Most Popular
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First-ever meeting of president, opposition chief set to finally happen
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Blinken calls on China to press N. Korea to end its 'dangerous' behavior
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Naver’s Line ownership in jeopardy as Japan ups pressure
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South Korea to launch space security center under spy agency
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More med professors to take day off each week while govt. urges them to stay
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Hybe refutes Ador CEO Min's denial of breach of trust
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S. Korea, Japan could consider simplified entry agreement: Seoul official
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[Weekender] How DDP emerged as an icon of Seoul
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New celebrity-endorsed therapy for face contouring requires only a pair of rubber bands
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[Today’s K-pop] NewJeans' single teasers release amid intrigue
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Labor officials raid E-Mart headquarters again over alleged anti-union efforts
Labor Ministry officials on Friday again raided the headquarters of E-Mart Co. as they broadened their investigation into allegations the country’s biggest discount chain operator illegally monitored its employees to prevent them from joining a union.The Ministry of Employment and Labor has been looking into suspicions that the retail giant systemically attempted to undermine the organization of the union, such as by illegally using workers’ resident registration numbers to check if they had joi
Feb. 22, 2013
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Park pulling back on welfare pledges
President-elect Park Geun-hye is scaling down some of her costly welfare programs amid budgetary concerns. The presidential transition committee on Thursday announced key policy agenda for the incoming government, including pension, health care and poverty relief packages, some of which were substantially reduced after two months of discussion. Other earlier proposed schemes were left out.Differing from Park’s original plan, the transition team said the next government would differentiate the am
Feb. 22, 2013
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2 South Koreans, 1 Chinese killed in sinking of fish-transporting vessel in East Sea
A fish transportation vessel with 12 crewmembers on board sank Monday in waters between South Korea and Japan, killing three, including two South Koreans, officials said.The third crewman killed was identified as Chinese, said the South Korean Coast Guard officials.The 296-ton, Cambodian-registered vessel was on its way from the northern Japanese port of Aomori to South Korea's eastern port of Sokcho when it went down amid high waves around 7 a.m. about 548 km west of the Korean island of Ulleun
Feb. 21, 2013
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[Photo News] Miracle workers
Feb. 21, 2013
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Worsening trust in government, inequality fuel social divide
A government survey showed Thursday that Koreans harbor a deep distrust of the nation’s public institutions with the legislature rated the least trustworthy. According to the survey released by the Presidential Committee on Social Cohesion, only 5.6 percent of 2,000 adults said they trusted the National Assembly while 72.8 percent said they did not. Only 15 percent said they trusted the government while 46 percent said it did not do the right things, up nearly five percentage points from the pre
Feb. 21, 2013
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Activist teachers indicted for alleged pro-N.K. activities
Four members of a radical teachers’ association have been indicted for alleged pro-North Korean activities, said the prosecution on Thursday. The teachers were charged without detention for violating the National Security Act. The Seoul Central District Prosecution said they founded an organization called “New Era Education Movement” and taught young students with pro-North Korean materials.One elementary school teacher posted a quote by former communist leader Kim Jong-il at the back of his cla
Feb. 21, 2013
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Educational programs at forefront of sex crime prevention
In the wake of a series of high-profile sexual assaults against women and children last year, the government plans to expand education programs to prevent crimes and ensure better care of victims. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family plans to discuss the plan with experts from various fields on Feb. 22, the government-designated day for eradicating sexual violence against children.Amid public outrage about sex crimes, the government and the parliament took measures last year to increase st
Feb. 21, 2013
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Public sector lacks public trust: study
Koreans largely do not trust the public sector and class conflict is still deemed to be the key factor hindering social cohesion, a study by the presidential committee on social cohesion said Thursday.The study, published in the committee’s annual report of 2012, surveyed 2,000 adults on social integration.Among the six groups mentioned in the survey, the National Assembly received the lowest grade, with only 5.6 percent of those surveyed expressing trust in the institution. The reliability rate
Feb. 21, 2013
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Fire breaks out at department store in Daegu
A fire broke out in a department store in Daegu on Wednesday, leaving five people hospitalized, police said. The fire started at an outdoor clothing storage center on the eighth floor of the Donga Department Store at around 6:30 p.m., according to police. Right after the fire began to spread, firefighters and 49 fire trucks were dispatched to the site, containing the blaze in 16 minutes. The fire killed no one but five people were injured, including three children who inhaled gas and two employe
Feb. 21, 2013
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Parents get suspended terms for admissions fraud
A total of 21 parents received suspended prison terms on Tuesday for securing unlawful admission for their children to foreigner-only schools in South Korea based on fraudulent documents, according to court officials.The Incheon District Court delivered guilty verdicts to the parents for illegally putting their children in schools for children of foreign residents with fabricated passports and foreign citizenship papers which they bought from brokers.South Korean students, in principle, can be e
Feb. 20, 2013
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Updated CIA factbook keeps Sea of Japan name
The updated World Factbook published by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency still refers to the body of water separating the Korean Peninsula and the main Japanese islands as the Sea of Japan, local diplomatic observers said Wednesday.They said the geographical name contested by Seoul was used in the reference book with information about the countries of the world. Koreans call the same body of water the East Sea.The South Korean government has persistently insisted that the International Hydro
Feb. 20, 2013
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‘N.K. may need several weeks to prepare for nuke tests’
Though North Korea has threatened to take stronger measures to protect its sovereignty following its Feb. 12 nuclear blast, experts say the isolated country may need several weeks to prepare for additional atomic tests.The diplomatic source in Beijing, who did not wished to be identified, claimed Pyongyang is very conscious of China and about concerns of radioactive contaminants from its underground test.“After the latest test, the North seems to be carefully checking the condition of the tunnel
Feb. 20, 2013
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Large firms caught dumping toxic waste
A total of 164 companies including some of the nation’s largest electronics, chemicals, automotive and food makers were found to have dumped waste water tainted with toxic materials, the Environmental Ministry said Wednesday. The ministry unveiled the result of its two-month investigation of 318 companies that discharge 2,000 tons of water per day.The probe found that waste water from nearly half of them contained harmful chemicals, including phenolphthalein, copper, cadmium, chloroform, cyan an
Feb. 20, 2013
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Global science and education in Korea for the 21st century
Science and education are worldwide enterprises, and all highly developed countries invest heavily in science and education. Korea is developing strong research to grow its economy, enhance public good and develop world-class universities that will be outstanding centers of research and learning. Korea already has a well-developed scientific infrastructure and university system, and is well positioned to achieve these goals. Three areas will have a positive impact on scientific research and educ
Feb. 20, 2013
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Vocational schools gain ground in tight job market
Lee Jong-suk faced stiff opposition from parents and friends when he decided to go to a vocational high school six years ago.They wanted him to go to a general high school to be qualified for university admission and a decent job as most Korean teenagers desire. “But the moment I saw the picture of the sea and ships in a dock, I thought this is where I belong,” said Lee, 21, who now works for Doriko Ltd, a ship management firm in Seoul.While his peers were stuck at their desks, Lee had a wide ra
Feb. 20, 2013
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EBS expands Herald slot
National educational broadcasting station EBS has decided to expand its “Newspaper Reading Class” as of late February.The English study program uses articles from The Junior Herald to air twice a week ― Thursday and Friday ― from 9:50 to 10:00 p.m. on a cable TV channel.Thanks to the ardent support of the EBS viewers, the program now airs Monday to Friday, 9:20-9:30 p.m., as of Feb. 25. Reruns of the program are again provided from 11:20-11:30 p.m. each day. The reading class is also shown on EB
Feb. 20, 2013
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Spy agency fires whistle blower in election interference suspicions
A state spy agency official was fired Wednesday for having leaked information that implicates the agency in attempting to influence the last presidential election, the agency said.Police have been questioning a 29-year-old female employee of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) -- identified only by her surname Kim -- on suspicions that she tried to influence the Dec. 19, 2012 presidential election on behalf of her employer by writing more than 120 online posts about politically sensitive iss
Feb. 20, 2013
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Crime rising in foreigner-concentrated neighborhoods
A growing number of crimes committed in foreigner-concentrated residential areas is raising calls for more government measures.With over 1.4 million foreigners currently residing in Korea, the number of violent crimes reported has jumped by 3,000 this year from 2009, according to a report in MBN news.Police investigated cities and areas where many foreigners live, including Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, Pyeongtaek and Daegu, for crimes commited by foreigners. Of the 464 foreign suspects caught, 186
Feb. 20, 2013
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Park Si-hoo’s alleged rape victim wasn’t drunk: bar owner
The woman who accused actor Park Si-hoo of raping her did not appear drunk on the night the alleged attack took place, according to the owner of a bar where the two drank that night.Park Si-hoo, a well-known hallyu star, was accused on Monday of allegedly raping a 22-year-old woman. The woman said she had a drink with the 36-year-old actor last Friday at a bar in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul, and was raped after she passed out from being drunk. The women formally lodged a complaint with the police the
Feb. 20, 2013
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Man gets 5 years for attempted rape of acquaintance’s wife
A man who tried to rape his acquaintance’s wife was sentenced to five years in prison, Chuncheon District Court said. The man, 30, broke into his acquaintance’s house on Sep. 1, 2012, and tried to rape the wife, 23, who was asleep with her son. She sustained injuries from resisting the attack.The judge said, “It is fatally bad to try to rape an acquaintance’s wife. Furthermore, he committed the crime as soon as he got off probation.”The court also ordered him to wear an electronic tag for 10 yea
Feb. 20, 2013