Most Popular
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Over 80,000 millionaires, 20 billionaires in Seoul: report
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Korean battery makers heave sigh of relief over 2-year IRA reprieve
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Yoon apologizes over first lady’s Dior bag scandal, but accuses special probe attempt as political maneuvering
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Young Korean doctors seek plan B: cosmetic dermatology or overseas
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South Korea open to Indonesian proposal to cut KF-21 payments
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Girl hanging on bridge, police trying to rescue her both fall off; rescued immediately
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Coupang earnings hit hard by losses from ailing Farfetch
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[K-pop’s dilemma] Time, profit pressures work against originality
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Why femicide and dating violence are growing issues in S. Korea
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Arrest warrant issued for medical student for allegedly killing girlfriend after breakup
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Korea, Uganda agree to boost economic ties in summit
President Park Geun-hye held summit talks with visiting Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and agreed on closer economic cooperation in a move to step up Korea’s advances into the continent with abundant resources. It was Park’s first summit talks at home since her inauguration.Museveni arrived in Seoul on Wednesday for a three-day visit aimed to bolster bilateral cooperation and with particular interest in adopting Korea’s Saemaul Undong, a movement in the 1970s for rural revival initiate
May 30, 2013
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Scholars, politicians call for regional unity
JEJU ― Leading scholars and politicians on Thursday urged Asian states to step up efforts to overcome mutual distrust and enhance cooperation to cope with common challenges including nuclear threats from North Korea.Prime Minister Chung Hong-won, and other former leaders of the region made opening addresses at the 8th Jeju Forum for Peace & Prosperity, pointing to deepening territorial, historical animosities in the region.Under the main theme of “New Waves in Asia,” the three-day conference beg
May 30, 2013
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S. Korea's finance minister calls for debate on 'orderly exit strategy'
South Korea's finance minister has expressed concerns over the negative impact of quantitative easing by advanced countries and called for debate about an "orderly exit strategy" from such expansionary monetary policy, his office here said Thursday.Hyun Oh-seok made the remarks during a discussion session at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris. The session on economic outlook is part of the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting held in Paris, the highest decision-making
May 30, 2013
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Park launches advisory council, calls for growth potential revival
President Park Geun-hye on Wednesday launched a top economic advisory council of policymakers and economists, directing them to come up with ways to boost the economy amid waning growth potential.The National Economic Advisory Council has been in operation as stipulated by the Constitution since 1999, but its role had remained meek. Park aims to use the council, which is the only economy-related advisory panel in this administration, as a brainstorming body with stronger say in economic policies
May 29, 2013
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Addresses of child sex offenders to be revealed
The full addresses of those convicted of sex offenses against children or teenagers will be revealed for stronger punishment and prevention of crime, the government said Tuesday.The government agreed during the Cabinet meeting presided by President Park Geun-hye on a bill to revise the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse to disclose not only the areas in which the convicted felons live but also the street names and building numbers.The disclosed information will als
May 28, 2013
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Saenuri fumes at Park’s infrastructure cuts
Relations between President Park Geun-hye and her ruling Saenuri Party are showing signs of being strained as party members complain about her plan to sharply cut infrastructure spending to raise money for other projects promised during her campaign.The party fears such cuts would affect its chances in next year’s local elections.The government is expected to unveil later this week what officials dub the “household ledger” for Park’s campaign projects, which will lay out how it will raise about
May 28, 2013
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Progressive group urges N.K. talks
A South Korean progressive group on Tuesday urged the government not to block an opportunity to engage North Korea in talks aimed at allowing a joint event to mark the 13th anniversary of the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration.The Committee for the Joint Implementation of the June 15 Summit Declaration in South Korea criticized the government for banning the joint celebration at a press conference in downtown Seoul.The historic declaration reached at the 2000 summit meeting between late South
May 28, 2013
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Jeju Forum to discuss key global issues
A three-day international forum on a wide range of regional and global issues including security, environment, energy, culture and education will begin on Jeju Island on Wednesday, organizers said.Themed “New Waves in Asia,” the 8th Jeju Forum for Peace & Prosperity will bring in some 3,000 experts, government officials and politicians from some 40 countries for in-depth discussions to explore solutions to the pressing issues.“The Jeju Forum this year will focus on presenting a new vision for mu
May 28, 2013
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National security chief goes home after work for first time
South Korea’s national security chief, who had barely left the presidential compounds in the past three months while on constant duty, recently went home after work in a possible sign that tensions with North Korea have eased somewhat, presidential officials said Tuesday.Kim Jang-soo, the chief of the national security office, went home after work last Friday for the first time since taking office in late February, the officials said.Until then, he had slept at lodgings near the presidential off
May 28, 2013
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S. Korean progressive group urges gov't not to block inter-Korean talks
A South Korean progressive group on Tuesday urged the government not to block an opportunity to engage North Korea in talks aimed at allowing a joint event to mark the 13th anniversary of the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration. The Committee for the Joint Implementation of the June 15 Summit Declaration in South Korea criticized the government for banning the joint celebration at a press conference in downtown Seoul. The historic declaration reached at the 2000 summit meeting between late
May 28, 2013
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Japan’s nationalist lurch dents U.S. hopes for stability, alliance
Japan’s nationalist moves that have infuriated the victims of its past militarism are posing challenges to the U.S. drive to beef up cooperation among its allies in the face of an increasingly assertive China.Its preeminent politicians including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have recently churned out controversial remarks that showed their refusal to atone for their country’s wartime atrocities, raising the ire of South Korea and China. From Washington’s standpoint, the core ally’s rightward shift s
May 27, 2013
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Cheong Wa Dae treads carefully on choice of senior press secretary
Painstaking checks are reportedly the main concern in selecting the next senior presidential secretary for public relations to fill the post that has been left vacant after the sexual assault scandal in the U.S.With some media chief executives and pro-Park members in the ruling Saenuri Party being suggested as potential candidates, the presidential office is remaining silent over who will take over its public relations coordination.Along with the new senior secretary, President Park Geun-hye is
May 27, 2013
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[Newsmaker] Osaka mayor hurts Japan’s image, his future
Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, once seen as the potential prime minister of Japan, has become a lightning rod for international criticism with his remorseless remarks about the victims of wartime sexual slavery.The 43-year-old, who co-chairs the nationalist Japan Restoration Party, earlier said frontline military brothels during World War II were necessary to give troops relief and maintain their discipline. He also suggested U.S. troops in Okinawa use adult establishments to help curb sex crimes.T
May 26, 2013
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Parties to clash over economic democratization
The June session of the National Assembly is likely to see the country’s two main political parties clashing over economic democratization and labor issues.The two parties’ floor leaders agreed on Sunday to open the 30-day session on June 3 and to hold three plenary meetings.Although the ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic Party are in general agreement over economic fairness issues, the two sides are likely to clash with each focusing on different aspects of such measures. O
May 26, 2013
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Park to make ‘state visit’ to China in June
South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s upcoming trip to China will be a “state visit,” the highest form of diplomatic contact between two nations, her spokeswoman said Friday“President Park Geun-hye plans to make a state visit to China at the end of June at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping,” presidential spokeswoman Kim Haing told reporters. “South Korea and China plan to announce details, including the length of the visit, at an appropriate time in the future.”A state visit often
May 24, 2013
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Top civil servants’ wealth averages 1.8 billion won
The average wealth of the government’s top officials is 1.83 billion won ($1.63 million), a government report has showed. The government’s Public Ethic Committee disclosed on Friday the assets of 27 top senior civil servants, including President Park Geun-hye, Prime Minister Chung Hong-won and other Cabinet members.President Park saw an increase in wealth of 120 million won to 2.56 billion won, compared to before taking her post, while the prime minister is slightly above the average with 1.87 b
May 24, 2013
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Roh memorial allows tense truce in opposition
Flocks of opposition politicians gathered in Bongha Village in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, on Thursday, for the 4th annual memorial service for late President Roh Moo-hyun.While they stood together, paid their respects and sang “March for Thee” in unison, the tension was ever so palpable.Amongst those present were Kim Han-gil, the recently elected Democratic Party chairman who took the lead in blaming the pro-Roh faction for the major election defeats last year, and Moon Sung-keun, a form
May 23, 2013
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Right-wing online community fuels regional, political divide
A right-wing online community is adding fuel to ideological and regional frictions that have long plagued South Korea’s politics.The website, Ilgan Best (ilbe.com) began as a subsection of another user-edited website but broke away in early 2010. Although the site began as an online community for humor, it has been dominated by those with extreme right-wing opinions, and its most popular posts are often those that denigrate progressive political leaders as well as the Jeolla provinces and their
May 23, 2013
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Ahn assigned to Assembly’s health and welfare committee
Independent lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo has been assigned to the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee in line with his wishes, a parliamentary spokesman said Thursday.The assignment comes a month after the former presidential candidate was elected to parliament in the April 24 by-elections.“National Assembly Speaker Kang Chang-hee decided to assign Rep. Ahn to the Health and Welfare Committee upon considering his wishes and the processes undertaken between the floor leaders of the ruling
May 23, 2013
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Presidents of Uganda, Mozambique to visit Korea
Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Armando Guebuza of Mozambique will visit Korea during the next two weeks upon President Park Geun-hye’s invitation to discuss investment, energy development cooperation and trade, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday.Park will hold summit talks with Museveni on May 30 and Guebuza on June 4. Museveni will be the first foreign president to visit since Park’s inauguration. He will stay from May 29-31 and tour the Rural Development Administration and the Saemaul Undon
May 23, 2013