Center, Kim has seen members of multicultural families affected by domestic violence and discord with neighbo
May 8, 2013
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Support centers help migrants adapt, integrate
Planca Jessa from the Philippines entered a rural community in the Sejong City area seven years ago after marrying a Korean farmer. She managed to adapt to the new life, learning the language, culture and skills at a government-run support center for multicultural families near her home. The facility helped her not only settle but also pursue her childhood dream of becoming a teacher. “We learn various skills of life here such as how to use the computer and how to cook Korean food. The center al
May 8, 2013
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English teacher training program faces resistance
This is the second in a follow-up series to one which was published in the Expat Living section on March 6 and 13 and covered the ongoing native English teacher phaseouts in certain regions. This three-part series further assesses the native English teacher program as well as the Teaching English in English initiative for Korean teachers of English in primary and secondary public schools. ― Ed.One trainer likened it to boot camp. Arduous 9-to-5 classes with only a break for lunch, five days a we
May 8, 2013
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History of TEE program
The creation of the TEE program was spurred by former President Lee Myung-bak, who believed national English competence was vital to the globalization and economic prosperity of his country.In the mid-2000s, Koreans had among the lowest TOEFL scores in the world, despite one of the highest rates of private spending on English education ― about triple that of Japan, according to Samsung Economic Research Institute.Leaders faced calls to improve the English communication competence of teachers who
May 8, 2013
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Survey shows six out of 10 elderly are not economically independent
Six out of 10 elderly people are not economically independent, a survey showed Wednesday, in the latest sign that South Koreans are not well-prepared for their retirement.The biennial survey by the National Pension Research Institute found that 59.3 percent of 4,105 households said they do not have the economic means to remain independent while 40.7 percent said they can support themselves.The survey also showed that 53.2 percent of retirees said they wanted to receive financial support from the
May 8, 2013
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[Graphic News] Korea, Poland politically most stable of 30 nations
Korea and Poland were rated as the most politically stable among 30 emerging countries, according to a survey by Eurasia Group. In its latest Global Political Risk Index, the U.S.-based political and financial risk consulting firm gave Korea 77 out of 100. The index is based on how well the government, society, security and the economy can withstand political shocks.The high ranking indicates Korea’s ability to offset risks and uncertainties posed by North Korean threats and change of government
May 7, 2013
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Dentist honored for 33 years of service to Hansen’s patients
Kang Dae-gun, an 82-year-old dentist, has been honored for his dedicated service to patients with Hansen’s disease for the last 33 years. The retiring dentist first began helping Hansen’s patients in 1979, but decided to stop offering his services early this year, considering his health and age. A group of patients and supporters gathered at his clinic in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on Monday and held a small party to thank him for what he has done for more than 30 years. Attendees included Emma Freisi
May 7, 2013
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Afterschool program helps multicultural students
YWCA and Citibank Korea recently opened 20 centers across the country to run an afterschool program for multicultural students. The program called “Discover Your Multicultural Gifts” is designed to help about 200 children from multicultural marriages and expatriate families. Child refugees from North Korea and underprivileged youths can also join the program, which is now in its second year. Last year YWCA and Citibank ran the classes with some 180 students and 36 instructors participating. “Ri
May 7, 2013
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Full home address of sex offenders to be disclosed
The government will disclose the home addresses of convicted sex offenders and make them available via mobile handsets as part of efforts to effectively protect children from sex crimes, officials said Tuesday.Under a revised law set to go into effect on June 19, the government will expand the scope of sex criminals' personal information subject to disclosure to include the street name and house number, according to the officials at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.The law was part of
May 7, 2013