Most Popular
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Court refuses injunction on medical school expansion
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Why Korean crime stories typically feature nameless, faceless perpetrators
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Debate on 'no-seniors zones' heats up
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Rare mid-May heavy snow warning issued over mountainous areas of Gangwon
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S. Korea, Cambodia forge strategic partnership
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Is NewJeans headed for a long 'break'?
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[KH Explains] Hyundai-backed Motional’s struggles deepen as Tesla eyes August robotaxi debut
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Police raid popera singer Kim Ho-joong's house over hit-and-run suspicions
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Trump may like to 'solve' N. Korean nuclear problem if reelected: ex-official
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New Seoul High Prosecutors’ Office chief vows full-fledged probe into first lady
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Seoul, Gyeonggi Province issue first ultrafine dust advisory this year
The governments of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province on Friday issued their first ultrafine dust advisories this year, urging people to stay indoors.In Seoul, the advisory was put in place at 11 a.m. after the city's atmospheric concentration levels of "particulate matter 2.5" pollutants stood around 95 micrograms per cubic meter for more than two hours. It was the year's first advisory of its kind issued by the Seoul metropolitan government.The Gyeonggi provincial government posted the same advisory
Jan. 17, 2014
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Statue unveiled to mark Korean victims of Japan's wartime sex slavery
A South Korean civic group dedicated a statue in the southern city of Geoje Friday to mark the suffering of Korean women forced into sexual slavery by colonial Japan during World War II.Up to 200,000 young women and girls, mostly Koreans, were coerced into providing sexual services at Japan's front-line military brothels during World War II, which remains an unresolved grievance between the two nations as Tokyo has refused to admit to its past wrongdoings.According to the committee in charge of
Jan. 17, 2014
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Korea takes quarantine measures for possible outbreak of AI
SEJONG (Yonhap News) -- Provincial quarantine authorities began culling more than 20,000 poultry Friday after a preliminary test indicated a possible outbreak of avian influenza, with the agriculture ministry saying it may be of a highly pathogenic strain.A suspected AI case was reported Thursday at a poultry farm in Gochang, located some 300 kilometers southwest of Seoul in North Jeolla Province.A DNA test is currently under way to confirm the outbreak and its exact strain, according to an offi
Jan. 17, 2014
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Four rail union leaders arrested for leading 'illegal strike'
Four leaders of the state rail company's labor union were formally detained Friday to undergo further questioning for their alleged role in organizing what the government calls an illegal strike.The leaders of the state-run Korea Railroad Corp. union, including the head Kim Myung-hwan, were put under detention immediately after a district court approved the prosecution's request for arrest warrants. "(Their) crimes have been ascertained enough, and there is a reasonable concern that they might t
Jan. 17, 2014
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NHIS ready to sue tobacco industry
South Korea’s health authorities are speeding up their move to take legal action against tobacco firms to recoup rising health costs from smoking-related diseases. The state-run National Health Insurance Service said Thursday that it would decide whether to file a suit against cigarette companies in its executive board meeting scheduled next Friday. It was reported that most of the board members are likely to approve the tobacco lawsuit. The 14-member board is comprised of the NHIS officials, go
Jan. 16, 2014
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Big firms face off against government
Business group heads accused of financial misconduct are struggling under government crackdowns that aim to enforce fundamental economic principles.Under increasing pressure from a policy President Park Geun-hye calls “normalizing the abnormal,” former and current top executives of KT Corp., CJ, Tong Yang and Hyosung are facing charges ranging from embezzlement to tax evasion. Prosecutors on Thursday released from custody Lee Seok-chae, the former chairman of telecom giant KT, after the Seoul Ce
Jan. 16, 2014
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‘English key to global leadership’
In South Korea, the importance of learning English cannot be stressed enough. Whether applying for a job, university or government-funded program, chances are one will need an English score from a certified organization. The status of the language is far beyond being just a lingua franca; it has become synonymous with the idea of globalization. “I think Korean society is really advanced, and has really understood the importance of English,” said Zoubir Yazid, managing director of Educational Tes
Jan. 16, 2014
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Seoul to set up more courts for sex crimes
The Seoul Central District Court is pushing plans to set up more courts that deal with sex offenses, according to court officials on Thursday. Under the plan, three divisions each consisting of three judges will handle sex crime cases, the court said. Currently, there are two divisions in charge of sex crimes. The measure is part of the court system’s efforts to strengthen the criminal justice system for sex offenders and bring them to justice.“The court has faced sweeping changes in the system
Jan. 16, 2014
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Alleged deals with celebrity raise questions about prosecution
A corruption scandal surrounding a prosecutor is putting a fresh spotlight on the problems facing South Korea’s prosecution. An arrest warrant was issued for a prosecutor identified by his last name Jeon on Wednesday for allegedly making unlawful deals with a defendant in a drug abuse case in 2011. The latest scandal marks another major setback for the powerful organization after its chief’s resignation over accusations he had a love child and a string of bribery cases damaged its public image.O
Jan. 16, 2014
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Three lawmakers lose seats as Supreme Court confirms prison terms
The nation's top court on Thursday confirmed prison terms and penalties for three sitting lawmakers for illegal electioneering ahead of the 2012 general elections, stripping them of their parliamentary seats.Lee Jae-young of the ruling Saenuri Party was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for two years, for embezzling money from a company he runs and using it to give money to party officials, in violation of the Public Official Election Act.In a separate ruling, the Supreme Court sentence
Jan. 16, 2014
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State intervention not solution to history textbook conundrum
As controversy over the historical accuracy of a textbook snowballed into an ideological war, there is talk of reinstating a system of all schools using government-published textbooks. But the idea is facing opposition from scholars who warn against the hazards of a unilateral view of history. The South Korean government recently said that it is mulling whether it should bring back a state textbook. The state textbook system started in 1974 during the 16-year rule of former president Park Chung-
Jan. 15, 2014
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[Graphic News] Chinese visitors outnumber Japanese
The number of visitors to South Korea increased 5.4 percent on-year in 2013 according to government data released Monday. Last year marked the first time Chinese visitors outnumbered Japanese visitors. Justice Ministry officials cited the improved visa review process and a weaker Japanese yen as possible reasons.Over 82 percent of foreigners arriving in Korea said they came for tourism while 4.5 percent made job-related visits. About 2.6 percent identified themselves as foreigners of Korean desc
Jan. 15, 2014
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Korea’s medical fees much lower than in other nations
South Korean doctors receive far less in fees for surgeries than other developed countries, a report showed Wednesday. According to a new report by the Korean Medical Association, the average surgery fees paid to Korean doctors in 2012 were the lowest compared to those of eight advanced countries, including the United States, Australia, Switzerland and France. In Korea, patients pay part of their medical costs as they belong to the state-regulated health insurance system. For the remainder of th
Jan. 15, 2014
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Korea to overhaul services for multicultural families
The government plans to streamline its support system for multicultural families to help them integrate into society, officials said Wednesday.The move comes as some existing services, including Korean-language education, have been redundant or failed to reach those in need who are in distant rural areas. Under the plan, immigrants can learn the Korean language at local government-designated locations in their respective neighborhoods and earn incentives that would later be helpful when they app
Jan. 15, 2014
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Ministry cancels state English test
A state-administered English exam for high school students will not be held this year, Ministry of Education officials said Wednesday.The ministry has canceled the level 2 and 3 administration of the National English Ability Test, or NEAT, citing high operational costs and low demand from colleges to use it for their admission procedures. While the level 2 and 3 exams, targeted at high school students, have been canceled, the level 1 exam for adults will be held as planned. “Demand for NEAT has
Jan. 15, 2014
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1 out of 6 civil servants open to private sector move
One in 6 public servants are open to getting a new job in the private sector in order to get higher pay, a government survey showed Wednesday. In the survey conducted by the Ministry of Security and Public Administration last year, 16.3 percent of 1,053 civil servants said that they were willing to give up their current government posts and go to the private sector. About 90 percent of respondents cited higher pay as their main reason, saying that they expected an average income rise of about 40
Jan. 15, 2014
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30% of Seoul households headed by women: data
Three out of 10 households in Seoul were headed by women in 2010, while women also accounted for more than half the population in Gangnam, data showed Wednesday.According to statistics compiled by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the number of female heads of households in the city came to 984,000 as of 2010, taking up 28.1 percent of the total.Across the nation, 4.49 million women led households as of 2010, it showed.Of the 25 districts in the capital city, the southern district of Gangnam ha
Jan. 15, 2014
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Namyang chairman to stand trial over alleged tax evasion
The head of major dairy product maker Namyang Dairy Products Co. was indicted on charges of evading taxes worth 7.37 billion won ($6.9 million) through various illegal methods, prosecutors said Wednesday.Chairman Hong Won-sik is under suspicion of stashing secret funds via deals involving expensive artworks and dodging taxes in the process, they said.“Among the items are high-value pieces such as one of the series of ‘Jackie paintings’ by legendary contemporary artist Andy Warhol,” said an inves
Jan. 15, 2014
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Woman raped at university library
The Busan police requested an arrest warrant Wednesday for a 29-year-old man, only identified by his surname Kim, who was accused of raping a female student at a school library in the nation’s second-largest city on Wednesday, according to news reports. Kim, who introduced himself as a researcher, lured the woman into the library through online chatting. He then forced her into a women’s shower room, located in the corner of the library, where he raped her, according to the reports. It is be
Jan. 15, 2014
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S. Korea's overseas arrivals, departures hit record high in 2013
The number of locals and foreigners going in and out of South Korea rose 9.2 percent on-year in 2013, the Ministry of Justice said Wednesday.The tally came to some 54.96 million, with the number of locals reaching 33.49 million and that of foreigners coming in at 24.61 million, the ministry said.Some 3.92 million Chinese visited South Korea last year, a 44 percent jump from a year earlier, the ministry added.The ministry attributed the sharp increase to streamlined procedures in issuing visas to
Jan. 15, 2014