Most Popular
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Korean labor force to shrink by 10 million by 2044: report
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[AtoZ Korean Mind] Does your job define who you are? Should it?
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Allegations surrounding BTS resurface, enraged fans demand apology
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Students with history of violence will be barred from becoming teachers
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Medical feud leaves hospitals in financial crisis
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Top prosecutor pledges 'speedy, strict' probe into first lady's luxury bag allegations
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Samsung mocks Apple over iPhone alarm glitch
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Chip up cycle won’t stay long: SK chief
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'Queen of Tears' riding high on Netflix chart
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Speaker floats dual citizenship as solution to falling births
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Politicians use TV appearance to improve image
Conservative presidential hopeful Park Geun-hye has been regarded as a rigid practitioner of old politics remote from people’s present-day lives. Her liberal rival Moon Jae-in has been seen as a staid manager rather than a visionary leader. To an increasing number of voters, Ahn Cheol-soo, the dark horse, is viewed as an indecisive nerd lacking the guts for the world of politics.To shed these preconceived images, the three frontrunners for the December election appeared on late-night TV talk sho
July 24, 2012
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Ex-Lee aide named special envoy
Lee Dong-kwan, a former presidential secretary of public relations, has been appointed to a new post of ambassador for cooperation in public opinion and culture, Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday.The Cabinet also created another ambassadorial position for human rights during a meeting and appointed Kim Young-ho, a former unification aide and now a professor at Sungshin Women’s University in Seoul. The two posts offer neither an office nor pay and last one year. Lee is believed to be one of President Le
July 24, 2012
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Lee apologizes for graft scandals involving brother, ex-aides
President Lee Myung-bak apologized to the nation Tuesday over a string of bribery scandals involving his former aides and his elder brother-cum-political mentor. "Fellow Koreans, disgraceful incidents have recently happened to my family and surroundings and caused so much anxiety to people," Lee said during a nationally-televised address with a stern expression on his face. "I bow my head and exte
July 24, 2012
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Lee offers public apology for brother's corruption
President Lee Myung-bak (Yonhap News)President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday made a public apology for his brother's involvement in receiving bribes from savings banks."Fellow Koreans, disgraceful incidents have recently happened to my family and surroundings and caused so much anxiety to people," Lee said."I bow my head and extend my apology for causing anxiety to people due to these incidents."He sai
July 24, 2012
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Korea's progressive party to oust two lawmakers this week
Korea's left-wing party said Monday it will this week expel two of its lawmakers suspected to have been involved in a rigged primary, after initially failing to do so because of strong opposition from the party's main faction.The embattled Unified Progressive Party (UPP) was engulfed in turmoil over allegations that its primary vote, conducted in March to name proportional representation candidate
July 23, 2012
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Presidential office drew up plans for purge on leftist artists: lawmaker
The presidential office drew up plans in 2008 to purge leftist artists, an opposition lawmaker claimed Monday as he denounced the move as South Korea's equivalent to China's Cultural Revolution.The purge of "human resources in a leftist group should be constantly carried out without a sound," the alleged presidential document said, according to Jung Cheong-rae of the main opposition Democratic Uni
July 23, 2012
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U.S. seen easing stance on nuclear fuel reprocessing
Seoul pushes to revise pact for more efficient use of nuclear energyWashington appears to have shown some flexibility in its negotiations with Seoul over a revision to a decades-old nuclear energy pact that bans its Asian ally from reprocessing spent fuel.To more efficiently use nuclear energy, South Korea has pushed to amend the pact in five rounds of bilateral talks until February since 2010. The U.S. has apparently opposed the revision as it can undermine its non-proliferation initiatives. “A
July 23, 2012
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Ahn: ‘Not afraid of getting bashed’
Possible presidential candidate says fear of criticism won’t affect decision on runningSeoul National University professor Ahn Cheol-soo reportedly said he was “not afraid of getting bashed” if he joins the presidential race, as his opponents continued to criticize him for remaining coy about his political ambitions.The comments, relayed by professor Jae Jeong-im of Semyung University, comes in light of the former software mogul’s advanced political gestures following the release of his latest b
July 23, 2012
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Park defies prosecutors’ 2nd summons
Democratic United Party floor leader Park Jie-won defied a second prosecutors’ summons Monday, further fueling discord between the main opposition party and the Public Prosecutors’ Office.“I have not received money or requests for favors from any savings bank,” Park said at the DUP general meeting on Monday.“If there is evidence, seek an indictment. I will appear in court and prove my innocence.” The prosecutors initially had summoned Park to appear for questioning on July 19 over allegations th
July 23, 2012
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Parties kick off primary races
Major parties have been launching primary races to pick their standard bearer for the December presidential election with Saenuri Party’s Park Geun-hye unchallenged as a poll leader.The ruling party kicked off its month-long in-house election campaign on Saturday contested by five candidates. The former party chairwoman is currently the unrivalled frontrunner.Eight candidates will officially begin the competition this week to represent the main opposition Democratic United Party in the president
July 22, 2012
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Seoul drawing up measures to boost economy
The government said Sunday it was preparing a new package of tax breaks and deregulation to boost domestic consumption, including easing mortgage lending rules, which have been criticized by industry insiders as a key factor depressing the property market. According to the Presidential Office, the planned measures aim to spur private spending, revive a sinking local housing market and induce foreign investment. They include tax breaks on golf courses; relaxed rules on new casinos; abolishment of
July 22, 2012
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Former home minister to run for president
A former home affairs minister announced his presidential bid on Saturday, increasing to eight the number of the main opposition party's contenders for the December presidential election.Kim Jeong-gil worked as minister of home administration from 1998 to 1999 under liberal President Kim Dae-jung.His rivals include Moon Jae-in, a longtime aide to late former President Roh Moo-hyun; former party ch
July 22, 2012
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Motion to dismiss PM scrapped after ruling party’s boycott
A controversial motion to dismiss Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik over the mishandling of a military pact with Japan was automatically scrapped on Friday after the ruling Saenuri Party boycotted the vote, officials said.The motion was put to a plenary vote in the 300-member National Assembly earlier in the day, but the vote was declared invalid due to a lack of quorum as the Saenuri Party, which hold
July 21, 2012
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Ahn breathes new wind into presidential race
Future alliance with opposition candidates could cut into Park’s lead: observersThe landscape for the presidential race is set for sweeping changes with Seoul National University professor Ahn Cheol-soo appearing ready to join.While Ahn has been considered a likely presidential candidate ever since he supported Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon in last year’s mayoral by-election, he has avoided announcing his intentions.However, his new book “Thoughts of Ahn Cheol-soo - The future map that we want of th
July 20, 2012
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P.M. dismissal motion put to Assembly vote
National Assembly Speaker Kang Chang-hee on Friday put to a full-house vote a motion to recommend the dismissal of Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik over the Seoul government’s controversial push for a military pact with Japan.The main opposition Democratic United Party submitted the motion to the parliament on Tuesday, calling on Kim to take responsibility for the government bypassing the due process of securing public consensus over the deal.Under the parliamentary law, the motion was to be voted o
July 20, 2012
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Lee criticizes high-earning unionists for threatening strike
President Lee Myung-bak criticized auto and bank union members planning to go on strike, saying Thursday that it is not desirable for such high-earning people to walk away from their jobs amid global economic difficulties.“I think South Korea is the only nation where high-income unions go on strike,” Lee said during an economic policy meeting. “It is not desirable for high-income unions to go on strike when we are trying to resolve the difficult task the entire world faces. Those in real difficu
July 19, 2012
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Overseas voter registration to begin Sunday
South Korean diplomatic missions will begin receiving registrations on Sunday from overseas voters wishing to participate in their home country’s presidential election. The registration process for overseas Koreans, conducted for the second time after the April 11 general elections, will be conducted at the 162 diplomatic missions located in 107 countries until Oct. 20. The voting will take place Dec. 5-10 at the diplomatic missions. The registrations are open to those born before Dec. 20, 1991,
July 19, 2012
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DUP’s Park ignores prosecution summons
Party spokesman says floor leader innocent of taking bank bribesRep. Park Jie-won, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic United Party, did not respond to the prosecution’s summons for questioning on Thursday.The savings banks investigation team of the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office demanded that Park show himself at 10 a.m. to answer questions on bribery allegations.The lawmaker, however, refused to comply and instead attended a party meeting held at the same time.While he refrained from s
July 19, 2012
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Ahn’s book is an instant top seller
A new book by Ahn Cheol-soo, considered one of the strongest contenders for this year’s presidential election, has become an instant top seller, industry officials said Thursday.According to Yes24, a leading online bookstore, about 3,200 copies of “Thoughts of Ahn Cheol-soo” were sold as of 5 p.m., just five hours after sales began. On average, 11 copies were sold per minute, it said. At that pace
July 19, 2012
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Ahn considered declared with new book
Ahn Cheol-soo (Yonhap News)Political aspirant maps out his vision in new publicationSoftware mogul-turned-professor Ahn Cheol-soo virtually declared his presidential aspirations in his new book released on Thursday, stating, “A challenge may be strenuous but it is not to be feared.”In the long-awaited book titled “Thoughts of Ahn Cheol-soo -- The future map that we want of the Republic of Korea,”
July 19, 2012