Most Popular
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[Weekender] Geeks have never been so chic in Korea
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N. Korea says it test-fired tactical ballistic missile with new guidance technology
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NewJeans members submit petitions over court injunction in Hybe-Ador conflict
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[News Focus] Mystery deepens after hundreds of cat deaths in S. Korea
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S. Korea's exports of instant noodles surpass $100m for 1st time in April: data
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[Herald Interview] Byun Yo-han's 'unlikable' character is result of calculated acting
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[KH Explains] Why Korea's so tough on short selling
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US military commander in S. Korea during Gwangju uprising dies
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Actors involved in past controversies return first via streaming service originals
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[Photo News] Seoul seeks 'best sleeper'
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Noda seeks way out of domestic political crisis
Aside from flagging approval ratings and difficulty pushing for a politically crucial tax bill, territorial spats with Korea and China are testing the leadership of already beleaguered Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.In a display of his strong commitment to tackling Japan’s public debt, Noda has staked his political fate on the passage of a bill that seeks to double the national sales tax to 10 percent by 2015.The bill already passed the lower house of Japan’s bicameral legislature in Jun
Aug. 26, 2012
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Polls put Park Geun-hye further lead ahead of rivals
The ruling Saenuri Party’s presidential candidate Park Geun-hye is enjoying a continuous rise in support ratings, nudged up by her early nomination allowing her to take the initiative in her nationwide campaign.A survey by Research & Research on 1,000 voters last week right after the Saenuri’s election showed Park overtaking Seoul National University professor Ahn Cheol-soo, as their polls stood at 47.2 percent and 45.1 percent, respectively. It was a 4.6 percentage point surge for Park, and a 2
Aug. 26, 2012
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Both sides may lose in Dokdo spat
Seoul to deliver to Tokyo document rebutting offer to take case to ICJAs Korea and Japan’s spat over Dokdo continues, some worry that both would lose more than gain given the intractable nature of the issue.The rekindled row over the islets in the East Sea has apparently dampened the mood for bilateral cooperation in security, economy and other areas of mutual concern in the region and beyond.The two countries’ war of words has also worsened domestic public opinion of each other, forging a ret
Aug. 26, 2012
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Moon wins landslide victory in 1st regional primary of main opposition party
Moon Jae-in, a lawyer-turned liberal politician, won the first regional primary of the Democratic United Party (DUP) Saturday, confirming his front-runner status as the main opposition party's presidential candidate in December's election. Moon, a former presidential chief of staff, won a total of 12,023 votes or 59.8 percent of the 20,102 valid votes cast during the DUP's primary in the southe
Aug. 26, 2012
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Parties agree on probe into Lee’s retirement home scandal
South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties agreed Friday to allow a special prosecutor to look into alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped project to build a retirement home for President Lee Myung-bak.The Saenuri Party and the Democratic United Party (DUP) said they have ironed out the details on opening a new investigation into allegations raised about the violation of real estate transaction laws and irregularities in the purchase of the land located in Naegok-dong in the southern outski
Aug. 24, 2012
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Park reaches out to former rivals
Rep. Park Geun-hye, presidential nominee of the ruling Saenuri Party, asked her four former competitors in the primary race to help her win the December presidential election.Park held a luncheon meeting with Kim Moon-soo, Rep. Kim Tae-ho, Yim Tae-hee and Ahn Sang-soo in a move to achieve unity within the party.Party chief Rep. Hwang Woo-yea and Secretary-General Seo Byung-soo also attended the meeting. The former rivals exchanged friendly talks for some five minutes before going into a closed-d
Aug. 24, 2012
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Ahn trying to make responsible decision over presidential bid: advisor
Ahn Cheol-sooSoftware entrepreneur-turned-professor Ahn Cheol-soo is trying hard to make a responsible decision over whether to run in December's presidential race, his legal advisor said Friday, as the public waits to see what stance he will take."Ahn is thinking hard with a sense of responsibility," Keum Tae-sup said in an interview with a local radio station. "Whatever decision he makes will no
Aug. 24, 2012
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Seoul rebuffs P.M. Noda’s call for Lee’s apology
Tokyo refuses to accept Noda’s returned letterSeoul on Thursday rebuffed Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s call for President Lee Myung-bak’s apology for his recent remarks that Emperor Akihito should apologize for Japan’s colonial atrocities.Tokyo refused to accept the returned letter Noda sent to Lee last Friday to express his displeasure over Lee’s recent visit to the Dokdo islets and his call for the emperor’s apology. Seoul, thus, sent it via registered mail. It has decided to return
Aug. 23, 2012
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Saenuri reviews widening collective lawsuits criteria
The ruling Saenuri Party said Thursday it is reviewing ways to expand the criteria of class action lawsuits and punitive compensation systems to prevent chaebol’s abuse of power.The party’s gathering for economic democratization comprising former and incumbent lawmakers said at a press conference that they will push for the class action suits currently restricted to securities-related cases to be expanded to other areas. The punitive damages system that is currently only applied to violations re
Aug. 23, 2012
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Park vows to cut college tuition fees
Saenuri candidate reaches out to younger votersThe ruling Saenuri Party’s presidential candidate Rep. Park Geun-hye on Thursday met with university students and promised to halve the burden of high college tuition.In a move aimed at reaching out to younger voters, Park attended a debate co-hosted by the association of nationwide college student councils and Saenuri Rep. Kim Sang-min to discuss ways to realize “half-price tuition.”“It is regrettable that (we) still do not have a complete set of m
Aug. 23, 2012
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DUP starts primary race
Group of ex-party members and liberals urge Ahn to enter presidential raceThe main opposition Democratic United Party kicked off its primary process Thursday to select a single candidate to stand against Rep. Park Geun-hye of the ruling Saenuri Party in the year-end presidential election.Senior figures of the liberal opposition camp issued a joint statement to urge Professor Ahn Cheol-soo to join the race, whether as a party member or as an independent contestant.The DUP’s four presidential aspi
Aug. 23, 2012
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Park meets Kim DJ’s wife on ‘unity tour’
DUP prepares for first TV debate between candidatesBuoyed by her first-mover advantage, the ruling Saenuri Party’s presidential candidate Rep. Park Geun-hye continued her visits to former presidents and first ladies on Wednesday, followed by a trip to cheer on participants in the London 2012 Paralympics.“I believe a grand unity is necessary for the country to develop a step further and for the people to become happier, and I plan to exert more efforts into achieving that,” Park said during a vis
Aug. 22, 2012
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Arrest sought for Rep. Hyun in cash-for-candidacy scandal
The prosecution requested Wednesday a court warrant for the arrest of Rep. Hyun Young-hee on allegations that she tried to buy candidacy for a ruling Saenuri Party proportional representative ahead of the April elections. Rep. Hyun has so far denied most of the charges set out in three prosecutorial summonses against her. Prosecution officials, however, are confident that they can secure enough documentary evidence and witness testimony for her arrest. One of Rep. Hyun’s former assistants report
Aug. 22, 2012
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South Jeolla Govenor Park quits DUP primary
South Jeolla Governor Park Joon-yung has decided to drop out of the main opposition Democratic United Party’s presidential primary race, making the competition a four-way race.The underdog confirmed his decision in a press conference on Tuesday, two days before the first televised debate between the party’s presidential contestants.Park’s move is expected to help former party chief Rep. Chung Sye-kyun, who was competing against the governor for support in the Jeolla provinces.Chung earlier said
Aug. 21, 2012
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Parties press UPP lawmakers
Saenuri, DUP agree to normalize parliament after 17-day stalemateMajor parties on Tuesday agreed to normalize the National Assembly after narrowing their differences over pending issues including measures against two lawmakers of the minority Unified Progressive Party at the center of election fraud. Vice floor leaders Kim Gi-hyeon of the ruling Saenuri Party and Park Ki-choon of the main opposition Democratic United Party announced an agreement to proceed with the extraordinary session put on h
Aug. 21, 2012
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Park pays respects to Roh, Kim DJ
The ruling Saenuri Party’s presidential candidate Rep. Park Geun-hye kicked off her official schedule Tuesday by visiting the grave of former President Roh Moo-hyun in a display of her commitment to national harmony.This was the first visit by the conservative politician to the grave of the iconic progressive leader, in Bongha Village in South Gyeongsang Province. Roh took his life in May 2009 during a probe into alleged irregularities surrounding his family.“I will be paying respect because he
Aug. 21, 2012
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Park to visit late president Roh's grave to promote nat'l unity
Ruling Saenuri Party's presidential candidate Park Geun-hye said Tuesday she will visit the grave of late President Roh Moo-hyun as part of her efforts to promote national unity.After paying a visit to the National Cemetery in southern Seoul, the 60-year-old lawmaker said she planned to pay her respects to Roh in the afternoon because he represented a significant part of South Korea society.The la
Aug. 21, 2012
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[Newsmaker] Could she become first female president?
Park Geun-hye may have the most nicknames among Korean politicians. Supporters call the Saenuri Party’s presidential candidate “Korea’s Thatcher” and “Election Queen.” Dissenters like to deride her as “Dictator’s Daughter,” “Notebook Princess” and “Furious Geun-hye.” One sure thing is that she is extremely beloved by many and deeply detested by just as many. Her polarizing nature largely stems from the vicissitudes of the 60-year-old lawmaker’s life.The eldest daughter of former president Park C
Aug. 20, 2012
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Park faces challenge of breaking with the past
Five contenders stood on the podium at Monday’s national caucus of the ruling Saenuri Party, but the spotlight focused on former chairwoman Park Geun-hye from beginning to end when she was named the party’s presidential candidate in a landslide vote.Thousands of supporters and delegates chanted “Park Geun-hye” as she marched down the aisle with sheepish-looking rivals, effectively transforming the party’s biggest convention in five years into Park’s stomping ground.For Park, it was a long-awaite
Aug. 20, 2012
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Now Saenuri nominee, Park pledges integration
Rep. Park Geun-hye waves to her supporters at the Saenuri Party’s national convention Monday after being nominated as its presidential candidate. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)Gathered for a single purpose, to secure the next government, thousands of ruling Saenuri Party members and supporters at KINTEX in Ilsan hoisted former chairwoman Park Geun-hye as their presidential candidate on Monday.In
Aug. 20, 2012