Most Popular
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Do Korean doctors make too much money?
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Korean industries gauge impact of Biden's steep tariffs on China
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Court refuses injunction on medical school expansion
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Why Korean crime stories typically feature nameless, faceless perpetrators
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Is FTC's conglomerate listing a boon or bane for Hybe?
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NewJeans to headline palace show
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Debate on 'no-seniors zones' heats up
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S. Korea, Cambodia forge strategic partnership
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Rare mid-May heavy snow warning issued over mountainous areas of Gangwon
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Is NewJeans headed for a long 'break'?
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SOFA Joint Committee discusses custody
Korean and U.S. delegates held a joint committee meeting in Seoul on Wednesday discussing the U.S. military’s governing protocols over its personnel here, amid public cries for reforms after crimes by U.S. soldiers. The Korea-U.S. Joint Committee, including USFK Deputy Commander Jeffrey Remington and Foreign Ministry officials, discussed the Status of Forces Agreement which governs some 28,000 troops stationed throughout the Korean Peninsula. The meeting’s top issue was the custody of U.S. milit
Social AffairsNov. 23, 2011
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Seoul to set up unification fund
The South Korean government said it will establish a “unification fund” under the current inter-Korean cooperation fund to prepare for reunification with North Korea in the future.The Unification Ministry said the fund will be run separately from the inter-Korean cooperation fund so that it can be used for a stable integration of the two Korean regions and social security. The unification fund will be raised through government funds, private sources, money left over from the inter-Korean coopera
North KoreaNov. 23, 2011
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Number of N.K. mobile phone users jump in recent years
Spread of information through phones may not immediately lead to big change: expertsThe number of North Korean mobile phone users has jumped in recent years, with the figure projected to top the 1-million mark by year’s end, an unusual phenomenon in the tightly controlled state.In the last three months, there has been an increase of around 140,000 cellular phone registrations, according to a recent report by Egypt’s Orascom Telecom, the sole wireless carrier in the communist country.The figure,
North KoreaNov. 23, 2011
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U.S. welcomes Seoul’s ratification of FTA
WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk on Tuesday welcomed South Korea’s ratification of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and vowed close cooperation to put it into effect at an early date.“The United States welcomes the Korean National Assembly’s approval of the KORUS FTA,” he said in a brief statement. “This is a win-win agreement that will provide significant economic and strategic benefits to both countries. We look forward to working closely with the government of
Foreign AffairsNov. 23, 2011
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North Korean media spreads rumors on war with South, U.S.
Scaremongering about an imminent war with North Korea is quickly spreading among residents in the communist state, as the media in Pyongyang have increasingly distorted facts about Seoul’s military drills in recent weeks, sources said.The Korean Central Television, which controls both radio and TV broadcasting, said through its radio station on Monday that South Korea and the U.S. were “getting ready to stage a new nuclear war against North Korea by organizing the Extended Deterrence Policy Comm
North KoreaNov. 23, 2011
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Free travel adds to staggering transit deficit
The deficit incurred by the nation’s subway systems has continued to grow, largely as a result of providing free rides, according to information released by a local firm Wednesday.According to the data by Clean-Eye, a management information disclosure system for local government enterprises, the deficit caused by providing free rides throughout the nation over the past five years reached 1.58 trillion won ($1.7 billion).Last year alone, providing free rides to senior citizens, the handicapped an
Social AffairsNov. 23, 2011
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USFK chief pledges support in contingencies: official
The top U.S. military commander in South Korea on Wednesday offered full support for South Korea in case of future North Korean provocations, an official said.Army Gen. James D. Thurman, commander of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), attended the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff’s assessment of its operational situations and was briefed on South Korean forces’ postures and recent movements in the North Korean military, a JCS official said.Thurman and South Korean Army Gen. Jung Seung-jo, the JCS c
DefenseNov. 23, 2011
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Island charity bowls for good causes
A bowling tournament on Korea’s largest island has raised almost 1 million won for good causes. Expat-led fund-raising group Jeju Furey held the tourney with 26 teams of four players on Nov. 19 to raise 967,000 won. Twenty percent of participants were Korean with 75 percent of bowlers taking part in their first ever tournament on the dayJeju Furey was started to help support the children of Nathan Furey, who died while working as an English teacher on Jeju. The group also gives cash to other wor
Nov. 23, 2011
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Anti-slavery film screening in Daegu
A documentary exposing the global sex trade is to be screened at a Daegu church on Saturday, Dec. 3. The film “Nefarious: Merchant of Souls” will be shown at Dongshin church in Suseong-Gu at 7 p.m. The film was produced by international anti-trafficking organization Exodus Cry, a movement working to end modern day slavery through prayer and awareness. The non-profit movement also assists the victims of human trafficking and slavery through rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration into society.A
Nov. 23, 2011
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Baked goodies for good causes
The Canadian Women’s Club in Korea is to sell home-baked goods to raise cash for two charities next month. The bake sale to benefit Aeranwon and First Steps will be held at the Schofield Hall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 9. The hall is at the Canadian embassy located closest to Seodaemun and City Hall subway stations. Homemade baked goods including butter tarts, fudge and gingerbread will be sold along with Tim Horton’s coffee and hot chocolate. Canadian maple syrup will also be on sale, as wi
Nov. 23, 2011
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Music to raise awareness of N.K. rights
A Christian musician is seeking other artists to join him on an international tour to raise awareness about North Korean human rights.David K. O’Hannah is planning to tour church venues in the U.S. and Europe from early 2012. He has written North Korea-related songs that have been used at rights rallies in Seoul and is releasing an album shortly. He is seeking to contact musicians, sound engineers and crew to support him on all or part of the tour as well as people to help him create an online p
Nov. 23, 2011
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Cyclist to pedal two Americas for charity
He cycled more than 3,000 kilometers on a solo Himalayan biking expedition this summer, but now Brian Perich plans to ride another 32,000 km for two non-profit organizations. The English professor in Gangwon-do, who is originally from Canada, aims to cycle from Alaska to Argentina in three 60-day expeditions over the next two years. The 38-year-old who lives in Gangneung with his Korean wife and their two children plans to ride the first leg from Anchorage in the U.S. state of Alaska, via the Ca
Nov. 23, 2011
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Korean adoptees raise cash so moms can keep their kids
Ethnic Koreans adopted in America support unwed mothers hereFor several Korean unwed mothers, it has already been a godsend -- providing them with a safe place to give birth when turned away from other facilities. But when the country’s only shelter run for unwed mothers by the mothers themselves was threatened with closure, two Korean adoptees living in America launched a campaign to save the safe house in Seoul. The Korean Unwed Mothers and Families Association has run the facility, named Heat
Nov. 23, 2011
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Lee orders thorough follow-up measures after FTA approval
SEOUL, Nov. 23 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak instructed the government on Wednesday to take thorough follow-up measures to make the best use of the just-ratified free trade agreement with the United States to boost the economy and minimize any damage to local small businesses.It was Lee's firs
PoliticsNov. 23, 2011
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GNP occupies National Assembly for FTA vote
Opposition parties berate the unilateral move, vowing to take strong actionRuling Grand National Party lawmakers on Tuesday occupied the main chamber of the National Assembly, setting the stage for a floor vote on the contentious Korea-U.S. free trade pact.All GNP members attended the plenary session with opposition party lawmakers upbraiding them for moving to railroad the pact, part of which they argue should be renegotiated to protect national interests.The GNP holds 169 seats out of a total
PoliticsNov. 22, 2011
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Korea-U.S. FTA chronology
Korea-U.S. FTA chronology2011 Nov. 22 -- The National Assembly ratifies the Korea-U.S. FTA June 3 -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade resubmits the Korea-U.S. FTA bill to the National Assembly for ratification May 4 -- MOFAT withdraws the Korea-U.S. FTA bill from the Foreign Affairs, Trade & Unification Committee of the National Assembly Feb. 10 -- The signing and exchange of the agreed documents from the Dec. 3 renegotiation takes place 2010 Nov. 30~Dec. 3 -- Trade Ministers’ meeting i
PoliticsNov. 22, 2011
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Parliament passes Korea-U.S. FTA
GNP railroads ratification bill; opposition declares approval invalid, vows struggleThe National Assembly on Tuesday passed the long-pending Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, with the ruling Grand National Party pressing ahead with the ratification process despite vehement objection from opposition parties.Upbraiding the majority GNP and the government for “unilateral action,” the main opposition Democratic Party pledged to stage an “all-out struggle” to invalidate the pact, part of which it clai
PoliticsNov. 22, 2011
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DLP lawmarker fills chamber with tear gas in protest against FTA
The National Assembly passed the free trade agreement with the U.S. Tuesday as the main hall descended into chaos reminiscent of a protest movement, complete with tear gas. The long and tumultuous journey for the Korea-U.S. FTA came to an end after the ruling Grand National Party spearheaded the pact through parliament despite inhaling tear gas released when an opposition lawmaker detonated a grenade. At 4:05 p.m., roughly five minutes after an abrupt plenary session by ruling party members bega
PoliticsNov. 22, 2011
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‘Poison pills’ linger despite FTA passage
Despite the National Assembly’s approval of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, controversy over so-called “poison pills” in the FTA is expected to linger, observers said.Opposition party members, civic groups and critics have repeatedly demanded the Korean government renegotiate with the U.S. to remove the Investor-State Dispute settlement system from the FTA, but the deal passed without any change.ISD systemCritics say the ISD system allows a large-sized, multinational investment capital or c
PoliticsNov. 22, 2011
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Korea-U.S. FTA reaches end of convoluted road
The Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement was approved by Korea’s National Assembly on Tuesday, putting an end to a tumultuous process that dragged on for more than four years.The path leading to Tuesday’s development began in 2003, when the government drew up an FTA roadmap that included forming such pacts with mega-economies like the U.S.In the following year the concept became a working process with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative expressing interest in forming a free trade pact with Ko
PoliticsNov. 22, 2011