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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Key S. Korean, USFK special operations officials to hold rare meeting amid NK threats
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[Grace Kao] American racism against Stray Kids
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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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Nuclear safety bill astray
The outlook for bills aimed at bolstering nuclear safety remains murky despite a public appeal from the prime minister and the impending opening of the Nuclear Security Summit at The Hague. In 2012, Korea vowed to pass bills for protecting nuclear facilities and preventing nuclear terrorism before the third summit. However, the National Assembly has so far failed to process them over differences on a string of unrelated bills. The main opposition Democratic Party has resisted the ruling Saenuri
March 23, 2014
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Park, Abe to try to mend ties in 3-way summit with Obama
South Korea, the U.S. and Japan will hold a three-way summit to discuss the North Korean nuclear conundrum on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, Netherlands, next week, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Friday.The summit will mark the first time for South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to sit down for official talks. Park had previously rejected other offers amid escalating historical and territorial feuds.“Seoul has agreed to join
March 21, 2014
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Negotiations for S. Korea-China FTA close with little progress
The latest round of negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement between South Korea and China came to a close on Friday with the two countries merely confirming what officials here called "large differences" on key issues."The two sides each requested market liberalization in areas of their own interests, but their discussions could not progress significantly as their differences remained tightly locked," the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said in a press release.Their main differe
March 21, 2014
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Opposition party warns against 'indiscriminate' deregulation
The main opposition Democratic Party took a swipe at President Park Geun-hye Friday for her campaign to remove excessive regulations on business activity, saying "indiscriminate" deregulation could be disastrous.Park held a marathon meeting with government regulators and businesses on Thursday in a move demonstrating her commitment to root out non-essential regulations she has denounced as South Korea's "archenemy" and "a lump of cancer."During the nationally televised meeting, Park said she bel
March 21, 2014
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Park, Xi to meet at nuclear summit
BEIJING (Yonhap) ― President Park Geun-hye and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague next week, China‘s foreign ministry said Thursday. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei made the announcement during a regular press briefing. The nuclear summit, first held in Washington in 2010 and then in Seoul two years later, will take place in The Hague on Monday and Tuesday with the aim of preventing nuclear terrorism. “Presi
March 20, 2014
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Park champions deregulation as best way to spur economy
President Park Geun-hye championed deregulation as the best way to revitalize South Korea's economy and create jobs Thursday as she held a nationally televised meeting with regulators and businesses to show how much she is determined to undo non-essential regulations she denounces as "cancer."It is very rare for a presidential meeting to be broadcast on live TV from beginning to end, and the unusual setting was designed to send a strong message directly to the public and, more importantly, to bu
March 20, 2014
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Prospects grow for three-way summit
The prospect of a summit among the leaders of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan at the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit is growing as Tokyo pushes to mend ties with its one-time colony and Washington prods both into getting along.Japan’s daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that the three countries had entered a “final coordination” phase to arrange the summit on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit to be held from March 24-25 in The Hague, Netherlands. The report said South Korean Preside
March 19, 2014
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Seoul refuses to recognize Russia’s Crimea annexation
South Korea does not recognize Russia’s move to annex Crimea, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday, joining some Western countries’ denouncement of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s takeover of the previous Ukrainian territory.On Tuesday, Putin signed a treaty of accession with new leaders of Crimea, making the southern region of Ukraine a territory of Russia. The takeover took place as political instability continued in Crimea after the collapse late last month of Ukraine’s previous Viktor Yanu
March 19, 2014
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Evidence fabrication probe moves up spy agency ladder
The prosecutors’ office is to summon higher-ranking National Intelligence Service officials as the investigation into the spy agency’s alleged evidence forgery moves up the ladder.According to reports, the prosecution is set to begin summoning NIS officials in the chain of command above the agent detained on Tuesday.The detained agent, identified by the surname Kim, is suspected of having played a crucial part in obtaining forged evidence against former Seoul City official Yoo Woo-seong. Althoug
March 19, 2014
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Seoul disavows Russia's Crimea annex: foreign ministry
South Korea does not recognize Russia's move to annex Crimea, the foreign ministry said Wednesday, joining some Western countries' denouncement of Russian President Vladimir Putin's takeover of the previous Ukrainian territory.On Tuesday, Putin signed a treaty of accession with new leaders of Crimea, making the southern region of Ukraine a territory of Russia. The takeover took place as political instability continued in Crimea after the collapse late last month of Ukraine's previous Viktor Yanu
March 19, 2014
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Crimea crisis could impact Seoul’s diplomacy
Concerns are rising over the possible ramifications of the deepening Crimean crisis on South Korea’s diplomacy and security as the standoff, if not properly tamped down, could foment Cold War-like tensions globally.Experts say that the worst East-West standoff since the Cold War could put Seoul in a difficult diplomatic position, particularly when it seeks to strengthen its strategic ties with Moscow and traditional alliance with Washington.Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recogn
March 18, 2014
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Park regrets delayed nuke bill
President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday expressed regret over the National Assembly delaying the ratification of a bill aimed at strengthening the security of fissile material and preventing nuclear terrorism, stressing it would hurt the international community’s confidence in Korea.Korea, which was the host of the second Nuclear Security Summit in 2012, vowed to ratify a bill protecting atomic facilities and preventing nuclear terrorism before the third summit, to be held next week in the Netherland
March 18, 2014
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Prosecution won’t apply security act to forgery case
The prosecution is said to have opted not to apply the National Security Act to the case involving alleged evidence forgery by the national spy agency, as the detention warrant for a key suspect went under review on Tuesday.At present a National Intelligence Service collaborator and a mid-level spy agency official are in custody in connection to the case. Both men have only been identified by the surname Kim. The suspects are alleged to have been deeply involved in providing the prosecution with
March 18, 2014
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Park regrets delayed nuke bill
President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday expressed regret over the National Assembly delaying the ratification of a bill aimed at strengthening the security of fissile material and preventing nuclear terrorism, stressing it would hurt the international community’s confidence in Korea.Korea, which was the host of the second Nuclear Security Summit in 2012, vowed to ratify a bill protecting atomic facilities and preventing nuclear terrorism before the third summit, to be held next week in the Netherland
March 18, 2014
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Seoul urges Tokyo to show sincerity toward summit
Cheong Wa Dae on Monday renewed its calls for Japan to show “sincerity” in its efforts to improve bilateral relations, stressing the need to set an appropriate mood for a summit between their leaders.Speculation is mounting that President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may meet during the Nuclear Security Summit to be held in The Hague later this month, following Tokyo’s announcement that it would uphold past apologies for its colonial-era misdeeds. Prospects also grew that
March 17, 2014
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Saenuri favorites in Seoul mayor race touch gloves
Rep. Chung Mong-joon and former Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik met for the first time as Saenuri Party candidates for Seoul mayor on Monday, with the lawmaker considered the favorite in the party’s primaries. At the meeting Chung said that the primary elections should be conducted according to “principle, common sense and logic.”Chung has expressed dissatisfaction with the process of selecting the Saenuri Party’s Seoul mayoral candidate from the outset.The ruling party pushed back the deadline for
March 17, 2014
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Prosecution delves into NIS forgery scandal amid more allegations
The prosecutors investigating the spy agency’s alleged evidence fabrication filed for a warrant to detain a mid-level NIS official on Monday as further allegations were raised. The National Intelligence Service official, identified by the surname Kim, is suspected of having ordered a collaborator to obtain the Chinese immigration documents used to appeal a lower court’s acquittal of Yoo Woo-seong, a former Seoul City official accused of spying for North Korea.Kim, who was arrested on Saturday, h
March 17, 2014
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Park likely to announce detailed unification plan with N. Korea during German visit
President Park Geun-hye is likely to announce more detailed policy ideas on her push to achieve unification with North Korea during her planned visit to Germany later in the month, sources said Sunday.Park is scheduled to pay a four-day visit to Germany on March 25 to meet with President Joachim Gauck and Chancellor Angela Merkel, as well as those who are well versed in Germany's unification experience there.The sources said that Park may announce what could be named the "Park Geun-hye Doctrine"
March 16, 2014
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Park welcomes Abe’s upholding of apologies
President Park Geun-hye on Saturday welcomed Japan’s announcement to uphold past apologies for its imperial-era wrongdoings, raising cautious optimism for a thaw in the bilateral ties frayed by historical and territorial feuds.The announcement raised prospects of the first summit between Park and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the Nuclear Security Summit to be held in the Netherlands later this month. But skepticism lingers as the two sides remain poles apart over a set of long-fester
March 16, 2014
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DP, Ahn hold first convention for new party
The main opposition Democratic Party and independent Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo’s political group on Sunday convened the first major gathering of key members, accelerating the process of establishing a new coalition party.Nearly 680 members from the two sides gathered in Seoul for the meeting to forge consensus over guidelines, platforms and key rules for the new party, slated to be launched on March 26.The gathering came some two weeks after the DP and Ahn announced their plan to launch a new party, wh
March 16, 2014