Most Popular
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Yoon apologizes for first lady Dior bag scandal, calls push for special probe ‘political’
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Korea forecast to overtake Taiwan in chip production by 2032: report
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Girl hanging on bridge, police trying to rescue her both fall off; rescued immediately
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[K-pop’s dilemma] Can K-pop break free from ‘fandom’ model?
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YouTuber fatally stabbed on livestream by another YouTuber in Busan
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Yoon rebuffs opposition's call for special probe into wife
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No plan to let doctors with foreign licenses practice here anytime soon: PM
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Stray Kids hit with racism in Met Gala photo line
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[News Analysis] Yoon's first 2 years marked by intense confrontations, lack of leadership
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Yoon apologizes for wife's 'unwise conduct'
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Railway strife continues with major rally planned
District courts on Wednesday turned down prosecutors’ request for arrest warrants for eight railway union leaders pending trial over the three-week strike heldlast month.Some 8,700 laborers of Korea Railroad Corp. went on strike on Dec. 9 in protest of the government’s plan to set up an affiliate under the company, a move that the union believes is aimed at rail privatization. The walkout is the longest on record.While the government and KORAIL remained steadfast in their pursuit of key figures
Jan. 8, 2014
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Health minister urges doctors to call off strike
Health and Welfare Minister Moon Hyung-pyo on Wednesday demanded doctors withdraw their plan to stage a walkout this month, stressing that the government’s new medical policies are not aimed at liberalizing the country’s health care system.“The government’s plan to allow hospitals to establish for-profit subsidiaries is not intended to break down their current governance structure but is to enhance their management efficiency,” Moon said in a meeting with reporters in Seoul.The minister suggeste
Jan. 8, 2014
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Courts deny arrest warrants for 8 rail union leaders
Local courts have rejected arrest warrants for eight rail union leaders, court officials said Wednesday, in a blow to a police probe into the nation's longest rail strike.On Saturday, police requested warrants to formally detain eight executives of provincial offices of the state rail company's union. All are alleged to have played major roles in the recently-ended strike and are awaiting trial.But courts, including the Seoul Western District Court and the Daejeon District Court, turned down all
Jan. 8, 2014
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[Graphic News] Economic burden of suicide, depression surging in Korea
The socioeconomic costs of suicides and depression jumped more than 40 percent between 2007 and 2011, a report showed on Tuesday.According to the state-run National Health Insurance Service, Korea saw 10.38 trillion won ($9.71 billion) in economic losses as an effect of people committing suicide or suffering from depression in 2011, a 41.5 percent increase from the 7.33 trillion won recorded in 2007.The report studied medical costs spent by people diagnosed with depression as well as financial a
Jan. 7, 2014
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History textbook row escalates as political parties enter fray
A local high school announced Tuesday that it is overturning an earlier decision to use a controversial history textbook from Kyohak Publishing Co., following a firestorm of criticism from its students, alumni, parent and civic groups.“Unlike our original intention of wanting to provide balanced history lessons, there is now the risk of students suffering from severe division and distrust among students, teachers and parents,” Park Sam-ok, the principal Park Sam-ok of Sangsan High School in Jeon
Jan. 7, 2014
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[Photo News] Gearing up for Seollal
Jan. 7, 2014
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Pathway out of poverty narrows for Koreans
The number of South Koreans pulling themselves out of poverty or moving into the upper income brackets has dwindled in recent years, a report showed on Tuesday.According to the Korea Institute of Health and Social Affairs, the rate of people moving out of poverty has decreased more than 8 percentage points from 32 percent in 2005-06 to 23 percent in 2011-12. This means that one out of every three low-income households was able to move up to the upper-income brackets in 2005-06. But in 2011-12, o
Jan. 7, 2014
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SNU introduces new enterprise major
Seoul National University announced Tuesday that it is creating a new major for students who want to start up venture businesses. According to the university, the newly created “Business Venture and Entrepreneurship Management” degree program is intended to teach professional business knowledge as well as have students take humanities, social sciences and science classes. Those subjects, often overlooked by business majors in South Korea, are to help equip them with creativity and other skills r
Jan. 7, 2014
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Subway crime rate increases sharply
The number of subway crimes sharply increased last year, led by sexual crimes and thefts, despite the South Korean government’s efforts to prevent them, police data showed Tuesday. According to the Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency, a total of 412 crimes occurred in the Gyeonggi Province on the subway last year, which is nearly double the number in 2012. Sex crimes accounted for the most with 147 cases, followed by 105 thefts. Other crimes included physical violence with 56 cases and taking lost
Jan. 7, 2014
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Two nabbed for alleged drug smuggling
Two men have been arrested for allegedly smuggling and attempting to sell more than one kilogram of methamphetamine, prosecutors said Tuesday.The two, identified only by their surnames Jang and Park, were indicted and detained pending trial on charges of violating drug laws, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said.Both had permanent residency in the United States before they were convicted and deported from the country for their involvement in narcotics violations and other crimes, th
Jan. 7, 2014
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Super Junior Leeteuk loses father and grandparents
Leeteuk, member of K-pop boy group Super Junior, mourned Tuesday the death of his father and grandparents after arriving at a hospital in Seoul where their funerals will be held.His family members were found dead at his home in Sindaebang-dong, southwestern Seoul, on Monday morning. Police are investigating the cause of death while some media outlets have speculated that his father killed his parents and then committed suicide.Leeteuk’s father has been reportedly had a difficult life while takin
Jan. 7, 2014
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Arrest warrant sought for Tong Yang Group chief for fraud
Prosecutors said Tuesday they have sought an arrest warrant for the head of embattled Tong Yang Group for fraud and malpractice in issuing and selling financial products.The 65-year-old Chairman Hyun Jae-hyun is accused of leading the issuance of fraudulent corporate bonds and commercial paper worth over 2 trillion won ($1.86 billion) since around 2007 and deliberately filing for court receivership of its five affiliates last October, inflicting heavy losses on investors and firms.From July to S
Jan. 7, 2014
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Dispute over textbook heating up
Sangsan High School, one of the two remaining high school to have adopted the history textbook by Kyohak Publishing Co., came under fire on Monday from its students, alumni and civic groups who demanded that it withdraw its selection of the controversial book.Earlier in the day, some 20 graduates of Sangsan High School issued a joint statement denouncing the school for choosing what they called “a textbook that distorts history.” The book had been criticized, mainly by lawmakers from the main op
Jan. 6, 2014
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Seoul’s Line 4 suspended in rush hour by power outage
Seoul Subway Line 4 was partially suspended by a power outage during rush hour on Monday morning, the first day of the subway’s full operation since the union’s longest strike ended.The power supply was suddenly cut on the northbound tracks between Geumjeong Station and Gwacheon Government Complex Station in Gyeonggi Province at 5:30 a.m., affecting the northbound route to Sadang Station in Seoul for nearly two hours. Line 4, jointly operated by Seoul Metro and the Korea Railroad Corp., connects
Jan. 6, 2014
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Record number of earthquakes hit Korean Peninsula last year
Ninety-three earthquakes of magnitude 2.0 or above hit the Korean Peninsula last year, the most since seismic monitoring began in 1978, the weather office said Monday.The figure is also more than double the annual average of 44.5 recorded since 1999 when the observation system was first digitalized.Also last year, 17 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or above struck the peninsula, with 15 of them felt by people, the Korea Meteorological Administration said.By region, there were 52 quakes in the West
Jan. 6, 2014
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Rumor spreads about death of N.K. leader’s aunt
The whereabouts of Kim Kyong-hui, aunt of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and wife of the recently purged No. 2 man Jang Song-thaek, have been unknown for weeks, spawning speculation that she might have died.According to a local media outlet, the North Korean leader’s only aunt is believed to have either committed suicide or died. “It is possible that Kim Kyong-hui committed suicide right after the purge of Jang Song-thaek, or died of a heart attack. We are keeping close tabs on the situation in
Jan. 6, 2014
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Textbook publisher claims schools' refusal to use its material a result of 'witch hunt'
A local publisher of a history textbook that is accused of containing right-leaning ideological biases claimed Sunday that progressive civic groups and politicians are engaging in a "witch hunt" to prevent its material from being taught in classrooms.Kyohak Publishing told Yonhap News Agency that its textbooks passed the inspections system set up by the education ministry and could be taught in schools.It said efforts by certain progressive groups can only be seen as an attempt to paint the book
Jan. 5, 2014
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Seoul to improve disabled bus access
The Seoul Metropolitan Government will expand the operation of low-floor buses to provide better transportation accessibility for the disabled, the elderly and mothers with children, officials said Friday.A low-floor bus has no steps by the doors, allowing easier access for disabled passengers and those with children. The city currently has 2,225 low-floor buses, accounting for 30 percent of the total. The city plans to increase this proportion to 55 percent by 2017. The city also plans to opera
Jan. 3, 2014
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Controversial history text roils schools
Conflicts escalated over a controversial history textbook on Friday as a string of schools withdrew their decision to select the book amid fierce opposition from students and parents.Bundang Youngduk Girls’ High School said it overturned its earlier decision to use the textbook from Kyohak Publishing Co., which had come under fire for supposedly containing wording that was in favor of Japanese colonialism and the junta dictatorship.Earlier in the week, it was reported that 15 of some 800 high sc
Jan. 3, 2014
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Court accepts UPP cabal tape-recording as evidence
Court officials on Friday accepted tape-recorded conversations of the so-called Revolutionary Organization as evidence in the trial of group members for intent to destroy important government buildings in case of a North Korean invasion.Justices at the Suwon District Court chose to admit 32 of the 47 tape recordings presented as evidence by the prosecution. The tape recordings reportedly documented RO members vehemently proposing the destruction of government buildings under the leadership of th
Jan. 3, 2014