Most Popular
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Blinken calls on China to press N. Korea to end its 'dangerous' behavior
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New celebrity-endorsed therapy for face contouring requires only a pair of rubber bands
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Tensions heighten ahead of first president-opposition chief meeting
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[Weekender] How DDP emerged as an icon of Seoul
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Seoul to provide housing subsidy to married couples with newborns
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Doctor group's incoming head renews call for govt. to scrap medical school quota hike for dialogue
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Rapper jailed after public street fight with another rapper
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[Music in drama] An ode to childhood trauma
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'The Roundup: Punishment' becomes fastest 2024 film to top 2 mln admissions
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NewJeans pops out ‘Bubble Gum’ video amid troubles at agency
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[Editoral] Repatriated remains
Kim Yong-soo was drafted into the army right after the Korean War broke out in June 1950. At the time, he was 18. The student soldier died during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, a fierce 17-day engagement fought in the winter of 1950 between 12,000 U.S. troops and a 120,000-strong Chinese force at a reservoir in northeastern North Korea.Kim participated in the battle as a member of KATUSA or Korean Augmentation Troops to the United States Army. He was assigned to the U.S. 7th Infantry Division,
May 27, 2012
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[Editorial] Tougher handling
A Justice Ministry committee this week ordered a man repeatedly convicted of sexually assaulting children to undergo chemical castration in the country’s first use of the punishment.The law authorizing forced medication of sex offenders aged 19 or above who victimized minors under 16 took effect last July.Though Korea became the first Asian country to legalize chemical castration of pedophiles, its judicial authorities still remain far detached from the public sense of due justice for sex offend
May 25, 2012
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[Editorial] Who’s telling the truth?
Two heavyweight politicians are engaged in a high-stakes legal battle, the result of which could inflict fatal damage on the political future of either one and might set the tone for this year’s presidential campaign.Rep. Park Geun-hye, the leading presidential hopeful of the ruling Saenuri Party, sued Rep. Park Jie-won, the floor leader of the main opposition Democratic United Party, for libel on Monday over his allegations of her involvement in a bribery scandal surrounding a suspended savings
May 25, 2012
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[Editorial] Removing privileges
The National Assembly has opened a new office building for its members. The plush building, which cost 220 billion won to build, is a reminder that lawmakers have learned nothing at all from the provincial governments that are mired in debt due to construction of luxurious office buildings. Of course, the new building won’t push the National Assembly into a debt crisis. It can finance it with taxpayers’ money. Yet if legislators use their budget authority to increase their own benefits and conve
May 24, 2012
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[Editorial] Overtures again?
North Korea has released an ambiguous statement, leaving many puzzling about its real intentions. The North’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday suggested that there would be no immediate nuclear weapons test, dismissing speculation that the communist country would test an atomic bomb soon to compensate for its botched long-range rocket launch last month.The ministry’s spokesman asserted that the North did not have a plan for a nuclear test from the beginning as its aim was to launch a scientific and t
May 24, 2012
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[Editorial] True progressivism
An investigation into an alleged electoral fraud involving the United Progressive Party will now undoubtedly gain momentum, as prosecutors have secured the server used for the party’s data processing. The main targets are those accused of rigging an online vote conducted among party members to select candidates for their proportional representation list in the general election.The party succeeded in winning 13 seats in the 300-member National Assembly in the April 11 elections ― seven in distric
May 23, 2012
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[Editorial] Energy conservation
The government has already kicked off a campaign to lower room temperatures, even before summer has come. The nation has no option but to conserve energy if it is to avoid blackouts, given that demand for electricity, left unrestrained, is expected to exceed supply.But electricity is not the only form of energy that will be in short supply. A squeeze on oil supply is anticipated as Korea is under pressure from the United States and the European Union to suspend crude imports as early as this mon
May 23, 2012
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[Editorial] Enhancing top courts
The inaugural congress of the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions is being held in Seoul for five days this week.Institutions exercising constitutional jurisdiction in 10 Asian nations including Korea comprise the regional forum intended to promote democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights by enhancing cooperation and friendship.Representatives from the member institutions are joined by observers and guests from 20 other countries at the congress held u
May 22, 2012
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[Editorial] Open primary
Whether or not to introduce an open primary is becoming a key, and potentially divisive, issue in the ruling Saenuri Party’s race to nominate its candidate for the presidential election in December.The undisputed frontrunner, Rep. Park Geun-hye, has reacted negatively to mounting calls from her challengers to allow any registered voter to vote in its primary, regardless of party affiliation.Park’s competitors ― Gyeonggi Province Gov. Kim Moon-soo, former party leader Rep. Chung Mong-joon and sen
May 22, 2012
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[Editorial] Insurance fraud
The insurance fraud in Changwon uncovered by the Financial Supervisory Service is both shocking and disturbing. It involved as many as 1,361 people, mostly residents of the South Gyeongsang Province city, who either posed as fake patients or exaggerated their illnesses. Collectively, they claimed 9.5 billion won from 33 insurance companies between 2007 and 2011.At the center of the scam ― the largest ever in terms of the number of people involved ― were three unconscionable hospitals in the city
May 21, 2012
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[Editorial] Headed for train wreck
The left-wing United Progressive Party is headed toward a train wreck as the widely denounced former mainstream faction has launched its own emergency leadership, challenging the one set up with the blessing of the party’s central committee.The new interim leadership is headed by Oh Byung-yoon, one of the six lawmakers-elect of the National Liberation faction, which until recently ran the party. The move demonstrated the faction’s determination to defend its two proportional lawmakers-elect ― Le
May 21, 2012
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[Editorial] Shielding from ‘Grexit’
Money is leaving Korea for a safer haven, pulling down stocks and weakening the Korean currency ― spurred by the eurozone’s increasing exposure to the risk of a Greek exit. Moreover, growth is slowing in China, the largest market for Korean exports. Few would say, however, that the flight of capital is at a dangerous level. Still, it is serious enough for the Korean government to dust off its past contingency plans for a fresh look and prepare itself to draw up a new one should Greece leave the
May 20, 2012
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[Editorial] Regional free trade?
Korea, China and Japan believe free trade among themselves will help promote prosperity for each of them. As such, they agreed on May 12 to start negotiations on a trilateral free trade agreement this year. Should the proposed trilateral accord be successfully negotiated, no bilateral accord would be needed. But free trade among the Northeast Asian countries is easier said than done because they are at different stages of industrialization. No wonder each of them is in pursuit of bilateral trade
May 20, 2012
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[Editorial] Pro-N.K. lawmakers
The controversy surrounding the lawmakers-elect of the Unified Progressive Party boils down to two questions. One is whether the party’s proportional lawmakers-elect who were selected through fraud-ridden primaries should resign or not, while the other is if it is acceptable for North Korea sympathizers to become lawmakers.The first question is not so difficult to answer. A majority of party members and ordinary citizens outside the left-wing minority party rightly think that they should step do
May 19, 2012
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[Editorial] Lee’s visit to Myanmar
President Lee Myung-bak’s visit to Myanmar earlier this week was significant as it signaled Korea’s willingness to help the Southeast Asian nation transition to democracy and achieve economic development.The landmark visit ― the first by a South Korean president in 29 years ― was also intended to give a message to North Korean leaders. What Lee wanted to say can be summed up as: “Look at Myanmar. If you open up, plenty of support will come your way.” Lee’s decision to visit Myanmar must have bee
May 19, 2012
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[Editorial] What Lee needs to do
New findings about the government office that conducted surveillance on private citizens critical of President Lee Myung-bak raise the possibility that Lee, his chief of staff, or both, received reports on the spying. Lee needs to make clear whether or not he was involved.A widening investigation into the case also bolsters the belief that Kwon Jae-jin should resign as justice minister because his retention of the post is thwarting a criminal investigation into the role he allegedly played in co
May 17, 2012
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[Editorial] Organizing new Assembly
Parties are preparing for the imminent negotiations on organizing the 19th National Assembly. At the same time, they are putting out feelers to get an idea of each other’s negotiating stance.Because so much is at stake ahead of the December presidential election, concerns are voiced in the political community that the new National Assembly may follow the footsteps of the outgoing one, whose organization it took 89 days to complete.The new National Assembly, which starts its term on May 30 as sti
May 17, 2012
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[Editorial] Constitutional revision
The constitutional revision issue is resurfacing as potential contenders gear up for the presidential election in November.Senior ruling party lawmaker Lee Jae-oh added to the latest discourse on the issue last week when he announced his presidential bid. He pledged to amend the Constitution within his first six months in power to change the presidential tenure from the current single five-year term to two four-year terms and constrain presidential power.Lee urged other potential candidates to a
May 16, 2012
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[Editorial] Detention in China
China’s detention of four South Korean activists, which has continued for 50 days with no details being released, testifies again to its opaque legal system, which is far below international standards.The case has also shown again Seoul’s passiveness in handling sensitive issues with Beijing.It was a Seoul-based rights group that first revealed that the four had been detained since being arrested in the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian on March 29. The revelation on Monday apparently reflecte
May 16, 2012
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[Editorial] Health insurance reform
Korea faces an urgent need to reform the state-run health insurance system as its sustainability is threatened by a rapid increase in health care spending. During the past 10 years, per-capita heath spending has grown at nearly 8 percent a year, about double the nation’s economic growth rate. One factor driving up health care costs is the fee-for-service payment formula, under which the National Health Insurance Corp. reimburses hospitals for each and every service they provide to their patients
May 15, 2012