Most Popular
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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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[Robert J. Fouser] AI changes rationale for learning languages
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Marine Corps commander summoned by CIO for questioning on alleged influence-peddling case
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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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Park’s former economic adviser set to leave Saenuri Party
The prime architect of President Park Geun-hye’s so-called “economic democratization” policy hinted on Wednesday he would part ways with the ruling party amid accusations that Park was retracting a key campaign promise. Kim Jong-in, one of the ruling Saenuri Party’s top economic policy advisers to Park during her 2012 presidential campaign, said on a TV show that he was considering ending his affiliation with the Saenuri Party.“I had never been a Saenuri member but they (Saenuri Party officials)
Dec. 5, 2013
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Singaporean leader to visit Seoul next week
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will visit South Korea next week for talks with President Park Geun-hye. The will mainly discuss ways to enhance economic cooperation, especially in developing future growth engines for their countries, Park’s office said Wednesday.Lee will arrive on Tuesday for a three-day visit. His summit with Park, set for Wednesday, is expected to focus on increasing cooperation in developing new engines to lead future growth, boosting trade and investment, and stren
Dec. 4, 2013
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Independent probe into NIS lurks as pitfall for parliament
Rival parties began reviewing the government’s budget plans on Wednesday, following an agreement the day before on processing reforms of the intelligence agency and election process. But the interparty feud, which has brought the National Assembly to a halt on several occasions this year, appears to be far from over as they still differ on the matter of launching a special counsel investigation into the National Intelligence Service’s alleged election meddling.After both parties made significant
Dec. 4, 2013
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Presidential office confirms official involved in love child scandal leak
The presidential office confirmed Wednesday that a mid-level official was involved in the leak of personal information concerning a child suspected to be the illegitimate son of former Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook. The official, identified by his surname Cho, has been removed from his post and has been put up for disciplinary board review. According to the findings of the presidential office and the prosecution, Cho requested that Cho E-jae, an official at Seocho-gu District Office in south
Dec. 4, 2013
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Parties agree to normalize parliament
Rival parties on Tuesday agreed to form special parliamentary committees on reforming the state spy agency and political procedures. The ruling Saenuri Party and the opposition Democratic Party also agreed to normalize the National Assembly operations Wednesday and pass the government budget bill before the end of the year.But they failed to reach consensus on the main opposition party’s demand for an independent investigation into the National Intelligence Service’s alleged meddling in last yea
Dec. 3, 2013
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[Newsmaker] Ethical question hangs over new minister
New Health and Welfare Minister Moon Hyung-pyo took office Monday with little political capital to use to persuade opposition parties to accept controversial pension schemes and downscaled welfare policies.The main opposition Democratic Party fiercely opposed the appointment of the former government researcher, raising doubts about his ethical standards and leadership competence. The 57-year-old minister has been accused of using a corporate credit card for private purposes at a restaurant in Ga
Dec. 3, 2013
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Parties make no progress on talks to end impasse
The leaders of rival parties failed to narrow their differences Tuesday, raising concerns that the ruling party may go ahead and process next year’s government budget by itself. The chairmen and floor leaders of the ruling Saenuri Party and the opposition Democratic Party met for a second day in a last-minute effort to break the parliamentary gridlock mainly linked to the National Intelligence Service’s alleged role in last year’s presidential election.The talks, however, ended without any signi
Dec. 3, 2013
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Korea, Greece agree to expand bilateral cooperation
The leaders of South Korea and Greece discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in various areas including trade, investment, tourism and infrastructure construction during their talks in Seoul on Tuesday.Presidents Park Geun-hye and Karolos Papoulias focused particularly on their countries’ steady cooperation in the shipbuilding industry. Park called on Papoulias to continue to support South Korean firms’ advance into the Greek market. Papoulias arrived in Seoul on Monday for a four-day s
Dec. 3, 2013
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N.Korean leader’s uncle seen purged
Jang Song-thaek, a key guardian and uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, appears to have been removed from the reclusive state’s power circles, Seoul’s top intelligence agency said Tuesday.The National Intelligence Service said in a report to Rep. Jung Cheong-rae of the main opposition Democratic Party that Jang has been removed from the public eye since two of his closest confidants were executed in mid-November.The two executed officials are reported to be Ri Yong-ha and Jang Su-gil, who
Dec. 3, 2013
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Second session of bipartisan talks ends without agreement
Leaders of the ruling and main opposition parties held a second round of talks Tuesday to discuss a way out of the political standoff surrounding the state's alleged interference in last year's presidential election, among other issues, but produced no breakthrough, both sides said.It marks the second day in a row that the chiefs and floor leaders of the ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) failed to reach agreement on key issues dividing the parties, including the
Dec. 3, 2013
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S. Korea inches down to 46th on int'l corruption index
South Korea dropped one notch in an international corruption awareness ranking to 46th place among 177 nations in 2013, a global anti-corruption watchdog said in its annual report Tuesday.According to the 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) issued by the Berlin-based non-governmental agency Transparency International (TI), South Korea scored 55 out of 100.The index shows qualitative assessments of a country's level of corruption in the administrative and public sectors, offering a yearly sna
Dec. 3, 2013
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Park snubs opposition party, appoints senior officials
President Park Geun-hye pressed ahead with her controversial appointment of senior officials Monday despite strong objection from opposition parties. Park formally appointed Hwang Chan-hyon as chief of the Board of Audit and Inspection, Moon Hyung-pyo as minister of health and welfare and Kim Jin-tae as new prosecutor general Monday. The move came hours after the leaders of the two main parties met in an unsuccessful bid to find common ground to resolve a political stalemate that includes an opp
Dec. 2, 2013
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[Photo News] Let's talk
Dec. 2, 2013
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Park’s foreign policy put to test
Fresh tension over China’s new air defense zone is posing a new foreign policy test to President Park Geun-hye, who is already hamstrung by an unapologetic Japan, an impasse in inter-Korean ties and intensifying competition between the U.S. and China. Observers say Seoul needs to craft more balanced, concrete, flexible and forward-looking policy visions to secure its strategic interests in the changing regional security environment.Since her inauguration in February, President Park has pushed fo
Dec. 2, 2013
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‘Asia, Europe should both tackle uncertainty’
Ahead of talks in Seoul with President Park Geun-hye, Greek President Karolos Papoulias said “regional peace and security” are central, because in Europe and Asia “there is political uncertainty and rising tension.”Papoulias arrived Monday for four days of meetings expected to also center on expanding bilateral cooperation across the spectrum of two-way ties, including trade and investment, shipbuilding and shipping, infrastructure, defense and tourism.But his visit also comes at a time of terri
Dec. 2, 2013
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[Newsmaker] Moon seen gearing up for 2017 election
Former Democratic Party presidential candidate Rep. Moon Jae-in is once again causing ripples in and outside the party by hinting at his resurgent political ambitions in a recent series of press meetings.Speaking with reporters on Friday, Moon implied that it would be possible for him to run in the 2017 presidential election, saying that he will do his part to promote a change in administration. In a press release Sunday about his upcoming book, Moon sharply criticized President Park Geun-hye ov
Dec. 2, 2013
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Opposition party files resolution for Assembly speaker's resignation
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) filed a resolution with the National Assembly Monday calling for the resignation of Assembly speaker Kang Chang-hee over his alleged violation of parliamentary laws in support of the ruling party.The move comes four days after Kang put to a vote the motion for the confirmation of Hwang Chan-hyon -- President Park Geun-hye's nominee for the head of the Board of Audit and Inspection -- amid objections from the opposition party.A plenary session of the Nati
Dec. 2, 2013
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Rival party leaders to meet over political standoff
Leaders of the ruling and main opposition parties will meet later Monday to discuss a way out of the political standoff surrounding the state's alleged interference in last year's presidential election and other issues, both sides said.The meeting comes as the ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) are locked in a bitter dispute over allegations that the state spy agency and other government bodies posted comments online in favor of then ruling party candidate and now
Dec. 2, 2013
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Seoul considers southward expansion of air defense zone
Korea’s top security officials discussed expanding its air defense zone on Sunday amid international disputes kindled by China’s new airspace policy, the presidential office said.National Security Office chief Kim Jang-soo convened the top security policy meeting after President Park Geun-hye recently directed her security staff to explore ways to protect national interests including the expansion of the country’s air zone.Beijing on Thursday rejected Seoul’s demand that it adjust its newly draw
Dec. 1, 2013
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Assembly to miss budget deadline amid political impasse
The National Assembly is set to miss the deadline to approve the government budget for the 11th consecutive year with a long-running partisan impasse over political issues showing no signs of letup.The legal deadline set by the Constitution for the passage of the 2014 budget is Monday. But the Assembly has yet to introduce the spending proposal to the related committee for a review as parties are at loggerheads over state agencies’ alleged electioneering and President Park Geun-hye’s controversi
Dec. 1, 2013