Most Popular
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Korean industries gauge impact of Biden's steep tariffs on China
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Do Korean doctors make too much money?
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Is FTC's conglomerate listing a boon or bane for Hybe?
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NewJeans to headline palace show
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Coupang's Kim Bom escapes chaebol chief designation again
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Why Korean crime stories typically feature nameless, faceless perpetrators
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Rare mid-May heavy snow warning issued over mountainous areas of Gangwon
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CIO chief nominee to explain allegations at confirmation hearing
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Yoon vows to run country 'rightly' on Buddha's birthday
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Debate on 'no-seniors zones' heats up
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Imports of masks, air purifiers soar
With public concern mounting over fine dust and other forms of air pollution, imports of related items have skyrocketed.According to data released Thursday by the Korea Customs Service, the total value of imported masks hit $23 million last year, more than a threefold increase from $7.1 million in 2014.The agency explained that public concern has persisted since the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome last summer that had increased demand for masks.Last year, 79.3 percent of imported ma
July 7, 2016
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Golden Blue ranks No. 2 in Korean whisky market
Golden Blue, a Korean whisky with a low alcohol content, maintained its No. 2 spot in the nation's whisky market in the first half of the year as it enjoyed popularity among younger customers, the company said Thursday.Golden Blue, a homegrown whisky released in 2009 by a fledgling Korean distiller based in the southeastern port city of Busan, has been increasingly widening its base among whisky lovers who prefer a mild taste and affordable price tag.Golden Blue said its sales first surpassed Pe
July 7, 2016
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27 arrested for smuggling luxury goods to Korea
Korea's customs authorities said Thursday they have arrested 27 suspects on smuggling charges for sneaking foreign luxury items worth a total 17 billion won ($14 million) into the country.Incheon Main Customs said the suspects, from four different groups, are accused of illegally importing 588 luxury watches and 48 handbags through Incheon and Gimpo airports from January 2013 to last month.After purchasing the items from local airport duty-free shops or from overseas stores, including outlets in
July 7, 2016
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Seoul court says expulsion of pro-N. Korea American was legitimate
A local court ruled Thursday the government's decision to expel a Korean-American woman for making pro-North Korean remarks during her on-stage talk shows here was legitimate.The Seoul Administrative Court dismissed the suit filed by Shin Eun-mi against the chief of a local immigration office, seeking nullification of the expulsion order. The 55-year-old dodged indictment last year after being accused of making comments sympathetic to the North Korean regime at talk shows she hosted in Seoul and
July 7, 2016
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Visitors wearing hanbok to get 10 pct off at restaurants in Seoul
Visitors wearing hanbok will receive a discount at restaurants in downtown Seoul where famous tourist spots are clustered, starting next month, a district ward office said Thursday.The Jongno Ward Office said it will recruit restaurants in the region to participate in the campaign and select over a hundred of them to provide a 10 percent discount on all dishes -- and 20 percent off for certain dishes -- to those wearing the traditional attire.Chinese tourists pose for a photo with two South Kore
July 7, 2016
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Korea to foster halal industry to draw Muslim tourists
Korea will step up efforts to increase certified halal foods and restaurants to enhance convenience for a growing number of Muslim tourists from the Middle East and Southeast Asian nations, the government said Thursday.Halal food refers to food products that are prepared in a specific way according to Islamic Sharia law, which covers not only meat but also fruits and vegetables.YonhapThe Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism unveiled a set of measures to foster the halal food industry and enha
July 7, 2016
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CJ Group chief undergoes surgery to remove lung tumor
The head of CJ Group, one of Korea's largest food and entertainment conglomerates, has undergone surgery to remove a tumor from his lung, a company official said Thursday.Sohn Kyung-shik is recovering at Seoul National University Hospital in central Seoul after receiving the surgery on Tuesday, the official said, adding that he is not in serious condition.President Park Geun-hye speaks during a meeting on trade and investment at her office Cheong Wa Dae on July 7, 2016. (Yonhap)Sohn is the uncle
July 7, 2016
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Window blinds pose fatal risks to children
A 4-year-old toddler died from being entangled in the cords of window blinds in an apartment in Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi Province on Monday.The child was discovered unconscious by her mother who had briefly left her unattended to use the bathroom. The toddler was taken to the hospital but did not survive. (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)According to the Korea Consumer Agency, Koreans should be mindful of the potential fatal accidents that can take place with the cords of window blinds.
July 7, 2016
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More policemen embroiled in sexual misconduct charges
More cases of police officers engaging in sexual misconduct have surfaced days after the public condemnation of the school police officers who had sex with teenagers they were providing counseling to.A police officer, who was on a probationary period, was sacked on Friday after he was indicted for raping a teenager, according to Gwangju Bukbu Police, Tuesday. Another police officer was dismissed for paying for sex, according to Seoul Geumcheon Police, Wednesday. Prostitution is illegal in Korea.
July 6, 2016
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Gov't to lure more private investment in railways
Korea will allow greater access for private investors to the country's largely state-run railway systems, the government said Wednesday, a move aimed at making up for recent government budget cuts while ensuring the steady and speedy development of the railway system.The move to attract up to 20 trillion won ($17.17 billion) in private investment by 2025 was endorsed at a Seoul meeting chaired by Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho who, is double-hatted as the vice prime minister.Under the approved plan,
July 6, 2016
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Korea no longer safe from earthquakes: experts
Following a magnitude-5.0 earthquake detected near waters off the southeastern city of Ulsan on Tuesday evening, experts voiced concerns that the Korean Peninsula is no longer safe from strong shock waves, calling for prompt disaster preventive measures.At 8:33 p.m. on Tuesday, the shock wave was detected 52 kilometers east of Ulsan, according to the Busan Regional Office of Meteorology. At 9:24 p.m., a magnitude-2.6 aftershock was detected in nearby cities, including Busan and Daegu, according
July 6, 2016
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Teacher fined for sexually harassing pupils
A 56-year-old middle school teacher was slapped with a 7 million won ($602,000) fine for sexually harassing pupils, according to Jeonju District Court on Wednesday. He was also ordered to attend a 40-hour rehabilitation program.The teacher was brought to court for charges of inappropriately touching three of his pupils around their waist and brassiere straps. He told a 13-year-old victim, “You know I like you, I love you” and forced the victim to repeat the proclamation of love back to him. He m
July 6, 2016
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7-year term sought for man’s role in stepdaughter’s killing
Prosecutors have sought 7 years in prison for a man who deserted the body of his dead stepdaughter. In the announcement Tuesday, Cheongju District Prosecutors’ Office said the 4-year-old victim died at the abusive hands of her birth mother, and was buried in a deserted area of a mountain in Jincheon County, North Chungcheong Province, by the stepfather on Christmas day of 2011. (Yonhap)The mother, surnamed Han, had killed the victim by forcing her head underwater in the bathtub after she failed
July 6, 2016
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Ex-husband of Hotel Shilla chief claims property division worth 1 tln won
The ex-husband of Hotel Shilla's CEO and the eldest daughter of the Samsung group's chief has filed a suit, seeking over 1 trillion won ($857 million) in property division, legal sources said Wednesday.Im Woo-jae, an adviser at Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., filed the case with the Seoul Family Court late last month. He has also filed the case with the Suwon District Court where the appeals trial on his divorce suit is pending.In January, the Seongnam branch of the Suwon court accepted the divor
July 6, 2016
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China's top portal Baidu to offer information on Korean tourism
Baidu, China's No. 1 search engine, will offer tourism information on Korea in Chinese, as part of Seoul's efforts to attract more travelers from the region's largest tourism market, the state-run tourism agency here said Wednesday.The Korea Tourism Organization signed an agreement with The Map Korea, the Korean search agent for Baidu, to offer about 47,000 items of Korean tourism information in Chinese."We will continue to expand tourism information in foreign languages to deal with a rising nu
July 6, 2016
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High school bullies ordered to transfer school
Three female high school students were ordered to transfer schools after they brutally bullied a freshman, according to Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Office of Education, Tuesday. (123RF)The accused students beat the victim over three counts in secluded spots within and outside the school in June, causing severe psychological distress for the victim.The victim’s parents reported the case to Jeju Dongbu Police, which forwarded it to the prosecutors for opinion on indictment. The Jeju Of
July 6, 2016
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Ad hoc team to investigate senior prosecutor over suspicious stock purchase
An ad hoc probe team will be comprised to investigate a senior prosecutor who has come under public scrutiny for suspicious stock transactions, state prosecutors said Wednesday.The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said the country's top prosecutor Kim Soo-nam has designated Lee Keum-ro, chief of the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office, to lead the independent team. The size and members of the team have not been decided yet.The case involving Jin Kyung-joon came to light early this year as the senior
July 6, 2016
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Korea provides anti-chemical weapons education to OPCW member nations
Officials from some Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons member nations, including China and India, are receiving anti-chemical weapons training in Korea this week, the related military authorities here said Wednesday. Under the five-day program that began Monday, 15 officials from 11 nations will learn how to use protective equipment and materials against chemical weapons and how to counter terrorists using the weapons, the Armed Forces CBR Defense Command said. CBR stands for
July 6, 2016
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222 indicted over unlawful legal service to personal bailout applicants
Prosecutors on Wednesday said some hundreds of people, including scores of brokers and lawyers, have been indicted on charges of providing unlawful legal service to people applying for personal bailout programs.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said it arrested 225 suspects -- including 181 brokers and 41 lawyers and judicial scriveners -- on charges of violating the Attorney-at-Law Act, wrapping up its yearlong investigation. All, except three who have been put under a stay of pros
July 6, 2016
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Seoul to host 'Aesthetics and Mass Culture' gathering
Around 300 aestheticians will converge on Seoul later this month to share contemporary issues on the philosophy of beauty and present their fresh ideas, organizers said Wednesday.The 20th International Congress of Aesthetics will take place from July 25 to 29 on the campus of Seoul National University under the theme of "Aesthetics and Mass Culture." The International Association for Aesthetics, which consists of 29 members that represent a country and around 600 individual members, holds the co
July 6, 2016