Most Popular
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Koreans, Americans differ on prestigious jobs: lawmakers vs. firefighters
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Only half of S. Koreans willing to marry: data
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Disgraced ex-minister rises as major threat to ruling party
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Yoon calls for dialogue, trust from medical community
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Summit for Democracy opens in Seoul in mega-election year
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Jungkook of BTS updates life in Army
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Med professors to resign starting March 25
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Dyson founder visits Seoul for global debut of new hair dryer
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Leaders call for action against threats to democracy posed by AI
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Ryu Joon-yeol, Han So-hee confirm dating since early 2024
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Seoul mulls SOFA revision after anthrax accident
South Korea is considering revising its military agreement with the U.S. to prevent another accidental shipment of live anthrax to the South, a ruling party lawmaker said Monday.Safety jitters over biological weapons flared up after the U.S. military said last month a U.S. Defense Department laboratory had mistakenly sent a live anthrax sample to the U.S. Forces Korea's Osan Air Base, south of Seoul.Public concerns did not subside despite the USFK announcement that the sample was destroyed befor
June 1, 2015
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S. Korea, U.S. start joint anti-submarine naval drill
South Korea and the United States have staged a joint anti-submarine naval drill to tackle North Korea's threats, sparked by the North's test-firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile, the Navy said Monday.The two allies kicked off the largest-ever combined anti-submarine exercise Saturday that will run through Wednesday in waters off South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju."The drill is aimed at deterring submarine-related provocations and beefing up the Navy's capacity to protect a
June 1, 2015
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Seoul, Tokyo to discuss expanding Japan’s military role
Seoul and Tokyo are expected to undertake discussions as early as next month over the details of Japan’s possible exercise of its right to self-defense on the Korean Peninsula following their first defense ministerial talks in more than four years. Foreign Minister Han Min-koo and his Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani met on the margins of the Asia Security Summit in Singapore on Saturday and agreed on the principle that the Self-Defense Forces can enter the peninsula only upon Seoul’s request o
May 31, 2015
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S. Korea, Japan to discuss 'collective self-defense' issue
South Korea and Japan will begin working-level consultations as early as next month on Tokyo's use of its right to "collective self-defense," officials said Sunday.The move follows a deal between Defense Minister Han Min-koo and his Japanese counterpart, Gen Nakatani, in Singapore on Saturday. In the meeting held Saturday on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, the ministers agreed on the basic principle that Tokyo needs Seoul's consent in exercising the right on matters related with the Ko
May 31, 2015
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U.S. calls for joint int'l efforts to stop N.K. nukes
U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Saturday stressed the need to maintain the current multilateral and diplomatic approach to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions."North Korea remains a troubling and provocative exception to the general rule in this (Asia-Pacific) region of countries that pursue systems of peace and stability," Carter said in his speech delivered at the Asia Security Summit, better known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, in Singapore.Five members of the six-party
May 30, 2015
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Seoul, Washington kick off joint committee over anthrax mishap
South Korea and the United States have kicked off a joint committee to look into the incident involving a live anthrax sample that was mistakenly sent to an American military base in South Korea from the U.S., a diplomatic source said Friday. U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Thursday that 22 personnel may have come in contact with a live anthrax sample that was accidentally sent to Osan Air Base in South Korea, but none have shown signs of infection. A U.S. military laboratory in Utah inadvertent
May 29, 2015
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Civic groups demand U.S. apology for anthrax delivery
A group of some 50 civic groups on Friday called on the U.S. to thoroughly investigate its military’s recent accidental shipment of live anthrax bacteria to a U.S. Forces Korea lab and to apologize and take measures to prevent a recurrence.The group including the Green Korea and Catholic Human Rights Committee held an outdoor press conference near the U.S. Embassy in downtown Seoul, stressing the need to “verify the truth” behind the accident.“Koreans did not know that anthrax bacteria, which co
May 29, 2015
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N. Korea 'exaggerating' sub missile, nuclear claims: ex-U.S. intelligence chief
North Korea is likely to be "exaggerating" claims that it successfully test-launched a ballistic missile from a submarine and miniaturized a nuclear warhead, a former U.S. intelligence chief said Friday. Dennis Blair, former director of national intelligence, also slammed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for being "very destabilizing, very dangerous," referring to a report by the South Korean spy agency that said Kim's defense minister had been purged and may have been executed.North Korea has pr
May 29, 2015
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Safety problems plague reserve force system
Reservist Lee Soo-yul, 28, was subject to reserve forces training on May 18, five days after the deadly shooting that killed three reservists.“I was nervous,” said Lee. “But I was able to get through the fear thanks to the assistant officers. They gave me one-on-one guidance throughout the training. They brought me a bulletproof jacket and fixed the safety hook. I felt really relieved,” said Lee.Still, the one-on-one assistance was only implemented by the Defense Ministry after a 23-year-old res
May 27, 2015
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Park, Obama unlikely to discuss THAAD at next month's summit: Russel
South Korean President Park Geun-hye and U.S. President Barack Obama are not expected to discuss the THAAD missile defense system when they hold a summit in Washington next month, a senior American official said Thursday. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel made the remark during a Foreign Press Center briefing, saying the two allies have not even begun government-to-government discussions on the sensitive topic. "I do not expect President Obama and Pre
May 22, 2015
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Air Force chief receives "stern warning" over misconduct
The Air Force chief has received "a stern warning" from the Defense Ministry for misconduct and negligence of duty involving budget use, officials said Thursday. Gen. Choi Cha-kyu, Air Force chief of staff, had been under audit after suspicions mounted over his alleged misuse of public funds. "Over the course of remodeling the Air Force chief's office in July 2014, the military was found to have wasted 14 million won ($12,797)," said a ministry official in charge of the audit. "Choi also eit
May 21, 2015
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S. Korean lawmakers differ over THAAD introduction
Controversy has been rekindled here over the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense in South Korea as U.S. officials have openly raised the sensitive issue. Washington has expressed its willingness to deploy a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery on the Korean Peninsula, home to about 28,500 American troops, to better cope with the growing threats of Pyongyang's nuclear and missile capabilities. On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the North's "provocative activ
May 21, 2015
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S. Korea, U.S. to launch joint military division
South Korea and the United States will put a landmark combined division in operation next month to bolster combat readiness against North Korean threats, the U.S. military said Thursday. Last year, the allies agreed to establish the combined wartime division of their troops to enhance a joint defense posture and "tactical-level" combat capabilities to better deter the belligerent North Korea. The new division will consist of a brigade from the South Korean Army and the U.S. 2nd Infantry Divisi
May 21, 2015
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Kerry's remark about THAAD meant 'internal U.S. discussions': State Department
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was referring to "internal U.S. discussions" when he said during a visit to South Korea earlier this week that talks are under way about the THAAD missile defense system, his department said Wednesday. Kerry made the remark during a meeting Monday with U.S. service personnel stationed in South Korea. Speaking of how provocative and unpredictable North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is, Kerry said that is "why we're talking about THAAD." Kerry's remark rekindled in
May 21, 2015
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Seoul seen displeased by U.S.’ THAAD talk
South Korea said Wednesday it would make an “independent decision” over the U.S. potential deployment of an advanced missile defense asset to Korea, based on its calculation of security interests and the system’s military efficacy.The statement was seen to reflect a subtle change in Seoul’s position over the much publicized emphasis of senior U.S. officials on the need for deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system here. It also showed Seoul’s dilemma over the contentious deploymen
May 20, 2015
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S. Korea, Japan to hold first defense ministers' talks in 4 yrs
South Korean and Japanese defense chiefs are expected to hold bilateral talks later this month for the first time in four years despite soured ties over historical rows, government sources here said Tuesday.Defense Minister Han Min-koo plans to meet with his Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani around the end of this month in Singapore on the sidelines of the regional security forum, the Shangri-La Dialogue, according to a source. The upcoming annual security forum is slated for May 29-31.If held,
May 19, 2015
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S. Korea reviews THAAD effectiveness: Seoul official
South Korea has been reviewing whether a U.S. advanced missile-defense system will help boost its defense capabilities against North Korea, a government official said Tuesday. The possible deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery on Korean soil has drawn keen attention here, as the U.S. has expressed such willingness to do so, which has sparked concerns from China and Russia. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said during a meeting with U.S. service personnel stationed he
May 19, 2015
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Navy launches live-fire drill in East Sea against N.K. provocations
The Navy launched a firing drill in the East Sea Tuesday to boost its capabilities against possible provocations by North Korea, the Navy said. The drill, which involved firing ship-to-ship guided missiles, along with the tactical training, "is meant to boost and check our capabilities of conducting the military's joint operations against possible provocations by North Korea such as those near the western sea border of the Northern Limit Line (NLL)," the Navy said in a statement. The drill inv
May 19, 2015
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S. Korea stages military drill to defend Dokdo
South Korea is conducting a military drill to defend its easternmost islets of Dokdo amid Japan's renewed claims to the territory, military officers said Friday. The Navy, jointly with the Coast Guard, "are carrying out the two-day drill from yesterday on and around the rocky outcroppings in the East Sea," said a Navy officer, requesting anonymity. "It is designed to deter any trespassers on our territory via a sea or air route."The exercise has been carried out twice a year since 1986, with the
May 15, 2015
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Shooting spree premeditated: Army
The reserve soldier who carried out Wednesday’s shooting spree at a Seoul military training camp had deliberately planned the attack and sent mobile messages bearing signs of suicide to a friend, the Army said Thursday. The 23-year-old reservist, surnamed Choi, had asked to be placed in the first firing line to make it easy for him to aim at colleagues, the Army said. After receiving a magazine with 10 rounds for a K-2 rifle, he fired one at the target then suddenly turn around to fire seven mor
May 14, 2015