Most Popular
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Tensions heighten ahead of first president-opposition chief meeting
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Seoul to provide housing subsidy to married couples with newborns
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[KH Explains] No more 'Michael' at Kakao Games
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Rapper jailed after public street fight with another rapper
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Woman gets suspended term for injuring boyfriend with knife
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Samsung chief bolsters ties with Germany’s Zeiss
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NewJeans pops out ‘Bubble Gum’ video amid troubles at agency
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Med schools expect 1,500+ new admission slots next year
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Nominee for chief of anti-corruption body pledges 'independence, effectiveness'
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[Grace Kao] Hybe vs. Ador: Inspiration, imitation and plagiarism
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Chief prosecutor’s departure reminiscent of past titanic clashes
The ongoing conflict between the chiefs of the prosecution and the Justice Ministry is reminiscent of clashes between their predecessors that rocked the nation’s law enforcement system and had huge political ramifications. Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook offered to resign Friday amid controversy over a newspaper report that he secretly had a son through an extramarital affair. His announcement came hours after Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn ordered an inspection of him over the claim, despite
Sept. 17, 2013
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Authors vow to revise controversial history textbook
Authors of a controversial history textbook expressed their will Tuesday to revise content accused of ideological bias, but countered claims that it glorifies Japanese colonialism and South Korea's former dictatorships.The history textbook, authored by conservative historians, passed an education ministry screening in May along with seven other textbooks for use at high schools starting the 2014 academic year.However, opposition lawmakers, liberal historians and civic activists have claimed that
Sept. 17, 2013
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Satirical editorial on prosecution chief stirs controversy
DongA Ilbo newspaper on Tuesday ran a sarcastic editorial on the love child allegations of Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook, who was accused by Chosun Ilbo of having a child through an extramarital affair.Choi Yeong-hae, an editorial writer for the influential paper, wrote a fictional letter to Chae as the prosecutor’s alleged 11-year-old son. In the letter, “Chae’s son” asks him why people are telling the boy that Chae is not his father.“What are they talking about? I’m not your son? I was so
Sept. 17, 2013
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Probe into top prosecutor expected to kick off next month: sources
An internal inspection into the nation's embattled top prosecutor, who offered to quit over allegations of having an illegitimate son, is expected to kick off sometime next month, legal sources said Tuesday.Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Friday ordered the ministry to "reveal the truth" about a media report that Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook fathered a son through an extramarital affair in 2002.Minutes after the order, Chae tendered his resignation, saying that while he denies the allegat
Sept. 17, 2013
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S. Korea to announce winner of fighter jet project next week
South Korea will select the winner of its fighter jet project next week, with Boeing's F-15 Silent Eagle deemed a favorite as it is the only candidate to meet the 8.3 trillion won (US$7.2 billion) budget, the state procurement agency said Tuesday.The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has completed biddings and evaluations on three jets -- Boeing's F-15 SE, Lockheed Martin's F-35 and the EADS' Eurofighter -- and briefed President Park Geun-hye on the results last week.It is not ye
Sept. 17, 2013
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Fake doctor cons woman for cash, valuables
A man suspected of pretending to be a doctor and scamming a woman into giving him money and valuables was arrested, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Tuesday.The 31-year-old suspect surnamed Seo allegedly tricked an unnamed female victim into believing that he was a doctor who graduated from Harvard Medical School. He is believed to have received allowances and various items which totaled 50 million won ($46,000).Seo, who is a middle school graduate with no regular job, started decorating hi
Sept. 17, 2013
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NIS launches more raids in probe of UPP treason suspicions
The spy agency on Tuesday raided the homes and offices of five people affiliated with the far-left opposition party of Rep. Lee Seok-ki, who has been accused of plotting to overthrow the government.The National Intelligence Service simultaneously launched the seizure at 6:40 a.m. of the homes of United Progressive Party spokesman Hong Sung-kyu; Pyeongtaek city regional chairman Kim Yang-hyun; Ansan’s Sangrok regional chairman Kim Seok-yong; Hwaseong labor rights center chief Choi Jin-sun; and Ji
Sept. 17, 2013
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Number of marriages among Seoulites falls 30 pct over 20 years
The number of married couples has tumbled more than 30 percent over the past two decades, with the average age of first marriages soaring, a report showed Tuesday.According to the report by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the city saw a total of 71,695 marriages last year, down a whopping 33.5 percent from 107,821 in 1992.Of them, 62,208 cases involved a husband in their 20s and 30s in 2012, a 40 percent plunge from 103,672 in 1992, the report showed.Seoul citizens were also found to wed late
Sept. 17, 2013
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DP lawmaker accuses Park aide of pushing top prosecutor out
The political row surrounding the prosecution chief’s abrupt resignation intensified Monday as the opposition raised fresh allegations that he was stepping down due to pressure from the presidential office.Rep. Park Jie-won of the main opposition Democratic Party claimed that Cheong Wa Dae’s civil affairs team in August spied on Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook, looking into rumors that he fathered a son out of wedlock, in collaboration with senior officials from the National Intelligence Servi
Sept. 16, 2013
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Publisher, authors fail to agree on history textbook
The publisher of a controversial Korean history textbook backed off from its proposal to cancel its publication of the book in the face of resistance from the authors. Kyohak Publishing Co. announced Monday it failed to reach an agreement with the writers and will now comply with the Ministry of Education’s order to fix any errors found.“We had wanted to waive our right as publisher of the text, and have repeatedly sent this message to the authors,” company president Yang Jin-oh said at a news c
Sept. 16, 2013
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Energy drink commercials to be restricted
Television commercials for energy drinks, which are high in sugar and caffeine, will be restricted from next year, the country’s food watchdog said Monday.Under revised guidelines, TV advertisements for foods containing high levels of caffeine are banned from airing during children’s viewing time from 5:00 p.m. to 7 p.m., according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.Energy drinks, a type of beverage containing large amounts of stimulants like caffeine, have gained popularity in South Korea
Sept. 16, 2013
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2 Malaysians arrested over forged credit cards
Two Malaysian nationals were arrested for using forged credit cards to pay for hotel bills and luxury items bought at upscale stores in South Korea, police said on Monday. The suspects are estimated to have charged a total of 8.6 million won ($7,591) on their counterfeit cards.“Caution is needed when foreign customers do not know the spending limit of their own cards or when their cards don’t get accepted repeatedly,” said Jo Jung-hyuk, a police official in Busan.The suspects tried to escape Kor
Sept. 16, 2013
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S. Korean man shot dead in attempt to cross border to N.K.
South Korean soldiers fatally shot a man who attempted to cross the Imjingang River to North Korea on Monday, the military said.The incident occurred about 5 kilometers west of Imjingak, a pavilion near the Panmunjeom border village, in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.The troops fired at the man, believed to be a civilian in his 40s, at 2:23 p.m. after he ignored warnings to return to the south side, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.He jumped into the river and was holding onto the buoy at the tim
Sept. 16, 2013
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Court overturns acquittal of ex-prime minister over bribery
A Seoul appellate court on Monday overturned the acquittal of former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook and sentenced her to two years behind bars for bribery.The Seoul High Court, however, did not put the country's first female prime minster under custody, taking into consideration that she is a sitting lawmaker.Han, who was prime minister between 2006 and 2007 under the late liberal President Roh Moo-hyun, was found guilty of receiving 880 million won (US$760,000) as political funds from a head of
Sept. 16, 2013
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Top presidential, intelligence officials spy on chief prosecutor: lawmaker
An opposition lawmaker claimed Monday that a senior presidential secretary had colluded with a top intelligence official to spy on Prosecutor General Chae Dong-wook, suggesting they had masterminded the scandal over Chae's alleged illegitimate son.Rep. Park Jie-won of the main opposition Democratic Party raised the allegations at a meeting of the parliamentary legislative and judiciary committee, claiming Chae was put under constant surveillance during the month of August.The scandal surrounding
Sept. 16, 2013
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Gov't, ruling party agree to raise soldiers' pay by 15 pct next year
The government and the ruling Saenuri Party agreed Monday to increase soldiers' monthly pay by 15 percent next year as part of President Park Geun-hye's push to double their salary during her five-year term, the party's policymaker said. Finance Minister Hyun Oh-seok, Saenuri Party's policy maker Kim Ki-hyun and other senior officials held a meeting to fine-tune the 2014 budget proposal, which will be announced later this month. The move comes after Park promised to double soldiers' pay during
Sept. 16, 2013
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‘Project Cheonan Ship’ to be screened at National Assembly
Opposition lawmakers on Monday will show a controversial film about the 2010 sinking of a South Korean naval corvette at the National Assembly amid protests against the discontinuance of its screening by a major film distributor.Democratic Party lawmaker Rep. Choi Min-hee said they decided to screen “Project Cheonan Ship” to protest “external pressure intervening in the creative arts.”Megabox, the only conglomerate-sized film distributor to initially screen the documentary, decided to take the 7
Sept. 15, 2013
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History textbook authors vow to reject ministry’s revision orders
Authors of seven high school history textbooks, which have been accused of conservative bias along with another right-wing textbook, said Sunday they won’t comply with Education Ministry orders to revise their texts.Education Minister Seo Nam-soo said last week that the ministry will conduct an in-depth review of the eight recently licensed textbooks and order them to make revisions if necessary, after one of them, published by Kyohak Publishing Co., sparked ire for containing a conservative bia
Sept. 15, 2013
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[Photo News] Ready for Chuseok
Sept. 15, 2013
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History textbook authors vow to reject ministry's revision orders
Authors of seven high school history textbooks, which have been accused of ideological bias along with a right-wing textbook, said Sunday they won't comply with education ministry orders to revise their texts.Education Minister Seo Nam-soo said last week that the ministry will conduct an in-depth review of the eight recently licensed textbooks and order them to make revisions if necessary, after one of them, published by Kyohak Publishing Co., sparked ire for containing a conservative bias.The m
Sept. 15, 2013