Most Popular
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[KH Explains] Why Korea's so tough on short selling
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[Weekender] Geeks have never been so chic in Korea
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[News Focus] Mystery deepens after hundreds of cat deaths in S. Korea
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NewJeans members submit petitions over court injunction in Hybe-Ador conflict
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‘Kim desperately wanted to denuclearize,’ Moon writes in memoirs
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Actors involved in past controversies return first via streaming service originals
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S. Korea's exports of instant noodles surpass $100m for 1st time in April: data
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Korea set to finalize medical school expansion plans
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N. Korea slams US subcritical nuclear test, vows measures to bolster nuclear deterrence
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Seoul City to open 'hotel' on river bridge
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Lee's former close aide quizzed for 14 hours in savings bank
Rep. Chung Doo-un of the ruling aenuri Party, a former close aide of President Lee Myung-bak, nderwent 14 hours of questioning until late Thursday night about llegations of receiving illegal political funds from a candal-ridden savings bank."I gave a full explanation on all allegations (of bribery),"Chung told reporters as he left the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in southern Seoul at 11:45 p.m. Thu
July 6, 2012
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Ruling party officials behind own membership list leakage
Two officials of the ruling Saenuri Party masterminded the leakage of the party's membership list for money, prosecutors said Thursday.Announcing its interim probe results, the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office said it has indicted six people, including a 43-year-old expert advisor for the party, identified as Lee, and a 25-year-old official surnamed Jeong, on charges of leaking and selling the p
July 5, 2012
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‘Economic democratization’ becomes buzzword of 2012 presidential race
On Jan. 27, the conservative Grand National Party, now the Saenuri Party, announced it would include “economic democratization” in its party platform. It pledged “to promote economic democratization in order to realize a fair-competition economy that protects the market, small and mid-sized businesses and consumers from mammoth economic forces.”The right-wing party’s epochal change of stance against conglomerates was in line with the party’s effort to revitalize its image and regain public suppo
July 5, 2012
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Lee aide offers to resign over Japan pact fiasco
Kim Tae-hyo, senior presidential secretary for external strategy, on Thursday offered to resign, taking responsibility for controversy over the Seoul government’s push for a military pact with Japan amid public opposition.Kim is suspected of influencing Seoul’s decision to ink the General Security of Military Information Agreement and Acquisition with Tokyo by the end of June. The former political science professor has been one of the most influential security advisers to President Lee Myung-bak
July 5, 2012
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Parties agree on Assembly standing committee chairs
The main parties completed the designation of most of the parliamentary standing committee chairs as the 19th National Assembly is set to open its first plenary session Monday next week.The ruling Saenuri Party, responsible for 10 out of 18 standing committees, finalized the appointment of nine seats late Wednesday afternoon. The remaining seat for the National Defense Committee is to be filled through a vote by the party members between two candidates, Reps. Hwang Jin-ha and Yoo Seong-min, on F
July 5, 2012
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Saenuri’s Park to declare presidential bid Tuesday
The ruling Saenuri Party’s presidential frontrunner Park Geun-hye will announce her presidential bid on Tuesday at Times Square Mall in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, a spokesperson of her camp said Thursday.The presidential nomination race at the Saenuri Party is expected to heat up upon Park’s declaration, as the party prepares to finalize its presidential candidate for the Dec. 19 presidential election by August 20.“The venue was chosen upon consideration that it is an open space where all walks of lif
July 5, 2012
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New evidence emerges on UPP’s vote rigging
Prosecutors find most votes came from IP addresses linked to multiple votingProsecutors said Wednesday they had detected a massive illegal voting in the Unified Progressive Party’s elections for proportional representative candidates in March.The prosecution said that 18,885 ballots or 51.8 percent of the total votes, were from Internet Protocol addresses suspected of being used for multiple voting.Traces of double-voting were detected at a total of 3,654 IP addresses and among them, 345 address
July 4, 2012
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Lee's elder brother undergoes 16-hour interrogation
Lee Sang-deuk (center), President Lee Myung-bak’s elder brother and former ruling party lawmaker, returns home Tuesday night in Seoul after being interrogated on bribe allegations. (Yonhap News)President Lee Myung-bak's elder brother was sent home early Wednesday morning following a 16-hour-long interrogation over allegations that he took bribes from troubled savings banks and several others in re
July 4, 2012
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Pro-North Korean lawmaker humiliated at farmers' rally
A lawmaker from the minor opposition party with alleged pro-North Korean sympathies was humiliated at a rally of farmers Tuesday when protesters who dislike his stance on Pyongyang grabbed him by the collar, witnesses said.Rep. Lee Seok-gi of the Unified Progressive Party (UPP), who is under pressure to resign for his involvement in a rigged vote, joined farmers in central Seoul to protest a free
July 3, 2012
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Former president hospitalized after showing cold symptoms
Former President Kim Young-sam has been hospitalized after showing signs of a cold, his aides and hospital officials said Tuesday.The 85-year-old Kim, who served as president from 1993 to 1998, was admitted to Seoul National University Hospital in downtown Seoul on Monday afternoon due to light cold symptoms and chest pain, according to the former president's chief secretary and hospital officials
July 3, 2012
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Lee calls for extra reviews of important policies
President Lee Myung-bak instructed the Cabinet on Tuesday to conduct extra reviews before announcing important policies, including discussing possible political repercussions, to make sure they do not cause any misunderstanding among the public, an official said.Lee made the remark during a regular Cabinet meeting, stressing that no matter how good policies are, they can be misunderstood unless their political effects are taken into consideration before any public announcements are made, accordi
July 3, 2012
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Ruling party chief pledges to increase jobs at mid-sized firms
The leader of the ruling Saenuri Party said Tuesday his party will make efforts to support intermediate-sized enterprises to help them create more jobs in a bid to woo young voters feeling the job crunch. Rep. Hwang Woo-yea said his party will consult with the government to increase the number of enterprises of middle standing to 3,000, to hire 1.2 million workers by 2015, up from 800,000 employees hired by 1,291 firms in 2010.“Youth unemployment problems often occur when job openings do not mee
July 3, 2012
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Lee warns against N.K. provocation
President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday reiterated his commitment never to tolerate North Korean provocations, warning that South Korea will strike back at the communist nation several times as strongly as it is attacked.Lee made the remark in a meeting with an advisory group of social elders, talking about last week’s 10th anniversary of a deadly naval skirmish with North Korea that left six South Korean sailors dead. Lee said he believes the clash was premeditated by Pyongyang, not accidental.“We a
July 3, 2012
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Saenuri urges savings bank graft hearing
Demands parliamentary probe into corruption allegations against both ruling and opposition figuresThe ruling Saenuri Party reversed its position and called for a parliamentary hearing on a savings bank scandal involving big-name politicians in both the ruling and opposition parties including the elder brother of President Lee Myung-bak.“I believe that the parliamentary state affairs committee should hold an open hearing (on the savings bank bribery scandal),” said floor leader Rep. Lee Hahn-koo
July 3, 2012
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N. Korean woman indicted in latest spy case in S. Korea
Prosecutors said Monday they have indicted a North Korean female on charges of violating South Korea's National Security Law, in the latest spy case in South Korea. The agent of the North's State Security Ministry entered South Korea last year by disguising herself as a North Korean defector, according to prosecutors. The 45-year-old suspect circulated some US$570,000 in counterfeit US$100 bil
July 2, 2012
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Mayor Park plans to visit Bologna in November
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon has chosen Bologna, Italy, as his next business destination to benchmark the successful model for cooperatives that involves one-third of Bologna citizens.“On the way to visit Spain to attend the ‘World e-Governments Organization of Cities and Local Governments’ summit as a chairman country in November, I would like to look around Bologna, where Korean civil servants can learn many things,” Park said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency. Bologna is one of the richest
July 2, 2012
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Saenuri seeks to delay disputed projects
The ruling Saenuri Party is moving to put the brakes on contentious projects pushed by the Lee Myung-bak administration to prevent criticism of them hurting its chances in the presidential election.The attempt comes as the government faced escalating criticism against its plan to sign a controversial military pact with Japan last week without public consensus.The government is also under fire for its rushed plan to sell Incheon International Airport and privatize the KTX, in addition to controve
July 2, 2012
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Gap emerges in Park’s camp over economic policy
Key aide to Park GH attacks floor leader for being pro-businessKim Chong-in, tapped to head the campaign for the Saenuri Party’s presidential frontrunner Rep. Park Geun-hye, on Monday reproached prominent figures in the pro-Park ranks for distorting the meaning of economic democratization, one of Park’s key election slogans.The economist-turned-politician also denounced the Federation of Korean Industries, the largest association of conglomerates, for its opposition to her policies to increase w
July 2, 2012
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Governor Kim to join DUP race Sunday
South Gyeongsang Governor Kim Doo-kwan of the main opposition Democratic United Party said Monday he will declare his presidential candidacy on the following Sunday.“I will make my announcement on July 8 in Haenam (South Jeolla Province) and resign from the governor position on July 6,” Kim said Monday.He also expressed his appreciation for those who urged him to maintain his post, but said that the presidential race requires his undivided attention.This was the first time that Kim officially co
July 2, 2012
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Korea to tighten criminal, health checks on foreigners
South Korea will strengthen criminal and health background checks on foreigners, the Justice Ministry said Monday, as anxiety increases about crimes by foreign visitors following a brutal murder earlier in the year.Starting from Aug. 1, the Ministry of Justice will require the submission of overseas criminal histories by foreigners who apply for non-professional work visas, crewmen’s visas or working visit visas, the ministry said. Currently, criminal backgrounds are only required from foreigner
July 2, 2012