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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US military commander in S. Korea during Gwangju uprising dies
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US expert says N. Korea might ignore Trump if he returns to White House
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[Photo News] Seoul seeks 'best sleeper'
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Yoon vows to advance freedom, welfare to uphold spirit of 1980 pro-democracy uprising
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Ahn ‘regrets’ signing leniency petition for SK chief in 2003
Ahn Cheol-soo on Monday expressed regret over signing a petition to reduce SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won’s sentence for corruption in 2003.On Monday it was revealed that Ahn, a potential presidential candidate, had signed the petition as a member of the V Society a group for social gatherings of CEOs. Chey, who was the society’s chairman at the time, had been indicted on a number of charges including accounting fraud. He was sentenced to a three-year prison term, but was released on probation i
July 30, 2012
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Ahn matches Park in approval ratings: poll
The approval rating of software entrepreneur-turned-professor Ahn Cheol-soo climbed five percentage points last week to match those of presidential frontrunner Park Geun-hye, a poll showed Monday.Ahn has not officially declared a bid for the presidency, but is widely regarded as a serious opposition contender against Park from the ruling Saenuri Party in December's presidential election.That possi
July 30, 2012
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Prosecutors request arrest warrants for DUP floor leader
Prosecutors sought a detention warrant Monday for the floor leader of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) over bribery suspicions, setting in motion a potential showdown between rival parties over whether the parliament should consent to his arrest.The move came after Rep. Park Jie-won of the Democratic United Party three times snubbed summons to appear before the prosecution for questioning on allegations he received money from ailing savings banks that sought his influence to avo
July 30, 2012
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Saenuri moves to tax more unearned income
Ruling Saenuri Party Rep. Na Seong-lin submitted a bill Sunday to revise the Income Tax Law to fortify taxation on aggregate financing income and stock transfer margins.The bill calls for the lowering of the standard amount subject to aggregate financing income tax to 20 million won ($18,000) from current 40 million won.It also calls for more people to be subjected to stock transfer margin tax, expanding coverage from the current largest shareholder holding 3 percent or more shares worth 10 bill
July 29, 2012
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Tension high in Assembly over Park’s arrest
Tension was high at the National Assembly as rival parties prepare to deal with the anticipated request by the prosecution for the arrest of main opposition floor leader Park Jie-won on Monday over his alleged acceptance of bribes.The arrest motion follows the veteran Democratic United Party lawmaker’s three consecutive refusals to appear for questioning by the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. Park is suspected of taking bribes from ailing savings banks.The ruling Saenuri Party seemed determined to
July 29, 2012
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DUP to select five finalists for presidential race Monday
The main opposition Democratic United Party will drop three out of eight contenders running in the party’s presidential primary on Monday through a two-day long public survey. The survey conducted on 2,400 party members and 2,400 ordinary citizens will continue until late Monday night.The presidential hopefuls including frontrunners Moon Jae-in, Sohn Hak-kyu and Chung Sye-kyun were participating in the party’s primary campaign last week including a nationwide tour, joint stumps and television de
July 29, 2012
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Prosecutors set to seek arrest warrant for DUP floor leader
Prosecutors set to seek arrest warrant for DUP floor leaderProsecutors will seek an arrest warrant for the main opposition party‘s floor leader embroiled in a bribery scandal but repeatedly snubbing their summons, sources said Sunday.The move, scheduled for Monday, is expected to lead to a sensitive vote in the National Assembly over the lawmaker’s arrest as courts have to gain parliamentary approval to arrest an incumbent lawmaker while the assembly is in session.Rep. Park Jie-won of the Democr
July 29, 2012
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Park Geun-hye pledges to root out corruption
The leading presidential contender of the ruling Saenuri Party on Saturday vowed to root out corruption, an apparent attempt to distance herself from President Lee Myung-bak amid a public outcry over a string of high-profile corruption scandals."Above all, I will create a clean government," Park Geun-hye said in a speech in the southeastern city of Busan. "I will become a president who will break
July 28, 2012
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Crisis deepening in progressive party
UPP leader apologizes for failure to expel scandal-ridden lawmakersAfter failing to kick out two lawmakers accused of vote rigging, the Unified Progressive Party faces an escalating internal rift, a wave of defections and deeper isolation from the public and political parties.Resistance from old-guard leftists frustrated the reformists’ move to expel Lee Seok-ki and Kim Jae-yeon, the two key figures of the election fraud scandal, on Thursday. The party’s website was flooded Friday with comments
July 27, 2012
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Embattled opposition floor leader disobeys third summons
A chief lawmaker of the main opposition Democratic United Party snubbed a prosecution summons again Friday, a move expected to lead ultimately to a sensitive vote in parliament over his arrest.It was the third time in a period of eight days that Rep. Park Jie-won has ignored a subpoena for questioning over bribery suspicions in a massive corruption scandal involving ailing savings banks.Park has m
July 27, 2012
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Progressive party fails to expel troublesome duo
Reformists of the Unified Progressive Party on Thursday failed to oust Reps. Lee Seok-ki and Kim Jae-yeon, the two key figures of the in-party vote-rigging scandal.Floor leader Rep. Sim Sang-jeung offered to resign after the proposed expulsion failed to pass a vote by lawmakers.“The expulsion of the two lawmakers was voted down as it failed to reach a majority,” said spokesperson Rep. Park Won-suk.Expelling a lawmaker from a party requires the approval of a majority of fellow legislators. Of 13
July 26, 2012
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Korea’s rate of low-wage workers highest in OECD
One in four full-time workers in South Korea is a low-wage worker, the highest ratio among member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a report said Thursday.According to the OECD’s annual report on employment outlook, South Korea’s “incidence of low pay” stood at 25.9 percent as of 2010, 0.2 percentage points higher than a year earlier. It marked the second consecutive time that the country has topped the list among the 34 members of the rich nations’ club.Low-w
July 26, 2012
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Book, TV exposure boost Ahn’s poll rating
The approval ratings for potential presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo rose after he appeared closer to running in the election and laid out his political vision through a new book and TV appearance.According to a survey conducted by local pollster RealMeter on Tuesday, the Seoul National University professor overtook ruling Saenuri Party frontrunner Park Geun-hye with 48.3 percent to 45.2 percent in a hypothetical one-on-one match-up. Ahn’s support edged up 0.7 percentage point from the previo
July 25, 2012
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[Photo] Olympic Stadium
July 24, 2012
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Lee apologizes for scandals
Opposition dismisses president’s statement as ‘just words’President Lee Myung-bak apologized Tuesday for a spate of corruption scandals that have ensnared his elder brother and former aides. “Disgraceful incidents have recently happened to my family and surroundings and caused much anxiety to the people,” Lee said in a somber nationally-televised speech at the Blue House in Seoul. “I bow my head and apologize,” he said. The public apology, his sixth since taking office in 2008, came as state pro
July 24, 2012
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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