Most Popular
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Controversy rekindled over when to name criminals, suspects
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Seoul transit pass for travelers to be available starting July
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Hybe-Ador CEO conflict gets messier
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Battery makers ramp up efforts to diversify graphite supply chain
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Prosecutors to summon pastor who allegedly gave Dior bag to first lady
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‘Monk’ DJ spreading Buddhism goes global
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[LLG] Unseen inheritance: Trauma of transnational adoption 'trickles down' to adoptees' children
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[KH Explains] Hyundai Motor’s plan for new landmark keeps hitting bumps
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Court's ruling set to shape path of medical school expansion
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Seoul vows action over Naver's Line, Yahoo dispute
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Former presidential aspirant to form his own political camp
Ahn Cheol-soo, former presidential aspirant who ran as an independent, indicated Monday he will form a political camp of his own by fielding candidates of his choice in October's re- and by-elections, a move certain to complicate the rivalry within the country's opposition bloc.Ahn, elected to parliament through last month's by-election, told reporters he hopes to challenge the elections in October if he "can find the people," the first set of comments from Ahn himself confirming speculations th
May 13, 2013
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Missionaries urge Korea to lift travel ban
Kim Jin-dae hoped he could persuade the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lift its ban on travel to countries it deemed as too dangerous for Korean passport holders, but he knew better. Instead, the 52-year-old pastor discussed with diplomats “unofficial” Christian missionary activity in several Muslim and communist countries in a meeting on April 17, including one man detained for two months in Libya before being deported back to Korea in early April.Korea has banned its citizens since 2007 from t
May 13, 2013
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Cheong Wa Dae slammed for poor crisis management
Cheong Wa Dae, currently struggling to cope with a burgeoning scandal involving fired spokesman Yoon Chang-jung, is receiving flak for poorly managing the crisis by taking belated measures.The brouhaha stooped to a new low over the weekend following Yoon’s news conference, an apparent vendetta against his boss, senior secretary for public relations Lee Nam-ki, for his dismissal, by claiming Lee was behind his abrupt return to Seoul last Thursday.Yoon had returned to Seoul after police were calle
May 13, 2013
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Park apologizes for scandal
President Park Geun-hye on Monday apologized to the public over the groping scandal involving her former spokesman Yoon Chang-jung, as the controversy continued to spill over to her office and undermine political momentum that she had hoped to pick up upon her first overseas tour.“I regret that an unsavory incident involving a public servant occurred toward the end of the U.S. visit, thereby causing great disappointment to the people,” Park said during a weekly meeting with senior secretaries.It
May 13, 2013
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Park apologizes over alleged sexual misconduct by ex-spokesman
President Park Geun-hye apologized Monday over allegations of sexual misconduct by her now-fired spokesman, as she struggled to bring growing public outrage over the unprecedented, embarrassing incident under control.It was the first time Park has spoken about the case that has been rocking South Korea since revelations Friday that former spokesman Yoon Chang-jung allegedly made unwanted sexual advances toward his temporarily hired secretary while accompanying Park on her first trip to Washingto
May 13, 2013
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Four student dissidents acquitted decades after being imprisoned
Four former student activists were acquitted in a retrial on Monday 39 years after they were imprisoned for campaigning against the military regime led by then President Park Chung-hee.In 1974, the four were sentenced to prison terms ranging from seven to 10 years for leading a protest against the revision of the Yushin Constitution that the former president introduced to prolong his stay in power, in violation of a now-defunct emergency decree.In the retrial, the Seoul High Court delivered a no
May 13, 2013
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Dismissed presidential spokesman admits to groping woman during Cheong Wa Dae investigation: sources
The former presidential spokesman who was dismissed over sexual assault accusations admitted last week to touching the buttocks of the alleged victim during an internal investigation by the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, an action he later denied, officials said Sunday.According to Cheong Wa Dae officials, Yoon Chang-jung contradicted himself at Saturday's press conference, where he denied all sexual harassment allegations that led to his dismissal.Yoon was fired on Thursday in Los Angeles,
May 12, 2013
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[Newsmaker] Yoon Chang-jung, a veteran of controversy
Even before his dismissal amid allegations of sexual assault last week, former Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Yoon Chang-jung was a controversial figure for his unreserved and often vulgar political comments. Yoon was a veteran journalist before being picked by President Park Geun-hye last year as the spokesman of her presidential transition committee. Yoon began his career as a reporter at the Korea Times in 1981, and spent much of the 1980s and the 1990s covering politics at a number of local vernacu
May 12, 2013
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Presidential office in disarray
Lee Nam-ki, senior presidential secretary for public relations, offered to step down Friday, taking responsibility for a burgeoning sexual assault scandal involving the now-fired spokesperson Yoon Chang-jung, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday.Presidential Chief of Staff Huh Tae-yeol apologized to the nation for the “embarrassing, unsavory” incident, for which the main opposition Democratic United Party demanded all senior presidential secretaries bow out.The apology came a day after Yoon denied all alle
May 12, 2013
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DP demands presidential chief of staff, senior secretaries resign en masse over sex scandal
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) demanded Sunday that the presidential chief of staff and all senior secretaries resign en masse to take responsibility for sexual abuse allegations involving a now-fired spokesman. The DP also demanded that President Park Geun-hye apologize in person, and the ruling Saenuri Party agree to hold a parliamentary hearing on the case. The former spokesman, Yoon Chang-jung, was sacked following allegations that he sexually abused his temporarily-hired secr
May 12, 2013
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Military officers found to have traveled out of jurisdiction to play golf amid tensions with N.K.
About 10 military officers were found to have played golf in breach of their obligation to remain close to their units in early March when tensions with North Korea were running high, a government official said Sunday. The Office for Government Policy Coordination looked into who used the 29 military golf courses across the nation between March 5-10 after media reports sparked criticism that senior officers played golf at a time whey they were supposed to be on alert against North Korean thre
May 12, 2013
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Government begins planning to establish DMZ peace park
Seoul has launched a government-wide effort to draw up plans for establishing an international park within the Demilitarized Zone, as suggested by President Park Geun-hye during her recent visit to the U.S.“The concerned ministries are discussing measures for implementing the plans to establish a peace park,” an official said.“Details regarding measures that will be proposed in talks with North Korea are being drawn up.” Seoul’s multi-ministry negotiation group is expected to include the Ministr
May 12, 2013
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Fired presidential spokesperson denies sexual harassment allegations
The former presidential spokesman, who was fired after becoming embroiled in a sex scandal while accompanying President Park Geun-hye on her first trip to the U.S., denied allegations Saturday of having sexually assaulted a youngAmerican woman who worked for him during the visit. Yoon Chang-jung, who accompanied Park to Washington for her first summit with U.S. President Barack Obama, hastily left for South Korea Wednesday as police were investigating allegations that he sexually assaulted a 2
May 11, 2013
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Cheong Wa Dae apologizes for sexual assault allegations
The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae offered a public apology Friday over allegations that the now-fired spokesman for President Park Geun-hye sexually assaulted a woman while accompanying Park on her first visit to Washington earlier this week. The swift apology underlines the seriousness of the case that sparked public outrage and dealt a blow to the image of the Park administration less than three months after its inauguration. "As senior press secretary, I am very disappointed and apologe
May 11, 2013
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Park’s spokesman sacked over groping claims
President Park Geun-hye on Thursday dismissed her spokesman Yoon Chang-jung over allegations that he sexually abused a woman during the delegation’s stay in Washington.The incident dealt a fresh blow to Park, who has repeatedly been criticized for inept personnel appointments. Sexual crime is one of the four social evils that she promised to eradicate. Park returned on Friday from her six-day visit to the U.S., where she held a summit with President Barack Obama.Washington police have launched a
May 10, 2013
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Park returns home from U.S. trip
President Park Geun-hye returned home Friday evening after completing a six-day visit to the United States, where she reaffirmed her robust alliance with President Barack Obama and promised closer cooperation with U.S. investors.Park continued to promote her “creative business” drive in Los Angeles, the last stop of her tour. She held a debate with Korean and American businesspeople from technology, cultural and other various sectors, whom she called “exemplary models” of successful creative bus
May 10, 2013
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Park sacks spokesman Yoon
LOS ANGELES -- President Park Geun-hye on Thursday (Friday Korea time) dismissed her spokesman Yoon Chang-jung as rumors spread that he engaged in "inappropriate conduct" during the delegation’s stay in Washington. “The decision was made as it was deemed that Yoon showed inappropriate conduct as a high-ranking official and damaged the dignity of the country by being involved in a disgraceful event personally while accompanying President Park in her U.S. visit,” said Lee Nam-ki, senior secretary
May 10, 2013
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Park assures U.S. firms over Korea investment
WASHINGTON ― President Park Geun-hye on Wednesday (Thursday Korea time) met with prominent business leaders in Washington, D.C. and stressed the attractiveness of Korea as an investment destination despite the North Korea risk.On the second-last leg of her U.S. trip, Park attended a roundtable and luncheon hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. One hundred and seventy leading figures from American business such as GM Chairman Daniel Akerson and Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson attended, as d
May 9, 2013
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Ahn CS has yet to get Assembly committee seat
The National Assembly’s secretariat will review independent lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo’s plan to serve on the parliamentary committee for health and welfare affairs, officials said Thursday, casting doubts over whether the newly elected lawmaker will get the committee assignment he wants.Ahn, who ran for president last year before dropping out to boost the chances of the main opposition candidate, won a parliamentary seat in Seoul’s Nowon C district in the April 24 by-elections.Earlier this week, bo
May 9, 2013
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Park promotes security, Korea investment in U.S.
LOS ANGELES ― President Park Geun-hye wrapped up her U.S. trip on Thursday (Friday morning Korea time) on a mission to promulgate key security initiatives and pitch for wider investment to Korea.The compact four-night-six-day trip represented her style to a tee ― straight to the point, efficient and extravagance-free. The summit meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama effectively hailed the two countries’ historical alliance of 60 years and their commitment to an even wider partnership on secur
May 9, 2013