Most Popular
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N. Korea says it test-fired tactical ballistic missile with new guidance technology
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[Weekender] Geeks have never been so chic in Korea
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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 Air Force blames power loss, weather for F-16 crash in S. Korea in May 2023
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Samsung expected to introduce new Exynos processor in next Galaxy series
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Ex-president Moon recalls in memoir NK leader voiced will not to use nukes
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US military commander in S. Korea during Gwangju uprising dies
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Korea's childbirths drop sharply in April
The number of childbirths in Korea fell at the fastest clip in more than two years in April on a low birthrate and late marriage trend, government data showed Thursday.About 35,300 babies were born in April, down 7.3 percent, or 2,800, from 38,100 a year earlier, extending the losing streak to five consecutive months, according to data from Statistics Korea. The April figure also marked the steepest on-year decline since November 2013, when new childbirths sank 12.3 from a year earlier.The downb
June 23, 2016
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Muslim patients' satisfaction with halal foods low: poll
Middle Eastern people who visit Korea for medical treatments are most dissatisfied with the quality of Islamic foods provided by local hospitals, a poll showed Thursday.According to the survey taken by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, Muslim patients who visited South Korea last year gave local hospitals' halal food the lowest score, at 78.05 out of a full 100, due mainly to inconvenience when eating and a limited menu.The survey covered seven non-medical services, including hala
June 23, 2016
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Prosecutors arrest former Lotte Chemical executive
The prosecution on Thursday arrested a former executive of Lotte Chemical Co., an affiliate of South Korea's retail giant Lotte Group, on charges of being involved in an alleged tax evasion scheme.It was the first arrest of a former Lotte official since prosecutors launched the first round of raids on a series of the group's affiliates on June 10 as part of their probe into the country's fifth-largest conglomerate and its alleged slush funds.The prosecution claims that the suspect, identified on
June 23, 2016
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GM Korea exec indicted over alleged bribery
INCHEON (Yonhap) -- A 57-year-old executive of the South Korean unit of U.S. carmaker General Motors Co. has been indicted on charges of receiving some tens of millions of won in kickbacks in return for business favors, prosecutors said Wednesday.The Incheon District Prosecutors' Office said the executive in charge of labor management cooperation, whose identity was withheld, allegedly gave favors to a certain company when purchasing gifts for employees in 2015. Prosecutors suspect he received 3
June 22, 2016
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Chicken deliveryman runs off with money
A fried chicken deliveryman who ran off with money on his first day at work was arrested Wednesday by the Busan Youngdo Police. According to the police, the 32-year-old surnamed Kim signed up for the post with intentions to take the money collected from the day’s delivery. (123RF)Kim fled on the same motorbike he took out for the last delivery. He is being accused of stealing over 500,000 won ($430) across two counts of similar thefts.The police said they were able to track Kim down based on hi
June 22, 2016
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Male workers in their 40s under most stress at work
Male workers in their 40s were under the most work-related stress among all age and gender groups in South Korea, while work itself was the largest source of their stress in 2014, a report showed Wednesday.According to the report based on a survey of 195,666 workers who underwent physical examinations at Seoul's Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, 68.1 percent of men in their 40s said they suffered from work-related stress, while 67.5 percent of those in their 30s also noted having similar problems. (123R
June 22, 2016
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[From the scene] Part-timers fast in fight for minimum wage hike
On Tuesday afternoon, some 15 part-timers were sitting shoulder-to-shoulder on the pavement behind a poster reading “Fight for 10,000 won minimum wage” at the entrance of the National Assembly in western Seoul. Among the 20-something workers chattering and giggling were members of the nation’s Part-Time Workers’ Union who have been on a hunger strike since June 16 to demand next year’s minimum wage be raised to 10,000 won ($8.67). This year’s minimum wage per hour stands at 6,030 won, up 8.1 per
June 22, 2016
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Depression linked to negative body image in women
Young South Korean women who have a negative body image -- those who feel unsatisfied with their physical appearance and body weight -- are more prone to mental conditions such as depression, a study showed Wednesday.The study, organized by Gangnam Severance Hospital in Seoul, analyzed government data of a total of 717 young Korean women who belong to the normal weight range -- meaning their body mass index was from 18.5 to 22.9. Among the participants, 40 percent of them inaccurately perceived
June 22, 2016
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ASEM culture ministers' meeting kicks off in Gwangju
High-level cultural officials from the Asia-Europe Meeting member countries gathered in the Korean city of Gwangju Wednesday to share their experiences in cultivating creative industries.Some 200 delegates from 51 ASEM member countries, including eight culture ministers and 11 deputy ministers, will attend the 7th Asia-Europe Culture Ministers' Meeting, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said.The event will take place at the Asia Culture Center, a state-run arts and concert venue in Gwa
June 22, 2016
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Opposition lawmakers propose bill banning texting after work hours
Opposition lawmakers on Wednesday handed in a bill that will ban employers from texting their staff after work hours, amid rising concerns among South Koreans that they are "too connected" to their companies.The so-called KakaoTalk-bill will ban firms from issuing orders through smartphones after regular work hours in order to protect workers' privacy and their time off. KakaoTalk is South Korea's most popular mobile messenger that is used by more than 37 million in the country with a population
June 22, 2016
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Korea rolls out measures responding to Gangnam murder
South Korea on Wednesday unveiled a series of measures aimed at creating a more equal society for women, about a month after a woman was killed by a stranger in a high-traffic neighborhood in Seoul.The murder sent a shockwave through a nation that has made strides in recent years but apparently leaves much to be desired in areas of gender equality. Gender Minister Kang Eun-hee (L) and National Police Agency Commissioner General Kang Sin-myeong talk during a ministerial-level talks held at Gover
June 22, 2016
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Korea unveils list of 700 foreign students for this year's scholarship program
A total of 700 foreign students from 142 countries will be given opportunities to study in local universities via this year's government-sponsored scholarship program, a state-run organ on international education said Wednesday.The National Institute for International Education, affiliated with the Education Ministry, unveiled the list of students receiving scholarships under the Global Korea Scholarship program aimed at securing an outstanding potential workforce and expanding a global human ne
June 22, 2016
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Future studies society to discuss Korea's future challenges
An inaugural conference will be held Wednesday by the Korea Association of Futures Studies to discuss the challenges of the future, organizers said.The forum will be held at the Seoul building of the National Information Society Agency under the theme “Challenge New Futures,” to address such issues as the rise of artificial intelligence and robots and their social impact. The conference will cover a total of 38 theses authored on topics such as technology to predict and manage natural disasters,
June 21, 2016
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Women’s presence in politics still limited in South Korea
While the 20th National Assembly has the highest proportion of seats held by women in its history, at 17 percent, gender disparity was still prevalent during the general election in April, a study showed Tuesday.The study, organized by a group of former and current women politicians, found that only 10.5 percent of all 934 nominated candidates who ran for constituency seats were women. Among the 51 women who secured seats in the parliament, 25 of them were elected by proportional representation.
June 21, 2016
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Prosecutor's house, office raided over alleged bribery
A prosecutor's house and office were raided Tuesday over allegations he received bribes from the former chief of a local cosmetics brand as part of a snowballing corruption scandal that is rocking the country's legal sector.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office sent officials to the house and office of the prosecutor, identified only by his surname Park, and confiscated computer hard drives and other related documents.Park is suspected of receiving 100 million won ($86,400) from the for
June 21, 2016
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Koreans' average marriage age rises: report
The average ages of both South Korean men and women at the time of their first marriages have reached record highs, a market report said Tuesday, suggesting economic issues as a possible reason.According to the report from local matchmaking firm Duo, the average age of men who met their wives through matchmaking companies and tied the knot for the first time came to 35.8 years between June 2014 and May 2016. (123RF)The two-year average marked an increase of 33.4 years tallied 10 years earlier, a
June 21, 2016
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Foundation for former comfort women unable to launch as planned: sources
A foundation dedicated to help South Korean women sexually victimized by Japan during its colonial rule will not be launched as planned as more preparation time is needed, sources said Tuesday. On Dec. 28, South Korea and Japan reached a deal in which Tokyo expressed an apology for its colonial-era atrocities and agreed to provide 1 billion yen ($9.6 million) for the foundation aimed at supporting the surviving victims, euphemistically called comfort women. The deal aims to put an end to the com
June 21, 2016
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23% of Seoul citizens prefer traditional toilets in public restrooms: poll
Nearly a quarter of citizens in Seoul prefer traditional toilets to western style ones in public restrooms, a government survey showed Tuesday.According to the survey conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on 3,137 people in March 2015, 22.8 percent of the respondents said they prefer traditional latrines where there is no need for the user to make direct contact with the toilet bowl. A total of 86.7 percent of people who said they preferred traditional toilets cited sanitary reasons, am
June 21, 2016
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Korea ranks 1st in using smartphones for news consumption: survey
Nearly half of all South Koreans consume digital news on their smartphones, topping the list of 26 countries studied, a survey showed Tuesday.According to the Korea Press Foundation that released the Korean version of the survey, "Digital News Report 2016," by Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, 48 percent of Korean respondents said they used their smartphones when reading digital news, followed by Sweden (46 percent) and Switzerland (42 percent).The poll checked 53,330 respondents fr
June 21, 2016
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Court says rally can be held near foreign embassies
A court on Monday said it is legal to hold rallies within the vicinity of foreign missions in the country if the event does not pose a risk of spreading or becoming violent. By law, outdoor rallies are currently banned within 100 meters from embassies and foreign diplomatic missions.The Seoul Administrative Court ruled in favor of civic group Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea, who sought the cancellation of a ban against rallies near the U.S. Embassy in central Seoul. The group was
June 20, 2016