Most Popular
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Marine Corps commander summoned by CIO for questioning on alleged influence-peddling case
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Debate rages over ‘overly fatty’ samgyeopsal
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40 flights canceled on Jeju Island due to bad weather
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[Weekender] Korean psyche untangled: Musok
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N. Korea slams US, other countries for seeking alternative to UN sanctions monitoring panel
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Pandemic left Korea more depressed than before: report
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Gov't appears to shelve punitive measures against mass walkout by doctors
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[Eye Interview] 'If you live to 100, you might as well be happy,' says 88-year-old bestselling essayist
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From fake prostitution ring to nonexistent robber, prank calls hamper police
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Missing S. Korean traveler in Paris found safe after 2 weeks
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9-year-old drives mother’s car in Daejeon
A 9-year-old boy in Daejeon drove his mom’s car for nearly 7 kilometers on Wednesday before ramming into 10 vehicles, becoming the second child to get behind the wheel of a parent’s car in a week in Korea.The minor drove on the road, traveling between a local district office, a supermarket and his apartment -- places he has been to with his mom. The accident resulted in damage to a total of 10 cars at several sites before the boy was caught by police within an hour of leaving home.The boy, who i
July 12, 2018
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[Weather] Daytime highs to reach 35 C
Sweltering weather is set to continue throughout South Korea on Thursday, with daytime highs to reach 35 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country. The Korea Meteorological Administration issued heat wave warnings in Daejeon, Gwangju, Daegu, Ulsan and Busan as of 9 a.m. The warnings are projected to expand to most regions of the nation in the afternoon. (Yonhap)Temperatures in Seoul will reach up to 32 C, Suwon 32 C, Gangneung 33C, Daejeon 35 C, Gwangju 35 C, Daegu 35 C and Busan 31 C. The h
July 12, 2018
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[Newsmaker] Body of suspect in YouTuber sex abuse case found: police
The body of a man who apparently committed suicide amid a probe into alleged sexual abuse of a YouTube celebrity has been found in a river east of Seoul, police said Thursday. A search has been underway since Monday for the 42-year-old man who worked at a local photography studio, after police received a report earlier that day from a witness saying he saw a person jump into the Bukhan River northwest of Seoul. (Yonhap)The man, whose identity was not disclosed, was under police investigation ove
July 12, 2018
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Doctors, pharmacists clash over hypertension medication in South Korea
A common, off-patent drug that had often been used to treat high blood pressure but which was banned in Korea after it was revealed to contain a chemical that poses a cancer risk has become the center of heated debate among doctors and pharmacists. Valsartan is commonly used for heart and high blood pressure medications. It is manufactured in a number of different locations worldwide, and it was recently revealed that those manufactured in China have been contaminated with a potential carcinoge
July 11, 2018
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More than 200,000 Koreans sign petition against upcoming queer festival
More than 200,000 Koreans signed an online petition asking the presidential office to disallow the upcoming queer parade, which is scheduled to be held in central Seoul on Saturday. The petition, which was first filed on June 14, asked the authorities to ban two queer events -- the upcoming parade in Seoul and another event that was held in Daegu on June 23. “We are not discriminating against sexual minorities,” the petition reads. “But Seoul City Square belongs to all citizens.” The petitione
July 11, 2018
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[Trending] Starbucks ignites momentum for plastic waste fight
Starbucks’ plan to ban plastic straws has given momentum to the fight against plastic waste in South Korea.Both the Starbucks headquarters and Starbucks Korea announced plans to reduce plastic waste earlier this week by introducing a new lid and paper straws.The move was a major feature in headlines Tuesday, prompting major TV networks SBS and KBS to run segments on the environmental impact of plastic waste during their news programs. The move has also emboldened environmental activists and effo
July 11, 2018
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[Newsmaker] Yemeni asylum seekers on Jeju to get results in two weeks
Yemini asylum seekers who have arrived on Jeju Island this year will start receiving the results of their refugee status applications in two weeks’ time.Amid much public debate over how to deal with the sudden increase of refugees from the Arab state, the Jeju immigration office began reviewing applications from 486 Yemeni asylum seekers late last month. Seven immigration officers are screening between 12 and 18 applications per day, and the first results are expected in the third week of this m
July 11, 2018
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Busan offers transport fees to senior citizens who give up driver’s license
As part of efforts to reduce car accidents involving senior citizens, Busan City said it will provide transport allowances and other benefits to those aged 65 or above who voluntarily surrender their driver’s licenses.The city government said Wednesday that senior citizens born before or on Dec. 31, 1953 will be given public transport cards worth 100,000 won ($89) in return for giving up their driving licenses.The offer is limited to 400 senior citizens who sign up this year, a city official sai
July 11, 2018
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More fall prey to voice phishing scams in 2017: data
The number of voice phishing scams and resulting amount damages grew sharply in South Korea last year, the financial watchdog said Wednesday.A total of 50,013 cases of such fraudulent cases took place in 2017, up 8.9 percent from the previous year, according to the Financial Supervisory Service.The total amount of damages incurred by the financial schemes jumped 26.4 percent to come to 243.1 billion won ($217 million), the watchdog said, adding that victims lost an average of 670 million won eve
July 11, 2018
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Cloudy skies and a chance of rain spells
Most parts of South Korea will experience cloudy skies Wednesday, with a few spells of rain expected in inland areas.As the rain front moves east, most of the central region will see between 5 and 30 millimeters of rain in the morning, with a chance of sudden showers in inland regions in South Chungcheong Province and North Jeolla Province in the afternoon, due to an unstable atmosphere. (Yonhap)Temperatures are forecast to reach around 23 degrees Celsius in Seoul, Incheon and Suwon, before risi
July 11, 2018
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'Nude' pension operator acquitted
JECHEON, North Chungcheong Province -- A local district court has acquitted the operator of a controversial "nude" pension of violating laws on public health and morals, court records showed Wednesday.In 2009, the defendant surnamed Kim opened the secret two-story nude pension for naturists in the remote mountainous village of Bongyang, Jecheon, about 105 km southwest of Seoul. He had to shut it down later due to strong protests by angry villagers who asserted it hurts villagers' emotions, but h
July 11, 2018
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[Newsmaker] Conscientious objector released on bail
The Supreme Court said Wednesday it has allowed a man detained for refusing the mandatory military service for religious beliefs to walk free on bail, the first such case following the latest Constitutional Court ruling that partially upheld the right to object to the mandate. The court granted the bail last Friday for the 23-year-old defendant, identified by his surname Kim, it said in a statement. Kim was being held pending an appellate decision on the charge of disobeying the state order to s
July 11, 2018
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Commission votes down proposal to differentiate minimum wage
South Korea's commission for the minimum wage on Tuesday voted down a proposal to differentiate minimum pay by business sector, dealing a blow to employers' push for the move. (Yonhap)The Minimum Wage Commission, comprising those representing the public interest, workers and employers, rejected the proposal in a 14-9 vote. Of the 23 participants in the poll, five were from the labor side and nine spoke for the public interest. Following the vote, the employers' representatives left the room in p
July 10, 2018
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Ex-exec admits Samsung hoped for chairman's pardon when footing bill for firm linked to former President Lee
State prosecutors on Tuesday unveiled a former Samsung executive's confession that the company paid U.S. litigation fees for a firm linked to former President Lee Myung-bak, hoping for a presidential pardon for its chief convicted on tax evasion in return.(Yonhap)State prosecutors revealed a sworn statement by Lee Hak-soo, a former second-in-command at South Korea's top conglomerate, in a corruption trial of the disgraced president. Lee, who was president from 2008-2013, stands accused of accept
July 10, 2018
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‘20 percent of Seoul users of foreign hotel booking sites were misled’: report
Almost 20 percent of all Seoulites who used foreign hotel booking sites last year for overseas accommodation were misled, encountering hidden charges and deceptive price claims, according to a Seoul Metropolitan Government report Tuesday.The report came to the conclusion after monitoring seven major booking sites, including Expedia, TripAdvisor, booking.com and hotels.com, among others, as well as surveying consumers in Seoul.The city also found that it is sometimes cheaper to book rooms directl
July 10, 2018
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South Korea's constitutional court rules in favor of banning private detective agencies
South Korea's Constitutional Court on Tuesday ruled in favor of banning private detective agencies, claiming the existing laws are the only way to protect the privacy of the general public.The unanimous ruling was the court’s response to a complaint filed by an ex-police officer who claimed Article 40 of the Credit Information Use and Protection Act violates the freedom to pursue careers of one‘s choosing.South Korea is currently the only country among the 34 member states of the Organization fo
July 10, 2018
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12-year-old boy drives parents’ SUV, injuring one person
A 12-year-old boy drove his parents’ car at a supermarket parking lot in Jeju, leaving one injured and five vehicles damaged, local police said.The curious boy put his hands on the wheel last Wednesday night and drove the SUV to and fro for around one minute while his parents were away, causing damage to cars parked nearby, Jeju Dongbu Police said on Monday.Onlookers watch in disbelief as a 12-year-old boy drives an SUV. (Youtube)One shopper, who was coming out of the supermarket, fell down whil
July 10, 2018
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[Newsmaker] Police forward Korean Air chief's wife's case to prosecution
Police have wrapped up their investigation into the wife of Korean Air Lines Co.'s chief on assault allegations and sent the case to the prosecution suggesting she be indicted, officials said Tuesday. Lee Myung-hee, wife of Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, has been under investigation since late April on suspicion that she routinely assaulted and bullied employees at Hanjin affiliates and others under her influence for years. (Yonhap)She allegedly hurled a pair of pruning shears at a security
July 10, 2018
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Convicted killer on the loose captured by police
A convicted killer on the loose has been captured thanks to a tip from a citizen after his escape from an isolated psychiatric ward in Gwangju, Gwangsan police said Tuesday.A citizen called the police around 12:48 p.m. Monday, describing a “man looking a lot like the escapee.” Dispatched officers said they immediately arrested the 48-year-old man surnamed Kim inside the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, located in Oryong-dong, Gwangju at 1 p.m. Surveillance footage shows the man walki
July 10, 2018
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[Weather] Sporadic rain, sweltering heat to return Tuesday
Many regions including Seoul, Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces will see sporadic rain until Tuesday afternoon, with chances of strong winds and thunderstorms. Starting from Tuesday night, heavy rain will fall in northern Gyeonggi and northern Gangwon provinces. (Yonhap)Hot and humid weather is expected to return across the country, as daytime highs will be significantly higher than Monday’s. The temperature in Seoul is set to reach 28 Celsius, Gangneung 25 C, Daejeon 31 C, Gwangju 32 C, Daegu 32
July 10, 2018