Most Popular
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Seoul vows action over Naver's Line, Yahoo dispute
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[KH Explains] Hyundai Motor’s plan for new landmark keeps hitting bumps
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[Grace Kao] American racism against Stray Kids
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Key S. Korean, USFK special operations officials to hold rare meeting amid NK threats
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Samsung doubles down on Vietnam
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In Beijing, S. Korean top diplomat aims to jumpstart ties with China
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NewJeans' members' parents complained to Hybe, email shows
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Controversy brews over shakeup of prosecutors amid probe of first lady
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Suspect behind murder of Korean tourist in Pattaya arrested
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Prosecutors summon pastor involved in Dior bag scandal
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Presidential aide in U.S. for possible talks on N. Korea, FTA: source
SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- A key South Korean presidential aide on national security is visiting the United States for possible talks on inter-Korean relations and the ratification of a free trade agreement between Seoul and Washington, a source said Thursday.Kim Tae-hyo, a senior secretary to President Lee Myung-bak for national security strategy, left for the U.S. on Wednesday, the source added,
Foreign AffairsJune 23, 2011
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Police clear marathoners of doping allegations
CHUNCHEON, South Korea, June 23 (Yonhap) -- Police said Thursday that they have cleared a marathon coach and his athletes of doping allegations, wrapping up their probe two months before South Korea hosts the world athletic championships.The Gangwon Provincial Police Agency said it has examined records from a rehabilitation hospital where 19 athletes were treated, and found no evidence that they h
Social AffairsJune 23, 2011
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Court orders compensation for Samsung employees who died of leukemia
SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court ordered compensation for the families of two young Samsung Electronics employees who died of leukemia, recognizing for the first time a link between leukemia and working in a computer chip-making line.The Seoul Administrative Court ruled in favor of the families, who requested the court annul the Korea Workers' Compensation & Welfare Services' 2009 decision
Social AffairsJune 23, 2011
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Parliament passes bills on Korea-EU free trade safeguards
SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly on Thursday passed a package of safeguard bills aimed at protecting local industries from cheap imports after a free trade deal with the European Union (EU) takes effect in July. The free trade pact, approved by the parliament in April, will eliminate 98 percent of import duties and other trade barriers in manufactured goods, agricultural products a
PoliticsJune 23, 2011
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GNP proposes 30% tuition cuts
The government and the Grand National Party announced Thursday a new college tuition plan, which aims to cut fees by 30 percent by 2014.A total of 6.8 trillion won ($6.3 billion) from the national budget and 1.5 trillion won from school scholarship programs will be set aside for tuition cuts in the coming years, said GNP floor leader Hwang Woo-yea. In order to reduce tuition fees by 15 percent nex
Social AffairsJune 23, 2011
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Minister touches off debate on allowing Koreans into casinos
Casino gamblers sit around a gaming table. The government is seeking to allow more casinos to admit Korean nationals. (The Korea Herald)The government plans to review whether to allow foreigner-only casinos to admit Korean nationals, citing the lack of casinos as one of the main reasons for the country’s unfavorable trade balances in tourism.Currently, only one casino, Kangwon Land in Gangwon Prov
Social AffairsJune 23, 2011
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Children with foreign parents exceed 150,000
The number of children in South Korea with at least one foreign parent nearly tripled over the past four years, as international marriages continued to increase, statistics showed. According to data released by the Ministry of Public Administration and Security on Thursday, there were 151,154 such children registered as of Jan. 1, surpassing the 150,000 mark for the first time. This year’s figure
Social AffairsJune 23, 2011
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DP rules out compromise over TV fee rise plan
The main opposition Democratic Party renewed its pledge to veto the KBS subscription fee rise unless the public broadcaster moves to maintain political neutrality.“Only when KBS proves the legitimacy of the fee hike and shows efforts to renew itself will we examine the necessity to raise the fee,” said a party spokesperson after the DP Supreme Council meeting. The remarks overturned the party floo
PoliticsJune 23, 2011
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S. Korea to open N.K. info center
South Korea said Thursday it is working on establishing a state-run open source-based center to consolidate scattered information on its reclusive northern rival. The purported center, which will be fully open to government officials as well as the general public here, will gather and organize information that has already been made public by the media and international agencies, an official at the
North KoreaJune 23, 2011
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An slams ‘blind spot’ on overseas schools
Lawmaker says education key to winning hearts of voters living abroadOverseas Korean schools have long been a blind spot for the government and National Assembly and it is time they paid attention to the issue, even if only to win votes abroad, said a second-term lawmaker.Rep. An Min-suk of the main opposition Democratic Party, who is also on the parliamentary education committee, has lately been
PoliticsJune 23, 2011
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S. Korea has less forest per capita than OECD average
South Korea had one of smallest per-capita forest areas among major economies, an international report said Thursday, indicating the country’s dense population.The nation’s forest area was 1.3 square kilometers per every 1,000 people as of 2008, the “Toward Green Growth” report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development showed.The reading marks the seventh-lowest level among thos
Social AffairsJune 23, 2011
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Electronic ID card plan hits resistance
A controversial government plan to introduce electronic personal identification cards is unlikely to be realized as scheduled in 2013, faced with strong opposition from those fearing human rights infringements and a waste of taxpayers’ money.A related government bill has yet to be submitted to a parliamentary committee for deliberation although a committee session was held recently, the Ministry o
Social AffairsJune 23, 2011
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Bill to support livelihood of freelance artists
From as early as next year, screen playwrights and other freelance artists in film, performance and publishing industries may be insured against unemployment or industrial disasters like salaried workers.According to a bill submitted to parliament this month, the government will draw up policies to guarantee the social and legal status of artists. It also calls for the government to fund a finance
Social AffairsJune 23, 2011
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Father’s fight to save his family
Mom, two daughters stricken by mysterious lung diseaseAt 0:30 on Sunday morning, Jin-ju finally stopped breathing.It was the 93rd day since the 15-month-old baby girl had been hospitalized with flu-like symptoms, which turned out to be an unidentified acute lung disease that has claimed the lives of four patients since May. “I went to Busan (where she was hospitalized) upon hearing the news, had h
Social AffairsJune 23, 2011
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Baby found dead in subway locker
A single mom, who discarded her newborn baby in a subway locker, is under police investigation, Yonhap News has reported. The woman, surnamed Kim, 20, said that four days after she gave birth alone in a motel room, she found her son suffocated to death, face down in a blanket. She apparently then put the dead body in her carrier filled with her clothes, before placing it in the subway locker of Sh
Social AffairsJune 23, 2011
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China puts ‘Arirang’ on Chinese heritage list
"Arirang' is played at the music concert in Yeonpyeong Island. (Yonhap News)The Chinese government is claiming to have developed some of Korea’s cultural heritage.Often causing discord by claiming to be the originators of foreign culture, China this time listed Korean folk song “Arirang” in the third list of their National Intangible Cultural Assets.“Arirang” is a Korean folk song sung by Koreans
Foreign AffairsJune 23, 2011
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N. Korea pushing to sign double taxation avoidance deal with China
North Korea is pressing to ink a deal with China to prevent double taxation, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper said Wednesday, signaling an apparent bid to attract investment from its key ally and the world's No. 2 economy.The isolated country has already signed similar accords with Egypt and 11 other countries and negotiations are under way with other countries, the Chosun Sinbo reported, citing a North
North KoreaJune 22, 2011
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Officials lie low under corruption watch
Public servants refrain from drinking, dining out, golfingThese days, the staff cafeteria of the Financial Supervisory Service is jam-packed with its employees.They are reluctant to eat out for fear they could also be accused of corruption, as officialdom sees a spate of scandals.“More and more of us opt to eat at the cafeteria on the 20th floor rather than going outside. Since corruption allegati
PoliticsJune 22, 2011
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Seoul launches annual global student forum
The fourth Seoul International Student Forum will kick off on Friday, with 84 members from 32 different countries attending, the Seoul Global Center, a city-run support center for foreign residents, said Wednesday. The program, launched in 2008, is aimed at reflecting the ideas and proposals of international students studying in Seoul to better serve foreign residents and visitors here. After hold
Social AffairsJune 22, 2011
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Heavy rain expected throughout this week
The rainy season officially started Wednesday, with up to 150 milliliters of rainfall expected to hit the central part of the peninsula through Thursday. The state weather agency forecast that the country would be under the rainy spell until the end of July, with up to 20 percent more precipitation than previous years. Over the weekend, typhoon Meari, which is heading north from the Philippines, i
Social AffairsJune 22, 2011