Most Popular
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1 in 3 Koreans live alone, family types becoming diverse
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Korea, Japan finance chiefs vow to tame rampant FX market volatility
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K-pop group's manager dismissed for setting up spycam in theater dressing room
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K-pop singer lost consciousness after being hit by foul ball, cancels show
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Contentious grain bill put directly to plenary meeting for vote
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Korean Muslim YouTuber's plan to build mosque in Incheon goes viral
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Why is Apple Pay struggling to get purchase in Korea?
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Yoon's office denies considering liberal figures for key posts
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Seoul says Fu Bao loan 'not going to happen'
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Trilateral talks acknowledge ‘serious’ slumps of won, yen
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[Editorial] Athletics meet in Daegu
The world’s athletics enthusiasts have only five days to wait before the start of the IAAF World Championships in Daegu. The world’s premier track-and-field competition is set to open on Aug. 27 in Daegu for a nine-day run until Sept. 4.Some 2,500 of the world’s greatest athletes from more than 200
Aug. 21, 2011
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[Editorial] Estate tax relief for SMEs
The government is seeking to ease the tax burden associated with generational business succession at small and medium-sized family enterprises. Baek Yong-ho, policy planning chief at Cheong Wa Dae, told a meeting of SME executives on Thursday that the government has set out to introduce the German m
Aug. 21, 2011
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[Editorial] Little help to tenants
On Thursday, the administration announced a package of policies aimed at curbing the steep rise in home rent ― the third of its kind this year. But it is unlikely to produce its intended outcome, as it fails to address the core problem appropriately ― a chronic shortage in supply.The shortage dates
Aug. 19, 2011
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[Editorial] Shift to software
Both Sony and Nokia looked invincible in their heydays. But Sony is now being pushed out of the TV market and Nokia is at risk of being taken over. Behind the fall of Sony and Nokia is the rapid rise of Samsung, Apple and others in their global market share.As the Financial Times recently reported,
Aug. 19, 2011
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[Editorial] Curbing health care costs
The National Health Insurance program has a loophole that helps rich people pay a far smaller proportion of their income in premiums than most people. Under the present system, the subscribers are divided into two categories ― the employee insured and the self-employed insured. For employee-insured,
Aug. 18, 2011
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[Editorial] Longevity not a blessing?
In the old days, longevity was considered one of the five blessings in Korea, the other four being wealth, health, love of virtue and a peaceful death. Longevity was one of the most common themes in paintings and embroidery pieces, reflecting people’s wish for it.Koreans’ view of longevity, however,
Aug. 18, 2011
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[Editorial] New charity foundation
Rep. Chung Mong-joon, his relatives and their Hyundai companies are contributing 500 billion won to inaugurate a charity ― the Asan Sharing Foundation ― in memory of his deceased father, Chung Ju-yung.The Asan Sharing Foundation sets itself apart from many charity foundations established by other bu
Aug. 17, 2011
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[Editorial] Cost of unification
All swans were perceived to be white in the West. But what stood this perception on its head was the discovery by a Dutch expedition that found black swans in Australia in 1697. A black swan was no longer an oxymoron.Based on this episode, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, the author of “The Black Swan,” build
Aug. 17, 2011
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[Editorial] Balancing budget by 2013
In his Liberation Day address on Monday, President Lee Myung-bak committed himself to balancing the national budget by 2013 when his five-year presidency expires. If he makes good on his promise, it will certainly be remembered as one of his greatest achievements.Fiscal soundness cannot be emphasize
Aug. 16, 2011
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[Editorial] Dire economic prospects
Each Aug. 15, the anniversary of liberation from Japan’s colonial rule has served as an occasion for the incumbent president to grandstand. This year’s anniversary was no exception.In his Liberation Day speech on Monday, President Lee Myung-bak enumerated the policies he has pursued for “green growt
Aug. 16, 2011
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[Editorial] East Sea or Sea of Korea?
Various arguments are presented in the disputes between nations over geographical names. One can cite legal, political, traditional, historical and academic grounds to justify a preferred name for a certain place. The name of a sea, a gulf or a strait has little legal importance, as it rarely involv
Aug. 15, 2011
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[Editorial] Rain, rain, rain
Koreans will remember the summer of 2011 as having the heaviest rains in their life. The Korea Meteorological Administration’s observatories have recorded new records of precipitation per hour, the number of consecutive rainy days and other statistics. People lost their lives in mudslides, in sudden
Aug. 15, 2011
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[Editorial] Korea Herald birthday
Today, The Korea Herald entered its 59th year as Korea’s window to the world and bridge to the global community, a job performed with a strong sense of dedication to public service. Born only a few weeks after the cease-fire of the Korean War, the English-language newspaper has been published withou
Aug. 14, 2011
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[Editorial] Double anniversary
After six decades, “8.15” ― the double anniversary of the 1945 liberation from Japanese colonial rule at the end of World War II and the 1948 inauguration of the Republic of Korea’s first government ― is fading as a national day celebrating Korea’s independence. Busy Koreans need to do some soul-sea
Aug. 14, 2011
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[Editorial] R&D in services
The government has announced a set of measures to stimulate R&D investment in services as part of its continuing drive to advance the underdeveloped service sector. The package proposed, among other things, to provide tax credits to service companies for their spending on R&D and draw up a mid- to l
Aug. 12, 2011
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[Editorial] Uphill battle for BOK
Despite mounting concerns about rising inflation, the Bank of Korea has frozen its policy rate for August. The bank’s decision was expected, given the rapid deterioration in the global economic outlook due to rekindled worries about the U.S. economy and a deepening debt crisis in the eurozone.But th
Aug. 12, 2011
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[Editorial] Hanjin crisis on mend?
Cho Nam-ho, chairman of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction, vows to settle his company’s labor dispute at an early date ― one of the worst the nation has witnessed in recent years. He should, if he wishes to restore his reputation as a businessman, which has been seriously damaged by his evasi
Aug. 11, 2011
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[Editorial] Guard against N. Korea
The South Korean government is providing protection for Minister of National Defense Kim Kwan-jin on intelligence that North Korean agents are on a mission to assassinate him. When he is on the move, he is escorted by a military police detail dressed in civilian clothes.The assassination plan, if tr
Aug. 11, 2011
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[Editorial] East Sea campaign
Korea has lodged a formal protest with the U.S. government for ignoring its request that it use both “East Sea” and “Sea of Japan” in calling the body of water between Korea and Japan. The East Sea is Korea’s preferred name for the maritime area.According to reports, the U.S. government has confirme
Aug. 10, 2011
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[Editorial] Irrational politicians
To leaders of the ruling Grand National Party and the main opposition Democratic Party, the twin sovereign debt crisis in Europe and the United States is a fire on the other side of the river. They are watching the flames without bothering to find out what caused it or learn its lessons.The main cau
Aug. 10, 2011