Most Popular
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Korea enters full election mode
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Seoul bus drivers go on general strike, cause morning rush hour delays
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Immigrant woman stabbed to death by Korean husband
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Official campaigning kicks off for April 10 elections
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Lee Jong-sup resigns as envoy to Australia
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Yellow dust engulfs S. Korea, advisory alert issued
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S. Korea to boost support for single-parent families
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Court upholds jail term for man who attempted to murder ex-girlfriend
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Kia EV9 wins world car of year
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Korea misses out on global bond index boost
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[Weekender] Guilty-pleasure books drive e-book market
When R-rated flick “Fifty Shades of Grey” opened in theaters here in February, the box-office score was a big disappointment with only 364,410 tickets sold. However, the story was different in the e-book market. The eponymous title, written by E.L. James, nabbed No. 1 in March for several consecutive weeks on major e-book charts, including Yes24, Kyobo Bookstore and Interpark, while the paper copy didn’t even reach the top 10 list. The book’s latest sequel “The Grey” also ranked high on e-book c
BooksOct. 23, 2015
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[Weekender] Bicycle clubs build bridges for human relations
In today’s fast-paced and competitive society, it is quite a challenge to keep in touch with people we cherish. The rising popularity of bicycles has made bicycle clubs a potential solution for quenching our thirst for human affection by forming new relationships. Such clubs, which often offer a family-like atmosphere, come with the added benefit of staying fit and healthy at the same time. Since riding in groups requires strong teamwork at times, especially on rough routes, it is often said to
CultureOct. 16, 2015
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[Weekender] Cycling to work in need of systematic support
As the seasons turn and fall comes into full swing, the streets are seeing more office workers commuting on bicycles. A recent poll conducted by job searching portal www.career.co.kr showed that 30 percent of office workers from a randomly selected pool of 440 people commuted on bicycles. The benefit of daily exercise and cost-efficiency of the man-powered vehicle were cited as the two major reasons for cycling to work. Park’s shot of a fellow cyclist returning home from work Civil servant Park
CultureOct. 16, 2015
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[Weekender] ‘Two wheels good, four wheels bad’
As with most Western inventions of the 19th and early 20th centuries, bicycles landed in Korea relatively recently. Although it has not been confirmed, Korean independence fighter Soh Jai-pil, also known as Philip Jaisohn, is credited to be the first Korean man to ride one on local soil in 1896. After the 1950-1953 Korean War, bicycles gradually became more commonplace and gave rise to a thriving industry with local manufacturers punching out nearly 1.2 million bikes in 1994. Over the years, b
TravelOct. 16, 2015
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[Weekender] Bicycles become pricier, fancier
Korea’s bicycle industry is changing. As a growing number of upper-income professionals pick the two-wheelers to commute to work, enjoy it as healthy hobby and, moreover, express themselves, the premium bicycle market is booming, driving the whole industry forward. According to market analysts, 30-40 year old professionals have become major consumers of the local bike industry, which is estimated at 550 billion won ($487 million) in size this year. It’s a big change from the past when the maj
IndustryOct. 16, 2015
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[Weekender] Skywalk in Chuncheon offers beautiful scenery for bike riders
For a bike rider hoping to explore a new cycle track beyond the Hangang River, a bike pathway in Chuncheon, the capital of Gangwon Province, could be the perfect destination. Spanning from Uiam Dam to Sinmae Bridge, the 30-kilometer-long bicycle road, which is flat and smooth, allows even beginners to enjoy their ride, offering the breathtaking scenery of Lake Uiam. When you depart from Seoul, it takes one hour and 15 minutes from Yongsan Station to Chuncheon Station via the high-speed train IT
TravelOct. 16, 2015
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[Weekender] Peer pressure main cause of burgeoning bike thefts in Korea
As bikes become more popular, and pricey, bicycle-related crimes are also on the rise. A few weeks ago, Lee Sung-jae, a 25-year-old university student, parked his bicycle on a public bike rack close to Seoul’s Wangsimni Station, safely padlocked. When he got back to the rack the next day, however, what he found was his precious bicycle completely knocked over and without the front wheel. “I had to carry my bicycle without a wheel all the way back home that day,” he said.
CultureOct. 16, 2015
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[Weekender] Beyond words to serve, protect
While the translation of different languages is one of the most commonly known forms of interpretation, there are other unique types of interpretation that serve to protect the people or connect societies that otherwise remain poles apart.Air Force interpreter officers salute at a ceremony in March at the Air Force’s Operations Command in Osan Air Base, Gyeonggi Province, marking their completion of training. (Air Force)They range from sign language translators who act as the gateway to the outs
Social AffairsOct. 2, 2015
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[Weekender] Not getting lost in translation
On Sept. 2, during the summit between South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the two were seen to reaffirm their relations, with Korea’s media outlets quoting Xi as touting the two countries’ ties as being the “best ever.”The unprecedented description of their partnership was considered momentous, as Seoul sought to bolster political cooperation with its biggest trading partner at the risk of irking Washington.It was only a few hours later that it was revealed t
Social AffairsOct. 2, 2015
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[Weekender] Interpretation: Blending art and science
Tension filled the room as a senior Seoul official sat at the negotiating table with his U.S. counterparts and a professional interpreter. Seeking to break the ice, he told them a story starting with a Korean proverb. Word for word, it was supposed to be “Too many boatmen steer a boat to the mountain.” Instead, the interpreter opted for what she believed was a more comprehensible expression, “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” Yet the official, who had expected to hear “ship” or “mountain” to his
Foreign AffairsOct. 2, 2015
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[Weekender] Presidential interpreters: Insiders behind the curtain
Working beside society’s elite, they fly hundreds of thousands of miles every year on charter planes. They speak about pressing brainteasers with the top actors on the world stage. They have access to the heavily fortified Cheong Wa Dae and its inner workings, as well as those of other presidential offices around the globe. Despite their seemingly coveted call of duty, almost the only time they make the headlines is when they blunder. At times, they are bewildered by the convoluted, highfalutin
Foreign AffairsOct. 2, 2015
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[Weekender] Women prevail in interpretation arena
In several sectors of Korean society, from education to the civil service, women prevail. The interpretation profession is another such field, if not one of the most notable ones.At local graduate schools specializing in interpretation and translation, female students have far outnumbered male ones for a long time, which has contributed to the female dominance in the field. For example, women account for some 80 percent of students at the Graduate School of Interpretation and Translation at Hank
Social AffairsOct. 2, 2015
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[Weekender] Will technology topple Tower of Babel?
Kim Sung-jun, a 30-year-old translator, relies more on the Internet than before to translate technical documents for military equipment. Tasked with books as thick as a dictionary, his trick to quick translation is to run the document through the Internet translation first before tackling the job himself.“Internet translation service saves time and efforts. Although the quality is not as good as that of translation by humans, it would have consumed twice as much time to translate the whole docum
Social AffairsOct. 2, 2015
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[WEEKENDER] Interpretation beyond words to serve and protect
While translation of different languages is one of the most commonly known forms of interpretation, there are other unique types of interpretation that serve to protect the people or connect societies that otherwise remain poles apart. They range from sign language translators who act as the gateway to the outside world for the deaf, to soldiers missioned with a crucial role to deliver military information in the world’s last-remaining divided country. In Korea, there are about 1,200 sign langua
Social AffairsOct. 2, 2015
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[Weekender] Korea on the go
Diverse factors are considered when people choose a home. Not just house prices but also schools, hospitals and big supermarkets near the neighborhood. And then, there is another crucial factor in Korea -- a McDonald’s outlet. Workers sort out parcels at a warehouse in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, Friday, ahead of Chuseok next week. YonhapThe U.S. hamburger chain started a home delivery service here in 2007 -- when McDelivery was still in its infancy worldwide. Currently, some 320 out of its almost
IndustrySept. 18, 2015
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[Weekender] Korean delivery industry goes wide and deep
Thanks to the unique “Ppalli Ppalli (hurry, hurry)” culture and one of the best logistics networks in the world, Korea’s delivery industry is thriving, with its range widening and services getting even more specific. From garments and books to groceries and even breast milk, nearly everything can be delivered for a bargain, and the time has reduced to nearly the blink of an eye, offering real-time services. Anything you wantThe most iconic item in the delivery market is food. Whether you call fo
IndustrySept. 18, 2015
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[Weekender] Korea dreams of drone delivery
Drones are widely expected to become a game-changer in the future delivery market. Tech firms like Amazon, Google and Alibaba have announced their intentions to use drones for delivery in recent years, and are working on pilot programs. German logistics giant DHL was the first to start a regular drone delivery service, under the project name Parcelcopter 2.0, operating since September last year. Even though drones are all the rage globally, Korea -- the second nation to develop its own unmanned
IndustrySept. 18, 2015
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[Weekender] Mobile apps courting hungry Koreans
People in Korea have long enjoyed convenient food delivery services, ordering in almost all types of food from burgers and fried chicken to jajangmyeon (black bean noodles) and pig’s trotters. Combined with mobile technology, the food delivery services are gaining further traction as more start-ups come up with applications catering to the different tastes of customers and attracting investments.Baedal Minjok, the largest food delivery app here with its monthly users standing at 2.7 million in J
IndustrySept. 18, 2015
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[Weekender] Seniors, female couriers add diversity to delivery culture
A young man hitting the road on a high-speed motorcycle is the typical image of delivery drivers here, but recently Korean consumers’ growing demands for safer services has been changing the scene. Park Jae-yeol, 69, delivers some 180 packages spread over three days each week to his apartment neighbors in Eungam-dong, Seoul, using an electric handcart. He is one of some 470 senior deliverymen, aged over 60, working for the country’s largest logistics firm CJ Korea Express.“For the firm, the ‘Si
IndustrySept. 18, 2015
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[Weekender] Target grown-ups -- the recipe for hit animation films
"Inside Out” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)The colorful world of 2-D and 3-D characters is no longer an area exclusive to the little ones, it seems. In recent years, large-scale animations that succeeded globally catered to both children and adults, with mature and layered plotlines. Such projects’ success speaks volumes on the tweaks that can be made in the Korean animation industry to achieve a wider global reach, says Kim Won-gyu, director at the Korean Animation Producers’ Association
FilmSept. 4, 2015