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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Park set to win Saenuri nomination
Election fever is rising as the ruling party’s presidential frontrunner Park Geun-hye readies to become the Saenuri Party’s chosen candidate on Monday, while the main opposition candidates prepare for a provincial primary tour.The Saenuri Party will name its presidential nominee at a national caucus at KINTEX in Ilsan by announcing the votes cast by party members and citizens nationwide on Sunday.Former chairwoman Park Geun-hye maintained a distant lead over her four contenders during the contro
Aug. 19, 2012
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Park tries to invoke image of her mother
Saenuri Party presidential candidate Park Geun-hye is moving to soften her image by associating herself with her deceased mother Yuk Young-soo, cherished by many Koreans as a calm, mild and wise first lady.Yuk, wife of former president Park Chung-hee, was shot by a North Korean agent in 1974.While keeping hold of elderly conservative voters who feel nostalgia for her father’s leadership, the move by the Saenuri Party frontrunner may also help pacify critics of his military dictatorship by remind
Aug. 19, 2012
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Saenuri scandal probe slammed
In-house investigative committee criticized for lack of actionThe Saenuri Party’s committee formed to probe the cash-for-candidacy scandal is facing criticism for a lack of action, which its opponents say shows the conservative ruling party’s unwillingness to delve into alleged irregularities in its preparations for the April general elections. One of the nine-member committee resigned Saturday, complaining about its “lack of willingness to conduct a thorough investigation.” “The committee met f
Aug. 19, 2012
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Ruling party wraps up primary election with low turnout
The ruling Saenuri Party wrapped up its primary election Sunday with a lower than expected voter turnout.The poll closed at 6 p.m. with an estimated voter turnout of 41.2 percent, according to the National Election Commission, which oversaw the primary election.The party has a little over 200,000 members eligible to vote but only about 82,000 cast ballots in the poll that began earlier in the day
Aug. 19, 2012
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Japan’s P.M. sends letter to express displeasure over Dokdo
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Friday sent a letter to South Korean President Lee Myung-bak to express displeasure over Lee’s recent visit to the Dokdo islets and his call for Emperor Akihito’s apology for his country’s colonial atrocities.The move came after Tokyo made an official proposal to Seoul to take the spat over Korea’s easternmost islets to the International Court of Justice. Seoul spurned it, saying that the proposal is “not worth even a passing thought.”Through the letter,
Aug. 17, 2012
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Seoul spurns Tokyo’s step on Dokdo
Tokyo confirms its consideration of scaling down currency swap dealSeoul on Friday spurned Tokyo’s proposal to take the persistent territorial spat over Dokdo to the International Court of Justice, vowing to sternly deal with Japan’s provocative moves over the islets.The proposal that sharply raised tension between the two neighbors was the third following the first in 1954 and second in 1962.“(We) make it clear that the proposal by Tokyo does not deserve even a passing thought. There is no disp
Aug. 17, 2012
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Korea, New Zealand sign cooperation pact on Antarctica
(Yonhap) -- South Korea and New Zealand signed a pact Friday aimed at forging policy and logistical cooperation in the development of Antarctica, Seoul officials said. The pact was signed between South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan, who is on a two-day visit to Auckland, and his New Zealand counterpart Murray McCully, the ministry said in a statement. The agreement "paves the way for
Aug. 17, 2012
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High court upholds prison term for first lady's cousin
An appellate court on Friday upheld a two-year prison term and a fine of 390 million won ($348,900) given to a cousin of President Lee Myung-bak's wife for receiving bribes from an ailing savings bank in return for influence peddling.Kim Jae-hong, the cousin of first lady Kim Yoon-ok, was convicted of taking 390 million won in kickbacks from the chairman of Jeil Savings Bank between September 2008
Aug. 17, 2012
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Ruling party expels scandal-ridden lawmaker
The ruling Saenuri Party on Friday expelled Rep. Hyun Young-hee for her alleged involvement in a money-for-nomination scandal ahead of April‘s general election.In a general meeting of the party’s lawmakers, all 120 present voted in favor of the expulsion, satisfying the requirement for the ouster of an incumbent legislator of at least two-thirds approval of Saenuri‘s 149 parliamentary seat holders.The move strips Hyun of her party membership, but she can hold onto her proportional representative
Aug. 17, 2012
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S. Korea reaffirms it will not go to int'l court over Dokdo
South Korea will reject a reported proposal by Japan to take the issue of Dokdo, Seoul's easternmost islets claimed by Tokyo as its territory, to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), reaffirming its stance that Dokdo is "clearly a Korean territory historically, geographically and under international law," officials said Friday. Japan has considered asking the ICJ to resolve the issue of Dokdo
Aug. 17, 2012
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Ahn charity to keep name but defer donations
The Ahn Cheol-soo Foundation, established with a major donation by the potential presidential candidate, decided to keep its name but defer its activities Thursday following the election watchdog’s warning that charity work under his name would violate the election law.“The foundation honors Ahn’s contribution to social welfare but is legally independent from its donor,” said its secretary-general Kim Hyun-sook.“We will nevertheless make sure that our projects are conducted within the legal boun
Aug. 16, 2012
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Northeast Asia engulfed in territorial spats
Experts call on leaders to exert restraint for broader regional cooperationAs wealth and power gravitate toward the Asia-Pacific, South Korea, China and Japan are entrapped in historical and territorial spats, threatening to hinder the cooperation necessary to maintain the region’s dynamism.Some experts argue that these developments may be temporary ahead of leadership transitions scheduled later this year in all three nations, underscoring the need for policymakers and government leaders to rem
Aug. 16, 2012
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Bid-rigging probe launched over four river project
The prosecution is investigating construction firms involved in a controversial state project to clean up four major rivers on collusion charges. The Fair Trade Commission is also under investigation over whether its actions against the firms were appropriate. The Seoul Central District Prosecution’s Office searched and seized the commission’s office in June and is expected to summon the officials in charge this month.A group of liberal civic organizations filed a complaint in early June against
Aug. 16, 2012
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Saenuri seals oust of scandal-hit member
The ruling Saenuri Party finalized its decision to expel former lawmaker Hyun Ki-hwan on Thursday as the leadership and presidential frontrunner Park Geun-hye attempted to prevent “personal corruption” from hurting the party.The Supreme Council voted unanimously to approve the ethics committee’s proposal to oust Hyun, who is suspected of receiving 300 million won ($264,000) from Rep. Hyun Young-hee in March in return for his support for her parliamentary nomination.Rep. Hyun also faces expulsion
Aug. 16, 2012
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Presidential office to penalize Japan's Kyodo News agency over
South Korea's presidential office plans to penalize Japan's Kyodo News agency for carrying a report on President Lee Myung-bak's visit to the eastern islets of Dokdo earlier than allowed last week, the presidential spokesman said Thursday.News media accredited to the presidential office are banned from publishing specific reports on the president's schedule outside of the presidential compound in
Aug. 16, 2012
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Ruling party expels scandal-ridden member
The ruling Saenuri Party said Thursday that it has expelled its former lawmaker Hyun Ki-hwan for being allegedly implicated in a money-for-nomination scandal ahead of April's parliamentary election.The decision reached by the party's nine-member Supreme Council comes after the central ethics committee rejected an appeal request made by Hyun on Tuesday. The move is also aimed at reducing the fallou
Aug. 16, 2012
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Pressure mounts on Park to take responsibility for scandal
Underdogs strike out at frontrunner over cash-for-candidacyThe ruling Saenuri Party’s frontrunner Park Geun-hye faced mounting pressure from her straggling rivals to take responsibility for the burgeoning cash-for-nomination scandal that has seemed to damage one of her flagship presidential campaign slogans to achieve political reform.In a television debate late Tuesday night, the four underdogs attacked Park in unison, saying that as former chairwoman, she should accept responsibility for the s
Aug. 15, 2012
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Lee steps up criticism of sex slavery
President calls for change in Pyongyang and compliance with denuclearization pactsPresident Lee Myung-bak on Wednesday condemned Japan’s wartime sexual slavery as a “violation of universal human rights and historic justice.”In an address marking the 67th Liberation Day, Lee repeated his call for Japan to sincerely address its atrocities as tensions continued to escalate between the two neighbors following his visit to Dokdo last week.“The issue involving the mobilization of ‘comfort women’ by t
Aug. 15, 2012
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Labor union’s exit to hasten UPP breakup
A powerful labor group’s announcement Tuesday that it would withdraw its support for the Unified Progressive Party is expected to bolster reformists’ move to dissolve their scandal-ridden party and create a new political group.After a heated 11-hour discussion, The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions approved a proposal to sever ties with the UPP, citing its failure to overhaul the scandal-hit party. The labor umbrella group is the biggest backer for the leftist party. Out of 39 steering commit
Aug. 14, 2012
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Apologies before Japanese emperor’s Korea visit: Lee
President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday demanded that Japanese Emperor Akihito apologize for his country’s colonial atrocities should he want to visit South Korea, amid a rekindled diplomatic spat over Dokdo.“If (the Japanese emperor) wants to visit Korea, he should visit the deceased independence fighters here and sincerely apologize to them,” Lee said during a meeting with local teachers in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province.“If he would come here with (vague) words of regret, there is no need for him to co
Aug. 14, 2012