Most Popular
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Yoon interacts with public for 1st time since election defeat
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[Weekender] Pet food makers bet big on ‘recession-free’ pet food market
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Seoul transit pass for travelers to be available starting July
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N. Korea says to deploy new multiple rocket launcher starting this year
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State-led adoption system to be established to ensure adoptees' well-being, minimize overseas adoption
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[Drama Tour] Romantic trip to ‘Queen of Tears’ filming spots
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Controversy rekindled over when to name criminals, suspects
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Buddha's birthday lantern parade to light up Seoul
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Business moguls attend concert by Helene Mercier, wife of LVMH CEO
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BTS leader RM's new song tops iTunes charts in 82 countries
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Fire breaks out at department store in Daegu
A fire broke out in a department store in Daegu on Wednesday, leaving five people hospitalized, police said. The fire started at an outdoor clothing storage center on the eighth floor of the Donga Department Store at around 6:30 p.m., according to police. Right after the fire began to spread, firefighters and 49 fire trucks were dispatched to the site, containing the blaze in 16 minutes. The fire killed no one but five people were injured, including three children who inhaled gas and two employe
Feb. 21, 2013
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Parents get suspended terms for admissions fraud
A total of 21 parents received suspended prison terms on Tuesday for securing unlawful admission for their children to foreigner-only schools in South Korea based on fraudulent documents, according to court officials.The Incheon District Court delivered guilty verdicts to the parents for illegally putting their children in schools for children of foreign residents with fabricated passports and foreign citizenship papers which they bought from brokers.South Korean students, in principle, can be e
Feb. 20, 2013
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Updated CIA factbook keeps Sea of Japan name
The updated World Factbook published by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency still refers to the body of water separating the Korean Peninsula and the main Japanese islands as the Sea of Japan, local diplomatic observers said Wednesday.They said the geographical name contested by Seoul was used in the reference book with information about the countries of the world. Koreans call the same body of water the East Sea.The South Korean government has persistently insisted that the International Hydro
Feb. 20, 2013
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‘N.K. may need several weeks to prepare for nuke tests’
Though North Korea has threatened to take stronger measures to protect its sovereignty following its Feb. 12 nuclear blast, experts say the isolated country may need several weeks to prepare for additional atomic tests.The diplomatic source in Beijing, who did not wished to be identified, claimed Pyongyang is very conscious of China and about concerns of radioactive contaminants from its underground test.“After the latest test, the North seems to be carefully checking the condition of the tunnel
Feb. 20, 2013
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Large firms caught dumping toxic waste
A total of 164 companies including some of the nation’s largest electronics, chemicals, automotive and food makers were found to have dumped waste water tainted with toxic materials, the Environmental Ministry said Wednesday. The ministry unveiled the result of its two-month investigation of 318 companies that discharge 2,000 tons of water per day.The probe found that waste water from nearly half of them contained harmful chemicals, including phenolphthalein, copper, cadmium, chloroform, cyan an
Feb. 20, 2013
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Global science and education in Korea for the 21st century
Science and education are worldwide enterprises, and all highly developed countries invest heavily in science and education. Korea is developing strong research to grow its economy, enhance public good and develop world-class universities that will be outstanding centers of research and learning. Korea already has a well-developed scientific infrastructure and university system, and is well positioned to achieve these goals. Three areas will have a positive impact on scientific research and educ
Feb. 20, 2013
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Vocational schools gain ground in tight job market
Lee Jong-suk faced stiff opposition from parents and friends when he decided to go to a vocational high school six years ago.They wanted him to go to a general high school to be qualified for university admission and a decent job as most Korean teenagers desire. “But the moment I saw the picture of the sea and ships in a dock, I thought this is where I belong,” said Lee, 21, who now works for Doriko Ltd, a ship management firm in Seoul.While his peers were stuck at their desks, Lee had a wide ra
Feb. 20, 2013
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EBS expands Herald slot
National educational broadcasting station EBS has decided to expand its “Newspaper Reading Class” as of late February.The English study program uses articles from The Junior Herald to air twice a week ― Thursday and Friday ― from 9:50 to 10:00 p.m. on a cable TV channel.Thanks to the ardent support of the EBS viewers, the program now airs Monday to Friday, 9:20-9:30 p.m., as of Feb. 25. Reruns of the program are again provided from 11:20-11:30 p.m. each day. The reading class is also shown on EB
Feb. 20, 2013
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Spy agency fires whistle blower in election interference suspicions
A state spy agency official was fired Wednesday for having leaked information that implicates the agency in attempting to influence the last presidential election, the agency said.Police have been questioning a 29-year-old female employee of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) -- identified only by her surname Kim -- on suspicions that she tried to influence the Dec. 19, 2012 presidential election on behalf of her employer by writing more than 120 online posts about politically sensitive iss
Feb. 20, 2013
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Crime rising in foreigner-concentrated neighborhoods
A growing number of crimes committed in foreigner-concentrated residential areas is raising calls for more government measures.With over 1.4 million foreigners currently residing in Korea, the number of violent crimes reported has jumped by 3,000 this year from 2009, according to a report in MBN news.Police investigated cities and areas where many foreigners live, including Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, Pyeongtaek and Daegu, for crimes commited by foreigners. Of the 464 foreign suspects caught, 186
Feb. 20, 2013
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Park Si-hoo’s alleged rape victim wasn’t drunk: bar owner
The woman who accused actor Park Si-hoo of raping her did not appear drunk on the night the alleged attack took place, according to the owner of a bar where the two drank that night.Park Si-hoo, a well-known hallyu star, was accused on Monday of allegedly raping a 22-year-old woman. The woman said she had a drink with the 36-year-old actor last Friday at a bar in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul, and was raped after she passed out from being drunk. The women formally lodged a complaint with the police the
Feb. 20, 2013
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Man gets 5 years for attempted rape of acquaintance’s wife
A man who tried to rape his acquaintance’s wife was sentenced to five years in prison, Chuncheon District Court said. The man, 30, broke into his acquaintance’s house on Sep. 1, 2012, and tried to rape the wife, 23, who was asleep with her son. She sustained injuries from resisting the attack.The judge said, “It is fatally bad to try to rape an acquaintance’s wife. Furthermore, he committed the crime as soon as he got off probation.”The court also ordered him to wear an electronic tag for 10 yea
Feb. 20, 2013
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Taxi drivers go on strike
About one out of five taxis across the country ceased operations Wednesday in protest of a stalled taxi bill, the government said Wednesday.According to the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, 31,730 taxis halted operation in the Seoul metropolitan area, well below the government’s expectation. The strike has not hindered citizens much during the morning rush hour, as only 20.7 percent of taxi drivers nationwide joined the walkout.To minimize citizens’ inconvenience caused by the w
Feb. 20, 2013
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Public diplomacy and civic consciousness
U.S. branding expert Patrick Hanlon said in his recent article in Forbes magazine that while Korea is exporting esteemed brands in businesses, it is “ best known for kimchee (pickled cabbage) and its annoying northern neighbor,” urging Korea to promote its national brand. His suggestion is not new at all to me even though it could be more or less embarrassing to many Koreans since they pride themselves on many successful stories to tell to the world, inter alia, in an economic aspect. In fact, m
Feb. 19, 2013
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Parents get suspended terms for admission fraud
INCHEON (Yonhap) -- A total of 21 parents received suspended prison terms on Tuesday for securing unlawful admission for their children to foreigner-only schools in South Korea based on fraudulent documents, according to court officials.The Incheon District Court delivered guilty verdicts to the parents for illegally putting their children in schools for children of foreign residents with fabricated passports and foreign citizenship papers which they bought from brokers.South Korean students, in
Feb. 19, 2013
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Education chief hospitalized after suicide attempt
A provincial education chief who was probed last month by police for bribery charges was taken to a hospital after an apparent suicide attempt on Tuesday, police said.Kim Jong-seong, chief of the South Chungcheong Office of Education, was rushed to a nearby hospital in Daejeon, 164 kilometers south of Seoul, police said, adding that he is being treated for non-life threatening injuries.The 63-year-old official has been under intense police investigation for allegedly ordering government official
Feb. 19, 2013
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Korean Air runs make-up class for men
Korean Air on Tuesday held a special make-up training session for its male recruits in Seoul, marking the airliner’s first such endeavor. The class, titled “Image making for service men,” introduced tips for work, including basic workplace manners and proper dress code. The company used to offer make-up lessons for its female crew and flight attendants, but opted to feature beauty tips in the orientation program for its male workers starting from this year. About 110 new male recruits were giv
Feb. 19, 2013
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Key figures in massive stock manipulation scandal indicted
Prosecutors said Tuesday they have brought charges against five people, including a former energy ambassador, for allegedly reaping massive profit from a stock manipulation scheme linked to a diamond mining project in Cameroon.The suspects are accused of pocketing about 90 billion won ($83.24 million) by inflating the stock prices of South Korean mine developer CNK International, after exaggerating the volume of diamond reserves in a Cameroon mine developed by the KOSDAQ-listed company through a
Feb. 19, 2013
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[Graphic News] Fewer Koreans escaping poverty
The rate of Koreans escaping poverty or moving into the upper income brackets has slowed over a five-year period, a report showed on Monday.According to Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, the proportion of poor households that moved out of poverty fell to 31.3 percent in 2008-09 from 35.4 percent in 2005-06The proportion of people moving into poverty, however, continued on oscillating pattern within 6.7-7.7 percent during the same period.The report studied a total of 5,637 households
Feb. 18, 2013
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N. Korea’s first lady may have given birth: source
North Korea’s first lady Ri Sol-ju may have given birth, a government source said Monday, citing her slimmer silhouette and permed hair seen in a photo of her that was released a day earlier.The photo shows Ri accompanying North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the governing family mausoleum where the embalmed body of late leader Kim Jong-il is laid. Feb. 16 was the anniversary of the birth of the late leader, who died from heart problems in December, 2011. Ri appeared in a tight dark skirt suit, de
Feb. 18, 2013