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Russia sent more than 165,000 barrels of refined petroleum to N. Korea in March: White House
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Key suspects grilled over alleged abuse of power in Marine death inquiry
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S. Korean children, teens grow taller, mature faster than before: study
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[Graphic News] Number of coffee franchises in S. Korea rises 13%
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Some junior doctors are returning: Health Ministry
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Army takes group action against Hybe for neglecting BTS
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Marine Corps commander summoned by CIO for questioning on alleged influence-peddling case
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[Robert J. Fouser] AI changes rationale for learning languages
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Woman dangling from power lines rescued by residents holding blanket
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Ador CEO's request for exclusive right to terminate NewJeans' contract with Hybe refused in February
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Parliament passes Korea-U.S. FTA
GNP railroads ratification bill; opposition declares approval invalid, vows struggleThe National Assembly on Tuesday passed the long-pending Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, with the ruling Grand National Party pressing ahead with the ratification process despite vehement objection from opposition parties.Upbraiding the majority GNP and the government for “unilateral action,” the main opposition Democratic Party pledged to stage an “all-out struggle” to invalidate the pact, part of which it clai
Nov. 22, 2011
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DLP lawmarker fills chamber with tear gas in protest against FTA
The National Assembly passed the free trade agreement with the U.S. Tuesday as the main hall descended into chaos reminiscent of a protest movement, complete with tear gas. The long and tumultuous journey for the Korea-U.S. FTA came to an end after the ruling Grand National Party spearheaded the pact through parliament despite inhaling tear gas released when an opposition lawmaker detonated a grenade. At 4:05 p.m., roughly five minutes after an abrupt plenary session by ruling party members bega
Nov. 22, 2011
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‘Poison pills’ linger despite FTA passage
Despite the National Assembly’s approval of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, controversy over so-called “poison pills” in the FTA is expected to linger, observers said.Opposition party members, civic groups and critics have repeatedly demanded the Korean government renegotiate with the U.S. to remove the Investor-State Dispute settlement system from the FTA, but the deal passed without any change.ISD systemCritics say the ISD system allows a large-sized, multinational investment capital or c
Nov. 22, 2011
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Korea-U.S. FTA reaches end of convoluted road
The Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement was approved by Korea’s National Assembly on Tuesday, putting an end to a tumultuous process that dragged on for more than four years.The path leading to Tuesday’s development began in 2003, when the government drew up an FTA roadmap that included forming such pacts with mega-economies like the U.S.In the following year the concept became a working process with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative expressing interest in forming a free trade pact with Ko
Nov. 22, 2011
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FTA passage heightens political tension
DP decides to boycott all parliamentary sessions, fight back ratificationThe inter-party conflicts over the long-pending free trade pact peaked as the ruling Grand National Party enforced the trade bill in a surprise plenary session Tuesday, triggering heated backlash from the opposition camp and also from some of its own members.“From now on, the DP shall suspend all of its parliamentary schedules and focus on fighting back the GNP’s violence and expediency,” said Rep. Kim Yoo-jung, floor spoke
Nov. 22, 2011
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Presidential office welcomes approval of U.S. FTA
South Korea's presidential office welcomed the parliamentary approval of the free trade agreement with the United States, saying the government will continue to come up with support measures for farmers and others."Though it went through a difficult process, it is fortunate that the Korea-U.S. FTA h
Nov. 22, 2011
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Parties to push welfare budget boost
DP to cut on MB-led construction plans; GNP to back Park Geun-hye’s welfare policiesWith next year’s general and presidential elections in mind, parties all set out to boost the budget allocation for welfare projects, though their directions and amounts varied.The main opposition Democratic Party focused on slashing the budgets for construction projects pushed by the Lee Myung-bak government, such as follow-up works on the four-river restoration project and the Jeju naval base construction.“We w
Nov. 22, 2011
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Shares in Ahn’s company riding roller-coaster
The stock price of the antivirus software company founded by Ahn Cheol-soo in 1995 has surged since he was first touted as a potential presidential candidate in early September, leading to fortunes for early investors and shareholder-employees.But analysts have warned of continuing fluctuation in AhnLab’s share price, which they say has far exceeded its proper value.Shares in the company, which was listed in 2001, averaged slightly higher than 20,000 won in the first eight months of the year bef
Nov. 22, 2011
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Donations now part of political discourse
Public not so enthusiastic about presidential hopefuls’ ‘calculated’ acts of givingOn Nov. 15, a throng of reporters waited in front of a graduate school in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, armed with questions for a man who had returned to the political limelight after pledging to donate a chunk of his wealth to society.As soon as he got out of his car, Ahn Cheol-soo, dean of Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, was surrounded by journalists asking about t
Nov. 22, 2011
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Panel recommends inter-Korean talks over Geumgang tours
Advises government to address North’s confiscation of assets at mountain resort A presidential advisory panel on national reunification has recommended to President Lee Myung-bak inter-Korean talks for the resumption of tours to the Mount Geumgang resort in North Korea.The recommendation by the National Unification Advisory Council came as Seoul has softened its hard-line stance toward Pyongyang in efforts to improve ties that turned sour following two deadly attacks last year.“Although the Nort
Nov. 22, 2011
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DLP lawmarker fills chamber with tear gas in protest against FTA
Rep. Kim Sun-dong (center at the podium) of the Democratic Labor Party stands in silent protest after detonating a tear gas grenade and dousing himself with the powder to block the approval of the free trade agreement with the U.S. in the National Assembly on Tuesday (Park Hyun-ku/The Korea Herald)
Nov. 22, 2011
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Assembly ratifies US FTA as GNP rams through motion
The National Assembly on Tuesday passed the long-pending Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, with the ruling Grand National Party pressing ahead with the ratification process despite vehement objection from opposition parties.Upbraiding the majority GNP and the government for “unilateral action,” the m
Nov. 22, 2011
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Lee Hoi-chang gives up seat in next Assembly
Leading conservative figure and three-time presidential candidate Rep. Lee Hoi-chang of the minority conservative Liberty Forward Party announced he will not contest the next election.“I am fully responsible for failing to provide protective measures for our local industries,” said Lee in a press conference on Monday.“In order to take responsibility and display my sincerity to the agricultural and stockbreeding societies, as well as small-sized industries, I shall not enter candidacy in the 19th
Nov. 21, 2011
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Lee pledges development support for Philippines
President Lee Myung-bak on Monday pledged economic support to help facilitate the Philippines’ national development plan in a bid to deepen bilateral cooperative ties, his office said.During his talks with Philippines President Benigno S. Aquino III in Manila, Lee agreed to map out cooperation strategies to make the best of Korea’s development assistance to the Southeast Asian state.Lee flew to the country for a state visit on Sunday after having attended a set of summits with the 10-member Asso
Nov. 21, 2011
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Rival parties seek pork spending ahead of elections
While the parliamentary budget committee started reviewing next year’s budget bill, on Monday speculation was mounting that parties excessively upped the allocation to new roads construction and welfare projects in an attempt to coax voters ahead of next year’s elections.According to the preparatory reports submitted on Sunday, the 15 standing parliamentary committees raised the budget total by 8.65 trillion won ($7.6 billion), 2.7 percent up from the original amount suggested by the government
Nov. 21, 2011
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Clock ticks toward FTA showdown
Political tensions continued to mount Monday as the clock ticked toward a plenary sitting of the National Assembly later this week, where the ruling Grand National Party looks set to ram through the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. The conservative party may take action on Tuesday or Wednesday to move the FTA bill forward, making it ready for the final vote on Thursday. Or it could ask National Assembly Speaker Park Hee-tae to call a direct floor vote on the bill, by-passing committee-level proc
Nov. 21, 2011
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Assembly speaker says time has come to 'make decision' on U.S. FTA
SEOUL, Nov. 21 (Yonhap) -- Parliamentary Speaker Park Hee-tae said Monday that the time has come to "make a decision" on the free trade deal with the United States, indicating that he could step in to put the much-debated, long-pending bill to a floor vote."I don't have any other arbitration plan an
Nov. 21, 2011
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S. Korea, China, Japan reaffirm commitment on N.K. nukes
BALI, Indonesia (Yonhap News) ― The leaders of South Korea, China and Japan reaffirmed their commitment Saturday to working together to resolve the North Korean nuclear standoff and deepen all-round cooperation, the presidential office said.South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda held a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of regional summits with Southeast Asian and other nations in the Indonesian resort island of Bali.“The thre
Nov. 20, 2011
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Korea, Australia to push for FTA
Lee stresses regional financial cooperation to prevent future crisesThe leaders of South Korea and Australia agreed to step up efforts on a free trade pact during their talks in Indonesia on Saturday, according to Seoul officials.President Lee Myung-bak and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard also agreed to broaden bilateral cooperation in politics, security, trade, energy, diplomacy and other areas of mutual concern.Their meeting were held on the resort island of Bali where they attended a
Nov. 20, 2011
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Committee defers decision on easier access to drugs
The parliamentary health committee is facing criticism over its decision to delay until next year the handling of a bill that would allow supermarkets to sell over-the-counter drugs.Proponents of the revision claim that ruling and opposition lawmakers on the committee defied public demands, fearing that a group of some 60,000 pharmacists would campaign against their re-election in April.The legislators argued that more caution should be taken, as the revision could trigger a set of problems such
Nov. 20, 2011